Chicago

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM64NPq699c9vamlTi1vFEzl3ytskYhk_VXDzqjrimhhCs7QcbxFGr9Nm7A_VNEa84mqnN7dtIJ48WR_LU_M3LYDNSt-okJp-Or-QcQTFU9i3qZj3OxmLSLhRgZvsQtLU4qP5hQqR9uZO/s1600/chicago+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503472472977680770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMM64NPq699c9vamlTi1vFEzl3ytskYhk_VXDzqjrimhhCs7QcbxFGr9Nm7A_VNEa84mqnN7dtIJ48WR_LU_M3LYDNSt-okJp-Or-QcQTFU9i3qZj3OxmLSLhRgZvsQtLU4qP5hQqR9uZO/s400/chicago+3.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 321px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />We spent 24 hours in Chicago this weekend, driving back and forth from Michigan. Saturday afternoon, we took our time looking at many art works at the Chicago Art Institute. Meanwhile, outside, a rock festival was raging. I remembered many of the art works in the museum from earlier trips, especially the famous icons of Impressionism, but the above image by Van Gough impressed me enormously, and I didn't really recall seeing these "Drinkers" before.<br /><br />This one also impressed me:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYEcYGJTdBR4V5SvPnrfhJ90xu4oyYpvIjuSI3h5cezu3Ze7H5mwJZZOmSpiyqduJTWMh2Zn_7Sy6Y4xJnOYXeaDY05qxJFdSehcSsKa8NSgq5Sp-eDjiwbYaSwBwqEIMUvnKIOfB9k-K/s1600/chicago+11.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503473212961947890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYEcYGJTdBR4V5SvPnrfhJ90xu4oyYpvIjuSI3h5cezu3Ze7H5mwJZZOmSpiyqduJTWMh2Zn_7Sy6Y4xJnOYXeaDY05qxJFdSehcSsKa8NSgq5Sp-eDjiwbYaSwBwqEIMUvnKIOfB9k-K/s400/chicago+11.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />This is a section of a painting of a feast by El Greco. The food on the table looks mighty small for a feast. I wonder how that relates to the recent finding by Brian Wansink that the amount of food in paintings of the Last Supper has constantly increased in major depictions over the years. That result: "portion size, plate size, and bread size increased dramatically over the last one thousand years." (<a href="http://www.mindlesseating.org/lastsupper/">See this</a>.)<br /><br />Later, I'll add more about the trip, especially about what we ate and our visit to the Field Museum of Natural History.

Chicago

We spent 24 hours in Chicago this weekend, driving back and forth from Michigan. Saturday afternoon, we took our time looking at many art works at the Chicago Art Institute. Meanwhile, outside, a rock festival was raging. I remembered many of the art works in the museum from earlier trips, especiall…

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Famine? Scarcity?

The top story in the <span style="font-style:italic;">New York Times</span> today is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/world/europe/06russia.html?hp">Russia Bans Grain Exports After Drought Shrivels Crop.</a> Commodity prices are usually not at the top of my interests. Like most Americans, I assume that prices will vary, but that food will always be affordable, and I don't think about global issues of famine or scarcity. Will all of us become more conscious of these issues as the climate -- both physical and political -- creates new problems of supply of foodstuffs? The article begins with these grim paragraphs:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">Russia banned all exports of grain on Thursday after millions of acres of wheat withered in a severe drought, a portentous decision at a time when crop failures caused by heat and flooding span the northern hemisphere.<br /><br />Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir V. Putin, announced the ban, from Aug. 15 to Dec. 31, saying it was necessary to curb rising prices for food inside Russia, one of the world’s largest wheat exporters, which is suffering the hottest temperatures recorded since record-keeping began more than 130 years ago. Rail cars heaped with fresh grain were already grinding to a halt around Russia, stopped in mid-harvest, and mid-journey from the country’s vast and iconic wheat fields to the main grain exporting ports on the Black Sea.<br /><br />The decision caused an immediate and sharp rise in the already high global price of wheat. It rose more than 8 percent in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade on Thursday, after having increased about 90 percent since June because of the drought in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and parts of the European Union, and floods in Canada.</span></blockquote>

Famine? Scarcity?

The top story in the New York Times today is Russia Bans Grain Exports After Drought Shrivels Crop. Commodity prices are usually not at the top of my interests. Like most Americans, I assume that prices will vary, but that food will always be affordable, and I don't think about global issues of fami…

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"Food, Inc."

