Delicious autumn fruits

The last days of summer have long gone and have been succeeded by a rich and extravagantly dressed lady - autumn.

It is true that autumn for some people represents the "legalisation" of melancholy, but we shall show them that autumn days can be a wonderful and delightful time of year.

Who awaits this season with the greatest joy? Farmers, of course! It is then that they harvest the fruits of their hard labour. If nature has been generous and good and the yield rich, the joy is even greater. In any corner of our beautiful country you may be: in gardens, orchards, fields, vineyards or forests, you will be enchanted by the wonderful colours of nature and enjoy in the aroma and taste of ripe fruit.

Colours of cereal crops and vegetables

In the first days of September the digging of potatoes, one of the most important foods apart from cereal crops, starts. As we eat potatoes almost every day prepared in a thousand and one ways, we rarely think of its importance in our diet and of its origin. We do know it was brought by Spanish sailors from South America to Spain, from where it spread all over Europe. In Ireland, for example, it had been the staple diet for a long time and even the only food for many families which in years of poor yield led to large famine and resulted in massive immigration to America.

Alongside maize and potato, we must also mention beans. Dry pods full of nourishing beans are picked in autumn and delicious young, soft beans are a special treat.

October is the month when heads are cut off! Of course, cabbage heads. They will end up pickled: whole or cut fine. As such they are often prepared with beans. But, let us go back to cabbage heads, some of which will end their life's mission in the form of Christmas or New Year's stuffed cabbage leaves - "sarma".

As we are about to firmly step into autumn, around All Saints' Days, it is the time to harvest turnip, the last of the autumn fruits. A few decades ago, turnip was often found on the tables of many families, served with polenta or potato. It is a real pity that turnip is slowly vanishing from our menus as it is attributed with many therapeutic properties (it functions as a diuretic, purifies the blood and relieves rheumatic conditions).

Enjoy the amenities of autumn fruits

Our orchards are most beautiful in autumn when fruit trees decorate with wonderful, fragrant and ripe fruits. The first to come are apples which belong to the family of roses and come in at least 25 species.

This fruit should be eaten every day as it contains properties valuable for our organism: vitamins, pectin (compound carbohydrates), cellulose, protein, fruit sugar and plenty of water. Apples are used to prepare cakes, apple juice (cider), and rare are those who have not experienced the therapeutic properties of apple vinegar (reduces cholesterol and battles blood cell calcification, treats kidney diseases, balances digestion and body weight...). Together with all these beneficial features, apple is the symbol of health in our culture. Apples always accompany the most joyous events: weddings, Christmas and our grandmothers recall with nostalgia their days of youth when young men would give them apples as a sign of their affection.

In terms of extensiveness and importance, plums are almost equally ranked. Plums are very healthy, they contain antioxidants and improve digestion, and apart from being eaten fresh, they can be used to prepare compote, spreads and jam. They can also be dried and used in the process of making the world famous plum brandy.

Pears are the favourite fruit of those who admire their specific aroma and taste. Most of the types (green, yellow and reddish) ripe in autumn. They are used to make compote, jam spreads, brandy and pressed make a delicious thick juice.

Fruits of hills and forests

No celebration can be made without cakes, and they say the best cakes are made from walnuts. Walnuts are one of the most expensive fruits.

Autumn fruits can be also found in forests. Finding real autumn bolete mushrooms makes us extremely happy; they are so healthy that we wish to eat them as they are. They are a real specialty: whether baked, boiled, frozen, pickled or dried and stored for winter.

Those not lucky enough to find mushrooms will certainly be able to find chestnuts. The aroma of roasted chestnuts always creates a pleasant and warm atmosphere in chilly evenings.

A perfect match for roasted chestnuts is unfermented grapejuice so it would be unfair not to write a word or two about our vineyards. They come alive in September. Joyful voices of grape-pickers reach each and every grape planted hill. Rich clusters of riesling, "plemenka", Isabella grape and other sorts fill grape-pickers' vessels and are then pressed until streams of sweet grapejuice, rich in minerals, vitamins, sugar and other healthy ingredients, begins to flow. Unfermented grapejuice is drunk until St. Martin's Day when it transforms into wine.

Grapes can also be used for preparing jam, juice and marmalade.

There you have it! There is still just enough time to pick the autumn fruits and enjoy them.