Fall.
Can you feel it?!
I can’t. LA is still a very balmy 100. But I do feel fall right around the corner…
I do.
The crispness of the air. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches. Cider. Full moons that seem to hang lower and glow brighter. Shorter days. Longer nights. Leaves changing. Damp pavement. Cold dirt. Soup suddenly feels like an exciting dinner.
The world slows down.
Family comes together.
And I tend to sneeze a lot more.
God, do I love a good sneeze.
Sneezing is one of those simple pleasures in life that often gets overlooked. Now, I don’t wanna be around someone who sneezes. Sneezing is a private event and gross to witness in others. But when you’re the one with a sneeze coming on, it’s a beautiful blend of complete chaos and exhilaration.
Will you be in the middle of applying mascara? Lighting a birthday cake? Getting your eyebrows waxed? Holding a baby?
How about carrying a piping hot cup of coffee down a long hallway?
You’re wearing a white blouse. You just got to work. You feel one coming on. You have seconds to act.
Do you plant your back against the wall and slide down, trying to get the coffee to safety? Or do you decide: I can get another coffee. I can’t get another shirt. And hurl the coffee as far from your body as possible.
It’s your call. It’s Russian roulette.
Then there’s the sneeze itself. Requiring ultimate surrender. The more you hold on, the worse it is. If that’s not a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is. The aftermath leaves you feeling relaxed and centered. Like you have a new outlook on life. A reset of sorts. Oddly humbling.
And so, come October, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves flying around my kitchen, I’m in Heaven.
Which brings us to the first installment of….
Seasonal Gourds and What to Do About Them
Freshly Ground Pumpkin Spice 🫚
Because it’s incredibly easy, tastes better freshly ground, and - most importantly - provides ample opportunity for sneezing.
Serves plenty
Ingredients:
4 cinnamon sticks (about 3 inches each)
1 whole nutmeg
2 tablespoons allspice berries
2 teaspoons whole cloves
2 tablespoons dried ginger pieces/chips
Optional spices: cardamon (a personal favorite), star anise, black peppercorns, vanilla bean, coriander seeds
A mortar and pestle, if you’re doing this old school. Otherwise, a coffee grinder.
Tissues
*Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican markets are great places to pick up whole spices. High quality. Great prices. Stick it to the man (Amazon).
Instructions:
Break the cinnamon sticks into small pieces. A rolling pin, meat mallet, or the bottom of a heavy pan does the trick (work out your anger from the week).
Warm the spices in a dry cast-iron skillet over low to medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan frequently. Once everything smells like fall, they’re ready. Don’t let the spices smoke or burn.
Transfer the spices to a plate and let them cool completely. Super important before putting them into a grinder.
Grind each spice separately in a coffee/spice grinder until finely ground. Grinding separately is useful because cinnamon takes longer than cloves. Let the dust settle for a few seconds before opening the lid. Unless you’re looking for a sneeze.
Grate the nutmeg finely with a Microplane or fine grater. You don’t need to toast the nutmeg beforehand.
Measure and combine the ground spices in a bowl, mixing thoroughly.
Transfer to an airtight glass jar and store in a cool, dark place.
Enoy!
Sneezing while driving! A near-death experience.
🎃