The Original Soupwoman will be travelling this week, which means no new soup inventions. But fear not, here is one I made earlier.

Ingredients
400g tinned plum tomatoes
300g apples, peeled, cored and chopped (a sour variety, such as Bramley, is best)
100g dried red lentils
800ml vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 ts dried basil
1/2 ts dried thyme
a pinch of ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Put stock, tomatoes, apples and lentils in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with lid and let simmer until everything is tender. Add the herbs and the cinnamon and puree with a hand mixer. If the soup is very thick, add more stock. Add salt and pepper to taste, bring to a boil and serve hot with nice fresh bread, such as the rosemary spelt bread below.

Rosemary Spelt Bread

Credit where credit is due: this is an adaptation of the “Roman Style Loaf” recipe on the Doves Farm Stoneground Wholegrain Spelt flour bag.

Ingredients
500g wholegrain spelt flour
1/2-1 tsp salt
3 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp whole cumin
1 tsp quick yeast
1 tbsp honey
400ml warm water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the more flavourful and aromatic, the better)
(coarse sea salt)

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Dissolve the honey in the warm water and roughly mix it to the flour. While the dough is still craggy, add the olive oil and mix well. Knead or work the dough for a few minutes then divide it between two 500g greased or lined bread tins.  Cover and leave dough to rise for about half an hour in a warm place. Pre-heat the oven to 200C (180C fan assisted). Drizzle some more olive oil on the breads and sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top, if you like. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40–45 minutes.

The Shenandoah Valley has traditionally been an agricultural community, and apples our primary crop.   Winchester has one of the longest running  civic events in Virginia, The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Parade.  Even our buildings have apples, and apple impressions in front of them

As times changed and development moved into from Washington DC and out into the surrounding area, land became more valuable and apple orchards started giving way to housing developments, shopping malls and even golf courses.

In the photo above,  each crate represents one orchard that used to grow in the area around Winchester.  Only one orchard is left, Marker-Miller, which keeps this display up to remind all of us what has been lost.  In order for Marker-Miller to survive, they’ve had to change too, from being just an orchard to now engaging in Agri-tourism in order to make ends meet.

http://www.markermillerorchards.com/

I can not believe that I just finished the final fall semester of my undergraduate career. Time has definitely flown by over these past few years but graduation can not come soon enough. I know that college is supposed to be one of the best times of your life but Christopher Newport University has not been a college experience I imagined. I am very ready to be done with the college life and move on to my REAL life whatever that may be.

Do not get me wrong the experience I received at CNU through my professor and the knowledge and opportunities I have received have been outstanding and I could not ask for anything more but the social aspect of college never existed. I did not make close friends while at college but I have 3 of the best friends all at different colleges and spending time with them along with visit made up for the college experience I may/may not have missed out on at CNU. I enjoyed being able to experience the party/crazy scene for a weekend and then be able to work diligently the next few weeks with no distraction as opposed to always having somewhere to go, a party to attend, or different things to get mixed into. I also have enjoyed to time I am able to spend with my parents since I go to a school closer to home.

These past 3.5 years of college have been stressful, fun, exhausting, and a wonderful learning experience but I’m ready for the outside world and to move on with my ambitions.

Moving onto my morning. I enjoyed an exciting bowl of oatmeal with bananas, apple, and peanut butter and a side of fresh pineapple. Why was my oatmeal so exciting when it looks like meshed baby food do you ask? I would love to share with you!

I attended our last spinning class of the semester today with the 4 lovely ladies that religious come to class along side of me. unfortunately our instructor pulled an all night and could not make it and the director of the fitness center was not able to make it either so she told one of us to lead the group. We all looked at each other for a while and then finally I said I would lead. All we had to do was pick a CD already made and follow the workout for each song. BUT as we started warming up and the first song past I was able to get comfortable and become more confident in myself and decided the work out was slighty boring and not challenging enough. Therefore, I pre-warned the girls I was switching it up a little and we were going to really work for our last workout.

After the class we were all sweaty and huffing and every single girl asked me if I would teach more classes and thanked me for such an awesome work out. The girls said they hadn’t had a tough workout like that in a long time and really enjoy it. I WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD it’s a wonderful feeling to know you aided in pushing someone to their limits and making them do work a little harder. I honestly can say no one could have ruined my morning until I took my final exam at 10:00 a.m. haha. Afterwards, I realized I had just had a great morning and I was not going to let an exam ruin my day.

Thats why I came home in the afternoon and had a vegetable and fruit filled power lunch

Snacks also included:

the rest of an apple and a carrot cake cliff bar (not a fan)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday evening with people they love and enjoy. I am going to sit back relax and enjoy not stressing out about exams until later on in the weekend. I have a 13 mile run planned for this weekend but its supposed to ran tomorrow so I am not sure how this is going to happen. Good luck with all of your challenges and battles and keep a positive mindset! See you later tonight!

Hope you had an enjoyable Turkey Day and gave many thanks for all of the blessings in your lives.

#1 – Decorating With . . .
Dried apple slices and cinnamon sticks add a homey and fragrant touch to holiday wreaths, garlands, and potpourri, but how about decorating presents with them? Use brown postal wrapping paper (or reuse plain sides of grocery bags) or brown lunch bags to hold your gifts. Tie off packages with any coarse natural fiber twine such as raffia, jute or hemp, and add the finishing touches of dried apple slices and cinnamon sticks.

Here’s a recipe for dried apple slices from the Gooseberry Patch – Coming Home for Christmas Cookbook:
8-10 apples
lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
6 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons arrow root powder

Soak apples in juice for five minutes, then pat dry. Place remaining ingredients in a large plastic storage bag. Add apple slices and shake to coat. Dry apples in a 150 to 200 degree oven for 6 hours. Remove from oven and lay on wax paper and turn daily until dry.

Fresh apples can be used as decorations too:
*Fill large bowls, vases, or hurricane lamps with apples. One vase could contain only red apples, another only green apples or you could have several containers with red and green mixed together. Fresh greens and berries can be tucked in for a festive look.
*Hollowed-out apples can be used to hold dips and spreads or hold votive candles.
* Apples can be added to floral arrangements or wreaths by wiring them or by staking them.

#2 – Meat Tip From Bob the Market Man
Always scrape or rinse and pat dry any cut of meat that has gone through the meat saw. This includes pork chops, T-bone steaks, porterhouse steaks, and chuck steaks. Scraping, rinsing, or wiping removes any bone dust or fragments that may have adhered to the raw meat.

