Every Christmas I'm always found asking my Grandma, "when are you making Kouka and can I help?" Its about the only tradition we have left in our house. Every Christmas morning, everyone gets up, works on the puzzle upstairs for a while (another year-round tradition in our house) grabs something to drink and a piece of Kouka, and heads downstairs to open presents. Kouka is a sort of German pastry with prunes or apricots, cottage cheese and cream cheese. Sounds strange, the prunes and apricots, but it's my favorite pastry of all time, and a tradition I plan on keeping up in my house. My Grandmother has the original recipe somewhere in the house... she thinks. She's spent so many years experimenting with the recipe, which she learned years ago, so the original ingredients and preparation has been warped. I invite you to try this recipe below, which is the one my Grandmother wrote herself using "modern-day" products as she likes to say. It is too funny not to post the original.
Ingredients:
1 box Pillsbury Specialty Hot Roll Mix
1 large package of prunes, pitted preferred
1 package of dried apricots
1 quart of small curd cottage cheese
3-4 oz cream cheese, (6-8 oz is richer!)
1/3 cup sour cream or yogurt
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3 tablespoons flour
Cinnamon
5 pie pans 8 or 9 inch in size
Directions:
1. Steam prunes and apricots separately and cool. Bring eggs and cream cheese to room temperature.
2. Make roll mix dough per instructions on box. Watch temperature of water so that you don't kill the yeast! I have often just spooned the dough in the mixing bowl for 5 minutes- using a bread mixer is easier. While dough is raising, proceed with pans and topping mix.
3. Oil pans and set oven to 350 degrees.
4. To make the cheese topping- beat 2 eggs and mix with softened cream cheese. Add cottage cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup sour cream or yogurt, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. almond extract and 3 tablespoons of flour.
5. Cover raised dough in oiled pans, then spread dried fruit halves (each on their own pan, not together) over the dough. Add about 1 cut cheese topping on each pie (more if they're 9") Sprinkle the tops generously with cinnamon and sugar.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, test by cutting pie in half and checking that dough is baked through - it should be lightly browned on the edges and top.
6. Let cool 10 minutes or so in pan, then remove to cooking rack. After 30 minutes or so transfer to brown paper. Cool thoroughly before storing. Sprinkle more cinnamon and sugar on top if desired. Eat withing the week. ENJOY!
She even wrote a little history of where she got this recipe from, when she was living in North Dakota:
"A couple Bakeries in ND make and sell Kouka year around, or only at Christmas and Easter. 40% of the population of ND are descendants of Germans immigrating out of Russia."
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Mother knows best...
What’s my favorite recipe? That’s a tough question. Considering my culinary skills are lacking, I still have a few I enjoy cooking. Ribs, fried chicken, pasta, all delicious choices, all I have cooked and enjoyed on many an occasion. However the one recipe, my favorite recipe, is a dish I have never prepared on my own. A meal so delectable I refuse to make on my own because of the possibility of ruining it.
My mother is my best friend, my hero, and my favorite cook. She is the preparer of my favorite meal, taco casserole. The meal consists of soft taco shells, tortilla chips, beans, ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, cheese, and topped with a little hot sauce. While living at home my mother would make this masterpiece every couple of weeks, though it felt like months between enjoy this delight. Now that I have moved away since attending Western, approximately two and half hours from my hometown of Bremerton, Washington, I am unable to enjoy it quite as often. When I get home every few months though, there is nothing like walking in to my childhood home with the scent of taco casserole in the air!
Basic name and basic ingredients but combined with proper cooking and enough love, it creates my favorite dish. As the old saying goes, mother knows best, food not being excluded.
My mother is my best friend, my hero, and my favorite cook. She is the preparer of my favorite meal, taco casserole. The meal consists of soft taco shells, tortilla chips, beans, ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, cheese, and topped with a little hot sauce. While living at home my mother would make this masterpiece every couple of weeks, though it felt like months between enjoy this delight. Now that I have moved away since attending Western, approximately two and half hours from my hometown of Bremerton, Washington, I am unable to enjoy it quite as often. When I get home every few months though, there is nothing like walking in to my childhood home with the scent of taco casserole in the air!
Basic name and basic ingredients but combined with proper cooking and enough love, it creates my favorite dish. As the old saying goes, mother knows best, food not being excluded.
Monday, May 24, 2010
The Reliability Characteristic
I've always been concerned about the reliability of websites, especially considering anyone can access it. I found it interesting looking at each of the three links and comparing and contrasting their content. The first of the three, the Monsanto site, is a company whose sites purpose is to inform workers and consumers of their products and convince its readers that Biotechnology is a benefit. Their site is easy to navigate, and has a great form to contact different departments, for different reasons from job opportunities to customer or student inquiries. It was updated this year, thus has reliable information, but considering their bias is for Biotechnology with hardly, if any, information of its faults, it made me a little weary.
The second of the three links was the one that I considered most reliable and authoritative mainly because the author, Theresa Phillips who is a Ph.D. is non-biased and her purpose is to inform about the controversies and facts surrounding GMO’s to any readers, in this case most likely students considering her article is on a learning site with specific links for teachers and students. The article is easy to read and was published in 2008 so has relatively fresh information, however there is no direct way to contact the author, but the site does have an "ask an expert" box.
The third link I disliked the most. The site seemed more difficult to navigate to me, no distinct author or corporation, and their audience seems to be "Texas and beyond," so anyone who runs into their site in other words. It was updated this year, and does have a decent contact form (to who it is unsure), so seems to have informative information, but the fact that it is biased again does not give the whole picture of the debate on GMOs.
I think there is some good to GMOs, but it makes me nervous that they are not labeled on packaging. I would like to be informed about what I am consuming, and if it is something I don't want in my body, I should know before I ingest it.
Haugen, David, and Susan Musser, (eds.). Genetic engineering. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print.
