January 24, 2015
“Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time.
~ Voltaire
At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical Californian, I’ve been having a Mercury-retrograde week. For those of you not astrologically inclined, when the planet Mercury appears to be in retrograde motion, all sorts of mischief is said to occur: missed emails, arguments, misunderstandings, accidents, mechanical failures, mistakes in judgement. Astrologers advise against signing contracts and caution us to drive carefully and back up computer files. Even my friends who don’t follow the movement of the planets ask me, “Is Mercury retrograding or something?” whenever events seem chaotic.
The term retrograde comes from the Latin, retrogradus, a combination of retro (backward) and gradus (step). To retrograde means, “to step backward”.
Up until several hundred years ago, Earth’s inhabitants thought we were the center of the Universe, and that the Sun, planets and stars moved in circles around us. One complication of this worldview was that, occasionally, some of these planets seemed to stop and move backwards or zig-zag across the sky. In ancient times, this was interpreted as the whim of the Gods. Mercury’s seemingly quick and erratic movement, from the perspective of Earth-dwellers, earned him/her the reputation of a trickster.
Astronomers have since discovered that the Sun is the center of our galaxy and that we, along with the other planets, move around it. Since we are all going around the Sun at different speeds, Mercury only appears to move backward in the sky. What is really happening is that the planet is slowing down.
Both the Earth and Mercury move around the Sun. Not only does Mercury move faster than the Earth does, its orbit is elliptical (oval or egg-shaped), so the speed of its orbit changes. The point in that elliptical when Mercury is furthest from the Sun is also the slowest point in its orbit. This slowing down gives Earth a chance to catch up.
The best way to illustrate this phenomenon is to imagine you (Earth) are on the freeway. The car in the lane next to you (Mercury) has been driving at a faster speed and you have been lagging behind it. Suddenly, the other car slows down. When that happens, it appears to move backwards. The other car is still traveling faster than you are, but in comparison to you, it seems to move back and forth as it either slows down or picks up its own speed.
When planets like Mercury appear to stop and move backwards, they are not changing direction at all. Only from the perspective of Earth does this seem to happen. In fact, from Mercury’s perspective, the Sun moves retrograde sometimes.
So why does the collective belief (seemingly stronger today than ever before) that the apparent retrograde motion of Mercury causes mishaps and miscommunication persist? I’m not sure. The Moon is close enough to Earth to move the ocean’s tides and, according to some studies, affect our sleep patterns. Could Mercury’s orbital pattern have some sort of magnetic affect on Earth’s activities? Perhaps. It is also possible that the collective consciousness of Earth’s inhabitants over the millennia, as we have observed the planets move through the sky, has influenced outcomes (mind over matter, so to speak).
Either way, the key to surviving seemingly chaotic Mercury retrograde periods is perspective. When we take a moment to widen our view outside the personal and let go of the idea that we are the center of the Universe, events outside of our control become easier to accept.
Back to my retrograde week. This last Tuesday evening, the night before Mercury appeared to stop and move backwards in the sky, my neighbor rang my doorbell to tell me that my car had a flat tire. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that all four of my tires were bald.
Luckily, I had the next day off. I called roadside service to put on my spare. Luckier still, there is a tire repair place walking distance from my house. I was able to successfully haggle a good price and replaced all four of my tires.
The flat tire at first seemed like a classic Mercury retrograde mishap. But what, in the beginning, appeared to be a setback, turned out to be a blessing. When I took a step back and looked at the big picture, I realized that, rather than causing havoc, Mercury was actually slowing down to show me that my tires were unsafe. This flat tire could have happened when I was far from home or out late at night. It could have blown out on the freeway, causing an accident. What could have been a major catastrophe, ended up being only a minor inconvenience. For that I am grateful.
So, when events seem to be going all wrong and not according to your plan, slow down, take a step back, and widen your perspective.
“A penny will hide the biggest star in the Universe if you hold it close enough to your eye.”
~ Samuel Grafton
~~~~~~~~~
Slow down for a few days and make some White House Kimchi.
White House Simple Kimchi
The First Lady tweeted out this photo and recipe last year for Kimchi after making the condiment with Napa cabbage, picked from the White House Garden. You can substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce, if you are a vegetarian. You can cut this recipe in half, if you like. Note: I added some tips to the First Lady’s recipe (in italics).
2 heads Napa cabbage, washed
1 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon fish sauce, any brand (could skip for vegetarian)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or brown sugar
1 small white radish, sliced paper thin
1 bunch scallion, sliced
5 Thai chilies or 5 tablespoons Korean dried chili powder
You will probably need two quart-sized mason jars for this recipe.