#3 – Aretha Franklin Sings “Chain, Chain, Chain . . . “
The trend now is to wear multiple chains or necklaces. Layer short and long necklaces together or combine a few longer necklaces for a stylish look. The multiple chain look can be worn with casual attire, such as jeans and a simple blouse, or depending on the design and quality of the necklaces with dressier attire. Bottom line – don’t pile on so many that you’ll fall over!

#4 – Dental Floss Is Not Just for Teeth!
I always keep a container of dental floss in my kitchen drawer. It has a myriad of uses. Because it is thin, yet strong, I use it to truss chicken or turkey. Waxed floss works great for cutting out different types of dough, such as dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, or refrigerator cookies. Refrigerate dough to make it firm, place floss underneath the roll of dough, and cross the left side to the right and the right to the left. Pull floss tightly to cut evenly through dough. This crisscross technique can also be used to cut soft cheese or to loosen stubborn baked cookies or biscuits off baking sheets. Hang pictures with it instead of wire, which can scrape wall paint. Dental floss can come to the rescue many times over when you travel. Use it for quick fixes for broken zipper pulls, luggage tags, bracelets and necklaces, and shoe laces. Sew a button back on with floss, but be sure to pack a needle with a large eye in your travel gear. This holiday season string your cranberries, popcorn, or gumdrops on dental floss. Mint dental floss works great to tie fresh or artificial greens together!

#5 – Thought for Today
For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude.
Clarence E. Hodges

Time to start your Christmas shopping – only three weeks left!

This recipe is delicious!  It would work especially well if you are serving a meal  for a small dinner party or get-together this Holiday season.  We like to serve it with mashed potatoes and a salad.  You could also serve it with a baked potato. The apple cider in this dish really reminds me of the Holidays. Yummm. This recipe has been adapted from a recipe my mom uses by Epicurious.

** Makes 6 servings. 

Ingredients:
3 ½ to 4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1″ cubes
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced in half-moons
2 apples, cored, sliced in half-moons
½ cup white wine
1 cup apple cider
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh thyme

Directions:
1. Place cubed pork in a large resealable plastic bag, season flour with salt, pepper and oregano, add to bag.  Shake bag until pork is lightly covered.   Remove pork from bag.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Note that whatever pot you use must have a cover.

3. Add half the pork, brown on all sides.  Remove browned pork from pot; keep warm.  Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and pork, removing from Dutch oven and keeping warm as browned.

4. Add the onions and apples to the Dutch oven.  Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.  Then deglaze pan with white wine.

5. Add cider to the pot; cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits.  Heat to a boil; cook until cider has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.  Add chicken broth and reserved pork, along with any juices from the pork. Return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.

6. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender, about 2 hours.

7. Add the mustard and thyme, cover and simmer 30 minutes longer.

Serve and enjoy!

*Sigh*

I don’t know why this is happening to me.

I don’t know how this is happening to me.

The court was horrible. I did answered the questions well and didn’t fall into their traps when they questionned me.

Unfortunately, it’s not the case for my mom:

But that’s not her fault. She doesn’t understand french very well (okay she totally sucks with any language other than chinese) and can’t express herself clearly, ie:

The Child protection services lawyer: -’Mrs, do you care about your daughter?’

My mom: -My daughter doesn’t need the doctors intervention.

The CPS lawyer: -After hearing the mother, we can now see that the parents are not taking their responsability and letting their daughter in danger by…”

You know what I mean? I’m aware that her answer sounded like the typical ‘bad mom’ in TV shows, but I know she meant to say: ‘Leave my daughter alone, I love her and it hurts me seeing how upset she gets because of you.’

It’s not fair.

She barely understood a thing, seemed so lost and looked so stupid!

I feel so bad.

And my lawyer is an ass. She didn’t show my new health results to the judge. They were high enough to prove I’m not in danger, and that my health greatly improved. She even asked me questions that weren’t relevant and weren’t going to help me at all. My mom is pretty sure she doesn’t care about my case at all (she called me at the last minute to ask me about the situation). In fact, she’s friend with those doctors. Next time she calls, I’ll fire her.

The judge didn’t give the sentence yet. But we all know what is gonna be.

I lied to you:

I said I wouldn’t cry.

But I did.

I went to my math exam after that, and I must admit it wasn’t a good idea. I barely had time to finish my copy and almost cried in the classroom.

I know you guys didn’t understand 99% of what I said. It’s pretty complicated. Something I did in the past, something I had in the past/still have/always will, something I don’t what other to know of but that’s essential to tell if I want to prove them wrong…Okay I’ll stop, your heads are spinning.

Aside from this shit, I have a question for US/Canada shippers:

Can we have customs problems if we ship food within US/Canada??

I’ll leave you with some yummy eats. I always try to include some posivity since I know there’s some people that doesn’t read the long paragraphs and just look at the pictures…(yeah, BUSTED!)

Pumpkin oatbran

With applesauce and almonds

With chopped apple and PB

Do you guys prefer nuts on top of your oatmeal or PB?

I think I prefer nuts…PB is better on toast

Close-up on the burned almonds (I know, I’ll never change…)

‘Triple Orange foods’ Swiss Oats 

No orange flavor…

Pumpkin, Peach and Apricots…

3 orange foods, hence the name x)

Click on the title for the recipe, or just check the ‘recipe’ page

My Pumpkin Yogurt

This time, I didn’t burn the almonds.

New invention!

‘What is this stuff?‘, you guys are asking.

Well, it’s hummus.

But made with black beans instead of chickpeas

I love the color.

Would’ve been perfect for Halloween.

I have tons of homework. With all the court/law/doctor thing, I think I’ll crack up soon. They just don’t get how this is affecting me negatively.

But I’m more worried about my mom. She’s so depressed and feels guilty because she didn’t do well in court. She lost a lot of weight (I won’t say numbers, but holy crap!) and has no appetite. We’ve been eating pizzas (thank Lord they have a good deal) and eating frozen meals because she doesn’t have the motivation to cook.

I must admit I’m not helping her much…I didn’t really talk to her since the court thing. I feel a little bit of anger because she really looked stupid in front of the judge…I’m going to the mall with my friends today, maybe I’ll get a gift for her or something. Any ideas?

xoxo

Vanilla

The judge didn’t give the sentence yet. But we all know what is gonna be.

Yesterday I made apple chutney for the first time as part of my Christmas gift-making. It was a little time-consuming with the chopping of apples and onions, but fairly straight forward. And as it bubbled away happily it made the whole house smell lovely. I used this recipe I found online. It needs to rest in its jars for about a month so I figure it’s perfect timing (well, maybe a little tiny bit late) for Christmas. I tasted it though, and even right out of the pot it’s quite nice.

