I need to do inventory for my pantry and cabinets because I think I may have stashed away more food for emergencies than I need. I plan to store info about what I have stored and expiration dates so that I will not store things for too long. Pasta does not last forever! I threw out some tostados today that were dated Aug 2020.

Rice and bean pasta keep longer than wheat pasta, however, but I need to check the dates on everything now.

I'm not sure what the new normal will be. Whatever happens, I think it will happen slowly. We're meeting friends for a BBQ on Sunday, next weekend we're invited to dinner - curfew still at 11pm so we won't be staying late. I think we're all silly excited about being able to get together again - feeling starved of company.

So, I will be thinking of feeding friends again. Ly cooking quantities have shrunk! Must get into the headspace to cook for a crowd. Happy about it but nervous. In my street we're starting to make plans for a street meal together - a sort of potluck!

Nothing new to do with cauli, but one of my favourite things is a roasted cauliflower with a nice salsa verde - lots of capers, gherkins, herbs.....

Lars, excellent point and I had thought about starting a thread about that. I’m typically not much of a food storer, so imagine my surprise when I found my cereals are approaching their best by dates. I’m going to go through ny inventory and donate foods I’m unlikely to use before their time is up. Yes I know “best by” is not a magical date that foods spoil, but still.

As for the new new normal, it feels pretty much like the original normal. Just kind of crept up on us quickly. Still some masking here and there but aside from that, doesn’t feel very pandemicky around here.

A few new normal for me is getting ready for the near future and the near future is much more than pandemic:

Food, energy, security and local transportation.

1. My garden has been an incredible help for this pandemic to reduce need for food shopping. Fast virus mutations, climate change, international travels, all makes possible for more pandemics in the near future.

2. Global internet hacking (ramsomware) is highly profitable for international criminals. Having an independent solar power and portable generator is a great help. Independent electric power will be essential as the world is going all electric cars.

3. Mass riots, destruction, looting, violence, etc, have been legitimized by some political thinking. With many policing policies changing, I feel personal safety needs to be reviewed.

Yes, I am "Chicken Little".

dcarch

Shockingly calm and content. I did not expect it. I predicted July 4th to start the baby steps back.

I think the road trip to the beach and a family visit did the jump-start re-set. I did not realize how tense we had been until being out and about, socializing with shopkeepers, fellow travelers, (masking indoors and distancing outdoors)...seeing my parents after 18months.

This past weekend, after all last summer 2020 a wave and a text, some neighbors and friends stopped by. Unexpected but perfectly normal. Without even planning i stocked some beverages, made an iced tea spa water, small batch of virgin mary's, a triple batch of humus, (i made it once all last year)...soaking chickpeas to make more for this weekend. I even smoked extra salmon and had more sides than usual, like pre-covid, so we could comfortably offer anyone a stay for dinner.

Cooking for family an entire week brought back the pre-covid kitchen dance like a bikeride. It also thinned out my pantry. I've just started restocking with some basics. Restocked some bulk herbs and spices.

Flour, lol. The 25lb bag. (or was it fifty?) All that was available at the time. We thought we would go through it but did not want that much bread so often. Pre-covid it was an every 6 weeks to two months bake. Take one into work to share, freeze half for croutons....make burger buns. Did freeze a half dozen pre-measured zip-locks but so much left in that bag. I even googled 'what to do with leftover old flour'.

Seeing some new cologne and perfume commercials, 🙄. Those people that put me into a sneezing fit on the elevator at work. The maintenace fella that reeks of baby powder...i can't shake the thought of sweaty privates.

Thankfully everywhere i've been is masking indoors.

The one nagging emotional drain that keeps resurfacing is the lack of proper memorials for those we knew that passed. One friend and neighbor, not close, yet 30yrs friendly, died of a rare form of leukemia. Covid related only because she did not get medical care when she had devastating symtoms even being in the medical field.

Your post made me laugh and feel so sad all at once. So sad that people have suffered and died because of covid yet your bit about sweaty privates made me snort...

Other than wearing a mask in the airport and on a plane, and still not being able to eat at our favorite sushi bar, life is the same as it was before Covid.