Cut the Napa cabbage into 1-inch slices. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Mix, using your hands, and set in the refrigerator overnight.
Rinse the salt from the leaves and squeeze out as much moisture or excess liquid as possible. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Place in an airtight jar (mason jar works well), pack the veggies into the jar tightly, and store in the refrigerator.
The pickle should be ready in about four days.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Slow Down, Step Back |
January 16, 2015
“As is the human body,
So is the cosmic body.
As is the human mind,
So is the common mind,
As is the microcosm,
So is the macrocosm.
As is the atom,
So is the universe.”
~ The Upanishads
Whether you believe in an omnipotent power called God or Love, a Universal Consciousness or Soul of the World, the possibility of something similar, or the idea of no unifying power or intelligence at all; whether you call yourself religious, spiritual, agnostic, humanist or atheist; who among us hasn’t had the fleeting thought that, if we were in charge of the Universe, the world would be at peace and there would be no hunger, pain, sickness or injustice?
It’s easy to imagine how much better taken care of the world could be if only we had the power to make it so. However, before you pat yourself on the back for a potential job well done, take a good look at the world that is currently in your care: your own body.
Just as you are a single entity dwelling in the greater Universe, so are the cells in your body single entities of the universe that is you. You are the supreme being in charge of your bodily sphere. How well are you taking care of it?
If humans are in need of guidance, inspiration or healing, they often pray, asking a higher power for help. When the cells in your body ask for oxygen, exercise and nutrition, do you listen to their prayers? If so, do you answer them by breathing deeply, moving and eating healthier food? When your spine is stiff from commuting, do you make sure to stretch a bit before hunching over an iPad for hours? When your mind is stressed out after a long day, do you take a few moments to breathe deeply and clear your thoughts before turning on the evening news?
Many wonder how a benevolent God could allow disease, drought and famine in the world. You oversee the world that is your body and mind. Ask yourself: are you a benevolent or a vengeful God? When your stomach cries out for better nutrition, do you punish it by filling it with more empty calories? Your neck holds your head up all day; your back keeps you upright. When they are overworked and in pain, do you curse them for crying out to you for help? Do you smite your tired mind with internet negativity, angry politics and TV or movies that showcase the worst of human nature?
Do unto the cells, organs and systems in your body as you would have this world’s highest power do unto you.
Answer your body’s prayers with good nutrition and regular exercise. Provide daily bread for your mind by reading inspiring books, watching uplifting movies and clicking on positive stories. Heal your heart by saying thank you on a daily basis and by being kind to others.
Be a force for good in the universe that is you.
“I sent my soul through the invisible,
Some letter of that after-life to spell:
And by and by my soul returned to me,
And answered ‘I myself am Heaven and Hell.'”
~ The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
~~~~~~~~~
Penne with Broccoli Pesto is both nutritious and delicious.
Penne with Broccoli Pesto
Super yummy and also good for you, this simple no-nut pesto makes eating your vegetables something to look forward to. If fresh broccoli is not available locally, use frozen broccoli florets from a good local, organic farm.
6 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets (20 oz)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for table
A pinch of ground red pepper
OR
1/2 of a fresh chile pepper, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
16 oz penne pasta
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and garlic and sauté while stirring for 10 minutes. Add water, lemon juice, cheese and hot pepper. Stir well, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes (fresh may take longer). Remove cover and cook and additional 10 minutes, or until water is evaporated and broccoli is very tender. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth, drizzling with additional olive oil until you get a texture that you like. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Cook penne al dente in boiling, salted water, according to package directions. Drain well and toss with the broccoli pesto until well coated. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese available at the table.
Serves 6
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment » |
January 7, 2015
“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
In December of 2014, Derby the dog ran down the sidewalk for the very first time.
Due to a congenital deformity, Derby was born with tiny forearms and no front paws, preventing him from moving himself along anything but soft surfaces. A hard surface, such as a sidewalk, would cause severe abrasions on his front limbs. Playing fetch, chasing squirrels or enjoying any of the other favorite dog pastimes that involve running was not possible for Derby – until he met Tara Anderson.
Tara agreed to foster Derby after seeing his picture on the website for Peace and Paws, a dog rescue group in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Finding a foster parent for a dog like Derby was good news all by itself, but the fact that Tara was an employee at 3D Systems was nothing short of a miracle.
3D Systems (3DS) is the South Carolina company that invented 3D printing, the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
At first, Tara outfitted Derby with a cart. This enabled him to get around, albeit awkwardly, on hard surfaces, but not to run like a normal dog. Tara then decided to enlist the help of her colleagues, 3DS designers Kevin Atkins and Dave DiPinto. With the assistance of a Certified Orthotist (orthotists specialize in patients requiring artificial limbs) they designed and created customized prosthetics for Derby.