<img alt="http://www.foodincmovie.com/img/site/movie_poster-large.jpg" src="http://www.foodincmovie.com/img/site/movie_poster-large.jpg" /><br /><br />We finally watched "Food, Inc." I've read way too many of the sources to find it surprising -- especially Michael Pollan's books and articles. Despite my familiarity with many of the details, I found many really good issues discussed in it. Impressive: seeing moving pictures of feedlots, CAFOs, slaughterhouses, chicken houses for hundreds of thousands of chickens, and farmers ruined by Monsanto.<br /><br />I don't like extremists or fanatics, so I would have liked to see a broader range of organic farmers and innovators against mass production. I am suspicious of the claim that Joel Salatin's methods can scale upwards. And I'm ultra-skeptical about the interview with the CEO of Stonybrook Farms (now part of a big agriculture corp) and his pride in the mass-market organic yogurt sold at WalMart. But I have a distrust of hippies who got rich on their hipness, which might be misplaced.<br /><br />In general, I wish the authors had a vision for how to feed all the people on earth without some of the mass market methods. This is an issue that's frequently avoided. Yes, we put Mexican corn farmers out of business with cheap corn and NAFTA. And it was bad for their economy. What next?<br /><br />I think my shopping habits already conform to the authors' goals (and yes, I know not everyone can afford to shop the way they suggest). But I think the points about the food industry, lack of regulation, persecution of farmers (such as those who re-use seeds and are pursued by Monsanto), and the corruption of the regulatory process are all very important.<br /><br />Lenny says the "veggie libel" laws are the worst offense revealed in the film. That term refers to laws that prevent people from criticizing foods, food manufacturers, or growing processes; a set of related laws also prevent people from suing food industries when they are harmed. Oprah's successful defense against being sued for libel against hamburgers around 15 years ago is the best-known example.<br /><br />On the whole: good film.

"Food, Inc."

We finally watched "Food, Inc." I've read way too many of the sources to find it surprising -- especially Michael Pollan's books and articles. Despite my familiarity with many of the details, I found many really good issues discussed in it. Impressive: seeing moving pictures of feedlots, CAFOs, slau…

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In Season

Tonight for dinner we had a number of dishes that can only be made when their key ingredients are in season. During the long wait from one summer to the next, it's easy to forget what summer fruits and vegetables taste like. Fresh and exciting things I used and made:<br /><ul><li>Chopped tomatoes. The local tomatoes that I bought had a special aroma that you only get when the tomato has been ripened -- almost over-ripened -- on a vine on a farm not far away. Our first course included the tomatoes and a chopped olive salad that was ready-made at Whole Foods, my own cream cheese spread, and herb butter that I made with fresh cilantro.</li><li>Butterflied leg of lamb, made on the grill using a Julia Child recipe. I think it was a very small lamb, perhaps local but I'm not sure. It was the most tender lamb I've ever had.</li><li>Green bean salad with dried mushrooms and red pepper and a light vinaigrette -- the green beans now are small, not old & tough. The red peppers are still the industrial green-house version -- I hope that the odd-shaped local pimentos and nonstandard red peppers become available soon. For them, I will have to make it to the Farmers Market.<br /></li><li>Lettuce salad with Michigan dried cherries, toasted pine nuts, and cherry balsamic vinaigrette. And one touch of Michigan maple syrup.<br /></li><li>Peach cake (which I described <a href="http://regional-food.blogspot.com/2008/08/polish-peach-and-apricot-cake-from-new.html">here</a> when I first made it). The very first tree-ripened Michigan peaches are here. They make all the difference. So juicy and soft the "free stones" don't even want to come out. I added a few exceptional-tasting blueberries that came from Western Michigan.</li></ul>Time to get philosophical. Sorry, I haven't the energy -- I was cooking and preparing vegetables all afternoon.

In Season

Tonight for dinner we had a number of dishes that can only be made when their key ingredients are in season. During the long wait from one summer to the next, it's easy to forget what summer fruits and vegetables taste like. Fresh and exciting things I used and made:Chopped tomatoes. The local t…

