Do you feel autumn in the air? A crispness at dawn when I open the windows and the house is still quiet. Flocks of birds wheel over the Tuscan fields, preparing to migrate to warmer places. Pumpkins and butternut squashes now occupy the kitchen cabinet space that summer tomatoes and peaches once held. The first porcini from Garfagnana have arrived at the market and I couldn’t resist. My mother is gently pulling up the last tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers from the vegetable patch to make room for garlic, broccoli, fava beans and peas.
Livia, who normally champions pasta al pomodoro, now opens her mouth like a baby bird at the mention of warm soups—her favourite is my minestrone from scratch with fresh pasta quadrucci.
I love autumn: its colours, its sense of coziness, the shift in appetite and the shorter days. Shorter light can be a challenge for photography, but it’s a blessing when it means more evenings on the sofa with my daughter, reading her favourite book about farm animals for the tenth time.
As always, here’s a roundup of what I’m cooking, reading, watching and listening to since the last newsletter. It’s what keeps me inspired and connected.
What I am cooking
This month I’m gravitating toward soups—pasta e fagioli, pasta e ceci—and I roast butternut squash at least twice a week. Its sweet, dense flesh becomes pumpkin risotto, creamy soups, savoury pies, vegetable flans and pasta sauces. My October cooking takes on a deep orange palette that will linger until spring nudges green back into the kitchen.
I’m also baking bread and schiacciata, preparing pan co’ Santi and my annual Christmas cake, which I’ve made every year since 2010. I treasure rituals that mark the passage of time and I’m always open to new traditions—especially those that deepen family meaning and celebrate the season.
What I am reading
In September I received two new cookbooks and I’ve been enjoying both the recipes and the personal stories that accompany them.
The Magic of Tinned Fish
Chris McDade’s The Magic of Tinned Fish celebrates pantry staples and the virtues of preserved seafood: nutritious, affordable, sustainable and low on waste. The book is organised by fish—anchovies, sardines, mackerel, shellfish and more—with clear guidance on how to treat each type and vibrant Mediterranean-inspired recipes. I’m especially keen to make his spaghetti puttanesca and a fusilli with sardines, ’nduja and pecorino.
Liguria: The Cookbook; Recipes from the Italian Riviera
Laurel Evans’ book is a love letter to Liguria. It explores the region’s food, traditions and family recipes through the eyes of someone who fell for the Italian Riviera and stayed. The stories of handed-down dishes, thrifty yet inventive cooking and plant-forward recipes feel authentic and heartfelt. I’m already dreaming about focaccia, focaccia col formaggio di Recco and the many vegetable-filled savoury pies typical of the region.
What I am watching
I unwind with crime series and mystery dramas—following clues helps quiet the mind. Right now we’re watching Truth Be Told on Apple TV+. Beyond the central mystery, I’m drawn to the lead character Poppy Parnell, a journalist who uses a podcast to pursue truth. As a podcaster myself, I find her approach inspiring and I try to bring the same calm confidence to my recordings; we’re currently preparing a new season focused on food and recipes—no murders involved, I promise.
What I am listening to
I’ve been catching up on favourite podcast back episodes. BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme remains a steady companion—its archive is full of fascinating food stories and thoughtful conversations. A recent episode on the language of food offered entertaining, useful insights into food writing and the adjectives we default to. I also follow Julia Turshen’s podcast; her honest conversations—like the episode she recorded with her wife Grace Bonney—have been eye-opening and helpful as I reflect on diet culture, body image and personal change.
Where I have been
From now on I’ll share places we’ve actually visited—restaurants, cafés, bakeries and shops that caught my attention or appetite. This month we spent three days at Grand Universe Lucca, where we were wonderfully looked after. The hotel organised a rooftop aperitivo, a guided historical tour of Lucca, a bike ride on the city walls with a picnic and even a horse-drawn carriage ride with prosecco and anecdotes about the town. We sampled second and third breakfasts, explored osterias, pastry shops, delis and pottery stores, and collected addresses for a Lucca city guide—stay tuned.
Fried green tomatoes with grapes
This is peasant cooking at its best: a seasonal dish made when tomatoes on the vine haven’t fully ripened and there are still ripe grapes ready to eat. It’s a brilliant pairing.
Just five ingredients—green tomatoes, grapes, basil, garlic and chilli—are all you need. The pan-fried tomatoes are meaty and fresh; the grapes lend a delicate sweetness; garlic and basil add aromatic depth; chilli gives a gentle heat. The result is simple, balanced and quick to make.
Ingredients
- 4 green tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- Chilli pepper flakes
- 1 small bunch of grapes
- A handful of basil leaves
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes into thick rounds, dust them with flour and fry in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, adding the unpeeled garlic cloves and some crushed chilli flakes for flavor.
- Fry the tomatoes in batches so they lie in a single layer; turn them once they’re golden and transfer to a plate as they finish.
- Wipe the pan clean, add a little more olive oil, return the tomatoes to the pan and add grapes—halved and seeded—alongside them.
- Season with flaky salt, toss in basil leaves and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the grapes are just collapsing. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to eat.
