An email from a reader yields some interesting links about what kinds of things could start to disappear if the dollar decline turns into a full out rout later in the year.,...some good things to think about in here:
Thought you might like to look at this. This is a list of the 100 things that disappeared first in Sarajevo during the war.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4508 It's mirrored for the most part here:
http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm This might be a very useful Christmas shopping list for folks. Just trying to chip in here.
http://www.friends-partners.org/bosnia/surcook.html Has very basic recipes from Sarajevo.
Sites main page:
http://www.friends-partners.org/bosnia/surintro.html The recipes looked rather relevant to coming events...
And another cooking tip:
"I have a quick energy saving tip. When cooking grains (or beans) soaking them first reduces the cooking time and saves fuel. Actually, if you put rice in boiling water, put a lid on it, turn off the burner and let it sit, then the rice will absorb most of the water. So then you turn the burner on for another few minutes to finish the cooking til all the water is gone. That way the burner is not on the whole time. It takes a little longer maybe but you can start the rice, leave the house and come back later to finish it. I am using short grain brown rice here. Barley and whole oats would be similar and millet and quinoa cook fast anyway. If you have a wood stove with a flat surface a whole meal can be cooked there anytime - I did that for years."