Tara was worried that a traditional prosthetic leg design would dig into and get stuck in the dirt, so she chose a loop shape. 3DS created pairs of loops in different sizes, so that Derby could get used to the height gradually.
Said Buddy Byrum, a Vice President at 3DS, “The beauty of 3D printing is that, if the design needs to be adjusted, we don’t have to wait for time-consuming and expensive traditional manufacturing processes, we can simply print out a new set.”
Derby has been permanently adopted by Sherri and Dom Portanova. He runs at least two or three miles a day on his new legs, sometimes sprinting past his new parents.
You can see a YouTube about Derby and watch him run on his new legs by clicking here: Derby the dog: Running on 3D Printed Prosthetics.
~~~~~~~~~
Blueberry Chèvre Scones are a deliciously new way to start your day.
Blueberry Chèvre Scones
Made with smooth, creamy goat cheese instead of milk, these yummy scones are a sophisticated and scrumptious sweet treat, especially for friends who are avoiding lactose. You can make them without the lemon glaze, but I think it adds an extra dimension of flavor that makes them super delicious.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
5 oz chèvre goat cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 400°F
Lightly grease a large baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a fork or whisk, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
In another bowl, using a fork, mash chèvre with oil and mix until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla and water until well combined.
Add the frozen blueberries to the bowl with the dry ingredients and toss a bit to coat. Immediately add the wet ingredients and mix gently with your fingers until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough forms a large ball.
Divide the mound into 8 equal mounds for large scones, or 12 equal mounds for smaller scones.
For 8 large scones:
Divide dough in half; divide each half in half, then each of those in half.
For 12 smaller scones:
Divide dough in half; divide each half in half, then divide each of those into thirds.
Place mounds 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake on center rack of oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.
Move to a rack to cool a bit. Brush tops with Lemon Glaze. Eat warm or cooled. Yum! Store leftovers in an airtight container. These were even better the next day, after the glaze soaked in.
Makes 8 large or 12 smaller scones.
Lemon Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Place ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork or whisk until smooth.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on 3D is for Derby |
January 1, 2015
“Love is, above all, the gift of oneself.”
~ Jean Anouilh
I’ve known Wilma since I was 14 years old, when she, our friend Francesca and I worked at the local mall. We came of age together, going through teenage years and young adulthood, with all of the triumphs, mistakes and memories that come with growing up.
A little over ten years ago, Wilma lost her older sister Nancy to an auto accident. This single tragedy was transformed into multiple miracles with the donation of Nancy’s organs, which helped to save the lives of six different people. I can still see Nancy’s smiling face in my mind’s eye. I know that her spirit lives on, not only in the hearts of those of us who knew her and those who loved her, but also through the lives of the recipients of her donation.
Wilma has since become active with Donate Life, a not-for-profit alliance of organizations across the U.S. committed to increasing organ, eye and tissue donation. Several times I have been lucky enough to join with her in decorating the Donate Life Rose Parade Float. Begun as the inspiration of a man who had received a life-saving lung donation, the organization’s Rose Parade Float helps spread awareness every year at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.
This year’s float, titled “The Never-Ending Story”, illustrates how the story of life continues from donors through recipients. The float depicts 60 butterflies emerging from a large, open book (each butterfly represents one of 60 lives that can be transformed by a single deceased donor). The butterflies seem to fly over a line of 72 additional books, each adorned with the floral portrait of a deceased donor. Wilma’s sister Nancy was one of those represented.
The other night, I was one of Wilma’s guests at the annual Donate Life Float Gala Dinner, honoring participants, donors, recipients and others. Everyone dressed up to gather for cocktails and appetizers, then we all sat down for dinner in a lovely room decorated with butterflies and roses, in keeping with this year’s float theme.
The speeches started as we finished eating. I listened to the stories; they were all heartwarming, but my mind wandered a bit. Then, a slideshow began. The names of the 72 deceased organ, eye and tissue donors, along with their pictures, slowly appeared on the screen, one by one. Suddenly, I was overcome with emotion. My throat formed a painful lump, the muscles in my forehead scrunched together, and my eyes welled up with tears. Seeing the faces of loved ones lost, knowing that their passing gave new life, new hope and a new start to others, was profoundly moving. Some were old, some were young; one was an infant.
I was reminded of a tweet I saw last week with a photo of a Hanukkah menorah. The caption read, “Celebrate Life…. my devout Catholic wife lighting menorah in honor of the 20 year-old donor of heart that saved her life.”
