Lunch onboard the Eclipse

<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd0nLWaoMkIX28ExDom2hV6MSUJEZ1KVb-y4wrwvHNVBHcnbMaFERg_4uoM6JTCgNigdouidkoRiTc-RRJ2PRWKxD-_LZIthP6gOUy4oY8oAmJpxYxyx4lMDQsy8422rH0JudBRNQpvQ/s1600/eclipse2370.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473566315161869394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrd0nLWaoMkIX28ExDom2hV6MSUJEZ1KVb-y4wrwvHNVBHcnbMaFERg_4uoM6JTCgNigdouidkoRiTc-RRJ2PRWKxD-_LZIthP6gOUy4oY8oAmJpxYxyx4lMDQsy8422rH0JudBRNQpvQ/s400/eclipse2370.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" /></a>Note: we drank coke with our lunch.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15deAYaeBrj79uTExOIsPYDaTduXli5ZhNgUEA8qBc9SCCqqCly5Qfon7DqjZCHcICe_2JHnW5CpmD6fFdGzkJgdCjEa3MVPnBpg3hkBxFKyg34dHXD2I4G8sypj1iqXYYyubY97kG1s/s1600/eclipse2372.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473566310343017458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15deAYaeBrj79uTExOIsPYDaTduXli5ZhNgUEA8qBc9SCCqqCly5Qfon7DqjZCHcICe_2JHnW5CpmD6fFdGzkJgdCjEa3MVPnBpg3hkBxFKyg34dHXD2I4G8sypj1iqXYYyubY97kG1s/s400/eclipse2372.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 336px;" /></a>Galley of the Eclipse where they actually cooked our food<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">For pictures of some of the wildlife we saw today, see: <a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/2010/05/santa-fe-island.html">Santa Fe Island</a>.</div></div>

Lunch onboard the Eclipse

Note: we drank coke with our lunch. Galley of the Eclipse where they actually cooked our food For pictures of some of the wildlife we saw to...

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Today's Breakfast

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhz2wM_b_DkcFJ0iy2ru1zSm9mOl-mV9QdUwCbCSh7HOvD8CrcHvDIkiZl08jD5xzdU0ice07QzRRkOd5_bGZpRU1sMmevuhKsnxhxmK7v451ut8pfOeSZ9-5B_MokdUX_iyidx-28Ec/s1600/tortoiseeats0053.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473061994367046994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhz2wM_b_DkcFJ0iy2ru1zSm9mOl-mV9QdUwCbCSh7HOvD8CrcHvDIkiZl08jD5xzdU0ice07QzRRkOd5_bGZpRU1sMmevuhKsnxhxmK7v451ut8pfOeSZ9-5B_MokdUX_iyidx-28Ec/s400/tortoiseeats0053.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" /></a><br />After our own breakfast we walked back to the Darwin Research Station up the hill, and saw the same turtles as before -- eating breakfast. We also caught a glimpse of Lonesome George, the last of his species, who lives in the reserve with two females that don't interest him at all.

Today's Breakfast

After our own breakfast we walked back to the Darwin Research Station up the hill, and saw the same turtles as before -- eating breakfast. W...

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Begging at the Fish Market

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldmgxmOJhlVUOeBLt-FOKH5BOZgPpxOUNF-ykLfTGE44mHXP02XvoAmiAIac-fvjJ8dyf9J1QrNeuLc9JLmrXdocifxWZxRvIu3foVjoIWiT-H9VW85ZsNt7wdnTDm-xm9jUzMZIHezY/s1600/boatride2184.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472775666585708322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldmgxmOJhlVUOeBLt-FOKH5BOZgPpxOUNF-ykLfTGE44mHXP02XvoAmiAIac-fvjJ8dyf9J1QrNeuLc9JLmrXdocifxWZxRvIu3foVjoIWiT-H9VW85ZsNt7wdnTDm-xm9jUzMZIHezY/s400/boatride2184.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br />These must be fantastically fresh fish. But what really struck me was the baby sea lion begging -- and the fisherman (or fish monger, I don't know which) actually tossing him one. A big crowd of pelicans were also begging.

Begging at the Fish Market

These must be fantastically fresh fish. But what really struck me was the baby sea lion begging -- and the fisherman (or fish monger, I don&...

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Eel for breakfast?