The second of the three links was the one that I considered most reliable and authoritative mainly because the author, Theresa Phillips who is a Ph.D. is non-biased and her purpose is to inform about the controversies and facts surrounding GMO’s to any readers, in this case most likely students considering her article is on a learning site with specific links for teachers and students. The article is easy to read and was published in 2008 so has relatively fresh information, however there is no direct way to contact the author, but the site does have an "ask an expert" box.
The third link I disliked the most. The site seemed more difficult to navigate to me, no distinct author or corporation, and their audience seems to be "Texas and beyond," so anyone who runs into their site in other words. It was updated this year, and does have a decent contact form (to who it is unsure), so seems to have informative information, but the fact that it is biased again does not give the whole picture of the debate on GMOs.
I think there is some good to GMOs, but it makes me nervous that they are not labeled on packaging. I would like to be informed about what I am consuming, and if it is something I don't want in my body, I should know before I ingest it.
Haugen, David, and Susan Musser, (eds.). Genetic engineering. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Blog #7
After examining the three sites I have concluded all of them to be different from one another. Two of them reaching opposite spectrums on the GMO debate, while the third remains neutral and provides unbiased information on the subject.
For the first url, located at Monsanto.com, they create GMO's therefor supporting them. The article was posted by the site, was updated this year, and no specific author was named. It appears the intended audience is targeted at those who are interested in GMO's and also possibly those who remain neutral, attempting to try and pull those people in.
When I opened the third link, located at saynotogmos.org, I deduced they are against any GM foods. Also, if we were to have GMO's, they are for labeling all of them. This article, which is actually the home page, is updated monthly and has no specific author. The audience they are trying to reach is those who support labeling as well as those who are neutral about the issue.
Finally, the second url, located at nature.com/scitable, was the better of the three sites because the author is unbiased about the issue. The article was posted in 2008 by Theresa Phillips. You cannot contact her directly but the site does have an "Ask an expert" option as welll as a "contact us" list(which is the cased for the other two sites as well.) Ii feel her target audience is the entire population of those concerned with the GMO issue.
I don't have many concerns with gentically modified foods however I do wish to be informed about these foods. There should be no reason why these foods should not be labeled GMO's. It's just like putting nutrition facts on foods. Everything that goes into my food products I Persoanlly want to know.
Site
*Katesposito. "Pros and Cons of GMO's." Lovetoknow.com. Web. 2010
After examining the three sites I have concluded all of them to be different from one another. Two of them reaching opposite spectrums on the GMO debate, while the third remains neutral and provides unbiased information on the subject.
For the first url, located at Monsanto.com, they create GMO's therefor supporting them. The article was posted by the site, was updated this year, and no specific author was named. It appears the intended audience is targeted at those who are interested in GMO's and also possibly those who remain neutral, attempting to try and pull those people in.
When I opened the third link, located at saynotogmos.org, I deduced they are against any GM foods. Also, if we were to have GMO's, they are for labeling all of them. This article, which is actually the home page, is updated monthly and has no specific author. The audience they are trying to reach is those who support labeling as well as those who are neutral about the issue.
Finally, the second url, located at nature.com/scitable, was the better of the three sites because the author is unbiased about the issue. The article was posted in 2008 by Theresa Phillips. You cannot contact her directly but the site does have an "Ask an expert" option as welll as a "contact us" list(which is the cased for the other two sites as well.) Ii feel her target audience is the entire population of those concerned with the GMO issue.
I don't have many concerns with gentically modified foods however I do wish to be informed about these foods. There should be no reason why these foods should not be labeled GMO's. It's just like putting nutrition facts on foods. Everything that goes into my food products I Persoanlly want to know.
Site
*Katesposito. "Pros and Cons of GMO's." Lovetoknow.com. Web. 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Food Inc.
There are so many things from this movie that irritated me, and so many things I want to do because of this movie. One thing that irritated me was the treatment of these animals, as well as the workers. I knew about the poor treatment of the workers, and I had an idea that the treatment of the animals was bad, but not to the extent that the movie showed. I had no idea that these chickens were so cramped together in dark buildings with feed coming out of little tubes above them. The fact that these animals could barely take a few steps before plopping down seems just inhumane, even if they are just being bred for food. The other thing that irritated me about the treatment of the animals was that they only fed the cows corn. I know that this makes them fatter, and I knew that corn is probably one of the most, if not THE most, grown food because of its diverse uses, as stated in the video. But the fact that feeding these cows corn, something they are not made to eat, makes the meat worse to eat, it just seems all around wrong. Not only are you feeding something to an animals that naturally does not eat it, but it makes the meat us humans are eating worse. I don't think I'll ever get that image of the round tube-thing stuck in the side/inside of that cow out of my mind.
The main thing that made me the most angry from this movie was the story of the two year old child dying from the meat at a fast food restaurant. I remember hearing about it years ago, and it made me more aware of all the recalls, like the ones on peanut butter and spinach. One enormous part of my identity is my attachment to children, and the fact that these big companies are so detached from the consequences of their decisions, like the private farmer stated, frustrates me to no end. It is this reason that causes me to be against such huge business corporations.
I think one thing I will definitely do is buy at least two copies of this movie and send them around to my family and friends, pleading for them to watch it. I think its about time we spread the word and introduce people to where their food is coming from.
The main thing that made me the most angry from this movie was the story of the two year old child dying from the meat at a fast food restaurant. I remember hearing about it years ago, and it made me more aware of all the recalls, like the ones on peanut butter and spinach. One enormous part of my identity is my attachment to children, and the fact that these big companies are so detached from the consequences of their decisions, like the private farmer stated, frustrates me to no end. It is this reason that causes me to be against such huge business corporations.
