Leaves turning gold. Strictly on the telly. Battles over when the heating gets switched on. It must be autumn.
And if it is autumn then this is possibly the best time of year for cooking and eating.
After a long winter, the arrival of spring's vegetables is always welcome but, for this scribbler, autumn's generous bounty outstrips the relief of spring's fresh, new ingredients.
At this time of year, the harvest is in; the game season is in full swing and there are still some wild fungi to be found.
The nights are very much drawing in and it's the perfect time of year for slow cooked stews, cosy meals with friends and bottles of rich red wine.
Local produce
The Scotch beef burger at Tempus.
At Tempus, they have relaunched their market menu to reflect not just the new season but also an increased emphasis on local produce.
Some of the menu highlights include West Coast scallops and smoked mackerel. As well as Perthshire wood pigeon, the market menu features Peterhead-landed fish and chips; a Scotch beef burger with Isle of Mull cheddar and Arran Dairies ice cream.
The new menus also feature two brand new desserts: a dark chocolate, orange and mascarpone tart and a tangy lemon cheesecake topped with meringue.
Both have been created the restaurant's up-and-coming new pastry chef.
Grand Central Head Chef, James Murphy said: 'Our new autumn menu features some favourites that our diners always enjoy and of course two new desserts hand-crafted by our new young up-and-coming pastry chef which I am sure will be a very welcome addition.
Our local produce really helps to deliver the great fresh tastes available in Scotland and it's great we can offer this within a menu that offers real value for money.'
We are confident our guests will really enjoy the autumn menu fully of hearty flavours and favourite dishes that never fail to impress.'
Book Tempus with 5pm Dining
Of course, you can book into Tempus with 5pm Dining and we have a couple of tasty offers with the restaurant.
These include:
£39.50 per couple for an 6oz sirloin steak each served with fries and tomato. Includes a bottle of house wine to share.
£20 for two courses plus a glass of fizz on the pre-theatre menu.
Fish and chips with locally-landed, Peterhead fish.