Sunday, January 20, 2013

Pre-game Preparations


After a midweek visit to the river to make sure the trolls don’t show up on Saturday, I headed to the grocery store. After the debacle of the cheese platter, I needed to find a different option.

As I wondered the aisles I kept going over the dishes brought by my guests in the past; some grotesque some hearty, others delicate, but always food directly from the earth. Living in modern America we sometimes forget that to live close to the earth ultimately puts a different kind of fare in our mouths. Not that I’m a health nut, but I grew up with a garden. Besides it’s not like they could run down to the Pick ‘n Save for a frozen pizza.

Still it is a party. I head to the produce section. Now, what would the trolls find to be a treat? It has to be something that grows naturally in the area so the bananas are definitely out. Hmm, I know! Apples are sweet, crunchy and a treat for anyone. I swoop up a few granny smiths, some red delicious, and a few honey crisp. Pausing to admire the apple growers who over the centuries have cross-bred an amazing variety of tastes, textures and colors of the humble apple I head deeper into the store.

I’m on a roll now. I steer the cart straight to the baking section where I pick up 3 bags of walnut halves.  I remember seeing a small grove of walnut trees along the edge of the village on one of my earlier visits. Oh, I pick up a few packs of hotdogs just to be sure, but I’m think I’m on to something this time.

Excited now, I head home to set up. I don’t know what the weather is like where you live, but it is bitterly cold today. Single digits with a light breeze even though the sun shines that’s damn cold for those of you who live in warmer climates. I turn on the heat and head inside.

I toss the hotdogs in a roaster and dump one bag of walnuts into the beautiful pot given to me by Leaf just last week. As soon as the garage warms to above freezing I’ll set the apples out. I can’t wait to see their faces.

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