As summer wanes and fall approaches, it’s time to update your seasonal menu to include autumnal flavors and more comforting dishes. Here are some fall flavors to kick off your menu development process.
Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme
This trio of herbs is perfect for fall. Look for opportunities on your menu to swap out summer herbs like basil and chives for these three. Making a simple change like this can take an existing dish and transform it into a fall dish without having to order a ton of new ingredients.
Game Meats
For many, fall means hunting season, and that means game meats are on the table. Embrace the bold flavors of game meats by pairing them with sauces that can balance flavors. Juniper, hickory smoke, and sweeter ingredients like blackstrap or sorghum molasses can provide a nice counterpoint to the rich flavors of game meats like duck, venison, and boar.
Apples and Pears
Fall is all about the pears and apples and the products that include them, like cider and apple butter. These are no-brainers for the dessert menu, but consider adding them to starters and salads as well. Now that summer produce is less available, apples and pears offer great textural contrast and brightness in salads, and they pair nicely with cheeses like cheddar, Brie, and blue cheese.
Brussels Sprouts
It wouldn’t be fall without some crispy Brussels sprouts on the menu. Take your sprouts a less expected route by adding some spice, like chile de árbol or Aleppo pepper; or give the nutty cruciferous vegetable a bright counterpoint with a turmeric tahini sauce. Similar application would work well for Brussels sprouts cousin and another fall favorite, cauliflower.
Ginger and Maple
These are two fall staples that can go sweet or savory, but don’t forget about the cocktails! Both ginger and maple pair beautifully with bourbon, making them ideal for autumnal cocktail menus. As you transition from crisp, refreshing summer drinks, try adding maple and/or ginger to warming fall concoctions.
Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms like morels and porcini are more abundant in the cooler months, and domesticated mushrooms like shiitake, portobello, and crimini are also readily available. Hook them up with some of the fall herbs mentioned above, plus browned butter and shallots, and you have a lovely side dish; or add them to roasted meats or risotto for a seasonal main course.
Pumpkins and Fall Squash
You can’t talk about fall without mentioning pumpkins and squash like acorn and butternut. These members of the Cucurbitaceae family are plentiful over the next few months, and the challenge will be finding ways to make them stand out on menus when they are so readily available. In addition to pairing them with any of the ingredients listed above, look for ways to use all the parts of the pumpkin or squash, including the seeds. Toasted pepitas are a great snack or garnish.
Think about the texture of these foods as a jumping off point — there’s a great silkiness to them when they’re roasted. That smooth texture could provide the base for a soup or even something less expected like Italian budino, which is similar to pudding but just a little richer.