Open Thread – Carbo Load
Just a cool picture of what happens when a pile of flour, and a couple eggs meet a new pasta crank.
Chatter away…
December 18, 2024
Thursday, August 3, 2023
The Quitter Returns! -Monday, March 21, 2022
Putting the goober in gubernatorial -Friday, January 28, 2022
Just a cool picture of what happens when a pile of flour, and a couple eggs meet a new pasta crank.
Chatter away…
The pasta looks great! What time should I be over?
Hope–if you keep giving me these thoughts to mull over, my head will explode! Seriously, you bring up some valuable ideas and I appreciate your words–these ideas are going to stay with me while I contemplate speaking to my Dad’s ex-church congregation. I have been dreading it, but think I am better prepared now.
That’s wonderful, Auni. I’m so sad with you in losing your Dad. I visualize your having to stand before his former church family and speak of him, and for him, and with him. I had that difficult task when my Dad and I wrote the service for my mother not long ago. What a complex thing and a time of great love and loss, and somehow celebration in finding her at the heart of my memory! I’m thinking of you, Auni.
Hope
I liberated a copy of the Des Moines Register from a trash bin this morning. I found an article on the back page of first section-about the death of Walter Soboleff,102, an Alaska Tlingit spiritual leader,died of cancer,May 22,in Juneau. his life spanned much of the history of the territory and State. He received a scholarship in 1933 to the University of Dubuque,in Iowa,where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1937 and graduate degree in divinity in 1940. Did Native Alaskans have to leave the state of Alaska to attend college?
The University of Dubuque (and Dubuque theological seminary) has a long and worthy history of outreach to Native Americans and Native Alaskans. The Presbyterian church has a more convoluted history of missions in Alaska villages and sending boys off to boarding school. One of those boarding schools eventually evolved into Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka. Unfortunately, it went bankrupt and shut down a few years ago. Today, the University of Alaska in Fairbanks has an interesting program to encouage and support Native Alaskans in an engineering and technology program.
Summary: two generations back, Native Alaskans went outside to college (if at all); one generation back, Sheldon Jackson served; the current generation of college-bound Native Alaskans is mainstreamed into the University of Alaska and outside colleges.
As with all summaries, this one if overly simplified. There were many outliers; I’m just trying to give the main trend.
Mike, in 1933 there was no college in Alaska. Sheldon Jackson school was established in 1878, but was a technical training school for the natives. A college was later added to the school, but not accredited until 1966. University of Alaska and Alaska Pacific University were not established until the 50’s.
So, to answer your questions, anyone that wanted higher education had to leave the state to get it back then.
Mr. Soboleff was, among many other things, an incredible speaker and orator, and was devoted to keeping the Tlingit language alive. I once heard hom recite the “Gettysburg Address” in Tlingit, and found it as moving and inspiration in that language as it is in the original. He died on the day of the supposed “Rapture”, and in my mind, was probably one of the few good enough to actually go.
Hope–you really have me thinking about this reflection stuff. I just lost my wonderful 100 year old Dad. In planning for his memorial, I am going through pictures etc and it is giving me an opportunity for think about his life, and mine. He had a deep faith, but at 70 years old left the church that he had belonged to his entire life. He must have gone through a great deal of introspection and study to make that decision. Yes, we all have our own reality. I live in a conservative community with conservative, and vocal, relatives. Yet, I am so certain that my values are correct. I stand up for them and really try to be objective in my evaluations of what I believe. Are they “small” beliefs? I believe in the common good, being my brother’s keeper, and so on. I also believe President Obama will be noted in history as one of our greatest presidents. When I looked at Glenn Beck’s site this am–his followers believe that President Obama is trying to destroy America! Makes my butt tired, but they are as positive in their understanding as I am in mine–don’t know where I am going with this–but Hope you really have me thinking (always a good thing).
