October is the grand finale of flowers for the year. Dahlias, marigolds, perila and herbs abundant are seen in yards all around my West Philly neighbourhood. It is also a time for harvesting and feasting before the cold winter comes and makes us wait for things to grow once more. With each floral and dinner recipe found below, take a moment to pause in gratitude for the gifts of the earth.
Bouquet Overview: Philadelphia Grown Blooms
Amaranth, basil, caryopteris, celosia, dahlias, gomphrena, hydrangea, marigolds, perilla zinnias
Sourced from: Farmer Lady Flowers, Lunaria Gardens
Feast Features:
Apples, butternut squash, chickpeas, chipotle peppers, cranberries, pecans
Sourced from: Mariposa and Whole Foods
The Flowers
While I am not completely opposed to super market flowers, the varieties you can find grown locally are always going to be fresher and more unique than ones at the grocery. Often farmers markets will have a stand dedicated to a flower farm. During the past fall season, I sourced some flowers from my local famers market but most of my flowers I purchased through site called Rooted which connects florists with local flower farmers. Flowers sourced from farming partnerships and cooperatives such as Philadelphia Flower Guild and Jersey Cut Flower Market can be seen in almost every one of my weddings this past season. I am excited to share with you a centrepiece recipe made from locally grown flowers.
Ingredients:
Sourced from Lunaria Gardens and Flower Lady Farmers from Jersey Cut Flowers
Foliage: 3 basil (Cardinal Tall)
Foliage: 3 stems of perilla
Filler: 1 limelight hydrangea
Focal Flowers: 5 stems of dahlias
Focal Supports: 3 stems of zinnias
Texture: 3 stems of amaranth
Texture: 3 stems of celosia
Line Flowers: 3 stems of pink caryopteris
Fluttery Elements: 3 stems of gomphrena
Fluttery Elements: 3 mini marigolds
Additional Supplies:
Prep
Once you have gathered and sourced your flowers, find a container that has about a 5 -6” opening and is about the same in height.
*Container tip: Ikea’s plant pots make great, affordable containers!
Using wire cutters, cut a piece of chicken wire 8x10“ then fold over into a ball or pillow like structure so you create multiple layers with the chicken wire.
Place the chicken wire ball inside the vase
Using the floral tape, place 1 piece of tape across the diameter of the vases, then another piece of tape crossing over that tape so that you see an ‘x’ over the opening
To double secure the tape, place 4 pieces of floral tape over the 4 ends where the floral tape meets the vase.
Fill container to the top with water
My Process… yours might be different and that is okay
Start with the basil stems. Measure out basil stems at the following heights:
Tallest: 15 Inches high
Medium height: 12 inches long
Shorter height: 8 inches long
Place the tall stem towards one edge of your arrangement, the shortest one on the same side but slightly below and veering outward, then place the medium length one on the opposite end of the tall stem and have it protruding out towards the horizon.
Place the perilla to follow the lines of the basil but lower in the arrangement, covering some of the tape and the edges.
At this point your arrangement should have three sections.
Cut the hyrdrangea short and place it in one of the three sections of your arrangement.
Visualizing a zig zag line going up and down, out and in, place the dahlias, throughout your arrangement. Refrain from placing dahlias low behind other flowers. They should be out and loud
Place zinnias slightly lower and slightly behind the dahlias as if to further pronounce the dahlias
Using your dangly amaranth, insert near the greenery and place the celosia low in the arrangement to fill any wholes in the arrangement .
Place the caryopteris along the same lines as the greenery towards the edge of your arrangement
Finally, insert the tiny marigolds and gomphrena as elements sticking out above, fluttering around the arrangement
The Feast
I have a next door neighbour who often prepares a double portion of her family’s dinner in case the opportunity to share arises. She always seems to offer these meals to me on the days I am exhausted and/ or too busy to cook. Countless evenings she has provided me a dinner so delicious that I make her text me the recipe. She is a hospitable friend and since October was her birthday month, I gave her a seat at the Autumn gathering as a gift. Spicy butternut squash soup was one of the dishes she so graciously shared with me so when deciphering recipes for the evening, I knew I wanted to try this soup.
Below I have included recipes for the soup, as well as the other delicious food items we shared.
Fig and Roasted Pecan Salad
Salad Ingredients
Pint of fresh Figs
1 c of Roasted Pecans
5 oz Organic greens
1/2 c of Goat Cheese (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
1 Tbsp of ACV
1/4 c olive oil
1 Tbsp of honey
1 Tsp of dijon mustard
Salt to taste
Instructions
Heat Oven to 350 degrees and roast the pecans for a total of 6 minutes
Set pecans aside to cool
Mix together dressing ingredients
combine all ingredients in a lage salad bowl
Cranberry and Chickpea Appetizer (adapted from Running to the Kitchen)
Ingredients
2 peeled sweet potatoes
2 TBSP of olive oil
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
salt
3 c of chickpeas
1.5 c of cranberries or pomegranates
1/2 c of roasted pine nuts
Tahini Dressing:
1/4 c of tahini
3 TBSP olive oil
2 Tbsp of maple syrup
2 Tbsp of lemon juice
1 garlic clove
salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 430 degrees
Mix olive oil and spices with sweet potatoes then roast in oven for 18 minutes
In a blender mix the salad dressing ingredients together
Once the sweet potatoes are cooked and have cooled, mix together with the chickpeas, cranberries and pine nuts then add in the dressing
Apple Cinnamon Palette Cleanser
Ingredients
1/2 tsp of lemon juice
1 apple
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
Instructions
chop apples and place in a small bowl
mix with lemon
mix with cinnamon
Spicy Autumn Butternut Squash Soup (Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen- Mexican Favorites)
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 small onion
1 large butternut squash with seeds and stringy bits set aside
5 cups of water
1 cups of coconut cream
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 tsp of chipotle chili minced
1 tsp of ground cumin
roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Instruction
Steam butternut squash
heat olive oil in a large sauce pan, saute onion, seeds and string of squash for about 5 minutes
pour water in sauce pan, add some salt and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes
Strain out the seeds and squash meat from squash.
Scrape squash from skin into the pot
Using an immersion blender, blend squash into water, then add all other ingredients except pumpkin seeds
When ready to serve, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top
Butter Cream Maple Frosting for GF Jules’ Spice Cake Recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 c unsalted butter
2 c powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of whipping cream
1 Tsp almond extract
1/4 c maple syrup
1/8 Tsp of salt
Instructions
Whip the butter using a hand mixer
Add the powdered sugar and mix for 2-3 minutes
Add in the whipping cream and mix a tablespoon at a time and whip for two minutes
slowly add in the almond extract, maple syrup and sea salt, whip for 7 minutes.
Spread over two layer cake