Five for Friday – fall cooking
I love this time of year! Here in Romania the last week or 2 it has been getting darker earlier in the evenings and the mornings are just a little bit colder, and for me it is so exciting looking towards fall and especially Christmas coming.
As a Brit surrounded by Americans here, I have fully, 100%, embraced Thanksgiving and I can’t wait for the day of food and celebration! As we get ready for this time, one of the things I love most is all the cooking and dishes we prepare for these celebrations and autumn, and I thought it might be fun to look at some of my favourite cookware and tips for this season.
1. Le Creuset:
I discovered Le Creuset (and enameled cast iron cookware in general) last year, and it has quickly become my kitchen obsession! Cast iron is renowned for being one of the best materials to cook with, as it retains heat very well so your food always cooks evenly. A bonus with the heat retention is that when you serve your dish at the dining table it will stay warm for longer, so your second serving is still lovely and warm! Cast iron and Le Creuset items are often referred to as heirloom quality as if they are looked after well they will last a lifetime and are often handed down through generations.
Le Creuset have so many options available that I would love to just list 1 of everything! In particular I highly recommend their roaster, it’s a versatile pan that you can use for everything from roasting meats to baking lasagna. I have even baked cakes in mine.
And who could miss their Dutch Oven?! Use this pan to cook soups, stews, casseroles, and even bake bread! They come in many sizes for all types of cooking; I have the 8qt dutch oven and find it can be used for almost every recipe you might want to make.
For when a stubborn stain won’t come off your cast iron cookware the official cleaning solution from Le Creuset, although it seems expensive, it does an incredible job and has taken off stains that I thought would never come off my cookware, and it only needs a little bit of solution to clean, so it should last a very long time.
2. Deviled egg tray:
One of the foods I loved most when I was first introduced to Thanksgiving, is Deviled Eggs. I could eat a whole tray of them on my own! A tray made specifically for holding and serving them is very useful for storing them in the fridge and for a nice way to serve them on the table.
I like this platter from Walmart as it is great for presentation and you can place a dip or veggies/tortilla chips in the well in the middle:
Or a tray like this one from Amazon, combines as a great way to store your eggs in the fridge as well as present them, and will help with transport if you are taking them to a family gathering:
3. A good knife:
It may seem like an obvious one, but I really believe all you need is one good quality knife for most of your main cooking. Robert Welch are an English company that make some incredible knives and are respected all over the world for their quality and craftsmanship. Their Signature Cook’s series of knives are amazing and I personally use the 6” knife in this series for 90% of my cooking prep.
Robert Welch 6″ Signature Cook’s Knife
A cheaper option would be this Victorinox knife that also has a lot of good reviews and ratings:
Victorinox 6″ Classic Chef’s Knife
4. Table Decor:
A key part of your fall cooking will be presentation, and below are a few links to some fun ideas for a fall/Autumn table centerpiece…combined with serving up with a Le Creuset roasting pan filled with some delicious food you’ll be set for all your guests!
Maple Tree Light Up Centerpiece
Decorative Bowl for Pumpkins & Maple Leaves
5. Autumn Playlist:
While you’re cooking and entertaining your fall visitors, you will need a nice cosy autumn playlist to listen to! Below are a couple of links to some autumn playlists to get you started.
Thank you for reading and cheers to an awesome autumn/fall for us all! Be watching our blog as I will be sharing my top 5 English recipes in a few weeks time. We are so thankful for you all!
God bless,
Dave Truss
cindy march
September 17, 2021 7:42 pmLove this Mr Dave!!!!