Ireland

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z3mu61JZMRTarmjXtdJsUO1ASOHr8-WTDqRnqhHO-Q5z9AObZX_ZhMoKtSyBnASUBjpZUKt6XLkCdYTfCD4STxgveos9uv6lJx7InIrqZdWB1J3SrqDjAMNwvNqO65GAUkWHrlwdpFiV/s1600/airlinemeal.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577687303225869730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3z3mu61JZMRTarmjXtdJsUO1ASOHr8-WTDqRnqhHO-Q5z9AObZX_ZhMoKtSyBnASUBjpZUKt6XLkCdYTfCD4STxgveos9uv6lJx7InIrqZdWB1J3SrqDjAMNwvNqO65GAUkWHrlwdpFiV/s400/airlinemeal.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" /></a>Here's something we haven't seen in a while: a hot airline meal from a still-functioning airplane kitchen. Just the same as the meals in the past when you saw them on every flight. Strange puree (potato? applesauce? a mixture?) and orangish gravy over a small slice of rubbery chicken breast, off-green beans (canned?), salad, small cello-covered brownie, cheese, crackers. But Delta did include it in the price of the ticket. Since they woke me up to give it to me, I ate some of it. Then we were wakened again by a woman whose mother couldn't wake up -- we heard increasingly urgent and loud calls, "Mom, Mom, Help, Help." No doctor responded to the subsequent call, but the stewardess nobly gave the woman oxygen and got her to wake up and the drama was over. Then we were wakened an hour later for breakfast and landing at Shannon airport. Not much sleep.<br /><br />Ireland looks beautiful and green, with strange slanting winter sunlight. We walked along Galway Bay in a very stiff wind. I hope to post much more beautiful photos than this!

Ireland

Here's something we haven't seen in a while: a hot airline meal from a still-functioning airplane kitchen. Just the same as the meal...

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The Empty Tureen

"Murder by Death" is a fantastic spoof of detective fiction, especially the detective movie and the country house genre. We watched it last night through the brand-new amazon.com streaming video offering. (See "<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/amazon-adds-streaming-video-to-prime-subscriptions-in-a-bid-to-rival-netflix-hulu-.html">Amazon adds streaming video to Prime subscriptions in a bid to rival Netflix, Hulu</a>" for details on the new service.)<br /><br />In "Murder by Death" Peter Sellers sends up Charlie Chan (made me laugh out loud over and over). Elsa Lanchester parodies Miss Marple. Peter Falk plays an amalgam of Humphry Bogart roles, especially Sam Spade, making you realize where Colombo got some of his mannerisms. David Niven and Maggie Smith play the Charlstons, Dick and Dora, who have a dog just like Asta in "The Thin Man." Truman Capote is the madman who invites them all to his strange mansion, reached via a bridge that's falling down, etc. I loved every minute.<br /><br />Now what do you do to parody the constant use of food in murder mysteries? Well, the blind butler, played by Alec Guinness, hires a new maid, who is deaf and dumb. No communication. No dinner. She sits idly in the kitchen while he gives her instructions that she doesn't hear. He brings in an empty tureen and pantomimes serving soup. Perfect!<br /><br />Great movie. Great idea from amazon.com.

The Empty Tureen

"Murder by Death" is a fantastic spoof of detective fiction, especially the detective movie and the country house genre. We watche...