I’d say the most fiddly part was the potting and canning. There seems to be differing opinions as to whether or not chutney needs to be put through the boiling water canning process but I don’t really know enough about it to make an informed decisions. Plus, these are gifts, so I wanted to be extra safe. I don’t have a canner, so had to improvise, and do lots of batches. And there was much fussing about with wooden utensils trying to get bottles in and out of boiling water for sterilizing. I felt a little like Edward Spoon Hands, or like I was playing some strange fair game. It would have been slightly easier if I could have used the dishwasher to sterilize the jars before potting, but it was nowhere near full so I couldn’t justify running it.  But I got everything done and well sealed in the end. It does make me consider the need for a canner though. It’s a hard thing to decide because I don’t make much in the way of preserves, but maybe I would if the processing was easier!

But all that is unimportant now and what matters is that I have a lovely little collection of chutney to give away!

One of my favorite desserts is a fruit crisp. With a few crocks full of remainder apples that are stored on the back porch, I thought this was a perfect morning to use some, making an apple crisp. As I grabbed a half-dozen apples, I noticed something has been nibbling, no, eating one of the apples!

I brought the apples into the kitchen and in no time, I was making a flavorful, crunchy crisp for dessert with our evening meal.

Here’s my own recipe using organic ingredients:

Apple Crisp
4-5 cups sliced and pared apples
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dark molasses
1/3 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Lightly grease small baking dish (mine is about 10-inch oval, 1 1/2 quart size). Place apple slices in pan, evenly distributing them.

Mix all remaining dry ingredients thoroughly, then add softened butter and molasses. Stir, then cut into dry ingredients.  When well-blended, sprinkle crisp on top of apples in baking dish.

Bake in oven 30 minutes or until apples are tender and crisp topping is a golden brown.

Mmm….golden brown…finished! And now the house smells so good….

The texture on this bread is sheer perfection. Tapioca and rice flours combine to make a dense, chewy, and satisfying bread for breakfast, lunch, or dessert. Also good smeared with honey walnut cream cheese!

1 stick butter, softened
1 Cup raw sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger
2 Cups brown rice flour
1 Cup tapioca flour
2 zucchini, shredded
8 TB applesauce

Whip butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, salt, baking powder, and spices. Stir in flours until fully incorporated. Add zucchini and apple sauce. I use unsweetened apple sauce. If using juice sweetened apple sauce, adjust sugar to taste. The apple sauce is measured in tablespoons because it is easier to scoop a 1 TB measure from the jar than to pour and make a huge mess. My goal is to end each recipe with as little mess as possible while still feeding everyone.

Turn batter into greased and floured loaf pan. This bread does not rise high. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes.

**This recipe can be made vegan by subbing bananas for eggs and using a quality butter substitute.

If you are experiencing any unusual health symptoms, a nutrient deficiency could be to blame. Below is a list of common and not-so-common nutrients, along with deficiency symptoms and foods you should eat if you think you need more.

Biotin

• Deficiency: Uncommon
• Symptoms: Dermatitis, eye inflammation, hair loss, loss of muscle control, insomnia, muscle weakness
• Recommended Foods: Swiss chard, cauliflower, liver, salmon, carrots, bananas, cereals, yeast

Calcium

• Deficiency: Average diet contains 40 to 50% of RDA
• Symptoms: Brittle nails, cramps, delusions, depression, insomnia, irritability, osteoporosis, palpitations, peridontal disease, rickets, tooth decay
• Recommended Foods: Spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, yogurt, milk, mozzarella cheese

Chromium

• Deficiency: 90% of diets deficient
• Symptoms: Anxiety, fatigue, glucose intolerance, adult-onset diabetes
• Recommended Foods: Romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, brewer’s yeast, oysters, liver, whole grains, bran cereals, potatoes

Copper

• Deficiency: 75% of diets deficient; average diet contains 50% of RDA
• Anemia, arterial damage, depression, diarrhea, fatigue, fragile bones, hair loss, hyperthyroidism, weakness
• Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, crimini mushrooms, turnip greens, blackstrap molasses, raw cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, spinach, asparagus

Essential fatty acids

• Deficiency: Very common
• Symptoms: Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, immune impairment, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, acne, eczema, gall stones, liver degeneration
• Recommended Foods: Wild-caught salmon (avoid farm-raised salmon because of pollutants), flax seeds, walnuts

Folic Acid

• Deficiency: Average diet contains 60% of RDA; deficient in 100% of elderly in one study; deficient in 48% of adolescent girls; requirement doubles in pregnancy
• Symptoms: Anemia, apathy, diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, neural tube defects in fetus, paranoia, shortness of breath, weakness
• Recommended Foods: Romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, mustard greens, calf’s liver, parsley, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, lentils

Iodine

• Deficiency: Uncommon since the supplementation of salt with iodine
• Symptoms: Cretinism, fatigue, hypothyroidism, weight gain
• Recommended Foods: Sea vegetables, yogurt, cow’s milk, eggs, strawberries, mozzarella cheese

Iron

• Deficiency: Most common mineral deficiency
• Symptoms: Anemia, brittle nails, confusion, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, inflamed tongue, mouth lesions
• Recommended Foods: Chard, spinach, turmeric, thyme, shitake mushrooms, green beans

Magnesium

• Deficiency: 75 to 85% of diets deficient: average diet contains 50 to 60% of RDA
• Symptoms: Anxiety, confusion, heart attack, hyperactivity, insomnia, nervousness, muscular irritability, restlessness, weakness
• Recommended Foods: Swiss chard, spinach, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black beans, navy beans

Manganese

• Deficiency: Unknown, may be common in women
• Symptoms: Atherosclerosis, dizziness, elevated cholesterol, glucose intolerance, hearing loss, loss of muscle control, ringing in ears
• Recommended Foods: Mustard greens, kale, chard, raspberries, pineapple, romaine lettuce, collard greens, maple syrup

Niacin (B3)

• Deficiency: Commonly deficient in elderly
• Symptoms: Bad breath, canker sores, confusion, depression, dermatitis, diarrhea, emotional instability, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, memory impairment, muscle weakness, nausea, skin eruptions, inflammation
• Recommended Foods: Crimini mushrooms, tuna (be cautious of mercury and other pollutants that can be found in fish), wild-caught salmon, chicken breast, asparagus

Pantothenic acid (B5)

• Deficiency: Average elderly diet contains 60% of RDA
• Symptoms: Abdominal pains, burning feet, depression, eczema, fatigue, hair loss, immune impairment, insomnia, irritability, low blood pressure, muscle spasms, nausea, poor coordination
• Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip greens, sunflower seeds

