Faux Fall

All my people back in Western New York tell me it's cool and crisp there. The feel of fall is in the air, and the customary mums are showing up on doorsteps. Judging from the pictures, it certainly looks like fall. I know it must be, because football season officially started last week. However, I'm having a hard time believing. It's warm in Virginia, no leaves are changing, and I'm still in sandals, (after Labor Day, no less!). I decided to hunker down on Sunday, make a big pot of soup, watch football, and try to conjure up the feeling of autumn coziness. The plan was put into motion, but unfortunately nothing quite worked out. The Buffalo Bills lost against Miami, for one. And the soup I made fell far short of perfection. In theory, roasted garlic soup sounded perfect for my 'faux fall' day. The aroma of the garlic roasting in the oven certainly satisfied. The soup, however, did not. Unless you are a big fan of garlic. And by that, I mean you like to have the taste of garlic in your mouth for 48 hours post-soup consumption. Which I do not.

Rather than go into more detail about my failed attempts to have a New York-like fall day, I'll instead introduce you to one of my favorite blogs, and a successful attempt at cooking. Needing to use up the remaining produce I picked at the farm, I chose to make eggplant parmesan following this recipe. Eggplant parmesan is not something I would normally make, as I've never had luck with it, nor particularly liked it. But I had the eggplant and I had the tomatoes, so decided to give it a try Saturday evening. With a guest for dinner, it was a risky choice, but The Bitten Word boys did not steer me wrong. It was delicious! A must try for eggplant parmesan lovers and haters alike. The accompanying sauce was full of flavor, and the eggplant breading was crisp. Perfect meal for a late summer dinner. Because who am I kidding? It is still summer in Virginia.