In article >,
Craig Welch > wrote:

> Leonard Blaisdell wrote:
>
> > I've always been aware of garlic bulbs since we are a couple hundred
> > miles from the 'garlic capital of the world', <snip>
>
> You live in China?

Close. There's only the Pacific Ocean between us. Gilroy, California
proclaims itself to be the garlic capital of the world. Come to think of
it, I have a narrow view.
Check your local listings and hit the Chinese garlic festivals. Then hit
Gilroy during their garlic festival. Then tell me.

leo

--
<http://web0.greatbasin.net/~leo/>

Mordechai Housman wrote:

> But my point here is to wonder: have any of you ever discovered adults
> who were really unaware of some basic foods? Is this common?
>

Definitely. I don't cook anything fancy, and I don't use a lot of
seasonings or extra stuff. But I work in a grocery store, so I am often
asked where the various items are. And I find that most of my
co-workers do NOT know what these things are.

I understand why many of my closest co-workers do not since they are
Chinese and do not use a lot of American foods, but even after 5 years
or more, they often do not know what is available in our own department
- proscuitto, cheeses like gorgonzola and brie. Pesto sauce, capers,
etc.

I just had somebody yesterday ask for coconut milk. It is with the
asian food, but my chinese co-worker had no idea where it would be.

Last week, we had a 17 year checker ask where capers were. We have them
in two locations. I was on my lunch and had to respond as nobody could
find them.

I can usually find everything that is asked for unless we don't carry
it. The hardest part is finding out exactly what they want. If they ask
a co-worker first, and they don't know what it is, they may
mispronounce it when they come to me. So, it is best to go back to the
customer. And sometimes, the customer doesn't know what it is either.
They have a recipe with a list of ingredients. So, they have no idea
where to begin looking. Sometimes, we don't have the exact item, so I
have to find something that will work as a substitute or recommend a
store that carries it.

wrote:
<snip>

>
> Last week, we had a 17 year checker ask where capers were. We have them
> in two locations. I was on my lunch and had to respond as nobody could
> find them.

Wow. This sort of blows me away because I think I could find almost
anything at the storewhere I normally shop, and I have lived here 3
years.

>
> I can usually find everything that is asked for unless we don't carry
> it. The hardest part is finding out exactly what they want. If they ask
> a co-worker first, and they don't know what it is, they may
> mispronounce it when they come to me. So, it is best to go back to the
> customer. And sometimes, the customer doesn't know what it is either.
> They have a recipe with a list of ingredients. So, they have no idea
> where to begin looking. Sometimes, we don't have the exact item, so I
> have to find something that will work as a substitute or recommend a
> store that carries it.

You sounds like a real asset to your empolyer.
-L.

-L. wrote:
> wrote:
> <snip>
>
> >
> > Last week, we had a 17 year checker ask where capers were. We have them
> > in two locations. I was on my lunch and had to respond as nobody could
> > find them.
>
> Wow. This sort of blows me away because I think I could find almost
> anything at the storewhere I normally shop, and I have lived here 3
> years.
>

It surprises me too. Especially, this one guy. He's been there 3 years,
and he is a courtesy clerk, so one of his daily jobs is to put things
back. So, he goes up and down each aisle, putting things away. I could
understand it when he was new, but even after a recent remodel, he
still comes to me everytime he can't find something.

> >
> > I can usually find everything that is asked for unless we don't carry
> > it. The hardest part is finding out exactly what they want. If they ask
> > a co-worker first, and they don't know what it is, they may
> > mispronounce it when they come to me. So, it is best to go back to the
> > customer. And sometimes, the customer doesn't know what it is either.
> > They have a recipe with a list of ingredients. So, they have no idea
> > where to begin looking. Sometimes, we don't have the exact item, so I
> > have to find something that will work as a substitute or recommend a
> > store that carries it.
>
> You sounds like a real asset to your empolyer.
> -L.

Thanks. Part of it comes from being there so long. Things have moved a
few times because of remodels, but they are still usually grouped in
the same groupings. And some of them are in weird places. Mushrooms are
not with veggies, they are with spaghetti ingredients (tomato paste,
pasta, and cheap parmasan). So, we get asked a lot. Pimentos are hard
to find too. One tiny row of them in a strange spot next to the
pickles. They used to be with the regular canned veggies. I have no
idea who plans these things.

It feels really good to help people find things and make their day. It
is really disappointing though when I find something has been
discontinued. Or we just don't carry it because it doesn't sell well
here.

wrote:

> Mushrooms are
> not with veggies, they are with spaghetti ingredients (tomato paste,
> pasta, and cheap parmasan).

