Is it Fall Yet?

Seriously. This unseasonable weather is getting to be a drag. I'm ready for thick-skinned crackling roasts and crunchy roasted potatoes with soft fluffy interiors, braised meat paired with silky root vegetables slow-cooked with a drizzle of brown butter and garnished with fried sage leaves. I'm dreaming of delicate ribbons of pasta, golden with egg yolks, cuddled in a shallow bowl with foraged mushrooms and sautéed hazelnuts. Visions of creamy brandade, glasses of dark smoky syrah, and decadent cassoulets dance before my eyes. I need a little cool weather though, so that I can actually cook and eat these sumptuous specialties. Can someone please tell me where it is? I love cold salads and tomatoes and hot weather dishes as much as the next person, but it is October now. I'd really like to apply heat to my food without feeling as though I'm cooking myself in the process. It's time for warm cider and wood smoke, boots and turtleneck sweaters. They say the weather may break this weekend and I've got my fingers crossed that the weatherman is true.