Caramelised Pear & Ginger Scones
how to make the most of mid-autumn ✨
Allô! 👋
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If fall were a time of day, I think it would be sunset. Spring could be sunrise — summer, day — and winter, of course, would be night. At least, to me, that seems just about right.
Indulging this thought a little further, mid-autumn — that quiet stretch from the last days of October through late November, in the Northern Hemisphere, at least — feels akin to evening twilight (with early autumn mirroring sunset itself, and late autumn aligning with dusk).
Evening twilight, of course, is the time of day when most of us wind down and prepare for the night. Likewise, mid-autumn is that time of year where nature winds down and makes its final preparations before winter’s arrival.
Indeed, in a number of northern cultures, the transition from October to November has historically marked the end of harvests and the start of winter*, ahead of late December’s winter solstice.
To this day, mid-autumn still marks the time by which most grains, seeds, and pulses must be harvested for the year, before the frosts set in and the days get too short.
*according to the runic calendar, October 14th marks the traditional start of winter in Norway; if following the Gaelic tradition of Samhain, winter begins instead on the night of October 31st to November 1st; meanwhile, the traditional Chinese calendar places Lìdōng — “the start of winter” — sometime in early to mid-November
It’s a time where the light fades at startling speeds, the leaves change colour daily, and the air acquires a crisp-yet-hazy stillness that feels quite unique to this particular season.
The further from the equator you travel, the starker the changes.
Up in Eastern Norway from where write, mid-autumn is here — and, after a hectic summer period where the days seemed never-ending, nature is getting ready to close up shop and turn in for some much needed, well-earned, rest.
This month I’ve been collecting the last of our apples, storing them in the dark, unheated mudroom that doubles as a makeshift cellar in the colder months. I snipped some leaves from the mini balcony fig trees I’ve been nurturing all summer (the birds got more figs than I did this year, but so it goes) and dehydrated them for later. I’ve hung fresh dates to dry and deepen in flavour and colour in the October sun. The wooden utensils and cutting boards have been re-oiled (I find they tend to dry out faster in months when the heating is turned on). I’ve knit, unknit, and re-knit a sweater and a half. I’ve also brought home a case each of onions, apples, and pumpkins from the farm shop’s end-of-season sale.
None of these things were planned out ahead of time but, looking back on the month, it seems that I’ve slowly been getting ready for winter all along.
Instead of resisting it, my time in northern latitudes has taught me that it’s most wise to accept the season and lean into the changes brought on by darker, colder days.
The nights have been longer than day for a little while already, but now that mid-autumn has properly arrived, this slow-yet-sudden transition away from summer and into winter is much more noticeably felt.
Rather than mope about the cooling temperatures and waning light, I find great comfort in embracing these seasonal changes. Life feels quieter, slower, more restful. It’s nice.
Longer evenings mean more time to linger and bask in the quiet glow of a warm kitchen. More time to get cosy under a blanket with a good book. More time to watch movies, catch up with friends, or get crafty.
There’s much to look forward to.
In this October issue of good food at home, in addition to an updated recipe for caramelised pear and crystallised ginger scones, you'll find some meal inspiration from the newsletter and website, as well as my best Scandinavian tips for making the most of mid-autumn — plus, a few parting public health links as food for thought.
As always, I hope you’ll find something in the newsletter that brings you joy.
Happy Halloween and Happy Diwali!
Here's wishing you a cosy November (and a smooth transition out of Daylight Savings Time, if you must),
👋simone
P.S. Like the newsletter? Leave it a ❤️ to help it grow!
pear & ginger scones 🍐
Eight triangles of warmly spiced and delicately layered scones, brimming with golden nuggets of caramelised pear and crystallised ginger. This one’s an updated autumn recipe from the archives — an excuse to bake for yourself and those you care about, for when there’s nothing quite like taking a moment to sit down by a window with a fresh scone, a deep breath, and a hot cup of tea on an otherwise rushed or dreary day.