We're pretty much living the same normal we always have, being a bit Chicken Little-ish ourselves. I am doing my regular spring Chopped Challenge to clean out my freezers and pantry. We are planting a pretty good sized garden, 'cause ya just never know (and we're spoiled on the quality).

Other than a couple of weeks at the beginning, our area never shut all the way down. Lots of anti-mask people, but our numbers have been pretty low. People are using common sense even though the mask mandate has been rescinded. We have a couple of favorite restaurants we ere comfortable going to so we didn't feel deprived that way, and we actually enjoyed shopping at Costco and Trader Joe's when they would only let in a few people at a time. I hear Costco is starting up samples again, darnit.

Our new normal looks like it is dealing with a HUGE influx of people moving in, paying a fortune for properties and driving property taxes up. Our county commissioners are selling us out, allowing subdivisions with smaller and smaller parcels and soon we will not be rural, forested or agricultural. They are logging everywhere and the mills are booming trying to keep up with the demand for lumber, which has absolutely gone through the roof. The sad thing is all these people who are living their new normal are not going to be happy campers when winter comes. Or when it seems to never end, lol.

Lol, i have a sensitive nose. And a sneezing fit if i walk down a detergent isle in the grocery. Ordering on-line?...dreamy and sneeze-free. I like masking, even double. Those huggy people...i don't want to smell what you had for lunch. A very close friend a few years ago smelled like spoiled milk. It was a body butter gone wrong. I had to put a chair between us at the local pub. She did not want to waste the giant tub. I offered to buy it from her to garbage it. Or keep it for a feets moisturizer, in socks, boots.

FOAS, we have close to 70% vaccination in NY, as you know. The golden number to normal. Not all states and many countries are soo less vaccinated for many reasons. Key to normal is 70%+. I would like to see 80%. My county is tragic because of religious reason...but i'll shop if needed on Saturdays.

2020 did kick in so many new recipes, new ingredients, new raw foods experiments. Great salads. Smaller meals, but much more creative dressings making good with what is on hand. Not intended, but saved so much money when i had delivery invoices i saved for a few early months. And concious of waste....

Curried cauliflower soup! Sorta Indian. Sorta Thai. Toss some cauliflower with some garam masala and a touch of sessme oil and roast it off. Temper some spices of choice in hot mustard oil. Ginger, garlic, turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, cumin, lemongrass, galangel. Whatever you like. Add coconut milk and a couple of T of lime juice. Add half the roasted cauliflower and puree. Place the remaining roasted cauliflower in bowls and top with the soup. Garnish with cilantro, smoked paprika, lime wedge, and crispy fried coconut. I’m not a ”recipe” cook much. Incook and season to taste until I like it, and can repeat it.

Everything is still upside down. And likely to stay that way. Im ”too young” to retire, and ”too old” to go out and find a job with an employer with enough flexibility to allow me to deal with the new acute health issues facing my family. Plus the standard old chronic health issues that made me go for the flexibility of self employment in the first place.

But I’m approaching the limits of working for myself, while not serming to earn any more for the additional work. Covid has been challenging. The current renovation craze is nuts, and people are freaking ridiculous! I need less stress. More time cooking to enjoy and live, and not cold cereal or microwaved soup just to eat something.

Something has to change.

I was already on "Swedish Death Cleaning" mode before the pandemic hit. If anything, just stressing over my Dad who did not take lockdown well derailed me already dealing with a new normal as I approached retirement. I'm a planner so want to be retirement-ready long before the moment actually comes . . . but that's me.

Tough times ahead for our communities economically, environmentally and personal health wise have not taken me by surprise. That was my "normal" assumption of what would happen when I was in my 60s all along. Anyone who studies ecology is not surprised by any of this, it is exactly what you would expect. How well I am/was able to prepare can be debated. So back to it, with more urgency than ever. But I'm not a crepe hanger, resiliency breeds peace of mind and the activities can be fun. Preparing for a more decentralized future does not have to be an onerous endeavor. Nurturing and caring for the planet is very fun.

