Winmonath – wine month, when grapes were harvested
If September was the curtain-raiser to autumn then October is definitely the main feature.
This month, our green and pleasant land puts on a show of brilliant oranges, browns, golds and reds in a visual and epicurean spectacular.
The long, hot days of summer are definitely behind us now but they’ve left an embarrassment of edible riches. With winter just beyond the horizon, October is a month when preserving our bounty for the colder months is even more important. Chutneys, jams and pickles are all promoted to the top of our seasonal to-do list.
On the vegetable patch, there’s more than enough to keep us busy, too: marrows, pumpkins and squashes all thrive at this time of year; while in the orchard, those delicate soft fruits have all now given way to hardier, but certainly no less delicious, apples and pears.
But perhaps the most exciting thing about October is that Mother Nature invariably flings opens the door of her wild larder and invites us to stuff ourselves silly. It’s one of the best months to be outdoors foraging, with hedgerows fit to burst with ripe berries and nuts, and the mild, damp conditions mean mushrooms abound on forest floors. We can literally take our pick from hundreds of wonderfully named fungi, including puffballs, penny buns and chicken of the woods. Scallops and mussels are plump and plentiful and there is game aplenty as pheasant joins duck, partridge and grouse on the autumnal menu.
October’s weather also helps make it a great month to be outdoors. Hopes of a seriously hot day have all but vanished, but it’s surprisingly common to have a sustained spell of sunshine towards the middle of the month (it’s known as ‘St Luke’s little summer’, named after the saint’s day which falls on the eighteenth). The days are getting noticeably shorter by now, but with all of this food around we can appreciate a little extra time in the kitchen.
So, with respectable weather and no shortage of produce to choose from, we can look forward to filling our boots in October.