Strange. I take there's only one kind of mushroom stocked?

--
Craig

Craig Welch wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > Mushrooms are
> > not with veggies, they are with spaghetti ingredients (tomato paste,
> > pasta, and cheap parmasan).
>
> Strange. I take there's only one kind of mushroom stocked?
>

Sorry, I should have specified - the canned mushrooms. There are
several kinds of fresh mushrooms in the produce department, but most
people who ask are looking for the canned version.

Ranee Mueller wrote:

>
> Have you read Better Off? It is fascinating, about a couple who went
> to live with a community that was similar to Old Order Amish for a time
> to see what it would be like to live low-tech and the way they applied
> those concepts to their every day lives afterward. Then, there's Burt
> Rutan (sp?) who was a proponent of the least technology to get the job
> done.

I met the guy and he is known for being a minimilist and extremely
creative thinker.

One thing I like is that he believes computers should be an assistant
and not replace your mind. It is too common today for people to accept
whatever answer a computer gives them because they don't reason what the
correct answer might be and use it as a check and balance.

If you want to see what Burt Rutan is up to (with Spaceship 1 being
their latest success) have a look he

http://www.scaled.com/


I have all sorts of gadgets, but unless the job warrants using
> them, I use the hand tool every time. We are thinking of getting a
> scyth for the grass, even.
>
> Regards,
> Ranee
>
> Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.
>
> "She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13
>
> http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
> http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

Mordechai Housman wrote:

> Some years ago I attended a convention, and I happened to have a head of
> garlic with me.
>
> At some point, I met a guy from iirc Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He saw
> me holding the garlic, and he asked me, "Is that garlic?"
>
> I said it was. He asked me if he could see it and hold it. He said he
> had never in his life (he was in his twenties) seen garlic before.
>
> I was astonished. I grew up in a very urban area: Brooklyn, NY. Most of
> the people I know there are not into very creative cooking. They don't
> use anything near the many herbs and so forth used by the people on this
> ng. But who has not seen a head of garlic in his life? I have to weep in
> sympathy.

There is a whole lot of stuff that a lot of us don't know. Fresh ingredients
that are common to one culture are often all but unknown in another. It is
only in the last decade that most fresh herbs have been available in grocery
stores around here. Before that, the only herbs that were commonly found
were garlic, parsley, mint and dill. The rest all came in bottles. I would
be willing to bet that 50% of the people who do the family cooking in North
America could not identify more than a half dozen fresh herbs.

About 25 years ago I had to drive to one of our district garages in northern
Ontario. The supervisor there was originally from our area and because it
was sweet cherry season, he asked me to bring him some fresh cherries.
When I was arrived he took me around to meet people and was offering his
staff cherries. None of them had ever seen them before. Fresh cherries just
weren't available up there.

Mordechai Housman, after taking an infinite amount of time, finally, on
03 Sep 2006, typed out:

> But my point here is to wonder: have any of you ever discovered adults
> who were really unaware of some basic foods? Is this common?


I AM THE KING OF FOOD UNAWARENESS!!!

When I was 2-years-old, I had eye surgery. So the story goes, I had to
wear eye patches afterwards and from that point on refused to eat
everything!

I would only eat plain hamburgers with salt on a bun, bread & butter,
processed chicken roll slices on bread, spaghetti and butter, mashed
potatoes and butter, and pancakes and ice cream and corn and milk and
lettuce and cucumber salad with oil and vinegar and not much else.

Mom took me to the doctor and explained my diet. The doc said "he's
getting all the right proteins, leave him alone." I'm the tallest in the
families.

After college having left home I still had my finicky eating phobias.
Then one day I was invited to some friends apartment in the same building
and they served me a heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Not
wanting to be impolite to them OR embarrass myself I twirled up a forkful
and ate it. Bells & whistles went off in my brain and I remembered loving
the flavor! I ate with much gusto. What a breakthrough.

Shortly thereafter I was invited back for breakfast. They served homemade
bagels and cream cheese. I knew I didn't like cream cheese (or cheese,
period!!!) but again I tried it and again, I remembered liking the
flavor. I couldn't get enough!

Didn't have my first egg OR mustard, ketchup, mayo OR cheese OR tomato OR
onions OR fish OR pizza OR sweet potato OR peas ('cept Mom's split pea
soup!??) OR pork OR garlic OR lamb OR avocado OR peanuts OR yogurt OR
spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, asparagus, string beans OR oh hell... you
name it, until I was on my own.

Making up for lost time ever since.