As far as the kitchen goes, my desire to cook elaborate meals has gone down to zero. My desire to eat them has ballooned though. That's a difficult juxtaposition. I have no money to order in pre-prepared food. My effort vs enjoyment calculations have dramatically shifted. They used to be balanced--I put in the effort, I enjoyed the results. Now, I loathe the effort more than ever and my desire to eat comfort foods is exploding.

I really haven't done anything different than I was before. I grocery shop and that's about it. I'm not one to shop for clothes or shop just for fun, I despise clothes shopping.

I'm scheduled for my 2nd vacc the end of July. I'm going to keep wearing my mask even after that, as a precaution.

We were under lockdown for a couple of months, gradually opening up tomorrow. Restaurant patios only, no dine-in, and most, not all stores open to in-person shopping (limited # of customers).

Smells......I hate the stench of dryer sheets, laundry detergent, heavy perfumes etc. I'm so mad that the store put their pet food in the same aisle as the laundry.....my eyes burn and I hold my breath and nose, walking down it.

I have always kept plenty of provisions on hand. I learned from myparents who lived through the Great Depression. When COVID hit, I opted for online food shopping other than a few trips to the tiny local grocery store and local farms, I am planning on continuing these practices as opposed to going to the large grocery store.

I used to love to dine out. I still enjoy it but have lost a lot of my enthusiasm. Once amonth will be more than sufficient for me now.

My family, friends and I have always been adventurous travelling, attending concerts and events and trying new activities but I find we are all curtailing those things in favor of gathering at our homes. There are a couple concerts I would love to go to this summer but I am reluctant to purchase tickets. That makes me sad.

The bonus is we are spending more time with our family and friends without distractions. It has allowed us to reconnect on a level we haven't seen in years. This to me is priceless.

make a grocery run three days weekly rather than daily. Eat out much less; make everything at home for much cheaper. When i want to be waited on, we go out. go out about once every two weeks, rather than 2-3 times weekly. Buy less booze [but am down to 5 bottles of whiskey now].

My new, is pretty normal. I spent the pandemic splitting time between two clients. One, a telecommunications company that remained open, but allowed those who chose to, to work from home. I serve as their CFO, two days a week, and as my team needed to come in to complete essential functions, I chose to come in to support them. As a leader, I don't believe in requiring something, that I am not also willing to do. The other client, a tech company, went completely work from home. In both cases, the employees that isolated themselves, not leaving home for months on end, are having a harder time transitioning.

I never stopped shopping in person, so my shopping habits haven't really changed. I do cook more, and that's a good thing that I don't want to change. I love having a stocked pantry and a freezer full of meat. I won't change that either. We were out of the country at the start of the pandemic and came home to minimal food in the pantry/freezer and empty store shelves. I won't make that mistake again.

I do miss traveling, and am looking forward to the end of the mask mandates.

Interesting question. I am glad to be getting out again, and getting to have lunch with friends. Having face-to-face contact is what I missed most. I did do my grocery shopping in-person, but find that I have gotten quite use to doing a lot of my other shopping online. (Remember when "Let your fingers do the walking" use to mean using the yellow pages instead of your computer keyboard.?)

I have found that I am quite reluctant to go on the semi-planned vacation with family in July. Don't really know why; I guess that I know things won't be entirely 'normal' and am wondering what necessities won't be available as we travel. And then there are the people who refuse to be vacinated and insist on running around un-masked. I feel rather safe here in my own community, but elsewhere? Not so sure.

Kate

Interesting question. I have been wondering about the same thing myself.

I am exceedingly happy to see other people. I am likely to decide I need to give, bring or tell someone something and want to do it right now in person.

On the the other hand I am finding it difficult to navigate a middle of the road new set of rules for myself. I need to come up with a semi-rational set of guidelines for myself. I find that I am too affected by what others are doing.

I don’t know about where you are but in Maine 8 fully vaccinated people have died of Covid. I need to be proactive so I don’t bring anything to any medically vulnerable friends or family.

