Introduction

There is a subtle chill in the air. The sun is sleeping in longer than I am. Wearing my thick knit orange sweater and my big brown boots, I am hit with the realization that today is my first day of Fall. Whatever the calendar says, I ignore it because today is the day that my Fall has begun.

I have been reluctant to warmly welcome this new season as I feel Summer went on without me even realizing it. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to raspberries and tomatoes. I didn't want to bid ado to stone fruits and snap peas. I shed a tear as black and blueberries have come and gone.

But now, oh now, I am singing a new song. A song that welcomes the hearty harvest of Fall. Pumpkins, squash, apples, pears, quince, cider, parsnips, sweet potatoes, grapes, pomegranates....... My song of the season's bounty could go on and on.

Today I am welcoming the chill for now I once again begin to drink my coffee hot (as opposed to the Summer delight of iced coffee). I dream of the countless days I will spend baking cinnamon scented holiday sweets and filling my tummy with spiced cider and hot cocoa. And like the years that have preceeded, when Fall begins to show its colors, I think of soups. More specifically a creamy vegetable laden soup served with crusty bread for dipping and a generous pour of red wine for sipping.

This soup is the very essence of Fall. Hearty and satisfying and full of Fall flavor. The subtle mushroom flavor in this squash soup gives it an undeniable richness and meatiness. The soup is crowned with a zesty and citrusy pine nut gremolata.

Gremolata is traditionally a blend of parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Often you will find this delightful condiment sitting atop meat dishes, giving them a bright and fresh finish. This version is made using toasted pine nuts and orange zest (as well as parsley and garlic). It gives the warm soup a light, refreshing quality that hints at Summer as we move toward this chilly yet delicious season. Enjoy this soup with a generous glass of Pinot Noir.

Squash Mushroom Soup with Pine Nut Gremolata

• 5 Tbl. butter, divided
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (I used Crimini)
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced
• 1 sage leaf
• 2 small butternut squash
• 1 quart chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

• 3 Tbl. toasted pine nuts
• zest from one orange
• 1 sage leaf
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel

Soup:

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in 350ºF (175ºC) oven until tender. Let cool. Scrape out all the roasted butternut squash goodness leaving nothing behind but the skin.

Sauté the onion in 2 tbl. butter until transparent, 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté another 5 minutes. Add the sage leaf and the roasted squash. While continuing to cook, add the chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time. This enables the squash to soak up all of the mushroom flavor and reduces the chicken stock a bit to concentrate the flavors. A total of 2 cups of stock should be added at this time. Carefully transfer the entire mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to create a luxurious puree. Return to the pan and add the remaining 3 tbl. butter. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Gremolata:

Combine all the ingredients and chop fine.

About Ashley E. Rodriguez

Food became my life while living in Italy. Growing up I was fortunate to have been brought up around a mother who intuitively knew how to cook, and just by being around that, it rubbed off on me. But it was in Italy where I truly began to appreciate the power of good food.

For me food is so much more than following a recipe in order to reach a desired product. As much as I enjoy that tasty product and the process in which it was created, my personal infatuation with food focuses on the aspects that go beyond satisfying a bodily hunger. I am completely and utterly obsessed with food because of its effect on the people who consume it, grow it, produce it, enjoy it, and live for it. Food is culture, it nourishes our bodies, it is passion, it is hard work, and for many it is their livelihood.

My culinary career has been primarily pastry focused. I worked under the Captain of the winning American Coupe du Monde team (the Olympics of bread baking) at the Essential Bread Baking Company in Seattle, WA. From there I went on to Los Angeles where I studied under Sherry Yard (Executive Pastry Chef for Wolfgang Puck's restaurant empire) at Wolfgang Puck's famous Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. While working with Sherry, I also assisted her with her second book, Desserts By The Yard.

I moved back to Washington State and began my pastry business, fulfilling all sweet needs. You can see my work in numerous publications including Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom. Currently I am focusing on training my two young boys to have distinguished palates. You can also find me writing, teaching and creating a television program on the subject of real, good food.

Photographs copyright by Gabriel Rodriguez. Used with permission.