[Sca-cooks] Emergency supplies

[A F Murphy]

Hmm... I like canned corn. Now, of course, one starts with the full
understanding that this is not the same vegetable as fresh corn... but
it is a good and useful thing in and of itself. And it's one of the only
canned vegetables I'll eat - that and tomatoes (again, a different
vegetable, but good in itself) and beets, which actually survive the
process quite nicely. They even taste like beets!

I find frozen corn soggy. Very little taste. Of course, even it isn't as
bad as "fresh" corn that isn't fresh... I grew up spending August in
farm country, I know what fresh corn tastes like!

Now, on the emergency supplies question - when I started cooking, my mom
taught me to have a can of green beans on the shelf. I wouldn't eat
them, but in an emergency (I lived pretty far from the store) I could
marinate them or sauce them or do something to cover up the flavor and
still have some kind of vegetable. Now, I can get to the store quite
easily... if I have nothing to spend there, a cabbage is cheap and will
go far. Carrots, the same. They pretty much cover the vegetables...
Otherwise, rice and beans, bread and lentil soup, pea soup, marinated
lentils ... I always  have the ingredients on hand, that's pretty much
what I eat most of the time anyway. Eggs are good, too.

My emergency is more likely to be that I'm sick, and then I can't cook
anyway. Canned soups, and soup in the freezer, covers that. So does the
Chinese Takeout on the corner...   Hot and Sour soup, or their version
thereof, is wonderful when I have the flu! And even easier than opening
the can. My apartment complex has a "Got Soup" program - people
volunteer to make soup, and deliver it to the elderly, or shut ins, or
people who just don't feel well that particular day. (I gather they get
more calls when there is ice on the ground - some people can't negotiate
our hills when they are slippery.)  I haven't gotten involved, because
my schedule is too unpredictable, and I don't want anyone counting on me
for dinner a night I suddenly can't be home, but I gather it has been
working very well, and I know that I am always welcome to call them if I
need help. Nice to know it is there.

Anne

Huette von Ahrens wrote:

>--- "Phil Troy/ G. Tacitus Adamantius"
><adamantius.magister at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
>Although I know that this is your personal
>preference, I wonder how it is that you can stand
>the taste of canned corn.  Especially since you
>have an advanced palate.  I can even smell the
>difference between canned and frozen corn, even
>if it is used in a casserole, or corn bread.  To
>me, canned corn is revolting, both in taste and
>smell.
>The only frozen corn that I dislike is Green
>Giant, because they process their frozen corn
>just like their canned corn.  Yech!  Petui!
>Given my 'drothers, I would take fresh corn any
>day, with most frozen corn as an acceptable
>substitute.  No canned corn will ever pass thru
>my lips, if I have a choice about it.
>
>Just my two niblets about this,
>
>Huette
>
>
>=
>