The end of summer, the beginning of the apple season
Embracing the beauty of autumn with apple recipes and an exclusive cook-along with guest chef Sarah Copeland
As soon as we returned from Salento, the temperature dropped, and the light subtly shifted to a warmer, brighter tone, quietly signaling the arrival of Fall. Livia, who had spent two months running barefoot and free—a wilder version of my baby, fun and confident—, suddenly had to say goodbye to her summer friends, put on shoes and socks, and wake up early for school again.
I noticed a new sadness in her eyes as she ate her bread and strawberry jam for breakfast, and gently asked what was wrong. With tearful eyes, she simply said: Summer is over. That single phrase summed up all her fears, and I felt the weight of her anguish. While I had been eagerly awaiting Autumn’s cooler temperatures, its colors and exciting ingredients, I hadn’t realized what we were bidding farewell to: the relaxed pace—yes, we worked through the summer, but the longer days gave us extra time for family fun—, carefree days, stone fruits, tomatoes, and good friends.
I’m still grappling with this unexpected attachment to summer, which has taken me by surprise. Wasn’t Autumn my favorite season? I’m fairly certain I haven’t had enough peaches, peppers, basil pesto, or tomato salads yet, and we still have dinner invitations to honor. So now, I’m looking at Fall with fresh, curious eyes, hoping to rediscover everything that once made me fall in love with this season.
And I’ll begin with the new crop of apples. I’m ready to embrace the season with one of my favorite fall ingredients.
I’ve always had a soft spot for apples. Stewed apples are my comfort food in the evening: as soon as autumn arrives, I cook them with a squeeze of lemon juice and some cinnamon or star anise, then I curl up on the sofa and eat them slowly with a spoon, holding the cup as long as possible in my hands to warm myself up.
The apple olive oil cake is a recipe from my cooking repertoire, and certainly one of the most loved on the blog. The roasted pork loin with apples is one of the dishes that taught me how to feel confident in the kitchen and, later, helped me conquer Tommaso’s heart.
Baked apples are the first food I ate after Livia was born: I found in a little bowl of baked apples the food you crave when you are not feeling well, when you need an extra cuddle, a personal comfort food, a childhood memory that welcomed me into my new life as a grown-up, as a mother.
On the blog, you can also find my recipes for apple and smoked trout risotto, pork tenderloin medallions with apples, and apple strudel.
Apples have always been part of my imagination, my memories, my cooking repertoire, and one of my comfort foods.
SEPTEMBER COOK-ALONG WITH SARAH COPELAND. ALL ABOUT APPLES
Join Us This Sunday, September 29th, at 9:00 PM CEST | 3:00 PM EDT | 12:00 PM PDT
Summer may be over, but our cook-alongs are back! I can't wait to gather with all of you again for another exclusive session, reserved for our paid subscribers. Cooking with you is always a highlight, and I’ve truly missed those Sunday moments when we connect online, cook a few special recipes, share stories, and learn from one another.
I'm thrilled to introduce a new feature here on Letters from Tuscany! From time to time, we’ll be joined by special guest chefs during our Cook-Alongs. This will give us the chance to explore new recipes, discover different cooking styles, and gain fresh perspectives on food.
Sunday’s guest is
. Probably she doesn’t need an introduction, as you might have already encountered her work on-line, among the New York Time recipes, in bookstores, or here on Substack, where she writes EDIBLE LIVING by Sarah Copeland, one of the few newsletters I do not miss an issue, as every story and recipe feels like a precious gift.The food she shares is the kind of food you crave everyday, food that nourishes and brings sunshine and comfort in your life.
Last year she shared a Postcard from Hungary here in the Newslewtter, a deep dive into the Hungarian culture and a recipe for a warm sweet bread pudding, with a mix of both tart and sweeter baking apples.
Ever since I discovered Sarah here on Substack, I’ve secretly wished to cook alongside her—sharing a kitchen, learning her recipes intertwined with captivating stories, laughing together, and enjoying her heartwarming food with our families. While we’re still plotting how to make that dream a reality one day, we decided to start with something special: a Cook-Along featuring one of our favorite seasonal ingredients—apples.
I’ll be sharing the recipe for my grandma’s apple fritters—a sugary, mellow comfort food that’s perfect for the season—and Sarah will be guiding us through all the steps to make her easier than pie apple tart, something that truly reflects her own unique style. Together, we’ll explore how this humble fruit can be transformed into something extraordinary.
As always, the class will be recorded and available afterward for all paid subscribers. You’ll also have access to the growing archive of video recipes, like our recent sessions on cavatelli and orecchiette, so you can cook along whenever it suits you.
Let me know in the comments if you’ll be joining, so I can look forward to seeing you there!
(For paid subscribers: all the recipes, ingredient lists, the Cook-Along Working Sheet, and the link to join the session are available behind the paywall.)
Mark your calendar for the next events!
Sunday, October 27th, at 8.00 pm CET - 3.00 pm EDT - 12.00 pm PDT
Sunday, November 17th, at 9.00 pm CET - 3.00 pm EST - 12.00 pm PST
Sunday, December 15th, at 9.00 pm CET - 3.00 pm EST - 12.00 pm PST