I know what you mean about reflection, auni. Earlier this spring, my first California cousin passed (he was 90 or 91). My sisters and I found out about his memorial service this coming Sunday too late to buy tickets. I wrote a page about him (with input from both sisters), and it will be read on our behalf at his memorial. He was a terrific person who cooked for the sick, comforted the poor, etc. Part of Barney’s legacy is that, while working for the Mayor of San Francisco, he invented/piloted the first Foster Grandparents program. It’s been working wonders ever since, and is really all the memorial anyone could wish for!
p.s. By “buy tickets,” I meant airline tickets. There’s no charge to attend the memorial.
Me, too, auni…about the “got me thinking” thing that Hope has started. My immediate family (DH, DS1, DS2, and DDiL) and I are all pretty much in concordance on our views; my birth family and I are 4 in concordance and 2 in non; my inlaws and outlaws (families of inlaws) and I are almost polar opposites on the vast majority of social issues, though (and, inevitably, religious issues — religious as distinguished from Spirituality and/or Faith.)
Now, don’t get me wrong — I enjoy the company of the whole lot of them, but man! do they try my soul! And knowing we don’t see the issues from the same perspective and in the same light, we’ve all tacitly agreed to keep any discussion(s) of their ‘solutions’ and/or resolutions out of our times together. Is this a coward’s way out? I don’t know.
It probably *is* the coward’s way out, though — on both sides. And I say that very selfishly, because I just know if I could press the issue, if I could lay the facts before them, they’d change their thinking…if even a smidgen. At least I hope they would.
I was raised to question everything; to examine everything; to go to the root to find what actually ‘came out of the horse’s mouth’; to take some things on faith, but to be highly skeptical of ‘information’ from just any old source. I want *proof* that what I’m being told is true and factual, is, indeed, true and factual.
And therein lies, for me, the problem: I reject truthiness; my inlaws, outlaws, (and community) embraces it. Like a coward, I keep silent so no feathers are ruffled; I don’t know how to bridge the gap — of even if I should. I’m still thinking on it. beth.
Truthiness — “the quality of preferring concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true” (American Dialect Society, January 2006)
from: The Colbert Report 10/17/05:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/24039/october-17-2005/the-word—truthiness
Great thoughts, Beth! I know what you mean about just avoiding the subjects we don’t agree on. What is that? I’ve heard the old saw about “never discuss religion or politics at the table,” or whatever. I never understood it until I finally started getting acquainted with people for whom these topics are filled with land mines! Now I get it!
I kind of think that the problem is the land mine qualities these topics have taken on for almost everyone. How can we help our country and our families move away from the sense that disagreeing on some topics isn’t tantamount to hatred of the other person? Almost a physical attack? That’s how these things are couched, somehow.
I, too, worry about keeping silent. But that’s because I need to find and have a voice. I need to feel that my voice matters, just as everyone else’s voice matters. I need to be part of the discussion of what it means spiritually and politically and ecologically to be human — to be the best I can be. In the political ring I need to find ways to make sure this happens for everyone. When each of us has a voice, we’ll find out together what works best for all of us. In the family ring, I think maybe we need to keep it a little more “real.”
By keeping silent on these issues in our families, we sometimes maintain the loving bond that can remind each of us that these people think something or believe something I find anathema, and yet, look at that wonderful smile! Feel that hug, or pat on the back. Taste that old family recipe together, laugh at familiar stories and sing beloved songs together. It’ll help everyone remember what’s actually true: we are family, we are human, we are worthwhile individuals. Those “truthy” wrong-headed, selfish, “right-wing,” “left-wing,” land mines don’t undo that basic truth: We love them; they love us. We need each other. If we find a way for everyone to have a voice, we’ll all be able to get back to just loving each other and being surprised, delighted, worried, enlightened, joyful and concerned by and about them as we all keep growing and learning together. That’s what I’m going for.
Hope?
Thank you so much for the thinking and the note, Auni! I, too, have watched my dear father “outgrow” the beloved church he has been an integral part of for his 90 years. It is sad. I have thought so much about “smallness” over these last two years or more. It is true that my father does continue to grow, thank Goodness!, and he also holds steady. But his church and its ideas have shrunken drastically over time, so it is not only his positive forward growth that has taken his church home from him when a person misses that home in new ways every day. That body has shrunken away from him.
