Traditional Dishes Reimagined with the New England Fall Harvest
Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty
Growing up in New England, fall was always my favorite season. By October, the hot, muggy weather moves out of town and the big, green shady oaks turn deep oranges and reds before losing their leaves completely. As the season changes so do my cravings. My palate calls for warming spices, hot soups and, of course, apple pie. What really excites me about the fall, though, is the march to Thanksgiving, when my kitchen is always busy. Whether baking pumpkin bread, making apple butter from fruit fresh from a local orchard or simmering a simple leek and potato soup, one thing is for sure: No one leaves my table hungry.
While I mourn the end of summer’s fresh and delicate produce, the longer days and light dinners enjoyed outside, I look forward to the heartier crops, the crunch of dry leaves and the delicious smells of spice wafting through the house.
Farmers markets and CSAs are still plentiful during this time of year, producing some of the best and often overlooked foods: root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, an abundance of squashes, leafy greens like kale and chard and even pears—it’s hard to find something not to like. As the seasons change, I resist the urge to be efficient and buy everything at the supermarket, preferring my local market for both the produce and the experience.
It was on a trip to my local market, picking through the potatoes and squashes, that I thought I’d try something different this year, blending the bounty of New England fall with dishes reimagined for a cook looking to explore other delicious cuisines and flavors. Here, instead of the traditional Butternut squash soup we all know and love, I’ve made a curried kabocha squash soup, featuring a hearty squash varietal known for its deliciously tender bite. And I’ve created a spin on the sometimes dry, dense dinner rolls on many Thanksgiving tables, making them soft and pillowy with the addition of mashed potatoes. Also featured are a traditional Swiss breakfast with a sweet twist, and of course something for lunch, often the least glamorous meal of the day, but one that deserves equal attention and flavor: an earthy, vegan Caesar-style salad.
What I love about cooking is the opportunity to create something unexpected. When you work with ingredients you’re familiar with or from recipes you’ve almost memorized, cooking can feel more like a chore than a process of discovery. I had so much fun bringing curiosity and experimentation back into my kitchen this fall and I invite you to do the same. I’ll be the first to admit that this style of experimentation is a gamble, but it’s hard to go wrong when you’re working with farm-fresh ingredients and, of course, lots of butter.
This story appeared in the Fall 2026 issue.
