free fuel

According to our favorite source of never faulty information, Wikipedia, a hotdog is defined as such: a smooth-textured sausage of minced beef or pork usually smoked; often served on a bread roll.

That makes it sound even better than it actually even is! I thought it was impossible.

Anyway, getting to the point, hot dogs are pretty easy to cook. You can cook them in the microwave (my favorite!), the oven, on the stove, and even on the grill. However, cooking hot dogs has become even better! With this innovative technique you can say goodbye to that pesky electric bill or the ridiculous cost of propane or coal. Say hello to: solar cooker.

I was first introduced to this strikingly technological device at Dr. W. J. Creel Elementary school. I wouldn’t say that it was quite as advanced as the one that I am planning to reveal to you tonight, but never the less it was impressive at the time.

The need for another source of energy has been mounting exponentially in the past decade with the oil crisis at large. However, the severity of the situation has been acknowledged by countless individuals starting even farther back than the past 10 years. In 1973 Nobel Prize winner George Porter asserted that, “I have no doubt that we will be successful in harnessing the sun's energy…If sunbeams were weapons of war, we would have had solar energy centuries ago.” It appears that we HAVE harnessed it now, regardless of how archaic this technology may seem to some. In essence, it’s really just a do-it-yourself box.

While solar cooking can be time consuming, it has a few decided benefits. It’s very difficult to burn food when using a solar cooker, and food cooked in this way tends to retain its moisture as well. On top of that it’s exceptionally safe and it doesn’t heat up the kitchen. Well...I mean it isn’t exactly used in the kitchen so that would explain that advantage.

While explaining the process can be very lengthy, the general idea is quite simple. There are a few sites that explain the creation in detail, and would be more informative than if I tried. Therefore, let me give you a couple of links.

http://www.i4at.org/surv/solarbox.htm I like this one because it makes the process pretty clear, as well as providing cheap alternatives and ways to make your solar cooker more efficient.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2083_make-solar-oven.html This one uses black construction paper instead of the black paint, which may be easier for some.

According to Solar Cookers International, using solar energy can be even more useful than what you may think.
Some groups gaining from solar cooking include:
-households
-health professionals
-businesses
-governments

Just take a look at this:

Many poverty-stricken families worldwide spend 25% or more of their income on cooking fuel. Sunlight — solar cooker "fuel" — is free and abundant. Money saved can be used for food, education, health care, etc.

Taking this information into consideration and helping to spread solar technology can be salubrious to families all over, whether they be in the United States or outside of it. The simple solar oven cooker requires only a very small investment of time and money as well as requiring little effort to produce fully cooked and safe food.

Hopefully there will be an effort to spread the knowledge to disadvantaged households. Also, I hope that you try this out in your spare time! It's pretty fun or at least I thought so when I was 8! :)

Would you work for food?

I figured that once a week I would watch a different food based TV show for anyone who may be interested. The episode of Will Work for Food that I watched last night was about pizza tossing and apple cider making with host Adam Gertler. The pizza tossing is in Castro Valley California where world pizza tossing champion Tony Gemignani teaches the host how to properly make the dough and toss the pizza. Ingredients used to make the dough include olive oil, flour, water, salt, sugar, and yeast. To prepare, you slowly mix the dough for 15 minutes. After mixing you should have a large amount of dough to work with. You want to make pieces of the dough into balls for tossing, so to check to see if the dough is good to toss gently press the dough and it should rise back to its ball position. Then you roll out the dough. To toss the pizza you would put the dough in the palm you one hand and twist your hand when you toss it into the air. Then of course to catch the dough properly you make two fists and let it land on your fists. You must toss the dough about 150 times before it is ready for the sauce and toppings.

Then the host goes with the owners to a cider mill in Michigan to the stock of apples that are picked from the orchard. The apples are hand inspected and those with defects are thrown out. After sorting the apples they head to the mill and oil the equipment. A sheet of cheesecloth is laid down so that the cider can drip through the boards. Apples are put into the grinder where they are mashed and then again inspected and more thoroughly pressed and evened. This process continues until they have added eight layers onto the press. (Each layer makes 20 gallons!) Cider begins to drip out from the weight alone, though the next step is to start the pump. The hydraulic press squeezes the cider out of the mash and ensures that the cider is pumped to the refrigerated storage tanks. The finished cider goes to customers whereas the unused mash goes to local farmers for feed for their stock.
This is pretty much the sum of the episode, it was pretty interesting though I find shows like Unwrapped, which are similar, to be more fascinating.

fatal or favorable?

