Appreciating Fall and Spaghetti Sauce

Summertime is almost behind us in Oneonta, NY. Leaves are yellowing, kids are once again toting backpacks and tired looks. College students have disrupted our quiet streets, making us realize that warm, humid days are sadly over. Autumn yields its' own luxuries- the smell of crisp, dry leaves, apple cider, butternut squash, and scary movies.
Winter's solemnity hasn't quiet settled, but one does feel a tranquility not experienced for many months. Children open books instead of going for late evening swims. Vacationing comes to a close and we enjoy a hot cup of tea from the comfort of home instead. Food nourishes and warms, preparing us for the long nights ahead. Cooking is also more pleasant when the kitchen isn't a humid 90 degrees.
I'm looking forward to breaking out my crockpot again. Fresh, corn soup adorned with sprinkles of hungarian paprika. Home-baked wheat bread with a touch of honey. Apple dumplings flavored with cinnamon baking in the oven. Making spaghetti sauce from scratch.
The most delicious spaghetti sauces are made from the humblest of ingredients: lots and lots of roma tomatoes, red wine, italian herbs, olive oil, tomato paste, salt and a pinch of raw sugar. First I cook down fresh, coarsely chopped tomatoes in a crockpot. Don't be alarmed if this takes forever or if 10 lbs of tomatoes reduces by more than half. Use your own garden-fresh goodies or you will spend a fortune. I use a bit of olive oil (use 1 tsp as needed) to keep everything from sticking. After the tomatoes cook down quite a bit, I add the wine, italian herbs, tomato paste, salt and sugar to taste. I'm more liberal with the wine and italian herbs than anything else. Use the rest of the ingredients sparingly and gradually. Be prepared for this venture to take a good 12 hours or so. Then enjoy!