Andy

Andy wrote:
>
> Didn't have my first egg OR mustard, ketchup, mayo OR cheese OR tomato OR
> onions OR fish OR pizza OR sweet potato OR peas ('cept Mom's split pea
> soup!??) OR pork OR garlic OR lamb OR avocado OR peanuts OR yogurt OR
> spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, asparagus, string beans OR oh hell... you
> name it, until I was on my own.
>
> Making up for lost time ever since.
>
> Andy

That blows me away. I think most kids go through a "phase" like that
but soon they get over it. Sounds like your phase was extended...

-L.

Mordechai Housman wrote:
> "Chatty Cathy" > wrote in message

>> Can't remember who said (think it was LadyJane) that at
>> least her kids know that eggs come from a chicken and not out of a
>> carton from the supermarket.... same sort of thing, IMHO.
>
> Hmm, good point. My kids know that, but probably as something abstract.
> They have never seen chickens lay eggs, or found eggs in a nest after a
> chicken sat there.

We keep a few chickens (we live out of town), and my kidlet collects the
eggs - so obviously she knows where eggs come from. But not too many
people live in an environment/area where this is possible these days, so
I can sort of understand this "food unawareness" business.

Also, with both parents having to work these days (in a lot of
households) the "We don't have time to cook" or "We are too tired to
cook" excuses seem to come up more and more. I know several people like
that myself. They say "its just easier" or "it works out cheaper" to
get MW dinners, take-out etc. etc. I think it's false economy and rather
unhealthy - I certainly couldn't afford to do that and I couldn't eat
take-out every day - yuk... So I am sure that there must be many kids
who will grow up not knowing how to cook or what a lot of "fresh"
ingredients look like. <sigh>
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

-L., after taking an infinite amount of time, finally, on 06 Sep 2006,
typed out:

>
> Andy wrote:
>>
>> Didn't have my first egg OR mustard, ketchup, mayo OR cheese OR
>> tomato OR onions OR fish OR pizza OR sweet potato OR peas ('cept
>> Mom's split pea soup!??) OR pork OR garlic OR lamb OR avocado OR
>> peanuts OR yogurt OR spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, asparagus,
>> string beans OR oh hell... you name it, until I was on my own.
>>
>> Making up for lost time ever since.
>>
>> Andy
>
> That blows me away. I think most kids go through a "phase" like that
> but soon they get over it. Sounds like your phase was extended...
>
> -L.


-L.,

So I get to keep my crown???

Andy

LadyJane wrote:
[much story snipped]

> I firmly believe that there are no fussy eaters (where children are
> concerned) just dead lazy parents who can not be bothered to introduce
> or experiment with food where their children are concerned.
>
> LadyJane
> --
> "Never trust a skinny cook!"

So I guess you're better than that mom, huh?

We're all so funny about the things we love. My own mom thinks Jazz
music is nothing but irritating noise. And she can't abide lamb meat
or goat cheese. I travelled with people recently who spent a good deal
of money to go to a beach house where they sat on their rears for days,
indoors.

Some kids are just fussy, and their parents aren't food motivated so
they cater. Big deal. As long as you don't have to live with the kid.

Greg Zywicki

Chatty Cathy, after taking an infinite amount of time, finally, on 06 Sep
2006, typed out:

> Also, with both parents having to work these days (in a lot of
> households) the "We don't have time to cook" or "We are too tired to
> cook" excuses seem to come up more and more. I know several people like
> that myself. They say "its just easier" or "it works out cheaper" to
> get MW dinners, take-out etc. etc. I think it's false economy and
rather
> unhealthy - I certainly couldn't afford to do that and I couldn't eat
> take-out every day - yuk... So I am sure that there must be many kids
> who will grow up not knowing how to cook or what a lot of "fresh"
> ingredients look like. <sigh>


Chatty Cathy,

Funny you should mention that!

My good friend's wife works at a large supermarket but insist on buying
take-out fast food crap for them and their two kids. She spends $30
easily and always buys too much. It's awful. There's no such thing as
fast food leftovers, in my book. What a waste of money AND health!!!

Andy

Mordechai Housman wrote:
> "George" > wrote in message
> ...

>>
>> I was just talking to her the other day and she mentioned that many
>> people refuse anything she gives them (elderberry jam, dishes with
>> really tasty mushrooms etc) because it isn't something commonly found
>> at the superwally or served to them covered in an industrial
>> sugar/salt sauce at applebees.
>
> The fear of exploring the unknown is perhaps the most deadening and
> self-destructive of all characteristic traits. I think it is possibly a
> disorder, but it is so prevalent these days that few people one would
> classify it as such.


Not always, to both posts.