As far as food - I am still in scarcity mode. So I am a bit inclined to overstock still. Plus I ended pandemic season with a lingering stomach issue. Yesterday I was running around doing errands and grabbed food on the go without much thought. So I am in the midst of self inflicted digestive distress tonight. Hopefully it will be enough to keep me in cautious eating mode for awhile.

Related to D’arch and political instability...

Maine is an interesting if concerning case right now. A ton of people from ’away’ have bought homes in the last year. Further inland away from the housing hotspots by the coast. Driving the prices of houses and building up by huge percentages. Some for Air BnBs and the like which is very destabilizing for the local people to find affordable housing. Others for primary residences - but are again pricing out locals.

Now I cannot quite express how strong the differentiation between who is local and who is from away is here. I was born and raised here to parents from away and don’t quite count as local. There is deep resentment of outsiders wanting to change things.

Meanwhile we are an older state with many industries desparate for workers. And are one of the least ethnically diverse states. And clearly need immigration to take up some of the chasm in needed workers for various industries.

agmss15: Could you fast food issue be because of gall bladder removal? You don't need to reveal your medical history here. I am not trying to ask that! It is common though for no gall bladder people, like myself, to have fast food not agree with them.

Elizabeth - I haven’t had my gallbladder removed. My pancreas is not doing it’s job quite as well it should.

@Agmss15, you remind me of a story Noel Stookey told, after he moved to Maine, a long time ago, it's probably an old joke you're familiar with, but very illustrative of what you were taking about. ;) He said he observed this exchange at the general store. A visibly pregnant young woman gushed to the shopkeeper that she was excited to be giving birth in Maine because her child would be a ”real down easter”. One older woman in earshot told another, ”Well... A cat can crawl in the oven to have her kittens. Doesn't make ’em muffins!”

@plllog

I remember a local obituary from my childhood. Someone in town was from ’away’. He died at a ripe old age after moving to town as a child. He had been born about 15 miles away in the next town up the river.

Today I went to the farmers' market for the first time in fifteen months. It's not really a farmers' market, just a bare-bones cement building with stands that sell one sort of food. The family with the produce stand, my favorite poultry man, and the Italian deli people have all been great about bringing orders to our car. But I've been wanting to choose the food myself, and see the people.

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you're in your house, but it has an extra floor, or a porch it doesn't have? I opened the door of the market, and there was music playing, tiny lights twinkling, and a second level above us, with café tables visible through an iron railing. Fifteen months is a long time..... Maybe it was a fairlyland market.

I thanked the people who'd been so great about bringing orders out to our car, and told them I was glad to see them.

This is totally OT so forgive me, but miss ya CC!! I was just thinking about you the other day, and our shopping adventures . . . wondering if I'd ever have adventures like that again . . .

Lpink, I miss you too, and our other forum friends. I haven't posted much lately, but I always read your food adventures. Like you, I have lots of old sentimental dishes I'd like to use more. Time to think about entertaining.

I don't post much either, because as my previous post outlines, issues outside the kitchen have taken over my life. New yard and home and definitely not under control in either realm. So I just try and keep the kitchen simple and clean, with as little prep stuff in there as possible. Meals have gotten much simpler too. Money is tight so no eating out or splurging on quality food items made or harvested by others--no artisan baked goods, unique deli made salads, out of season produce, fun little Thai restaurant jaunts, lunch with a girlfriend at the coffee shop, wine tastings, etc. That's my "new normal" but it's not related to the pandemic. I do miss having cool friends nearby to hang with . . . I have all the home entertainment accoutrements but no one to have over . . . that was a kind of "new normal" I was fighting against even before the pandemic. Now my roster of folks to entertain has grown even smaller . . .

Seems to be 70% at least partially vaxxed here. I wear a mask at supermarkets and big box places. Or if I were to sit for awhile with strangers in any theater/public transit place - haven't done any of the latter for well over a year now.

I just went to an outdoors family celebration, but I knew that distancing wouldn't be possible, and that there would be people I don't know there. I put on a sparkly "party mask" and did the air hugs. When I was in college, I stopped to see friends on my way back from a weekend home. One of them gave me a big hug and kiss--and a really bad virus and intractable secondary infection. I actually felt it developing as I drove, and it was late at night, so there was no help to be had on the way. UGH! Masks are good. Better for keeping viruses in than out, but still good. :)

Pllog, your story and similar globally is beyond valid. Educated, paying attention to basic science, it is clear that viruses are airborne. Surfaces sure but minor.

