Late tomatoes and the first frost
The last green tomatoes came indoors this week. Wrapped in paper and kept in a cool drawer, most of them ripen slowly over a month. The ones that refuse go into a sharp chutney with apple and a little ginger.
A walk along the old canal
Herons, two of them, standing perfectly still near the lock gates. The towpath is soft after the rain and the willows have started to yellow. It is the best time of year for this route: quiet, cool and full of birds.
Notes on sourdough in autumn
As the kitchen gets colder the starter slows down. Feeding it with slightly warmer water and giving the dough an extra hour of bulk fermentation keeps the crumb open. Patience matters more than any recipe.