September Food Letter

Every month in 2009, I am writing a post detailing some specific things about food in the upcoming month.

September is upon us and that means fall is right around the corner – probably my favorite of the seasons.  It’s not quite cold, but not blazing hot and all the food is colorful and tasty.

What to Eat in September – If you have a hard time finding things to eat that are fresh and delicious this time of year, then I don’t really know what to tell you.  Here are some things that will be especially delicious in the upcoming month though.

Apples – At least once a year, I try to go out apple picking to a local farm.  It’s a great excuse to get out of the city for a day and I end up with pounds and pounds of perfect apples which I use in all kinds of recipes.

Breakfast Apples with French Toast Crust – A very inventive breakfast dish by Tyler Florence that I made a few months ago.
How to Make Apple Strudel – A great walk through on this classic. Looks awesome. (@ Chef In You)
Rack of Pork with Apples – This is my definition of a great fall roast. (@ Not Quite Nigella)

Kale - Kale is in my top five veggies of 2009 I think.  I haven’t posted on it that much but it has basically become my replacement for spinach in stir-fries and quick easy meals.

Calamari and Kale with Sticky Rice – A simple dish that is healthy and flavorful.
Raw Kale Salad – This is kind of a crazy dish as kale is not normally good raw (at least I don’t think so.)  This looks pretty amazing though. (@ Red Ramekin)
Baked Kale Chips – I’ve seen this recipe before, but never tried it.  Basically, you end up with crispy strips of kale that are great for a snack. (@ Once Upon a Plate)

Figs – Ok.  So even though these are in season, they may still be a bit hard for you to find.  Figs go from perfect to BLAH really quickly so if you can find them and they are perfect, you have no excuse not to try them because they are so good.

Fig Tart – This was a kind of experimental recipe I made a few weeks ago that ended up being great.
Fig, Arugula, and Bacon Salad – This is my kind of salad. (@ Angela’s Food Love)
Fig and Brie Panini – I want this sandwich for lunch for the rest of the week. Thanks. (@ Closet Cooking)

You know what though, you could just eat figs without doing anything to them.  They are so delicious.

Green Beans – Okay. So in stark contrast to figs, this is something that everyone should be able to find.  All different kinds of beans (green beans, long beans, etc.) are in full sprout this time of year.

The Most Delicious Green Beans – While I can’t confirm that for sure, they do look pretty good! (@ My Baking Addiction)
Green Beans with Feta and Dill – This is maybe not the self-proclaimed most delicious, but I love dill and feta so it’s right up my alley. (@ Cooking on the Side)
Sichuan Dried Fried Green Beans - Looks spicy and awesome! (@ Appetite for China)

There are also a few holidays worth noting in September.

Labor Day (Sept. 7th) I think this is maybe the last official grill holiday.  I’ve posted some pretty solid grill recipes this summer.  I’d recommend some Sante Fe burgers definitely, but if you only need to make one grilled thing, make this roasted pepper salsa.  One of the best I’ve ever made if I do say so myself.

Opening NFL Day (Sept. 10th) – Finally!  Football season is upon us.  That may not thrill all of you, but just imagine all of the wonderful food you get to eat even if you aren’t a football fan!  Some items to consider:

Three kinds of wings
Two kinds of popcorn
One kind of nachos

Have a good September everyone!

Photos by Xerones and Ivan Makarov.