This winter has sucked big time! At times it has felt like a gastronomic Apollo 13. Numerous launches have been scuttled due to harsh atmospheric conditions. Rocketeers admit to hesitation in braving the cold and venturing out for a visit. Keeping gastronauts warm inside the rocket has been challenging. Supply lines have been interrupted. Soda has frozen. Ice has penetrated door locks. The engine has groaned and hissed in resentment. On and on and on . . . we all know the personality traits of the mean season. It is quite tempting to simply close the service window and hunker down until Spring. Gastronauts, though, are not easily deterred. In fact, we are chosen for our grit. Even now, here at Mission Control, the crew is developing a Winter Menu more suited to the current conditions and limitations.

Factors upon this menu include the availability of quality local produce. It kills us to purchase tomatoes or greens bearing labels that say “product of Mexico, or Chile, or Guatemala”. In fact, produce with labels on it is one of our pet peeves. It just seems strange, as though some conveyor belt from a lab deep in the bowels of the earth delivers genetic freaks all polished and barcoded. The quality (in terms of flavor) is suspect, it is often quite costly, it doesn’t make any sense, and we are not proud to serve it. So we’re not doing it! Until flavorful, label-free, local produce appears, there shall be no fresh tomatoes or greens on board.

Now stop your crying. This in no way means that yummy food has been banished. There will just be more emphasis on things like Mac and Cheese, freshly prepared Donuts, Burgers that are still made with naturally raised angus beef (no hormones, no antibiotics, vegetarian diet), warming Grilled Cheese Sandwiches made with Collinsville Baking Company bread, hearty Soups, etc. In fact, we wager that a typical New Englander could survive the harshest winter eating nothing more than Mac and Cheese (made with Vermont Cheddar) and fresh Donuts. So there, take that Old Man Winter . . . and don’t let the door hit you on the ass come March 20th!

See you Thursday at Oddo’s.