OCTOBER: A SPICEY AND SPOOKY MONTH
I am writing to you from my boyfriend's country house. We are immersed in the Ticino nature park. On these mornings, mist invades the plains around us, creating a mysterious and ghostly atmosphere. The sun begins to be weaker, filtering through the silhouettes of the trees in the distance, shrouded in mist. I open the bedroom window, the air is cooler now, crisp. The colors are warm. In the evening we will start lighting the fireplace again (and the oven). The wool cardigans and heavy socks are waiting to be worn. The pumpkins are already on the table.
October is here. And I am happy to welcome it in the countryside.
I have always had a special connection with the month of October. Not only because it is the month for me that gives us the most beautiful colours and atmospheres, but also because it is the ultimate transition month, in everything: from clothes to food, from personal care to our daily lifestyle.
The period of rainy weather and afternoon darkness begins, prompting us to cozy up indoors in the warmth of the house in front of maybe a good book and a cup of tea. The autumn recipes of this period are some of my absolute favourites, as the raw materials we find during this month are tasty and full of vitamins: pumpkin, chestnuts, beetroot, mushrooms, broccoli... perfect for boosting the immune system.
October is also the month of prevention and check-ups, in particular October, in Italy, is Pink Month, dedicated to breast cancer prevention. Be sure to book a visit to your doctor for routine check-ups.
And then of course there's Halloween. How could we forget that this is the month of pumpkins (and witches)?
It has always been my favourite holiday: it stems from a Celtic tradition and I know that for many it is now simply a commercial holiday, but personally I love the dark atmosphere that revolves around this event. It's the night I love to spend outside with friends, maybe in a medieval or gothic town perfect for this celebration, to celebrate All Saints' Eve together and maybe attend a party in pure Halloween style.
For the occasion, when I was a child at my home in the country, I used to carve two large pumpkins that my grandmother always gave me, creating two eyes and a rickety smile. Then I would put two candles inside each pumpkin and place them outside in the garden on the dining table. They would ward off evil spirits and protect our home.
The pumpkin is indeed the symbol of autumn par excellence. I start picking them as early as the end of September and like to display the smaller ones on bookshelves next to my books or on windowsills. The pumpkin obviously has a versatile use in the kitchen, which is particularly popular here in northern Italy. It can be used in so many ways: in soups, as a side dish or even in risotto. In addition, its orange flesh is a very valuable source of vitamins and minerals.
I highly recommend buying pumpkins from your trusted vegetable grower, so you can check their freshness (they should make a dull sound and the stalk should be soft and firmly attached to the vegetable). Even if you don't want to buy a whole one, you can ask to have a slice or the right amount cut for you.
For a few years now, autumn, and in particular the month of October, has also been in the colours and flavours of Pumpkin Spice, inspired by caramel and cappuccino shades. This is a trend that arrived from the United States via social networks, which we can find in various trends such as make-up, fragrances and essences, but above all in food and, in particular, in hot drinks. In fact, the pumpkin spice latte is none other than a latte with pumpkin and spices added. A drink that has also become very famous thanks to Starbucks and which main ingredient is a mixture of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger, that give it that unmistakable aroma that makes us think of autumn.
Pumpkin spice latte can be made both with pumpkin puree and without (in fact, pumpkin puree is more difficult to find here), but even using only the spice mix, I can assure you that the result is really interesting. You can make the mix at home, otherwise you can find it in well-stocked supermarkets or for example on the Koro website.
The recipe for the Pumpkin Spice Latte is very simple and, for 2 cups, it requires:
1 cinnamon stick
300 grams of sugar (I use coconut sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon of ginger powder
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
300 ml milk
150 ml of coffee
whipped cream (optional)
4 tablespoons pumpkin pulp or canned pumpkin (optional)
Melt the sugar in a saucepan with a little water and bring to the boil over a low flame. Then add the cinnamon stick, spices and pumpkin pulp if you have any and stir everything together. Transfer the mixture into a jar and leave to cool. Meanwhile, heat some milk and, once the spice mixture has cooled down, pour 2 tablespoons of the syrup into a large mug. Stir in the hot coffee and milk, add whipped cream to taste and serve.
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