Pumpkin scones are made for cold autumn days, and baked potatoes are a must for campfire night

The garden path is densely packed with black leaves soaked with medlar. Its fruits are now black, sticking to the branches, and I dare to stew them into a jar of amber jelly with sugar and lemon.

A pumpkin sits solemnly on the kitchen window sill. "This is my time," it seemed to say. The one I cut last week—orange skin, deep ochre, and a bit wet in meat—made a rather sloppy mashed potato, so I will leave this for another week or two to let it dry a little bit.

Pumpkin meat is very useful in this kitchen, as a filling for puff pastry pie, or as a side dish with grilled mushrooms or thick ham. I do my best to keep it firm and make sure that the skinless meat never encounters boiling water. Steaming or baking is the way to go.

This week I stirred a piece of butternut squash puree into the cheese scones mixture, taking care not to overwork it, and then served it hot and served with papaya jelly. (The wolfberry jelly I haven't made is delicious here.) Apple or red currant jelly is also suitable.

There are also some baked potatoes this week, perfect for Halloween or next week’s bonfire night celebrations. Before baking, their skin is scrubbed and slightly salted, then cracked and filled with a rich sauce-messy, piping hot, spicy, suitable for eating outdoors around a fire, just like on a kitchen table.

The trick to making high-quality pumpkin scones-light, fluffy, and well-fermented-don't over mix. After adding the cooked pumpkin, milk and water, gently stir the dough for as short a time as possible. Stop immediately after the ingredients are mixed, otherwise your scones will be heavy. If possible, serve the scones while they are hot, either directly out of the oven or reheating them in a hot oven for 10 minutes. If necessary, they will stay overnight in a sealed box. 6 servings

Pumpkin or butternut squash 250 g, peeled and seeded Weight plain flour 400 g baking powder 4 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon butter 85 g Parmesan 80 g grated milk 100 ml water 100 ml mustard 2 teaspoons 1 egg, beaten For glazing

Cut the pumpkin into large pieces and steam for 7-10 minutes until tender. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it with your fingertips. (You can do this in a food processor, but it doesn't seem worth washing.) Add grated Parmesan cheese.

Use a fork or a potato masher to roughly crush the cooked pumpkin—be careful not to turn it into a smooth puree—then gently stir the mustard and black pepper.

Add it to the flour mixture, then pour milk and water. Stir the liquid into the flour, season with black pepper and mix the ingredients carefully, taking care not to overmix.

Place the dough on a floured board and pat it into a round shape about 3 cm thick. Using a 5-6 cm cookie cutter, make 12 to 14 scones, separate them from each other, and place them on a baking sheet.

Brush the beaten eggs on each top, taking care not to let anything drip from the sides (this will prevent them from rising), then bake for 12-14 minutes until they are golden brown.

Remove the scones from the oven, let them rest for a short time, and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Eat them on the day you make them, preferably warm, with some papaya jelly.

I always associate Halloween and bonfire night with baked potatoes. I must serve them in every imaginable way. My long-term favorite is those mashed with smoked mackerel and cream, or minced pork ribs. A more spicy version was launched this year, made with tomatoes, mascarpone cheese and'nduja. This sauce is also an excellent condiment for pasta. 2 servings

Cream: Onion 1, medium olive oil 2 tablespoons garlic 1 clove tomato paste 1 tablespoon tomato 500 grams Mascarpone 100 grams Nduja 50 grams baked potatoes 4, large finish: onion 1 olive oil 2 tablespoons parsley

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Wash the potatoes and bake for 45-60 minutes according to their size. When their skin is crispy and the meat inside is soft and fluffy, they are done.

Peel and chop the onion to make a sauce. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan, add onions, and let it soften over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Peel and crush the garlic, then stir in the onion. When the onions are golden brown, add the tomato sauce and continue to cook for a minute or two. Roughly chop the tomatoes and stir, then simmer for 15 minutes without seasoning until thickened.

Finish onion and parsley. Peel the onion and cut into rings. In a shallow pan, heat olive oil, then add onion rings, cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat, stirring regularly, until nuts are browned. Chop the parsley (you need about 2 tablespoons), add the onion and set aside.

Stir mascarpone and'nduja into the tomato sauce and check the seasoning. Take the potatoes out of the oven, separate them to let the steam escape, scoop in the'nduja sauce, and sprinkle the onions and parsley on top.

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