Apple Galette with Salted Caramel
If making pie feels intimidating, start with this rustic apple galette. It has all the cozy flavors of apple pie but is much simpler to make—no pie dish or fancy techniques needed. With a flaky, buttery crust, tender spiced apples, and a drizzle of homemade caramel, this galette is the perfect fall dessert to share with friends or enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Mushroom Rice
This cozy mushroom rice is the ultimate one pot fall dish. Made in a rice cooker with soy sauce, mirin, and a touch of yuzu kosho, it’s simple yet packed with umami. Each bite is full of earthy mushrooms and fragrant rice, perfectly seasoned and gently steamed together. Even though mushrooms are available year round, this dish feels especially right in autumn. Serve it with grilled fish and miso soup, or turn it into rice balls for a picnic.
Rice Porridge with Kale and Mushrooms
What do you eat when you're sick? In Japan, we eat okayu, a simple rice porridge similar to congee. To start, make dashi using dried shiitake mushrooms. Soak them in cold water to rehydrate—the soaking water will become a flavorful mushroom dashi, and the mushrooms themselves will be used as a topping.
The okayu I'm making today isn’t necessarily for when you're already sick, since it involves some cooking. Personally, I can’t cook when I’m feeling unwell, but this is perfect when you’re starting to feel under the weather. It's easy to digest, and in Japan, we also feed okayu to babies as their first solid food.
Whether you're sick or not, this bowl is nourishing, cozy, and packed with flavor.