Comfort Food

At the end of summer, as the first hint of autumn is in the air, I get the burning desire to make a meal of comfort foods. This meal always consists of a roast of some kind, and all the autumn vegetables such as squash, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, carrots and turnip, bean salad and today I am also making pickled beets. I wish I had some huge beefsteak tomatoes to slice up and serve. Why can't you get beefsteaks anymore? And of course, for dessert, I have a rhubarb pie.
I put the beef roast into the crockpot first thing this morning to slow cook all day and I am going to make a gravy from the drippings. I made up a jug of home made iced tea and it is chilling in the refrigerator. My salads are made and this afternoon I will prepare the vegetables for roasting and get my squash cut up and garnished, all ready to put into the microwave, and my corn on to boil.
I don't know what it is that fuels this desire. Whether it is the chill in the air, or seeing the vegetable and fruit stands set up selling their cornucopia of harvested vegetables. Every year it happens though and the feeling lasts until after Thanksgiving. It takes me back to a simpler time when families gathered at the table to share a similar feast. Those days are long gone but I like to recreate them in my own home on occasion.

My mouth is watering right now... how about yours?