I have come to realize that although the diet we follow is called a "traditional" food diet, there is always going to be new theories, discoveries, and information. I just read on a blog I follow that agave syrup is not a good sweetner as it is akin to high fructose corn syrup in its production. I realize this was not a sweetner hailed in Nourishing Traditions or by housewives of generations ago, however it is highly regarded in my health food store and the packaging gives me all the right prodding to purchase the syrup as I would maple syrup or honey. But... I suppose I won't anymore. It is cheaper than honey and maple syrup but I think it is one of those fads that will come and go like so many food choices. Back to the foods that my great grandmother would actually recognize!

In other news, I have a few to-do projects on my list this week, including rendering pork leaf lard! I saw a post on this recently and have been looking for lard for a couple of months now. I finally found some at a Farmer's Market and am looking forward to trying it. I just hope I don't burn it and end up with bacon smelling cooking fat.

Also, my sister-in-law gave me two shopping bags of cut rhubarb. We love rhubarb but I have always added a lot of sugar to it to sweeten and use in pies, custards, compotes. This Spring I am on a hunt for a delicious more natural option for our love of rhubarb. If anyone has some suggestions, I'd love to hear them...