Pot Luck

A change in graffiti (4.00 / 4)

Today we went from Cochabamba to Santa Cruz. The graffiti in Cochabamba was very left leaning. One said something like "With or without the elections, the poor have no power." I also saw "The jungle is life. The highway is death." (Referring to a highway planned to go through an indigenous protected area that is being protested A LOT.)

But here in Santa Cruz (the Texas of Bolivia) I saw "Death to Evo" and "Evo and Hugo Chavez are sons of whores" and some pro-fascist graffiti, and a lot of stuff about autonomy. (Santa Cruz wants to declare autonomy from the rest of the country bc it wants a rightwing govt.)

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

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by: Jill Richardson @ Thu Aug 18, 2011 at 03:09:24 AM UTC

Interesting... (4.00 / 4)

Don't recall hearing that before, apologies if you mentioned it last year and I forgot.  Quick search turned up this article from 2008.  I'm guessing this is pretty much what it's about?

In all, four provinces from the eastern lowland region are resisting land and resource redistribution measures pushed by Morales that would benefit the poorer, mostly indigenous Bolivians of the mountainous western regions.

And yeah, I think you know I agree with the Cochabamba people on the highway thing.

;-P

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by: JayinPhiladelphia @ Thu Aug 18, 2011 at 06:36:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

yes (4.00 / 3)

I'll get into the rightwingers in the four lowland departments (referred to here as the Media Luna). Didn't last year bc we didn't visit there much. But I'm in the lowlands now.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

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by: Jill Richardson @ Sat Aug 20, 2011 at 03:29:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I slaughtered a whole bunch of birds last night (4.00 / 4)

5 guinea fowl and 7 big cross bred roosters. I now only have two roosters and my hens are much happier. Things were so much quieter and everyone was very subdued today. Even the 3 guinea fowl I have left stayed close to the barn.

Yesterday was the last straw for the guinea fowl. I was leaving to do my delivery to Portland yesterday morning and all of them were out on the side of the highway, a couple of them were on the white line. I had to get out and shoo them back into the back yard. All I could see was coming home to life flight hauling someone to the hospital after they slowed or stopped or swerved to avoid my birds. So the five I could catch last night after dark got the ax.

I got them cut up today. I've got the breast meat and tenders, the thighs and drumlets (the upper part of the wing) and the tender meat over the back all in a bag together. Tomorrow I'll sort it out and repackage for freezing. The drumsticks I'm going to smoke and use as substitutes for smoked ham hocks when I make beans and what not. The backs, rib cages and necks are going in the crock pot tomorrow for stock.

All but one of the big roos will go for Chaz. I went ahead and skinned one of the roos and he's in with the guinea fowl. I couldn't believe it, but as much bigger that the bird looked than the guinea fowl, once the feathers were off, the carcass was about the same size.

Just goes to show, there's no telling how much or how little there is under them feathers.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Thu Aug 18, 2011 at 03:31:21 AM UTC

You are very powerful (4.00 / 3)

as you work with your farming, including having to butcher other animals.

I admire that. You are a real animal creature. An honest one.

I've been starving for barbeque for week. I guess that means that I'm just another animal too, eh?

hungry :-)

Seriously, Joanne, you do good work, I've read about how you got to where you are. I'm so glad that you're working it out. Keeping it going.  

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

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by: Miep @ Sat Aug 20, 2011 at 00:41:41 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks Miep (4.00 / 3)

I just try to stay grounded and not forget who/what I am. The animals and plants remind me every day to do that.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Sat Aug 20, 2011 at 03:47:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well put (0.00 / 0)

That's the way to do it.  

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

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by: Miep @ Sun Aug 28, 2011 at 04:20:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I love BBQ (4.00 / 3)

I just don't have the time to cook like that any more.

That reminds me, I need to break out the smoker and get it ready. I was going to smoke those guinea fowl drumsticks this weekend, but I think I ought to thaw out a pork belly and cure it, then I can make bacon and smoke the drumsticks at the same time. Wish I had some more turkey drumsticks. Man those would be a great sub for smoked ham hocks too.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Sat Aug 20, 2011 at 03:53:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

last night I did (4.00 / 2)

BBQ...I bought thighs and andouille from the food coop/ I marinated the thighs overnight in yogurt,coriander.onion and garam masala then cooked on bbq.

