Fall is one of Mother Nature’s greatest achievements, with a beautiful transformation occurring throughout America’s woodlands and forests. The vivid green hues of summer fade and slip into the rust-colored shades of fall, as our nation’s plant life prepares for the long winter.
During this transitional period, we are given a bounty of seasonal delights which hit their peak flavor in late September through to early December. The shift from summer to fall brings a different need for the palate, as we look to combat the cooler weather with dishes that are bursting with warm, comforting flavors. Chef Jim Fiala is proud to bring farm to table cuisine to St. Louis by using seasonal ingredients, and he’s selected his top five favorite fall flavors:
Fall Wild Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms are quite possibly our favorite tastes of the fall, with a wide range of types coming into season throughout September, October, and December. Each type of wild mushroom offers a distinct flavor, from the seafood-like aroma of the lobster mushroom to the delicate, mild flavor of the oyster mushroom.
Italian Heirloom Artichokes
Brought to the United States by Italian immigrants in the early 1900’s, the Italian Heirloom artichoke is a unique variety of artichoke that it’s bursting with flavor. With a lengthy growing period, the Heirloom artichoke has a thicker center heart and meatier petals with an intense taste.
Horseradish
Like so many of the root vegetables, horseradish is at its best in the fall and winter. Bright and pungent, fresh horseradish livens up a beef roast or stew during the cold winter months.
Short Ribs
Tender and succulent, braised short ribs are the ultimate cold weather treat. The rich marbling of the meat offers a deep, beefy flavor.
White Chanterelles
The White Chanterelle is one of America’s great fall delights. Found in northern California and the Pacific Northwest, the mushroom has a tender, meaty texture and mild, earthy taste.
There you go, that’s our top five favorite flavors this fall! We’re so passionate about these seasonal ingredients, we created an entire fall menu around them! To achieve this, we partner with a breadth of famers in the Missouri and Illinois communities, as well as Foods In Season, to bring the finest seasonal ingredients straight from the farm to the table. This ensures that every time you visit The Crossing you’re experiencing complex flavors, that evolve from simple ingredients as they hit peak flavor.