Portland Food Heads

Autumn is great. In fact, Autumn is the best time of the year. Disagree, and - well, you just happen to be confused, that's all.

Alright, fine. Every season has its moments and I'm not about to pass judgment on someone based upon their affinity for a particular time of the year. I will however say that I really do love Autumn; for its crisp air and dark, cool nights, the spooky excitement in the air with Halloween right around the corner, and the photogenic magic that occurs as the leaves on trees change from bright green to a whole spectrum of colors, turning the landscape into a veritable living painting.

While I can't say I'm one to complain about weather, I will say that many of the days recently that I've had the time (read: drive) to get outside, the weather hasn't exactly cooperated. Yesterday, however, was one of the more perfect days we've had so far and a great one to get out on the road. Lynn and I ended up going to a couple of apple orchards out in Standish. I feel like you've got to get out to an orchard at least once or twice in the fall; it's almost a prerequisite for enjoying the full benefits of the season. Plus, half of the enjoyment comes from the kaleidoscope of colors that go along with the drive.

After picking up some Macs and Cortlands, we headed home to throw together a quick dinner.

I've said this many times in past posts I'm sure, but as far as I'm concerned, there is nothing better on a chilly fall evening than pork and apples. The addition of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to a bowl full of sliced apples causes an intoxicating smell when sauteed in butter, and inevitably becomes "real" apple sauce.

I had some pork noisettes in the fridge as well as the last of some gorgeous carrots and potatoes I had picked up the farmers market earlier in the week - seemed like enough to throw together a nice plate of food. The noisettes require no more than a super hot sear on each side until they reach 135 degrees. I cubed the potatoes and baked them in the oven with olive oil and dried herbs, and pan-roasted the carrots in maple syrup, butter and a dark porter.

Throw it on the plate and eat.

It was a pretty tasty plate of food, but it didn't compare to the cupcakes Lynn threw together from scratch. Don't ask me how she gets the cake to come out so moist or the butter cream frosting to have such a mellow, perfect sweetness to it. Needless to say, these are damn good cupcakes.

Halloween is a big deal around here; it's both of our favorite holidays. I don't know why, but I think it has a lot to do with the exact time of year it takes place; October in Maine can be mysterious and beautiful.

The horror movies normally start around the middle of the month, and the ideas of what to carve into the body of a "perfect 'cause I picked it out" pumpkin are already brewing. And the fact that the holidays are really just around the corner is - albeit a bit disconcerting - comforting in it's own strange way.

~E~