Years ago I read a series of cute novels about a teacher in a small
English town and all the town's characters. (Author, Miss Reed)

There was an elderly lady in the stories who used to go out among the
hedgerows and fields and pick a variety of herbs and fruit to make into
preserves and jams. She gave those away as gifts to friends who them
accepted them graciously and threw them out because "we all knew that
Dotty was not terribly careful about what she picked or mixed, and we'd
all suffered, after eating her products, from at least one attack of
what we came to call "the gastrics" or "Dotty's colly-wobbles". "

Trusting everyone to know what is edible and what's not can be
dangerous. Our close friend's wife is a mycologist (mushrooms) and he
has been mushroom hunting with her many, many times. He still will not
advise any of us without consulting her when we bring him a specimen.

gloria p

On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:36:20 -0700, Ranee Mueller
> wrote:

> Have you read Better Off? It is fascinating, about a couple who went
>to live with a community that was similar to Old Order Amish for a time
>to see what it would be like to live low-tech and the way they applied
>those concepts to their every day lives afterward.

That sounds like a book I would enjoy. Is it fiction or nonfiction?
I admit to loving my modern conveniences, but I am fascinated by the
lives our forefathers led. I've always been obsessed with Little
House on the Prairie, the Foxfire series, etc.

> We are thinking of getting a scyth for the grass, even.

That's way too much work! Although, I have threatened to get a goat
for our yard. Then we could have goat's milk and cheese and yogurt,
too!

Tara

In article <daMKg.1031$ay1.419@trndny08>,
"Mordechai Housman" > wrote:

snipped
>
> But my point here is to wonder: have any of you ever discovered adults
> who were really unaware of some basic foods? Is this common?
>
> Mordechai

I saw this a lot when I taught nutrition, particularly the introductory
classes. Many have no clue about common foods, where they come from, or
what to do with them. And I've encountered a lot of grownups who have
no interest in cooking. When I went in for my post-op visit today, I
offered some home-grown basil to the receptionist. Her response: "I
don't cook."

I sure hope that second supermarket you mentioned wasn't Wegmans.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

Cindy Fuller wrote:
When I went in for my post-op visit today, I
> offered some home-grown basil to the receptionist. Her response: "I
> don't cook."

Mind boggling to me. My initial response wants to be "Then what do you
eat??"
I can't imagine?

In article >,
George > wrote:

> Mordechai Housman wrote:
>
> > But my point here is to wonder: have any of you ever discovered adults
> > who were really unaware of some basic foods? Is this common?
> >
> > Mordechai
>
> Yes, there are a good percentage of people who grew up on "easy meals"
> and take out food who have no idea what unassembled foods look like.
> These are also the people who rave about the heavily salt and sugar
> laden industrial "food" at places like applebees and pizza hut.
>
> We were cycling last month and there was a large blackberry patch loaded
> with berries so we stopped to enjoy them. A few people actually
> commented "whats wrong with you...you can't eat stuff out in the woods..."

In Seattle himalayan blackberries are considered a noxious weed. They
grow everywhere, and they're about the most prolific berry-bearers I've
ever seen. All I have to do is walk about 100 yards from our yard and I
can pick a pie's worth of berries in 1/2 hour. It surprises me no end
that people will pay $3 for a half pint of blackberries when they could
pick that amount in no time in most parts of the city.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

"-L." > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Andy wrote:
>>
>> Didn't have my first egg OR mustard, ketchup, mayo OR cheese OR tomato OR
>> onions OR fish OR pizza OR sweet potato OR peas ('cept Mom's split pea
>> soup!??) OR pork OR garlic OR lamb OR avocado OR peanuts OR yogurt OR
>> spinach, brocolli, cauliflower, asparagus, string beans OR oh hell... you
>> name it, until I was on my own.
>>
>> Making up for lost time ever since.
>>
>> Andy
>
> That blows me away. I think most kids go through a "phase" like that
> but soon they get over it. Sounds like your phase was extended...
>
> -L.
>


Andy's story reminds me of when I was a picky kid. I used to have to have
everything plain. Plain (iceburg) lettuce for salad, plain sandwiches, no
spreads or anything. One day my father made one of his "Dagwood" sandwiches
and I had a bite. It had everything on it and I remember thinking, "ohmyGod
this is good". Since that day I have been a foodie and have tried almost
everything that I could get my hands on. It's amazing how your world can
turn on a dime.

helen

chefhelen, after taking an infinite amount of time, finally, on 07 Sep
2006, typed out:

> Andy's story reminds me of when I was a picky kid. I used to have to
> have everything plain. Plain (iceburg) lettuce for salad, plain
> sandwiches, no spreads or anything. One day my father made one of his
> "Dagwood" sandwiches and I had a bite. It had everything on it and I
> remember thinking, "ohmyGod this is good". Since that day I have been
> a foodie and have tried almost everything that I could get my hands
> on. It's amazing how your world can turn on a dime.
>
> helen


helen,

Agreed!!!