On a beautiful walk this morning, I saw a most unusual sight: a heron who had a large eel in his beak, and was pecking and eating it. My excellent guide had never seen such a thing before. Along the 2 km trail to the wide sandy beach I also saw many beautiful birds, especially finches (see <a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/2010/05/beach-walk-more-birds.html">Beach walk, more birds</a> at maetravels.blogspot.com).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMQhQRIEbfdbFsjCGnsevP77nUtrQ-sLWbvy2UrdUqiKpjm8njLKCgkJ2iZia1gBRQXLFMx29C5LZilX0s8q4ME_hgallCKeT1A2TvUcKfuoN4KXh_B9K3wEnRRG_rueRKPRgIu3Dfuc/s1600/heron_eel2160.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472676540923847410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMQhQRIEbfdbFsjCGnsevP77nUtrQ-sLWbvy2UrdUqiKpjm8njLKCgkJ2iZia1gBRQXLFMx29C5LZilX0s8q4ME_hgallCKeT1A2TvUcKfuoN4KXh_B9K3wEnRRG_rueRKPRgIu3Dfuc/s400/heron_eel2160.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px;" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDg7257g0qPaXdTiDiTRZlYDfDP0YVkcfLmytYYF40XYJPymg4OsUj4sbgyuVzuX5m__YQmOOGGvyyS3Hbu_Ez3vGdYTx89bltFSYWZFXwdgQz5hmbnqDUsQmmvUOmDWWUaSlWrCBX3s/s1600/heron_eel2162.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472676531605063154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDg7257g0qPaXdTiDiTRZlYDfDP0YVkcfLmytYYF40XYJPymg4OsUj4sbgyuVzuX5m__YQmOOGGvyyS3Hbu_Ez3vGdYTx89bltFSYWZFXwdgQz5hmbnqDUsQmmvUOmDWWUaSlWrCBX3s/s400/heron_eel2162.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc-ot4rO-_0Z0pIgvfRvz3oufSKhxyW7ec4OzCiucJmNqP-uouPulOdyrPumtDiodVtiQfxfyxUg9cSbaPiJU8JauNU6q7rlx5WkSFcxIZe7ZmdEcJy-WS0ssxEi0_6wOQCYkuyr1ya4/s1600/heron_eel2163.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472676529166415794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc-ot4rO-_0Z0pIgvfRvz3oufSKhxyW7ec4OzCiucJmNqP-uouPulOdyrPumtDiodVtiQfxfyxUg9cSbaPiJU8JauNU6q7rlx5WkSFcxIZe7ZmdEcJy-WS0ssxEi0_6wOQCYkuyr1ya4/s400/heron_eel2163.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 400px;" /></a>

Eel for breakfast?

On a beautiful walk this morning, I saw a most unusual sight: a heron who had a large eel in his beak, and was pecking and eating it. My exc...

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Lunch

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjh8cHFY4uyBjxsD-RbAsBPoD4oyyPcVR_rOLxdChue5jo4geS8Ydzfia9lnQvUZ34g3_rcwSExZy08fYcBl1bkPN2D6dxCT3nihEI-CaGr0ht5aO44CVztl-w3jIdBrVetycSMAOsdkw/s1600/lunalunch2117.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472408819862404834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjh8cHFY4uyBjxsD-RbAsBPoD4oyyPcVR_rOLxdChue5jo4geS8Ydzfia9lnQvUZ34g3_rcwSExZy08fYcBl1bkPN2D6dxCT3nihEI-CaGr0ht5aO44CVztl-w3jIdBrVetycSMAOsdkw/s400/lunalunch2117.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 234px;" /></a><br /><br />The tour I took today had lunch at a small cafe on the island of Floreana, pop. 110, electricty entirely solar, maybe with more tortoises than humans. These fritters were quite nice.<br /><br />For much more interesting photos of wildlife and so on, see maetravels.blogspot.com for more posts later today.

Lunch

The tour I took today had lunch at a small cafe on the island of Floreana, pop. 110, electricty entirely solar, maybe with more tortoises th...

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Silly Post: Airplane meal

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYlh5I5k6WEN3yjjc2GQLdgW4zGGCUO5OY6sMFDN55WA1AUeKXJXj_FUr709XLwbyLErzO7LaEXbbRhcCgKbaWT2cdS6Cv_VehTW0x21m3yTvQoMacGnlTI7-IjF0otiUEBfrKQ4FMVRV/s1600/airtrip1979.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471955538299586642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYlh5I5k6WEN3yjjc2GQLdgW4zGGCUO5OY6sMFDN55WA1AUeKXJXj_FUr709XLwbyLErzO7LaEXbbRhcCgKbaWT2cdS6Cv_VehTW0x21m3yTvQoMacGnlTI7-IjF0otiUEBfrKQ4FMVRV/s400/airtrip1979.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" /></a><br />We have arrived in the Galapagos. Airplane meals are so scarce, I took a photo of this one. Mostly, I'll be posting photos of wildlife and whatever we see at my other blog, maetravels.blogspot.com ... so far I documented the trip from our plane window here:<ul class="posts"><li><a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/2010/05/flying-to-galapagos.html">Flying to the Galapagos</a></li><li><a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/2010/05/hello-from-miami.html">Hello from Miami</a></li></ul>

Silly Post: Airplane meal

We have arrived in the Galapagos. Airplane meals are so scarce, I took a photo of this one. Mostly, I'll be posting photos of wildlife a...

