The Flavour of Fall

Autumn in Cornwall is a season of mellow fruitfulness as the crowds recede and the county’s culinary bounty brings food to nourish the soul.

After the merry madness of summer when thousands of visitors flood into Kernow, autumn brings with it a sense of calm. Roads, towns and beaches are less busy and for me, this is the best time of the year as the weather tends to stay mild and the sea is at its warmest. It is also a fantastic time for those able to visit the county outside of school holidays to enjoy the many walks, beaches, galleries and tourist attractions away from the hustle and bustle of high season.

It’s now that many Cornish gardens start showing their autumn colours of orange and yellow and it’s a wonderful opportunity to explore places like Tehidy Woods, Cardinham Woods and Lanhydrock House with its many trails and paths. The Cornish coastline is also a must-visit in autumn too. There’s nothing quite like witnessing the big swells and storms that whip up from the Atlantic as they crash into the coastline, sending plumes of spray across the seascape. Storm watching has become a favourite pastime in the Duchy, especially in Porthleven. Our village is often featured on the national news when a storm is brewing. Footage of big storms with enormous waves crashing into the sea defences and exploding with full force over our iconic clock tower quite often makes front page news. Crowds of people come to visit and witness the power of the sea, which serves as a reminder that we must always respect its might. While we all love a big storm, hopefully we won’t have as many as last year… The 2023-24 storm season saw 12 named storms, the greatest number since the first season the Met Office began naming them in 2015!

With autumn in the air, we tend to think about eating heartier dishes. The last of the berries, samphire, seaweed and other fruits are being foraged and turned into vinegar, pickles, jams, and purées. Brassicas, gourds and root vegetables are in their prime, as well as oysters and shellfish in general, and all will be used extensively to get the best of the season’s produce. Stews and braised dishes will also be featuring on our new autumn menus, as well as a dish I always look forward to returning: the Sunday roast. 

We’ve kicked off the roast season at Kota Kai with a revamped offering. Taking advantage of our Josper Grill, smoky charred flavours will be added to each roast lunch, accompanied by a ‘proper’ flavoursome gravy that we infuse from our beef and chicken stocks. We’ve had an amazing response from our customers and are looking forward to long Sunday lunches when we can light the fire and have people sit back and linger over a cheese board and a red wine, or sticky toffee pudding with a chocolate martini, into the early evening.

Also launching this autumn is the Sunday Roast Feast at Kota. One Sunday a month, we will be serving a feast-style roast with platters of shared starters, roast dishes with two different meats and delicious puddings. As ever, we will be going all-out to add our own special Kota twist by using the best ingredients available from nearby organic farms and super-local butchers. We will also have some fantastic Sunday cocktails to tempt; think Bloody Mary consommé, espresso martinis, mimosas and of course, wines to match each course.

Kota & Kota Kai
Harbour Head, Porthleven TR13 9JY
01326 562407 / 01326 727707
www.kotarestaurant.co.uk
www.kotakai.co.uk