Food poisoning..have you had it? Chances are high, considering that 1 out of every four people has. Symptoms include fever, rapid heartbeat, abdominal cramping, nausea, and diarrhea. But don't be so quick to judge! Food poisoning can be great if you have one or more of these several issues I've conjured up...
-If you're stricken with bradycardia...a could be life-threatening disorder, which doesn't allow the heart to pump enough blood. (Rapid heartbeat can fix this!)
-If you're suffering from hypokalemia....a condition where potassium in the blood is low, sometimes causing constipation. (Diarrhea can fix this!)
-Or if your body temperature seems to have dropped so low that you have entered a state of hypothermia. (Fever can fix this!)

The American proverb "The sweetest nuts have the hardest shells" illustrates the exact feelings I have about food poisoning. That is, while one may have unfavorable opinions towards the embarrassing and excruciating side effects associated with food poisoning (Or the frustrating nature of the shell's surface), it's important to realize that it can be a very positive thing in the end (You get to enjoy the sweetness once you've cracked the shell). So don't be so down if you've contracted a sometimes fatal illness, live it up, instead.

The children's crusade

When I hear the word 'obesity,' I often think of that kind that is self-inflicted. And to me, self-inflicted obesity requires a lot of work. I was watching Kevin Brennan on Comedy Central the other day and he was making a joke that made me think. "How do you get so fat you can't get out of your house?" he said, "Don't you gradually get fatter? It's not something that happens overnight like Willie Wonka and that blueberry girl."

However not all obese people have the ability to realize that the food they're ingesting may cause some severe weight gain, leading to a life of living hell. There are multiple groups of people that could fall into this category of innocents, though the one that I find most alarming is the children. "Think of the children." Even Hitler did it in Mein Kampf when he wrote "the state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people." So why don't we?

Well I assume there are a couple reasons for this obvious disregard of the very 'precious treasures' that we supposedly feel an instinctual need to protect. The one which I am currently concerned with is profit- more specifically that of the growing fast food industry.

Children, especially those who are too young to prepare their own food, have little or no say in the food that they eat. While they may refuse certain items on grounds of dislike they still have little representation when mom is at the grocery store. In the past few decades as parents become busier and busier it's much more difficult to prepare a hearty meal that is not only nutritious but that your kid will actually eat. Therefore, fast food has become the ever popular breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner...and even 'fourth meal.'

Recently some alarming studies have shown that these fast food joints have just been springing up relatively close to elementary, junior, and high schools. Of course this is a great marketing technique on part of the owner, however relatively new evidence shows that these seemingly harmless- and at times even convenient greasy eateries, have been linked to obesity in school age children. With the type of menu a child is already limited to, this expansion can only be detrimental.

Brennan Davis, Ph.D., of Azusa Pacific University reported in The American Journal of Public Health that "Students at schools near fast-food restaurants had higher rates of obesity after controlling for a lot of different variables than students whose schools were not near fast food restaurants."

A bulletin on aging and health conducted by The National Bureau of Economic Research also demonstrates similar results, stating that "Among 9th grade children, a fast food restaurant within a tenth of a mile of a school is associated with at least a 5.2 percent increase in obesity rates."

A high school student whose school is within walking distance of a takeout restaurant is obviously influenced to act on their temptations. Honestly the food that cafeterias offer isn't awful, but it sure as hell isn't good. If there's an opportunity to dine away from the left-over mystery spaghetti-like pasta, chances are the kid is going to do it. Similarly, younger children often get their way when tired parents don't want to deal with a crying brat complaining that they couldn't get their happy meals. It's awfully tempting when it's right on the drive home- allowing parents to save time as well as please their children.

I personally think that although it would be somewhat unfair to simply ban fast food restaurants within a close vicinity of schools the noticeable effects should be considered when allowing new ones to open. As you can see the impact is already great, and as you can probably see even better- the toll it has taken on our children. It's important to address this issue as it will only grow ever more prominent.

calorie counter

Recently a law in Multnomah County, Portland, was passed requiring all chain restaurants to provide the caloric content of the menu items on the menu itself. Apparently 2/3 of the population in this area is either overweight or obese...

I seriously doubt that supplying the patrons with the amount of calories they're going to consume will deter these hungry Oregonians. Obviously if you're worried about gaining a few extra pounds you shouldn't order the fully loaded jalapeno double beef nacho fries anyway.

County Commissioner Jeff Cogen declared his stance on the issue: “This is not an attempt to mandate what people eat. It’s an effort to make people aware of what they are eating and allow them to make the most informed choices in regards to their health.”

Why isn't there any accountability on the part of the consumer though? Screw putting the calories on the menu, you might as well just put a sign on the door that says "WARNING- eating may cause obesity."

