Ode to Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.
[1st verse, Ode to Autumn, John Keats]

There's nothing like Keats' lovely tribute to ease my passing of the season mourning.
I'm holding on so tightly to the last leaves that cling to our big old Manchurian pear tree. I've told myself that when they are all gone I must embrace winter. I figure I have about a week left (unless I get so desperate I super glue a few leaves to a branch...
The littles have been paying their respect to the lovely colours of the season with a bit of leaf frolicking.

And we've also been bringing the colours inside the kitchen and our tummies through some sweet and salty and seriously delicious pistachio biscuits.



See you next year friend.

White Chocolate and Pistachio Biscuits
Nigella Lawson :: How to be a Domestic Goddess
100g soft unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
100g brown sugar
1 tspn vanilla extract
1 egg
150g plain flour
1 tspn bicarb
100g ground pistachios
125g whole pistachios
125g white chocolate
Preheat oven to 180°C. Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla, then egg, then flour and bicarb. When you have a smooth, thick dough add the nuts and chocolate and mix to combine. Roll walnut-sized balls and place on greased and lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Leave on baking sheet to firm for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.