Things I Am Thankful For #3

I hate the cold.

I am convinced that I am cold blooded. I seek heat like a lizard. I love getting into a car that baked in the sun (with limitations! it’s nice up until about June). I will drink my tea hot until early June. I keep the blanket on my bed until late spring.

Needless to say, I am thriving in Hawaii. It is November and it’s 75 degrees! This is my ideal climate. I can hardly believe it’s already November–not because the time passed by particularly fast, but because I feel like I am in eternal summer.

So I am thankful for warm weather. Very, very thankful. I really don’t like the cold.

But that isn’t to say there aren’t certain things I miss about the change of seasons. Like foliage.

Medfield, MA 2006

Krakow, Poland 2008

And admittedly, I think I will miss the snow. Just a little.

Brussels, 2009

But despite the consistent summer ambiance in Hawaii, I have still been enjoying the foods of autumn with gusto. Kabocha squash. Pumpkin puree. Butternut squash. Dried fruit.

I have also been craving autumn meals, like stews and chilis. So yesterday, when there was a slight chill in the air (and by chill I mean just a little below 70 degrees) and a scattering of raindrops, I wanted nothing more than a nice vegetable stew. On a whim I sauteed garlic and onion, then added cubed butternut squash, white sweet potatoes, and carrots. Once they were cooked, I added vegetable broth, green beans, and several spoonfuls of tomato paste. It was missing a certain something once cooked, so I added hot sauce and herbs. Perfect.

Soup craving satiated.

I also had a slice of bread with a little cheddar cheese broiled on top and Pop Chips. I received Pop Chips samples some time ago, and this is my first taste. I am not a big fan of potato chips, but it’s usually the grease that turns me off. Not to say that I don’t indulge in other ways, but fried foods just don’t appeal to me. I usually enjoy salty/sweet combos more than just plain salty. Plus, if ever given the option, I would much rather have a sweet potato than a regular potato. However I loved the Pop Chips! They taste just like regular potato chips, and I did enjoy them more knowing there wasn’t tons of grease. Baked potato chips are not the same, while they are enjoyable in their own right, they do not really taste like potato chips. The salt and vinegar flavor worked for my comfort meal–my mom often douses her french fries in malt vinegar, a habit she picked up while studying abroad in England. Hot soup, cheesy toast, and chips that remind me of my mother and made me think of her embrace. Perfect comfort for a chilly 70 degree day.

What’s your ideal climate? Do you thrive in the heat or cold?