THE FICKLE DAYS OF FALL
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless, With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells, With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells."
-John Keats, To Autumn
September is a fickle month for Los Angeles. For a few invigorating days, the temperatures take a dip, and all across the Southland cry the exultant heralds of fall. But just as quickly as they appeared, they are promptly swept away by the bathwater winds of the Santa Anas. And just like that, the autumnal hopes of many Angelenos are dashed by the summer temps left in their wake. It happens every year. A month of great expectation and inevitable disappointment.
Even though most days still feel like summer, we Southern Californians have mastered the art of tricking ourselves by wholeheartedly embracing the spirit of fall. We sip on spiced lattes (albeit iced), burn fall-scented candles, hang harvest wreaths, guzzle pumpkin ale during football games, feast on heartier fare like butternut squash soup, and even break out the boots and scarves on occasion.
I love the kinetic energy of this time of year – there’s a buzz of excitement and anticipation. To be outdoors in the fresh air. To watch the leaves fall from trees. To visit pumpkin patches and stroll the lanes of u-pick orchards. In essence, to observe and enjoy the natural splendor of the season, when green eventually fades to orange and brown, and all that was vibrant becomes a muted array of earth tones.Being outdoors to witness the seasonal transition (slow as it may occur in LA) simply magnifies the magic of fall.
We were lucky enough to spend the entirety of the evening this past Friday outdoors at the legendary Greek Theatre. We sat beneath the twinkle of stars and airplanes listening to The Lumineers croon away on stage. Tucked among the trees of Griffith Park, the venue makes for an intimate and enchanting forest setting. It was a perfect early autumn night, when a light jacket and a plastic cup of red wine was enough to keep you warm.
We packed a picnic to enjoy prior to the show. A simple menu of Irish cheese, blackberries, salami and hummus with pita. And these hand pies. Honey-roasted pear and gorgonzola with peppered pecans, a sweet and savory treat to complement the meal. The buttery crispness of ripened pears is heightened by the earthy aroma of fresh thyme. Cinnamon spice swirls with peppery pecans. The piquant gorgonzola cheese hits you in the back of your cheeks, but its sharpness is quelled by the floral saccharine notes of honey. A glorious arrangement of flavors, if there ever was one, in portable pie form, that celebrates the fruit of the season—whether it feels like fall or not.
HONEY-ROASTED PEAR AND GORGONZOLA HAND PIES WITH PEPPERED PECANS (serves 6)
For peppered pecans:
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat pecans with honey and toss with black pepper. Bake 5-7 minutes until lightly toasted and aromatic.
For pie filling:
1 Anjou pear, cored and diced
1/4 cup honey (plus more for drizzling)
1 tbsp butter or margarine, cubed
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp thyme, finely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (plus more for dusting)
1 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
Preheat oven to 400°. In mixing bowl, combine diced pears with honey, butter, lemon juice, thyme, salt and cinnamon. Transfer mixture to baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until pears are golden and tender.
For pie crust (via Elana's Pantry):
2 cups finely ground blanched almond flour
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg (plus 1 more egg to make egg wash)
In mixing bowl, combine almond flour, salt, coconut oil and one egg until it forms a ball of dough.
To assemble:
Make peppered pecans first and set aside to cool. Make filling and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350°. Make pastry dough. Roll pastry dough out flat (about 1/4 inch thick) and use a round glass or biscuit cutter to cut out 12 circles. Place six circles on baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper. Spoon filling into center of six circles. Top each filled circle with a few crumbles of gorgonzola cheese and a few pieces of peppered pecans. In small bowl, crack one egg and add splash of water, beating together to form an egg wash. Brush edges of filled circles with egg wash. Place remaining six circles on top of filled circles. Press lightly around edges to pinch and seal shut (can also use tines of fork to seal edges). Brush tops of pies with egg wash. Cut slits in tops of pies. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or room temp. Drizzle honey over pies and dust with a pinch of cinnamon before serving.*Note: this is a gluten-free pie dough, and it can be a bit crumbly. If the tops tear or crumble while you are assembling, just pinch the tears shut. It will take a bit of patience, but it's worth the effort.