This season is a feast of riches when it comes to fresh produce, with the last of summer fruits and plenty of root vegetables coming into season. All those red and russet tones leaves mean the start of comforting dishes featuring new seasonal produce and earthy autumnal flavours, perfect to devour on a chilly evening around the fire.
We were both lucky enough to have access to the great outdoors growing up, complete with rolling hills and leafy woodland. Christian’s childhood was spent here in the Surrey Hills, in a sleepy village at the foot of Leith Hill, whilst Beckie’s younger years and outdoor adventures were in northern Italy, in the woodlands around Lake Maggiore. It’s why we feel most at home in our boots enjoying the simple sounds of a crackling fire or leaves rustling underfoot.
As a child I loved to pick blackberries, picking my way through the brambles on a dog walk and returning home with a triumphant bag. It was a simple pleasure that would lend comfort to the late summer days before the inevitable return to school. And the added bonus was the prospect of a delicious blackberry and apple crumble containing the sweet jammy fruits that were picked by my very own purple-stained hands. With the proper onset of autumn however the British countryside reveals the true extent and richness of its wild treasures.
