When the weather in Miami starts behaving like a moody young lady and no fortuneteller can predict its spasmodic changes, everyone knows it’s That time of the year – it’s fall. We got no yellow foliage here, no swishing falling leaves, no cozy sweaters and scarves – none of that sentimental garnish of fall. We’ve got the cake, but no cherry on it. Our palms stay green and our shorts stay short. What we do get is the weather’s mood swings: rainy, windy, sunny, cold, hot, totally unpredictable. I am not complaining! Not at all! I love when Miami gets gloomy and I don’t sweat all over a second past stepping outside; when it’s actually chilly and grey grumpy clouds let my imagination fly.

It’s also time for making hot drinks to stay warm! Today I’d like to share a recipe of one of my favorite drinks as a child  - a traditional Russian kompot. Kompot is a non-alcoholic drink made from fruit (dried, fresh, or frozen) simmered with water and sugar. You can drink it hot or cold (I prefer hot kompot) and it is both so very delicious and nutritious.

Kompot Recipe:

Basic proportions are 1 pound of fruit + 4 quarts of water + 1 cup of sugar, though this is not a must follow rule. If you make an excessively concentrated drink, you can always add some boiled water to dilute it.

As for the ingredients, almost any varieties of fruit will make a tasty drink. I like preparing kompot from dried fruits, for one reason mostly – the taste evokes nostalgic memories, as that’s how my parents used to make it in Russia when I was a child.

Kompot Ingredients:

Dried Fruits (can be purchased at any Eastern European Store)

Fresh Apples

Fresh Lemon (a few slices)

Sugar 

Whenever I have on hand – some frozen cranberries and a cinnamon stick

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Let stand for another 15 minutes and enjoy!

The taste is sour sweet and delicious and the smell is so fantastic - you won't want to leave the house ever!

I love photography. I used to be dreaming of incorporating it into what I do for living one day. It didn’t happen thus far but aspirations are still present and I keep on enjoying every decent shot as much as an unskilled amateur can enjoy sudden, spasmodic success.

We spent last weekend on Cape Cod – a place full of majestic nature on one hand and fairytale like on the other. It calls for photography. Besides, Cape gets completely vacant when the season ends and appeals to any hopeless romantic out there longing for seclusion, quietness and maybe a tiny bit of melancholy.  You know, the good kind of melancholy. The one you feel looking at the falling red leaves and reading a book by the fireplace or listening to your cat’s purring, snugging the blanket up your chin and tracing snowflakes in the window.

Here’s a few pics I liked and wanted to share.