Out with the cold. In with a portable heater and kimchi

As you know, most homes in Mexico don't have central air or heating. That means finding natural ways to adapt. In the summer, it's wearing as little clothing as we can get away with and sitting near the fan; in the winter, it's drinking lots of hot drinks and wearing heavy jackets and hats in the house. While it's not quite winter yet here, it sure does feel like it at night. Last week it got down to 1˚C!

We'd been holding out for some time, grinning and bearing the cold like everyone else, but this weekend, we caved and purchased a portable heater for the living room. Many others had the same idea, and the heater aisle at Home Depot was buzzing with people out buying their first heater. I felt very guilt for putting it in the cart, as the eco-nut in me was resisting the purchase. But now that it's in the house, we vow to only use it on unbearably cold nights when our fingers can't move and we can't sleep. On the other days, we'll keep adapting naturally.

FYI, one of the upsides to having cold temperatures like this is that, if you're into kimchi (the Korean fermented spicy cabbage), 2-7˚C is the perfect temperature to achieve and maintain a delicious kimchi. Instead of storing it underground like they do in Korea, all I'll need to do is set it out on the counter and let the cold weather do its magic. If you want a good recipe, click here.