All the best,

Andy

Puester wrote:
> Mordechai Housman wrote:
>
>> "George" > wrote in message
>> ...
>
>
>>>
>>> I was just talking to her the other day and she mentioned that many
>>> people refuse anything she gives them (elderberry jam, dishes with
>>> really tasty mushrooms etc) because it isn't something commonly found
>>> at the superwally or served to them covered in an industrial
>>> sugar/salt sauce at applebees.
>>
>>
>> The fear of exploring the unknown is perhaps the most deadening and
>> self-destructive of all characteristic traits. I think it is possibly
>> a disorder, but it is so prevalent these days that few people one
>> would classify it as such.
>
>
>
> Not always, to both posts.
>
> Years ago I read a series of cute novels about a teacher in a small
> English town and all the town's characters. (Author, Miss Reed)
>
> There was an elderly lady in the stories who used to go out among the
> hedgerows and fields and pick a variety of herbs and fruit to make into
> preserves and jams. She gave those away as gifts to friends who them
> accepted them graciously and threw them out because "we all knew that
> Dotty was not terribly careful about what she picked or mixed, and we'd
> all suffered, after eating her products, from at least one attack of
> what we came to call "the gastrics" or "Dotty's colly-wobbles". "
>
> Trusting everyone to know what is edible and what's not can be
> dangerous. Our close friend's wife is a mycologist (mushrooms) and he
> has been mushroom hunting with her many, many times. He still will not
> advise any of us without consulting her when we bring him a specimen.
>
> gloria p

But that was exactly my point. The person I mentioned is a well educated
professional with an excellent understanding of issues related to food
safety. The people who toss the food are pretty likely the same ones who
think the sugar/salt sauce on the #7 at applebees is fantastic...

In article >,
Tara > wrote:

> On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:36:20 -0700, Ranee Mueller
> > wrote:
>
> > Have you read Better Off? It is fascinating, about a couple who went
> >to live with a community that was similar to Old Order Amish for a time
> >to see what it would be like to live low-tech and the way they applied
> >those concepts to their every day lives afterward.
>
> That sounds like a book I would enjoy. Is it fiction or nonfiction?
> I admit to loving my modern conveniences, but I am fascinated by the
> lives our forefathers led. I've always been obsessed with Little
> House on the Prairie, the Foxfire series, etc.

Non-fiction. They don't live out the rest of their lives as Amish,
but they apply the ideas of tools being for us to use instead of us
being ruled by them quite well.

> > We are thinking of getting a scyth for the grass, even.
>
> That's way too much work! Although, I have threatened to get a goat
> for our yard. Then we could have goat's milk and cheese and yogurt,
> too!

We want sheep: lamb, milk, cheese, wool. Actually, the scythe
isn't that bad in terms of work. You let the grass grow longer, and you
get some excercise while doing it. The people I know who have gone over
to it love it, and some even do their fields with one. They train their
children (ages eight and up) to use them, and said that it wasn't too
much for a child to do it.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
George > wrote:

> One thing I like is that he believes computers should be an assistant
> and not replace your mind. It is too common today for people to accept
> whatever answer a computer gives them because they don't reason what the
> correct answer might be and use it as a check and balance.

That's exactly it. I have this experience when shopping rather
frequently. The cash register tells them what they can and can't do.
The fastest time I've ever had at the DMV was when all the state
computers were down, but the staff were frantic. It took them about 20
minutes to figure out that they could type up the information and mail
it. The fellow we asked about taking our number said we couldn't
because of the computers. We looked at him incredulously, since, after
all, the numbers were on the little bits of paper and were still in
_order_.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article <92rLg.4233$RW2.2870@trndny04>,
"Mordechai Housman" > wrote:

> I wish we could live like that. It's harder here. We don't have enough
> land to raise livestock.

Not even poultry? They don't take much, and are so much fun.

> It boggles my mind when I meet people who, as you say, can't taste the
> difference. Tonight I tried to get my almost-10-year-old son to try some
> sweet-and-sour chicken sauce on his fried chicken. He tried a bit, and
> said he didn't like it because it was too much like "compote," which he
> says he doesn't like.

