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What is Good to Eat in October
A guide to seasonal food
Alongside September, the relative peace and calm that is October means an enjoyable working month for me. It is a time to renew and refresh after a long, hard summer and to enjoy the calm before the storm that is December.
During my years in the English Lake District I couldn’t wait for summer to end and for autumn to begin. Coach loads of tourists, water skiers and drunken weekenders gave way to peaceful walks around Lakes Windermere and Thirlmere, to casting a fly in the stillness of a remote tarn and long, uniterrupted talks with an antiquarian book dealer in Old Kendal town. I still think of trout rising to the surface at Ghyll Head in the autumn dusk and wonder if I have ever seen anything finer.
October can still produce days of Indian summer warmth, in the kitchen garden chillies and peppers are coming to an end and the tougher herbs are bracing themselves for the first real cold spell. This is the month to harvest squashes, they have been spreading themselves across the garden with careless abandon and the giant fruits break away from under the umbrella of their leaves to harden off in the fading sunlight.
The quality and avaliability of game continues to improve in October, rich pickings of wild mushrooms can be expected (weather dependant) and for seafood lovers (and lovers) native and rock oysters should be good.
In my polytunnel I am making the most of the cut and come again salad whilst planting out the sowings of endives and crunchy cos lettuce. Lemon verbena leaves have been picked for the pastry section (I reserved a handful for a pot of tea) and the summer planting of savory is begining to show promise.
Miles,
how long can I leave my leeks in ?
Do they need eating now ?
Ghyll Head … I remember a great day there !
Rod
October 5, 2007 @ 9:15 am
Rod,
Generally speaking the sooner you eat the leeks the better. They do, however last a good while in situ, I’ve left mine in for weeks and still enjoyed them. If they start to become a little woody then use them for soup. Creme vichysoisse anyone?!!
Ghyll Head is without doubt one of my all time favourite places on the planet.
They were happy, carefree days.
Miles
October 5, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Miles
thanks for that, I think I’ll hoover a few down tonight - just to be on the safe side
RC
October 5, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Miles,
I’m drawn to those multi-coloured squashes. Pity we don’t see more like it in the shops and fields. Doubtless your lantern display this year will be spectacular!
An interesting recipe using squash would be welcome.
Cid
October 5, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
Cid,
Sadly, the plainer looking squashes usually make for better eaters. As for the recipes, I’ll post a few ideas.
Miles
October 5, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
Miles,
I look forward to your recipes for squashes. Your wonderfull coloured ones remind me of displays seen in shops and outside private houses in Canada and on the Continent. I would not dare leave them on my front door!
October 5, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Elsie,
I know what you mean about leaving them out, once picked they are best left to dry out in the late summer sun to harden off, as you say, this is dependent on where you are leaving them!
Thanks for the comment.
Miles
October 5, 2007 @ 11:21 pm