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I still don't want to read them

A few days ago I read an <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/03/the-moral-crusade-against-foodies/8370/">article by B. R. Myers</a> in the current <i>Atlantic</i>, and commented that I wouldn't want to read several of the authors whose work he cited (<a href="http://regional-food.blogspot.com/2011/02/food-books-im-not-going-to-read.html">Food Books I'm Not Going to Read</a>). Now another <span style="font-style: italic;">Atlantic</span> writer, <span class="il">Nicolette</span> Hahn Niman, a proponent of the food movement, has written an answer:<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2011/02/defending-foodies-a-rancher-takes-a-bite-out-of-br-myers/71416/" title="Defending 'Foodies': A Rancher Takes a Bite out of B. R. Myers"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Defending 'Foodies': A Rancher Takes a Bite out of B. R. Myers</a>. She's quite upset about the broad-brush condemnation of "foodies" as self-indulgent, cruel, and out-of-touch. I have no doubt that there is a larger food-reform movement that supports more responsible agriculture and more healthful food choices. But I think she missed the point that there's a fringe of writers whose position has become so extreme. (And if I remember correctly some of her writing in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Atlantic</span> is sometimes a bit extreme itself, as writing goes.)<br /><br />I take her point as stated here:<br /><blockquote>"Myers utterly fails to establish any connection between the statements and behaviors he cites and the broad food movement sweeping this country. In fact, there isn't one. None of us who care about food system reform and healthful, ethical eating would defend such excesses, and we certainly are not inspired by them. Fundamental to today's American food movement is holistic thinking and respect—knowing where your food comes from, understanding its history before reaching your plate, and savoring it with family and friends."</blockquote>Of course Myers' examples of extreme self-indulgence and elitism don't reflect on everyone who proposes changes to the overall picture of American food production, delivery, and consumption. But I think her defense of foodies is just as extreme as Myers' attack, and just as misplaced. For example she cites a writer who says: "growing one's own food is not drudgery at all." Gosh, what a put-down of farmers. Maybe if what you grow is one incredibly productive little cherry tomato plant... never mind.<br /><br />And I'm still not going to read those new books -- I think Myers has a good point there.

I still don't want to read them

A few days ago I read an article by B. R. Myers in the current Atlantic , and commented that I wouldn't want to read several of the aut...

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Good Luck, David

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SsT8QGYLjMcnQHmLSiANFvQBW5gzp0hokvejznkLAi9T6f3Kn5Ywhz5FYCJ2cVa0oEHus2V4jvOG1dk9Q3Nvc1_5QdxFWjZc45KAXAywCkeo0UCruysLhfneO1ncOBSCRyDd9-eiuMUp/s1600/davidparty5058.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575238538257348370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SsT8QGYLjMcnQHmLSiANFvQBW5gzp0hokvejznkLAi9T6f3Kn5Ywhz5FYCJ2cVa0oEHus2V4jvOG1dk9Q3Nvc1_5QdxFWjZc45KAXAywCkeo0UCruysLhfneO1ncOBSCRyDd9-eiuMUp/s400/davidparty5058.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br />Len's student has completed his thesis, and he defended it today. As we've done for every student who finished his degree, we had a congratulatory party with a cake to celebrate David's next endeavor: a job at Google. He will start there after the end of the semester. As you can see, I'm not the world's slickest cake decorator, but I tried to pick up on the Google theme colors.

Good Luck, David

Len's student has completed his thesis, and he defended it today. As we've done for every student who finished his degree, we had a ...

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Food Books I'm Not Going to Read