Potassium

• Deficiency: Commonly deficient in elderly
• Symptoms: Acne, constipation, depression, edema, excessive water consumption, fatigue, glucose intolerance, high cholesterol levels, insomnia, mental impairment, muscle weakness, nervousness, poor reflexes
• Recommended Foods: Chard, button mushrooms, spinach, avocado, papaya, lima beans, lentil beans

Pyridoxine (B6)

• Deficiency: 71% of male and 90% of female diets deficient
• Symptoms: Acne, anemia, arthritis, eye inflammation, depression, dizziness, facial oiliness, fatigue, impaired wound healing, irritability, loss of appetite, loss of hair, mouth lesions, nausea
• Recommended Foods: Bell peppers, turnip greens, spinach, tuna, banana, chicken breast, turkey breast

Riboflavin

• Deficiency: Deficient in 30% of elderly Britons
• Symptoms: Blurred vision, cataracts, depression, dermatitis, dizziness, hair loss, inflamed eyes, mouth lesions, nervousness, neurological symptoms (numbness, loss of sensation, “electric shock” sensations), seizures, sensitivity to light, sleepiness, weakness
• Recommended Foods: Mushrooms, calf’s liver, spinach

Selenium

• Deficiency: Average diet contains 50% of RDA
• Symptoms: Growth impairment, high cholesterol levels, increased incidence of cancer, pancreatic insufficiency (inability to secrete adequate amounts of digestive enzymes), immune impairment, liver impairment, male sterility
• Recommended Foods: Button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, cod, shrimp, snapper, tuna, halibut, calf’s liver, wild-caught salmon (again, be wary of pollutants like mercury and PCBs in seafood)

Thiamin

• Deficiency: Commonly deficient in elderly
• Symptoms: Confusion, constipation, digestive problems, irritability, loss of appetite, memory loss, nervousness, numbness of hands and feet, pain sensitivity, poor coordination, weakness
• Recommended Foods: Asparagus, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, sunflower seeds, tuna, green peas, tomatoes, eggplant, Brussels sprouts

Vitamin A

• Deficiency: 20% of diets deficient
• Symptoms: Acne, dry hair, fatigue, growth impairment, insomnia, hyperkeratosis (thickening and roughness of skin), immune impairment, night blindness, weight loss
• Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, milk, eggs, carrots, spinach, sweet potato, kale, collard greens, chard, red bell peppers

Vitamin B-12

• Deficiency: Serum levels low in 25% of hospital patients
• Symptoms: Anemia, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, intestinal disturbances, headaches, irritability, loss of vibration sensation, low stomach acid, mental disturbances, moodiness, mouth lesions, numbness, spinal cord degeneration
• Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, snapper, venison, salmon, beef tenderloin, lamb, scallops

Vitamin C

• Deficiency: 20 to 50% of diets deficient
• Symptoms: Bleeding gums, depression, easy bruising, impaired wound healing, irritability, joint pains, loose teeth, malaise, tiredness
• Recommended Foods: Parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts

Vitamin D

• Deficiency: 62% of elderly women’s diets deficient
• Symptoms: Burning sensation in mouth, diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, nervousness, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, rickets, scalp sweating
• Recommended Foods: Shrimp, milk, cod liver oil, eggs (you can also get vitamin D from sensible sun exposure)

Vitamin E

• Deficiency: 23% of male and 15% of female diets deficient
• Symptoms: Gait disturbances, poor reflexes, loss of position sense, loss of vibration sense, shortened red blood cell life
• Recommended Foods: Mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens, almonds, spinach

Vitamin K

• Deficiency: Deficiency in pregnant women and newborns common
• Symptoms: Bleeding disorders
• Recommended Foods: Spinach, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, carrots, green string beans, asparagus, red bell peppers, strawberries, eggs, tomatoes, green peas

Zinc

• Deficiency: 68% of diets deficient
• Symptoms: Acne, amnesia, apathy, brittle nails, delayed sexual maturity, depression, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, growth impairment, hair loss, high cholesterol levels, immune impairment, impotence, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of sense of taste, low stomach acid, male infertility, memory impairment, night blindness, paranoia, white spots on nails, wound healing impairment
• Recommended Foods: Calf’s liver, mushrooms, spinach, beef tenderloin, pumpkin seeds, green peas

It is the eve before Thanksgiving. My bags are packed and placed at the front door and I my heartbeat quickens with anticipation. I am going home. I couldn’t be more excited.

As I lean in to close and lock the drafty window above my bed I notice that familiar scent – of pies being baked – that floats up the interior courtyard of my apartment building. A bouquet of apple, pumpkin, sweet potato and pecan tease me as they gently crawl up the curtain of my bedroom window. The aroma is so alluring I am tempted to stay and beg the family in 5F for a dinner invitation. But I have a train to catch and I have somewhere to be.

I spent last Thursday in Hampton Bays in the home that I was born and raised with family, friends and food. I was also lucky enough to get a glimpse into another very special family – The Halsey Family – who have lived (and farmed) in these parts for over 350 years.

Halsey Family Apples - an antiqued photo

With my belly full from my large thanksgiving feast (two feasts actually – we ate twice!) I ventured East to the area known as Mecox, in the town of Water Mill, in the heart of the Hamptons. This is not the Hamptons of bikini bathing suits and summer houseshares. This is the Hamptons that I know. A Hamptons filled with fields of grapes and green pastures, of open skies and orange pumpkins, of farmers markets and fruit stands – and of backyards filled with apple orchards and peach trees.

I spent a few hours of my Thanksgiving weekend at The Milk Pail Family Farm & Orchard which has been under the watchful eye of the Halsey family for generations.

The Milk Pail Country Store in Amagansett, NY

Over 30 years ago, The Halsey's ran a Dairy & sold milk at their farm stand, hence the name, The Milk Pail

U-Pick pumpkins and apples in Fall

Driving down the long and windy Mecox Road – lined with farms and fields, and bordered by corn crops and pumpkin patches – I feel a sense of provincial peacefulness as I arrive at #723. The grit and stress of those NYC streets are both a distant memory now. As I walk up to the house, along the stone steps, I am greeted by the newest and youngest member of the Halsey family – a blond haired and blue eyed little guy named Will. Will is only 14 months old but – as the 13th generation in a family of farmers – he is already taking a liking to the outdoors, just like his mother, Jenn Halsey.

We wave goodbye to Will, and Jenn takes me on a gentle drive through her 20 acres of apple trees as we chat about apples and about family life on the farm. In the US there are over 100 varieties of apples that are commercially grown and New York State is the 2nd largest apple producer. The Halsey orchard is filled with a small but well chosen 26 varieties. All of the apple trees here are semi dwarf trees reaching only about eight feet in height – perfect for apple picking – no ladders are required! And at 5′7″ I could eat apples for days without ever going hungry.