I think one thing I will definitely do is buy at least two copies of this movie and send them around to my family and friends, pleading for them to watch it. I think its about time we spread the word and introduce people to where their food is coming from.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Hometown Farmers Market
While I was home last weekend, I went back down to the Olympia Farmers Market. I had been there once before, but it was cloudy and no where near the experience I had just two days ago. It was sunny, plus the fact that it was mothers day made the entire market explode. Hundreds of people flooded the docks, and the entire Market was full of booths from flowers to fruit, to pottery. When I think of a farmers market I thought of something rather different than what I saw. At least five singers with guitars were spread around the area singing music from country to classical rock, not to mention the main stage, and at least two guys were out making balloon animals. There was even a woman doing palm reading!
My Mother went with me and we had an interesting time squeezing through the crowded aisles of the covered market. It took is about 30 minutes just to walk through and glance at all the stalls! When I checked out how long it was open, I found out it's open April through October Thursday through Sunday, and November to December on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 until 3:00, which was a lot longer than I expected. The only thing I was a little bummed about was that the only major food stands were selling apples, pears, and potatoes- no strawberries like I had hoped. But I had the great pleasure of talking to one of the farmers and he gave me some great advice and ideas! He helped me pick out two kinds of apples and two kinds of pears, rather enthusiastically too, and when my mother asked him about using those to make a salad, he told us about a great recipe he loved; he told us to use normal lettuce, and mix in small cut up pieces of the apples and pears, one pear which was crunchy, the other softer, and to head over to another stall at the market that sold nuts, and buy raspberry walnuts, which were delicious! He said then find any dressing, and even suggested taking a look around to see if anyone was selling any of their own dressing, since he wasn't sure. I thought it was amazing that the people at the market were suggesting other stalls to go to!
The salad tasted great, and we used a honey dressing that pulled everything together. My Mother and I agreed we would have to go back at least once a week during summer and get food, considering the apples and pears I bought were just over $3, which was insane to me! If anyone lives around or happens to visit Olympia, I would definitely visit the market there!
Cromidas, Rachel. "The Pulse: Making Farmers' Markets More Accessible." ProQuest. New York Times, Apr 11, 2010. Web. 11 May 2010..
My Mother went with me and we had an interesting time squeezing through the crowded aisles of the covered market. It took is about 30 minutes just to walk through and glance at all the stalls! When I checked out how long it was open, I found out it's open April through October Thursday through Sunday, and November to December on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 until 3:00, which was a lot longer than I expected. The only thing I was a little bummed about was that the only major food stands were selling apples, pears, and potatoes- no strawberries like I had hoped. But I had the great pleasure of talking to one of the farmers and he gave me some great advice and ideas! He helped me pick out two kinds of apples and two kinds of pears, rather enthusiastically too, and when my mother asked him about using those to make a salad, he told us about a great recipe he loved; he told us to use normal lettuce, and mix in small cut up pieces of the apples and pears, one pear which was crunchy, the other softer, and to head over to another stall at the market that sold nuts, and buy raspberry walnuts, which were delicious! He said then find any dressing, and even suggested taking a look around to see if anyone was selling any of their own dressing, since he wasn't sure. I thought it was amazing that the people at the market were suggesting other stalls to go to!
The salad tasted great, and we used a honey dressing that pulled everything together. My Mother and I agreed we would have to go back at least once a week during summer and get food, considering the apples and pears I bought were just over $3, which was insane to me! If anyone lives around or happens to visit Olympia, I would definitely visit the market there!
Cromidas, Rachel. "The Pulse: Making Farmers' Markets More Accessible." ProQuest. New York Times, Apr 11, 2010. Web. 11 May 2010.
Monday, May 10, 2010
I'm Not Loving It
Watching Food Inc. was an eye opening experience. Little did I know, animals are harvested not unlike vegetables. I knew we lived in an imperfect world, but when it gets to the extreme of pumping our chickens with steroids to the point they can only take two steps and just collapse it really makes me want to become vegetarian. Unfortunately for my tastes buds, cheeseburgers, steaks and chicken strips are way too delicious.
The biggest shock to me, being a finance major, was the amount of debt farmers occur due to these big companies making contracts with them. According to the film, the average contract farmer gets into debt of over $500,000; however, they only make a mere $18,000 a year from these companies. Not taking into consideration these farmers paying their other bill or feeding themselves, it would take them at least 28 years to pay off!
Another shocking fact was the amount of illnesses that occurred. Annually 179,000 Americans contracted a food related illness. It especially hit me when they talked about the two-year old boy who was infected with e coli. The pain he went through really tugged on the heart strings. Not to mention the astounding fact that they took 16 days after the boy was infected to stop selling the meat.
Our meat is continuing to be manufactured and roided up with who knows what. So the major question remains. What are we truly eating? Thanks to Food Inc, I will be carefully monitoring what I eat from now on, and stay away from McDonalds!
Source
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Herr Foods Inc. Recalls 'Herr's Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Flavored' Kettle Style Potato Chips Because of Possible Health Risk. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2010. Print
The biggest shock to me, being a finance major, was the amount of debt farmers occur due to these big companies making contracts with them. According to the film, the average contract farmer gets into debt of over $500,000; however, they only make a mere $18,000 a year from these companies. Not taking into consideration these farmers paying their other bill or feeding themselves, it would take them at least 28 years to pay off!
Another shocking fact was the amount of illnesses that occurred. Annually 179,000 Americans contracted a food related illness. It especially hit me when they talked about the two-year old boy who was infected with e coli. The pain he went through really tugged on the heart strings. Not to mention the astounding fact that they took 16 days after the boy was infected to stop selling the meat.
Our meat is continuing to be manufactured and roided up with who knows what. So the major question remains. What are we truly eating? Thanks to Food Inc, I will be carefully monitoring what I eat from now on, and stay away from McDonalds!
Source
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Herr Foods Inc. Recalls 'Herr's Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Flavored' Kettle Style Potato Chips Because of Possible Health Risk. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2010. Print
Monday, May 3, 2010
New Delicious Experience
The Farmer’s Market on Railroad was a new experience to say the least for myself. I’ve of course heard of these types of markets around my hometown, but never made the attempt to try one out.
