I like October with its clear blue skies and striking bright red, orange and yellow leaves. My hands tell me it’s time to wear gloves when I go outside as they dry and turn red. The chill in the early morning air is never quite erased by the sunshine’s warmth. These are the beautiful days of fall.
In Belgium, late October and early November usually meant grey and rainy days, the perfect setting for All Saints Day which we celebrated instead of Halloween. It usually meant a long weekend vacation from school but also represented a time when families gathered to remember those who had gone on before. The first of November was the official holiday so most businesses were closed as well as post offices and banks. More often than not, the weather cooperated with the holiday: dead leaves laying in piles slowly starting to decompose on the wet streets, a chilling rain falling from solid grey skies, and gatherings of people dressed in somber colours stopping at the cemetery to put flowers on family tombstones. The florist would sell chrysanthemums, large bursts of yellow and white coloured flowers, for families to take to the graveyard. After laying the flowers down, and silently remembering the loved ones, everyone would gather together as families to celebrate life.
When I would get back to school the following week, I would hear the stories from my friends. “We drove down south to my aunt’s house and after going to the cemetery, we had an amazing meal. All of my uncles and aunts were there and I even got to see all of my cousins. When the adults started getting crazy, we went out to the backyard and played games. Some of us went hiking around the little village. It was just a great time. Then we drove back and had a quiet weekend at home.” All Saints Day focused on the family both here and gone and somehow reminded us that life and death are a continuous cycle, always present in this world. It seems appropriate that it also coincides with the waning of life in nature, when trees and plants (and even some animals) go dormant.
So when Halloween rolls around and I see the children in costumes and carrying candy bags, I also spend a little time thinking about my family, those that are here and those that are gone, and I feel fortunate to be a part of such a varied family tree.
When the cold and wet days of November come, food becomes warmth. Hearty stews, filling casseroles and piping hot desserts appear on my menu. I make sure to have pasta and rice in my cupboard, along with root vegetables in my pantry basket. One of my favorite combinations is pork served with a red cabbage and apple dish. Featuring both vegetable and fruit and combining sweet with tart, it is one of those dishes that brings the earth to the table and makes me feel solidly a part of this world.
Red Cabbage with Apples and Juniper
1 medium head of red cabbage, sliced thinly
4 apples (I like McIntosh)
3 T. butter
1 red onion, diced
3 juniper berries
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable stock
1/2 t/ salt
1/2 t. pepper
Cube two of the apples. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add cubed apples and sauté until slightly softened. Add cabbage and juniper berries and sauté until cabbage is glistening and color has lightened, about five minutes. Add vinegar and stir. Add stock, salt and pepper and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.
Peel then grate the two remaining apples. Add to the cabbage when it is done cooking. Serve with a good pork roast.
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