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Saugatuck Farmer's Market

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4844566150/" title="market3571 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market3571" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4844566150_79ae8c0acd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Before breakfast (served at 9 by our B&B) we walked up the hill towards the bridge across the Kalamazoo River to Douglas. Saugatuck has a farmer's market on Friday mornings -- we stopped to look around -- it seemed deserted. Later, our B&B hostess explained the lack of customers: the yacht owners show up at 8:00 to buy flowers, and the locals come at 11:00 to buy vegetables. Since we were there just after 8, we saw no one but the farmers. Each one seemed to have his or her own specialty -- blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, corn, flowers...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4844566500/" title="market3565 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market3565" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4844566500_712f1dbf28.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4844566324/" title="market3570 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market3570" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/4844566324_019e3851eb_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4844566656/" title="market3567 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="market3567" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4844566656_baf9ed8217.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />We ended our 24 hour getaway with around an hour sitting on Oval Beach -- one of the world's most beautiful beaches. See: <a href="http://maetravels.blogspot.com/2010/07/oval-beach-saugatuck-mi.html">Oval Beach, Saugatuck MI</a>

Saugatuck Farmer's Market

Before breakfast (served at 9 by our B&B) we walked up the hill towards the bridge across the Kalamazoo River to Douglas. Saugatuck has a farmer's market on Friday mornings -- we stopped to look around -- it seemed deserted. Later, our B&B hostess explained the lack of customers: the yacht owners sh…

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Marro's Restaurant

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4844567478/" title="morros3564 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="morros3564" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4844567478_d248daa465_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4844567352/" title="morros3563 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="morros3563" height="479" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4844567352_ff81405be7_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Marro's in Saugatuck has been serving American-Italian food for 40 seasons, and they do seem very popular with the crowds of tourists in the picturesque town. After our bike trip to the dunes, we wanted a relaxed dinner -- nothing pretentious (if you want pretentious, Saugatuck can oblige). We also shared a piece of cheesecake, which the menu says is the best in the history of the world. It was good cheesecake, though perhaps age-old global superiority is a stretch.

Marro's Restaurant

Marro's in Saugatuck has been serving American-Italian food for 40 seasons, and they do seem very popular with the crowds of tourists in the picturesque town. After our bike trip to the dunes, we wanted a relaxed dinner -- nothing pretentious (if you want pretentious, Saugatuck can oblige). We also …

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Saugatuck

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4842062770/" title="1twin oaks inn by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="1twin oaks inn" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4842062770_5dbdf08504_b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Twin Oaks Inn was our destination this morning. After an easy drive from Ann Arbor to Saugatuck without traffic surprises, we checked in at around 11:00, feeling that we had <span style="font-style: italic;">retreated</span>!<br /><br />We walked around, looked at the old-fashioned and very old chain ferry and all the yachts in the harbor. The ferryman cranks a crank that pulls the boat across the Kalamazoo River via an underwater chain.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4842123232/" title="chainferry by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="chainferry" height="334" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4842123232_5a04f37ed5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Sadly, the Kalamazoo River is currently threatened by an oil pipeline breach upstream, but the water here is not yet affected, and we hope the oil can be contained.<br /><br />We had lunch on the waterfront.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4842063168/" title="1mermaidlunch by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="1mermaidlunch" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4842063168_537a6bf061.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />After lunch Len got our Bike Fridays out of the car -- they both fit in the trunk along with all our luggage. We discovered that a superb bike path has just opened that goes from just outside the town of Saugatuck to the Dunes State Park. It's wide, paved, and has wooden bridges where it goes over swampy creeks. The wood is so new that the bridges still smell like sawdust.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4842062902/" title="bikepath by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="bikepath" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4842062902_29b96aa957.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />We locked the bikes to a tree in the park and walked over to the beach.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4841446127/" title="beachvw by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="beachvw" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4841446127_1202f5f993.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />After a dip in the perfect-temperature water of Lake Michigan and a long time napping on the beach, we walked back over the dune and started back towards town.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4841446009/" title="froghome by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="froghome" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4841446009_7462046c82.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I heard frogs singing on my bike. Groucho would ask: what were the frogs doing on your bike? Never mind. The four or five miles of bike path are beautiful, as there is a lot that you see from a bike and not from a car.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/4841445845/" title="1kilwins by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="1kilwins" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4841445845_39273f0fc2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Our last bike stop was for Kilwin's ice cream. Lots of fun things to eat between activities here. Before we end our 24-hour stay we hope for dinner somewhere in town, breakfast made by our hospitable hostess Willa, and maybe even an early lunch.

Saugatuck

Twin Oaks Inn was our destination this morning. After an easy drive from Ann Arbor to Saugatuck without traffic surprises, we checked in at around 11:00, feeling that we had retreated!We walked around, looked at the old-fashioned and very old chain ferry and all the yachts in the harbor. The ferryma…

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