Much of our December seemed unseasonably warm, and January so far seems to have continued the same pattern. It was warm enough to have a picnic on our deck on New Year's Day. Almost two weeks later, it is still relatively warm and sunny, just one dusting of snow. The larger ponds are still open and the smaller ponds are just skimming over with ice. Not good in the long term.
But, we have indeed turned the corner (and we can enjoy this knowing it is not caused by our actions), the days are now getting longer!
"WHAT DO YOU EAT IN JANUARY?" is the title of Chapter 18 of Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year in the Life of Food. If you can afford it and are not on a locavore quest like the Kingsolver family, the answer is "Anything you want." The markets are not only full of berries from California and South America but blueberries are "on special - only $3.99" (externalities not included) for a half-pint box. Asparagus? Sure. The produce section does not reflect the season outside. I still buy lettuce and spinach and Florida citrus, but otherwise try to stay as local as possible.
I've never been a fan of winter tomatoes (exception), but now there is more reason to opt for canned ones this time of year. Also, after a few years of mindlessly buying the chicken and vegetable stock now so ubiquitous in the markets in stacks of 32 ounce boxes, I'm buying bullion (actually "Better Than Bullion", small jar in photo at left) and adding my own water. An 8 ounce jar makes 256 ounces or 9 and 1/2 quarts (or the equivalent of 9 and 1/2 32 ounce boxes) of stock.
Reviewed 9/19/2017
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