cold nights.

autumn has come to london. yesterday was dreary in the way only london can be. and while i wax poetic about the greatness that is fall in ontario - i do love when this city does just what it is meant to. this is after all the place known for its fog, and its rain and the gray skies. and while all of that can really bring a girl down, it is also oddly comforting that the cool weather has arrived and it is now necessary to wear winter running tops, carry an umbrella at all times and pull out the boots. autumn, i am ready, you can have me.

tonight i wasn't feeling on top form, and i wanted something that would indulge my feelings of autumn - what better than the great british classic: beans on toast? well stepping it up a little, creamy mushrooms on spelt toast with some parmesan cheese to round it out sounded divine. it was.

photo courtesy of BFI.

i spent the rest of the evening putting away my summer clothes, organising my sock drawer and watching a new british period drama called downton abbey. the british do period dramas pretty much better than anything else, and i do love me a good one. i am happy to report, it does not disappoint. and maggie smith, as always, is absolutely brilliant.  based around an aristocratic british family in the early 20th century, the series is set to glimpse into the lives of both the lord and his family as well as the enormous number of servants who staff the house. it is a curious thing, to realise that life as we know it is so based in these moments, in this particular way of life, right now. period pieces remind us, i think, of what life looked like not even 100 years ago. it is remarkable.

in all, a lovely, autumnal evening. and now for the mushrooms on toast.

creamy mushrooms on toast (from bbc goodfood)

ingredients

• 25g dried ceps (small bag of dried porcini mushrooms)
• 100ml hot water 
• 50g unsalted butter 
• 400g button mushrooms, thickly sliced (10 mid-sized mushrooms)
• 142ml carton double cream

1. soak dried ceps in hot water for 5 mins. strain ceps, keeping the liquid for the sauce. squeeze ceps dry, then finely slice. 
2. heat a large pan with unsalted butter until it just begins to foam, brown and bubble, add the button mushrooms, and the ceps. sprinkle with salt if you want, then fry for 2-3 mins until lightly browned. 
3. pour in the cep liquid and reduce until it becomes thick and syrupy. 
4. stir in the double cream and boil for a min or so until sauce starts to thicken.

serve on toasted bread smeared with butter, at the last you can add a bit of parmesan cheese if you're really going to push the boat out. 

links: downton abbey : bbc goodfood