Green Options

For most parts of the country living in four-season climates, these last weeks of October mark the final farmers’ markets of the year. For the local, seasonal food groupies, this marks a bittersweet time, reminiscent of the last days of summer camp: while we promise to see each other next year, we desperately hug each other for a long goodbye, trying to hang to the fleeting magic of summer.

So rather than

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Potluck gatherings run on a two-way street: While the hosts take care of invitations and buffet logistics, potlucks succeed when guests do their part in delivering good food. And there are perks to earning a reputation as a great potluck guest: you’ll never be lacking in potluck invites.

Here are some tips on what to do when the host says "bring a dish to pass":

• Non-cooks think fresh. Don’t panic if you’re not

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Potlucks blend the best of edible activism strategies: building community and connections, one casserole at a time. Add in that potlucks enable you to entertain without breaking the budget as everyone contributes to the meal, and you’ll see why some date the word "potluck" concept way back to the 16th century in England, where it was originally described as a meal "taking the luck of the days’ pot," offering guests whatever food

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A fresh holiday season may be around the corner, but how many of you still have candy canes lingering in your pantry from last year? Or a collection of those round red-and-white peppermints from
restaurants? Sometimes our inner squirrel can get the best of us
as we stockpile food until our pantry is so stuffed
we forget what we even have.

While stocking up and buying bulk can help both the pocketbook and
planet, having too much food

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That squirrel frantically burying acorns outside your window reflects a perspective that we all could use more of: keep your food staples stocked up and on hand. Fortunately, we’re one up on the squirrel and don’t need to bury our edibles outside — remember where we put them. We’ve evolved to the indoor kitchen pantry.

Think of your kitchen pantry — whether it’s an cabinet or deluxe walk-in closet model

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Editor’s note: We’re very happy to welcome Lisa Kivirist to the Green Options writing team! Lisa, along with husband John Ivanko, is the author of Rural Renaissance: Renewing the Quest for the Good Life (which we reviewed), and Edible Earth: Savoring the Good Life with Vegetarian Recipes from Inn Serendipity. Lisa and John own and run Inn Serendipity, a central

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