Have you checked the figures lately? Aside from the profile in the mirror, maybe the more urgent matter is the grocery bill. The e-mail lands here in the cookery, The New York Times lands on my sidewalk but ends up here, and the snail mail gets opened and digested here. Within 24 hours, I opened and reviewed a tempting credit card offer that promised “no worries,” and a newspaper article relative to the high costs of stocking the pantry. No worries? Maybe elsewhere. Surging costs? I wouldn’t exactly say “surging” at the moment but on the rise. I’ve been watching the numbers close to home. Worrying gets me nowhere. But checking prices pays off. Have you noticed an increase in your favorite foods? Any worries?

Chowder for the Wolf at the Door
When 10 pounds of potatoes and a couple dozen ears of corn show up unannounced, welcome them home to the chowder pot. After transforming our