Walking down the many booths they had set up the first question I asked myself was “where do I begin?” I stopped at a stand where a woman was selling a variety of vegetables and asked her what her favorite item was. She responded by denying that she had a favorite, however recommended her red tomatoes. I responded “no favorite huh?” I than asked her how she started selling at the market. Her family has always grown their own food and said she wanted to share it with others. She also mentioned a small financial incentive as well. After my conversation with the woman I purchased three tomatoes and went on my way.
For my dish I made a fresh tomato sauce. The recipe called for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, about 3 large tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, to taste, 1 pound spaghetti, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I’ve cooked my own spaghetti in the past, but never my own sauce. To avoid a biased critique of my own cooking I asked my roommates to sample it as well. To make a long review short they simply said I should cook it again sometime.
The farmers market may not be in my near future, it is definitely something I would like to try again.
Recommended Article
* Etter, Lauran. Food for Thought: Do You Need Farmers for a Farmers Market? Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition. Web. Apr. 2010.
Walking down the many booths they had set up the first question I asked myself was “where do I begin?” I stopped at a stand where a woman was selling a variety of vegetables and asked her what her favorite item was. She responded by denying that she had a favorite, however recommended her red tomatoes. I responded “no favorite huh?” I than asked her how she started selling at the market. Her family has always grown their own food and said she wanted to share it with others. She also mentioned a small financial incentive as well. After my conversation with the woman I purchased three tomatoes and went on my way.
For my dish I made a fresh tomato sauce. The recipe called for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, about 3 large tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, to taste, 1 pound spaghetti, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I’ve cooked my own spaghetti in the past, but never my own sauce. To avoid a biased critique of my own cooking I asked my roommates to sample it as well. To make a long review short they simply said I should cook it again sometime.
The farmers market may not be in my near future, it is definitely something I would like to try again.
Recommended Article
* Etter, Lauran. Food for Thought: Do You Need Farmers for a Farmers Market? Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition. Web. Apr. 2010.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Food: Invigorating Body, Mind, and Spirit
The expression “You are what you eat” is an expression that seems to have been around as long as time. What does it truly mean? For most it ranges from meanings such as you are eating the actual spirit of that particular food item, to just a washed up expression, meaningless expression.
For myself I believe what you eat effects your body and mind. Not in the sense of eating the spirit of the food, but I definitely notice a difference when I eat certain food items. For example, when I eat breakfast in the morning I am able to focus more in class and have a more productive day; especially when I get a cup of coffee in me! On the other end of the spectrum when I eat a fast-food cheeseburger after a night of drinking I become infused with any couch my body hits and accomplish nothing that day.
Another way to look at eating certain food is from a moral standpoint. In society, controversy and debate have arisen over the ethics of eating animals. I always felt choosing to not eat meat, for many, was a choice based on psychological reasoning. Doing a little research I found a number of reasons for this lifestyle choice. These include promoting a healthier life, maintaining a healthy weight, helping the environment, being humane, as well as being ethical. So this is decision ties into health, political, and cultural reasoning along with psychological.
I feel whatever your reasoning for eating certain foods should be a choice people make for themselves and not for anyone else, it is your life to live. Just remember that you are what you eat.
Recommended Book
*McKeith, Gillian. You Are What You Eat: The Plan That Will Change Your Life. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2005. Print.
For myself I believe what you eat effects your body and mind. Not in the sense of eating the spirit of the food, but I definitely notice a difference when I eat certain food items. For example, when I eat breakfast in the morning I am able to focus more in class and have a more productive day; especially when I get a cup of coffee in me! On the other end of the spectrum when I eat a fast-food cheeseburger after a night of drinking I become infused with any couch my body hits and accomplish nothing that day.
Another way to look at eating certain food is from a moral standpoint. In society, controversy and debate have arisen over the ethics of eating animals. I always felt choosing to not eat meat, for many, was a choice based on psychological reasoning. Doing a little research I found a number of reasons for this lifestyle choice. These include promoting a healthier life, maintaining a healthy weight, helping the environment, being humane, as well as being ethical. So this is decision ties into health, political, and cultural reasoning along with psychological.
I feel whatever your reasoning for eating certain foods should be a choice people make for themselves and not for anyone else, it is your life to live. Just remember that you are what you eat.
Recommended Book
*McKeith, Gillian. You Are What You Eat: The Plan That Will Change Your Life. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2005. Print.
Healthy Food, Healthy Mind
Considering my Grandmother grew up on a farm, and once owned a health food store, she has been the main influence in the foods I eat. Always careful of what food is stocked in our house, she makes sure we know what we are consuming, and is constantly changing the specific types of food. From low fat, to no sugar, she’s tried it all. And my family has rejected a good amount of it. Our family always has vanilla ice cream in our freezer, and with that, there is always a bottle of chocolate sauce in the fridge. She once switched the usual Hershey’s chocolate sauce to the low sugar type; it didn’t go over so well. None of us would eat it, and within three days, there was the usual bottle of chocolate sauce in the fridge next to the low sugar one which only my Grandmother ate. In this society, we enjoy things that taste good; a little too much, even. But the point of it all is to make sure we are in tune with what we are consuming, making sure we have the daily dosage of what we need, and at least attempting to keep unneeded foods and sugars especially, out of our diet.
I assumed this was simply my Grandmother’s “thing.” She grew up on a farm, and owned a health food store; it was pretty much expected she would be like this. However, my freshman year of High School is when her attitudes about food consumption really kicked in for me. My Grandfather ended up in the hospital due to various small things that eventually built up. Within about six months after that, he was declared a diabetic. In response, my Grandmother reacted in a way that was expected. She cut down and even eliminated a lot of the foods my Grandfather shouldn’t eat as a diabetic, while my mother and I were still in our usual habits of fast food, heavily processed foods and sugar.
