microwave experiment - day 7, top view
left to right: III, II, I
Fun with Microwaves - Part I
A forwarded email reported that microwaving food may be dangerous to your health. In a class experiment, two plants were trimmed down to record growth, then watered for a week with either boiled distilled water or microwaved distilled water. In 5 days, the microwave water plant was pretty much done for.
This bothered me… and not just the bad science. I have always looked at the microwave as a useful tool for saving money and healthful eating. Although I work 7 days a week, when I have a little time, I cook for when I REALLY don’t have time. Knowing I have relatively healthy and tasty food just a short zap in the microwave away from being ready at home keeps me from giving in to the temptation of fast food.
So, I decided to do an exploratory experiment of my own. I took 3 English thyme plants and trimmed them down to ½” from the top of the soil. Using tap water (who drinks distilled water?), I boiled water for use as the control. In non-reactive glass containers, I microwaved water (uncovered) for 3 minutes, and 6 minutes. The water was cooled to room temperature before covering, and stored indoors away from direct light. The plants were placed outside and given ¼ cup water per day.
After 1 week, the heights (tallest points) were as follows: control (I) = 1 ¾ inches, 3 minute microwave water (II) = 2 inches and the 6 minute microwave water (III) = 2 inches. I decided to continue this “ experiment” for another few weeks. It looks like the school experiment was held indoors. My plants may take longer to show any detrimental results because they may receive some rain (although I am doing this during a pretty dry period) and nutrients brought in by the wind.
The Kindness of Strangers
Last week, a customer bought some juice at the Wednesday market, then showed up on Saturday with a friend toting an absolutely beautiful, 8 lb sour sop! Very ripe and lovingly nestled in a padded cool pack, this fruit represents one of the last harvests from an ancient tree. I had never met these people before, yet here they were offering me this prize. They would not let me pay for it, only saying they thought I would make good juice from it. This unexpected act of generosity got me thinking of farmers market customers in general, and my “regulars” in particular.
Over the years, some of these customers have become much-loved friends, like Jan F. (a professor at KCC). Jan will jump behind the counter to lend me a hand when I am “in the weeds.” She shares her bounty of tangerines, Surinam cherries and boundless cheerful energy, asking nothing in return. How did I get so lucky? Lester (at Mililani market), a mock grouchy old guy, helps me unload the truck saying “eh, you late …hurry up!” Karen quietly helps me get set up (because, yes, after two, 3:30 am wake up calls in a row, I AM, often late to Mililani). Marilyn brings me little snack bags of super sweet black Surinam cherries “before the birds or my grandsons get them,” she says. There are many others, bearing Meyer Lemons “from my auntie’s yard …so juicy!” Whether one prize mango or bag full of star fruit, it all ends up, somehow, in my juices, and is one of the reasons people like them so much. Often, a cup will come with a story …sometimes unspoken, but always felt.
Hawaii has changed since I was a little kid. My grandparents were in the same house for 50 years, and so were their neighbors. There was a constant exchange of family news, home-grown produce, mango bread or cookies. Mrs. Enimoto’s andagi was a special treat I remember fondly. Nothing comes close to those little bits of deep fried perfection. My grandparents and most of these neighbors are gone, and along with them, the community. My mother’s generation still maintains that feeling to some degree, but mine mostly just remembers.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the longing for community, and local farmers markets have given us that. We may move houses, change jobs or even careers every 5 to 10 years (pretty unheard of in my grandparents time), but hopefully, we will always have the market. I used to go to the famous San Francisco farmers market almost every week when I lived there. Even after years, none of the vendors recognized me, and I don’t remember any of them. This phenomenon is something unique to Hawaii, and part of what makes the markets here so special. It is in the air, and nourishes us just as much as that perfectly ripe banana from SKA Tropicals or bag of Nalo greens.
Entertainment vs. Education
I was watching the morning news about a week ago, when the host asked the guest (chef) his thoughts on the whole Paula Deen / diabetes issue. Till now, I have been holding my tongue, but geez… enough already! Paula Deen is diabetic …DUH! She openly admits to loving butter and disliking exercise. If diabetes didn’t get her, then something else (i.e. gout, heart disease, etc.) would. There are many, and some famous, chefs with lifestyle induced health problems. Yet they continue, with arteries more clogged than my bathroom sink (I swear a sasquatch sneaks into my bathroom at night to shave), to ladle out the Hollandaise and Beurre Blanc with reckless abandon - no media backlash whatsoever.
Paula Deen has said, on more than one occasion, that she is a cook and not a doctor. She IS, however, an ENTERTAINER. Her butter-guzzling persona is part of the show. Watching her takes you back to a simpler time, when grandma made fresh biscuits every morning, you knew your neighbor’s names and couldn’t tell triglyceride from pterodactyl. It is visual comfort food. Can it be true, in this day and age, that there are people who make her recipe for bacon cheeseburgers on a Crispy Crème bun, totally unaware of the assault they are about to make on their body? For years, I watched Anthony Bourdain smoke cigarettes, consume copious amounts of alcohol, inhale fois gras and pork skins while mumbling something about his cholesterol medication. Is he a role model? I hope not. Do I enjoy watching it anyway? You bet. I’m glad Mr. Bourdain chose to quit smoking (and hope he doesn’t eat like that on a regular basis). It is wonderful that Ms. Deen decided to do something about her diabetes. I wish them both long, healthy lives.
So it took a big drug company’s deep pockets to induce her to “come out”. I have some “problem areas” I’m working on, but prefer to keep private (who doesn’t?). Personal embarrassment has a price though… especially if I felt it might actually help some people. Also in her defense, Ms. Deen has been, unobtrusively adding healthier items to her repertoire over the last few years. But you can’t really expect her to change the whole vibe of the show. Think about it. Would you want your server to announce, along with the day’s specials, that your chef has recently had a quadruple bypass, and is now on a strict DASH diet? Sometimes, you want to indulge yourself. How much and how often, is up to you. I, personally, believe in striving for moderation. If you are generally healthy, a French fry now and again won’t kill you, and adds to the quality (enjoyment) of life. Indulging in the escapist worlds of Paula Deen or Anthony Bourdain, by the way, costs nothing and have zero carbs and fat.
Sweet Dash of Aloha cookbook is out!
If anyone is interested, the ship has finally come in …literally. We did a book signing at Whole Foods earlier this month, so I know they have some copies. You can also get it at KCC, and Barnes and Noble. I think Longs has some as well. I’m not totally happy about the layout - I think someone messed up the beautiful food pictures Adriana Torres Chong took. If you ever have need of a food photographer, check out her website. She is awesome to work with! That said, if you crave sweets and are watching your fat/sugar/gluten there might be something here for you.
A “foodie” friend (Jan F) forwarded this article to me. I love watching both Anthony Bourdain and Paula Deen in the same way I love watching movies like “Bourne Identity.” It transports me to another world / life for a short time. I don’t see myself pursuing a career in international espionage, nor do I have plans to poach anything in butter or to sit at a cafe table in Sao Paulo sipping a caipirinha anytime soon.
Bruni suggests a lack of healthy choices for lower income families. I would say it is also due to a lack of education and/or misinformation. I see so many people at the farmers markets saying things like they can’t eat oatcakes because of the sugar (most of it comes from fruit), then go to the next booth and order a double cheeseburger. It is the kind of thing that makes me want to stand on a soap box expounding on the benefits of fiber, “good carbs” and moderation. If I did, would I then be labeled as a “fiber nazi”, “carb overlord”, or maybe just plain wishy washy?
