As we begin reading and discussing Brave New World, you will find that it raises some rather thought provoking issues, some of which are incldued in this post. For your second post of the semester, choose one of the following statements and discuss whether or not you agree with it. Please be thoughtful and thorough in your post.
* It is better to be simply content than to feel the extreme highs AND lows of life.
* It is important to conform to society.
* American culture is largely based on consumerism: one cannot achieve success or happiness without reaching financial and material success.
*The media is at fault for corrupting society and its citizens.
Feel free to take this in any direction, but again, please be thoughtful and thorough.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Cosa Buono
Technically, the grammar is off on this recipe title. It translates to "good things" but with there being more than one "thing" and the "thing" being female and the adjective should not be male and singular...but my grandma lost some of her grammar as she mixed Italian and English together.
Anyway, this is a honey cookie made at Christmas. It takes practice and ever since my grandma died, my mom and her four sisters converge in the basement of my grandma's house to try to replicate them.
Keep in mind, these are usually shared with about fifteen families, hence the huge amounts...they can be adjusted.
Cosa Buono
1 dozen eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 shots whiskey (Gram preferred Southern Comfort...not sure why)
1/8 t baking powder
flour- about 3-5 lbs
dried and crushed peel of one orange
honey- probably about 64 oz
*The day before, peel the orange and set it out to dry
* Beat eggs with mixer until frothy
*add sugar and whiskey, a little at a time and mix well
* add baking powder and orange peel
* add flour, about 3-5 cups at a time and mix until the dough has absorbed as much flour as it can
* Knead by hand
* Let dough sit for fifteen minutes and then knead again on a floured surface
* Knead until dough bubbles (my aunt insists you will see this and know when it happens)
* Cut dough into pieces and roll into a thin long and then cut into pieces at an angle, about one inch long
* Place pieces on a cloth (don't let them touch) and let them sit for 1 1/2 hours
* In a large pot, fill halfway with vegetable oil
* Heat oil. It does not need to boil, but you should hear a little sizzle when you drop in the dough.
* Cook as many as you can at one time (maybe 20 or so)
* When they are finished, the pieces will float to the top and the oil will bubble around them
* Use a ladle with holes to scoop out the fried dough and put them on sheets of paper towel to shake off extra oil
* REPEAT
* let cookies completely cool
* Heat honey in a large pot and bring to a light boil
* Put cooled cookies (again, about 20-30 at a time) in the heated in honey and make sure they are well coated
* REPEAT
* My aunt usually puts them in large foil pans. The distribution process can get a little messy because the cookie are really sticky.
My grandma used to make little dough people and fry and coat them with honey. When a family got a plate of cookies they would have as many dough people as there are men in the house.
I have had the honor of cutting the dough a couple times. My mom and her sisters always give one another a hard time about cutting the pieces to big or too small. It is a labor intensive and time consuming process but they really do have a good time doing this. I know more than once, someone will say, "Is this how Ma used to do it?"
Anyway, this is a honey cookie made at Christmas. It takes practice and ever since my grandma died, my mom and her four sisters converge in the basement of my grandma's house to try to replicate them.
Keep in mind, these are usually shared with about fifteen families, hence the huge amounts...they can be adjusted.
Cosa Buono
1 dozen eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 shots whiskey (Gram preferred Southern Comfort...not sure why)
1/8 t baking powder
flour- about 3-5 lbs
dried and crushed peel of one orange
honey- probably about 64 oz
*The day before, peel the orange and set it out to dry
* Beat eggs with mixer until frothy
*add sugar and whiskey, a little at a time and mix well
* add baking powder and orange peel
* add flour, about 3-5 cups at a time and mix until the dough has absorbed as much flour as it can
* Knead by hand
* Let dough sit for fifteen minutes and then knead again on a floured surface
* Knead until dough bubbles (my aunt insists you will see this and know when it happens)
* Cut dough into pieces and roll into a thin long and then cut into pieces at an angle, about one inch long
* Place pieces on a cloth (don't let them touch) and let them sit for 1 1/2 hours
* In a large pot, fill halfway with vegetable oil
* Heat oil. It does not need to boil, but you should hear a little sizzle when you drop in the dough.
