What do gardeners do when they can't garden?

When gardeners can't garden they cook. Nothing on TV but foot/basketball and old movies, so that leaves the kitchen to keep us winter gardeners amused. Even then it's been nothing too amibitious. The last of the northern spys were made into apple sauce. They normally would keep much longer and much better, but they were not in best shape when picked and it shortened their useful life. They were browning up rather quickly, so a bit of ascorbic acid helped lighten the color. Having gotten our usual Christmas present from OK friends, pecans, a new cookie recipe, pecan bars dipped in bourbon chocolate. What's not to like? Keep those pecans coming! A recent visit to an Indian grocery has left us with a lot of very nice spices and things, so a spicy beef buffad is planned for dinner, and it always tastes best when simmered slowly. Maybe a shredded carrot salad on the side will round things out.  While working in the kitchen, at least one cat remains under foot until its kibble titer is sufficiently raised to get her out of the way at least until closer to their dinner time.