That's funny. My MIL was amazed at our children's palates, and she
did not raise her kids on junk. It was just plainer fare than what our
kids are exposed to regularly. At age four Alexander would specify what
kind of carrot cake and cream cheese frosting he wanted for his birthday
cake, he wanted pumpkin soup for the dinner. Dominic ate smoked trout
at age one or two and amazed people with how well he ate his dinners.
All our kids have been the same. They can be picky about some things,
like all of us, but it is far less than what you see normally and what
you expect from children so young.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
Chatty Cathy > wrote:

> We keep a few chickens (we live out of town), and my kidlet collects the
> eggs - so obviously she knows where eggs come from. But not too many
> people live in an environment/area where this is possible these days, so
> I can sort of understand this "food unawareness" business.

The zoning sometimes prohibits it, but really, one can usually find
room for a coop and a run. With only 20 hens right now, we get between
12-16 eggs a day. Once we had a 20 egg day. Even in our family where
we do all our own baking and it takes 18 eggs to make scrambled eggs for
breakfast, we still have enough to give away to folks at church and our
neighbors. We've also eaten two of the chickens, and will be making
chicken pot pie out of our three extra bantam roosters this next week.

> Also, with both parents having to work these days (in a lot of
> households) the "We don't have time to cook" or "We are too tired to
> cook" excuses seem to come up more and more. I know several people like
> that myself. They say "its just easier" or "it works out cheaper" to
> get MW dinners, take-out etc. etc. I think it's false economy and rather
> unhealthy - I certainly couldn't afford to do that and I couldn't eat
> take-out every day - yuk... So I am sure that there must be many kids
> who will grow up not knowing how to cook or what a lot of "fresh"
> ingredients look like. <sigh>

Our pediatrician said something interesting to us this past week. We
had been seeing mostly other doctors at the practice lately, so he was
catching up with us. He asked if I was still at home, then said of
course, I must be, because who could afford to have five children and
have both parents work outside the home. It's really true. I think
most people lose more money with both parents working, it's just easier
to miss it when you only have one child or maybe two.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article <QUqLg.923$FP3.259@trndny02>,
"Mordechai Housman" > wrote:

> Sounds like an interesting book. I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to go
> low-tech. I like my computer, my car, my electric lights, and many of
> the other modern conveniences, but I can see some things that are indeed
> better when done by hand.

They didn't give it all up forever, the book shows how they
synthesized the experience with modern daily life. Quite interesting

> Just how can a scythe be better than a gas-powered mower?

No gas fumes, more exercise, low cost, can be used when there is a
gas shortage or price increase, does not require reliance on foreign
oil, a small child can use it, allows for better composting, etc.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
Leonard Blaisdell > wrote:

> In article <QUqLg.923$FP3.259@trndny02>,
> "Mordechai Housman" > wrote:
>
> > Just how can a scythe be better than a gas-powered mower?
>
> I'd prefer a mini-cow if they'd make one. I suppose it'd get lonely. Two
> micro cows! Now, that's the ticket. Rabbits?
> Alas, all are currently forbidden by local law in my semi-urban setting.

There are mini-cows, which require only about half an acre of
pasture. However, there is only one breed which is truly naturally that
small, the others are miniaturized and can have some genetic problems.
We would love to get two cows and a bull.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
"kilikini" > wrote:

> Ha! That sounds just like my neighbor and her kids. My neighbor hates to
> cook, but loves to eat. She's lazy and she's picky (along with being
> morbidly obese). Breakfast is pre-cooked bacon with a frozen breakfast
> sandwich. She buys chips, brownies and sugared cereals for the kids to eat
> when they come home from school. Dinner is usually pizza rolls or frozen
> bean and cheese burritos. The only herbs and spices they have in their
> cabinet is salt and pepper. They only eat canned veggies.
>
> My neighbor's daughters are also morbidly obese and she nags to them about
> their weight problem. I bite my tongue and just think to myself, maybe it's
> the food you're buying? It's too late for the kids; they're 14 and 16; the
> trend has been set. They have no idea what "real" food tastes like. Their
> idea of ethnic food is going to the Golden Corral Buffet and eating meatloaf
> with a taquito, followed by New York cheesecake. It's really sad.

I'm sure I shared the story of my friend's neighbor who insisted that
her kids didn't like all these foods. They were over at her house
without mom for a Seder, and ate everything with relish. When mom
arrived, she screeched that they didn't like that, and they ceased
eating it. This woman gave them chocolate milk in bottles each night as
they went to bed, they were eight and 10, they were obese, and I'm sure
their teeth were in rotten condition.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

"Ranee Mueller" > wrote

> I'm sure I shared the story of my friend's neighbor who insisted that
> her kids didn't like all these foods. They were over at her house
> without mom for a Seder, and ate everything with relish. When mom
> arrived, she screeched that they didn't like that, and they ceased
> eating it. This woman gave them chocolate milk in bottles each night as
> they went to bed, they were eight and 10, they were obese, and I'm sure
> their teeth were in rotten condition.