* Cook as many as you can at one time (maybe 20 or so)
* When they are finished, the pieces will float to the top and the oil will bubble around them
* Use a ladle with holes to scoop out the fried dough and put them on sheets of paper towel to shake off extra oil
* REPEAT
* let cookies completely cool
* Heat honey in a large pot and bring to a light boil
* Put cooled cookies (again, about 20-30 at a time) in the heated in honey and make sure they are well coated
* REPEAT
* My aunt usually puts them in large foil pans. The distribution process can get a little messy because the cookie are really sticky.
My grandma used to make little dough people and fry and coat them with honey. When a family got a plate of cookies they would have as many dough people as there are men in the house.
I have had the honor of cutting the dough a couple times. My mom and her sisters always give one another a hard time about cutting the pieces to big or too small. It is a labor intensive and time consuming process but they really do have a good time doing this. I know more than once, someone will say, "Is this how Ma used to do it?"
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The juice box or pouch, depending on the brand...
Juice boxes, at least the ones from my day, are comparable to the Lunchables of the beverage world. They might claim to have so much vitamin C and contain “real” juice, but I doubt that is truly accurate. They taste too good. Plus, there is something about sticking a straw into your own personal juice container or successfully navigating a Capri Sun pouch so that you don’t spring a leak and are able to enjoy your [insert some catchy juice name here]. My co-worker promised a class of his Capri Sun as a reward for something and you would have thought he promised them extra credit and ten dollars. Juice boxes have a strange effect on people.
I admit, I have never bought this product on my own, but when given the opportunity to indulge in one or five of them, I won't refuse. And one is never enough. As part of teacher appreciation week, we got a bucket of childhood goodies from the administrators, complete with Gushers, Fruit Roll-ups, and Hi-C juice boxes. I slurped one down before I even set my papers and lesson plan book on my desk.
Juice boxes, especially the Hi-C or Capri Sun variety, take me back to T-ball and softball games of yesteryear. They were just the right size for a seven to ten-year-old and the assortment of flavors were awesome, everything from Berry Punch to EctoCooler, which really was slime-colored! For a few moments after the game, it didn’t matter how lopsided the score was or whether or not you got very much playing time on that particular day because at the end of the game there would be juice boxes, most likely accompanied by some other treat that is ripe for nostalgia, usually Little Debbie or Hostess products. Let’s take a moment to think about those, shall we? A juice box with a ho-ho. A juice box with a Hostess cupcake. A Capri Sun with a twinkie. I can do without the Hostess products, now that I realize they really are the epitome of junk food, but I still have a soft spot for the juice box.
I think Little League in itself is nostalgic. Real Little League. Not, the travel teams they have now that costs thousands of dollars and require a grueling tryout process, but real Little League, where the level of talent doesn’t matter, but just the desire to run the bases. Couple this with a juice box and you have a whole lot of nostalgia.
Mankekar’s article, “India Shopping,” discusses nostalgia for food and/or brands of food. There was an example from Sunita Gupta in which she described how consuming these products, brands, and glucose biscuits “[bring] back memories of home” (205). I am not looking for memories of home when I down a juice box, but experiencing something from the past. Mankekar believes that both food and a particular bardn allow a person to "[consume] particular narratives of the past” (206). A person can literally eat a memory of the past in order to somehow relive it. Gupta wants to relive the experience of mornings in her homeland, lingering over biscuits and tea. When I consume a juice box, I relive summer evenings spent on the baseball diamonds of the Mt. Prospect Park District.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Holy Moly! Wholly Frijoles!