For this recipe, reach for pears that aren’t quite ripe yet — firm enough to hold their shape through baking, yet sweet enough to fill your home with their tantalising fragrance as they cook.
CARAMELISED PEAR & CRYSTALLISED GINGER SCONES
makes 8 scones
FOR THE PEAR & GINGER BLEND
• 14g / 1 Tbsp butter
• 12g / 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3g / 1 tsp powdered cardamom†
• 3g / 1 tsp powdered cinnamon
• 3g / 1 tsp powdered nutmeg†
• 2 medium Bosc, Anjou, or Concord pears (∼350g), peeled, cored & diced
• 4g / 2 tsp fresh or frozen* ginger, finely grated
• 13g / 1 Tbsp crystallised ginger‡, finely diced
*I like to keep a nub in the freezer — it's super easy to grate with a microplane, and you're almost guaranteed to always have ginger on hand
†if freshly ground, reduce the amount of spice by two thirds
‡in a pinch, stem or candied ginger will do instead
1. In a pan on medium-high heat, add 14 grams / 1 tablespoon of butter, 12 grams / 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and the dry spices: 3 grams / one teaspoon each of powdered cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if freshly ground, divide the amount by three). Let the sugar dissolve into the spiced butter, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula as it melts.
2. Add two peeled, diced pears to the pan. Stir gently to coat the pears in the spiced caramel, then add in 4 grams / 2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger and the 13 grams / 1 tablespoon of finely diced crystallised ginger.
3. Continue stirring gently until the pears are softened, brown, and juicy — about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the pears and juices into a small strainer set over a bowl.
5. Place the bowl and strainer in the fridge, and leave the pear and ginger blend to cool and drain while you work on the scones.
FOR THE SCONES
• 120g unsalted butter
• the juice of ½ a lemon**
• the strained liquid from the ginger pear blend
• ∼125 ml heavy cream**
• 270g unbleached wheat flour + 50g whole wheat flour***
• 40g white sugar
• 15ml or 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 5ml or 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine salt
• ¼ tsp each of ground cardamom, ginger & cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 5 ml or 1 tsp vanilla
• 150g pear & ginger blend, drained of its juices
• extra cream & sugar for brushing and dusting the tops of the scones
• extra flour for dusting the kneading surface
**you could use ∼ 150ml buttermilk if you'd like, but I find that you often end up having to buy it specifically for a recipe, and then you're stuck with leftover buttermilk (whereas cream and a half a lemon are — at least for me — more versatile things to keep in your refrigerator)
***the addition of the whole grain flour makes a lovely difference the final texture of the scones, but don't worry about buying some just for this recipe if you don't have any on hand
1. Cut 120g of unsalted butter into very small cubes, then place these on a plate and leave the in the fridge or freezer to harden and cool. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
2. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a measuring cup and add in the juices from the spiced caramelised pears. Top up with enough heavy cream to reach a total of 175ml of liquid. Whisk these wet ingredients together, then leave them to thicken a bit while you move onto the next step.
3. In a large bowl, combine 270 grams of all-purpose flour with 50 grams of whole wheat flour, 40 grams of white sugar, one tablespoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of baking soda, half a teaspoon of fine sea salt, and one quarter teaspoon each of powdered cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. Whisk these dry ingredients together until evenly mixed.
4. Whisk one large egg and one teaspoon of vanilla into the cream mixture.
5. Remove the butter from the fridge or freezer and add it into the dry ingredients, doing your best to separate every cube as you do. Using a fork, stir the butter cubes through, trying to cover each one in flour as you go. Then, fold in the strained and cooled pear and ginger blend, coating each piece separately in the flour mixture too.
6. Pour the cream blend into the bowl and gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones using a fork or spatula, just until everything starts coming together into a shaggy lump.
