No way around it. We choose to live here. We get to freeze in January while all the other folks in southern states get off easy.

The human spirit shows great resiliency despite adversity and its response to weather is no exception. Take ice fishing, for example. What person in their right mind would sit out on a cold, frozen lake in a little hut trying to pull fish up out of icy water through an 8 inch hole?

You’d be surprised.

We all deal with the cold in different ways. Some people seem to be oblivious to it, like the sleek spandex clad woman on her training run crossing the street in the crosswalk at 6am this morning. I seem to recall the bank thermometer reading 4 degrees. I enjoy running, but I have my limits.

Others hunker down and don’t venture out. Most complain and a few keep a good attitude. But all of us seem to forget how miserable it was as soon as the mercury reaches back up to 40.

Whatever your strategy, make a stop at bread&cup part of your winter defense. Not much can beat the frigid air like a hot bowl of soup with fresh bread. We have some excellent ales that will spark the kindling within. Try our true Trappist-brewed Achel some evening or the Ridgeway Foreign Import Stout. These two may not make spring come any faster, but they will sure help get your mind off the cold for a few hours.

Our current soup list is:

• Monday- Curried Tomato & Peanut (Vg,GF)
  Beef Stew
• Tuesday – Pork & Green Chili
  Spiced Lentil (Vn,GF)
• Wednesday – Chicken & Sage Dumpling
  White Bean & Tomatillo Salsa (Vg,GF)
• Thursday – French Onion
  Smoky Tomato (Vn,GF)
• Friday – Black Bean & Lime Salsa (Vn, GF)
  Beef & Red Chili
• Saturday – Curried Tomato & Peanut (Vg, GF)

Vg = vegetarian friendly (may contain honey)

Vn = vegan friendly

GF = gluten-free