When I first saw the “grand opening” of Wholly Frijoles in a shopping center near Great America at 5414 Grand Avenue in Gurnee, I mistook it for a Chipotle type of place. Unfortunately, Gurnee is a mecca for chain restaurants and I thought Wholly Frijoles was the latest in the line of construct-your-own-burrito joints. I usually venture to neighboring towns to find something that can’t be found at any other restaurant. My brother ended up going there and easily convinced me not only was I wrong about this new place, but that I needed to go soon.
I went there with my husband and a friend. Upon entering Wholly Frijoles, brightly colored walls of green and orange greet the guests. About fifteen tables that can seat between two and five line the walls. A full bar with very large margarita glasses on it is stationed in the back corner of the restaurant. We did not have to wait for a table at 5:30 on a Friday, but the place quickly filled up and there were several parties waiting by the time we left. Unfortunately for them, Wholly Frijoles does not take reservations. However, you can call ahead and they will put your name on a waiting list.
The wait staff was efficient and friendly. Our waitress, Jannette, wrote her name on the paper covering the tablecloth and immediately brought us complimentary chips and salsa. My husband deemed the salsa the best he had at a Mexican restaurant and was happy when she asked if we wanted more. When Jannette saw us perusing the side of the menu that featured traditional Mexican fanfare, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, etc., she informed us of Wholly Frijoles’ signature dishes that take a “gourmet” approach to Mexican food involving a variety of sauces and preparations for steak and shrimp.
I usually go right for the enchiladas, but I am glad Jannette led us to another section of the menu where my friend ordered the Bistec Borracho, a steak marinated in beer and seasonings, while my husband and I decided to split the Family Platter, which included an enchilada, a chile relleno, a leg of lamb, shrimp, a stuffed chicken breast (pollo relleno), and chipotle mashed potatoes. Our meals came with soup and salad. The Wholly Frijoles “house salad” is unlike any other house salad I’ve had. In addition to what one might expect from a house salad, this one also has cilantro, corn, tortilla strips, and a sour cream and cilantro based dressing. It tasted delicious and refreshing.
Our meal was just as tasty. The steak enchilada and chile relleno put every other one I’ve had to shame. The ingredients tasted fresher than the others. The chipotle mashed potatoes were a lovely orange/red color with a hint of spice. The chicken breast was moist and stuffed with cheese and an assortment of vegetables. The shrimp were a bit overcooked but wonderfully marinated in lime, cilantro, garlic, and a chile de arbol sauce. The leg of lamb was dry, but the sauce on the plate made it very tasty. They also have a seafood and steak/chicken platter I’d like to try.
The prices might be more than a taqueria, but are definitely worth it. Most of the entrees are between $13 and $20 while the combo plates of the more traditional fare are around $10. This would be a great place for someone who would like to try something different from the usual Mexican food. It would be a great place for solo diners (there were a couple while we were there) as well as small groups.
The only complaint I have is that the restaurant is not laid out in way that would allow it to accommodate parties larger than six or seven. When I was there, a party of six was crammed around a round table and it looked as if one member of the party would have been in the way if a waiter needed to get by. I’d like to take my family there for a birthday dinner but I don’t think they’d be able to comfortably seat all eight of us.
Even if I might not be able to go the Wholly Frijoles with a large party, I will definitely go back, hopefully sooner than later.
I am not sure of Anthony Bourdain’s take on Mexican food, but I do think he would appreciate Wholly Frijoles’ business strategy. Chef J. Carmen Villegas had a successful Lincolnwood location since September 2001 before expanding to Gurnee. While sharing do’s and don’ts of the business side of a restaurant, he Bourdain warns that when a restaurant is successful the owners feel “invulnerable” and feel the need to expand (87). Wholly Frijoles knew that had something good and did not immediately open a location down the street or even in Chicago for that matter. They opened a location about an hour outside of the city to reach an even broader clientele.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Whole lot of cookin' going on...
I mean this in the nicest way possible: Julia Child seems obsessed with food. Pardon the cliche, but she is like a sponge and wants to absorb every food, recipe, technique, etc associated with French cuisine. She truly is a woman on a mission who wants to know everything there is, but when she learns something new or has this fantastic experience, it only reminds her of how much she doesn't know or how much she still has to learn. However, she does this all with a remarkably positive attitude. I admire her for that.
