The International Herald Tribune reports today that the Stock Market continues to slide. Help is NOT on the way, here, any more than it was when the bridge in Minneapolis hadn’t collapsed yet or the World Trade Center towers still stood tall in the New York autumn skyline.
If you still can, start a garden — even if it’s a few herbs in a hanging pot in a south-facing window.
If you still can, put aside some staple goods — paper goods, oatmeal, beans and rice, non-refrigerated chicken or tuna, peanut butter, jelly, dried fruits and vegetables.
And if you’re thinking about dieting, go in for exercise instead. If you can walk a quarter-mile to catch a bus, and from the bus to your destination, instead of driving, that’s one trip you can make without having to spend $3 for gasoline.
I am not speaking of becoming stingy. I am speaking of making better choices. That walk, repeated five times a week, will build muscle, reduce fat, lower cholesterol, and keep a vehicle off the road — all good things.
If you can’t walk or bus or bike, carpool. Fewer strangers in the world often means more allies.
And in case you ever need it, here’s a recipe for Depression Cake.
You’ll note it uses little that needs refrigeration, and calls for no dairy ingredients at all:
INGREDIENTS
* 2 cups packed brown sugar
* 2 cups hot water
* 2 tablespoons shortening
* 2 cups raisins
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar, hot water, shortening, and raisins, over medium heat. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Add the ingredients from the saucepan and mix until well blended. Divide evenly between the two prepared pans.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool in pans for 10 minutes
Seeing that milk approaches $4 per gallon in my local supermarket, and eggs are now $2 per dozen, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to return to recipes like this one.
Oh — and if you run a cafe or grocery or bodega or farmer’s market stand, think about contributing unsold goods to Second Harvest, PLEASE.