Cooking friend Rob texted that query this morning (I’m assuming live from his chilly kitchen) and I laughed.
The headlines accurately call this a “brutal” cold snap, and it’s been going on for four days now, temperatures here in Michigan and in Chicago occasionally bottoming out and at a grim -9F (-22.78 C), plus wind chills 20 and 30 degrees colder.
Turns out instead of a morning walk, which might freeze your face off, there are other pastimes, like firebuilding and sitting close, making food (sweet potatoes from Wild Coyote Farm down the road), eating well, playing dominoes, and reading.
Also organizing seed packets for spring.
Happily tending seeds on the light rack, microgreens for salads and tiny cilantro and basil for their outsized scent.
This gorgeous NZ cutting board is a joy to use.
Lentil soup for supper keeps the cold at bay.
Cheers, friends.
Maybe under the covers overnight? Body heat, baby...
Well, I'm the culprit who has been trying to make a toffee coffee cake for three days and just can't get the butter softened. We all know tricks to soften the butter quickly like cutting it into small pieces but that won't work because the room is so cold. It's still feels like it just came out of the frig. And I'm not a fan of the "few seconds in the microwave" method. Tried it many times and ended up with a melted center. So the dream of coffee cake still lingers in the chilled air.