Pumpkin Sp*ce Apologist
Pumpkin Scones, Drag Me to Hell and Sexy Salmon Chowder
A Newsletter in Which I Expose Myself as a Pumpkin Sp*ce Lover`
I admit it - I love pumpkin spice. I love its richness, its depth. And across so many applications! While I’m not so sick n' twisted as to outfit each room of my house with pumpkin spice candles and Bless This Mess signs, my kitchen, certainly, is brimming with pumpkin spice treats.
This pumpkin spice season, starting the day with a pumpkin spice breakfast and a decidedly spice-y foot forward, has been a fixture alongside my morning coffee (but FIRST, coffee! I’m not beating the Christian Girl Autumn Allegations…).
My favourite pumpkin spice breakfast is a pumpkin scone. In years past, I would make sure to cross eating a pumpkin scone from St*rbucks off my autumn bucket list, until they were discontinued. Now, I get my fix from Cobs Bread. I also made them, using this Sally’s Baking Addiction recipe.
Sally’s Baking Addiction has been my go to for classic baking recipes since forever; the recipes are tested til perfect and provide so much information about ingredient swaps, make ahead instructions and more. Maybe its basic of me (and only furthering my Live, Laugh, Love narrative) to recommend a mommy blog to my readers but…Sally transcends. The website is a treasure trove!
On the pumpkin spice breakfast ranking, pumpkin pancakes are a close second. Served with a side of maple bacon? What could be a better autumn breakfast? Thankfully, Sally has a recipe for pumpkin pancakes too.
Popcorn
In October, I watched Drag Me to Hell, Sam Raimi’s (director of The Evil Dead and Spiderman) horror movie from 2009. The film focuses on a loan officer, Christine Brown, who is cursed by an elderly woman after choosing not to extend the woman’s mortgage. In one scene, after realizing that her fate is to burn in the depths of hell for all eternity, Christine decides to spend the rest of her hours on earth doing what she loves: eating an entire tub of ice cream. Real.
Sexy Little Snack
Sexy Smoke Show Salmon Chowder. What better Sexy Little Snack? If you want to watch me cook the chowder (sexy) check out my video!
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I first made this salmon chowder a few years ago after being gifted salmon trimmings from my parents (lol). At your fishmonger or grocery store, check for salmon bones - 1-1/2 lbs of bones is enough for stock, and will probably yield about 300g of fish for the chowder. You can also use a whitefish like cod or haddock. Making fish stock only takes about 30 minutes - prep your chowder ingredients, and by the time you need your stock, it’ll be ready! If you don’t want to make your own, I recommend Better than Bouillon (I recommend it here, too)
Quick Salmon Stock
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion or a few shallots, chopped (throw in the ends of the onion that you need for the chowder!)
4 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 chopped carrot
dark green ends from 2 leeks (use the white and light green parts for the chowder)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
fresh or dried dill stalks, about 5
about 1lb salmon bones
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups water
Method
Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, leeks, peppercorns and sauce for 3 minutes. Add the fish bones and keep sautéing for 5 minutes. Add wine and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain, and use in chowder.
Sexy Smoke Show Salmon Chowder
Ingredients
3 slices bacon, sliced and divided in thirds
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
2 small leeks, white and light green parts, sliced
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups fish stock
225g new potatoes, halved
aromatics (3 thyme sprigs, a bay leaf, dill stalks or a combination of all)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup frozen corn
300g salmon or flaky white fish
chopped dill, parsley and green onions
crusty bread to serve
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, then add two thirds of the bacon, the leeks and the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the leeks and onions are soft and the bacon is cooked. Stir in flour, paprika and cayenne and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and simmer until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Pour in the stock, 1 cup of water, potatoes, aromatics and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan. Fry the rest of the bacon with black pepper until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the milk to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the frozen corn and salmon and cook until the fish is just opaque, about 4 minutes. Add cream and taste; adjust seasoning.
Top each bowl with crispy bacon, and a mixture of chopped dill, parsley and green onions.
Enjoy with crusty bread!
Dessert
At the beginning of the year, I wrote about the apple butter I made for holiday gifts in 2023. I submitted my apple butter to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair 2024 in the Amateur Jams and Jellies Competition in the category of “Single or Mixed Fruit Conserve or Preserve,” and received 10th out of 15th place - my apple butter is officially in the top ten! Lmao but also proud.
I wrote an article about my nostalgic love of the BC Ferries Legendary Burger for the upcoming Food is Place issue of Serviette Magazine. So proud and excited to share my work and the Legendary Burger gospel! Use my code PLACE2 to purchase a copy or a subscription at 20% off.
Ciao! XOXO