Free Chives

Last night the Arctic winds howled as I have never heard them. They tore some of the plastic off the windows and shredded it. They kept me awake. They forced the temperature way down. A human being can do nothing except think about hot soup, a favorite soup. With a sandwich if possible.

I chose the simple recipe "Shrimp Soup DeLuxe" from Twelve

Months of Monastery Soups. Fresh chopped onion, olive oil, shrimp, some dry white wine, white pepper, a bit of milk. . . and a half cup of mixed fresh herbs as the final touch. Fresh herbs in January? Yes! On a slope near the lane, hidden just inside the woods, clumps of chives grow every winter. I don't know where they came from, or why, because they grow nowhere else on the property, but they come in very handy. I cheated and went out and bought parsley for the soup, too. But the chives were free.

For Me? Thank You, How Thoughtful!

The urge to cook turnip-and-bacon soup overwhelmed me so I sought some smaller-sized turnips rather than the usual planet-sized turnips that despite dicing and slow-cooking persist in the soup or the mash like chunks of cork, and found some (like parsnips, they're a rarity or a mere molecule in the produce aisle) and was pleased to notice that the bag said the turnips had been grown just for me.

That warmed my heart. For me? How did they know these were exactly what I wanted and needed at this exact moment? It's a miracle! I liked this so much I looked up the For You brand and found out the For You brand began with a Dutch immigrant who grew outstanding radishes, still the brand's signature vegetable. The company has farms in Michigan and Arizona growing all sorts of produce. And on their website (www.miedemaproduce.com) I found their recipe for Chunky Turnip Soup with Bacon and Parmesan. How did they know that was exactly what I wanted -- for me?

Divine Kitchen Secrets

1. Lay newspaper over counter before prepping food. Roll up and throw away after. Saves lots and lots of crumbing and wiping.

2. Keep potatoes from turning green by keeping them out of the cold.

3. Slip recipe cards or the recipe page into a transparent sheet protector, and clip to the fridge.

4. Make notes in cookbooks: date recipe was cooked, occasion, rating, substitutions made, reception, ideas for variations.

5. Buy rice from Thailand. This was a tip I got from a Chinese friend. Thai rice tastes so good it needs no butter or seasoning.

6. Breadcrumbs can take the place of parmesan.

7. Keep whole-wheat flour and grits in the fridge to prevent their turning rancid.

8. Dried beans kept too long dry up so fiercely they will never cook through.

9. Keep salt in a baggie rather than a cardboard container which will get wet & mushy & cake up your salt supply.

10. Favorite kitchen tool: immersion blender (or "stick" blender) which removes 90 percent of the need for a blender.