I avoided a nasty virus summer 2019. For two months. A weekend of rest at home, no contact with anyone....monday morning i felt it. Must have let my guard down the previous friday...i was pissed. Gen Y, tick-tockers, are careless, many roomates, party late, take public trasportation...and always sick. Nothing this past year. Double masking for the GenY or no work. No flu, no seasonal colds. DH always gets a vocal loss every year for the past 30. Nothing this year due to masking.

We are 70% vaccinated in NYC now. Fortunately 95%, even vaccinated, are still masking indoors shopping and will continue. Let this be the new norm. Not an issue.

Any virus or flu or the 'common' cold is not at all fun. Often miserable. Secondary ear infections, etc. and pneumonia with horrid complications.

My recent family visit i excluded my vaccination hesitant sister. Did not want to see her but she did show up one day. Masked and distant but then found a moment to get in my face at my mother's sink with her glass of wine...(she does not cook)...right in my kitchen triangle. No mask.

Elders, even vaccinated, can get a covid flu that may not be recoverable. Irresponsible.

I hopped on my hog tractor last weekend for the first time and always reach for my seatbelt, 😂...Just a natrual response to what is safe.

Sure risk is around every corner. A co-worker just had his leg amputated just above the knee due to a motorcycle accident...another is in the hospital with 8 broken ribs and a broken clavakal(sp)...sholder blade. Bicycle race.

A simple comfortable mask is a no brainer.

We cleaned out the freezer section of our refrigerator in L.A. last week-end, mainly because I wanted space for ice trays, and I moved a lot of stuff (flours, nuts, etc) to the refrigerator in the garage, as I felt that I did not need to take up limited storage space in the freezer drawer (which I really do not like) with flour and nuts. I'll try to use up the flours and nuts, and that should happen anyway.

I created so much space in the freezer drawer that now I am able to buy some more frozen vegetables, especially since I used some this week. I'm going to make a point of not buying anything unless I am sure that I am out, and I am going to try to keep better inventory of my freezer and pantry. My pantry is always full, but not overflowing, but it does not need to be as full as I have been keeping it.

Up until now, I have kept so many diverse food items on hand that I could on a whim whip up a meal with Japanese, Thai, Indian, Mexican, Italian, Lebanese/Middle Eastern), etc flavors, and I don't think I need to keep that many options on hand at all times. I definitely want to cut back on how much pasta I store, as I frequently make fresh pasta anyway.

My "new" is to downsize, and I am still in the process of doing this. I'm having to do the same with my gardening.

Other than masks whenever I went out in public and vaccination the moment it was available, my life never changed much.

I have always disliked going out to eat and never could sit through a movie or concert, and groups of people just make me antsy. My garden is the same big garden I've always had and I live in a very rural area where I just don't see that many people. Even my Township Board consists of 5 people and every meeting we sat at opposite corners of the room. The exception was running elections, when I saw hundreds of people but 99% of them were masked and came in, voted and left.

I am enjoying having family dinners again, and everyone getting together for holidays and things like The Princess' graduation open house which will be in August.

Here about half the residents are vaccinated and the other half aren't going to do it no matter what. The mask mandate for fully vaccinated people has been lifted, but about half the people at the grocery store still are wearing masks. I continue to wear mine because I don't want to bring anything home to Mother and the norovirus has been going around here. I don't want to give her a cold, the flue, another virus, so I wear my mask whenever I go out in public. Mother hates the masks and at her stage of dementia doesn't understand why we're wearing them, so she won't wear one. I'm hoping my caution will help make up for her lack of comprehension.

Because I raise chickens for slaughter, grassfed beef and have a big garden, plus fruit trees, my shopping is pretty much limited to dairy products and cleaning/paper products. I do my Mother's shopping weekly and do my own at the same time, as I have been doing for the past couple of years.

Annie