Anthology of Autumn

Has your pumpkin spice preference peaked?

If I’m honest, mine never even took off. Please don’t hold it against me. I’ve simply never understood the obsession that seems to sweep North America the moment September arrives. Before the leaves even fall, there are already pumpkin lattes on doorsteps beside stacked hay bales and flannel shirts.

But autumn is my season. Always has been. I love the palette of copper and gold, the way the crisp air carries a brightness that summer never can, and the excuse of early sunsets to gather blankets, dogs, and children together on the couch. Mist rising off the fields, apples pulled fresh from the orchard, marshmallows slowly melting over fire pits — these are the flavours and textures that bring fall alive for me.

So perhaps it isn’t pumpkin spice itself that I resist, but rather the idea that it is the only way to welcome the season. If your kitchen is like mine, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice are already tucked in the cupboard waiting to tell a different kind of story.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins say it’s the powerful scent that hooks us, aroma that ties us to memory. The more often we breathe in something at the same time of year, the stronger the connection becomes. Which explains why pumpkin spice now equals nostalgia for so many. But scent is generous; it allows room for more than one memory at the table.

So why not widen the anthology of autumn flavours? Let’s give equal billing to cloves in mulled cider, browned butter folded into pear cakes, roasted chestnuts, or vanilla sugar sprinkled across a warm apple crisp. These are the scents that invite people to lean into the season, to reach for one more forkful, to gather a little longer at the table.

Pumpkin spice can hold its place on the shelf. But fall itself deserves a broader menu of aromas and flavours, a collection that tastes not only of nostalgia, but of discovery.

ANTHOLOGY’S FAVOURITE FALL FLAVOURS

Brown Butter

Add a whole other dimension to your dishes with brown butter.

It produces a deep, nutty aromatic flavour that will most certainly fill your home. Brown butter can add a rich, robust flavour to desserts and cookies such as Chocolate Chip Cookies or savory dishes, like Roasted Mushroom & Brown Butter Soup. Cookies combined with brown butter will bring a cozy warmth to the kitchen, perfect for blustery days. Add it to pasta dishes to make it a unique and truly stunning aromatic condiment.

Brown Butter: Change up these Brown Butter Cookies by adding in some fall themed candy. The nuttiness of brown butter becomes intoxicatingly comforting and you’ll question why you’ve not been using this all along.

Apples

There's a reason apple picking is one of my favourite autumn activities. The crisp taste of apples is a quintessential fall flavour and so versatile in recipes. Use apples to make an Apple Spice Layer Cake, or a savory dish like Apple Butter Lamb Chops. Of course, most won’t say no to a mug of hot apple cider. Mother Nature’s Apple Crumble is apples concentrated to its fullest.

Apples: Incorporating notes of caramel and cinnamon once home from the orchard will be a sure-fire way to get you in the autumn spirit. Start the day with Mother Nature’s Apple Crumble!

Salted Caramel

The addicting sweet and salty combination of this salted caramel sauce makes it good enough to eat out of the jar. Or you could be more civil and drizzle it over your desserts. And although Salted Caramel Sauce and dulce de leche are both are both sticky and sweet, the main difference is that caramel sauce is made with sugar and cream while Dulce de leche is made with sweetened condensed milk.  Dipping your toes in to the sauce? Try Chocolate Carmel Shortbread  or The Dunbar using a jar of dulche de leche.

Salted Caramel:  Pecan squares always seem to make their debut at Thanksgiving, firmly securing caramel as an all-time autumn staple.

Chestnut

Come autumn, if you were to meander the narrow streets of Italy, your nose would most likely lead you in the way of drifting scents off of roasting chestnuts or hazelnut-infused chocolate truffles. While popular in Europe, chestnuts aren’t given the chance to truly prove themselves here. Mix up your Sunday dinner with a Wine-Braised Pork with Chestnuts and Sweet Potatoes accompanied by Chestnut Stuffing with Fennel. And, of course, make sure you leave room for the Castagne Tortionata!

Chestnut: Rustic and earthy, chestnuts add a sweet nutty flavor to any recipe. Castagne Tortionata perfects the partnership of sweet and delicate.

Maple

Are you a true Canadian if you don’t like maple syrup? In our household, the first thing that comes to mind is Gopa’s pancakes. But we’ve had to rethink this tasty treat because maple is not just for breakfast. It has so much potential this autumn. The maple flavor can be used in sweet dishes such as Butterscotch Maple Scones or Brown Sugar Maple Cookies, but it's just as flavorful in savory foods like Maple Baked Beans or Maple and Prosciutto Wrapped Brined Turkey Breasts with Herb Butter.