7. On a lightly floured surface, gently flatten the dough into a rough and shaggy disc using a few quick pats of the heel of your dominant hand (palms are generally warmer than we’d like for this; and cold butter is key for flaky scones). Fold the dough in half over itself four times, then quickly pat it back into a circle 2.5 cm or 1 inch thick.
8. Using a long knife (or some kind of kitchen wire or thread, if you've got some), cut the disc into 8 equal triangles. Place each triangle onto a baking sheet lined with a reusable silicone mat or parchment paper, then freeze the tray for 10-15 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 1 hour). You want your scones to be firm before baking, so that the butter will steam instead of melt in the oven, making your scones puff upwards instead of pooling outwards as they bake.
9. Remove the baking tray from the fridge or freezer then lightly brush the scone tops with cream before sprinkling them from high above with extra sugar. This will give your scone tops a nice shine and a sweet crunch. Bake for approximately 22 minutes in the centre of the oven, or until the tops are nicely golden brown.
10. Once the scones are done, remove the baking tray from the oven and place it on a rack to cool, just for a few minutes (the amount of time it takes to make a pot of tea or a brew of coffee).
Enjoy warm, cut in half, toasted and slathered in butter if you wish, or dunked in tea, or simply plain!
mid-autumn recipes 🌰🍂
As summer gives way to winter, appetites tend to shift from the refreshing and light to the hearty and substantial. Many small plates become few-but-hefty, generous meals — delicate broths transform into robust stocks, light leafy salads become rich, creamy jumbles, and a previous craving for all things raw and fresh evolves into a longing for slow-cooked sauces, deeply savoury stews, and comforting, long-lasting starches.
This is the time for truffles and chestnuts, sage and saffron, polenta and porcini — mulled drinks enjoyed over the familiar bustle of a winter market — rosehips and apples, new-season pulses and chicories, persimmons and quince.
Despite the dark and the cold, both inside the kitchen and out, there are so many reasons to rejoice.
So whether (like me) you're already facing sunset by 4pm or instead you’re looking forward to warm evenings for a few weeks still, I hope you'll find both comfort and inspiration in these seasonally-appropriate recipes from the newsletter and website:
(Recipes marked with a 👋+ are for paid subscribers only, though each paid post contains content available for all to read!)
mushrooms milanese
Oyster mushroom cutlets, cooked in the style of cotoletta alla milanese. (Basically: crispy breaded mushrooms.) Served with a celery fennel salad, gravy, and mash. (In other words: homey, comforting deliciousness.)
a soothing cabbage & spätzle soup
Silky cabbage and nutty egg noodles easily come together in this hearty-yet-light stunner.
a sweet potato, pecan & fresh ginger loaf ✨
If you like banana bread, pumpkin spice flavoured anything, and gingerbread, then this cake is bound to be right up your alley.
Barely a recipe at all and more so a simple and satisfying technique for making a dessert well worth making again and again and again.
for more:
how to welcome mid- & late autumn:
a bit of northern wisdom 🌅
Winter often gets a bad rap in terms of being a difficult time of year (and, indeed, it can very well be) but mid-autumn is a period many also struggle with adapting to — perhaps even more so.
In winter, daylight grows longer with each passing day. If the conditions are right, you’ll have snow around to reflect any and all light. Even without snow, seasonal decorations help to make things feel cosy, insulated, and bright; add to that the fun of winter sports and the hope of a new spring right around the corner, and it really isn’t all that bad. But in the lead-up to winter — from late October to late December, when the memories of warm, sunny summer are still fresh — the days only grow darker, damper, colder… with no near end in sight.
Indeed, if you’re reluctant to lean into the cold, damp, and dark, mid-fall can be a tough time to keep your spirits up. So then, how best to adapt?
I used to think that growing up in Canada automatically made me a four-season pro by default, but moving to Norway a few Octobers ago quickly taught me that adapting to seasonal extremes on the Scandinavian peninsula requires a whole other level of adaptability. Cue some wisdom I’ve picked up from spending most of my mid-autumns in northern latitudes.
