Found this to be a fascinating read.
New York Times: Need a Big Mac Out on the Tundra? There’s an App (and a Plane) for That
It also reminded me that I’m privileged to live in a place where it’s no trouble to source almost any type of food within a short drive.
I had much the same reactions, @tomatotomato - fascination and awareness of privilege for all I have easy access to.
I’ve an old friend who lives in a remote village north of the Arctic Circle: he’s talked before about the excitement in the community when a supply flight is coming in and how people gather for the offloading and distribution.
I don’t know that I have the capability to live so remote - I’ve become too accustomed to urban/suburban life. In my younger days, though, I did live in the High Country where it was a couple hour’s drive to get to real supermarkets and such. I don’t think I could do that now.
I made the mistake of reading some of the comments (I know, one should never read the comments, but I only remember that after I’ve started sigh). The lack of reading comprehension expressed by some, and the judgmental decrees from others, was discomforting. Humanity, eh?
I really enjoyed reading that, thanks @tomatotomato! Also, thanks @ElsieDee, I made sure to skip the comments.
It’s interesting what you say about privilege and access to ingredients. I spent all my life pre-pandemic living in urban areas with access to all kinds of food and ingredients. The last two years I have spent mostly in the Maine woods with access to good cheese and pastured meats (and in season, local produce) but little access to many ethnic pantry items or, for most of the year, non-mainstream produce (lots of cabbage, carrots and potatoes). There are no good Asian, Indian or many other types of ethnic restaurants here. I have learned to cook some things I miss, I sometimes drive an hour and a half south to Portland to shop or go to restaurants and I mail order (via Goldbelly and others) things that are otherwise inaccessible. For me, it has turned out to be a really good trade-off - but then, it is my choice and I am in a position to pay delivery fees. It is tough to imagine my situation x roughly 100 out on the tundra.
(If that Alaska outback lifestyle is as fascinating to you as it is to me you might enjoy Dana Stabenow’s two murder mystery series set in Alaska which I found alternately fascinating and completely whacky.)
