Autumnal Adventures

It is that time of year again - the time when I get a little tired of looking at pink roses and purple lavender blooming in the garden and long for some yellow mums or an orangey-red maple tree, for just a whisper of that smokey, musky, cold scent of fall. Instead of the annual New Englander's trip to the apple orchard, here in Northern California we journey to the vineyards. The golden (dried up) hillsides and the autumn hued (dying) grape leaves can trick me into thinking there's a fall here, too. Nat and I headed up to Sonoma yesterday to catch a bit of the harvest and the upscale equivalent of Drumlin Farm's mule driven hayride through the fields - a biodiesel tractor tram ride through the Benziger vineyard. Even thought the day was overcast and much cooler than it has been lately, it was still a rockin' good time. Benziger's tour is by far the best in our estimation - not only do we love that the vineyard is certified Biodynamic, they really try to give you a sense of the whole process. We got to go through the fields and see the grapes plump on the vines, check out the smashing, go into the caves they've carved out of Sonoma Mountain, and end it all with a special tasting of some private and reserve wines. That part was pretty funny. I took the equivalent of one sip between all the wines and Nat drank the rest of mine on top of his.
Tonight I'm trying to retain a sense of the fall-ness by cooking a bunch of comfort veggies that remiond me of the farm and the cold weather - squash, spinach and asparagus casserole, herby rice pilaf...yum.