As the days grow ever shorter and the warmth of summer pales into an autumnal chill, this season can be a time of foreboding for the long, dark months to come.
However, with every change in season comes the chance to embrace the best of what that time of year has to offer. This is particularly true when it comes to food - every season provides a rich bounty of delicious treats mirroring the changes to our appetites throughout the year.
Autumn’s pickings are particularly plentiful, with a great array of root vegetables and late harvesting fruits such as apples and pears, as well as rich game meats like venison. One way to get the most out of these rich, earthy flavours is with slow cooker recipes.
By giving time to allow the flavours to develop slowly, the wonderful tastes can be distributed evenly throughout the dish. This is particularly useful for hearty, warming dishes such as stews and casseroles.
As well as advantages in terms of flavour, slow cooker recipes also provide a wonderfully simple cooking method, allowing you to create delicious meals with minimal effort. Simply prepare all the ingredients and place in the slow cooker, and then leave for several hours as the heat works its tenderising magic.
You can leave the house and work up a healthy appetite with a bracing autumnal stroll and return to enjoy your slow cooker recipes. For slow cooker inspiration, take a look at Waitrose's selection of tasty online recipes.