Back to the Barthes quote. We can all relate to the idea that food "transmits a situation." It is what most of our class discussion are based upon when we talk about food memories and experiences. For Child, starting with her first meal in France, we see how food functions for her. Tasting sole completely transformed her. She didn't know food could be this good. Food is an adventure. Food is information. Food is living. I believe Child herself says something to the effect that she wasn't alive before she came to France. She never gave a second thought to the food she ate, even though she does remember a few French meals from her childhood, and food was never anything special. It is as if France tapped into something that wasn't tapped before. Child needed to go to France in order to make the discoveries about food that she did. I don't think we would have the icon of Julia Child if she didn't.
As of now, I am in the part of the memoir where she and her two friends are trying to write the cookbook and I am amazed at the time, energy, sweat, and diligence that goes into the construction of each recipe. She wants the book to be relevant to American audiences and it won't be with some hardcore revising and restructuring. This is another aspect of how food functions for Child, but I am not sure how to articulate it. She wants food to be accessible...she wants good food to be accessible. Maybe this point is better suited for another aspect of the quote. French cuisine definitely signifies something special for Child. French food signifies class, knowledge, culture, everything that she felt she was missing in her "American" life.
The biggest difference between Child and Reichl is how they came to be interested in food. For Reichl, it was something she always thought about and was often a source of comfort, escape, confidence, and an assortment of other things. Even if it was her mom's bad cooking or an experience with an exotic dish, Reichl always had food on the brain. Child, on the other hand, came to appreciate and love food later in life and when she discovered it, she cannon-balled right in. While Child was proactive about learning about food, Reichl seemed rather passive. Sure, she would explore neighborhoods and find their hidden delicacies, but I wouldn't put her investigating on the same level as Julia Child's. Child wasn't content with talking to the locals in the market, she enrolled at Cordon Bleu! Child instantly knew that she wanted to share her knowledge and experiences with the masses, while Reichl came to it in a lifelong journey that ended with someone finally asking her, "Do you think you could write restaurant reviews?"
Back to the Barthes quote. We can all relate to the idea that food "transmits a situation." It is what most of our class discussion are based upon when we talk about food memories and experiences. For Child, starting with her first meal in France, we see how food functions for her. Tasting sole completely transformed her. She didn't know food could be this good. Food is an adventure. Food is information. Food is living. I believe Child herself says something to the effect that she wasn't alive before she came to France. She never gave a second thought to the food she ate, even though she does remember a few French meals from her childhood, and food was never anything special. It is as if France tapped into something that wasn't tapped before. Child needed to go to France in order to make the discoveries about food that she did. I don't think we would have the icon of Julia Child if she didn't.
As of now, I am in the part of the memoir where she and her two friends are trying to write the cookbook and I am amazed at the time, energy, sweat, and diligence that goes into the construction of each recipe. She wants the book to be relevant to American audiences and it won't be with some hardcore revising and restructuring. This is another aspect of how food functions for Child, but I am not sure how to articulate it. She wants food to be accessible...she wants good food to be accessible. Maybe this point is better suited for another aspect of the quote. French cuisine definitely signifies something special for Child. French food signifies class, knowledge, culture, everything that she felt she was missing in her "American" life.
The biggest difference between Child and Reichl is how they came to be interested in food. For Reichl, it was something she always thought about and was often a source of comfort, escape, confidence, and an assortment of other things. Even if it was her mom's bad cooking or an experience with an exotic dish, Reichl always had food on the brain. Child, on the other hand, came to appreciate and love food later in life and when she discovered it, she cannon-balled right in. While Child was proactive about learning about food, Reichl seemed rather passive. Sure, she would explore neighborhoods and find their hidden delicacies, but I wouldn't put her investigating on the same level as Julia Child's. Child wasn't content with talking to the locals in the market, she enrolled at Cordon Bleu! Child instantly knew that she wanted to share her knowledge and experiences with the masses, while Reichl came to it in a lifelong journey that ended with someone finally asking her, "Do you think you could write restaurant reviews?"
