Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar

Delia Owens

Okay, I’m well aware that fall doesn’t officially start for another 3 weeks. The weather suddenly went from surface of the sun temperatures to hmm… maybe I need a sweater today literally overnight. I love summer and I don’t want it to be over, but the cooler temperatures sent me down a rabbit hole on Pinterest in my search for fun crock pot recipes. Then, I thought, why not find recipes from other countries and OH this would make a fun blog post! So, here we are!

Think of this as a delicious preamble to the fall season and a way to cram more baking and cooking into your summer plans to try out recipes for any get togethers or solo snack times you want to enjoy. As promised in the title, without further ado, I present 10 recipes from 10 different countries. All of them delicious.

Crayfish | Sweden

Visit Sweden during the fall and you might find yourself at an orkräftskiva. Throughout history, crayfish were typically harvested in late August, so the tradition of crayfish parties has continued to the present. Unfortunately, the crayfish populations diminished due to overfishing. Many crayfish parties feature store-bought crayfish, but I’m including recipe for a traditional, fresh-caught crayfish.

Mooncakes | China

Mooncakes start popping up as part of the Chinese Harvest Moon Festival. Friends and family send each other mooncakes weeks before the festival begins to celebrate the upcoming traditional festival. These round pastries are typically filled with a red bean or lotus seed paste. These pastries are difficult to make, but the delicious slices you get to taste as a result of your hard work is worth it. There are tons of varieties of mooncakes, so I’m including one that is as close to the traditional recipe as I could find, but feel free to explore more flavor options!

Wild Mushrooms | Russian

In Russia, particularly Moscow, foraging for wild mushrooms is a much-anticipated event in the fall. Musocvites enjoy a mind-boggling number of options when it comes to mushrooms recipes. Soups, pickled mushrooms, alongside stewed rabbit, you name it and there’s a way to put mushrooms on it. The most traditional and typical Russian recipe is wild mushrooms in a sour cream sauce.

Chiles en Nogada | Mexico

Love stuffed peppers? Mexico takes them to a whole other level. You’ll start to see more and more of these peppers on menus and gracing dinner tables in mid September to celebrate Mexican Independence Day as the colors match with the Mexican flag. Poblano chilies are typically stuffed with beef, tomatoes, onion, peach and banana and are topped with a walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds.

Kurbissuppe | Germany

Would a fall recipe list be complete without something pumpkin in it? No. We’ve arrived at one of the most quintessential fall recipes on this list, the Kurbissuppe aka pumpkin soup. Unlike in the United States, in Germany pumpkin pie isn’t found everywhere and definitely isn’t super common. They prefer this gourd in soup form. It’s not your average pumpkin soup either. Expect to also find potatoes, carrots, onions, leeks, bacon, and a variety of flavorful herbs.

Marrons Glacé | France

Roasted chestnuts are a popular snack in the USA, but candied chestnuts are the French version and little culinary masterpieces. While the cooking time takes 30 minutes, the prep phase can take days. Yes, days. It’s worth it. This delicious treat originated in northern Italy and southern France, but it can be found all over France now. Chestnuts are cooked and candied in syrup and covered in a glaze. I dare you to eat just one.

Risotto alla Zucca | Italy

Just when you thought risotto couldn’t get any more delicious they go ahead and make pumpkin risotto. This recipe is also one of the simplest. You can choose squash or pumpkin depending on which one is at the peak of its season for the best bursts of flavor. When you prepare this dish when the vegetables are at the peak of their flavor you barely need any other ingredients, making this an impressive dish to whip up on short notice.

Jeon uh | South Korea

When autumn arrives the most popular seafood season begins featuring blue crabs, jumbo shrimp, and gizzard shad. The most popular of these aquatic noms? Gizzard Shad/Jeon uh. During the colder months this fish stores more nutrients, making it more sought after during the fall. Eat it raw or cooked! Grilled jeon uh is both crispy and nutty in flavor, making it great on its own or with sauce.

Fårikål | Norway

To become a national dish of a country, your dish has to be incredible. Fårikål is not only popular, but the national dish of Norway. It’s also hearty meal that isn’t terribly complicated to make and it sure to be a crowd pleaser. Fårikål is a lamb and cabbage casserole traditionally served with new potatoes, cowberry sauce, and beer. According to locals, if the dish looks pretty, you probably didn’t do it right. It’s supposed to be messy and devoured. There’s even a Fårikål feast day in late September!

Picarones con Miel Especias | Peru

If Peruvian sweet potato and pumpkin fritters with spiced syrup doesn’t sound delicious to you, we can’t be friends. This sounds like heaven. Picarones are one of the most classic Peruvian desserts you can find and are always popular in the fall. These fritters use a combination of pumpkin and sweet potatoes as well as pineapple, anise, and cinnamon to give them their unique flavoring inside their crispy exterior. Yes freaking please.