Anyone who cooks seasonally and regionally now faces a justified question: What do we do with autumn and winter when freshness, acidity, and lightness are actually summer topics?
At Bonvivant, the answer is a whole year of preparatory work. In this article, we show what is in season in October, how we stick to our region and the time of year, and which techniques help us taste like spring and winter even in the cold months.
What is in season in October
October in Germany is the month of cabbage and root vegetables. Many seasonal calendars name pumpkin as the main protagonist, and it is considered particularly aromatic in October, even though you can now buy it all year round. Added to this are various types of cabbage, beetroot, parsnips, salsify, celery, carrots, fennel, and leeks. When it comes to fruit, the domestic selection becomes smaller, but apples, pears, plums, grapes, and quinces have their time. Some of these vegetables are already available from storage from October onwards, such as potatoes, onions, celeriac, and beetroot, which can be stored for months and form the backbone of winter cooking.| Category | In season now | Special feature |
|---|---|---|
| Cabbage | White cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, pointed cabbage | Start of the typical cabbage season |
| Pumpkin | Hokkaido, butternut, muscat | Particularly aromatic in October |
| Root vegetables | Beetroot, parsnip, salsify, carrot, celeriac, parsley root | Partially storable into the winter |
| Other vegetables | Leeks, fennel, chard, spinach, radish | Fresh accents alongside the cabbage |
| Fruit | Apples, pears, plums, grapes, quinces | Quince has only a short season |
| Mushrooms | Various autumn mushrooms | Peak season in late summer and autumn |
What is striking is what is missing: berries, stone fruit, and delicate leafy greens are largely gone. This is precisely where the actual work begins for a kitchen like ours. This gap is not a weakness of regional cuisine, but rather its actual creative drive.
Our principle: local and seasonal above all else
We decided early on to treat seasonality not as decoration, but as a framework condition. Local and seasonal are the most important criteria for us; everything that comes to our tables must come from the region and have been sustainably grown and harvested. If we ever offer something out of season, the matter is clear.„…already pickled or preserved last year."Behind this are partners with whom we have been working partly since the opening. One of our most important suppliers is Biolandhof Zielke in Vierlinden, Brandenburg. From the organic village of Brodowin, about fifty kilometers northeast of Berlin, we source potatoes that end up, for example, in our Erdäpfelkas, a dish that our head chef Nikodemus Berger himself describes as his favorite meal. In addition, there are operations like Wolkensteiner Hof in Groß Kreutz on the Havel. And sometimes things are simply foraged, such as robinia blossoms in Gleisdreieck Park. This proximity allows us to talk to producers about what is currently ripe, rather than planning a fixed menu in advance and sourcing the ingredients from somewhere else.
The problem with winter
Seasonal cooking sounds easy in summer. In January, it becomes clear how serious you are. Anyone who cooks consistently regionally has less acidity, less freshness, and fewer floral notes available in winter, but instead a lot of starch, sweetness, and earthy depth. A menu consisting only of cabbage, roots, and potatoes would quickly feel heavy and monotonous. A simple thought helps us here: We do not have to miss summer, we can preserve it. What is available in abundance in terms of flavors in July can be preserved and used in a targeted way in winter, like a spice that only nature itself can provide.
Fermenting, pickling, preserving: Our tools
Precisely for this purpose, we ferment, reduce, emulsify, and experiment all year round in our kitchen. Preserving seasonal ingredients is a core aspect of our work, in the kitchen just as much as at the bar. The three major techniques differ clearly in principle.| Technique | How it works | What is created |
|---|---|---|
| Fermenting | With salt or sugar and time, lactic acid bacteria multiply, which acidify and preserve the vegetables | Complex acidity, depth, and umami, such as with cabbage or beetroot |
| Pickling | Ingredients steep in vinegar, brine, or oil and absorb their flavors | Fresh acidity and bite, also for fruits and herbs |
| Preserving | Through heating and sealing, fruits or vegetables are made shelf-stable for months | Concentrated fruit, compote, puree, or syrup |
Fermentation is more than mere preservation. It fundamentally changes the taste and generates precisely the acidity and depth that we miss in winter. Beetroot, for example, can be fermented or pickled and thereby acquires a completely different dimension than cooked or raw. Pickling, on the other hand, keeps the result fresher and crisper, which works well as a counterpart to heavy winter vegetables. And preserving saves fruits that are only ripe for a few weeks of the year for a whole year, from the short quince season to berries that ripen in abundance within a few weeks in summer.
