For a deeper dive – over 500 posts on life, mind, body & spirit
Flowers just really add beauty, scent and life to the spaces we live in. Once a larger bouquet is fading, take the nicer, remaining blooms and create one or more smaller bouquets and continue to enjoy them for awhile longer.
Some things are just more interesting and enjoyable the second time around . . .
You may also like Fabulous Friday, Citron Pressé and Secret of Wealth from Ancient Babylon.
People often ask me, “What can I do?” when thinking about the global depression, foreclosuregate, political gridlock, corporate greed or the environment. One answer is easy and simple: buy local.
This is a very strategic choice. Buying local keeps jobs in your community, it keeps your hard-earned money in your community and it supports small business owners in your community. It also eliminates shipping charges when you buy food or products from the immediate surrounding area where you live. Be strategic with your money. Use your purchasing power in a way that supports your own best interests.
We try to buy local whenever we can and we encourage every organization that we are involved with to do the same, whether it is a political group, church group or book club.
We use “Community Sponsored Agriculture” (CSA) for our vegetables, fruit and cheese. The portions are large so we split with another family. Usually a weekly delivery is to a location in your neighborhood. Farmers’ Markets can work just as well. No shipping cost or time since everything is grown nearby. This means everything lasts TWICE AS LONG in the refrigerator. It allows us to eat seasonally from April to January. You can check out CSA’s and Farmers’ Markets in Minnesota at Minnesota Grown. It’s also a good site to check for apple & berry picking along with local honey, wines and artisan cheeses.
Grocery stores we use are Cub, Byerly’s or Kowalski’s – again local businesses. Cub, especially notes “local” on product signs in their produce departments. Unfortunately only Kowalski’s carries FAIR TRADE coffee, so we go there when we need to buy coffee – an expensive item. Happily, FAIR TRADE coffee is often the less expensive choice.
MidTown Global Market on Lake Street in Minneapolis allows us to purchase gifts, cards, cheeses, olives, soaps and other items from baby start-up businesses. Most products you find there will be FAIR TRADE – so especially important to us. Global Market is a wonderful incubator for neighboring entrepreneurs and ethnic businesses owned by new immigrants. Walking through Global Market is a “United Nations” experience in itself and well worth the trip.
United Noodles on 24th Street just off Minnehaha Ave. in Mpls. is by far the largest Japanese grocery store I have ever been in. If you have never seen 40+ lineal feet of every kind of rice and noodles imaginable – plan a visit. Their produce department rivals any I’ve seen in Europe for display, color and quality. But do watch labels – there are often locally made options so you can avoid buying items shipped all the way from Japan (ouch!).
Over the years we’ve found many locally owned, ethnic restaurants. Owners are quick to help guests choose menu items they may like, with little or a lot of spice. They are delighted to serve large parties and remember you – you are important to their business.
We don’t eat out very often, but when we do here are local (Eagan) restaurants we give our business to – Hoban Korean Restaurant, Classic Saigon and Magic Thai Cafe for Vietnamese, Sambol for Indian cuisine (great chai tea), Pardon My French, Ansari’s Mediterranean Grill and El Loro Mexican Restaurant. Lunch, dinners, take-out and large group visits are consistently good. Prices are reasonable for all and we are supporting locally owned, small businesses. Most of these restaurants use local produce for freshness too, an added bonus. Perfect!
Dunn Brothers Coffee, is a local coffee roaster and coffee chain with a location on Diffley east of Lexington that uses FAIR TRADE coffee – so we like them too. Ring Mountain Creamery makes their own authentic Italian gelato on the premises and you will taste the difference, even while you watch them make it. Both Dunn Bros. and Ring Mountain are excellent places to meet for book clubs, and group meetings of 10-20. Ring Mountain even has a meeting area separate from the main seating area that can be reserved in advance – no charge.
We try to use SuperAmerica and Holiday for gasoline since they are local distributors – which eases the pain very slightly.
Check Buy Local MN.com. when you are ready to make a purchase. Chances are there is a local provider.
What about you? How do you vote with your dollars? What local businesses do you like to support? Leave a comment and let us know.
You may also like Healthy Food is a Luxury for the Rich, What Can You and I Do? and Truth or Consquences.
This week the prairie is turning bright yellow. Wild daisies are in bloom and another small, yellow flower whose name I don’t know ; ) Come walk with me overlooking the Minnesota River Valley near our house . . .
You may also like Prairie Walk, Duluth Day and Cabin Fever.
Here’s a repeat of a previous post – because a number of people have asked about it.
With all the fall vegies arriving at the Farmers’ Market, why not try pickling without canning? Use your refrigerator instead.
Here’s a no-canning pickled beets recipe I have used for years:
1. Cook 2 lbs. beets (yellow or red) in boiling water until just tender. Rinse in cold water. Peel and slice. Place beets in a glass jar with lid or glass container with a cover.
2. In another bowl or 2+cup measuring cup, combine 1 c. sugar, 1/4 c. vinegar, 1/2 c. lemon juice and 1/4 c. water. Stir until sugard is dissolved. Pour liquid over beets.
3. Cover and refrigerate several days before serving. Makes 1 quart.
Like pickles – this will keep in the refrigerator for awhile, because of the acidity. If you want (optional) you can add clove, dill, peppercorns or other spices as you like.
Try this with other vegies too – mix carrots, green beans & cauliflower. Or try kohlrabi, cucumbers of course, zucchini, peppers, turnips and daikon look. They’re colorful in a clear canning jar and will allow you to enjoy flavorful fall vegetables for a long time.
Here’s another easy recipe using the lemon peels remaining from the lemon juice needed for the beet recipe above:
Recently, I made limoncello using this easy and excellent recipe from A Beach Cottage.
Make a double batch of pickled beets and limoncello then share with neighbors or friends.
For other ways to use empty canning jars, you may also like Walking Chicken BBQ, Picnic in a Jar and for fresh vegetables on a platter try Another Fabulous Friday.
What could be better than biting into a big, ripe, juicy, heirloom tomato? Well maybe not much. But here are two close contenders.
For many it’s back-to-school sandwich time. It’s also ripe tomato time. Combine both in a toasted tomato, mayo, cracked pepper sandwich.
Here’s an alternate, instead of mayo, add fresh basil leaves, sliced baby mozzarella and drizzle olive oil for a caprese twist. Add a green salad, white wine and le diner est servi!
Here’s another gourmet version of my all-time favorite, grilled cheese –
Grilled Pepper Cheese Sandwich
These electric orange sandwiches elevate the traditional grilled cheese by way of a new take on an old Southern favorite: pimento cheese. Savour calls for sharp cheddar to counterbalance the sweetness of the roasted peppers and the punch of raw garlic. She also has you grill both sides of the bread, which keeps it crisp rather than soggy. Combined with a glass of dry white wine and a green salad, this is real home alone comfort food. – A&M (Shine, Yahoo, July 10, 2011)
Serves 1 (plus extra cheese)
Pepper Cheese Spread:
- 12 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces roasted piquillo peppers
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup good prepared mayonnaise (Hellman’s or homemade)
Spread on two slices of bread buttered on the reverse side. Create a sandwich. Grill until golden and melted.
You may also like Gnocchi, Fresh Basil & Tomato Sauce, Ultimate Banana Bread and “Stinkin” Cheeses.