5 things you should eat before you die?

clipped from blog.ruhlman.com Beauty Itself On a recent trip to Durham I taped an interview with the NPR affiliate WUNC during which I suggested that one of five things you should eat before you die is the meat of a freshly slaughtered animal, preferably having witnessed the slaughter. Verlyn Kinkenborg says something very much the same in "Two Pigs" on the Times editorial page today, but with considerably more eloquence Posted by michael ruhlman | Permalink

I vaguely keep up with the culinary world at large since I am in the food service industry and felt compelled to share the above post clipped from another site I frequent.

There were many comments that ranged from mild to ludicrous but I wanted to weigh in with my own thoughts on that matter and maybe bring up something to think about when you sit down for your next meal. The following was my comment I left there:

Couple of comments...

I have witnessed a few slaughters, both in this country and in others...

It may give you more respect for the process, but not for the animal per se...the animal doesn't care what respect it gets once its dead and whats the point in having respect for an animal because you saw it slaughtered?

What makes it 'noble' to see a slaughter? Or double points?

Come on, what Ruhlman said was "I suggested that one of five things you should eat before you die is the meat of a freshly slaughtered animal, preferably having witnessed the slaughter."

Witnessing the slaughter came second to eating the meat in his statement.

The education, process, and knowledge behind the slaughter is whats beneficial towards appreciating food...isn't that why we shout, wine, and cry over the outrageous facts we find out about processed food and soy product substitutes being mixed in with our 'Big Burger' at the fast food restaurants? Or the additives, preservatives, handling, and/or lack of taste from buying our meat at the grocery store?

Of course you can feel a sense of pride, accomplishment, and/or achievement over catching, killing, and preparing your own food; MEAT or VEGETABLE. Because you have brought it full circle. It should taste better because you have been there for every step of the process, the finished meal was your creation, you do not have any questions about the practices of how it got to your plate...you have replaced the uncertainty of the dish with complete knowledge of what it takes to get it to the table.

This is a basic principle that you have been taught and practiced since childhood (no, not slaughter) when you tell everyone else to back off and let you do or experience it all. Sometimes you regret it, sometimes you love it, sometimes it changes your life whether positively or negatively.

Ever had Iguana? I wish I had left it alive...its better as a pet, or free running lizard.

tyrone

Off Tract

From time to time I find an interesting blog that really gets my attention and then I usually find a post or two that gets me interested.  The following post was copied from THE HOMELESS GUY in Nashville TN.  Kevin is a Christian and homeless...And posts are/come from his knowledge of being chronically homeless.  Check out his site sometime and catch a few articles of his...you might be surprised what 'grabs' you!

Off Tract

Posted on April 10, 2007 by TheHomelessGuy

Someone recently asked about religious tracts for the homeless. For those who don’t know, tracts are small pamphlets some Christians use as a way to promote the faith. Personally, I’ve never known tracts to be an effective means of ministry, especially to non-Christians. And they often have the opposite effect - instead of bringing people closer to god, they often turn people away from Him.

Faith is a personal thing, and can only be properly dealt with on a person to person basis. Personal interaction is needed, and tracts are not personal. If anything, tracts are about as impersonal as you can get - and are often used so to avoid personal contact with people. Handing a person a piece of paper and then walking away from them is not how Jesus teaches how to minister to people.

Throw those tracts into the trash, and go out and meet people, and talk to people, and get to know them, and their needs, and help those people you encounter to meet their needs because that’s what God wants you to do. Then these people, so effected by your act of kindness, will be converted and they will begin doing as you do - going out and meeting people and meeting their needs, with the help of God.

And that brings up another subject.

What a weak and selfish people Christians have become. Even the well intentioned Christians get it wrong and make mess of things. When a Christian encounters a person with a problem, they will introduce Jesus, and tell the person with the problem that Jesus will help. And then the Christian leaves the person with the problem alone with Jesus, for them to work out the problem between themselves.

As Christians we are called to help people, and to be the problem solvers. We are supposed to be involved in the solutions. It is not our calling to point people in the direction of help, we are supposed to be the help. Passing out Bibles, or tracts, or inviting people to Church, is a way of avoiding our calling. We serve no one when we pass the buck, not our fellow citizens, not our God.

Old friends, New friends.

Posted by: StephanieRN

On Thursday I got a phone call from Tyrone saying that he wanted to have some friends (Chasity and Janel)over that night that he knew from Mercy Ships and of course I said sure. It was so fun to meet people that Tyrone and known before me and get to know them. Tyrone made us yummy frozen coffee drinks and I baked cookies and we chatted the night away. I think that at times it was Tyrone that felt out numbered being that he was the only guy, but he loved it.

Chocolate truffle ravioli with...

So I guess my playing around with the pasta roller 'rolled' on over into work.

As of the beginning of this week (maybe earlier, I don't know) our International Board (capitalization?) was here at the Operations Center for conferences and meetings. Meaning: they wanted us to plan some lunches that would be lite (mind read salads) so possible board members would be more alert for 'meetings' and such...And because they would be taking them out to eat dinner later in the evening for a more 'full' meal. But anyways...

One of the desserts led me to get a little creative. Using a chocolate truffle recipe that Gary (fellow Chef) gave me and some fresh made pastas rolled thru the machine, we put together our Chocolate Truffle Ravioli with a Vanilla Bean & Cardamom White Sauce accented with a Raspberry Glaze...Yes, I know - How delicious! hahaha!

The trick with the fresh pastas is frying it which melts down those oo-ee gooey truffle centers...enjoy the slide show:

One by One...

Posted by:  StephanieRN

As the time comes closer to moving out of our apartment and onto the base then eventually onto the ship my things (my lovely, wonderful possessions) find new homes. Today my dining table and chairs got packed onto a truck and hauled away. It was bitter sweet. I probably won't miss my table per-say, but the girl that I am attaches memories to my things. But then again, because our belonging are gone we have much more flexibility in order to live on a ship and live out our dreams. Oh man, if I get this emotional over my table I imagine I will be a mess when I have to see my amazing collection of shoes step into new feet.