There’s a particular crispness to Hudson Valley mornings in the fall. It’s the kind that nudges you toward the kitchen.
Farmers’ markets brim with apples, pumpkins and late-season squash. It’s a season that invites slower weekends, when the rhythm of cooking shifts to roasting, simmering and baking. From heirloom apple crisps to savory pumpkin breads fall here isn’t just about watching the leaves change, it’s about savoring what the harvest gives us and turning it into something warm, shared and memorable.
We spoke to several chefs, bakers and restaurateurs from our favorite local establishments to compile our favorite fall recipes that you can make right in your own kitchen. Here’s what they have to share.
Succatash, by Tilda’s Kitchen and Market
“This fall we’ve been making succatash a lot,” said Chris Hewitt, owner of the Kingston-based nonprofit restaurant. “It’s typically filled with corn, beans, carrots and celery with a variety of other veggies. I like to add some kind of squash to my succatash because it brings in elements of the three sisters of Native American cuisine (corn, beans and squash). I also add sunflower seeds to our recipe to bring in a cousin of the three sisters.”
Recipe:
2 large white onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
4 large carrots, chopped small
6 pieces celery, chopped small
3 apples, cored and chopped small
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups corn kernels
3 cups cooked red beans
2 cups cooked and cubed butternut squash
2 cups veggie stock
3 tablespoons chopped oregano
1 tablespoon chopped basil
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
Sautee the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and apples in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Once the onions become translucent, add the corn and heat on high until it starts sizzling. Add the red beans and butternut squash and bring up to temperature again. Add salt and pepper. Then add the veggie stock and bring to a boil, finishing the dish off by combining the oregano and basil into the mixture. Voila! You have succatash for six to eight people. Enjoy with white rice to build a complete protein.
Tilda’s Kitchen & Market prides itself on shopping locally, using a variety of local farms. Their favorite fall ingredient? Potatoes because they come in so many colors, shapes and sizes. They often source from Veritas Farms in New Paltz because they deliver for a wide array of local farms.
“The most important things in my dishes are seasonal produce, so our menu changes every month,” said Hewitt. “When I buy and share local seasonal produce, I don’t have to use heavy sauces or lots of salt or sugar. We allow the flavors of the vegetable to shine by using them at their peak flavor.”
Lemon Olive Oil Cake, by Camp Kingston
¾ cup good extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9” round cake pan with parchment.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk olive oil, sugar, eggs, milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until smooth.
Fold wet into dry until just combined.
Pour into pan and bake 30–40 minutes, until golden, pulling from the sides, and a toothpick or knife comes out clean.
Cool in pan 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Roasted Plums & Concord Grapes:
4 ripe (black or red) plums, halved and pitted
1 ½ cups seedless Concord grapes
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Roast at 400°F for 15–20 minutes until jammy, bubbling, and caramelized.
Cardamom Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream, cold
1 Tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp vanilla
Whip to soft peaks.
Assembly:
Slice the olive oil lemon cake into wedges.
Spoon roasted plums and grapes over each piece, with their syrupy juices.
Add a generous dollop of cardamom whipped cream.
Garnish with lemon zest and flaky salt
This special recipe isn’t something you can find on the regular menu at Camp Kingston, and instead is available for catering only. But it’s one of Lee Kalpakis’ favorites. He’s the culinary director and says he “absolutely loves Concord grapes.”
“I think maybe people don’t realize, but grape season in the Hudson Valley goes straight through late October,” said Kalpakis. “The heavy use of lemon lets the grapes and plums really shine and the cardamom makes it feel cozy and autumnal.”
They get special produce from local farms like Adelaar, Davenport’s, Migliorelli, and Fiddlehead at Camp Kingston. When he shops for home, it’s always Story Farms or MX Morning Star. If you aren’t a fan of grapes, Kalpakis suggests plums or quince, a pear-like fruit that must be cooked before eating. While he’s a fan of pumpkin and apple, he says it’s not the only thing this season has to offer.
“I think traditional fall recipes tend to be sweet, spiced, and a little dull,” said Kalpakis. “I’m a real acidhead. I want citrus, vinegar, real brightness in everything I make. So I like to balance those sweet, nutty, earthy flavors with something with a little giddy-up in it. A butternut squash soup with a dollop of labneh or Greek yogurt, roasted carrots and sweet potatoes drizzled with chimichurri, crispy Brussels sprouts tossed in Dijon vinaigrette. I love traditional fall flavors but it’s more fun when you wake them up a bit.”
If you’re not looking to cook at home, head to Camp Kingston for a cozy soup and sandwich any day of the week. This year, they have a new seasonal beverage program at the cafe that offers roasted plum matcha, apple-infused chai and brown butter cold foam.
More fall favorites
This time of year, you can walk into any Hudson Valley restaurant or bakery and find fall-inspired bites. At Little Loaf Bakeshop in New Paltz, their caramel apple crumb danish and pumpkin cheesecake danish are back on the menu.
“We are lucky to live in the Hudson Valley, where there are arguably some of the best apples in the world,” said Colleen Orlando, co-owner and head baker.
Besides apples, they are also excited to work with quince from Liberty Orchards this fall. “Quinces have such an interesting flavor,” said Orlando. “It’s unique, but familiar. That’s because it’s in the same family as apples and pears, and it truly tastes like a cross between the two. It can pair well with both sweet and savory.”
At Sweet Maresa’s, they’re lucky to have the Kingston Farmer’s Market right behind their bakery every Saturday. They get as much as they can get, with most of their fall season fruit coming from Maynard Farm (sometimes in a trade for cookies). But what Maresa Volante, founder of Sweet Maresa’s, especially looks forward to is a native blue corn flour from Hudson Valley Farm Hub, which comes freshly milled and has a deep corn flavor and turns a cake indigo blue.
“We’ve made a blue corn caramel apple cake with that flour, and that’s the epitome of fall to me,” said Volante.
Fall cooking doesn’t have to be fancy. A pot of soup, a tray of roasted vegetables, or a fresh apple pie can bring the season right to your table. Using what’s local and in season keeps things easy and flavorful, and it’s a reminder that the best fall meals are often the simplest ones.
Join the family! 
