It’s also a great moment for a little spruce-up in the kitchen. Now’s the time to move slowly away from raw salads and to say hello to our ovens more frequently, and to new produce in the markets. Although I get a little sad about saying goodbye to plush summer tomatoes, the excitement about getting my hands on autumnal favourites quickly overrides it. I fantasize about picking blackberries on long meandering walks, eating the majority of them en route while admiring the new colours on the trees. The versatility of autumnal produce is a real highlight. There is an abundance of recipes you can make with just a pumpkin, for example (and no need to chuck away the seeds). On the subject of pumpkin, I haven’t given it enough credit in this post yet and it most certainly deserves it. Pumpkins come in many shapes and sizes and, depending on the climate and your whereabouts in the world, a broad variety. They tend to be known more commonly as squash, with only the larger ones being referred to as pumpkins. Spaghetti, acorn, sweet dumpling, butternut, delicata, ambercup, sugar, golden nugget (my all-time favourite name) and green Hubbard (a close second)…it’s no wonder they’re associated with Halloween. My love affair with them goes way back. What glee when my dad would tell us he was roasting one to turn into soup, made simply with fresh earthy herbs and a generous swirl of yoghurt for good measure, along with some fresh crusty bread. They are also perfect for creating a simple purée (boil them in just enough water to submerge them with a pinch of salt for about twelve minutes, until soft and tender, then blitz until smooth) a thick béchamel, and of course offer endless baking possibilities, including the heavenly creamy pumpkin pie. Here are three of my favourite ways to make the most of pumpkin before the season is out. Sophie’s celebration of seasonal, zero-waste plant-based cooking, The Whole Vegetable, is out now.