It is a windy and rainy day and off in the distance the water level from the picturesque Mecox Bay is rising as we ride along. Jenn and I retreat inside the country store to warm up and to get a glimpse of the fruits born from these orchards. A sea of apples in every variety – sweet, crisp fujis and tart, juicy Jonagolds - are propped up and packaged in small white bags with a handle atop. Perfect little briefcases of Braeburns. Everywhere I look are apples in every form imaginable; homemade apple crumb pies, freshly dehydrated apple slices, jugs of apple cider by the gallon and apple cider donuts sizzling hot and fresh, just out of the fryer. Biblically speaking, apples are a symbol of temptation. They remind us of the innocence we once had. They are also that perfect present for your favorite teacher. They are wholesome, hearty and sweet – just like the Halsey’s.

Perfect little briefcases of Braeburns - and peaches too!

I am standing in the most coveted corner of the country store where I am put in charge of monitoring the apple cider donut making process – a fairly simple process where donut mix is blended with apple cider instead of water to give it that unique flavor. Simple or not, the moment that delicious dough hits the hot oil, the chimes on the front door of the shop begin a continual track of music as customers come running to my corner to collect their hot, fresh treats. I feel like the most popular kid in the class as the donut hungry shoppers glance through the glass window to get a glimpse of me and my donuts. Although I am sure that between the two of us – the donuts definitely win the prize.

Apple Cider Donuts

Almost ready...

Time to eat!

In between the ringing chimes and the rush of customers – and off in the corner by the the Granny Smiths and the Golden Delicious – I can hear Jenn and her sister Amy discussing plans for Amy’s upcoming wedding. They’re so busy they didn’t even see me sneak a nibble of a donut – hot out of the fryer. This is half the fun of my job. The pace is steady but slow inside this little shop: the 40-year old donut machine continues to drop perfect rings of dough into the boiling hot vegetable oil and the girls continue to chatter about the upcoming nuptuals – both filling the shop with a sense of sweetness. And I realize… the lines between work and family are blurred here – and that’s the way the Halsey’s like it.

The Halsey’s have been farming for over 350 years on this land. Generations #11 and #12 – John & Evelyn Halsey and their two daughters – all live within 20 paces of one another on the orchard. It seems as if everything they need is only steps from their back door. It makes me think about my own far and wide search – when sometimes what I am looking was already within reach.

I have traveled the globe in search of new friendships, when my very own sister is a 50 minute train ride away. I have looked for wisdom from my neighbors who pontificate on the stoops below my building, when my own wise aunts and uncles are just over the Brooklyn Bridge. I have sought the solace of a father figure when my own father is only a phone call away. I even ask netflix for advice on which films might perfectly fit my personality, when my very own brother-in-law always seems to know better. This gets me thinking – about my efforts to Google every answer to every question when my own unlived life awaits. In fact, maybe everything I need is right in front of me – just waiting to be harvested.

Of all the things I experienced in my day on the farm, I am most awed by the process by which apples are transformed into apple cider. Red, ripe and perfectly round apples are hand-picked, washed and ground – seeds, core, stems and all – into a mash or pulp called pomace. Layers of apple pulp are wrapped up by hand like christmas presents, packaged in cloth and placed between metal racks – 13 layers in all. A hydraulic press squeezes down -  2,200 pounds of pressure per square inch – and the juice flows free. It takes alot of apples – about 36 – to create just one gallon of apple cider.

With my hands still scented with the sweetness of those cider donuts – and as we are layering and pressing the apple pulp – I learn that apple cider is essentially apple juice that is unfiltered so it retains all that apple-y goodness – course pulp and sediment included. Most juices also add additional water and other ingredients to maintain a lighter flavor and a clarity of color. Trust me, once you taste the rich and hearty taste of apple cider – watered down juice will simply not suffice.

Pure, unadulturated, unsweetened, unfiltered, undeniably good apple cider is born. But 2,200 pounds of pressure is a significant amount of stress on those sweet shiny apples. Which gets me thinking about pressure and how much of it we place on ourselves and on our loved ones.

I sometimes seek a stress-free life. In the past, when my friends and family would place demands on me I felt weighed down by the pressure of those obligations and responsibilities. But as I watch those 2,200 pounds squeezing the life from those apples, and I taste the sweet apple cider that results – I am reminded that in order the get to the good stuff – those deep and meaningful relationships – sometimes we have to endure a little pressure.

In apple cider making – much like in family life – even though it might sometimes feel like you are being squeezed by a force of 2,200 pounds, you have to remember – that’s how you get to the juice. The Halsey Family knows this well.

My afternoon is winding down. I covered alot of acres and learned alot of apple lessons today. And although those apple cider donuts are calling my name, there are thanksgiving leftovers waiting for me from my own family. But the next time you find yourself way out east on the end of that very long island you must promise me you’ll swing by The Milk Pail, say hello to John, Evelyn, Jenn, Amy and little Will - and stay for a while. You will surely satisfy your craving for fresh squeezed apple cider, hot apple cider donuts and for family-time too.

————————————————————————-

A little Seinfeld apple/farm reference – watch the first 2.5 minutes!

First, thank you for your feedback on my last post. It always helps to know that other’s have the same experiences, feelings and struggles. Also, thank you to those who sent in Sweet Potato recipe suggestions. I’ll definitely be trying them all out!

First, isn’t the smell of warm Almond Breeze amazing?! I ended up heating a bit seperately to add to my coffee this morning and I was reminded of what a wonderful aroma it has So I had a few new things today. Well not new in the big picture, but newly added back into my diet, aka, things I’ve been missing!

New Thing #1

Apple! This morning I woke up wanting a bit lighter breakfast but still something warm. So I decided to try out a combo I saw on Kath’s blog for Hot Breakfast Apple Crisp. It turned out not to be as light as I had intended, but it was delicious!

In the mix:

Granny Smith Apple

Oikos Honey – 5.3 oz

Barney Butter – spoonful

Mix-My-Granola

Cinnamon

pre-crunchiness

New Thing #2

Larabar! I’ve been looking forward to trying these little treats as I’ve seen them all over the blog world. Today I tested out Cinnamon Roll. I apologize for the crappy iPhone pic

Grade: Not for me. It was tasty and I love that the ingredient list is literally 6 whole foods ingredients, but it’s just to calorie dense for my purposes. It’s pretty small and still has over 200 calories.

New Thing #3 & #4

Cottage Cheese! Oh how I’ve missed you so :p Snack today was 1/2 c Fiber One Cottage Cheese with a 1/4 cup of this new find..

