Change of Seasons/Change of Coats

The rain that thundered down last weekend has transformed the countryside. Hills that were golden are now coloured green. Fields bleached beyond pale have turned lush overnight. It's quite bizarre, as quick as a change of coats.

And now it's time to finally accept that summer is over. I have held onto the last of the summer fruit, paying exorbitant prices for mangoes ($5 apiece) simply because I've been dreaming of them. And gathering large bags of blood plums, my absolute favourite fruit, and storing them in the fridge. But as you can see from the photo above, the plums are growing soft and saggy. I like them hard and fresh, sour and green. It's time to put them away and wait with eagerness for next summer's crop.

Meanwhile the apples are in. When at Fernleigh Farm, I picked up some new season organic apples. One bite and I was in love. Crisp, sweet and almost dripping juice. Old plums simply don't compare to new apples, no matter how much I adore them.

And it's even time for a change of cookbooks. On my counter is a copy of Vogue's Short Order and Seasonal. Vogue Entertaining and Living brought these two out a few years ago - one for spring/summer and one autumn/winter. They are full of quick, if fancy, ideas for seasonal eating. I don't think they are still available - I got one free with a Vogue magazine and the other appears to have been picked up cheap at the newsagents for $4.00. As I put spring/summer away I flicked through autumn/winter, peering at soups, roasts and other warming foods. And despite the bowl of plums in my fridge, I know now winter's here.