1. Embrace the dark — with light
Candles and other warm, dim lights are probably the number one way to help make the harsh coldness of a dark night feel soft and inviting. Set up your screens to dim and block blue light after dark (I like the f.lux app and use Night Shift on my phone); then scatter candles, candlesticks, and warm-toned lamps around your home, especially by windows*, so that even passersby can share in the warmth. Consider warm-hued fairy lights or dimmable bulbs for a gentle glow that feels especially inviting when the world outside is anything but.
*safely please; do keep flames away from window dressings and other flammable materials
2. Sink into stories
Dark nights are made for comforting tales. Whether it’s (re-)reading novels, watching old films or TV series, listening to serialised podcasts or radio plays, going to the theatre or opera, or asking friends and relatives to share their own tales of adventure — long, dark evenings are the perfect excuse to satisfy our auditory senses, rekindle our imagination, and tickle our mind’s eye. Bonus points if you’re fond of inventing stories on the fly to amuse and entertain those around you!
3. Get crafty
I don’t know if it’s because the pre-winter season is teeming with occasions for kids of all ages to make decorations, or if it’s simply that making a thing indoors while it pours gloom and doom outside feels like an especially good use of time, but mid- to late autumn seems especially well-suited to pulling out the crayons and watercolours, getting out scissors, paper, and glue; or dusting off the old thread, yarn, and needles. (Always wanted to try your hand at pottery? Let this be your sign join a class this season.)
4. Give yourself a more generous sleep window
As the nights stretch longer, our need for sleep grows greater. When the sun sets sooner, dinner tends to come earlier, and so should rest. Instead of fighting it and trying to maintain the same sleep schedule year-round, do allow yourself some grace in the form of an extra 30-60 minutes of bedtime this fall; your body will thank you.
5. Plan(t) for next spring and summer
If you’re hoping to harvest some gorgeous garlic, tantalising tulips, or darling daffodils in the spring and summer of 2025, then autumn 2024 is your time to dig in. If you haven’t yet, embrace the seasonal cycle and plant your bulbs now with the cheery anticipation of next year’s blooms and flavours to come.
6. Steep stovetop drinks
If there ever was a time to start enjoying mulled wine, hot apple cider, masala chai, warming hot chocolates, hot horchata, golden milk lattes, or hot toddies, it would be now. Whole spices tend to feature heavily in these drinks, so do make sure to stock up — and consider adding fresh, seasonal aromatics like rosehips to your ciders and toddies too (they’re sweetest after frost, but you can also freeze their prickliness away before cooking with them). The scents alone are enough to brighten any grey November afternoon.
7. Envelop yourself in warmth
Do this literally and figuratively: strew blankets near every seat in your house, light a fire in whatever way you can. Listen to tunes that feel like a steaming mugful of hot cocoa nestled between your cupped hands. Take warm baths if you’re able — or give your feet a nice soak in a bucket if that’s all you have (that’s all I have; bathtubs aren’t big in Norway). Smile at employees helping you in stores and wish those you meet on trails a good day, doing your best to spread warmth and cheer everywhere you go. Use extra fiery spices, aromatics, and condiments in your cooking, things like horseradish, cayenne pepper, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cloves, and turmeric. Tuck a hot water bottle beneath your sheets, use cushy slippers around the house, and make sure to dress in layers before going out. (Speaking of which, pro-tip: instead of thick, chunky, cotton socks, try layering two very thin woollen pairs to keep your toes extra warm and dry this autumn.)
7’. Switch to flannel bedding
Speaking of warmth: adorning your sofas and armchairs with wool blankets and soft throws is one thing, but upping your autumn bedding game is another. Crisp cotton might keep you nice and cool on warm summer nights, but flannel is what’ll keep you at your comfiest in autumn and winter (especially if, like some Scandinavians, you continue to keep your bedroom window cracked open, even if just for a few minutes each day, all year long).