It was a hit for me. None of my family had ever had any serious health issues until then, and seeing my Grandfather in the hospital, and afterward having to prick his finger every day startled me. For the longest time, I ignored this, thinking, “I’m young, have a fast metabolism, and shouldn’t worry about this yet.” However, after watching my mother go through menopause and seeing her body and energy change, and continuing to see my Grandfather’s health decline, I couldn’t ignore it for much longer. My Grandfather has been my Spiritual Mentor, while my Grandmother is more of a life counselor. My Grandfather’s mind may be keen and spirit pure, but my Grandmother is the one who has kept my Grandfather’s health from failing drastically. If it wasn’t for her, he would be in ten times worse condition than he is now. Between the two of them, and seeing how they have coincided I’ve begun to see how important it is to really consider what you eat and how you choose to live on this earth.
Most of what we eat is psychological and social; the taste, the look, how easy it is to get it, what others are eating around us. We are so preoccupied with everything else in our lives we don’t consider how much better off we would be if we would take the time to consider something as simple as “you are what you eat.” As my Grandfather says, “A mind is a terrible thing to lose,” but your body is what allows your mind to experience so much more. Keep your body healthy, and your mind has an even better chance to rise to its full potential.
McWilliams, James. A revolution in eating : how the quest for food shaped America. New York: Colombia University Press, 2005. Print.
I assumed this was simply my Grandmother’s “thing.” She grew up on a farm, and owned a health food store; it was pretty much expected she would be like this. However, my freshman year of High School is when her attitudes about food consumption really kicked in for me. My Grandfather ended up in the hospital due to various small things that eventually built up. Within about six months after that, he was declared a diabetic. In response, my Grandmother reacted in a way that was expected. She cut down and even eliminated a lot of the foods my Grandfather shouldn’t eat as a diabetic, while my mother and I were still in our usual habits of fast food, heavily processed foods and sugar.
It was a hit for me. None of my family had ever had any serious health issues until then, and seeing my Grandfather in the hospital, and afterward having to prick his finger every day startled me. For the longest time, I ignored this, thinking, “I’m young, have a fast metabolism, and shouldn’t worry about this yet.” However, after watching my mother go through menopause and seeing her body and energy change, and continuing to see my Grandfather’s health decline, I couldn’t ignore it for much longer. My Grandfather has been my Spiritual Mentor, while my Grandmother is more of a life counselor. My Grandfather’s mind may be keen and spirit pure, but my Grandmother is the one who has kept my Grandfather’s health from failing drastically. If it wasn’t for her, he would be in ten times worse condition than he is now. Between the two of them, and seeing how they have coincided I’ve begun to see how important it is to really consider what you eat and how you choose to live on this earth.
Most of what we eat is psychological and social; the taste, the look, how easy it is to get it, what others are eating around us. We are so preoccupied with everything else in our lives we don’t consider how much better off we would be if we would take the time to consider something as simple as “you are what you eat.” As my Grandfather says, “A mind is a terrible thing to lose,” but your body is what allows your mind to experience so much more. Keep your body healthy, and your mind has an even better chance to rise to its full potential.
McWilliams, James. A revolution in eating : how the quest for food shaped America. New York: Colombia University Press, 2005. Print.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Garden Variety Satisfaction
My Grandparents, up until we moved when I was 11, tended a large garden full of various vegetables and other garden foods, along with rows of raspberry and blackberry bushes, an apple and cherry tree, and a patch of strawberries. My Grandpa also often went out on fishing trips around Ocean Shores, WA, and brought back his catch for our family. It was always a source of pride to tell visitors that at least part of the food they were eating was home grown in our own back yard garden, or was caught by my Grandpa. I always enjoyed going through our yard during the summer and picking a spinach leaf, washing it off under the hose outside our house and munching on it and berries I picked while playing in the forest behind our house. Harvesting your own food gives you that pride that I and my Grandparents experienced; the ability to provide for your family food that is pure, food that was produced by your own hard work and time.
Just as discussed from the first video viewed in class, my family is mostly from the level where we eat fish and sometimes cow, but mostly garden foods. For me, it’s uncomfortable to think of myself killing other animals above that level. If I needed too, I’m sure I could desensitize myself, or figure out some spiritual way to justify my actions enough to stomach it. Thinking about it, I agree with hunting your own food. It gives someone a source of pride, as well as if you only hunt for what you need, there is no waste. Steve Rinella’s plan to kill a hefty number of animals for the sake of a feast in honor of Escoffier is honorable enough. It’s a way to experience life in a… much richer way. Having to hunt down and kill the food you prepare, then prepare it allows someone a much more personal connection to what they are putting in their bodies. Plus, as stated above, the satisfaction of having the time and effort put into the preparation of what you eat pay off, just makes it all the more meaningful.
Crowe, Ivan. The Quest for Food: Its Role in Human Evolution and Migration. Tempus: Stroud, 2000. Print.
National Research Council. Dynamic changes in marine ecosystems : fishing, food webs and future options. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press, 2006. Print.
Just as discussed from the first video viewed in class, my family is mostly from the level where we eat fish and sometimes cow, but mostly garden foods. For me, it’s uncomfortable to think of myself killing other animals above that level. If I needed too, I’m sure I could desensitize myself, or figure out some spiritual way to justify my actions enough to stomach it. Thinking about it, I agree with hunting your own food. It gives someone a source of pride, as well as if you only hunt for what you need, there is no waste. Steve Rinella’s plan to kill a hefty number of animals for the sake of a feast in honor of Escoffier is honorable enough. It’s a way to experience life in a… much richer way. Having to hunt down and kill the food you prepare, then prepare it allows someone a much more personal connection to what they are putting in their bodies. Plus, as stated above, the satisfaction of having the time and effort put into the preparation of what you eat pay off, just makes it all the more meaningful.
Crowe, Ivan. The Quest for Food: Its Role in Human Evolution and Migration. Tempus: Stroud, 2000. Print.
National Research Council. Dynamic changes in marine ecosystems : fishing, food webs and future options. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press, 2006. Print.
