autumn
Certain foods and dishes are commonly associated with November, due to that little holiday called Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, pie… but there are plenty of delicious vegetables too! Whether you’re practicing a side-dish for Turkey Day or preparing dinner as usual, incorporate some of this seasonal produce and celebrate the bounty of November.
Pumpkin spice and apple cider season is truly upon us. In my neck of the woods, the temperature is perfect for camping, the nights just cool enough to necessitate extra time in front of the campfire. Here is a list of produce in season in the Eastern U.S. this month:
Thanksgiving is like the Holy Grail of holidays for an enthusiastic home cook. If you find yourself in the kitchen cooking for a large group, you may be facing a mixed bag of emotions: apprehension, excitement, inspiration, anxiety… and that’s just how you feel about the turkey. Even if you’re not catering a whole meal, you may be asked to bring a dish to dinner. This year, the Cursory Cook has got you covered with some suggested side dishes that are the perfect mix of traditional and unique. All of them take less than one hour to prepare, and are full of ingredients that should be easy to find last minute!
Continue reading “Thanksgiving Side Recipes to Up Your Potluck Game”
Leaves a-changing? Pumpkins a-glowing? A chill in the air? Check, check, check. Before our feasting tables are overtaken by Halloween candy and Thanksgiving trimmings, let’s celebrate this quiet mid-autumn period. Below you’ll find recipes for a hearty meal bursting with seasonal produce and fall-time flavors, a perfect for the menu this weekend…
You know what we don’t eat enough of at breakfast time? Dessert. Let us remedy this dire situation with a quick and easy recipe for scones, with a seasonal twist to boot. These pumpkin scones are moist and crumbly, buttery and spiced, and absolutely perfect with a tall mug of hot coffee.
Oh boy, the Halloween decorations are already giving way to Thanksgiving wreaths in the craft store aisles. There are strings of plastic maple leaves and spooky carved candles … but most importantly, there are real, live PUMPKINS!
Welcome to round two of the search for the best pumpkin beer! Last week I sampled some ales and decided that Dogfish Head’s 2016 Punkin Ale was the best of that batch. This week it’s time to test a few imperial pumpkin ales and a pumpkin IPA. So who’s the winner in this second sampling? That would be…
Continue reading “Search for the Great Pumpkin [Beer]: Part 2”
Pumpkin beer is a harbinger of the fall season, and with the micro- and nano-brewery boom in the last 5-10 years, there are a ton of different brands to choose from. I have been ambivalent about pumpkin beers in the past, my impressions ranging from “meh” to “ew this is disgusting”, but I knew there had to be at least one type out there that could be a trusty go-to during this season. As a public service, only out of my concern for your beer-drinking welfare, I sampled about ten different types and brands, and wrote about them so maybe you can find a great pumpkin beer to match your tastes, too. Continue reading “Search for the Great Pumpkin [Beer]: Part 1”