Autumn Seasonals

As the dry leaves of the cherry and maple begin to turn and a mist of light rain dampens the city, our thoughts turn to the fall harvest. Mushroom hunters are busy lacing their boots, harboring secret knowledge of their forest hideaways. They know the joy of a walk on the wild side, and the bliss of finding a trove of golden-hued chanterelles. Or maybe they prefer the Matsutake or the Boletes, a northwest version of the porcini. We get a mix of wild mushrooms from the pros at Foraged and Found Edibles for our Wild Mushroom Primo. For freshness and flavor, the wild mushroom is far superior to its cultivated cousin found on supermarket shelves.

The vibrant summer harvest is past, but fall crops like Tuscan kale (also called Lacinato kale) keep us going to the farmer’s market. Our supplier is Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center, a leading organic grower and supplier to many celebrate local chefs. Tuscan Kale is hearty, earthy, and flavorful. For our Tuscan Kale Primo, we combine it with one of our favorite pantry staples: preserved lemons. They lend a transcendent brightness and depth to almost any dish. We mince the lemon rind and blend it with ricotta and black pepper. It is an ideal complement to the flavor of Tuscan kale.

And with the windy fall days and swirling leaves, who could ignore the fields of butternut and acorn squash and those big orange pumpkins, ready for jack-o’-lanterns or pie. Our favorite pumpkin treat is Gelatiamo’s Pumpkin gelato. What started as a playful experiment in 2003, has turned into one of our most popular seasonal gelatos. Pumpkin is not a traditional Italian gelato flavor. Maria Coassin, owner and flavor maestro at Gelatiamo, was a bit skeptical but she agreed to try her hand at it. We sold a month’s supply in just two days! Now we order much more. Gelatiamo’s Pumpkin Gelato is a satiny-smooth and creamy version of the best pumpkin pie ever.

Enjoy our seasonals through the end of October.

Wild Mushroom Primo: Roasted wild mushrooms, onions, provolone and mozzarella over a base of olive oil and garlic. Finished with parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.

Tuscan Kale Primo: Tuscan kale, preserved-lemon ricotta, mozzarella and a sprinkle of sea salt over an olive oil base.

Pumpkin Gelato: Fresh pumpkin blended with ginger, cinnamon, allspice and clove.