As John Donne famously said, “No man is an island, entire of itself.”
Whether we realize it or not, our actions, words, choices and examples influence our fellow humans, our planet Earth and all of its residents. When our physical bodies are no longer useful and our spirits leave this world for another adventure, each one of us lives on in those who remember us and those who have been affected by us, knowingly or unknowingly.
“Strange isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives.”
~ From It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Islands only appear to be isolated. Far beneath the surface of the water, they are each connected to the one Earth. As we turn the page on 2014 and begin a new chapter, remember that we only appear to writing individual autobiographies. In truth, our tales are intertwined. We are co-authors, writing this story of the world together.
~~~
One million people are in need of life-saving and healing organ, tissue and cornea transplants each year. To see this year’s Rose Parade Float and to learn more about Donate Life visit donatelifefloat.org
~~~~~~~~~
Lentils are an Italian New Year’s tradition. It is said that their shape resembles coins, signifying abundance. Green is also a color of abundance. Ring in an abundant 2015 with Green Lentil Risotto.
Green Lentil Risotto
This absolutely scrumptious vegetarian dish transcends “rice and beans”.
1 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained
2 & 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, combine lentils, water, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, thyme, paprika, salt, garlic and pepper. Bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Drain cooked lentils, reserving any leftover cooking liquid. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring broth just to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer (you will keep the broth simmering until you have used all of it). In another large saucepan or braiser pan, melt butter over low heat. Add rice and stir to coat completely. Add reserved lentil cooking liquid, the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the hot broth to the rice. Stir continuously, until the rice absorbs most of the liquid. Continue adding the hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously until each addition is absorbed before adding another. This process takes about 20 to 25 minutes. When all the broth has been incorporated into the rice, the rice should be almost tender but with a little bite to the center (like “al dente” pasta). Gradually stir in the cooked lentils, then the cheese. Turn off heat and serve immediately.
4 to 6 servings
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment » |
December 24, 2014
“If every instinct you have is wrong,
then the opposite would have to be right.”
~ From the TV show Seinfeld, “The Opposite” episode (1994)
This last Sunday marked the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. The exact opposite happens during the Summer Solstice, when the Sun reigns supreme over the longest day. Along with the extended darkness come cold temperatures and inclement weather. Human beings are part of the natural world and, just like our environment, we are affected by the changing seasons. The extreme cold of winter, like the extreme heat of summer, can create imbalances in the body and mind.
A delicious way to take the edge off of winter’s harsh weather is through your choice of foods. Ayurvedic nutrition encourages a balancing approach to eating, in keeping with the principle that like increases like and opposites create equilibrium. During stark winter’s chill, a little hint of warm summer in your food and attitude can help make the season bright instead of bleak.
Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest medical systems, originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit, combining ayuh meaning “life” with veda meaning “knowledge”. According to Ayurvedic teaching, the five elements of Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth combine to form three fundamental energies that influence our inner and outer environments. In Sanskrit these forces (known as doshas) are referred to as Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Ayurveda teaches that each of us is born with a unique proportion of these energies and that this proportion influences the characteristics of our mind and body (known in Sanskrit as our prakriti). If Vata is balanced in our system, we tend to be thin, talkative, enthusiastic and flexible. If Pitta dominates, the qualities can be: passionate, driven, intense, corageous and adventurous. Those with strong Kapha influences are most likely calm, methodical, slow-to-anger, steady, dependable and nurturing. Although all three forces or doshas reside within in each of us, most people have one or two elements that are dominant.
Foods, environment and activities with qualities that are similar to a dosha will increase that dosha, and those with attributes that are unlike a dosha will decrease that dosha.
Vata is composed of Air and Ether. Vata is described as light, cold, dry, rough, clear, changeable, quick and mobile (think of wind blowing). Pitta consists of Fire and Water. The characteristics of Pitta are fiery, hot, pungent, sharp, intense and movable (think of warm water flowing). Kapha is made of Water and Earth. Kapha is heavy, slow, cool, wet, creamy, soft, dense and steady (think of wet clay).
Winter’s climate, tends to be cold and can create an overabundance of Vata. Cold winter winds and home furnaces can dry out skin and mucus membranes. So the cold/dry of Vata can potentially create imbalance during the winter months. Warm and sweet comfort foods can be a welcome antidote for Vata this time of year. Pick up a bowl of hot soup from your local Thai restaurant to balance out the elements of the season. To comfort your taste buds, pour yourself a cup of mulled cider or a mug of hot chocolate (add a pinch of cayenne, if you’re adventurous). Warm, buttery, cheesy and saucy main dishes will take the edge off winter’s chill.
