I’m not feeling particularly loquacious today. The rain has me looking inward and reflecting. Thinking and mulling. Evaluating and re-evaluating. I want to make myself a priority and embark on a path I truly love that also inspires and challenges me. And, I want to make sure that path also inspires and challenges others. There’s a lot to take in and consider. And a lot of thinking and planning to be done.
Instead of feeling pressured to write when I don’t really have the words, I’ve decided to start a silent series here on the blog. I’ll share a lovely recipe without the typical story or reflection. Today I’ll leave you with this soup. It’s velvety smooth and the flavor combination is killer. You get a bit of sweetness from the kabocha and fennel along with earthiness from the sage and gentle heat from the chili powder. If I had to personify fall in a bowl, this would be it. It’s perfect for filling your bowl and your belly while the wind howls outside your window.
It’s still getting into the 90s here in Houston pretty much every day but I haven’t been holding off on my autumn inspired baking and cooking. I’ll admit it’s funny to see little pumpkins and bouquets of sage and thyme decorating the small table in my kitchen and then walk outside just to be punched in the face by heat and humidity. And I literally mean punched in the face. It’s rather overwhelming.
I had forgotten how much I loved sage until I picked some up this past weekend. I love the velvety feel of the leaves and the sweetly pungent and intoxicating aroma it gives off. It evokes memories of holidays and family dinners, the table filled to the brim with steaming dishes. I’ve been finding the scent very grounding and comforting. Lately I’ve noticed myself gravitating towards grounding scents and foods. Perhaps it’s because I need to be tethered down to the earth so that I can focus and learn.