For whatever crave-creating reason, Cinnamon Toast Crunch was on my list of things I wanted post-comp. So when I saw this organic healthier version at Sprout’s I had to give it a shot. Report card: A-, pretty darn good. Definitely fulfilled my CTC craving and is wayyy healthier!

After work I hit up Whole Foods to pick up more Kabocha. But I made a horrible rookie mistake.. I went hungry! As a result I ended up picking up a few more things than I perhaps should have. But the time I left I was starving and nibbled on a few of these (another iPhone shot)..

I am totally sprung on anything and everything Chocolate Peppermint right now. Fortunately  I also have Candy Cane Celestial Seasonings tea or a homemade Peppermint Mocha coffees!

Dinna – Ezekiel Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Chicken Casserole

I’d seen a few Sweet Potato & Black Bean recipe combinations and wanted to give it a shot. I also have a ton of Sweet Potato and Chicken I need to use before it goes to waist, so I layered the following items and threw it in the oven at 375F for 35 minutes.

Ezekiel Corn Tortillas

Sweet Potato

Chicken Breast

Black Beans

Rice Shreds – Cheddar Flavor

Pico de Gallo

Enchilada Sauce

ready to go in the oven

yum

I Promised to be Honest …

I mentioned my current obsession with Peppermint, and after passing this by multiple times, I finally caved.

pretty, pink, pudgy

I’ve been having all sorts of trouble falling asleep lately but have still been getting up at 6am. So I’m planning to crawl into bed early tonight, curl up with a book or magazine and hopefully get to sleep at a good time. On the agenda for tomorrow:

1. Actually get my puffy butt to the gym
2. Meeting with trainer over 2010 plans (should help inspire #1)
3. Get car check-out (its been moody about starting in the morning)
4. Take-home Final for my Customer Relations Management course.. and yes, it really is as boring as it sounds.. unless you love SPSS, then please feel free to come assist me, I’ll bake you cookies :p
5. Apply for part-time jobs

Happy almost-Friday everyone! Any fun weekend plans?

68 Days of Gourmet: Day 16

A couple weeks ago I was doing some maintenance on my blog and updating my categories. I was astonished to find that I had no pork chop recipes on the blog. We love pork chops and eat them frequently. Our favorite are the thick cut, bone-in chops. They’re so reasonably priced and a nice alternative to chicken. They’re great pan seared or thrown on the grill.

I found this recipe for Pork Chops with Sauteed Apples and Cider Cream Sauce in The Gourmet Cookbook and thought it would be a nice fall/winter preparation. The sauteed apples and cider gravy were the perfect topping for the pan seared pork chops. It was a great meal served alongside sweet potatoes and a side salad.

Pork Chops with Sauteed Apples and Cider Cream Sauce
(Recipe source The Gourmet Cookbook)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of butter
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of fresh sage, chopped or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 pork chops (about 3/4-1 inch thick, 2 1/2 pounds total)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 golden delicious, gala or fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Directions:

Melt one tablespoon of butter in a medium heavy sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add apple cider, vinegar and sage and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes.

Add 1 cup stock and return to a boil. Boil until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 12 minutes. Add cream and boil until reduced to about 1 cup, another 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat pork dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops (if cooking 6 you will have to cook in 2 batches) and cook, turning once, until just cooked through. This should take about 6-8 minutes and internal temperature should be 145 degrees. Transfer to a plate to let rest and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Pour fat from skillet and add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Add apples and cook over medium heat until golden and just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with brown sugar.

Add remaining 1/4 cup stock to the skillet and deglaze by boiling over high heat and scraping  up the brown bits for 1 minute. Stir deglazing liquid into sauce along with any accumulated meat juices and salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, top pork with apples and ladle sauce over.

Yield: 6 servings

*Note: I cut the sauce recipe in half and used one apple for 2 pork chops.

3 cups finely chopped cooked turkey

1 cup finely chopped red apple (Gala or similar)

½ cup finely chopped celery

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 eggs

1 tbs. lemon juice

1 cup bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs, preferred)

2 tbs. chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbs. vegetable oil

all-purpose flour (for hands and counter top)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat.
2. Thoroughly whisk eggs.
3. Add to turkey, apple, celery, and onion.
4. Fold in breadcrumbs, lemon juice, and thyme.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Form into golf-sized balls, pat into patties that are about ½ inch thick using floured hands and/or a flat surface like a clean counter top.
7. Fry for about 2 minutes per side in the skillet.
8. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Red apple trees surrounded by birch

How to make the perfect apple crisp:

Find a tree laden with wild apples.  Cultivated apples are OK, too.  If you find a tree the pioneers planted, your crisp will be filled with pioneer spirit.  Try to avoid the grocery store.  Supermarket apples tend to be filled with supermarket spirit.  Not conducive to the best apple crisp.

Laden with apples even in December!

Fill an oiled 8 inch pan three-quarters full of sliced peeled apples.  Peer in at your apples.  Smell them.  Remember what summer felt like.  Remember what autumn felt like.  Take a bite.  Slowly savor the apple-crispin’ flavor of the apple before you even bake it. Crunch.  Chew slowly.  Chew even more slowly so you can taste every single subtle sweet tangy buttery whatever-you-might-call-it flavor.  Think of three words to describe your apple flavor.  Pretend that you’re an apple connoisseur. 

Looking up with apples

After you’ve filled your pan with apples, it’s topping time!  You have two choices.  You can pile a traditional topping over the apples such as the one below:

Traditional:  Mix 3/4 cup quick oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup soft margarine or butter.  Mix together well and place over the delectable apples. (Optional:  add nuts and cinnamon, as described below.)

Or you can choose Vegan, also known as non-dairy.  Which is what I would choose at this stage in my life.  But because I don’t write recipe creations down, I’m going to try to remember the last (approximate) apple crisp topping created:

Kathy’s topping:  Mix 3/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour, two tablespoons vegetable oil (OK you guys can use three tablespoons if you still have good gall bladders) and three tablespoons of maple syrup, honey, agave syrup or rice syrup.  Toss in cinnamon!  Not too much, not too little.  Maybe a teaspoon if you’re into needing more exact measurements.  Now go find your nuts.  Grab a handful of pecans, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews or whatever kind you like.  Just chop ‘em up into a reasonable bite-able size.  Add to the topping mixture.  OK, and if you adore flaked coconut, add some of that, too.  That looks good, doesn’t it?   Ready for the oven.

Yellow Christmas balls of apples adorn limbs

Now put the apple crisp in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Think about how much you enjoy seeing those apple trees at the sides of roads at this time of year.  The world looks gray and bleak and the trees wave their skeleton arms at you as you pass. 

