We haven’t had a good old-fashioned 1970s-style snowstorm in a while. But as any native Staten Islander who remembers “back in the day” will tell you, the second the forecast even whispers the word “accumulation,” we start stocking up like this isn’t the greatest city on earth where you can get anything at any time. And yes—we’ve all learned a few things from the toilet‑paper hoarders of the 2020 era.
That said, and coming from someone who loves restaurants (and the hardworking folks behind those counters), I hope you stop in after the storm, too. Selling out before a blizzard is great; dealing with leftovers afterward is not.
So here’s your snow‑day survival guide—what to buy before the flakes fall, what to cook when you’re trapped inside with your nearest and dearest, and how to deal with the refrigerator full of things you panic‑purchased at 10 p.m. The approach breaks down easily into three phases: buying versatile ingredients before the storm, cooking efficiently while the flakes are falling and using up every bit of what’s left once the sun comes out. The trick is to stock up on things that pull double duty and won’t wilt in the fridge the second the plows roll by.
Smart storm shopping starts with ingredients that last: a forgiving butternut squash, versatile beans, shelf‑stable milks and a ball of prepared pizza dough ready to become dinner in a dozen ways.(Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)Before the storm
Think in terms of longevity. A butternut squash will sit sweetly on the counter for a few days—or in your crisper for many weeks—and can start as a soup before turning into a roasted side, pasta ingredient or taco filling later on.
Beans are your storm‑day workhorse, good for chili, warm salads, dips, toast toppings and even breakfast. Shelf‑stable milks last far longer than fresh dairy and still behave beautifully in coffee, sauces and baking projects/experiments.
Prepared pizza dough solves a lot of conundrums for sides and mains: calzones, garlic knots and flatbreads. It also makes a great base for a wilted‑arugula salad right out of the oven.
Butternut squash soup in a jiffy: chop, roast, season with salt and pepper, then cool. Blend it with chicken stock and maybe a little cream, then you’re done.Pamela SilvestriDuring the storm
NYC requires property owners to clear a four-foot-wide sidewalk path after a storm. If the snow stops between 7 a.m. and 4:59 p.m., they must clear within four hours; between 5 p.m. and 8:59 p.m., within 14 hours; and if it stops overnight, by 11 a.m. They must also clear hydrants and curb cuts, use sand or salt on hard ice, avoid pushing snow into the street and face fines of $100 to $350 for violations.
OK, so while that’s happening: once the storm settles in, your job shifts from stocking up to cooking cleverly. Eggs become the anchor of omelets, scrambles and breakfast bowls that use up cheese ends, leftover deli meats and vegetables that need attention.
Stale bread can be reborn as bread pudding—sweet or savory—with the help of milk and eggs. An Italian giambotta stew turns almost anything into dinner: beans, greens, scraps of meat, olives, capers and a bit of tomato sauce. And a frittata will always save you when you’ve got vegetables nearing retirement, small amounts of cheese and herbs that once had big dreams.
Bread pudding is one of the sweetest ways to use up all that storm‑day bread, milk and eggs. This wa baked in a muffin pan and served with crème anglaise—a simple sauce you can make at home by gently cooking egg yolks, sugar and warm milk or cream until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.Pamela SilvestriAfter the storm
Once the storm passes, the mission becomes avoiding waste. Bread should be sliced and frozen for easy toasting later. Leftover meats and vegetables transform effortlessly into quesadillas, rice bowls, baked-egg dishes, pasta tosses and sandwich melts. And no cheese should ever be left behind—it melts beautifully into macaroni and cheese, gratins, casseroles and the next day’s breakfast.
The final step? Once you’ve cooked through your storm stash, head out to your neighborhood restaurants. They’re dealing with their own version of post‑blizzard fridge management, and a visit helps them turn their supplies into something delicious instead of something destined for the dumpster.
And now, after the shoveling and mulling over all these great ideas, take a walk to your local bar or restaurant and treat yourself to a drink and some good, fellow‑human conversation.
And now, after the shoveling and all the mulling over these great ideas, take a walk to your local bar or restaurant and treat yourself to a drink and some good fellow‑human conversation. This is from Sally’s in West Brighton.Shane DiMaio