Discovery Apples

I love apple season. It reminds me of cooling weather, changing leaves, cozy clothes, and comfort foods. Basically, fall.

Here in the UK, apple season begins with the arrival of the discovery. They are early-season apples with an extremely short shelf-life—only about a week. More importantly though, they taste amazing.

The flavor is extremely unique; sort of sweet and tart, with a little something extra. The best word I can think of to describe it is "floral". Though, the experts describe it as "a hint of strawberry".

I had never heard of discovery apples before this week, and had I not been given one (thank you, Mary), I likely would have missed the season entirely.

Try one if you get the chance. I plan to eat as many as I can while they're still here.

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Working Dogs

Yesterday, I happened upon one of the coolest things I have seen in a while: working dogs working. Though I know most farmers have dogs trained to herd livestock, I had never actually seen them do it.

It was impressive.

The dogs (just two of them) went out in the field and gathered the sheep into a circle. Then, they kept them there until the farmer backed his truck into position and lowered the gate (if you look closely at the picture, you can see one of the dogs circling the sheep). Finally, they herded the sheep into the truck. It took a matter of minutes.

These dogs take their jobs very seriously and they are very good at it. Amazing.

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The Smell of the Harvest

This time of year, the farmers spend every dry moment—day and night—harvesting grains. It happens quickly; fields go from full to flat overnight.

The result (aside from full grain stores) is that the countryside takes on a lovely nostalgic smell: sort of a cross between warm fresh hay and sweet green grass; the smell of past summers and changing seasons.

It always makes me smile.

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Vocabulary Lesson(s)

A few more words with different meanings in American English versus British English:

Decorating:
American: What you do after moving into your home; often involving throw pillows, hanging art on walls, and color coordinating. As in, the fun part.
British: What you do before moving into your home; often involving sanding, spackling, plastering, taping, and painting. As in, the not fun part.

Mad:
American: Angry. As in, this.
British: Insane. As in, he has lost his mind.

Pissed:
American: Also angry.
British: Drunk. As in, beware of Old Rosie Cider. It doesn't taste like it has >7% alcohol.

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Stuffed Gem Squash

I discovered gem squash at the shop last week. I had never cooked them before, but had heard they were great for stuffing—they were.

I mixed 1) a cup of cooked basmati rice; 2) a cup of finely grated extra sharp cheddar; 3) 1/2 a small red onion, chopped; 4) 3 or 4 tablespoons of canned black beans; 5) a hot red chili pepper, chopped; 6) 1 or 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro; 7) 1 or 2 tablespoons of lime juice; and 8) a bit of sea salt & chili powder, to taste.

Meanwhile, I preheated the oven to 375°F/190°C. Then, I washed the squash, cut the tops off, hollowed them out, and rubbed them inside and out with olive oil and sea salt.

Next, I stuffed the squash with the mixture, placed them on a baking sheet, topped them with more finely grated extra sharp cheddar, and baked them for 20 minutes (until the flesh was soft when poked with a fork).

When they were done, I topped them with plain yogurt and chopped cilantro. The combination of squash + stuffing was delicious, spicy and incredibly flavorful.

If you see gem squash, buy them. You won't be sorry.

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Gluten Free Fish & Chips

The Rose Inn—one of our favourites—just started serving gluten free fish & chips. That's right. The quintessential British comfort food, finally in a form I can eat.

And, MAN, is it good. Crispy batter, flaky fish, and tangy tartar sauce; my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

I can see (taste) why fish & chips holds a treasured and permanent place in British cuisine.

It's amazing.

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