For many, the changing of the seasons means the landscape is awash in a tapestry of color, pumpkin patches and apple orchards are ripe for the picking, an overabundance of yard work is a given, an increased number of festivals descend upon the Middle Tennessee towns in hopes of one last warm weekend before the winter chill sets in.
But it's also a great eating season. It's time to enjoy the pumpkin and butternut squash that can fit on your plate (and in your stomach). Maybe it's the time change, maybe it's the fact that SEC football fuels us all, but Nashville's chefs pull out all the stops in their creative dishes throughout the city, celebrating the cozy seasonal ingredients.
For example, you can have a truly decadent dinner at the Farm House. This innovative farm-to-table restaurant always brings its A-game, but much like the foliage, Chef-Owner Trey Cioccia brings his best in the fall months. An ever-changing menu celebrating the season, the Farm House menu for the fall includes pork belly with squash fritters, pork chop over succotash with peaches, squash fries and Roma beans.
(Credit: Michael Sati)
(Credit: Michael Sati)
Over in 12South, at Josephine, Chef-Owner Andy Little keeps the booths and tables packed thanks to his rotating menu of hits such as the seasonal rabbit and apple cider dumplings. Friday and Saturday are the best nights to nab a spot at this eatery, in case you were wondering, as Josephine X|X offers the highlights reel of Little's fare, complete with 10 small dishes served along a community-style table and wine and beer pairings optional. His pastry chef, Kayla May, plays along, too, with her apple cobbler and vanilla bean ice cream—baked to order—selling out nightly and a dark chocolate, salted caramel, gingerbread and toffee concoction.
(Credit: Andrea Behrends)
(Credit: Andrea Behrends)
James Beard-winning chef Tandy Wilson always delights—and surprises—diners with his ever-changing Sunday Supper at City House that might include a sweet potato hash or a white sauce pizza with baked apples, chilis and onions (always opt for the fried egg cracked on top—always). Just be sure and save room for dessert: Pastry chef Rebekah Turshen mixes things up by incorporating dishes like her recent sweet potato skillet cake with salt and pepper meringue, drizzled with butterscotch.
(Credit: Camels & Chocolate)
But what's food without a little beer to wash it all down? One of my favorite local breweries—and female-owned at that—Jackalope ups the ante of craft brews time and time again every season, and this fall is no different. A couple of its many seasonal brews include Das Bij, a honey and thyme saison with honey from Land Trust for TN Glen Leven Farm and thyme grown at Bloomsbury Farm; and the popular Chaiwalker, a variation of Bearwalker Maple Brown infused with local Firepot Chai. And even though it's a bit early to contemplate building a snowman, the fan favorite, the Snowman Stout—a dreamy chocolate mocha stout brewed with Bongo Java Roasting coffee beans and Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Co. cocoa nibs—is out on tap and in cans once more.
Happy fall eating and drinking, y'all.