Remember that the goal of Ayurveda is balance. Too much holiday comfort food (heaviness) and inertia (slowness) can potentially lead to too little Vata. It’s a good idea to keep your body moving during the dormant season. If weather does not permit a brisk walk or a bike ride, start and end your day with a few Sun Salutations (a yoga classic), or do some simple calisthenics in front of the TV.
So, if winter’s rain, wind and cold are shutting down your spirits, do the opposite. Salute the Sun, cook up some warm, sweet and spicy stuff, and put a little summer’s day into the longest nights.
~~~~~~~~~
Warm Pitta Punch is a beverage that will warm your heart, mind, body and soul. Leave some for Santa, along with some gingersnap cookies.
Warm Pitta Punch
This warm, spicy, sweet and tangy punch is the perfect antidote to winter’s chill.
1/2 cup organic sugar
4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick (plus 8 more for garnish)
1 & 1/2-inch piece of a vanilla bean
4 hibiscus tea bags
32 oz of unsweetened tart cherry juice
1 orange, sliced into 8 or more slices
In a large saucepan, over low heat, combine sugar and 1 cup of the water. Heat, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved (about 3 minutes).
Add one cinnamon stick and the piece of vanilla bean (split lengthwise, using a knife, to reveal seeds before adding). Turn heat up to medium and bring mixture to a boil, then add the 3 remaining cups of water and the 4 hibiscus tea bags. Turn off heat, cover partially with lid and steep for 15 to 20 minutes.
After steeping, remove tea bags (squeeze out liquid using back of spoon) and discard. Remove vanilla, scraping any remaining seeds back into the pan, then discard the bean.
Add the cherry juice and orange slices. Stir well and simmer over medium-low heat until hot, stirring occasionally.
Serve in heat-proof glass mugs. Garnish each glass with an orange slice and a cinnamon stick.
8 servings
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment » |
December 17, 2014
“Yeah, there’s a lot of bad ‘isms’ floating around this world, but one of the worst is commercialism. Make a buck, make a buck. Even in Brooklyn it’s the same – don’t care what Christmas stands for, just make a buck, make a buck.”
~ From Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
In Brooklyn, it’s not the same. 58th Street in Brooklyn, New York is the home of Uncommon Goods, an online marketplace founded in 1999, and dedicated to sustainability, social responsibility, giving back to the community and creating a rewarding place for its employees to work.
I found Uncommon Goods several years ago while searching online for “Recycled Gifts”. I was happy to find, not only some lovely items made from recycled materials, but also a large and varied assortment of unique and original gifts for all ages, households and hobbies, all made or designed by local artists and small companies. My gift-giving suddenly became super-cool.
Then, in 2012, I watched an interview with Lew Prince, the owner of Vintage Vinyl, a small business in St. Louis. He had met with President Obama at the White House in November of that year as part of a group of small business owners. He was asked about the meeting and this is what he said:
“The President sat down in the room with a dozen small business people and literally said, ‘What can I do for you?’ And the first thing that one of us said, it was the guy who owns Uncommon Goods in Brooklyn, said ‘Raise the minimum wage to ten bucks.’ And, in unison, the other dozen of us went, ‘Yes’.”
I was so delighted to find that the cool and hip online gift store that I had been patronizing was owned by someone who supported paying people a living wage.
Fast forward to the present, the holiday season of 2014. I wanted to help support small online businesses and locally-owned stores. I decided that, this year, I would have an Amazon-free Christmas. I needed a gift for a friend who is studying Portuguese, so I headed to the local bookstore. There, an employee spent a full 15 minutes looking up Portuguese authors and advising me on his favorites. The book that I chose cost me a few dollars more than it would have at a big-box store or from Amazon, but the personal advice and warm service I received was more than worth it.
I also ordered from Uncommon Goods. When my package arrived, it contained an item I hadn’t ordered and a couple of things that I wasn’t happy with. I called their customer service number and a real person, named Ebony, answered the phone. She was helpful and friendly and spoke to me as if I were the only customer she had to talk to that day (and I know she must have been super-busy). She immediately credited me for the items that I wasn’t happy with and told me I didn’t need to worry about returning them. As we were talking, I noticed that the item that I hadn’t ordered (or paid for) was kind of cool. I told her that I wanted to keep it and asked her to charge me for it. She responded that the item was mine, free of charge, for my trouble. I felt like I was in a scene from the 1947 movie, Miracle on 34th Street.