I would really like to have a deep discussion of this issue of smallness, passion, pride, humility, and compassion — and having a voice — and democracy itself. Lincoln said, “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that [our] nation or any nation so conceived [in liberty] and so dedicated [to the proposition that all men are created equal] can long endure.” I’ve scratched my head over that sentence often in the last five decades. How can fighting test that proposition? To make such a nation endure, each voice of those equal human beings needs to be heard, speaking freely. And not only heard, but counted as equal. That means that each knows and accepts that it is small, is passionate enough to speak up, proud enough to speak clearly, humble enough to speak only its own take on truth, knowing it is small, and compassionate enough to listen to others with an open mind and engage in respectful dialogue.
When some people decide that is not good enough — that everyone needs to believe and act and look and speak and think (or not think) their way, or they decide only those voices and actions that serve their needs are “equal,” that some people deserve a voice, and others don’t, then fighting eventually ensues, and the “winners” get to decide. So how do we get in and stop violence without violence? I’ve never understood how fighting fits in there, but I know that when I think of Nazi Germany, I wish we’d all started fighting sooner. Saying “NO!” in a way that stopped that violence. Stopping that movement was probably always going to require violence after a certain point, because Nazism was ready and willing to use violence from the beginning as its “power.” How do we step forward and say “NO!” before it’s gone so far it takes violence to stop it?
I guess one of the things we’ve talked about here is the flawed and vulnerable voting system. We always fuss about it during and after an election, but could we be doing something now to prevent fraud? I don’t know. I am very very small!
Thank you again, Auni, for letting me know my voice is heard.
Hope!
We could most definitely be doing something about voter fraud between elections. I have to ask how much of a stickler are you for doing this legally and within the bounds of human decency,because I don’t feel the other side has those constraints. After watching these people in action and listening to them,I don’t think there is anything under the sun they won’t attempt to get what they perceive as their just desserts. Someone once said that all you get from turning the other cheek is two black eyes instead of one.
Yum, makes me want to go olive oil tasting. It’s amazing how many different oils there are. They have little bits of bread for in between. Also vinegars, but that does eventually “get” to the palate.
One of the many lovely things about Fairway (a NY market with their own farms in Florida) is that they place an array of olive oils (and sometimes other things) on a shelf with slices of good bread. Some of you read the recipe threads, and I’ve credited Fairway more than once. For those without access to a greenmarket, it’s a very decent alternative. They have quite a selection of organics.
Stonehouse Olive Oil (out of CA) had a store a few blocks from me. I miss them (I still have a little of their citrus infused olive oil). They do mail order, but I still have access to great oils. Yum, yum.
Fan, I don’t know what part of CA you’re from, but Stonehouse Olive Oil, based in Berkeley, is superb. Their 80-year old groves are just east of Chico (Table Mountain area). Enjoy!!
I haven’t made pasta in ages, and in any case I don’t eat eggs. Last week I finally tried a new pasta substitute (I usually use summer squash made into angel hair with my spiralizer). I absolutely LOVED it. It’s called sea tangle. They’re translucent, colorless, al dente noodles made of kelp and another seaweed ingredient. They don’t have much flavor themselves (great texture, however), but were the perfect vehicle for the superb pesto I made, taking advantage of the wild-collected ramps available. They have zero carbs, are a terrific pasta alternative for the gluten intolerant, come in packages to serve 3 (4-5 as a side dish), and have a whopping SIX calories a serving (which means being indulgent with the sauce is fine). Next, I’m going to use them to make live pad thai.
For anyone who wants my vegan pesto recipe, it’s on the most recent recipe thread at the Forum: https://themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,9137.200.html at the bottom of the page.
Health and peace.
