Rich chocolate, espresso, nutmeg and pumpkin spice – all wrapped up in an ice cold brew. This is what fall should taste like. 

Cape Ann Brewing Company is a family-owned microbrewery located in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Their beers possess bold flavors and characters that are meant to resemble the courage of the sailors of the North Atlantic fishing fleet. Despite the impressive list of brews Cape Ann produces year-round, the brewery also makes their own pumpkin stout this time of year – along with an imperial version for the true stout fans.

Cumin is a smoky, warm spice used in a wide variety of dishes and cuisines - but this amateur cook finds it best paired with the sweet and smoky flavors of roasted, local eggplant. 

Growing up, I don't recall many spices being used in my mother's cooking. Somehow, though, all of her family-style meals were full of flavor, despite the lack of seasonings used. She also made enough food for an army, but that's an article for another day. Since I began cooking for myself back in college, however, I have become aware of the thousands of spices out there - current favorites being cayenne pepper, freshly-cracked black pepper, and cumin powder.