Tastes of autumn

I am a true Buffalo girl. When the weather is sunny and hot I'm pretty happy, but nothing perks me up like lousy weather. Gray, wet, cold days are wonderful, because they're perfect days for cooking. My favorite meal I prepared this summer was macaroni and cheese, one rainy day when it was stormy and gray and chilly outside and we almost lost power. The kitchen was warm and cozy as Shane made the macaroni and I made garlic broccoli so delicious that all of the campers ate it. We assembled our own parts of the meal independently, and as I broke the broccoli into bite-sized pieces and listened to the entire oeuvre of Neko Case, I felt completely content.

On Thursday, I didn't have much homework, the night was cold, and I was looking for a reason to feel cozy, so I stole a bunch of apples from a dining hall and made applesauce. Applesauce, as my beloved Laurie Colwin says, "is a snap to make as it actually makes itself." I had been daydreaming about applesauce as a companion to this gingerbread cake that I want to make for Christmas (Emily, your thoughts? I know you're not crazy about gingerbread, but this cake......), and such a night almost demanded applesauce.

In case you've never made applesauce before, here's a recipe, in brief. Peel and slice a few McIntosh apples (specified because they turn to mush beautifully, but Granny Smiths just fold their arms and glare when faced with heat), add a bit of water to the pot, cover and cook at low heat. When I say "a few," I used six medium-sized and it made enough for about six teacups of applesauce. The result makes the whole house smell warm and homey and is completely delicious without any added sugar. You can add cinnamon or honey or whatever you want, but I think homemade applesauce is best when unadulterated. Now go make some.

TODAY'S MUSIC: "Bohemian Rhapsody." My friends are cleaning their suite, and I am being their DJ.