Sharran has written a lovely article on root cellars:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1822/#discuss
I thought it would be fun to design/share some winter menus using those foods that could be stored in a cellar/root cellar or produced locally in our individual areas. Imported spices like cinnamon, cloves etc are allowed as folks have traded in these for hundreds of years and they will keep well.
You don't actually need to have a food cellar to participate. It's the concept that counts. If you had to rely on foods stored in your cellar and foods produced/grown locally to feed your family over the winter, what would your menus look like? What recipes would you use?
Here is an extract from Sharran's article to get us started on ingredients. These will vary by region of course.
Here is a short list of foods that can be kept for several months in a root cellar:
Apples, beets, brussels sprouts, chinese cabbage, carrots, horseradish, onions, parsnips, sweet potatoes (cured), white potatoes, pumpkins (with stems), rutabagas, squash, turnips, and possibly late planted tomatoes for a short time.
If you have access to a root cellar, of if you plan to make one for your winter food storage, it would be best if you familiarized yourself with the longevity of each vegetable's storage. Those with high water content, particularly the green leafed vegetables, have shorter life spans.
Would anyone care to play along?