In the classic Christmas film, Macy’s Department Store mistakenly hires the real Kris Kringle as its store Santa. Instructed by the management to push slow-moving toys to the children coming to see him, Kris instead directs their parents to Macy’s competitor, where they can fulfill their children’s wishes at a lower price. The manager of the toy department is horrified when he finds out, and wants to fire Kris, until the shoppers begin professing their undying loyalty to Macy’s because “they put customers first” and “they understand the real meaning of Christmas.” I’m guessing that Kris Kringle is now employed at Uncommon Goods.
The exchange of gifts that is traditional at this time of year is supposed to be a chance to give from our hearts to the hearts of others. It shouldn’t just be about errands to be run, obligations to fulfill, and money to be made or spent. We ought to put just as much thought into the places we shop as we do into the items we purchase.
In an era when corporations staff their customer service departments with robots rather than real people (“Press one to be frustrated in English…”) and treat employees as disposable commodities, I want to support businesses like Uncommon Goods, and help to show the world that putting people before profits is profitable.
~~~
If you forget the name of uncommongoods.com, you can always find the link on the right-hand side of this blog, under the Elaborations section.
~~~~~~~~~
Lemon Cream Biscotti make a lovely gift from your kitchen.
Lemon Cream Biscotti
These biscotti are delicately flavored with lemon and vanilla and generously drizzled with real white chocolate. For Orange Cream Biscotti, simply substitute orange zest for the lemon zest.
1/2 cup organic sugar
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest (1 to 2 medium lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Scant 1/8 teaspoon salt (1/4 if using unsalted butter)
1 (12 oz) package white chocolate chips
(Use white chocolate made with real cocoa butter and real vanilla)
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar using a large fork or electric mixer on slow. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
In a another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Beat until well mixed.
Scoop the dough onto center of the prepared baking sheet. Lightly flour your hands and flatten the dough into a 4-inch by 10-inch rectangle (I use the edge of my fist, lightly). Bake the rectangle, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time, for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned and set. Move the parchment with the rectangle onto a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F
Place the rectangle on a flat work surface. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut crosswise into about 1/3-inch slices. Place each slice cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the slices, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking time, for 20 to 23 minutes, or until crisp (but not too brown). Move the baked slices to cooling racks to cool.
In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the white chocolate chips over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Using a spoon, and a zigzag motion, drizzle each of the biscotti very generously with the white chocolate. Let cool completely. You may need to cool them several hours or overnight for the white chocolate to harden sufficiently for packaging. Store in an airtight container or in plastic baggies at room temperature. Best if eaten within 3 or 4 days.
Makes about two dozen biscotti
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Miracle on 58th Street |
December 5, 2014
“There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature.”
~ Aristotle
Philosophers, mystics and poets throughout time have likened the element of fire to creativity. Now the “spark” of creative genius is being used to discover and develop ground-breaking new technologies that create fuel out of the other elements: air, water and earth.
Researchers in the UK, led by Nobel-prize-winning Professor Sir Andrei Gem of Manchester University, have made recent discoveries about graphene (a form of carbon graphite – the stuff in pencil lead) that could enable the creation of a device that would generate clean electricity by extracting hydrogen fuel from the atmosphere. Yes, you read that correctly; this new knowledge could one day lead to a carbon-free fuel that is created out of the air.
Sunfire GmbH, a German company, has recently developed a machine that converts water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) that has been harvested from the atmosphere into synthetic, cleanly produced petroleum, diesel and kerosene.
So these represent two breakthroughs in producing clean fuels, one utilizing the air and one using water; what about earth?
The first bus powered by human and food waste has begun service between Bristol and Bath in the UK. The 40-seat “Bio-Bus” runs on a fuel generated through the treatment of sewage and food waste (think of the ending scene from the 1985 movie Back to the Future when Doc Brown powers his time-traveling DeLorean by feeding banana peels and trash into a machine labeled “Mr. Fusion”). The bus can travel up to 186 miles (300km in the UK) on a single tank of this biomethane gas, which is made using the waste generated during one year by about five people. A single person’s annual waste would provide enough fuel to run the bus for 37 miles (60km). In case you are wondering, impurities are removed from the fuel, allowing for virtually odor-free emissions.
It seems such a beautiful irony that, after all the destruction that man’s drive for dominance over nature has wrought, the solutions to saving the air, water and earth that are key to our very survival are being found in the elements themselves.
“The poetry of the Earth is never dead.”
~ John Keats
~~~~~~~~~
Have you been eating Thanksgiving leftovers for a week? Lighten up with tangy and tasty Yogurt Mushroom Soup.
