Thursday, February 18, 2010

Waiting for the Milkman

Who knew that my Steel Cut Oatmeal would taste just as good without the heaping spoonfuls of brown sugar? And can I just say...it's the little things that make me happy. A simple bowl of oatmeal and my organic milk that I now have delivered. I have a milkman! Having local, fresh, organic milk delivered to my door is heaven! I know...I'm a little crazy about things like that.

I read a book recently that has changed the way I think about what we eat and how I shop for our food. It's not a new best seller or anything...Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Why I haven't read this book before now is beyond me because it's right up my alley. The author talks about how they pack up their home in the West and head East to basically live off the land. I love how she brings to our attention the fact that we spend or rather waste so much money, manpower, energy to transport blueberries from Mexico in January just so we can have them in January. (Really, she didn't just talk specifically about the blueberries...I'm just using them as an example.) Doesn't food taste better when it's in season? One of my favorite things to eat is a summer tomato. I can barely bring myself to buy a tomato now...they're mealy, tasteless and cost a lot because they've been shipped from somewhere in South America. I was in the grocery store tonight buying salmon for dinner. Now, mind you, I live on the COAST of NEW ENGLAND...What I found for sale were scallops. They were $4.99/lb. They looked good and I thought I'd opt for those instead of the salmon. Then I looked at the fine print. They were shipped in from Iceland. The local scallops were $14.99/lb. I don't get it. Why would we need to ship scallops in from Iceland? I bought the local salmon.

 We are now a society that doesn't need to wait for anything anymore. If we want something, we want it now and we can get it now. How can we appreciate all the goodness from a juicy red tomato in the summer if we haven't had to wait for it? Well, I'll be sittin here thinking about that summer tomato while I wait for the milkman.

*By the way...the strawberries pictured above were not local but they were from Florida. I should really be waiting until Spring for them shouldn't I?

10 comments:

  1. I LOVE that your milk comes in glass bottles!!! I have a milkman too...I ❤ my MIlkman!

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  2. My parents always had milk delivered in very similar glass bottles...there's something charming about a milkman.

    Love your bowl!

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  3. You go girl: no sug, organic milk, steel cut O. You are a-mazing! And, BTW, tag you're it. Come for a visit re Binge Friday (no worries: nothing to do with food.) xoxo

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  4. Milkman? That reminds me of growing up in ID. . . And I don't think you should have to wait for the strawberries. After all, you DID go without sugar!

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  5. A milkman! I am jealous. I thought they were ancient history.

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  6. I had a milkman for awhile at our old house but every morning at four thirty, he would set off our alarm....
    Finch barking! It was great, though. I miss it, but we buy 10 gal. at a time and put in the freezer. Great when it's on sale at 1.09 a gallon! Those milkman work so hare and are up so early. Even on Christmas Eve morning!

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  7. OH! Forgot to tell you....A friend of mine just gave me a GREAT book, similar to what you're reading.
    FOOD RULES, by Michael Pollen....super easy and quick read. I made Andrew and Lynn read it too...give it to Stephen and Hannah, they'd really enjoy it and be surprised about the food on the grocery shelves! xoxo

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  8. Now you will think I'm crazy...if you liked that book read Food, Inc. It is an accompanient book to the documentary by the same name.
    I wish I could get the milk delivered to my door...actually ALL my groceries!

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  9. You get a pass on the strawberries...Florida is not THAT far away right? and you do share the same ocean so you are practically next door....:)
    You're making me think today!!!
    Go girl!

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  10. Love steel cut oats.
    really want an organic milk man!

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