Honestly I still believe you can look at a meal and decide for yourself how likely it will be to clog your arteries. If you're a weight watcher perhaps preparing your own meals would be best anyway- then you know exactly what you put in it, where it came from, and how long you BBQ'ed that grease off.

Another good point, addressed by Alan Shaffer, a Wingstop owner in Portland, concerns the relatively few restaurants that this new legislation will even affect.

“This will only affect 10 percent of restaurants in the county,” he said. “It will not make for a level playing field. This is not fair.”

His point is warranted- if the bill is supposed to open a new door of information to consumers, a law that only alters the menus of so few restaurants will not make much of a difference. The new plan is also incredibly costly and difficult to implement, requiring research into the precise content of the food as well as a change in every eatery's menu.

Something to consider as well is who will even read the facts? Every time I go to McDonalds and order some ridiculously disgusting meal I never feel the need to check the caloric content. They provide it...but who cares? If you're at McDonalds there's a good chance you're not looking for something packed with vitamins and minerals anyway. The same logic I think can be applied to restaurant goers.

Adam in Atlanta

Habanero: one of the most intensely spicy species of chili peppers of the Capsicum genus. It is said to be forty times hotter than a jalapeno. Imagine five habanero fritters, dipped in habanero sauce. To win, you must consume these in five minutes.

I would not take on this challenge. However, brave Adam Richman would, considering he gets paid for it. I find the challenges on Man vs Food to be absolutely ridiculous and sometimes even fatal looking. This one in particular seems especially absurd. For any of you who strive for recognition and have s stomach of steel, this could be a viable option.

Man vs Food is a show on the travel channel starring Adam Richman and debuting his travels to different locations sampling different extreme food challenges as well as cultural flavors. It's actually very interesting and I would recommend it to everyone. Whether you have an interest in food or geography or maybe even if your interest is to be entertained by sickening American indulgences, this show will appeal to you. To give you an idea of what it's like, I watched an episode tonight and I'll share it with you.

Adam travels to Atlanta where the first restaurant he visits is Gladys and Ron's where he meets with the talented soul food chef Gladys Knight, one of the co-founders. As good as a chef as she is she is just as good a singer. One of the dishes, the one that this specific restaurant is known for, is known as the "midnight train." This consists of overnight marinated chicken wings and an enormous waffle. This combination, while sounding bizarre, is actually quite common and was introduced in Harlem, New York in the 1940's.

The next place that the viewer is brought to is The Vortex Bar and Grill (a place that the host frequented while attending college), where the decor is as strange as the 20 different burgers that it serves. When walking through the giant skull that hangs over the door, the hungry customer finds a grunge-like setting. Some of the burgers here are extremely strange, including the hosts favorite, the Blue Burger. It's made of a half pound patty cooked over an open flame with a chunk of blue cheese the size of an ice cream scoop melted over it. Another burger that they offer is called the Elvis burger- which is topped with peanut butter and fried bananas. By far, the strangest thing about this establishment is what it is famous for: the "Double Bypass Burger." This title is almost an understatement. It isn't the four eggs, ten strips of bacon, four slices of cheese, and the two inch-thick 18 oz burger patties that makes the title fitting. What makes this burger so artery-clogging is that instead of buns they use two grilled cheese sandwiches.

I'm personally shocked that this is considered food and not it's own being. Two grilled cheese sandwiches alone are enough much less a massive burger in the middle of them. I guess it's good that he will have lots of money from these escapades considering the surgery he will need later will be costly.

Finally, the challenge that ties the show together is at the Big Pie in the Sky Pizzeria. The host and his partner, Drew, attempt to eat (and keep digested) an 11 pound, 30 inch pizza topped with almost every meat known to mankind within an hour for the reward of $250 in cash. One slice of the pizza is the length of a baby! The owner, Dirk Tendick, lets the viewer know that of the hundred of people who have tried this challenge no one has been able to finish it. While Adam devours the pizza and is able to almost finish his half, his partner does not share the same appetite. He actually ends up puking it up and they lose.

Well I hope that sounded as great to you as it was to me!

Grylls thrills

It would be a lie for me to say that I'm a picky eater. I usually never pass up something free or really bad for me, but someone who truly deserves the fame of an undiscriminating eater- Bear Grylls. Tonight I watched some of Man vs. Wild (For those who don't know it's a show on Discovery featuring Bear Grylls and his survival techniques.) and I always wonder how the hell he eats all of those disgusting rodents/reptiles/bugs all the time. I know that if I was rich and incredibly attractive the last thing I would even consider would be to do be dirty in an unfamiliar place snacking on the filth of the earth. It prompted me to look up some of the episodes I've missed lately and I found one absolutely horrible one. I hope this makes everyone appreciate our plentiful supply of delicious clean water. :)

brand name fame

While you may have never thought "wow these canned green beans taste great!" chances are you may have at least enjoyed the fact that they had not spoiled before your purchase. For this accomplishment we have Nicolas Appert and Peter Durand to thank. Due to their contribution to packaging our money is now better invested than it had been in the past. More importantly, though, is what was contained inside that novel packaging.

