Life News

Autumn cooking, two ways: pumpkin and toffee apples in Britain, perilla leaves in Korea

Seasonal cooking looked very different depending on where you read about it this week. In The Guardian, Thomasina Miers offered quick finger food for Halloween: pumpkin and carrot fritters with a chilli-coriander relish, and pumpkin baked into a dark chocolate slice. She admits she once approached the holiday with a Scrooge-like attitude, but now she is in.

“Halloween is huge.” — Thomasina Miers, via The Guardian

Also in the Guardian, Helen Goh's toffee apple hand pies were pitched as Bonfire Night food: spiced, toffee-glossed apples in puff pastry, easy to eat outdoors, with a small amount of miso to deepen the toffee flavour.

The Korea Herald went for a home-style side dish: steamed perilla leaves with anchovies. The sauce combines soy sauce, fish sauce, perilla oil and kelp broth, while onions and Korean chilli peppers add sweetness and a kick. It says the dish can be made ahead and stored for several days.

How each outlet framed it

• The Guardian — the festive calendar: recipes built around Halloween and Bonfire Night, aimed at children and outdoor eating.
• The Korea Herald — everyday practicality: a mild, make-ahead side dish for the week's meals.

For home cooks, the comparison offers two strategies: cook for the occasion, or cook once and eat for days.