8. Treasure the little things
Relish in making jam from the last blackberries, jelly from the last crabapples, or gin from the last sloes. Embrace picking and drying the last bunches of herbs. Savour candlelit breakfasts. Appreciate sliding your fingers into old leather gloves for the first time this season. Harness the cheerful glow of a steaming cup, mug, and bowl of food or drink. Revel in the sight and sound of a crackling fireplace, or the smell of distant wood smoke in the air. Cherish the satisfaction that comes with dipping a grilled sandwich into a steaming bowl of soup. Find the joy in walking through leaves that crunch and ruffle underfoot. Lean into the luxury of a cold, rainy evening spent curled up in pyjamas, with bread in the oven and a large pot of chili simmering on the stove. Bask in an afternoon spent baking, sipping on hot chocolate, listening to cosy tunes. Marvel at the bird feeders being busy again. Delight in sliding a fresh pair of socks over your toes. Treasure the awe that comes from noticing long, mellow shadows sprawling across parks and gardens, farms and forests, as they sigh and gently fold in on themselves before winter.
None of these moments would be quite the same if the season were different. In each moment, in the quiet space between the rush, there’s beauty and joy to be found in the smallest of things — the flicker of a candle’s flame, the scent of something slowly braising in the oven, the soothing rhythm of onions being chopped… sometimes, life’s greatest pleasures are simply waiting for you to notice them.
9. Don’t stop going out
Waking up and heading out to work when it’s dark out only to head home when it’s dark out again can be hard on one’s spirits, so, as well as making your mornings lighter with candles and soft, warm lights, do make sure to plan evenings out so that you don’t end up feeling like you’re reliving the same day over and over again. Take a walk at midday to get some sun on your skin, and don’t hesitate to break out of your nightly routines every once in a while.
Don’t be tempted to skip out on nature adventures either, just because the weather is “bad” (as nearly every Norwegian is wont to remind you, det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlig klær, i.e. there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad/poorly-suited clothing); sure, staying home in PJs to watch a good movie under a pile of blankets, steaming mug in hand, is nice and cosy — but doing that after having just enjoyed a long, difficult hike out in “bad” weather will always be extra cosy.
10. Gather friends indoors
After a weekend hike out in the cold or simply a long week in the office, there’s nothing nicer than gathering your friends indoors around a table, to share some laughter, warmth, and cheer. Bring out the board games, baked goods, cheerful tunes, and warm beverages, and let the good times roll.
Be it with extra throws and blankets on your chairs, sofa, or bed, with warm low lighting from small table lamps or candles, or simply via the act of layering on more clothes, baking warming treats, and gathering friends around a tableful of laughter — making the most of mid-autumn is all about creating warmth and finding light.
(In fact, if you love Christmas and want to channel your inner Swede this November, try celebrating Novent (November x Advent), the new Swedish tradition that moves Christmas cosiness up by a month as a way to help keep the mid- and late autumn blues away.)
last, but not least:
the public health corner 🔗
In case you didn’t know, public health is my jam (more on that here, here, and here) — it informs everything I do! And, as always, I like to leave you with a few parting links relating to the topic, as food for thought:
🗒️ ONE ARTICLE
The Government needs a plan to fix our broken food system and turn the tide on the public health emergency, UK Parliament
🎧 ONE PODCAST EPISODE
There are fossil fuels in our food?! | Fuel to Fork
📘ONE BOOK
In Search of the Perfect Peach: Why flavour holds the answer to fixing our food system, by Franco Fubini
📝 ONE PETITION
🎥 ONE DOCUMENTARY
*not directly linked to food, but if you choose to watch it, I’d invite you to consider how you get around your local area and access your groceries…
P.S. I always have a hard time just picking one of each so, in case you're interested, there's plenty more where that came from!
That's all from me this month — see you in the next newsletter!
If you enjoyed this post, please do kindly give it a ❤️ — it really helps make it more visible so others can find it too.
Hanging out with in Autumn is such a treat, Simone!