September Goings-On in HBC
Happy almost fall! Every year I forget how fast the season change rolls in. One day, I see a fallen or red leaf, and then it seems that—BAM!—it is here. Cooler days and evenings, the last flowers blooming, the tomato harvest winding down. Fall is such a magical time here—the brilliant colors of the leaves, crisp air, the smell of wood fires. I really love the fall and winter rituals as well: endless cups of tea, the foods… apple season, the warming spices (pumpkin spice is a thing for a reason), and soon comes squash season! I admit that I have already bought a couple of early squashes and baked them. Add a little ghee, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and it is pure fall heaven.
So, this month, I thought I would share some fall recipes to get you ready for the season.
Crockpot Apple Butter
I make this every year! Apple butter reminds me of my Granny. Biscuits with butter and apple butter were an absolute staple of my childhood. As an adult, I have expanded its use to pork dishes and turkey sandwiches with Lusty Monk and Swiss cheese.
Ingredients:
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Sliced & peeled apples (about 8–10 apples of your choice; I like a blend of Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala)
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½ cup water
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1 cup sugar
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½ cup apple cider vinegar
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½ tsp cloves
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2 tsp cinnamon powder
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½ tsp allspice
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1 tsp nutmeg
Instructions:
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Fill crockpot with pared and cored apple slices.
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Add water and cook on low until tender (add water if needed).
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Pour off liquid and purée apples.
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Add sugar, spices, and vinegar.
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Cook 3 hours on low without the lid.
You can can this or just refrigerate and share with others. Apples are available most of the year these days, but they are most delicious in season. This can be made anytime and makes wonderful holiday gifts.
If you grow your own apples or harvest at local U-pick farms, don’t forget to dry some apple rings to add to teas and simmer pots!
Iced Pumpkin Cookies
We must talk about pumpkins in the fall as well. It is one of my favorite foods—baked, stuffed, pie, pumpkin butter—and here is one of my favorite cookies ever. A friend shared this recipe with me years ago, and I make them a couple of times every year.
Ingredients:
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2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I often substitute einkorn flour)
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1 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp baking soda
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2 tsp cinnamon
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½ tsp nutmeg
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¼ tsp ground cloves
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½ tsp salt
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½ cup soft butter
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1 ½ cups sugar
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1 cup pumpkin purée (you can use fresh baked or canned)
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1 egg
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Glaze:
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2 cups powdered sugar
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3 Tbsp milk
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1 Tbsp melted butter
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
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In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
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Mix well.
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Drop onto cookie sheet using a tablespoon and flatten slightly.
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Bake 15–20 minutes.
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Cool slightly and drizzle glaze over the top.
To prepare the glaze, just mix all ingredients together until combined. You can pair these with a nice cup of chai and maybe an outdoor bonfire for full effect.
Basic Fire Cider
Also on my mind this season is immune health. As the weather shifts and cools, many of us struggle with viruses, sniffles, and coughs. There are several things that I prepare every year to support my immunity, and the first is Fire Cider. There are so many different recipes to make—I do recommend Rosemary Gladstar’s book Fire Cider if you want inspiration. My recipe varies from year to year, but here are the basics:
Basic Fire Cider Ingredients:
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Horseradish root
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Fresh ginger
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Hibiscus flowers
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Lemon slices
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Garlic
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Bird’s eye chili peppers (dried)
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Peppercorns
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Apple cider vinegar
That’s the basic formula, but some years I add cedar berries, elderberries, orange slices, rosehips, mustard seeds, etc. Play with amounts, flavors, vitamin C–rich herbs, etc. Herbs like thyme leaf are a great addition due to their anti-infection properties, and dried mushrooms add immunomodulating properties as well as great flavor.
To make:
Add ingredients to a sturdy jar, cover with apple cider vinegar, and let sit 2–4 weeks. Strain and add honey to taste. For one quart extract, I usually add ½ cup honey. Adjust to your preference. You can take a shot daily or when you feel a bit under the weather, and/or add to greens, soups, etc.
Elderberry Syrup
Another staple is elderberry syrup. I love to blend elderberries, sumac berries, ginger root, and echinacea together to make a syrup or tincture. If you are not interested in making your own, we have several local options that are delicious and effective, as well as companies such as Planetary Herbals that offer elderberry options. We have an entire wellness area to support whatever your body is needing:
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Chinese blends such as Cold Snap and Yin Chiao
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Throat sprays and cough syrups such as WishGarden’s Throat Spray and Deep Lung Support, and Planetary’s Wild Cherry Syrup
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Cough drops with everything from manuka honey to zinc to—my personal favorite—loquat lozenges
As school is back in session, we also have wellness support for children. Herb Pharm’s Immune Avenger is a favorite, and I wanted to share a tea that was a huge help when my son was young. Mary Bove’s book Encyclopedia of Natural Healing for Children and Infants was a mainstay for me. One tea blend I still make to this day is her Healthy Kid’s Herbal Punch:
Equal parts:
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Nettle leaf
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Lemon balm
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Chamomile
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Elderflowers
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Red clover
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Spearmint
Prepare as an infusion and drink daily. I love this basic recipe, as you can add to it as needed. Need more digestive support? Add catnip and fennel seeds. Everyone sick from a respiratory virus? Add elderberries and maybe a bit of mullein leaf. This can be drunk as-is or sweetened with honey or juice (pineapple and apple were our go-to’s), and it makes a terrific popsicle for sore throats. This tea is just delightful, and I have rarely met a child who didn’t love it and drink it freely.
New Items for HBC
We have expanded Fat and the Moon’s line! They have new Mama and baby care items, including a sitz bath and decadent baby oil.
Evan Healy, our staff favorite face and body care line, is adding 2 new products: Irish Seamoss & Tremella Hydrosol Cream and a Manuka Honey Mask. Look for those on our shelves in the next couple of weeks.
AND! There will be an Evan Healy demo and free mini facials on Friday, September 19th from 11–2, with free samples. If you want a facial, please email hbc@frenchbroadfood.coop to reserve a slot.
MegaFood has a group of new items including Sea Moss, Turmeric, Shilajit, NAC, CoQ10, and Liposomal Vitamin C.
And of course, coming soon are the fall and holiday items we love to carry and use: candles to make our homes cozy and celebrate the light and dark; alpaca socks and hats, scarves, and gloves; jars and containers for those of you who DIY seasonal projects and gifts; local seasonal teas and spice blends, and more!
May you all have a happy, beautiful fall.
And thank you, thank you for voting us #1 and for supporting your community-owned co-op.
Melissa Fryar