Hibernation

There’s something inherently comforting about stocking up on food, especially during this time of year as the weather turns cold. I get a deep sense of satisfaction and reassurance seeing the cupboards full, the fridge overflowing and the freezer packed to the “max” line. No matter what kind of day it’s been, or what’s going on in our lives, we will be well fed.

I spent the majority of Sunday afternoon cooking up two big batches of shepherd’s pie to freeze. Mom used to do this all the time; cook on the weekends so she wouldn’t have to scramble to make dinner after getting home from work during the week. (Either that or we’d all truck off to Violi’s for escargots, shrimp cocktail and open-faced Delmonico steak sandwiches. Good times.)

Hubby and I picked up the practice when we realized the window between leaving work and getting Doodle to bed at a quasi-reasonable hour was miniscule. We’d take a day or two to cook like mad, fill up every available Tupperware dish we own, and then be set for at least a few weeks. Our freezer is now loaded with two kinds of lasagna, beef stock, various casseroles, loaves of bread and ice-cubed herbs. This weekend, it’s chicken fingers and turkey skillet. After that, we’ll be ready to hibernate.

So after returning from an insane excursion of grocery shopping this weekend, I paused to admire my replenished stockpile, breathing a deep, contented sigh of relief as I rewarded myself with a glass of 2002 Strewn Three. Another week where we won’t starve. Huzzah! My work here is done.