Maple: The taste of maple is a warm and comforting flavour. These Butterscotch Maple Scones are and absolute must for autumn.

Pecans

Pecans offer a dynamic, identifiable taste of autumn. They have an unmistakable vibrant and creamy flavour with a mild foresty aroma. They are regularly used to combine taste and texture, adding a creamy rich crunch to an otherwise one dimensional dish, such as the Butterscotch Self-Saucing Pudding. Fill your cookie jar with The Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies (they won’t last long!) or indulge in a decadently rich Fresh Ham with Maple-Balsamic Glaze for a Sunday dinner. Need a dessert that will become your guests most frequent request for the recipe? Pecan Squares will satisfy that sweet tooth without (totally) bursting at the seams.

Pecans: Buttery and rich, the subtle flavor of pecans is universally flattering; It’s no secret there’s nothing better than the addition of their soft, tender crunch to a cookie.

Mushrooms

Slightly woodsy and meaty, mushrooms are incredibly versatile and can be far more than just a meat substitute; they can be a decadent showstopper in many of Anthology’s favourite dishes. Try adding homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom to beefy soups, a quick Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff for an easy weeknight meal or serve either Farro with Mushrooms, Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding alongside a holiday dinner.

Mushrooms: Beautiful, earthy mushrooms are the star of this comfort food classic with a tangy, indulgent sauce. No one will believe this is a Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff!

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is typically described as having a sweet and woody taste with a warm, earthy flavour. It also has a slight citrusy note and is likened to cloves, which is why it pairs so well with it. This spice needs to be used in small amounts and will add a robustness without being over powering like in the Apple Spice Layer Cake. Lolo’s Cinnamon Buns are a popular choice to showcase this full-bodied spice, but try thinking outside the box and give a savory dish such as Mushroom-Spinach Soup with Cinnamon, Coriander & Cumin or  the Pressure Cooker Chicken Tagine With Butternut Squash a try!

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is generally used in baking, as the warm flavor marries sugar nicely; However, it also goes partners amazingly well in savory dishes like curries and stews.

Sage, Thyme & Rosemary

For obvious reasons, when I hear of these herbs, I think of Thanksgiving and most importantly, stuffing. Technically, these should each be in their own category but often I find that if you have one, you have the other so these aren’t exactly just showcasing one element. Rosemary and Sage are classic and essential herbs during autumn’s kitchen. They both have aromatic yet soft flavour and are truly iconic of the fall season. Think lemony pine and woodsy.

Explore an easy dinner with the Dijon Rosemary Sheet Pan. Orzo with Parmesan & Basil is an all-star side to chicken or beef dishes. If you’re feeling really homey and need some extra coziness, try the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs or Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup. Of course, make a batch of Rosemary Focaccia Bread to dip in to the soup..

Sage,Thyme & Rosemary: Simple and rustic, Rosemary Focaccia Bread provides an earthy, evergreen-scented flavour to elevate basic bread.

Sweet Potato

Just as vivid and colourful as the autumn foliage, sweet potato my be one of my all time favourites…and not just because they are high in beta carotene, vitamins E and C, iron, potassium and vitamin B6. I’m not one to use this veggie as a Thanksgiving dish with the overly sweet marshmallows. Instead, embrace its savory side or accentuate its sweetness with rich, fall spices. And you must absolutely explore its various textures. Whether you are partial to soup based, such as Sweet Potato Soup, roasted like the Sweet Potato Mash with Lime Salsa, or diced in a Sweet Potato Chili with Cinnamon Sour Cream or Butternut, Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Stew, give some of these cozy recipes showcasing this autumn spud a try. I promise, you’ll forget all about white potatoes in a heartbeat!

Sweet Potato: The warming, humble sweet potato. Undoubtedly my top fall favourite. Being inherently sweet yet savory, this Sweet Potato Soup is a staple soon as the leaves start to change colour.

As much as pumpkin spice has become the emblem of fall, the season holds so many other flavours waiting to be celebrated. From the richness of brown butter to the sweetness of maple, the comfort of mushrooms to the warmth of cinnamon, each ingredient tells its own story of the season. Autumn invites us to slow down, savour, and gather — whether that’s around a table of friends, a fire outside, or a cozy kitchen filled with the scent of something baking. However you welcome the season, may these flavours inspire new traditions alongside the familiar ones.