Groundhog Day

It’s February 2nd, time to monitor Marmota monax and dream of winter’s end. Whether or not you believe in woodchuck weathermen, one thing is certain: you can’t have groundhogs if you want a backyard full of fresh garden veggies.

Groundhogs (aka woodchucks, whistlepigs, and marmots) are insecto-vegetarians and confirmed locavores. If you plan to plant this spring, harvest those hairy beasts now. Celebrate Groundhog Day with critter cuisine.

Serving suggestions:

Woodchuck au Vin

Canadian Fried Woodchuck

Groundhog Pie

Woodchuck Recipes from Michigan (Oriental Groundhog,Waco Groundhog in Sour Cream,Woodchuck Stew, Woodchuck Meat Loaf)

More groundhog lore and recipes here and here.

White House Soup

The White House Soup of the Day for January 30, 2013 via MSNBC and FishbowlDC:

Tomato Basil.

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Wonder Survives

Bankrupt Hostess Brands has a potential buyer for Wonder Bread and related product lines. Flowers Foods has reportedly offered $390 million. The deal would also include Natures Pride, Butternut, Home Pride and Merita brands, 20 bakeries, and 38 depots. Hostess is now in the hands of private equity dealmakers, so rivals like Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo will have an opportunity to make higher offers in six weeks. Whoever makes the winning bid, it seems that Wonder will live on to Build Strong Bodies 12 Ways.

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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White House Soup

The White House Soup of the Day for January 9, 2013 via MSNBC and FishbowlDC:

Tomato Basil.

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Urban Eggs

Backyard Chickens are the new status symbol in hipster neighborhoods and upscale suburbs, a way to have pretty feathered pets and go green with local, fresh organic eggs. What’s not to like? Okay, aside from the noise and the odors and the expense and the cats and the authorities and the parasites and the thieves and  Avian Flu?

Plenty.

White House Soup

The White House Soup of the Day for December 7, 2012 via MSNBC and FishbowlDC:

Cajun Gumbo.

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The Cold Chain

In the current issue of Cabinet, Nicola Twilley explores the artificial winter of refrigeration, the man-made cold climate logistics of food processing, transportation and storage that has “reshaped our entire food system.”

The Lunch Box of Priestess Henutmehyt

When Egyptian Priestess Henutmehyt packed it in circa 1250 B.C., she packed a lunch. A lunchbox found in Ms. Henutmehyt’s tomb contains four whole ducks and joints of goat meat (before you ask: no Twinkies). There wasn’t Saran Wrap or Tupperware back then, so the goodies were mummified, just like the lady herself.

More: 

“The Lunch Box of Priestess Henutmehyt, Her Eternal Workers, & Her Final Demise,” Diana Buja’s Blog

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Image (“The Lunch Box of Priestess Henutmehyt, after the Temple of Kalabsha”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Turkey Carving Tips for Real Guys

Oh no! Despite reading Turkey Torching Tips for Guys you have a great big, fully cooked, deep-fried Thanksgiving turkey on your hands. You examine it minutely and discover there’s no little red zip tab to open so you can take out slices. What now?

That’s some big old avian cadaver you got there, buddy. There’s only one manly way to divvy it up. That’s right: chainsaw.

Pizza, a Thanksgiving Tradition

Fun Food Fact: The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days for take-out pizza, right up there with Super Bowl Sunday.

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Image (“First Fun Thanksgiving, after J.L.G. Ferris [detail]“) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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