Have you tried vegetable spaghetti, also called spaghetti squash? Easy to grow if you have the length of growing season needed.
http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/spaghetti-squash/
Thanks for the lovely photo! I needed the encouragement just now (rolls shoulders, arches back) because I spent most of an afternoon last week with my new pasta machine and all the round poles, chairbacks, and dish towels in the house… and I was feeling a little out of step with everyone I know who thinks I’m nuts! Well, not the ones I shared the fresh pasta with 🙂 I tried an egg noodle recipe with one egg plus six yolks, and it was wonderful. What wasn’t so wonderful was the poorly engineered cutting attachments which didn’t quite cut through the dough, so I had to hand separate each strand. Sigh. I then went to hand cut wide noodles, wonderful because they LOOK fresh and homemade.
I have never tried home made noodles but my mom always made them and some of us girls helped.still remember them being draped all over the table Yum is right.My Mom seldom if ever used an actual receipt.Her chicken noodle soup was the best ever.Finished the book blind allegiance and though it was very well written.Despite what some of her supporters say IMO it is not a hatchet job on her.In fact it sets the record right on a couple of things that some people could not let go of.It does show how vindictive she can be and we sure don’t need someone like her or Todd in the white house. Although a lot of people have been hurt by her and her inner circle I hope that Frank can learn to forgive himself for being taken in by her and Todd.He sounds like he has is priorities straight now.I met a young 33 or so republican who admitted that McCain lost his vote when he picked palin.He would not vote democrat but went third party.So there are those out there that do not believe she is good for this country.He likes Romney go figure.He wants to read the book.I kind of told him parts of it and said once ya get past how Frank was sucked in. It shows the inner workings of a politician that I hope no one else ever uses. My daughter will read it because3 she has hear me talk about this blog so much and I hope to let another republican that is a friend of my daughters read it.I don’t know what he thinks about palin but I sure do know he doest like our president..He asked me how I could vote for Obama and I in turn asked him how he could vote for an old man and an air head.Now he won’t even look at me when he comes over.It isn’t just Obama he has no use for any one of African American descent.He is very prejudice.I gave my other palin books to the salvation Army even the one by the preachers son
I definitely need to get a pasta maker. I have finally convinced my cheese-hating husband (it’s a mixed marriage) that lasagne can be made in the traditional Italian manner without cheese.
Otter..just dump the flour in the middle of your mixing surface..make a sm. excavation hole..on/in the top..and drop in the eggs. Hand mix..while listening to some music..or a good news program..because although a ‘machine’..may be handy..it sucks the life out of the genuine joy..of..The Mix!
Yeah, I love mixing stuff by hand (bread machines are of the devil!!) but how do I get it thin and evenly flat without a pasta maker?
Forgive me..rotflmao..honest I am. Here I pat the wad of dough..until it is a ‘fat pancake’..sprinkle flour upon my commodious kitchen table..and..(hold onto something sturdy..breath deeply.. 😉 use your rolling pin and flatten it..taking as much time as ya need. Easy-breesy kitchengirl! Once it is as thin as you desire..(it will be drying a bit..as you work it flat)..start cutting the strips..and hang on whatever you choose. Are there a few shorter and odd strands until you hit the larger portion of dough..yes..but if really force the dough..into a rectangle shape..even that potential..dissappears. Try it..and here..I have about 7 or 8 rolling pins..depending upon what I’m working down. 🙂
In a weak moment I checked out Glenn Beck’s site again. I used to go over there and argue–what a lost cause. Nothing has changed. It’s almost frightening how unaware of reality his followers are–still convinced the President is trying to take down America. Someone suggest a Palin Bauchman ticket–how’s that for a nighmare?
Noodles are good. Make King Crab Casserole, just substitute the tuna with crab meat. Big chunks of crab with those nice looking noodles!
Drool!
Hero Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner from Brooklyn had his Twitter & Facebook accounts hacked. Now, the RWNJs are trying to make a big deal about it. As always, the congressman is keeping his sense of humor (which we’re sure he needed in middle school; after all, he’s skinny — handsomely so — and his name is Weiner):
http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/who-can-resist-a-good-weiner-hack-joke/
When does Stewart get back? They were college roommates. Sure hope this takes down Brietbart and his dirty tricksters.
He’s back on Tuesday, Jimmy Fallon is the guest.
