It is official, it is autumn.

And no, we do not know this because there is a nice cool breeze in the mornings and the sweltering heat has finally abated. Nor do the sometimes cloudy skies or the fact that you have to start switching on the lights around 5.30 pm herald the start of the short but sweet transitional season.

It is that specific smell that is permeating the streets of the capital, and we are not referring to the burning rice fields. It is aromatic, slightly smoky with a sweet yet hearty overtone.

It is autumn. The batatas are back.