Reaping Autumn’s Harvest
Autumn is a special season because of its strategic placement between the warm days of summer and the cool days of winter lying ahead. For those of us with children, it also signifies the end of the fun- filled, schedule-free and often hectic time spent with friends and family during their school
vacation. It’s time to unwind and settle back into a routine once again, which invariably includes spending more time in the kitchen.
The temperatures generally cool off this time of year from their summer highs, although this September, we had our first heat wave of the season in Boston. Usually, I feel the need to do some baking, especially with those first apples picked from the orchard. I shy away from baking during the summer months because it heats up the house. Most of the cooking is done outside on the grill where the heat belongs. So the oven seems like a long-lost friend, and the bakeware gets dusted off and pressed into service once again.
Autumn also happens to be the time in New England for the harvesting of heirloom tomatoes, picking fresh apples and pears, and enjoying fresh vegetables from the garden. Transforming these fresh ingredients into enjoyable meals is certainly a labor of love, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a lot of great gadgets
out on the market that can simplify food preparation and make many tasks seem less daunting. In this issue, we feature some of the products we came across that would help your customers enjoy the harvest, page 19.
If there was ever a time for impulse-buying, this season presents a wealth of opportunity to inspire your customers to purchase products that make their lives simpler or help them prepare food better. Have they been holding off making a homemade pie because they don’t have a nice pie dish? Do they love cherries but dread the thought of having to pit them? Do
they love salads made with fresh kale but don’t feel
like separating the leaf from the stem? Our industry suppliers have some great products that take the work out of preparing great meals, it’s up to us to put them in front of the right consumer.
David Spencer
Publisher, Gourmet Business
President, HousewaresDirect, Inc.
dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com