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Blintzes for Shavouth

After making blintzes, I began to wonder how and when this dish and many other dairy foods became associated with the early summer festival of Shavouth. I posted some of my findings a while ago, but I've been reading further, so this is an expanded post.<br /><br />According to John Cooper's book <span style="font-style: italic;">Eat and be Satisfied</span>, the tradition of dairy foods for Shavouth began in Europe in the Middle Ages. He quotes a thirteenth-century philosopher who said that the appropriate food for the festival was milk and honey, to commemorate the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, subject of the celebration. In Provence in the fourteenth century, a special honey cake was baked in the shape of a ladder.<br /><br />In the later Middle Ages, an abundance of milk in this season led to dairy products being chosen for the festival. Also, dairy dishes were the food for the Christian festival of Whitsun, or Pentecost, occurring at the same time as Shavouth -- and Jews may have been influenced by their neighbors. In the fifteenth century, Jews baked a big<span style="font-style: italic;"> floden</span> cake made with milk and raisins, called Sinai Cake.<br /><br />Blintzes -- pancakes filled with farmer's cheese -- were related to similar dishes in Ukrainian and Russian cooking called <span style="font-style: italic;">blini</span>, according to Cooper. Claudia Roden says they are of Hungarian origin. In the shtetls of Eastern Europe, milk was also abundant in late May or early June. The traditional Shavouth dairy meal included a saffron-glazed challah, as well as blintzes, beet borscht with sour cream, <span style="font-style: italic;">babkas</span>, and other dairy dishes.<br /><br />The Jews of Arab countries had a wide variety of celebrations of the festival. In Persia and North Africa, it was associated with roses or other flowers, and worshipers were sprinkled with rose water. Dairy products are used throughout the Jewish world: "in Kurdistan a meal is made of wheat ground in sour milk and rissoles filled with cheese and butter instead of meat. In Afghanistan the Jews cook rice in butter, pouring a specially prepared thin yoghurt over it. In the Ladino-speaking communities of the Middle East large seven-tiered challah filled with sweetmeats is baked." (Lilian Cornfeld,<span style="font-style: italic;"> Israeli Cookery</span>, p. 262-264)<br /><br />Cheesecake was the tradition in some European Jewish communities. I read: "Italian Easter cheesecake, which is made with citrus rind and fragrant orange blossom water ... is now served in Italy for Shavuot. Israelis eat a light and creamy mousselike cheesecake made with <em>gvina livana</em>, or white cheese. Cheesecakes in France are most often made with fresh farmer’s cheese or savory goat cheese, while Greek cheesecake recipes call for feta or for Greek yogurt." (<a href="http://www.forward.com/articles/106303/">The Great Cake Debate: A Taste of History Behind a Shavuot Tradition</a>)<br /><br />Another explanation of the dairy tradition -- an article titled <span> <a href="http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2007/05/18/news/local/acover0518.txt">Cheese blintzes wrapped in tradition for Shavuot</a> --</span> is more folkloric:<br /><span><blockquote style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">While no one knows for sure what the ancient Israelites ate after receiving the Torah, historians speculate that they didn’t keep kosher until encountering the dietary laws found in this sacred scroll. Because they couldn’t immediately change their ways, their only option was to eat a dairy meal until they could make kosher their cooking utensils and meat.</blockquote> <a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religion/1366/shavuot-a-guide-for-the-perplexed/">TABLET online magazine</a> had a complete description of the holiday, including this about dairy food:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><blockquote style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">WHAT DO WE EAT?</span><br />Delicious dairy products. Cheesecakes are big. If your ancestors hail from the Tri-State area—Poland, Russia, Ukraine—so are blintzes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WHY?</span><br />The rational explanation is that the Torah was given on the Sabbath, and as no animals could be slaughtered to celebrate the happy occasion, the Israelites likely shrugged their shoulders and collectively agreed to nosh on some brie. More mystical Jews—you know, Madonna—believe that the numbers speak for themselves: Dairy in Hebrew is chalav, and if you sum up the numerical value of the three Hebrew letters that make up that word you get 40. Which is a number you’d remember if you had to wander in the desert for as many years.</blockquote></span>Joan Nathan <a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religion/33495/dairy-heirs/">wrote in another Tablet article</a> that all dairy-making cultures use milk products in their spring festivals. She also associates cheese with Mount Sinai, where Moses received the 10 commandments on the first Shevouth:<br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">As for Mount Sinai, it’s known by other names: Mountain of God, mountain of Bashan, and mountain of peaks (<span style="font-style: italic;">Har Gavnunim</span>) all mentioned in the 68th psalm. <span style="font-style: italic;">Gavnunim</span> means “gibbous, many-peaked,” but the word has the same root as <span style="font-style: italic;">g’vinah</span>, meaning cheese. Accordingly, cheese consumption at this time of year is a reminder of the giving of the Law. And, throughout the Bible, Israel is repeatedly referred to as the land of milk and honey.</blockquote>So there are lots of explanations of those blintzes. Too many.

Blintzes for Shavouth

After making blintzes, I began to wonder how and when this dish and many other dairy foods became associated with the early summer festival ...

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