Winter, for me, is the season of searching for inspirational quotes about winter to remind myself that it won't last forever. As churlish as that sounds, I do quite like the winter, which is fortunate, since in the Hudson Valley it lasts until April. Being a gardener, I also have to remember that all living things need their rest, and the garlic under the ice and snow and the sleeping rhubarb crowns and the alliums and peonies and fruit trees are not dead, but sleeping.
Winter is simultaneously earlier and later than you expect. The actual official onset of the season isn't until the solstice in late December (MADNESS), but the appearance of Christmas decorations in the stores in August makes you realize that it'll be just a hop and a skip through late summer, Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving and there you are decorating your tree.
Winter food no longer has to be planned for in most developed communities, but there's a real satisfaction in doing so. We've made and frozen soups in Autumn to have at hand on the dark evenings when preparing a meal seems like punishment. We try to have several jars of kimchi available in the fridge to provide spicy heat and healthy macrobiotics. We've started water-glassing our spring egg mountain for use later in the year. And it's true, we do tend to make more cookies and heartwarming cocktails.
Of course, tropical foods often peak at the start of the year. Citrus fruit never really leaves the supermarket, but blood oranges are a welcome sight in January. Hardy greens like kale, hard squashes, and winter roots like turnips and rutabaga all take part in our roasted dinners. And you can't go wrong with a good curry.
Heres our collection of cold-weather recipes: hot lunches, warm dinners, cocktails and other winter-time treats.