That's a crying shame. Those kids will be fighting that weight all
their lives.

I think in my town, they hide obese children. Honestly, even the kids
hanging out by the McDonald's are thin.

nancy

On Thu, 7 Sep 2006 00:20:04 -0500, "chefhelen" >
wrote:

>Andy's story reminds me of when I was a picky kid. I used to have to have
>everything plain. Plain (iceburg) lettuce for salad, plain sandwiches, no
>spreads or anything. One day my father made one of his "Dagwood" sandwiches
>and I had a bite. It had everything on it and I remember thinking, "ohmyGod
>this is good". Since that day I have been a foodie and have tried almost
>everything that I could get my hands on. It's amazing how your world can
>turn on a dime.

Yup. I never liked seafood as a child. My freshman year of college,
my roommate's mother took us out to Red Lobster (shut up!). A
waiter walked by with a sizzling plate of shrimp scampi. Suddenly,
that shrimp looked and smelled so inticing. I got the shrimp scampi
that night and now I live for seafood.

Tara

>
>>Andy's story reminds me of when I was a picky kid. I used to have to have
>>everything plain. Plain (iceburg) lettuce for salad, plain sandwiches, no
>>spreads or anything. One day my father made one of his "Dagwood"
>>sandwiches
>>and I had a bite. It had everything on it and I remember thinking,
>>"ohmyGod
>>this is good". Since that day I have been a foodie and have tried almost
>>everything that I could get my hands on. It's amazing how your world can
>>turn on a dime.
>
> Yup. I never liked seafood as a child. My freshman year of college,
> my roommate's mother took us out to Red Lobster (shut up!). A
> waiter walked by with a sizzling plate of shrimp scampi. Suddenly,
> that shrimp looked and smelled so inticing. I got the shrimp scampi
> that night and now I live for seafood.
>
> Tara


That reminds me of picky kid episode #2 when my parents knew that I would
either be a very good cook or a serial killer. My father had brought live
lobsters over to my sister's house to eat that evening. I asked him what he
was going to do w/them and he told me that he was going to boil them. I
was (as an 8 year old or so) horrified. I told him that I couldn't eat
that and he uttered those famous words, "good, more for me". I knew that
when he said this he was serious so I did try it. I tried it and knew why I
was put at the top of the food chain and lobsters were somewhere around the
bottom. To this day I have NO problem steaming them alive and lobster,
along with sushi, is my favorite food.

helen
lobster killer extraordinaire

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Ranee Mueller" > wrote
>
>> I'm sure I shared the story of my friend's neighbor who insisted that
>> her kids didn't like all these foods. They were over at her house
>> without mom for a Seder, and ate everything with relish. When mom
>> arrived, she screeched that they didn't like that, and they ceased
>> eating it. This woman gave them chocolate milk in bottles each night as
>> they went to bed, they were eight and 10, they were obese, and I'm sure
>> their teeth were in rotten condition.
>
> That's a crying shame. Those kids will be fighting that weight all
> their lives.
>
> I think in my town, they hide obese children. Honestly, even the kids
> hanging out by the McDonald's are thin.
>
> nancy
>


Good Lord woman, where do you live? Would you like me to export some fat
kids/adults. I am one and we have PLENTY around here!


helen

"Cindy Fuller" > wrote in message
...
> In article <daMKg.1031$ay1.419@trndny08>,
> "Mordechai Housman" > wrote:
>
> snipped
>>
>> But my point here is to wonder: have any of you ever discovered
>> adults
>> who were really unaware of some basic foods? Is this common?
>>
>> Mordechai
>
> I saw this a lot when I taught nutrition, particularly the
> introductory
> classes. Many have no clue about common foods, where they come from,
> or
> what to do with them. And I've encountered a lot of grownups who have
> no interest in cooking. When I went in for my post-op visit today, I
> offered some home-grown basil to the receptionist. Her response: "I
> don't cook."
>
> I sure hope that second supermarket you mentioned wasn't Wegmans.

No, it wasn't part of a chain. I don't generally shop at chain stores,
but not by design. It just doesn't come out all that much for me. And
for food, I shop kosher, and I don't think there are any kosher chain
food stores.

"Ranee Mueller" > wrote in message
...
>
>> One thing I like is that he believes computers should be an assistant
>> and not replace your mind. It is too common today for people to
>> accept
>> whatever answer a computer gives them because they don't reason what
>> the
>> correct answer might be and use it as a check and balance.

