There is nothing better than a sturdy, autumnal pumpkin dish, and Halloween is the perfect day to transform the gourd into a ghoulish dish. Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter and Feta from Reclaiming Provincial stars homemade, pillowy gnocchi fried in sage brown butter until golden and crisp. A final sprinkle of crumbled feta lends a smooth and humble tang.
Have you ever attended a seasonal soiree where the food falls flat and the drink options lack necessary luster? To all future party hosts, guests, and planners, do not fear. From keg to cake, we’ve wrangled the best in seasonal party recipes.
Alcoholic Beverages
At the best fall bashes, cheap liquor and beer is little league at best. Time to make a major upgrade with Drinking Made Easy’s Pumpkin Keg or Caramel Apple Pie Pudding Shots from E is for Eat. If pudding shots and pumpkin kegs aren’t your thing, we suggest you serve a warm mug of Spiked & Spiced Hot Apple Cider from A Couple Cooks or a refreshing glass of Fake Ginger’s Honeycrisp Apple Sangria.
The Snacks
When you plan to serve liquid libations, it is best to have a selection of light bites on hand. If pumpkins or jack-o-lanterns are part of your party decor, why not feature the seeds on your snack table? A Subtle Revelry’s toasted Pumpkin Seeds Three Ways star in guest-pleasing flavors such as rainbow sprinkles, olive oil and sea salt, and cinnamon sugar. For the health-conscious, try replacing greasy potato chips and french fries with Carrot Fries from Dine & Dash and Crispy Cinnamon Apple Chips from Bijouxs.
If classic chips ‘n’ dip are going to be a party feature, why not make your own? My Baking Addiction will teach you how to make a flavorful French Onion Dip that will outdo any jarred variety. Chances are, the french onion dip will be finished in a flash, so plan ahead and make The Brass Paperclip Project’s 7-Layer Taco Dip. We promise that seven layers of cheese, guacamole, and other taco-inspired ingredients will be enough to satisfy the hungriest of party-goers. If you forget to purchase the chips, serve up some Fried Guacamole from Joy the Baker. Continue reading
Photo: Romulo Yanes
Pumpkins are iconic symbols of Halloween, and autumn, and are great for much more than just carving Jack-o’-lanterns. Pumpkin is a delicious, and nutritious, seasonal ingredient that makes a wonderful addition to a wide variety of dishes. With tasty pumpkin-filled preparations like pie, ravioli, soup, butter, cake, and purée, it’s hard to pick a favorite.
What do you like to make with pumpkin?
Photo: Romulo Yanes
Along with cooler weather, the fall brings an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy. With a plentiful harvest of apples, Brussels sprouts, pears, squash, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, grapes, mushrooms, persimmons, and parsnips, the market is now an absolute cornucopia of produce.
What’s your favorite fall food?
Photo: Romulo Yanes
Apple picking season is in full swing and we just can’t wait to bake up a warm, fresh, sweet, buttery, and flaky apple pie.
What’s your favorite thing to cook with apples?
Photo: Shipyard Brewery
Every October, I travel from New York City to Vermont for an annual leaf-peeping weekend. Call me an old-soul (or a total dork), but there are few things more idyllic than spending a day gazing at abandoned barns and orange leaves. It helps that my favorite seasonal beer, Shipyard’s Pumpkinhead Ale, also just to happens to be released when the foliage hits its peak. After consuming a few of these sweet and spicy ales, the leaves tend to get a lot more interesting.
Pumpkinhead is rich with cinnamon and nutmeg notes, but unlike other flavored ales, it actually tastes like beer. The natural tannin in pumpkin skin balances out the sweeter elements. It’s like drinking a refreshing, crisp pumpkin pie (with most of the sugar removed). If that description didn’t sell you, trust me, it’s delicious.
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The Gourmet Live Fall Cocktail Collection is a mix of seven original cocktails by James Beard-honored top female mixologist Elayne Duke. We’re sharing one of the recipes with you for the Good as Gold cocktail, which captures the warm, rich flavors of fall in a single glass.
Good as Gold CocktailGlass: Old Fashioned filled with ice
Garnish: cinnamon stick and apple slice
Directions: Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass, then add ice and shake until thoroughly chilled. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice. Grate fresh cinnamon on top then garnish with the cinnamon stick and an apple slice.
For the full Gourmet Live Fall Cocktail Collection, download the free Gourmet Live app.
Update: About the Mixologist
Elayne Duke has been the head mixologist for Diageo Wine and Spirits for the past five years and has created cocktails for some of New York City’s finest restaurants, including Le Bernardin, Central Park Boathouse and Villa Pacri. She studied mixology as a student of the Beverage Alcohol Resource, America’s premiere course on spirits and cocktails, where she honed her technique under world-renowned mixology experts Paul Pacult, David Wondrich, Steve Olson, Doug Frost and Dale Degroff. In 2009, Elayne was honored by the James Beard Foundation as one of the most prominent female mixologists in the country. Elayne currently teaches monthly spirit seminars at Astor Wine and Spirits in New York City and also teaches classes, conducts spirit tastings and creates specialty cocktails for corporations and private events through her company, Duke on the Rocks.
