It occurred to me this week that the traditional Thanksgiving meal is – in fact – an iconic example of real, local, in-season food. In autumn, our seasonal foods are all highlighted at the event: potatoes, cranberries, brussels sprouts, yams, sweet potatoes, applesauce, pumpkins and squash.
Archive | November, 2010
Retirement or Renewal
I will turn 65 my next birthday. Thinking back over my life, I can visualize the many “hats” I have worn, several of which now sit on a shelf gathering dust. Girl Scout leader, Neighborhood Chair for over twenty Girl Scout Troops, Merit Badge Counselor for Boy Scouts, PTA President, Seamstress, Cook, Cleaner both at home and for a professional service, Editor of a union newsletter, Mentor, Teacher, Knitter, Crocheter, Crossstitcher, Quilter, Embroiderer, Canner, Typist, Salesgirl, Secretary, etc., not to mention daughter, Christian, friend, wife, mother, and grandmother. None of these descriptive titles defines me, aptly revealing who I am. I suppose I am a composite of them all, and oh! so much more.
Trader Joe’s Raw Milk and Pastured Cheeses
Trader Joe’s has a large selection of cheeses, and their cheese is very affordable, compared to other specialty markets with similar selections. My friend, Lydia, had a conversation with blogger Ann Marie (aka: Cheeseslave) on facebook comparing the cheese at Trader Joes. The conversation was so educational, I had to share it with you all. Today when I was at Trader Joe’s, I took pictures of the cheeses that they discussed. Below is an edited version of their back-and-forth:
Week 20 – Gratitude
You can go through life greedy, discontent, and always looking for the next thing that holds promise to satisfy your wants and needs. You can grumble and complain about how terrible you have it, and how unfair your lot is. Or, you can appreciate the blessings in your life. Gratitude is a spiritual discipline. It’s [...]
Local Apples
There is little that smells more tantalizing than a good sniff of a fresh apple. Autumn is the perfect apple time of the year; and that is why, today, I took a ride to an orchard to buy Northern Spies and Empire apples, fresh from the people who grow them. One bushel of apples will supply my husband and me with an apple a day (to keep the doctor away!) to eat raw, a barrel of apples to make Apple Kuchen, applesause, Apple Pie(s), baked apples…well, you get the picture.
Week 19 – Slow Food. Slow Cooker.
The trees are crayon box hues and the mornings are getting brisk. As the seasons change outside, the way we eat our foods change as well. In the summertime, I like fresh foods that I toss or eat raw. The oven is never on; food preparation is rarely complex. In autumn, however, there is a call in the kitchen to warm things, season them, or turn them to stew. What better way to make a meal from the autumn produce than by chopping it up and slow cooking it all afternoon.
Climbing Black Bear Mountain
I climbed a mountain today! It has been a long time since I have done anything quite so strenuous. In fact, it has been since 1996, when I made the four hour trek up The Koncheto (The Horse, in Bulgarian), a part of the Pirin Mountain Range. The difficulty in climbing Black Bear Mountain was not even close to the physical stress of ascending The Koncheto, and yet I feel mighty proud to have made it up and down the climb in one piece!
Working with an Agent
While most buyers choose to work with agents, it is not required in all states for an agent to represent you in the purchase or sale of a home. In Washington state, if you choose to go it solo, you may. As a buyer, there are many potential benefits to working with an agent, but you must weigh those benefits against the fee the fee for using an agent.
Week 18 – Ugly Fruit Tastes Better
When I see a red delicious, the iconic apple of school lunches and cafeterias, I cringe a little thinking of how bland and mealy they taste. Sure, they are a deep, rich red. Sure, they have been buffed and waxed to shine in the fluorescent lights. But looks ain’t everything.
Fruits of Canning
Veggies and fruit are all in canning jars in the basement, all in neat rows, visually enticing the visitor to the pantry to “Eat me!” Since the growing season is now behind us, a good deal of the canning season is behind us also, unless you are canning pears or apples or the like. Canning [...]
Hi, there! I’m Erin. I’m a crunchy Christian mom and artist. I love to eat local farm food and shop at thrift stores. I blog about our crazy life and baby girl (born April 2011). I love rainbows. My hair is messy. ^_^ I hope you enjoy my blog! (Read More about me here...)
