I drove into work this morning with my iPod blaring and an icicle wedged into my mitten. Right as I was walking out the door I noticed a beautiful array of icicles right over my head and I just had to grab one. Any of my family will tell you that I have strange icicle addiction. I love them. My mother has been known to stash a particularly pretty one in the freezer for me to eat when I come over. They are one of those great outdoor snacks.
My older brother (a doctor) started calling them roof ice as a way to remind me of where they came from. Roofs are dirty, covered in dust and grime and bird droppings. And of course icicles are dirty. I still eat them. I've grabbed them off strange houses and eaten them. It's not that I'm not worried about getting sick....it's just that...no I'm actually not worried about getting sick. It is the same for me with cookie dough. I think it's a crime to bake cookies. Cookie dough is the greatest treat on earth, particularly with chocolate chips. And I'm constantly remind by others of the salmonella risk that comes from eating cookie dough. I just don't care. I figure I've gone 32 years now eating cookie dough and never had salmonella. I like those odds.
I'm a big fan of eating food I find outdoors. Mulberries are my favorite summer fruit and they can only be found outdoors. No one packages and sells mulberries. They are just too delicate. So when I find a mulberry tree I stop and eat for a while. Perhaps some of the joy is foraging for my own food. Or the fact that this is as natural as food can get. We have a focus on eating Organic in the US but most people would refuse to eat berries that they find on a tree. How much more Organic (natural) can you get?
And the worry of salmonella brings me to my favorite outdoor winter treat. Snow Cream. This is recipe that Jeff and his family introduced me too and I have to say I'm hooked. You need snow, particularly freshly fallen snow. The big flake kind that's somewhat heavy. Leave a big soup pot outside in the falling snow and then collect the rest from the top layer that has fallen. Mix in an egg (raw), sugar (normally 1-2 cups) and a tablespoon or so of vanilla. Mix and eat. It is unbelievably good. But most people can't get past the raw egg. Now I will admit that the first time you see a bit of yolk in your snow cream it's a little offputting. Even I was a little unsure, but if you get past the fear of salmonella or any other diseases, there are some great natural treats out there for you. Icicles and snow cream, making winter more enjoyable for the last 30 years.
2 comments:
Bless you organic foodie sister. You make me smile as I read. I was picturing your drive to work in my head and I couldn't supress the giggles.
It was pretty funny. Consider as well that I wear mittens and you can imagine how funny that has to be for other drivers. This woman singing at the top of her lungs and clutching a huge icicle in her mitten. I clearly have no shame.
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