To Sustane or Not to Sustane? That is the question
By harvesting your own food I feel you would get a strong sense of pride by providing for yourself. In everything you work hard at you feel accomplished, in this case feeding yourself. Buying your own food, though convenient, is not the same as providing for yourself. For example, going shopping at Fred Meyer does not make me feel accomplished; it just feels like I spent too much money. I myself have not grown my own food, but it is something I plan to do in the future.
As far as hunting is concerned, I personally have never been hunting nor do I ever plan to. Many of my friends have hunted for the thrill of it, but I have yet to encounter someone who hunted for pure survival. Hunting for sport in my opinion isn’t in the best interest of our world. The fact of the matter is the more we hunt, the less and less animals, or food supply, we have for our future. This includes land and sea animals alike.
Sustainability is becoming a big issue for our generation. An example of this would be the blue fin tuna. It is one of the most valuable fish in the world and is a big hit in the sushi industry. This species is also in great danger of slipping into extinction. Because of over-fishing, some may consider this to be hunting; the current population is a mere 3% from what it was in 1960!
Sources
· Griffith, Chris. Food Sustainability: Diverging Implications. Bradford, England: Emerald Group, 2004. E-Book.
· Seymour, John. The Self-Sufficient Gardener: A Complete Guide to Growing and Preserving All Your Own Food. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1979. Print.
As far as hunting is concerned, I personally have never been hunting nor do I ever plan to. Many of my friends have hunted for the thrill of it, but I have yet to encounter someone who hunted for pure survival. Hunting for sport in my opinion isn’t in the best interest of our world. The fact of the matter is the more we hunt, the less and less animals, or food supply, we have for our future. This includes land and sea animals alike.
Sustainability is becoming a big issue for our generation. An example of this would be the blue fin tuna. It is one of the most valuable fish in the world and is a big hit in the sushi industry. This species is also in great danger of slipping into extinction. Because of over-fishing, some may consider this to be hunting; the current population is a mere 3% from what it was in 1960!
Sources
· Griffith, Chris. Food Sustainability: Diverging Implications. Bradford, England: Emerald Group, 2004. E-Book.
· Seymour, John. The Self-Sufficient Gardener: A Complete Guide to Growing and Preserving All Your Own Food. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1979. Print.
Unadventurous Eater
I've alawys known I'm not an adventurous eater. As a child my menu was small, and I was often scolded by my Grandfather for not finishing everything on my plate. My Grandmother would always have to be careful about what she cooked for dinners because of my limited menu, but she always made sure there was something offered that she knew I liked. The strangest food I know I've tried, albeit really not that strange at all, would be asian food, mostly sushi. I didn't try sushi until about three years ago beacuse of a friend of mine who's mother is from Taiwan, and is half Chinese half Japanese. Sushi always seemed disguting to me. Raw fish? I could eat cooked fish, but the word "raw" made me think of them squirming around, gasping for air on land and someone hitting them against a rock to kill them, and then just tearing through the scales to get to the meat. After much convincing, I did try some sushi, but my taste for it is limited to a few specific kinds. The only reason I tried other kinds of asian food was because I was eating dinner at my friend's house and I didn't want to be rude by not at least trying everything that was offered, because I knew it would offend his mother.
I know that most of my opinions on "strange" food is psychological. Raw fish isn't necessarily bad for your body, and neither are foods such as pickled herring or pig tongue, but the names alone make me think of things that would be just disgusting! Most of my food fears stem from the images produced by the names of the food, or what it is made out of. Others from the image of the food on my plate, or the smell. Every food we like or dislike stems from these, in conjunction with the culture and family we grew up in. I eat hot dogs all the time, and hamburgers even, and even with the knowledge of what goes into these food items, I continue to enjoy them. Other foods such as haggis have some of the same animal parts used, but the presentation and inexposure to it from a young age has made me weary of even trying it. Because of these culinary ideas that have been engrained in humans, I know it takes a lot of coaxing for most people to try something that seems "strange" to them. I know for a fact it would take a lot of coaxing to get me to try chicken assholes!
Hodgman, John. "Extreme Eating." New York Magazine. New York magazine, n.d. Web. 19 Apr 2010.
I know that most of my opinions on "strange" food is psychological. Raw fish isn't necessarily bad for your body, and neither are foods such as pickled herring or pig tongue, but the names alone make me think of things that would be just disgusting! Most of my food fears stem from the images produced by the names of the food, or what it is made out of. Others from the image of the food on my plate, or the smell. Every food we like or dislike stems from these, in conjunction with the culture and family we grew up in. I eat hot dogs all the time, and hamburgers even, and even with the knowledge of what goes into these food items, I continue to enjoy them. Other foods such as haggis have some of the same animal parts used, but the presentation and inexposure to it from a young age has made me weary of even trying it. Because of these culinary ideas that have been engrained in humans, I know it takes a lot of coaxing for most people to try something that seems "strange" to them. I know for a fact it would take a lot of coaxing to get me to try chicken assholes!
Hodgman, John. "Extreme Eating." New York Magazine. New York magazine, n.d. Web. 19 Apr 2010.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Man's Best Friend.....Sounds Tasty!
In 21 years I have heard of some, as well as tried, several strange dishes. However the article shocked me when within the first sentence it was talking about eating asshole! Who would want to eat that? It's is outrageous, to me at least, to think someone would actually want to consume the rear-hole of a chicken. After doing a little research though, I discovered there are stranger dishes out there, but what our culture considers different others consider a delicacy.
To begin however, I would like to talk about the strangest dish I have ever consumer, a Chamorro dish called Chelaguin. Chelaguin is cold, uncooked meat, tenderized and soaked in array of spices, At first glance, I told myself there was no way I would try this uncooked meat. After conflicting with myself for several minutes I gave it a shot and was shocked how good it actually was! Mix it with a little rice and you have yourself a delicious meal. Would I recommend trying it? Absolutely!
