When the weather finally begins to cool here in the Texas Hill Country, I’m ready to turn on my oven again! After a summer of hundred-degree days, the thought of roasting a chicken or baking a loaf of bread becomes especially inviting.
In this month’s members-only video, I’m sharing a little of what I’m looking forward to cooking, reading, and enjoying this fall. Along the way, I’ll share memories of my sweet mother, Gloria, and how autumn in our New York home meant getting the pantry ready for the winter ahead.
So make yourself a cup of something warm, sweet friend, and visit with me!
These conversational vodcasts are available to the Kitchen Pioneers who have joined my YouTube membership community—The Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy.
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Table of Contents
- A Quick Glance
- Returning to the Oven for Fall Cooking and Baking
- Hot Earl Grey Tea and Books from My Shelf
- Enjoying Cooler Days in the Texas Hill Country
- Remembering My Mother’s Fall Pantry Preparations
- Share Your Fall Favorites
- The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
- The Modern Pioneer Pantry
- Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
- Kitchen Academy Videos
- Shop for items used in this blog post or video
A Quick Glance
In this video, we’ll chat about:
- Returning to oven cooking, including roasted chickens and homemade breads, muffins, and cookies.
- Enjoying hot Earl Grey tea and pulling a favorite cookbook off the shelf.
- What I’m reading, with a little preview of an upcoming At the Table with Ted and Mary.
- Taking walks with my husband Ted and Indy and relaxing on the patio.
- Remembering how my mother prepared our pantry for winter—and carrying that tradition into my own home.
Returning to the Oven for Fall Cooking and Baking
Roasted Chicken Is Back on the Menu
As much as I enjoy a roasted chicken, I’m much less inclined to turn on the oven when it’s 100°F outside! But once cooler weather arrives, I begin looking forward to those oven meals again.
There is something so welcoming about the aroma of a chicken roasting while you go about your afternoon. It makes me look forward to gathering at the table and enjoying a good homemade supper.
Bread, Muffins, Cookies, and More
And once the oven is back in regular use, baking follows right along!
Bread, muffins, cookies—there are so many things I look forward to making when the kitchen no longer needs to compete with the summer heat.
Baking also brings back memories of my mother. She never had an electric mixer, so her breads were made by hand. She especially loved batter breads, and I still think of her when I make them. A familiar recipe can bring someone we love to mind just as surely as an old photograph.
Hot Earl Grey Tea and Books from My Shelf
A Favorite Cup of Tea
A hot cup of Earl Grey tea is one of the little pleasures I look forward to as the days cool.
It’s lovely to settle down with a cup of tea and a book, whether I’m reading a story or browsing a cookbook and thinking about what I might like to make next.
The Cookbook I’m Pulling Off the Shelf
This fall, I’m reaching for Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook by Ruth Van Waerebeek with Maria Robbins.
I enjoy returning to cookbooks I already own. Sometimes a recipe that didn’t catch my attention before suddenly looks like just the thing I want to cook. Our tastes, interests, and seasons change, and an old favorite can offer fresh inspiration.
In my members-only video, I’ll share a little about why this cookbook is joining me in the kitchen this fall.
What I’m Reading: The Children of the New Forest
For my novel, I’ll share The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat, which I’m reading right now.
I’ve been surprised by how substantial the reading is for a book originally written for children! And I’ll admit that, in the beginning, I needed a little help keeping everyone’s names straight. Sometimes you need a family tree beside your reading chair!
This will also be a little preview of an upcoming At the Table with Ted and Mary video, where we’ll share more about cozy books, games, movies, and what we like to eat while enjoying them.
Enjoying Cooler Days in the Texas Hill Country
Long Walks with Ted and Indy
Outside the kitchen, I’m looking forward to long walks with my husband Ted and our sweet Yellow Lab, Indy, on crisp evenings.
After the summer heat, being able to spend more time outdoors comfortably is such a pleasure. A walk gives Ted and me time to talk, enjoy our surroundings, and let Indy do a little exploring of his own.
Quiet Time on the Patio
I’m also looking forward to relaxing on the patio, watching the deer stroll by, noticing the leaves change, and enjoying those delightfully cool breezes.
These are simple pleasures, but they’re among my favorite parts of the season. It’s nice to sit for a while and enjoy what’s happening right in our own backyard.
Remembering My Mother’s Fall Pantry Preparations
Getting Ready for a New York Winter
Growing up in New York, autumn was the time my mother and I prepared the pantry for the coming winter.
We would take inventory and restock what we needed. Whether something was store-bought or homemade, my mother wanted to be sure we had enough on hand to get through a nor’easter.
I remember that as how she showed her care for our family. She thought ahead, and when winter weather arrived, we had what we needed at home.
Carrying That Tradition into My Texas Home
We don’t experience the same harsh winters here in Texas that we did in New York, but January and February can still be unpredictable. (See my Texas Weather Update From Mary’s Nest from 2021.)
So fall remains a good time for me to follow my mother’s example: see what’s in the pantry, notice what needs replacing, and fill in the gaps.
It’s a habit that connects my kitchen today with the kitchen I grew up in. And as I prepare for the months ahead, I think of my sweet mother and the many ways she looked after us.
Share Your Fall Favorites
I hope you’ll join me for this month’s members-only video. We’ll visit about the foods, books, memories, and everyday pleasures that make this season feel special. (For more fall recipes and ideas, be sure to also watch my public video, Cozy Fall Evenings: Homemade Soups, Favorite Books, and Classic Movies.)
And I’d love to hear from you: What tells you that fall has finally arrived in your home? Is it something you cook, a favorite book you reach for, or a tradition you learned from your mother or grandmother?
Share your memories in the comments. I look forward to reading them, sweet friend!
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The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
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The Modern Pioneer Pantry
Simple ingredients, timeless techniques, and a well-stocked pantry. Discover over 100 nourishing recipes to preserve food and turn pantry staples into delicious, homemade meals. Build a wholesome, traditional pantry—just like a modern pioneer!
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My comprehensive vodcasts are exclusively available to members of the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy, who we call Kitchen Pioneers. You can learn more about my optional YouTube membership community, including members-only videos and exclusive perks.
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Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
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Catch up on some of the videos in our membership community that you may not have seen:
- Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy video playlist (Optional Membership Community)
Kitchen Academy Videos
How to Mix Whole Grains for a Warm and Nourishing Porridge
Learn to mix oat groats, barley, and other whole grains for a warm, nourishing porridge with easy make-ahead tips and tasty toppings.
How Much of Each Natural Remedy Should You Make?
Use your family’s needs, past experience, and seasonal habits to decide how much to prepare for your Healing Pantry.
Baking Questions Answered with Ted and Mary!
Join me and my husband Ted for a Q&A filled with practical kitchen tips, helpful techniques, and answers to your baking questions.
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- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
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- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a hardcover book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
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I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Spice Grinder
- Countertop Burner (On my kitchen island in many recipe videos.)
- Handheld Vacuum Sealing System
- Vacuum Lids
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- pH Strips (Helps you check on the acidity of your vinegar)
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Recommended Reading
- The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
- The Modern Pioneer Pantry
- Nourishing Traditions
- Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook
- Children of the New Forest
