When the air gets crisp, when you can see your breath, and when little white flakes start to fall, we get a strong craving for the flavor meld that is in various soups, stews, and heavy sauces.  Why is this?  Who cares!  Just enjoy the season and the joy that soups, stews, and sauces bring!

            Welcome back!  After a bit of a break so that we could take time to reorganize, adjust, and set up our next grouping of posts… we have returned!

            And we do apologize for the delays – but soon you should be able to see why these delays have occurred… and when those efforts come to fruition, you will be made aware, and you will join us in reveling in wonderful success!

            Anyway…

            Let’s think about our title today… we are going to talk about soups, stews, and sauces.  And why wouldn’t we?

            Think about this time of year – especially in the northeastern part of the great United States.  Once it got to be autumn, we began to notice that there were changes coming… the air is a little more brisk, it feels crisper, we can actually smell a change in the air as the leaves change, apple and pumpkin flavored everything are everywhere, and we seek to stay inside just a little more. 

            This brings out a little bit different experience – we give up summer time at the beaches, we give up lounging out in the warmth, and we instead begin to focus on what is inside… what is indoors.

            That being said, I think hard on this, and there are certain things that I think we all learn to associate with being indoors in cooler weather.

            I think of roaring fires, cinnamon, pies, hot chocolate, and yes, soups and stews.

            When the weather gets cooler, when we are spending more time indoors, we naturally want to consume foods that offer just a little bit more.

            More flavor, more powerful aromas, more versatility, and often times we want it to just be a little bit more filling.

            Thing about the summer – you want to go around in your beach body, and you want to be comfortable, able to run around.  You do not want to feel full – the proverbial “fat and happy” that so many people describe.

            Think about the cold weather, and think about how many holidays after summer ends that are all about food.  The lesson here?

            We WANT to be fuller in the colder months. 

            Think about it; you can feel warm, pleasantly full, and happy after large meals when you are not sweating profusely due to intense heat.  Feeling the warmth coming from within you from a well-crafted soup, stew, or heavily flavored sauce is a heavenly feeling when it is colder outside.

            Think about that – when it is colder is much better than a hearty venison or beef stew?

            When you get a little bit colder you want the warmth, you want the flavors, and you want the strong scent.

            And I don’t know about you, but when it gets colder, I find myself drinker less water than I should.  Therefore, I know that the fluids that I am getting from the soup or stew are a good option, and I know that I get the necessary fluids from soups.

            These points being considered, it really is no wonder that we want soups and stews when the weather gets colder.

            Now, one thing that we have not touched upon as of yet is sauces.  We are not talking about marinara or Bolognese (although these are fantastic flavors).

            Again, we need to think about our local food tastes when the colder weather is upon us.  Think about the pork roasts, roast chicken, succulent turkeys, and other slow cooked foods.

            Specifically, slow cooked MEATS.

            What do we do with these slow cooked meats – the juices and drippings that they leave behind when they are cooking?

            This one should be easy – we turn them into what is probably the most classic sauce that any of us can ever think of.

            Gravy – yes!  We all love the flavors of gravy.  I remember when I was a kid and “plain” foods were boring and had no appeal.

            So if we are going to talk about plain potatoes, white rice, biscuits… I would not eat them.

            However, plain potatoes mashed and covered in a chicken gravy was a delight!  So was white rice covered in a rich mushroom and beef gravy… and don’t even get me started on chicken and biscuits (or Chicken ala King).

            The bottom line is that gravy, the alpha and omega of sauces, can jazz up just about anything and make it a food that is more interesting.

            That is true even with desserts… and before you rage “x” out of the page, hear me out…

            Ever been to Arkansas?  They have this one thing that is *perfect* for this time of year. 

            While those in Arkansas are proud to eat this all year ‘round, the fact is that this is likely better as a treat.

            This one thing?

            Chocolate gravy!

            The chocolate gravy recipes run from simple to complex and go from being standard to being “secret” family recipes. 

Sometimes these are made with meat juices, but most often not, and this gravy is used for just about everything that you could imagine.

They add it to ice cream.  They add it to fruit.

But the big thing that Arkansas is known for… biscuits and chocolate gravy for breakfast.

Not to say this is a good or a bad decision – but it is worth thinking about.

Really – think about the colder months, and think about your soups, stews, and sauces.  Can you manage without them this time of year?

Sure, if you are in the deep south, or on the southern part of the west coast, maybe not.  But the rest of us?  Eating, enjoying, and loving our soups, stews, and sauces is a critical part of enjoying the colder months.

On that note, try this tonight – sit down with a fresh beef stew… have just a side of crusty bread, and be sure to cover your ice cream with chocolate gravy for dessert.

Really, in the colder months, you will feel happier, healthier, and just more complete by enjoying your soups, stews, and sauces this time of year!