Yogurt Mushroom Soup
This tangy and simple to prepare soup is a delicious alternative to the usual cream-based mushroom soup.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 oz of cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned & sliced thinly
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
A pinch of crumbled, dried rosemary
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon organic soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup whole milk yogurt (European/thin style)
Add oil to soup pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and stir until they begin to soften and release their liquid (a few minutes). Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, vinegar, soy sauce and smoke paprika. Stir until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the broth to the pan and heat until simmering. Scoop 1/2 cup of the hot broth from the pan and stir it into the 1 cup of yogurt until mixed. Add the yogurt/broth mixture to the soup pot and stir it in gradually. Bring back to a simmer.
Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve hot.
Serves 4
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Out of Thin Air |
November 26, 2014
“…Outdoors we are confronted everyday with wonders; we see that the miraculous is not extraordinary but the common mode of existence. It is our daily bread. Whoever really has considered the lilies of the field or the birds of the air and pondered the improbability of their existence in this warm world within the cold and empty stellar distances will hardly balk at the turning of water into wine – which was, after all, a very small miracle. We forget the greater and still continuing miracle by which water (with soil and sunlight) is turned into grapes.”
~ Wendell Berry
I have lived all of my life near the Pacific Ocean. I grew up going to the beach and wading in the waves, tasting the salt water on my skin and listening to the sounds of seagulls flying overhead. As a child, a trip to the seaside filled me with joy and wonder. As an adult, I tend to take my proximity to the shore for granted. Too often I have driven up or down the coast thinking about to-do lists, politics, what I’m making for dinner and numerous other subjects other than the miraculous, life-giving ocean in front of me.
That is, until I read the story of Ruby Holt, a 100-year-old woman who recently saw the ocean for the first time in her life.
A mother of four who spent most of her life picking cotton on a farm in rural Tennessee, Ms. Holt and her late husband were hard-working people who never had enough leisure time or extra money to go to the sea. She had seen pictures of the ocean and heard people talk about how wonderful it was, but she herself had never walked on a beach or seen the water in person.
Earlier this month, thanks to the efforts of the assisted living center where she now resides and an organization which grants wishes to the elderly, Ms. Holt finally visited the ocean. Two workers from Brookdale Sterling House, filled out an application to Wish of a Lifetime, and arrangements were made for her to take an all-expenses-paid trip to the Perdido Beach Resort in the Gulf of Mexico.
A motorized wheelchair, equipped with special tires that roll over sand, got her down to the water. Then, with the help of a walker, Ms. Holt strolled along the shore and dipped her feet in the waves as she watched her first-ever sunset over the ocean. She turns 101 on December 13th.
I don’t live as close to the beach as I used to. I now live inland a bit, in the foothills of the local mountains. I see them everyday.
A few years ago I was driving a couple who lived near me home from a funeral. A dear friend of ours had committed suicide and the mood in the car was somber. As we drove up the road toward the mountains, my friend, who grew up in another state, pointed to the majestic hills in front of us and exclaimed to his wife, “Look honey, look where we live!”
Now, when I am driving near my house, I often think of my friend and his wife and the day that I saw my local mountains through their eyes. When that happens I smile and say to myself, “Look where you live!” The concerns of the day cease to fill my head with noisy conversation and, in that moment of awareness, my heart is filled with gratitude.
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
~ T. S. Eliot
~~~~~~~~~
Cranberry, Orange and Pumpkin Seed Coffeecake makes a lovely breakfast treat or hostess gift during the holidays.
Cranberry, Orange and Pumpkin Seed Coffeecake
(Or Muffins)
The green of the pumpkin seeds and ruby red of the cranberries makes this delicious bread a festive holiday treat. This recipe is easily doubled.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest (about one navel orange)
1/2 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 375°F
Lightly grease bottom and slightly up the sides of an 8-inch round cake pan or line 6 or 7 muffin cups with liners.
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg with a large fork. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat sugar with egg, then mix in yogurt, oil, vanilla and zest.
Add wet ingredient to bowl with dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Mix in pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Do not over-mix.
Spread batter into prepared cake pan or divide between lined muffin cups.
Bake cake for 18 to 23 minutes, or when edges begin to pull away from pan and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Bake muffins for 15 to 18 minutes.
Let cool on a rack.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on The First Time |
November 19, 2014
“We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.”
~ Luciano De Crescenzo
I recently became aware of the story of an American bald eagle named Osceolo who lost one of his wings when he was hit by a hunter’s bullet in 1983, when he was only about two years old. He had been injured for a week by the time he was found struggling in a field in eastern Arkansas, his left wing dangling as he ran, trying to fly without success. He was taken to the Memphis Zoo, where the staff veterinarian tried for three days to heal the broken and infected wing to no avail. Amputating the injured wing saved the bird’s life, but meant that he would never fly again.
