Reasons to be excited about food in November
As autumn settles in properly, it's time to revel in the cold and the simple pleasures of hot puddings, pasties and soups. Plus there are still a few food festivals going…
We have entered the season of comfort food. After the sugar rush of Halloween, November kicks straight off with Guy Fawkes Night. There's nothing like cooking jacket potatoes on the bonfire, sipping hot chocolate and feeling excited about going back to the house for a warming bowl of chilli. As plans for Christmas start to form the bulk of conversations, November winds up with St Andrews Day, reason enough to indulge in glorious Scottish comfort food like rumbledethumps and tablet.
Every weekend in between is an opportunity for eating, and here’s how you can make the most of the foodie month…
In season
It’s been a bumper year for apples. They’re cheap and plentiful and the basis for many warming puddings, including our most popular recipe of the month: apple crumble. Cut down on the oven use by making Mary Berry’s recipe for a separate crumble topping and store in an airtight tin. Sprinkle over hot apple compôte, made on the hob, for instant crumble that never loses its crunch. Don’t overlook the new season’s pears and quinces for poaching and crumbles. Mix them with apples for a different texture and taste.
Mary's apple walnut crumble
Baking the crumble topping separately reduces time in the oven
Squashes are still going strong in November. The larger, firmer squashes like Crown Prince and acorn can keep for weeks (if not months) in a cool place. Their tough skins are the devil to cut through and peel, so skip this stage and roast the two halves, cut-side down, until they are tender enough to scoop out with a spoon. You can also air-fry cubes of pumpkin in about 10-15 minutes and add them to grain-bowls and salads. If you haven’t tried our new favourite curried pumpkin soup yet, there’s still time.
Seema's curried pumpkin soup with a spiced tarka makes the most of autumn squash.
The humble cabbage also comes into its own, with every variety on the market – dark, bobbly cavolo nero, crisp January King cabbages, giant Savoys, and virtuous frilly kale. Greens like chard and perpetual spinach are also in season. Whether you are adding a crunchy coleslaw to the side of your fish and chips or a pile of buttered greens alongside your toad-in-the-hole, cabbages can be something to get excited about.
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Bonfire Night
If Halloween isn’t your thing, Bonfire Night (November 5) is the perfect opportunity to catch up on the sweet-eating and nighttime larks. Bonfire toffee is traditional, and very easy to make if you have a sugar thermometer. Even easier, use melted soft toffees to make your own toffee apples – ours are softer and easier to eat than shop-bought.
If you are after a portable snack or party food for the evening, sausage rolls are hard to beat. But consider Tom Kerridge’s veg-packed sausage rolls that make the meat go a little further. Or skip the meat entirely and bake a batch of cheese and onion pasties.
A cup of mulled cider is a must-have, or swap in apple juice for a non-alcoholic version. Perfect with a hunk of ginger cake.
If you’re quietly wondering whether to light a bonfire instead of putting the oven on to cook your jacket potatoes, think again. The microwave is the most energy efficient way to cook them, and if you have an air-fryer, you can crisp them up for 10 minutes to get an improved crispy skin. Upgrade to a “dinner jacket” (see what we did there?) by stuffing them with cottage pie filling or Mary’s ‘posh' jacket fillings with bacon and mushrooms or pepper and goat’s cheese. Perfect for Bonfire night or every other night.
Children in Need
The annual fundraising event will take over BBC One on November 18 this year. Children in Need is nothing without a bake sale and there are plenty of options. Our (completely unofficial) polling showed that the three most popular bake sale cakes are lemon drizzle, coffee cake and carrot cake.
However if you’re looking to stand out, you could go for these too-cute-to-eat Pudsey cupcakes or keep things simple with a fridge cake or flapjacks.
Stir-up Sunday
Stir-up Sunday (November 20) is always the Sunday before Advent (the start of the Christmas countdown). It's traditionally time to make the Christmas pudding and mincemeat. Some people argue that this is a little late to get a mature flavour, but these homemade goodies are such a treat we’ve never noticed the difference. The house is filled with the aromas of brandy and spices, and it's when we really get in the festive mood.
Regardless of when you crack and have your first mince pie of the season, you can feel part of a proper British tradition by doing a little advance Christmas prep on this day.
Thanksgiving
It’s an American celebration, we know, but Thanksgiving (November 24) is a pretty lovely sentiment and one more excuse (if you needed it) for a roast dinner. The best part of the celebrations is the all-American pie. Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving icon, with its sweet and creamy spiced flavour that launched 1,000 lattes. You can make a pumpkin pie with steamed or roasted fresh pumpkin, but most Americans just open a tin of pumpkin purée.
St Andrew's Day
Celebrate St Andrew's Day (30 November) with comforting and hearty Scottish recipes. You may want to save the full haggis for Burns Night, but there are plenty of other options. Cheesy potato rumbledethumps are as fun to say as they are to eat, and make great use of leftover cooked potatoes. A simple hearty soup like cullen skink or Mary's cock-a-leekie soup will warm you right down to your toes.
November events
Whisper it quietly but Christmas is on the way and so are the festive foodie events, but if you’re not quite ready to dip into the mulled wine and lebkuchen, there are still plenty of other food festivals taking place.
The Allergy and Free From Show Winter, Birmingham (5-6 November)
As you can probably tell by the name, this event aims to support those who have various food allergies and intolerances. You can expect food demos including sessions on how to layer up flavour, gut health and gluten-free tips and advice. There’s free entry to this large event though you’ll need to register for tickets in advance.
Clovelly Herring Festival, Devon (20 November)
The privately-owned village celebrates the “silver darlings” AKA herring in November, a time when they are traditionally harvested. The festival pays homage to the fish and celebrates sustainable fishing at the same time. You can expect art exhibitions, food and craft stalls, music, street entertainers and of course, lots of herring. Please note, there is a fee for visiting Clovelly.
ChocFest, Melton Mowbray (19-20 November)
Think pizza, beer, wine and risotto could all be improved with the inclusion of chocolate? This is the festival for you. Chocoholics need look no further than this Leicestershire event to get their fix. In addition to chocolate exhibiters offering up all manner of chocolate items, there’s chocolate workshops and tutored tastings.
Food Festival Maeth o'r Fro, Newport, Pembrokeshire (October 29-5 November)
This Welsh foodie event celebrates local, sustainable food. There are various events taking place over the course of a week, including local farm tours, talks and demonstrations. You will need to register for some events – including the farm tours – in advance.
The Glasgow Vegan Christmas Market, (20 November)
Highlighting that good things come in small packages, this event will be home to 25 stalls all offering up vegan items – both food and homeware. Funds raised from the event will be donated to local charities.
Like the idea of a vegan event but you're not near to Glasgow? Come November there are lots of others on. Look out for the North East Vegan Festival and Great Yorkshire Vegan Christmas Market both taking place on 6 November, London’s VegfestUK which is a week later 12-13 November and the Manchester Vegan Winter Festival which is on 20 November.
There are plenty more foodie events happening across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check online to see what’s on near you.
Originally published October 2022
