October, let's go. It's time to migrate!

October, let’s go. It’s time to migrate! Ah, it wasn’t October right (*)? Yet, for me October is the month when I do “migrate” back home, late October to be precise. I return to my children and to the more leisurely pace of winter.

Welcome to “Open Celery!” our monthly newsletter on plant-based recipes, stories and unsolicited advice made in Italy… The fruit (and vegetable) of the collaboration between ottimoblog.com and appetibilis.net
Published in Italian and English (and happily edited and translated by Orsola)… at some point, we’d like to have it as podcast as well 😀
(Cliccate qui per “Apriti Sedano!” in italiano)

I enjoy October because…

October is a month I enjoy for many reasons:

1) The first of the month is the International Coffee Day. I am a moderate but passionate consumer, few cups but it must be good…

Cheers to coffee, whether espresso, macchiato or corretto – provided it’s good! Life is too short to drink bad coffee!

I wrote something about it. If you want to read or re-read it click “On Coffee and Caffeine.“

2) In October there is a burst of pumpkins, which graciously take center stage as top seasonal vegetable.

Well, these orange roundnesses are not just for Halloween or for carving funny faces. Apparently, their color is of great help to our immune system… Meaning? They help us stay resilient in the face of the ever-changing weather.

Why not treat yourself to a delicious hearty soup that’s perfect for any season? Try our Miso Soup, The Italian Way

Open Celery! October, let's go. It's time to migrate! Winter is coming [banner]

On mushrooms and polenta

3) October is an absolutely amazing month for mushrooms! “a world apart” to be savoured.

Why include mushrooms into recipes, especially in cool weather? These mysterious woodland dwellers are an amazing find! They’re earthy, flavorful, and versatile, but also a valuable source of vitamins, minerals, and fibres. They also bring their irresistible ‘umami’ to dishes, elevating soups, risottos and sauces.

For a surf and turf, try the Faux Scallops recipe… the real ones are still at sea 😉 The recipe is an absolute must-try!

4) Polenta also makes a grand entrance on our tables, as winter is now practically here. It tastes great and is also good for gluten-free eaters. Cut into squares, it acts as a tartlet, a presentation I often use when cooking for yoga retreats.

Here are a couple of recipes to try:

FarFrittata, Cecina, or Vegan Frittata – Cecina is a baked chickpeas flour kind of pie, served with vegetables), but polenta works just fine – don’t mind the purists.

‘Mele & co. torta di recupero… senza glutine! (Apples & co. salvage pie… gluten-free!) This ‘polenta taragna’ (a mix of corn and buckwheat meal) is just the thing to enjoy with a good long Americano coffee… (for the time being, only in Italian).

‘Spalmabili’ Spreads

And if, like me, you are also vegan, you must try these ‘spalmabili’ spreads, the ultimate in comfort food, with our ‘Hummus di ceci + varianti’ (chickpea hummus + variations with lentils & co.)… (for the time being, only in Italian).

The question is, why go to all this trouble of adopting all these ingredients? Elementary, to make each autumn dish an exciting taste experience, a celebration of nature that, one bite at a time, reminds us, “Fall is here… and winter is coming.”

That said, I just wanted to wish you a very good October. Hopefully you’ll be able to light the fireplace now and then, even if only to relax with a nice winter soup! Oops, I guess I didn’t tell you that I have a nice fireplace at home, did I?

‘Til next time!’

(*) Notes… It wasn’t October, it’s “September, let’s go. It is time to migrate,” the opening line of ‘The Shepherds’ a poetry by Gabriele D’Annunzio.

Link all’articolo in italiano: Ottobre, è tempo di migrare!

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ockstyle

I’m an Italian gluten-free Gourmet Traveler+ and a passionate storyteller, writing in English and Italian. Fluently speaking (eating and dreaming) in Italian, English, French, and Russian. When I’m not writing, I cook and test recipes for special diets, and photograph (also on film). Not necessarily in that order. — / — Sono una viaggiatrice buongustaia (la Gourmet Traveler+) senza glutine, appassionata narratrice di storie. Scrivo in italiano e inglese, parlo (mangio e sogno) fluentemente in italiano, inglese, francese e russo. Quando non scrivo, cucino, testo ricette dolci e salate per diete speciali, fotografo (anche in pellicola). Non necessariamente in quest’ordine.