This craft-based approach becomes particularly clear where kitchen and bar intertwine: in our beverage pairings. A thoughtful, seasonal cuisine demands drinks that follow this rhythm. Those who want to skip heavy, alcoholic companions like powerful red wines in autumn and winter or enjoy alcohol-free alternatives quickly hit taste barriers with conventional juices or teas.
Here, we use the same techniques as at the stove to create independent, complex flavors. Through fermentation, customized reductions, and the use of verjus or herbal hydrolates, drinks and pairings emerge that possess fine, profound acidity and structure. A fermented rhubarb approach, combined with autumn spices, or a clear vegetable brandy substitute transports precisely the elegance that perfectly complements an autumn or winter menu. This creates an arc of flavor where dishes and drinks draw from the same craft philosophy and make the season experienceable in all its facets.
How we bring summer into the glass
Specifically, this means: In summer, when berries, herbs, and vegetables are at their most aromatic, we work in stock. Fruits become preserved ingredients, vegetables become ferments and pickled items. Leftovers are not thrown away either; for example, fruit pomace is further processed into vinegar, where nothing is lost.Acidity sources like verjus and homemade hydrolates come directly from the kitchen and are deployed at the bar just as much as in the menu. In winter, we then open these supplies purposefully. A pickled summer berry accent can brighten up a winter course, a fermented cabbage brings the acidity that a fresh citrus fruit accent would otherwise supply, and a verjus complements it where acidity would otherwise be lacking in the regional winter. This has a nice side effect: Our winter kitchen does not have to be heavy.
It has acidity, it has freshness, and it has flavors that one would never expect in December because they were already born in July. Our drinks benefit from this too. Acidity does not have to come from citrus fruits; verjus and homemade ingredients can take on this role just as well, a topic we described in more detail in our article on balanced drinks.
Why winter does not taste gray
Cooking seasonally in winter does not mean doing without flavor. On the contrary: Many vegetables unfold their flavors only properly when it gets cold. Kale, for instance, is considered particularly aromatic after the first frosts because the plant converts starch into sugar in the cold. Root vegetables like parsnip and celeriac bring sweetness and depth, cabbage varieties deliver roasted aromas when seared or grilled, and smoke, bitter substances, and acidity round out the picture. The cold season gives the kitchen a different palette, one that is darker, earthier, and more concentrated. With a little counterpart of pickled and fermented items, a menu emerges that feels more multi-layered than many a summer dish.
Tips for your own kitchen
Anyone wanting to start at home does not need professional equipment. Cabbage, beetroot, or carrots are suitable for first attempts because they are robust and forgive mistakes. As a rule of thumb for fermenting vegetables, about two percent salt based on the weight of the vegetable applies. It is important that the vegetable remains completely under the brine, that the jars are clean, and that the process is given a few days to weeks of time. If a white film forms, it is usually harmless kahm yeast, whereas mold means the batch should be discarded. Those who prefer pickling can let vegetables steep in vinegar brine, which is faster and a good entry point. And those who want to preserve fruits start best with apples, plums, or quinces, which are available abundantly in autumn.
What this means for a visit with us
If you eat with us in the coming months, you will experience autumn and winter in its entire breadth: cabbage and root vegetables from Brandenburg, supplemented by acidity, freshness, and fruitiness stemming from the storage work of the past summer. Our dishes change with the season, which is why the menu can vary from week to week. Anyone wanting to know what is currently on the menu will find all current information on our page.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What is in season in Germany in October?Above all pumpkin, various types of cabbage, beetroot, parsnips, celery, carrots, and leeks, as well as apples, pears, plums, grapes, and quinces.
How do you cook regionally in winter when there are hardly any fresh vegetables?
We rely on storage vegetables like potatoes, celeriac, and beetroot and supplement them with ingredients that we pickled, fermented, or preserved in summer and autumn.
What is the difference between fermenting and pickling?
During fermentation, lactic acid bacteria with salt and time provide acidity and shelf life, whereas during pickling, ingredients steep in vinegar, brine, or oil and absorb their flavors.
Where do your ingredients come from?
From the region, including Biolandhof Zielke in Vierlinden and the organic village of Brodowin, plus partner operations like Wolkensteiner Hof in Groß Kreutz.