Varieties of Apples

Last night I took part in an interesting experiment. With 10 dollars as a basic budget we visited the local Walmart, Safeway and SuperOne grocery stores in search of apples. We were able to procure 11 different varieties and coming home cut each of them up and had a side by side tasting experience. Now for those of you who like me had had an apple in the past and ate it for the sake of getting some nutrition and maybe enjoying the crispness, this is and was an interesting eye opener. 

Each variety of apple has a unique taste and texture. For those of you familiar with the concept this may not be such an earth shattering revelation. However even though I had expected some difference in perhaps taste and or texture the exercise its self was an eye opening experience. In some it was a subtle fluffiness in the texture. Others had a bolder crispness to them. Several had hints of other fruit flavors that seem to be infused and intermingles with the basic apple taste. 

With the weather turning warm and the coming growing season I am looking forward to exploring other local flavors and deluging my taste-buds with a stream of culinary delights both cooked and fresh. 

And as a side note I must also make note of the accompaniments to the apple experience which was a nice chilled glass of mango lemonade and a 40 oz stake that was cooked for 38 minuets. thats right 2.5 lb. of prime cow. its a good thing I had all those apples to balance me out.

A restful weekend

Its hard to imagine that the weekend has come and gone already. I cant confess to having much productive work done during this time but I can claim getting plenty of rest. I also had the pleasure of having people over on a couple occasions for meals. As a self proclaimed foodist I must confess that this is one aspect of my personal life that I find to be very satisfying. Food while at times consumed for the mere sake of obtaining nourishment can also be a remarkable journey that one can take in which sights, smells and taste are but a never-ending series of detours that results in a happy self. 

One of my personal ideologies is that food is the only aspect of a culture that can be experienced by someone outside that given culture and truly feel included. Unlike sights and sounds the mere act of which tends to reenforce the barrier of the two cultures, food transcends that and takes one to an equal playing field. This got me thinking further on this topic this weekend. What is it that in my construct of this idea of food and culture being tied together does the sense of taste take a role that is more important that that os any of the other senses? I feel that the answer is as simple as the thought process is long. With any of the other senses we can only get a memory that can be take away from the experience. This is not the case with food. Our bodies take in the nutrients which then become part of out very being. 

There is the saying that you are what you eat. As someone who enjoys trying new foods then you become more than just a person who can be stereotyped into one box or another. The more you are open to trying new foods the more you expand on who you are. Another saying that has become more and more common during the last several decades is that the world is growing smaller because the barriers of distance and communication are being broken all the time. In such a expanding world we have the opportunity to experience other cultures in the form of the different foods that are available. However I also see a black cloud on the horizon that one must keep a watch for. As with the melding of cultures we must also be vigilant to keep too much of a mix from diluting what are individual and unique cultures. Food once again plays a roll in this as an indicator. 

Driving down the road one would often times pass an ornate, ethnically oriental looking building that has the tag line, Chinese and american dishes. Why is it that we feel that we need to enter an establishment that is distinctly culturally oriented to serving dishes that are different from our own and expect to be served what is traditionally part of our own culture is a mystery. But then again sometimes you just need to make a buck and the food you serve is just another utilitarian aspect that will bring home the bacon to pay for the roof.

1/10th done.

It seems amazing how fast this quarter is progressing. It feels like it just started and its already a tenth done. It is possible that this is because I have not had any major assignments due so far but I guess that will come with time. 

On the other hand spring seems to be taking a while coming. For a few weeks It seemed that the grip of winter was over and that spring was in the air, not so. Old man winter seems to have reached from the icy past and has laid his grip so tight that spring is strangling. But it cant last too long. Sooner or later like the few flowers and buds that have broken through the grip spring too shall spring forth and bring about warm days and sunshine.

Its the weekend and at least I can look forward to some time off to go explore the surrounding hill sides and gage for my self the process of the break out.

Recovery

The last couple days back from vacation have been very interesting. With the yearbook going to press tomorrow these couple days are crunch time. I finally got some sleep last night after about 40 hours of being awake. Sleep was definitely good but on the other hand I am quite pleased with my self for being able to stay awake for that long, and not be cranky. In fact I felt like quite the motivator. 

Outside the wind in picking up. I can hear the rose bush scrape against the kitchen window. There is also a metallic tapping sound that comes from the range hood as the rain guard is knocked about. A falling barometer may not predict ideal spring weather for this neck of the woods but with the sun straining to peak out from behind the curtain of clouds it still gives hope of the changing seasons and the though of spring being just round the corner. 

Well the week awaits and I must go face it. 

Back in the Northwest

Well after a week in the warmness that is Florida I am back in the Pacific Northwest. The final leg of my journey was very interesting as I looked out through the window of the train and watched the mighty Columbia River roll by and the green grass along its sides I felt a sense of coming home that was surreal. Even with the warm tropical weather just behind me yet still fresh on my mind I was drawn to the wet, overcast grey. Something that I have learned to love here is the liquid quality the light takes. The evenings are also long as the twilight lingers in the sky as if to hold on to the last remnants of the day unwilling to succumb to the night.

But back I am. I do miss the ability to walk with slippers on the sand and as the wind blows and fingers of cold breeze find their way down my jacket I find my self thinking of the warm days that are just behind me. But is it Spring, and with it I look forward to longer days, warmer weather and general happiness... 

The drive back

Well the day is closing. Going out on the glass bottom boat was different than what I had expected. Maybe it was due to the excessive amount of plankton in the water as the crew suggested or due to the wind that has been blowing from the east for the last several days churning up the bottom, however the visibility was on the poor side. I also think that I have been spoiled since being in Pohnpei I has 100 plus feet of clear visibility. But it was fun nonetheless.

On a more successful note I also made it a point to have some key lime pie that was made with key limes from the keys.... Mmmm Mmmm good.

Well the drive back to the main land was also good. Saw a pair of key deer, a guy reeling in a bone fish, several new birds. All in all a good drive. Well time to roll in. Just a few more hours left down here so I think I am going to wake up early and do some birding before the flight back home.

Key West.....

Its been a while since I got on here and blurted my brains out. Much has happened. Well since I am sure to not remember everything let me start going backwards. Right now I am sitting in a hotel room in Key West. Looking out the window the sun is shining and the weather forecast is predicting it to be in the 70's yum... I've been in florida for the last couple days and had the opportunity to visit the everglades and walk down south beach in Miami. 

Last quarter was a blast. I got to teach my first college class as the main teacher... which might explain the lack of time to spend drooling brain. Well maybe I was also being a bit lazy... I guess this trip and being down in the Keys is a good way to finish off my lazy phase. 

I had not been photographing much over the last few months. One because I have been quite occupied with work and school and two its been a little on the cold side which is not my cup of tea. But I guess its another day and adventure awaits, so maybe I will have a longer and more detailed description of the day tonight... till then... enjoy what sun you may have and if the clouds come by then remember the sun and let the thought of it keep your heart warm till the real deal can cover you with golden goodness.