“Falling Leaves”

Hello my Foodie Friends! 

The heart of autumn brings back memories of my childhood and the chaos of getting five children to do their homework, eat dinner, brush their teeth and get to bed every school night. I often reminisce about the work my parents had in raising three boys and two girls. During the autumn months, with the leaves changing and falling, we loved playing outdoors after school. We were often given the chore of leaf raking, which would quickly become leaf jumping, burying, leaping, and then trying to collect the leaves back into piles. Somehow, the leaves never did manage to get raked (something our dad would remind of of). We spent as much time as we could outdoors. I smile thinking of the mischief we created in our yards. 

During those autumn days, all of our neighborhood front and back yards, became loads of fun with tossing footballs, playing with a frisbee, and then ultimately falling into a pile of leaves. One of my favorite things to do was to collect the most beautifully colored leaves bringing my treasures back into the house to share with my mother. Usually, my mother would be busy making dinner for us, but would stop and share in looking at the vibrant colors and unique patterns that each leaf displayed. 

The house always smelled of pies, cinnamon, or hot chocolate. On chilly nights, my mother would make those “stick to the bones” hearty meals that would include a cooked stew or split pea soup. As an adult, when I eat these foods now, I am transported back to a time and memories of sitting at the dinner table with my four other siblings. We would make sure we ate everything on the plate, because we knew there was some type of pumpkin themed dessert waiting for us to devour.  

As we continue to enter into the holiday season, I am reminded that every season brings something new to enjoy and create memories with those around you. I cherish my family memories of growing up. Create those memories with your family. Play in the falling leaves, make something unique, explore new foods that have come into season, and bake something wonderful for the chilly nights. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place for those tools you need to make your favorite autumn meals. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. 

Take Care, John & Paula