But in the midst of all that grayness, the Apple Trees still cling to their apple children!  Like red and yellow Christmas balls, they brighten up the landscape.  On a sunshiny-blue-sky day, they look awesome.  On a gray spitting snow day, their decorations look more muted, but you notice how their colors still make you feel…more festive.

Fallen apples sprinkled with sweet snow

I don’t suppose you should gather up the apples pictured above to eat now, though.  Nope, they’ve been frozen more than once and are mushier than baked crisp. They are now reserved for the deer. You should have thought about your apple crisp in the autumn.  (We don’t call this season autumn any more here.  Nope.  Even though they say winter doesn’t start for another two or three weeks, it’s definitely winter here.) 

But now your timer is beeping and the smells coming out of your oven are FABULOUS!  You thank those pioneers.  You thank the farmers.  If you can eat ice cream, go ahead and ladle a little scoop on your plate next to that steaming apple crisp.  Oh look at it melt…

Now it’s time to take a bite.  Ahhh…yessss….yum….apple crisp!

P.S.  If anyone wants to disagree about the wonderful fabulous exceptional part of this heading…your difficulty would probably be that you couldn’t find pioneer or wild apples.  Try to find ‘em next year, OK?

I have three daughters—one lives in Wylie, Texas, a city near Dallas. Another lives just a mile from me in San Antonio. The third daughter lives and works in Virginia, and to celebrate her thirtieth birthday in 1990 we met in Phoenix, Arizona to begin a six-day adventure touring and photographing in three of the states which comprise the legendary four-corners—we toured Arizona, New Mexico and Utah but did not make it to Colorado—we saved that for a later birthday, one yet to be scheduled.

The next three paragraphs are in my daughter’s words, exactly as I received them in her e-mail suggesting that I post something on our Southwest adventure.

“Write about me buying a tourism book on things to see in the southwest, reading a caption that went to a different photo, then making you drive 20+ miles on a dirt road to go see what eventually was Hovenweep (but thinking it would look like Mesa Verde in Colorado because of how the caption was laid out)…and how I walked into the canyon and you videotaped my descent and mentioned that I wouldn’t return because something would get me and how city slicker I was; how I wasn’t equipped to be down there and you shouldn’t have let me go—then I heard all of this played back when you played back your video at the hotel!

“Other places we went on that trip: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (10/21/90, I think) in Coolidge, AZ (south of Phoenix)—4-story, 11-room mud structure. This is where I photographed the cactus blooms in the parking lot on our way back to the car—that photo placed in the nature category of the 2nd annual reader’s photos contest with American Photo. You can even mention that and send the winning photo to put in that posting!

“San Xavier del Bac Mission (The White Dove of the Desert) Tucson, AZ (was that in ‘90?—I think that’s what my slides were identified with).”

I agree with her recollections of the trip except for her statement that we were “thinking it would look like Mesa Verde in Colorado because of how the caption was laid out.” Wrong—we (she) actually thought that Mesa Verde was in Arizona, not that it would look like Mesa Verde. However, she is right in saying that I videotaped her descent into the canyon, scolding her soundly as the descent was recorded. And I continued to mumble to myself long after she was out of sight and hearing, with the tape still recording my comments, stressing how stubborn she was and that she should mind her ol’ pappy—some of my mumbling included some rather salty language. Fortunately the only listeners (to my knowledge) were the ghosts of the long-gone ancient Anasazi people—and it’s a safe bet that none of them had video cameras.

We met in Phoenix on Tuesday, October 16, following our respective flights from Alexandria, Virginia and San Antonio, Texas. We went directly to a rental car office and selected a vehicle—when asked if she preferred any particular color, my daughter replied, “Anything but red.” To this day she refuses to accept any rental vehicle even lightly tinged with the color red (some sort of complex there, I suppose).

Our transportation was blue and therefore acceptable to my daughter, but our adventure began on an ominous note. We located our car in the parking lot, and I placed the ditty-bag containing my toilet articles and my unmentionables on the ground while we loaded our baggage and photo equipment into the trunk and then neglected to load the bag. We left Phoenix and headed for scenic Sedona, located 116 miles north of Phoenix.

We were out of the city and well on our way before I remembered the bag. It was a freebie that came with my wife’s purchase of Lancome items and was marked with the maker’s name and logo. I had lugged it all over the globe for many years, including trips to US cities from Miami to Seattle and Boston to San Diego. The bag also accompanied me to foreign destinations, including Mexico, England, Germany, South Africa and Botswana. The name appeared prominently on both sides of the soft-side bag and could not be effectively obscured—I and my Lancome bag were subjected to numerous speculative side-glances, both by women and men—especially on my trips to San Francisco.

Their visual inspections seemed to focus alternately on the Lancome bag and me, perhaps to resolve some lingering doubt and either refute or  confirm their first impressions. I wanted to tell them that just as one can’t judge a book by its cover or a horse by its color, neither can one judge a traveler by the logo on carry-on luggage—or at least one shouldn’t.

Bummer.

There was really no good reason to go back for the bag. All the articles in it could be easily replaced, with one very important exception—the bag contained a pair of boxer briefs, cleverly and profusely decorated with colorful images of cheeseburgers—the briefs were a Father’s Day gift from one of my three daughters—on second thought, the three may shared the cost. My daughter remembers the item as being decorated with French fries, but they were cheeseburgers—I insist that my memory is correct and must hold sway, especially given that my relationship with the briefs (my contact, so to speak) was far more personal and up close than hers. In addition to being quite functional, the briefs had a lot of sentimental value for me, so we returned to the rental car parking lot—the bag was just as I left it, cheeseburger briefs and all, and we again headed out for Sedona.

Sedona, Arizona is located in Oak Creek Canyon and is a very popular tourist destination. It’s an artist’s haven, a shopper’s heaven, a photographer’s dream and a traffic nightmare. One can forget parking in the commercial area and only hope to find a wide place to park somewhere along roads leading into and out of the city. On a later trip to the four-corners area, while traveling on IH40 on our way back to Las Vegas from New Mexico, we decided to make a side trip south to Sedona. We toured the city and headed for Las Vegas without ever parking, or even shutting down the engine—our efforts to find a parking place were fruitless.

Speaking of fruit:

On this commemorative thirtieth birthday trip we lingered in the upper Oak Canyon to watch rock-climbers descending and ascending the canyon walls, and found an abandoned apple orchard—at least it appeared to be abandoned. The orchard showed years of neglect with heavy undergrowth, and an old house visible beyond a fallen gate was obviously unoccupied.

Evidently other travelers also considered the orchard abandoned—they were munching on apples garnered from the ground, and the area had been picked clean by the time we got there. However, that was no problem for a stepper, or rather for a climber. The temperature was uncomfortably cool, and although encumbered by the weight of the army field-jacket I was wearing, I climbed several of the trees, filled my pockets with apples and shook down some for others to enjoy (I’m always searching for ways to be of service to fellow sojourners).

