For those of us on the Northern Hemisphere, many of us have anxiously awaited this spectacular 3 month span of this wonderful orange globular fruit to grace the aisles of our grocery store. This season is aptly named Pumpkin Season. It’s here. It’s at Starbucks. Pumpkins in all shapes & sizes are being stacked at our local farmers’ markets & I want to buy a little family of mini pumpkins to adorn my fireplace, but I really can’t justify the cost of doing so. For those of you who don’t really care all that much for pumpkin pie because there’s something wrong with you (if you’re allergic, I’m so sorry), I’ve added a new recipe for a savory Japanese inspired dish called Pumpkin Nabe with Soba. I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have gotten admitted into Northeastern this time of year, obviously for the academic part, but the location of the school is majestic. While California is sweating in a sweltering heat, I’m gearing up for Autumn & snow to follow soon after. Can y’all say, “cover photos for days” or what?! Hah, just kidding, totally hate Facebook. I’ll realistically have new desktop wallpapers for days.
Soups
One of the questions I like to frequently ask my culinary inclined friends is what their specialty dish is. Some say tacos, while others say nachos. That was obviously a semi-clever attempt to rhyme, but realistically, some say enchiladas, while others have said grilled steak–which I think is easier than making instant ramen so I press on for something more complex. So, what do I say when someone turns the question to me? Without skipping a beat, my reply is always, “noodles.” Whether the noodles are Asian, Italian, or Jewish, I have a natural love & knack for making great noodle-y dishes. Baked, raw, stir-fried, steamed, soaked, or freshly made, I can easily whip you up a bowl of delicious noodles whether you prefer them in soups, alone, or as a dipping tool. I suppose you’d like me to provide some troth of my noodle specialty, to which I say to you, NO PROBLEMO, AMIGO/A.
Here’s a real conversation I just had with Josh as I type this at 12:29 AM on the day after his birthday:
Me: Hey Josh, what would you say is my ultimate culinary specialty?
Josh: *swivels around from his computer chair to face me* Noodles & Asian fusion.
See, I can’t even make this up. Now that my boyfriend has totally verified my capabilities, let’s get on with this recipe I’ve just posted, which I previewed on Instagram last month. I bring you my Mediterranean inspired Hearty Alphabet Soup recipe. It’s vegetarian & vegan friendly too! It’s not exactly Asian fusion, but it does feature noodles & childhood nostalgia.