The <span style="font-style: italic;">Atlantic</span> has a review of several recently-published foodie books: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/03/the-moral-crusade-against-foodies/8370/">The Moral Crusade Against Foodies: Gluttony dressed up as foodie-ism is still gluttony</a> by B. R. Myers. The author is very turned off by the foodies and their poses, as the article's title suggests.<br /><br />A few of the many foodie-writer crimes attested:<br /><ul><li>First: "these people really do live to eat" -- and often to overeat, writes Myers.</li><li>Despite lip service to the contrary, they are often cruel to animals, and go as far as to participate enthusiastically in cruel slaughter of animals they are about to eat. One example: "Steingarten tells of watching four people hold down a struggling, groaning pig for a full 20 minutes as it bled to death for his dinner."</li><li>Foodies don't respect food traditions of others, especially when the traditions involve avoidance of specific foods: "Most of us consider it a virtue to maintain our principles in the face of social pressure, but in the involuted world of gourmet morals, constancy is rudeness. One must never spoil a dinner party for mere religious or ethical reasons."</li><li>Moral or ethical consistency is lacking, despite professions of same. An "affectation of piety does not keep foodies from vaunting their penchant for obscenely priced meals, for gorging themselves, even for dining on endangered animals—but only rarely is public attention drawn to the contradiction." They nevertheless claim moral superiority to those who merely eat to live: "the guilty smirkiness that once marked [their] default style has been losing ever more ground to pomposity and sermonizing."</li></ul>There's lots more. I accept the conclusion that foodie writers are a sorry lot. I'm not a big fan of most of these writers anyway -- though I think the author is too hard on Michael Pollan and maybe Alice Waters. I think that the interesting writing about food these days is in blogs and in fiction. I've tried some of the reviewed writers' earlier books or articles (Steingarten, Severson, Bourdain), and for the most part had already lost interest in what they have to say. Now I feel really free to skip them.

Food Books I'm Not Going to Read

The Atlantic has a review of several recently-published foodie books: The Moral Crusade Against Foodies: Gluttony dressed up as foodie-ism ...

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Sunday Afternoon Tea

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5444008248/" title="bkclub5057 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="bkclub5057" height="480" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5444008248_b5093cc51e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5444007962/" title="bkclub5056 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="bkclub5056" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/5444007962_a7e3766a31_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />My book club's meeting this afternoon was a semi-planned meal. Nine of the ten of us brought food and drink -- I was the odd one and brought the plates, napkins, etc. The combination of sandwiches, hummus, deviled eggs, vegetables, fruit, and sweets was wonderful. We also created our book list and meeting schedule for the next year. I'm looking forward to reading <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven</span> by Sherman Alexie, <span style="font-style: italic;">Just Kids</span> by Patti Smith, <span style="font-style: italic;">Cleopatra: A Life</span> by Stacy Shiff, <span style="font-style: italic;">I Capture the Castle</span> by Dodie Smith, and eight more.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

My book club's meeting this afternoon was a semi-planned meal. Nine of the ten of us brought food and drink -- I was the odd one and bro...

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Happy Birthday Alice!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqnT6P3ehG7H49WdkVhcdQ7VResysImXdLSphN6rY-nNWBaj2aVF2O5EAvJfvI2PPeTogV7jvnjYXKZyDOpHlQWJtDyAs8t_patruT_9Vgd4RDEI5RoNbqykK9ZiIbOkRPa_vqQHQ-p0/s1600/abcake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqnT6P3ehG7H49WdkVhcdQ7VResysImXdLSphN6rY-nNWBaj2aVF2O5EAvJfvI2PPeTogV7jvnjYXKZyDOpHlQWJtDyAs8t_patruT_9Vgd4RDEI5RoNbqykK9ZiIbOkRPa_vqQHQ-p0/s320/abcake2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />From the Harry Potter cookbook: the cake Hagrid made Harry when he was eleven. Converted to a cake for Alice the Harry Potter fan:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWnXEPvoEICZ94elKKL2XUwAksjbgLVo_pke9lHL4rJYL2HrEFSxHU-IERhqr0RjCSUHF1oznkCaWKz364rTP_pk0ECZeoa8jOncVmIFva0M3ExxhwmmMA4JbRg9BmyWBFwfyqRW7obY/s1600/abcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWnXEPvoEICZ94elKKL2XUwAksjbgLVo_pke9lHL4rJYL2HrEFSxHU-IERhqr0RjCSUHF1oznkCaWKz364rTP_pk0ECZeoa8jOncVmIFva0M3ExxhwmmMA4JbRg9BmyWBFwfyqRW7obY/s320/abcake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>

Happy Birthday Alice!

From the Harry Potter cookbook: the cake Hagrid made Harry when he was eleven. Converted to a cake for Alice the Harry Potter fan:

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