Unofficially official

The arrival of fall (finally!) has been the topic of so many blogs, facebook status updates and tweets lately. Some posts indicated fall had 'officially' started, and others claimed to be welcoming fall even so it had not 'officially' started. What's with all the contradiction people?!

So, I did what any rational person looking for an 'official' answer to a question of fact does - I Googled it.

The 'official' answer is - it depends (on where on the Earth you are standing in relation to the equator, which influences when the Autumnal Equinox occurs.) Gee thanks, WikiAnswers.

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, apparently this year that magical moment will be on 9/22/09 at 2:18PM PST.

Now that we have that cleared up, I have only one thing to say: Equinox Schmequinox (good luck pronouncing that one IRL!)

I could care less if it is 'official' or not - Fall is HERE. How do I know? What data could I possibly present that is more convincing than the most 'official' answer the Internets had to offer?

Exhibit A: The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks

(Photo courtesy of Starbucks)

Exhibit B: Target has replaced the "Back to School" display with the "Halloween costume" display
Exhibit C: Number of mugs of pumpkin spice tea I have consumed in the past 24 hours: 3
Exhibit D: I needed a blanket last night while watching DVR'd episodes of...
Exhibit E: ...the new fall TV lineup
Exhibit F: Our friday night cookies were replaced with pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Compelling, no?

If you're haven't been persuaded yet, well, then just throw a batch of these in the oven:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:
1 C whole-wheat flour
1 C ground quick oats
1 T cinnamon
2 T cornstarch
1 t fine sea salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 C butter
1 1/4 C sugar
1/2 C pumpkin purée
1 T pure vanilla extract
1 C chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, blend flour, oats, cinnamon, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla until combined.

Fold dry ingredients into wet, until combined. Stir in chips.

Place cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets, and flatten your cookies as much as you like (they do not spread much while baking, but they do spread a little)

Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate for as long as you can stand it: 3 hours is ideal, longer is better. (I skipped this step completely...patience? what patience?...and my cookies turned out just fine.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 22 minutes, or until golden on top and around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Or shove into mouth uncontrollably and burn tongue. Your choice, really.)

Yields about 24 medium cookies

Once you smell them baking, I'm pretty sure you'll be convinced too.

Fall is here. And I for one am CELEBRATING!