Every time I see another story about Rep. Weiner in the news I am more impressed. Intelligent, passionate, honest, knowledgeable about the issues, great sense of humor (and, in my opinion, quite attractive)…he’s the kind of legislator we need more of in Congress.
I am not surprised at all to hear that he’s using this hacking as another opportunity to show that he can laugh at himself and not take himself too seriously, although he DOES take the responsibilities of his job very seriously. Good for him!
You’re right, leenie, he’s totally attractive (or as the kids would say, hot!) as well as affable, intelligent, informed, passionate, driven, and honest. He has a great sense of humor (it was on display at the meet-up I attended some months back), and I can imagine him as our first Jewish president. He’d be great at it, and we’d have a much more worker-friendly country.
Shall we draft him in ’16?
“Shall we draft him in ’16?”
I’d vote for him in a heartbeat (or should I say a NY minute! 😉 ) but I just can’t see most of the country voting for a Jewish guy from Brooklyn named Weiner!
I reported yesterday that a black bear was found sauntering around the neighborhoods near downtown Traverse City Sunday morning. He was eventually tranquilized, after leading the police and firemen on a merry chase down streets, through alleys and over fences. They caught him in a tree and moved him, snoozing away, to a nearby state forest – where he can celebrate Memorial Day with his furry friends and regale them with stories about all the funny people he saw in town. I’m glad he was safe and treated with respect. Hope everyone has a safe and peaceful Memorial Day.
This is a bit of a tear-jerker:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/2011/05/memorial-day/
With thanks to all who’ve served & continue to serve our country.
Touching photos. A picture is like a thousand words. – lovely website, and author has interesting favorite links. Thank you for posting TX SMR.
The Western Channel is showing John Wayne movies all day. He made one where he is a singing cowboy and strums a guitar,ala Gene Autry. I thought I had seen everything .
Love at first sight. Olive oil and a bit of crushed garlic. Thanx, AKM
Yum! Try adding chopped jalapenos- delicious!
Looks like some resourceful Mudpup had leftover pasta from subsistence harvest and decided to make noodle-jerky,so as not to waste such bounty. That is what pasta should look like. Not green or red or blue or tutti-fruitti color,just plain old noodle color. Yummy.
People laughed at me when I used my Atlas to make linguini and hang it to dry on a broom handle. Until they tasted my food. I still hang it. and I still ignore the people that laugh at my methods 20 years later.
Fresh..and made here..the old way..and on a pasta day..none of my chairbacks..can be seen! 😉
love it!
Sure looks different from my younger days when Mom rolled & rolled with her rolling pin, then laid out drying with trays on top of the refrig, absolutely wonderful noodles. I’m not a pasta eater frankly, but dearly enjoy Chicken & Noodles and Beef & Noodles (I cheat and buy the noodle bags). Only pasta I eat these days.
Opps AKM, sorry I should not mention the non-veg items. But your pasta looks like a Work of Art! Lovely picture.
Speaking of a “Work of Art”, I posted at the Forum a few minutes ago re: The Book:
I’m about halfway through reading. LOVING it! Rcvd 2 days ago but I’m not reading as fast as other folks. After reading Mudflats, IM, Halcro the past couple of years – so MANY stories, so many characters – after reading a few chapters I just need to ‘digest’ each night. I haven’t even read my daily newspapers (shocking, if you knew me!). Oh well, they will be waiting.
In my mind just to re-conciliate stories from the past, where people were questioning if such & such could be possible?, with what Blind Allegiance is now delivering answers. I can surely see AKM’s wordsmithing and humor in the book. I now can understand Frank Bailey’s dilemma, caught between humoring SP’s fragile mentality and Todd’s demands (& I haven’t even gotten to Troopergate), trying to keep the campaign moving forward and everyone happy.
What a story!
Totally cool. Reminds of growing up with my Italian step-father, the best cook ever! Seemed like pasta would be hanging all over the kitchen when he made genovaise (sp?). Lasagna was always a two-day affair. Thanks for the memories!!