an orange October

Forget white Christmases, red-hot summers – it is orange October. It may seem a obvious, owing to October’s most (in)famous holiday, Halloween, and the ever-necessary pumpkins that accompany it.

I started thinking about all the good orange-coloured foods out there after a friend once told me that her child refused to eat anything that was not orange. It could be worse, I thought: the child might only prefer blue foods, and other than blueberries and stilton, he would be relegated to a preservative-filled life of E numbers.

Even red does not leave much choice: apples (but only on the outside); red meat (only when uncooked); and the not-seasonal-for-long cherries.

Green would likely be the food colour of choice should I have to pick one for myself.

Overall, though, orange is not such a bad colour, especially in October. Pumpkins, squashes and carrots fill the shop shelves. Oranges , never in season in the UK , are nonetheless a healthy choice. Orange bell peppers reach the tail end of their season around now.

Here’s my stab at an all-orange October feast:

Starter course:
Carrot and thyme soup

It’s got to be carrot soup. Scarily easy, it involves grating a bit of carrot, chopping a bit of onion and adding stock. Plenty of spices complement carrot: the classic coriander, the fiery cayenne and (my choice this time) the fragrant thyme.

Main course:
Grilled paprika chicken breasts and roasted butternut squash chunks

Okay, I have cheated slightly by colouring the chicken breasts a deep burnt orange colour. However, I certainly find it a preferable option to any artificial food colourings.

Spray the butternut squash with olive oil and roast in a 200 C oven for 45 minutes.

I would be tempted to add some sautéed spinach, although it is not orange, to round out this course.

Dessert:
Oranges soaked in Grand Marnier and served with crème fraiche

Italians traditionally serve oranges like this in a small soup bowl. I recommend keeping the wedges intact, soaking them in the liquor overnight and removing them before serving. Crème fraiche – or vanilla ice cream – tempers the strong alcohol twist.

An alternative option should Grand Marnier be too expensive a purchase or children are present at the meal: mango sorbet.

Even if I’ve gone slightly overboard with the orange there, I still believe it can be a fun – and healthy – way to experiment with food. If your child only likes orange, so be it… with a little preparation, he will be truly satisfied (and likely have great eyesight).