Autumn has started to make its presence felt. High summer has departed, cooler mornings have arrived and the evenings are drawing in. There may still be the last of summer’s fruits to enjoy, but look around the greengrocers and you’ll see the colours of the new season appearing – vibrant pumpkins and squash, earthy roots, apples, pears and mushrooms.
And, almost without noticing, the way we cook begins to change too.
From Summer’s Bounty to Autumn’s Harvest
Here at The Cook’s Place, we’ve always championed seasonal and local produce, and the changing seasons give us plenty to celebrate.
As summer gives way to autumn, tomatoes, courgettes and peppers make way for squash, pumpkins and root vegetables. Berries and stone fruit give way to apples and pears, while hearty salads are now piled high with roasted vegetables, and we welcome warming soups and hearty dishes.
It’s not simply the ingredients that change. The flavours become deeper, the cooking slower and the techniques a little more considered.
What’s in Season in Yorkshire This Autumn?
Autumn brings an abundance of ingredients that are made for the kitchen. Whether you’re joining us around our Chef’s Table, learning new skills at our Masterclasses, or coming along for a more relaxed cooking session, these are some of the ingredients we’ll be enjoying this season.
Apples & Pears
Perfect for baking, chutneys, sauces and desserts, but equally at home alongside a good Yorkshire cheese, and there’s plenty on offer in this wonderful county.
Squash & pumpkin
Roasted until caramelised, blended into soup, transformed into a curry or layered into a comforting gratin, these are autumn kitchen staples for good reason.
Mushrooms
Earthy and full of flavour, mushrooms are wonderful in pasta, risotto, sauces, pies and plenty of other autumn dishes.
Root vegetables
Carrots, beetroot, parsnips, celeriac and potatoes become the backbone of many autumn meals. Roast them, mash them, braise them, and let them take centre stage.
Leeks & brassicas
Ideal for soups, gratins, tarts and hearty side dishes, these vegetables bring both flavour and substance to the autumn table.
Game
For us in Yorkshire, autumn is also a wonderful time to explore game. Its rich, distinctive flavour lends itself beautifully to roasting and slower cooking.
The Way We Cook Changes Too
Perhaps one of the greatest pleasures of seasonal cooking is that it encourages us to cook differently – at home and here too.
As the weather cools, we move away from the quick cooking, grilling and lighter sauces of summer and embrace roasting, braising, slow cooking, baking and preserving.
There’s something wonderful about a dish that takes its time. A tray of vegetables slowly caramelising in the oven. A casserole filling the kitchen with its aroma. Something bubbling gently on the hob while you prepare the table.
Autumn cooking is about patience and enjoying the process as much as the finished dish.
The Joy of Cooking with the Seasons
There’s a philosophy behind the way we cook and teach at The Cook’s Place, and cooking with the seasons is a big part of it.
Seasonal ingredients are often at their best when nature intends us to enjoy them. They encourage variety throughout the year, connect us with the growers and producers who bring food to our tables and can mean choosing ingredients that haven’t travelled quite so far.
But perhaps the simplest reason to cook seasonally is that it gives us something to look forward to.
The kitchen changes with the seasons – and that gives us a reason to keep learning and sharing that knowledge.
Autumn is Made for Gathering Around the Table
For us, food has always been about sharing.
Friends and family around a table. Dimmed lights, a warm kitchen and dishes placed in the middle for everyone to help themselves. There’s the pleasure of cooking together, learning something new and, of course, sitting down to enjoy something you’ve made yourself.
And autumn gives us plenty of reasons to gather.
This season, we’ll be celebrating the darker side of autumn with Monstrous Meals and Chilling Cocktails, our Gothic literature-inspired Halloween event, where food, cocktails and a little culinary darkness come together.
Our Cook’s Walk in October will also shine a light on the food behind the season, with our Food Hero, a master butcher, sharing his knowledge and passion for autumn game.
And throughout the season, our Dinner with Chef evenings will offer the chance to sit back, gather around the table and enjoy the very best of autumn cooking. Our first of the season will feature Chef Lee Rushforth for an evening of fine dining at its very best.
Come and Enjoy the Season with Us
So, as summer fades and autumn takes over the kitchen, come and join us. Whether you want to learn a new skill, discover more about seasonal ingredients, meet the people behind Yorkshire’s food or simply enjoy a memorable meal around the table, there’s a place for you at The Cook’s Place this autumn.
Explore our cookery Masterclasses, seasonal dinners, and special events, and make this autumn a season for cooking, gathering and sharing.