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by: LeeN @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 14:08:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Now that sounds great! (4.00 / 2)

I need to put the guinea fowl in the marinade this morning. It's been aging in the fridge since I butchered them. The meat ought to be nice and relaxed by now. The carcasses were still in rigormortis when I cut them up.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 16:08:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I have a request (4.00 / 2)

On behalf of a student that wants to do a Master's Degree thesis on Genetically Modified Seeds/Crops, what key authors/publishers/publications of a scientific nature can I suggest they turn to as a first survey of the literature?

"If a man is as wise as a serpent, he can afford to be as harmless as a dove" Cheyenne

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by: Maracatu @ Fri Aug 19, 2011 at 14:07:01 PM UTC

more information (4.00 / 1)

about a starting point would be helpful, although even then I couldn't be very helpful. Health effects? Feasibility of using GMO crops to feed poor people? Comparative yields and economics? Laws and regulations of various nations?

One author is Jeffrey Smith.

Maybe hit the library, look for books with copious citations and go from there?

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by: count @ Fri Aug 19, 2011 at 18:03:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Email me (4.00 / 2)

And for the Masters student, I'm not sure I'd recommend Jeffrey Smith. Go straight to scientists and peer reviewed studies. I recommend the work of Jack Heinemann in New Zealand for something very readable - download the free chapters of Hope Not Hype by Jack Heinemann. I can also name off a ton of scientific studies to check out.

"I can understand someone from Iowa promoting corn and soy, but we are not feeding the world, we are feeding animals and soft drink companies." - Jim Goodman

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by: Jill Richardson @ Sat Aug 20, 2011 at 03:31:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks to you both! n/t (4.00 / 1)

"If a man is as wise as a serpent, he can afford to be as harmless as a dove" Cheyenne

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by: Maracatu @ Sat Aug 20, 2011 at 19:08:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

vanilla ice cream (4.00 / 2)

Tasters at Bon Appetit evaluated 10 commercial vanilla ice creams. I provide a link to the Yahoo! report of it, which is the same as the Bon Appetit report - for reasons unknown to me, only the top three ratings were published, at least on line. Perhaps they didn't want to antagonize advertisers who didn't score well?

The envelope, please...

Supermarket Standoff: Vanilla Ice Cream

#1 Blue Bell Natural Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Note: Blue Bell is only available for purchase in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and in some parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, and Wyoming. We included it in this taste test because it is such a cult favorite--and it did turn out to be our favorite, as well. If you do not live in one of these states, then you can get it shipped from Blue Bell for $129 for 4 half-gallons.

Darn, I gotta get me some of that. I'll wait 'til the distribution area comes to Maryland, however. Maybe I can get my daughter-in-law to bring me some the next time she goes home - she's from Indiana. Also, Virginia is fairly close to Baltimore - I'll try to find out where it's sold down there.

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by: count @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 04:29:13 AM UTC

Indiana (4.00 / 2)

Virginia is out - Blue Bell is sold only in the extreme southwest corner of the state. Blue Bell is not sold in Fort Wayne, which is my DIL's hometown, but my son and DIL wouldn't need to drive far to find it. I wonder if her mother, who works for a supermarket chain, would have ideas about this.

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by: count @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 04:43:45 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Vanilla is next on our list (4.00 / 2)

for homemade. We gave out the Rival Ice Cream maker our friend loaned us and got a Cuisinart ICE-21.  It used to be around $60, but the price has really fallen lately.

Anyway, I think those companies that use vanilla extract lose out because of the the alcohol agent in the extract isn't so nice tasting and because the aroma isn't so great. We're going to use just a vanilla bean for about a quart of ice cream.

Notice how most of the companies use gums? It means they can use less cream, and use gum to soften the texture which would be harder with less butterfat.  

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by: Crider @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 20:29:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

vanilla ice cream (4.00 / 2)

I'd probably concentrate on vanilla if I had a maker. I love the go-withs. Last week I lucked into a batch of yummy peaches. I cooked and pureed them to make an excellent ice cream sauce. No added sugar, no cinnamon or other additives.  

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by: count @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 23:43:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I have a ranking system of my own... (4.00 / 1)

Tillamook is number one.

;-P

Haven't eaten any ice cream in months, though.  I should again.  Soon.  One of these days.  There's probably some really great ones around here I haven't tried yet.  And then there's the Larry & Luna's coconut milk stuff that I still haven't tried yet...

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by: JayinPhiladelphia @ Sun Aug 21, 2011 at 23:16:40 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Jay, if you want a real ice cream treat (4.00 / 2)

buy yourself some Ruby Jewel Treats. Locally made, deliciously conceived, and well, just plain excellent ice cream.