Or so it seemed.
John Stokes, who ran the Raptor Rehab Program at the zoo, also happened to be a hang glider pilot. Over several years, he worked to develop a special sling and harness that would hold Osceola above the pilot in the hang glider as he flew. Finally, after many tests and preparations, John was able to take Oseola hang gliding with him. Thirteen years after he lost his wing, Osceola the one-winged eagle was airborne once again, soaring above red-tailed hawks and taking in the view from above.
“Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him.”
~ Albert Schweitzer
John and Osceola have made many, many flights since then. Osceola helps John do educational programs at the United States Eagle Center at Dollywood in Pigeaon Forge, Tennessee and in conjunction with the American Eagle Foundation. For a more in-depth story and to watch YouTubes of Osceola gliding visit osceolabaldeagle.com
~~~~~~~~~
Green Chile Mac N’ Cheese will send your taste buds soaring.
Green Chile Mac N’ Cheese
Green chilies are a summer treat, but you can find them canned all year round. They add just the right amount of zing to this rich but easy to make macaroni and cheese. Use canned Hatch green chilies, if they are available at your grocery store.
1 cup (whole or 2%) milk
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup canned diced/chopped green chilies
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups Pepper Jack cheese
8 oz imported Italian elbow macaroni
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a large bowl, mix milk and sour cream with a fork until smooth. Add mayo, black pepper and chili powder. Mix well. Stir in chilies and the Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses (4 cups total). Stir to combine and set aside.
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions in boiling, salted water. Do not overcook the pasta. It will cook more in the oven. Rinse the hot pasta under cold water in a strainer to stop the cooking. Drain well and add to bowl with sauce. Stir everything together and pour into a lightly buttered 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Sprinkle top evenly with the Pepper Jack cheese.
Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes* until macaroni is bubbling and top is just beginning to brown. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
*I used a heavy, deep Le Creuset lasagna pan and took mine out at 45 minutes. A lighter-weight pan may take less time.
Note: the pasta went about halfway up my pan. You could probably safely double the recipe and fit it in an extra deep pan, such as the Le Creuset lasagna pan.
Makes 8 side servings
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment » |
November 10, 2014
“I will love the light, for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness, for it shows me the stars.”
~ Augustine “Og” Mandino
Photo courtesy of ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)
I enjoy all of the seasons, but fall is one of my favorites, partly because we return to Standard Time. After the chaotic celebration and intense heat of summer, I welcome the shorter days as an opportunity to slow down, to go within, to dream, and to observe the world around me.
Now, thanks to a huge collection of radio telescopes in the Chilean desert, the formation of the early Universe can be observed as it happened.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) was built as an international partnership of Europe, North America and East Asia. ALMA’s mission is to investigate the early Universe, the first stars and galaxies and the formation of planets.
A new image from ALMA recently revealed, in never before seen detail, the formation of new planets around a young star known as HL Tauri. Located in the constellation of Taurus, HL Tauri (a star like our own Sun) was born within clouds of gas and dust that collapsed under gravity. Over time, the surrounding dust particles stuck together, growing into sand, pebbles, and larger-size rocks. These pebbles and rocks settled into a protoplanetary disc (proto means “earliest” or “first”), a thin disc made up of stuff that eventually came together to make asteroids, comets, and planets.
The cool part is that observing the first stages of planet formation around HL Tauri can show us how our own planetary system may have looked when it began, more than four billion years ago.
So enjoy the fall season, the return to Standard Time and the earlier view of the night sky. With the right kind of telescope, you can watch the world being made.
~~~
For more about the ALMA and HL Tauri, you can see a five minute YouTube at this link.
~~~~~~~~~
Sweet and savory slow-cooked Caramelized Carrots with Lime and Thyme are not your grandma’s carrots.
Caramelized Carrots with Lime and Thyme
These will disappear from your Thanksgiving table.
16 oz baby carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
(about 3 cups of chunks)
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Zest of one lime
1 teaspoon lime juice
In a large, heavy saucepan, frying pan or braising pan (carrots should cook in a single layer), melt butter with oil over medium heat. Add thyme and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Stir continuously to coat the carrots with the butter/oil and seasonings. Reduce heat to medium-low and let sizzle, stirring only occasionally, until carrots are tender-crisp and beginning to caramelize (about 30 minutes). Stir in lime zest and juice. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired (I didn’t).
Serve hot, with bread to mop up the extra butter and oil (yum!).
Serves 4 to 6
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments » |
Recent Comments