My calendar tells me it’s the first day of fall today. I find this slightly shocking since I don’t feel like I had a summer. Between apartment hunting and adjusting to a new job, my days - and thoughts - were pretty occupied. It’s sad to say bye to summer but fall does have its advantages. While summer is on high speed and we want to do as much as possible to enjoy the hell out of it, the year winds down in the fall and it’s a time to reflect.
A new fall chill in the air always makes me think of quiet walks through Central Park, ducking into cozy jazz clubs on relaxed weekend nights, and this scene in When Harry Met Sally. But perhaps even more notably, fall is a time to start cooking in the oven again, and there’s no better dish to inaugurate the season with than a simple roast chicken with potatoes. It’s stupidly easy to make, super comforting, and has myriad transformation possibilities (think chicken salad, chicken sandwiches, pad Thai).
I used this Bon Appetit recipe (slightly adapted). Be sure to buy an organic, free-range chicken if possible, as it is tastier and more tender. After digging into this chicken, I realized how wonderful an accompaniment some fresh pesto would be - I highly recommend making that as well. Happy fall eating!
What does fall mean to you? What is your favorite fall dish?
Roast chicken is great comfort food for autumn. I love it with potatoes and heaps of gravy