In Spite of it or Because of it

As we huddled around our dining room table, enjoying tarragon chicken and glazed pear salad, a blizzard raged outside our window. A blast of arctic air soared into the Midwest and ran smack into some unseasonably warm moisture from the Gulf, driving the temperature down 50 degrees in a matter of hours. This dramatic collision of fronts just overhead of us in Iowa City meant we got showered with ice. Within minutes, the interstate was coated: glistening and frictionless. As cars swerved and trucks jackknifed, it was clear to everyone on the road that they would rather be at home sipping chardonnay with their tarragon chicken.

Winter has thus far been pretty rough. Winter storms, ice, snow, sub zero temperatures. And that was just December. I asked my guests the evening of the blizzard, “Do we love Iowa because of Winter or in spite of it?” The answer, it seems, is neither. It is hard to love chunks of ice blocking your driveway and the hour of back breaking work needed to clear it. No one smiles when struck by a 20 knot wind gust carrying a -30 wind chill, capable of freezing bare skin within minutes. Midwesterners long for the warm sun of Florida, Arizona, or California as their car slides across and off the road into the ditch.

But Winter is not all bad. It is a real and essential element of Midwestern life. It is not that we live here in spite of the winter- we live here and learn to cope with it. We recognize its importance in nature’s cycles: the moisture locked in the snow and ice is held until Spring when it can swell the rivers and soak the fields with nutrients. Pests are eradicated by freezing. Trees and flowers sleep quietly, saving their energy for the big show in Spring and Summer.

To cope with Winter, you must recognize and indulge in its rare joys. Like the glistening of sunlight through the trees decorated ornaments of sparkling ice. Or cross-country skiing on an inch of fresh powder while bald eagles soar and hunt fish in the river alongside you. Or awakening after a long night of howling wind and blowing snow to find the world hushed, calm, at peace, and blanketed in white. Or taking in a hockey game played on a local pond. Or taking in a hockey game played at a local outdoor stadium, like Wrigley field. Recently, we took our daughter sledding for the first time- she loved it (see video). I felt warmer inside with each giggle and shout for “more”

Mostly, however, Midwesterners retreat indoors in the Winter months, with good reason. It is a time for bonding with family members and celebrating the holidays. December parties are generally family affairs, while winter parties for friends and co–workers are held throughout January. The isolation and darkness leads us to seek periods of light and merriment, with sumptuous food and great wine.

Winter seasonal cooking can be wonderful. It is time for game meats, like duck and venison. Root vegetables can be harvested late and stored for weeks. I used to like carrots until I discovered the parsnip. Now I know that the humble carrot is merely a poor cousin to the sweet and delicious parsnip. We find ways to put pears into dishes, like chopped endive salad with glazed pears and blue cheese. Winter is the time for citrus fruits: our kitchen counter is buried with oranges, tangerines, tangelos, and lemons. Yesterday I collected my first bag of blood oranges, which I consider to be my most special Winter treat. I can only get them here for a few months starting in January. I invented a dessert to enjoy them with:

Sangre del Inverano (Winter’s Blood)
1 Blood Orange
Blood orange
sorbetto*
1 tablespoon chilled vodka

Quarter the orange and cut
the slices into bite-sized eighths, placing them in a cocktail glass.
Using a melon baller, add several small scoops of sorbetto. Drizzle with
vodka. After eating the oranges and sorbetto, be sure to drink the melted
concoction that will result in the bottom of the glass. That’s the best
part!
*Ciao Bella makes a wonderful sorbetto that is available at most fine
food stores, such as Gelson’s, Bristol Farms, Wegeman’s, or Whole Foods.

The most rewarding experience for me during this winter has been watching football with my young daughter. Although only 19 months old, she recognizes and can say the word “football”. Last week, we stumbled upon the Meineke Car Care Bowl between North Carolina and West Virginia, a game in which I had no legitimate interest. But the contest was so well played and so exciting, we sat and watched, cheering for players we had never heard of. As we snuggled into the couch and pulled the blanket up tighter, I was thankful for arrival of winter.

Fight On and have a great 2009,
Hans