The apples would have eventually fallen anyway—I just accelerated the process.

In the interests of brevity I’ll close this posting (not that it’s particularly brief) and get back later with more details of our memorable conquest of the Four Corners area (or at least three of the four states that comprise the four corners). There’s lots more to tell—tidbits such as our stays at several La Quinta motels on our trip. We were always treated to Continental breakfasts, and after our meals we appropriated several bananas to last us through the day. I can’t speak for my daughter, but I consumed so many bananas that I lost most of any affinity I may have had for that particular fruit.

Incidentally, I have to eat bananas sideways in order to keep from blushing (hey, that’s an old GI joke—lighten up!).

These are apples, photo by msr

I just took a fat cold apple hit, edible pipe at 79c a pound, can’t beat it.

Relative to how much I would eat out of it had it not had ash in it about 75% of the residual pipe is consumed.

Compared with the industry average of most of the pipes available on market, my apple pipe blows them out of the water and into a pile of shit.

Some of our nuttiest clients however, having thought that some of that delicious herb leeches into the flesh of the apple, will eat the whole thing, as a company we cannot encourage such behaviour, nor do we or the individuals who eat these apples have any scientific evidence as to how effective these methods are there are some researchers involved however somewhere in the bowls of the American Food and Drug Administration who are looking into this, but due to government regulations regarding the consumption of these substances during testing, there have been debates as to how accurate the results from monkeys actually are.

An undisclosed source in an article published in the July issue of The Scientific American states that the monkeys were tested only by being fed apples that had previously been used to smoke out of; though there has been some difficulty in getting the monkeys to eat the apples.

The difficulty in getting them to eat the apples is also evident in getting them to not fight over apples when they are fed regular granny smith apples as part of their diet as set by the monkey dietary board, there has also been speculation by other research facilities across the United States concerning a phenomena where the monkey will not stop eating these apples.

The facilities seem to be split down the middle as to the reasons as to why this happens.

On the one hand you have those that believe that that the monkey is intoxicated and is undergoing polyphagia – a state of increased appetite- commonly known by those who smoke as “munchies” and on the other hand you have those who believe that the monkey is consuming the apples because he likes apples and does not know better because he is a fucking monkey.

It has not always been this easy, researching the effects of smoking and eating of apples that have been used to smoke out of as the problem of getting the monkeys to eat the apples used to be a much bigger one.

My colleague Kevin Nivek from King William’s Town reported the following,

“When the program was first started in the military sometime during the cold war; though there were no rules regarding testing on humans, the United States military had problems finding a suitable source for the apples, so until they could find a hook up the military hired two dozen of the country’s top scientists (yeah scientists, they do science, nothing specific, it’s all science really right?) on sabbatical from their highly lucrative positions from prestigious universities and had them collect apples from the across the nation.

This era, known in the ranks as “The Picking Era”, Gen. Chief Feich recalls “we called it the apple picking era, because it was much like picking apples from trees, but it was from dumpsters in suburban neighbourhoods. Though that was such a long time ago, I had just been called in for the draft at the time, but now that the program has been running for so long, we could probably just call that time “the picking season” instead.”

Gen. Chief continues on throughout this interview to explain how this method came to be discontinued.

After doing some research speaking to lots of important people, I finally came across a memo from a long time ago from like, the time the program was being discontinued which seemed to be a purely administrative article at first glance.

So at first glance, I did just that.

I placed it in the useless shit pile, but when I had run out of silly manila folders full of napkins to go through

I went back through the notes on this controversial military research program.

The second time I read the administrative memo I figured out why the trail had gone cold.

The memo was the last piece of paper to ever hold the official seal of the military

because on that day, as would have been immediately obvious had I read the memo the first time, November 21, 1963, the program was transferred from military to federal control by presidential decree.

Not only did it explain that the program was transferred, but it also detailed that under the federal administration they would no longer need the military’s budget to pay for the apple picking scientists because the FDA equivalent at the time had found a way to smoke the apples themselves.

Not much is known about how they smoke the apples, some say that after many years of outsourcing the smoked out apples from a discreet retailer, they now have a hook-up for both the apples and the marijuana.

It’s difficult to say how much more money this is going to cost the taxpayers over the course of the next few years, but it’s important to note that its important research and that really important progress is being made important.

When questioned regarding how the results of the program were looking; a representative from a research facility run by the Canadian government in Montreal said “this shit is looking real good.”

Despite being pressed for more details, he explained in his own words that he either didn’t have the permission or the words to elaborate further; my memory was rather fuzzy at the time.
Whether this is some kind of cover up or signs of legitimate progress we don’t know, however be sure to remember this when we go to the polls on Sunday.

Not if it is conventionally grown!

just an apple? think again.

In a world where there is sometimes a fine line between inorganic and organic products and produce, it can be hard to justify spending the extra cash on, say, the organic apples when the inorganic apples look just as shiny, maybe shinier.

Do not be deceived!  Conventional apples are DRENCHED in pesticides.

A publication in which I am particularly impressed with month after month is:  ”Prevention” magazine.

I was particularly impressed with an article that appeared in the November 2009 Issue, entitled: “7 Foods That Should NEVER Cross Your Lips.”

November 2009 issue of Prevention magazine

Conventionally grown apples are one of the seven forbidden fruits, if you will.  The article quotes, Mark Kastel, a former executive for agribusiness and co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods.  Kastel refuses to purchase and eat inorganic apples explaining that he would rather spend the extra dough on the organic apple than a new electronic.

If this guy would rather place his bet on the organic fuji apple vs. the new apple ipod, well then heck! there must be something to it.

In fact, there is!

A whopping 48 different pesticides were detected by the FDA when they tested 2,500 apples between the years of 1984 and 1991.  In 1993, 36 different pesticides were detected.  Obviously we are moving in the right direction here but seeing that it is almost 2010, I am afraid to ask what the pesticide count still is today.

According to the Prevention article, apples are individually grafted.  Which means that they are all descendants of one single Fuji apple tree.  This is so each variety of apple maintains its distinctive flavor. Unfortunately, these apple transplants do not develop a natural resistance to pests and are thus sprayed frequently.

Apples are wonderful for you, but I cannot be a cheerleader for them if they are sprayed with enough pesticides to wipe out a colony of bugs.

My thought:  Get them organic.  Do not buy conventional.  And if you are still concerned, wash and peel.

In the meantime, let’s rephrase:  ”An organic apple a day, keeps the Doctor away.”

Food for thought:  ”Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers.”  -Kastel