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
An attempt at theory...what I say about what food says about me
A warning off the bat: this is going to be rather scattered. Not scattered in the sense that I am going to eat moldy cottage cheese and wash it down with a glass of expired milk, but scattered in the sense that I have some thoughts and I am not sure how to put them together.
So, first of all, my food inventory. I felt this was a slow week for me. It was kind of bland and ordinary, in my opinion. Cereal or a bagel for breakfast. Italian sausage one day for dinner. Steak one day for dinner. Had a burger on Monday. My in-laws made me salmon one night. I did a lot of grilling. All the aforementioned meats were grilled. I grilled eggplant. I grilled mushrooms and zucchini in a foil pack. My husband and I managed to use our oven only two or three times last summer. We try to grill as much as possible. I don't know what that says about me or how food functions. Resourcefulness? Practicality? Conservation? I feel as if I am being too literal.
I also eat a lot more salads and vegetables in the summer, mainly due to this large garden we have in the backyard. It is about 20 feet by 10 feet. My husband prepares and plants it. I water and harvest. We're also getting chickens. Crazy, huh? I never thought I would have chickens. They will have to wait until next summer though, as we did not get a coop built in time. Both my brother-in-law and my husband are all about being as sustainable as possible. I don't think they are going to go the extremes that Ruth's roommate did, but they want to be sustainable. There is a sense of accomplishment that goes along with this. This could relate to the idea of what food does for Alice. It makes her independent and self-reliant. Gardening does that for me. I am able to eat and live off what I grow.
Also, in regards to the food inventory, I realize how the quality of food changes if I am having dinner by myself or making it with or for my husband. If he is not home one night, I might make a frozen pizza, hope there are leftovers in the fridge, or just buy something, however, if he is home, there is definitely more thought, effort, and time that goes into our meals. What does this say? Food is more fun when you're with someone...is that too simple?
Speaking of fun. I think food is A LOT of fun. This idea came up when was writing about my younger self and food. My parents LOVE ice cream. I love ice cream. Our family shared our first Blizzard (oreo) when they first came out in 1985 while we were on vacation in the St. Louis area. I remember this, isn't that random? Anyway, we went out for ice cream many a time. More so on vacation. I think it was my parents' way of being extravagant, a small luxury we could afford. Now, ice cream kind of rules their lives. I am not joking. My family has a soft spot for Culver's frozen custard. My sister lives in Wisconsin and they know every Culver's on the way to her house, which one is better than others, and they have to stop at each one (sometimes) in an effort to get the best flavor of the day. They have had three ice cream cones in one three hour journey. I don't know what to make of this, but I think it's great. Food is entertainment? Food as an adventure?
I am trying to make this more complex and am not sure how. I have never been a picky eater. I am willing to try almost anything. My mom served us a variety of things and we ate a variety of things. I was remembering how my mom did cook, but there were many times where my mom would bring home something that my grandma cooked or one of my aunts. My mom has four older sisters and they are quite talented in the kitchen. I think with my mom being the youngest girl, there was not a need for her to be so competent in the kitchen...which she appreciated because she liked to climb trees. Anyway, I ate a lot of leftovers. I found it weird when people said they didn't like leftovers, because we could other people's leftovers. It wasn't because my mom and dad couldn't afford to feed their family, I think my grandma just always cooked as if she was serving eight instead of 3 or 4. I feel like there's some thing here...does this connect back to my (simple) theory that food is more fun with or for someone? But then, I think Gram did this more out of habit than out of entertainment. Could this connect to accomplishment and self-reliance, like with me, my garden, and Alice? Possibly.
I just really love food...all kinds of food. I hate horse in Italy. I think that's kind of cool. And there is never enough time or stomach space to eat everything (like when you're on vacation). Ruth got to know a place through its cuisine...I don't think that is my intent. I just want to try things I haven't before. It seems too simple that food offers a new experience, a way to "see" the world. And now we're back to tasting the first Blizzard.