Every culture has their own views of what is a “do” and “do not” on what to eat. For example, consider dogs. We see dogs as pets and consider them to be “man’s best friend.” However, when you go to countries such as Taiwan and Ghana, where dog is considered a delicacy, they eat it as an everyday meal. This to me seems disgusting, especially since my favorite animal happens to be dogs. In comparison, Americans eat cow on a day to day basis. You can go to McDonalds and get a burger within minutes. If you were to go to India, cows are considered sacred. As a matter of fact, cows are venerated within the Hindu religion of India, making them holy.
In my opinion, every culture should be allowed to eat, or not eat anything they chose, but I refuse to eat an animal I have called my pet my entire life.
*Clothy, Fred. Religion in India: A Historical Introduction. New York: Routeledge, 2006.
To begin however, I would like to talk about the strangest dish I have ever consumer, a Chamorro dish called Chelaguin. Chelaguin is cold, uncooked meat, tenderized and soaked in array of spices, At first glance, I told myself there was no way I would try this uncooked meat. After conflicting with myself for several minutes I gave it a shot and was shocked how good it actually was! Mix it with a little rice and you have yourself a delicious meal. Would I recommend trying it? Absolutely!
Every culture has their own views of what is a “do” and “do not” on what to eat. For example, consider dogs. We see dogs as pets and consider them to be “man’s best friend.” However, when you go to countries such as Taiwan and Ghana, where dog is considered a delicacy, they eat it as an everyday meal. This to me seems disgusting, especially since my favorite animal happens to be dogs. In comparison, Americans eat cow on a day to day basis. You can go to McDonalds and get a burger within minutes. If you were to go to India, cows are considered sacred. As a matter of fact, cows are venerated within the Hindu religion of India, making them holy.
In my opinion, every culture should be allowed to eat, or not eat anything they chose, but I refuse to eat an animal I have called my pet my entire life.
*Clothy, Fred. Religion in India: A Historical Introduction. New York: Routeledge, 2006.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Home Away From Home
The Philippines is a country located in Southeast Asia. Their population, which ranks 12th in the world, has over 92 million people. The earliest known human remains found in the Philippines are carbon dated to around 24,000 years ago. Filipino Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate, such as the paellas and cocidos.
The Filipino culture I have found to be very generous, but quite different from my own. The food I experienced was much different from that of what I was use to eating. I would normally eat items such as turkey, salmon, and spaghetti. They’re foods of choice were lumpia and chicken adobo. Not to mention rice with every meal. My favorite of all these dishes would have to be pancit. Pancit is the term for noodles in Filipino cuisine, cooked in a variety of ways.
It is not surprising that Filipino food is often labeled as somewhat strange, but in its own way it’s a unique mixture of eastern and western cuisine. For almost 400 years the Pilipino cuisine has been influenced by several different cultures; including Malay, Spanish, and Chinese cultures. If you are interested in a new taste, I recommend you make the effort in experiencing Filipino cuisine and take in its rich culture.
Recommend Books:
*Gelle, Gerry G. Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands. New Mexico: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1997.
*Roces, Alfredo. Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International, 2004.
Raised on American Meals
Having lived in Washington my entire life, my culture has remained the typical American, middle-class lifestyle. I grew up with my Mother and Grandparents on the plateau of Redmond, WA, in a suburban-rural area until I was 11 when I moved to Lacey, WA. The area I lived in as a child was partially suburb housing developments in which lived mostly carpoolers who worked in Seattle. The rest was small plots of land dedicated to some livestock and family gardens. I lived on a street where chickens were often found wandering around and across the street from my house a herd of cows would stare at me as I stood at my bus stop. Due to these farm animals, and many others I was accustomed to getting fresh eggs when my neighbors would send some over, as well as my obsession with drinking milk; whole milk.
My mother has never been a cook, but my Grandmother grew up on a farm, and at one point owned a health food store so therefore was the main cook of the house. Often times she experimented with meals, and then afterward didn’t remember what she had done. Her and my Grandfather tended a garden in our backyard that grew a variety of vegetables such as broccoli, cucumber, carrots, and spinach as well as other garden foods such as beans and even a small patch of pumpkins. Also in our yard were two long strips each of raspberry and blackberry bushes. Every spring and summer I recall running around outside, picking berries at my leisure, coming inside from playing with stained fingers from the juices and pricks from blackberry thorns. Because of this typical American-rural living style, I was raised on the “classic” American meals; spaghetti, pizza from the local store, corn, PB&J’s with my Grandmother’s home-made strawberry-rhubarb jelly, and broccoli or asparagus with cheese. Most of the foods we ate were health-conscientious foods due to my Grandmother’s upbringing. The only meats we ate, that she allowed, were chicken and fish. The only reason we had even those were because my Grandfather loves eating meat. I didn’t even like hamburgers, let alone have a real chance to eat them until I was 12!
When the four of us moved to Lacey, my eating habits changed, but are still considered in the category of “American” culture. At 11-years-old, I moved from a family oriented household, with people from all over visiting regularly for potlucks due to my Grandparent’s business, to a split-level-type family home, where my Grandparents have their living space upstairs, and my Mother and I have our own downstairs. For a while we continued at least family dinners upstairs in my Grandparents dining room, but once I hit high school, everything changed. Since my Mother and I aren’t the most avid cooks, we resorted to foods such as Campbell’s soups, easy spaghetti, Grilled Cheese, still the typical American meals, but not as home-made as before. Then, we found restaurants and fast foods. In High school I probably ate out at a restaurant at least five to seven meals a week. This is probably why I have no problem with what most people consider “disgusting college food.” My Mother and I talked about changing our eating habits, but it never really happened.
Since I started College, I’ve become more conscientious about the foods I eat, and my Mother and I have attempted to change our eating habits instead of just talk about it. Due to the variety of cultures I’ve come in contact with because of my college education, we have tried to be more flexible in the foods we eat. Although, our initial culture is still the Grilled Cheese, Tomato soup, Asparagus with cheese, American food.
