Hopefully, you have taken a moment to do some relaxing outdoors and enjoy the spring breeze. The month of June, when Michigan’s temperamental weather is at its most gentle, is perfect for outdoor activity. Making time for a picnic is essential for maximum appreciation of this beautiful season!
Traditionally, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May. This day is held in high regard as one of the most special days of the year. It is a time to honor the mothers around us for the gift of maternal bonds, and the service mothers provide their families and others in society. We all look for ways to impress the special ladies of the day, gifting them with jewelry, gift baskets, flowers and lavish dinners. Sometimes, the most understated gift is just what a mother is looking for – one chosen with thought and effort, and comes from the kitchen.
Finally, the calendar says it’s springtime! Now, all we have do is wait for the thermometer to agree. While those two decide who’s right, let’s start making plans for welcoming our friends and family over for the first opportunities to entertain this season.
At The Local Grocer, we’re all about eating seasonally, so let’s welcome spring back with a dish that started in China as a seasonal snack. Traditionally eaten on the first day of spring, spring rolls were a thin pancake topped with lots of vegetables. Eventually, the springtime pancake evolved into a roll, making it easier to eat. Over the years, the taste has remained similar, but the preparation took on new elements and spices, and now, these vernal rolled pastries are known all over the world.
February 14 is a day that some people choose to honor the ones they love. It’s a time to find ways to let the people who make us strong and make this life worth living know that they are special. On Saint Valentine’s Day, a large portion of our world turns pink and red with hearts and doves and teddy bears, chocolates, greeting cards and dinners for two. A Happy St. Valentine’s Day is within your grasp and is even closer … with a plan.
Welcome to 2018 and congratulations – you’ve made it through another year!
The first signs of potluck season are the party invitations that begin to fill your social calendar. The next sign is the mild anxiety and slight confusion when deciding on a dish to bring that will demonstrate your kitchen skills, but not take forever to prepare. Potlucks, in their current sense – a meal to which a group of folks each brings something – began in the 1930s. There is a lot of information on the internet about the word “potluck.” Some sources say it’s short for “the luck of the pot,” while others say that it is derived from the indigenous word and practice of potlatch. Whatever the origin, the revolution of the potluck is an ingenious cultural phenomenon that distributes the work of feeding a group equally amongst its participants. If you want to win at your potlucks this year, there are a few things to consider ahead of time to ensure that the gatherings go smoothly, and with the least amount of effort.
Deciding to improve your health by changing the way you eat can mean different things to different people. There are those of us who do better by avoiding temptation altogether. At The Local Grocer, we do our best to find ways to minimize the unhealthy elements of our favorite foods. Sometimes, that means eating fresh to avoid consuming pesticides. Other times, it means reading tons of labels and choosing products with short ingredient lists, featuring whole ingredients. And when it’s time for dessert, we get creative!
As cooler temperatures set in, some Michiganders are already eagerly awaiting next spring. Others are excited about the culinary and scenic changes that come with autumn and winter. I enjoy switching my wardrobe and recipes to embrace the chill of Michigan weather. In other words, Get out your sweaters, it’s soup season! Soups are quick and inexpensive to make from scratch, a great way to use a variety of veggies in one dish, and they provide a chance to try your hand with the fall’s best fresh, locally-harvested produce.
In this Labor Day season of family cookouts and unofficial end-of-summer get-togethers, many of us have relaxing at the top of our priority lists. Food has found its way into the center of America’s celebration of the hardworking laborers who keep our country going. As a mother of two, I’d like to make Labor Day a chance for my little ones to enjoy their parents, extended family and friends all together at this year’s gathering. So, instead of spending all day preparing food, I plan to reclaim my time from the kitchen on this upcoming holiday.