There has certainly been a marked change in the way people do things vis
a vis technology. When I was a kid in the sixties, people added numbers
by hand, and then checked them by hand. Then these medium-sized home
adding machines came out. People would often add the numbers using the
machine, and then check for accuracy them by hand.

Then time passed, and people began trusting the machines, and many
people would add the numbers by hand, and then check them for accuracy
by machine.

And then pocket calculators came out, and got smaller and smaller.

People began to add numbers by machine, and double check them for
accuracy by machine again!

"Ranee Mueller" > wrote in message
...
> In article <92rLg.4233$RW2.2870@trndny04>,
> "Mordechai Housman" > wrote:
>
>> I wish we could live like that. It's harder here. We don't have
>> enough
>> land to raise livestock.
>
> Not even poultry? They don't take much, and are so much fun.

Actually, as I wrote my words above, it occurred to me that we could
theoretically raise poultry in a shed of some sort. I don't know
anything about doing it, but I suppose we could learn.

I will consider it, and maybe even discuss it with my family.

Mordechai

Mordechai Housman wrote:

>
> Actually, as I wrote my words above, it occurred to me that we could
> theoretically raise poultry in a shed of some sort. I don't know
> anything about doing it, but I suppose we could learn.
>
> I will consider it, and maybe even discuss it with my family.
>
> Mordechai



Wouldn't you have to insure that the chicken was Kosher when you ate it?
Could you do that at home? When I was young we had a Kosher butcher
shop in my city that was only open a few days a week and sold only
freshly killed chickens.

Laying hens don't go on forever; you have to do something with them when
they get older. I assume roasting or soup.

gloria p

Chatty Cathy wrote:
>
> Also, with both parents having to work these days (in a lot of
> households) the "We don't have time to cook" or "We are too tired to
> cook" excuses seem to come up more and more. I know several people like
> that myself. They say "its just easier" or "it works out cheaper" to
> get MW dinners, take-out etc. etc. I think it's false economy and rather
> unhealthy - I certainly couldn't afford to do that and I couldn't eat
> take-out every day - yuk... So I am sure that there must be many kids
> who will grow up not knowing how to cook or what a lot of "fresh"
> ingredients look like. <sigh>

I totally do not get that mentality. There are *so many* easy things
to prepare that don't take a lot of time. Yet people will sit in the
drive-through line at McDonald's for 20 minutes to get their burgers
and fries, and then take another 5-15 minutes to get home. In 20-30
minutes I can make a multitude of healthy meals, especially if I plan
well or cook ahead on the weekends. Then people wonder why they and
their children are FAT!

-L.

-L. wrote:

> I totally do not get that mentality. There are *so many* easy things
> to prepare that don't take a lot of time. Yet people will sit in the
> drive-through line at McDonald's for 20 minutes to get their burgers
> and fries, and then take another 5-15 minutes to get home. In 20-30
> minutes I can make a multitude of healthy meals, especially if I plan
> well or cook ahead on the weekends. Then people wonder why they and
> their children are FAT!

Well then, glad to hear you're not "FAT". How much do you
weigh, exactly?

--
Reg

Ranee Mueller wrote:

> The zoning sometimes prohibits it, but really, one can usually find
> room for a coop and a run.

Quite so, but I was thinking more about the people who live in
apartments etc. where keeping them is not really an option.

> With only 20 hens right now, we get between
> 12-16 eggs a day. Once we had a 20 egg day. Even in our family where
> we do all our own baking and it takes 18 eggs to make scrambled eggs for
> breakfast, we still have enough to give away to folks at church and our
> neighbors. We've also eaten two of the chickens, and will be making
> chicken pot pie out of our three extra bantam roosters this next week.

Heh. We only have 5 hens and one rooster (LOL) and only two of the hens
are old enough to lay... We get about 8 to 10 eggs a week at the moment
from the two of them, so I still have to buy extra eggs when necessary.
(There are only 3 of us in this house, BTW). The fresh eggs are just so
much better (and bigger!) than the "store-bought" eggs... so I am hoping
the other 3 will lay soon

>
> Our pediatrician said something interesting to us this past week. We
> had been seeing mostly other doctors at the practice lately, so he was
> catching up with us. He asked if I was still at home, then said of
> course, I must be, because who could afford to have five children and
> have both parents work outside the home. It's really true. I think
> most people lose more money with both parents working, it's just easier
> to miss it when you only have one child or maybe two.

He makes a good point. Child care fees alone for 5 kids would probably
defeat the object of your going back to work - most of the money you
earn would just get gobbled up by the fees (at least over here it would
- they charge a fortune).

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy