A perfect autumn meal:

Sandwich:
Saloio bread (Portuguese bread, hearty and moist interior, tender and chewy crust dusted with flour), or any dense, moist, whole-wheat/grain loaf
Creamy and mild white cheese - would suggest Fontina or American.  Actually, Manchego and Asiago would probably also be great :)
Avocado
Sliced turkey breast
For spreading: spicy brown mustard, honey, and pesto (you want all three).

Side dish:
Apples!  The freshest, crispest, juiciest ones you can get your hands on.  Jonathans are tart and frothy (remind me of champagne), and are a great complement to the mild sandwich above.

Drink:
A glass of your favorite beer, ice cold.  I think a nice chocolate stout adds some depth to the meal.

~If you want a bit of warmth, add a small cup of butternut squash or pumpkin soup to the menu.  And if you're like me and almost religious about eating greens/veggies with your lunch and dinner, briefly microwave-steam some stalks of asparagus, dress with lemon juice, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and a bit of sea salt, and you're good to go. 


Simple and delicious, and not too bad on the nutrition scale either.  Eating all this together brings me back to autumn in New England, apple-picking with my family, and my college - particularly The Black Sheep, the favorite deli/bakery in town, and really an institution in itself.  Smart/kind event-planners at school chose the Sheep's catering, and students and faculty would swarm upon the sandwiches and baked goods afterwards.  OK, so the students swarmed, and our professors were probably more dignified :)  Nobody else made a sandwich like the Sheep though, and they are a large part of the reason I started to develop a greater appreciation for simple and good foods and sandwiches.

I'm sure the nostalgia sneaking into my post has something to do with the fact that Homecoming is this weekend.  One day I am gathering up a bunch of willing traveling buddies to take with me to the Valley, who will get a personal tour of the campus grounds, bike trails/woods, and culinary delights that defined my four years there.  Meanwhile, have yourself a great sandwich and enjoy the bounty the good earth brings, etc...I am calling mine the Amherst :)