Recommended Books
On Nutrition - Gebhardt, Susan, and Robin Thomas. Nutritive Value of Foods. Rev. Oct 2002. Beltsville, Md: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2002. Print. (Subject Heading: Food)
On Fast Food - Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal. 1st Perennial ed. New York, NY: Perennial, 2002. Print. (Subject Heading: Fast Food)
My mother has never been a cook, but my Grandmother grew up on a farm, and at one point owned a health food store so therefore was the main cook of the house. Often times she experimented with meals, and then afterward didn’t remember what she had done. Her and my Grandfather tended a garden in our backyard that grew a variety of vegetables such as broccoli, cucumber, carrots, and spinach as well as other garden foods such as beans and even a small patch of pumpkins. Also in our yard were two long strips each of raspberry and blackberry bushes. Every spring and summer I recall running around outside, picking berries at my leisure, coming inside from playing with stained fingers from the juices and pricks from blackberry thorns. Because of this typical American-rural living style, I was raised on the “classic” American meals; spaghetti, pizza from the local store, corn, PB&J’s with my Grandmother’s home-made strawberry-rhubarb jelly, and broccoli or asparagus with cheese. Most of the foods we ate were health-conscientious foods due to my Grandmother’s upbringing. The only meats we ate, that she allowed, were chicken and fish. The only reason we had even those were because my Grandfather loves eating meat. I didn’t even like hamburgers, let alone have a real chance to eat them until I was 12!
When the four of us moved to Lacey, my eating habits changed, but are still considered in the category of “American” culture. At 11-years-old, I moved from a family oriented household, with people from all over visiting regularly for potlucks due to my Grandparent’s business, to a split-level-type family home, where my Grandparents have their living space upstairs, and my Mother and I have our own downstairs. For a while we continued at least family dinners upstairs in my Grandparents dining room, but once I hit high school, everything changed. Since my Mother and I aren’t the most avid cooks, we resorted to foods such as Campbell’s soups, easy spaghetti, Grilled Cheese, still the typical American meals, but not as home-made as before. Then, we found restaurants and fast foods. In High school I probably ate out at a restaurant at least five to seven meals a week. This is probably why I have no problem with what most people consider “disgusting college food.” My Mother and I talked about changing our eating habits, but it never really happened.
Since I started College, I’ve become more conscientious about the foods I eat, and my Mother and I have attempted to change our eating habits instead of just talk about it. Due to the variety of cultures I’ve come in contact with because of my college education, we have tried to be more flexible in the foods we eat. Although, our initial culture is still the Grilled Cheese, Tomato soup, Asparagus with cheese, American food.
Recommended Books
On Nutrition - Gebhardt, Susan, and Robin Thomas. Nutritive Value of Foods. Rev. Oct 2002. Beltsville, Md: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2002. Print. (Subject Heading: Food)
On Fast Food - Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal. 1st Perennial ed. New York, NY: Perennial, 2002. Print. (Subject Heading: Fast Food)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thai and Its Ties!
Thai and Its Ties!
Growing up in a household where both of my parents value their own culture forced me to adapt equally to both cultures. My mother was born in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand; and my father from Georgia brought not only two different cultures together but two diverse types of foods during the holidays. Both sides of my parents’ family are very close and respect one another culture and are both excepted at family dinners. I find myself exploring and enjoying my mother’s culture but not excluding my fathers. Being half Thai and half black taught me to be open minded about different foods, ranging from the normal mainstream of American culture to exotic culture such as Japanese.
Thailand is located south of Asian connected to the Indian Ocean. With its unique combination of sweet, spicy, sour or salty taste, it is something I yearn for and a daily. I believe that if it wasn’t for my mother who introduced new and extravagant food to me I would not be open minded as I am now to new foods. In the film (A World of Foods) that we recently watch I remember them talking about the smell of foods may turn people away. I agree that certain cultures do compose of intense or mild food smells. the Thai culture is one that some may have to get use to, it may not be the overall finally creation of the food but just the ingredients that are added into the lovely meal. I always will love southern food but will always prefer Thai food over anything food in the world! What is culture? We’ll culture to me consist of a person’s belief, religion, but the most visual characteristic that stands out would be "food". Every culture can be depicted by their food for the most part. When someone asks me what exactly culture is, the first thing that would come to mind would be food.
The normal breakfast foods consist of pancakes, eggs, bacon or sausage, grits, etc. My mother and father are completely opposite and it put me in a situation where I had to choose which route to follow while growing up. My Mother would make my father the normal Americanized breakfast which he craved and which he was raised upon as a child. When relating breakfast with me, I tend to eat Full course Thai meals for breakfast. A typical breakfast for my mother and I would consist of rice, fried eggs; portraying an omelet, spicy stir fry with an abundance of red and green peppers. The funny thing was that this meal was common among my mother’s cultural and side of her family, and I just happen to pick it up as well. Till this day I find myself neglecting the classic American food and craving more towards Thai food.
I remember as a young boy I would follow and want to do everything that my mom would do; maybe you can say I was a mama’s boy. I love food so much that I learned how to cook, I wouldn’t call myself a chef or anything but I do believe that I have skills. Ever time my mom would cook something I would be right there all up in the pan. I can truly say that my mother ways and her cultural rubbed off on me. I love Thai food so much that I have to make a home cook meal or dine out at a Thai restaurant here in Bellingham.
I eat, sleep, and find myself thinking of Thai food now that my mother is thousands of miles away. Breakfast is not the same without my mother’s home cook breakfast which would wake me up every morning, with the smell of cooked rice and hot peppers. I was very happy when I found an Asian market right here in Bellingham which I go to weekly. Now that I found a place where it reminds me my mother’s cooking, I can follow in here footsteps of cooking.
Recommended Books to read about Thai Culture:
Benedict, Paul K. Austro-Thai Language and Culture: with a Glossary of Roots. New Haven, Conn.: HRAF, 1975. Print.
Southeast Asian American Food Habits. Washington]: Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 1980. Print.Thursday, April 1, 2010
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