Hello IFF Subscribers!

Fall is in the air, and the temperatures here in Umbria are dropping quickly. Fresh, sweet figs are plentiful, and pumpkin and winter greens can now be found at our local markets. Although I do not enjoy cold weather, fall is my favorite season for spending time outdoors, as well as cooking with the local seasonal produce available at this time.

This past week the Onion Festival in Cannara took place over two weekends. This is one of Umbria's busiest food festivals and folks line up to sample dishes from appetizers to desserts all made with the famous Cannara onions.

My husband and his merry band of cyclists made it safely to Umbria after two weeks on the road from Provence France. They were very lucky to miss all the rain, and had not a single flat tire or accident. Well done Naples, Florida cyclists! They ended up at our house where we had a celebration dinner including a huge porchetta that was enjoyed by all.

In just over a month we will be harvesting our olives and planning for our return to North America for the winter. This season has just flown by!

How To Make Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce Step by Step
Every year when late summer rolls around and we enter into "tomato season" I begin to crave this simple, flavorsome tomato sauce. There is no other tomato sauce so pure of flavor as one made from garden fresh ripe tomatoes that are heated just long enough to thicken into a sauce. I first enjoyed this sauce at my Mother-In-Law's table 40 years ago, and from that first tast it has remained one of my very favorite tomato sauces. Lina would pick very ripe plum tomatoes gently warmed from the summer sun from her garden in the morning, then quickly turn the tomatoes into the purest flavored sauce possible. Get The Recipe......

Pan Fried Pork Chops With Juniper Berries & Rosemary
Umbria is a landlocked region, so meat is much more commonly consumed than fish, and pork is definitely enjoyed more often than other meats. Whether it is a succulent roast of pork flavored with rosemary and garlic, juicy sausages cooked on the grill, or pork shanks, also called stinco di maiale, slow roasted so long the meat just about falls off the bone, we tend to eat a lot of pork when we are here in Umbria. Pork chops are also very popular and are sold bone in, cut just about 1/2 inch thick. Get The Recipe......

Roasted Potatoes, Zucchini, Onions & Pancetta
I am always looking for new, unique vegetable side dishes to go with roasted or grilled meats. When meat is on my menu, I often include oven roasted potatoes of some sort, then add another side such as sautéed leafy greens. When you stick to the same things time and time again, although delicious, it can get a tad boring. This easy vegetable side includes potatoes, zucchini, onions, garlic, and pancetta which are seasoned with fresh thyme and parsley. I love oven roasting vegetables because there is so little effort required once they are prepped and popped into the oven. Get The Recipe.....

Peach Oat Muffins
I've had a busy summer and though I've tried to keep on top of everything, I do have a bunch of summer recipes that just never got posted when they should have. It is now mid September, and here I sit wrapped in a warm sweater looking out at grey skies with the wind blowing wildly and I'm posting a recipe for summer peach muffins. Oh well, luckily a great muffin can be enjoyed year round and I am planning on replacing the peaches with fresh figs later this week when I make these muffins once more. You COULD also use frozen peaches in place of fresh ones if fresh peaches are no longer available. Get The Recipe......