When you go to the super-market you have several thousand products to choose from including hundreds maybe even thousands of brand names. This has not always been the case though. There was a day, if you can imagine, where not only were those cute wonderbread sandwich shaped holders unavailable, but also WonderBread itself did not exist. Not all cities or even states were graced with the same availabilty of products as other locations were. Not until brand names went international.

Proctor & Gamble, traditionally founded by a soap maker (Proctor) and a candle maker (Gamble), introduced a new product that paved the way for brand names to become big. Crisco, as many of you may know, is a shortening used in cooking various dishes. It got it's boost when they began marketing it with "Crisco parties," a great success. (Later other companies followed suit ex. tupperware, mary kay, etc.) Women would host parties where a few dishes would be prepared using crisco and demonstrating that it can be tasty. It also appealed to vegans because it used no animal fat. This was only one of the first companies however, and soon many began marketing their brand names.

Brand names made products available everywhere, and in each place one could be sure that they would be getting the same taste and quality as if they had bought it elsewhere. This along with the implementation of railroads and the previously discussed canning techniques made the grocery store what it is today.

If you're interested, check out the original article- it has interesting facts about companies like Colgate and Quaker Oats and their improvements as well.

latte lovers

It depletes minerals, can cause kidney stones, decreases the immune system, as well as bringing about indigestion. These are just a few of the health issues that can arise from the consumption of coffee. However, new studies have shown that it can actually have some profound benefits.

While you may worry that you will develop migranes, soft bones, and anxiety (as you probably will with excessive use), drinking coffee has actually been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. Maybe this is one of those things that you will thank yourself for later? Well according to a study on middle-aged adults,

"The study found that among 1,400 Finnish adults followed for 20 years, those who drank three to five cups of coffee per day in middle-age were two-thirds less likely than non-drinkers to develop dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

The findings, reported in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, add to a string of studies finding that coffee drinkers have lower risks of several diseases, including Parkinson's disease, certain cancers and diabetes."

An article from the NYtimes also supports the same study with more precise data and other statistics regarding the study and outcomes. Both the articles agree that coffee has a medicinal sort of quality that is able to reduce the risk of a handful of harmful health disorders. It is apparent that in moderation this beverage can be enjoyed without many long-term consequences.

While in my opinion the consequences outweigh the benefits, perhaps some java lovers may appreciate this new data. Personally I'd rather play sudoku to stimulate my logic and intellectual thought processes. That won't cause me infertility or high cholesterol or the slew of other detrimental repercussions that come with binging on this brew.

or this?
What do you choose?

Big Kitchen with Food

While some things that America cherishes (pop stars, reality TV, hot pockets) may seem ridiculous I believe I may have found something even more preposterous. A FIVE YEAR OLD boy from Portland has his own cooking show. It's called "Big Kitchen with Food." According to NPR, he obviously has the expertise for such a position due to his surprising credentials which claim that he has been cooking since he was three. 

Now I don't know how other people feel about this, but let me create a scenario. I'm 18, lets say I've been cooking since I was 16. Is this impressive? I am under the impression that no network would be rushing to issue me my own TV show because I can whip up some Zucchini bread with the ingredients that someone set out for me. 

I realize that all this fuss is because he's a little kid, but honestly, I'm not too sure if I'll go for this. I'll give you an idea of one of his recipes.

Chef Julian's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread 

2 teaspoons vanilla 
1 cup molasses 
1/2 cup oil 
2 eggs 
2 cups grated zucchini 
1 1/2 cups flour 
1 cup sugar 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 cup chocolate chips 

Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately, then mix the two together. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

It seems to me that this Zucchini bread may actually be a desirable food once done, but it also seems to me a little peculiar that a five year old made it up. While I don't doubt his ability to prepare a meal, (I watched it actually, on the site linked previously) I have no idea how he could create new ideas. When I was five I colored on the walls and probably had the brain capacity of my cat. Either kids are getting WAY smarter, or I was just incredibly stupid.

If you're interested in checking this out I'm not actually sure how possible that is, but if you're ever in Oregon flip on "Big Kitchen with Food." How aptly and creatively named.