Food & Party Planning Ideas

The Pleasures of Autumn

Underrated Season Is Tops For Cooks

Autumn needs a publicist, or at the very least a catchy slogan. Other seasons (not to name names, but spring and summer come to mind) seem to get most of the attention and rave reviews.

However, autumn possesses quiet, under-appreciated charms like weather that is almost always crisp and clear. And while the warm days and cooler nights might be fall's most obvious rewards, the season is jam-packed with hidden pleasures like the start of the football season, or an outdoor bonfire. And then, of course, there is the food.

It's no wonder that the Pilgrims chose to give thanks in the fall. The autumn harvest brings an amazing abundance of food to the table at precisely the same time that temperatures drop enough to spark a serious appetite! For fall cooks and their lucky friends and family, cool weather means the return of hearty meals and decadent desserts.

"Fall is the best season for cooks who love desserts," says Zella Junkin, consumer affairs director of Wilton Enterprises, the leading manufacturer of baking products and cake decorating equipment. "Apples, pears and other fruits are at their peak and the brisk weather lends itself to chocolate and other rich, comforting flavors.

In contrast to the straightforward shortcakes and cobblers of summer, tasty fall desserts usually feature more complex flavors like those in pumpkin pie or spice cookies. Even apple pie, that All-American fall staple, includes a healthy dose of cinnamon and sometimes nutmeg or cloves. Interestingly, the rich array of spices that are so common in fall cooking have very traditional roots

The cooking of the founding fathers (or rather, their wives and servants) made ample use of not just cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, but also ginger, allspice, mace and vanilla. Today we use these flavors almost exclusively in sweets, but in the 17th and 18th century most dishes contained one or more of these spices. And while we may no longer celebrate the fall harvest with venison stew seasoned with allspice and juniper berries, we still enjoy many of the autumn desserts of the country's founders. Wilton Enterprises has created recipes that celebrate the pleasures of fall and remind us that the shortening of days and return to cool nights are not a reason to despair, but to rejoice and maybe even have a party.

"Autumn is the best time to throw a party, whether to mark a special occasion or for no reason at all," said Wilton's Junkin. "People have returned from summer vacations and are looking for a way to have fun and ease into winter and the coming holidays. I like hosting a dessert buffet, either on a Sunday afternoon or Friday night after the local high school football game to kick off the new season."

For the buffet, Junkin sets out a variety of pies, at least one cake and several platters of fall-themed sugar and spice cookies. The cookies are especially easy to make, and store for up to one week sealed in an air-tight plastic container.

Wilton Enterprises is the leading designer of home celebration products, bakeware and cake decorating tools. From the hottest licensed characters to specially shaped holiday products, Wilton offers cake pans, cookie cutters, baking cups and traditional pastry decorating tools. Wilton is headquartered in Woodridge, IL.

Interested cooks can call 1-800-942-8881 for information on the location of the nearest Wilton cake and confectionery decorating classes.