Fall is in the Air… Kind Of
It’s kind of there, because the calendar says it is. With that in mind I give you the
Hawaiian Word for the Day : Ha`ule lau
There is no official word for Autumn in the Hawaiian language. (Why would there be? This month’s weather looks like last month and the month before.) If you ask a local for something that came close, this is the word that they would probably tell you.
I somehow missed the Fall Equinox. I think that my brain kept waiting for visual clues… for leaves to fall, winds to get a bit gustier, and a chill to find its way into the evening air. Hay bails sitting and waiting in the fields for cattle to eat through the winter. Looking through the LL Bean catalog trying to find just the right winter coat. Snuggling under my favorite comfy blanket and reading. These are just a few of my favorite fall things. Looks like I’m going to need some new ones.
I have yet to see a single pumpkin on the island. I may have to resort to cutting up acorn squashes. No one will notice right? In fact, up until yesterday I had yet to see canned pumpkin at all. Then after one last attempt, I found two lonely cans pushed to the very back of the shelf just waiting for me to take home and love. And so I did!
I’m forcing fall baking on everyone without remorse. I lower the temperature in the house and bake and bake and bake until I’m tired of the smell of apples and pumpkins. Which that should happen sometime around April. There’s something homey and welcoming about fall baking. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin remind me of simpler times and family gatherings. It makes me think of the hands of my mother. Her hands moving gracefully as they stirred and mixed just the right amount of this and just a sprinkling of that.
While I have been caught up in reminiscing, little hands have been busy melting chocolate and pouring them into bat and spider molds. Lollipop zombies and witches. So scary. The candies should be ready for savoring tomorrow. As for my best concoction of the last two days, it would have to be this…
Pumpkin Scone with Buttered Maple Icing
1/2 cup fructose
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups ww pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. basking soda
2 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 TBS. Safflower Oil
2 cups pureed pumpkin
Mix all the dry ingredients together in one bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together in another bowl. Combine the two using a wooden spoon as long as possible and then move to kneading the ingredients together. Shape into a round disc. Slice into 12 pieces. Bake at 425F for 12 minutes. Remove and place on cooling racks. When cooled slightly drizzle with the Buttered Maple Icing.
Buttered Maple Icing
3 TBS. Powdered Sugar
1 TBS Maple Syrup
1 tsp. vegan butter
Mix together and drizzle.
Best enjoyed with a tall mug of something steaming and wrapped in your favorite blanket.