There is some serious thinking and theorizing that needs to happen over the next day or so.
So, first of all, my food inventory. I felt this was a slow week for me. It was kind of bland and ordinary, in my opinion. Cereal or a bagel for breakfast. Italian sausage one day for dinner. Steak one day for dinner. Had a burger on Monday. My in-laws made me salmon one night. I did a lot of grilling. All the aforementioned meats were grilled. I grilled eggplant. I grilled mushrooms and zucchini in a foil pack. My husband and I managed to use our oven only two or three times last summer. We try to grill as much as possible. I don't know what that says about me or how food functions. Resourcefulness? Practicality? Conservation? I feel as if I am being too literal.
I also eat a lot more salads and vegetables in the summer, mainly due to this large garden we have in the backyard. It is about 20 feet by 10 feet. My husband prepares and plants it. I water and harvest. We're also getting chickens. Crazy, huh? I never thought I would have chickens. They will have to wait until next summer though, as we did not get a coop built in time. Both my brother-in-law and my husband are all about being as sustainable as possible. I don't think they are going to go the extremes that Ruth's roommate did, but they want to be sustainable. There is a sense of accomplishment that goes along with this. This could relate to the idea of what food does for Alice. It makes her independent and self-reliant. Gardening does that for me. I am able to eat and live off what I grow.
Also, in regards to the food inventory, I realize how the quality of food changes if I am having dinner by myself or making it with or for my husband. If he is not home one night, I might make a frozen pizza, hope there are leftovers in the fridge, or just buy something, however, if he is home, there is definitely more thought, effort, and time that goes into our meals. What does this say? Food is more fun when you're with someone...is that too simple?
Speaking of fun. I think food is A LOT of fun. This idea came up when was writing about my younger self and food. My parents LOVE ice cream. I love ice cream. Our family shared our first Blizzard (oreo) when they first came out in 1985 while we were on vacation in the St. Louis area. I remember this, isn't that random? Anyway, we went out for ice cream many a time. More so on vacation. I think it was my parents' way of being extravagant, a small luxury we could afford. Now, ice cream kind of rules their lives. I am not joking. My family has a soft spot for Culver's frozen custard. My sister lives in Wisconsin and they know every Culver's on the way to her house, which one is better than others, and they have to stop at each one (sometimes) in an effort to get the best flavor of the day. They have had three ice cream cones in one three hour journey. I don't know what to make of this, but I think it's great. Food is entertainment? Food as an adventure?
I am trying to make this more complex and am not sure how. I have never been a picky eater. I am willing to try almost anything. My mom served us a variety of things and we ate a variety of things. I was remembering how my mom did cook, but there were many times where my mom would bring home something that my grandma cooked or one of my aunts. My mom has four older sisters and they are quite talented in the kitchen. I think with my mom being the youngest girl, there was not a need for her to be so competent in the kitchen...which she appreciated because she liked to climb trees. Anyway, I ate a lot of leftovers. I found it weird when people said they didn't like leftovers, because we could other people's leftovers. It wasn't because my mom and dad couldn't afford to feed their family, I think my grandma just always cooked as if she was serving eight instead of 3 or 4. I feel like there's some thing here...does this connect back to my (simple) theory that food is more fun with or for someone? But then, I think Gram did this more out of habit than out of entertainment. Could this connect to accomplishment and self-reliance, like with me, my garden, and Alice? Possibly.
I just really love food...all kinds of food. I hate horse in Italy. I think that's kind of cool. And there is never enough time or stomach space to eat everything (like when you're on vacation). Ruth got to know a place through its cuisine...I don't think that is my intent. I just want to try things I haven't before. It seems too simple that food offers a new experience, a way to "see" the world. And now we're back to tasting the first Blizzard.
There is some serious thinking and theorizing that needs to happen over the next day or so.
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