Fall is now in full swing, with chillier temperatures, colorful leaves adorning the scenery and every beverage and food you could imagine offered in pumpkin spice flavor at local coffee shops and grocery stores.
One of my favorite aspects of fall is enjoying quintessential fall cuisine, such as caramel apples, warm apple cider with a cinnamon stick, spiced coffees and teas, big bowls of homemade chili sprinkled with cheese, pumpkin pie, caramel corn and pretty much any sort of stew that has been slow-cooked to perfection.
I constantly collect recipes, and one of my favorite recipe sources is the Bartholomew County Public Library’s wonderful cookbook collection. I check out cookbooks with enticing photos, browse through them at my leisure, and transcribe my favorite recipes onto decorative note cards to keep for later.
We have a huge collection of cookbooks at the Bartholomew County Public Library. There are several that I would particularly suggest for gleaning the perfect recipes for autumn. Some of these are Hoopla E Books, which can be found on the Hoopla app using your tablet, smartphone, or computer, such as:
“Taste of Home Soups,” by Taste of Home Books. Find time-tested recipes for favorite soups and stews to warm you up as the weather cools down.
“Taste of Home Casseroles, Slow Cooker, and Soups,” by Taste of Home Books. This book of traditional favorites includes plenty of slow cooker recipes that can simmer all day and be ready when you get home in the evening.
“Southern Soups and Stews, by Nancie McDermott (Hoopla E Book). For those of you who prefer a southern flair and a bit of spice in your soups and stews, take a browse through these enticing recipes:
“Party Popcorn,” by Ashton Epps Swank (Hoopla E Book). This includes recipes for caramel and cheddar popcorn, as well as some more adventurous varieties, such as bacon teriyaki and taco lime-flavored popcorn.
“Apple Cookbook,” by Olwen Widdier. You’ll find a wide variety of ways to use apples in homemade foods, drinks and baked goods in this book. Apple cheddar crepes, anyone?
“Cappuccino Cocktails — Specialty Coffee Recipes and ‘A-Whole-Latte’ More,” by Susan M. Zimmer. Why spend big bucks on all of your favorite flavored coffee drinks when you can save some money by making some of them at home? This book is a great place to start.
“101 Autumn Recipes,” by Gooseberry Patch (Hoopla E Book). Whether you’re looking for a recipe for a fall football viewing party or a Halloween party, you’re likely to find it here.
For assistance finding these or other recipe books for fall cookery inspiration, please contact our librarians at either the Main Library or Hope Branch Library. We are always glad to assist.
In addition to our vast collection of cookbooks, we also have a large collection of cooking magazines — both in hardcopy as well as online through the RB Digital Magazines app. Some popular magazine titles include: Taste of Home, Cook’s Country, Eating Well, Food Network, Rachael Ray Every Day, and Weight Watchers. We have cookbooks and magazines focusing on special dietary needs, too.
As football season begins, after-school activities ramp up, holiday gatherings come near and the weather cools off, make a trip to the library or browse the library’s Overdrive, Hoopla and RB Digital Magazine apps from the comfort of home to glean plenty of recipe ideas to keep you and your family warm and satisfied this autumn. When someone asks you, “This is so delicious! Where did you get this recipe?” be sure to pay it forward and tell them that you found it at the library.
Angela Eck is assistant director at the Bartholomew County Public Library and can be reached at [email protected].