Tillamook is good ice cream, probably the best ice cream one can find in a grocery store. I personally love Caramel Butter Pecan. Ruby's, though, is a whole other world of ice cream.  

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by: caseyOR @ Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 00:25:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks! (4.00 / 1)

I know I've heard that name before, thanks for the reminder.  Will try soon.

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by: JayinPhiladelphia @ Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 01:15:38 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

If you like ice cream you'd love gelato (4.00 / 2)

that's the best stuff I've ever eaten! So rich I can't eat very much, but oh, so, good!

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 00:37:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good point! (4.00 / 1)

There's this place right across the street from the Moreland Wednesday evening farmers' market, in your old neck of the woods -

Staccato Gelato

I had theirs once, like four years ago, but don't recall much about it.  Time to try again, maybe.

:)

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by: JayinPhiladelphia @ Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 01:20:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I remember the first time I every had gelato (4.00 / 2)

it was down by the Saturday market. I had a booth on the weekends at the New Market Theater building, I think they call it The Newmark now? Anyway, it was back when I was doing wildlife art and animal portraiture. There was a little gelato place there and I got a cup. I remember at the time thinking that it wasn't much gelato for the money, but when I got finished eating it, turned out it was plenty. That stuff's rich. Best frozen dairy I've ever had. So smooth and creamy. Way richer and better tasting than ice cream, although I still love ice cream, and frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet, and anything else frozen.

Never had frozen custard though. I think gelato may be more similar to that than ice cream?

Anyhoo it's definatly yummy!

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 03:52:14 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Japanese Bowl (4.00 / 2)

This past weekend's Prairie Home Companion presented a wonderful song, Jearlyn Steele's rendition of Japanese Bowl or Japanese Bowls. I don't know if the song itself is that great, or Jearlyn's version is especially good, or maybe I was just in a mood to love it.

The song is only a couple of minutes. Check it out at Prairie Home, the 97 minute mark in the "Moonlight on the Pier", "Minnesota", or "Whole Show" segments.

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by: count @ Mon Aug 22, 2011 at 17:15:48 PM UTC

Semi-interesting article about local wheat in New England (4.00 / 2)

Huffington Post:

WESTFIELD, Vt. -- Amber waves of grain are rippling again in parts of New England, once considered the region's bread basket.

Vermont and Maine ceded that distinction to the Midwest in the 1800s, when the Erie Canal and intercontinental railroad made it easier to move grain long distances.

But small farmers on the nation's coasts have begun planting wheat again as more people clamor for locally grown food. Along with New England, fields have been sprouting in California, Oregon and Washington in the last five years.

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by: Crider @ Wed Aug 24, 2011 at 18:41:18 PM UTC

Some of the grass seed farmers out here in Oregon (4.00 / 2)

have gone to grain farming. Wheat, oats, barley and rye have a better return than grass seed and there's a lot of demand for locally grown grains out here. I tried a couple of weeks back to find organic whole feed corn, and no one I called knew where to get it in Oregon. Cracked and rolled corn, no problem, but no organic whole feed corn at all.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

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by: JoanneRigutto @ Thu Aug 25, 2011 at 03:11:33 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

The whole corn I got from Azure Standard (0.00 / 0)

The more I know, the more I'd swear it is feed-grade! Small and otherwise pathetic kernels and it just looks like it needs another round of winnowing. It's price is $21.25 for 50 lbs. and I get Azure Standard things from my co-op.

Azure Standard is in Durfur, Oregon and as I remember, the corn was actually grown in Oregon. Perhaps you have a co-op in your area that does business with them.

http://www.azurestandard.com you can open account with them online without buying anything, and you can check out their delivery drop points in your area which might give a clue as to who you can gang up your order up with.

Anyway, people are loving the old heirloom varieties of wheat around here. I was feeling like a snotty foodie when I paid $1.75 per pound for White Sonora wheat direct from Full Belly farm. That's a great price for them. After using it all Spring and Summer, I'd be happy to get another 25 lbs. at that price.

The Canadians are nuts about the Red Fife wheat revival and that has really made a big splash up there.

Heirloom wheats are disease resistant, grow tall to crowd out the weeds, and tread lightly on soil fertility. The high prices they fetch seems to counteract their lower yield nicely.

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by: Crider @ Sat Aug 27, 2011 at 02:06:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]