Monday, June 19, 2006

Who Will You be When You Grow Up?

Having worked my way through two careers and now on my third, having raised a family, I still sometimes ask myself that question. Not what you will be when you grow up, but who. The follow up question is what do you stand for and how do you follow up on that? Ava Lowery is a fifteen-year old who has figured out what she stands for and has taken action. If you haven't seen her on the news or caught one of her Peace Takes Courage videos, check out her blog at http://www.peacetakescourage.com/page-home.htm

Monday, June 05, 2006

"The Will of the People"

Bush has now seized the bully pulpit to seek political advantage in the "marriage debate". Claiming that "activist judges" are subverting "the will of the people", he claims to support heterosexual marriage only amendment. I am eminently grateful for amendments that have enhanced and guaranteed our civil rights and am adamantly opposed to proposed amendments that would restrict rights to only a certain class of people. This proposed amendment is certainly one of those.

This is, of course, not the first time the supposed "will of the people" has been used to tread upon the rights of minorities, nor, unfortunately, will it be the last. Populism has had many ugly moments in our history. Others have pointed out that Senator Roddenberry proposed a similar amendment in 1911, prohibiting marriage between people of different races, later influencing the passage of anti-miscegenation laws in a number of states. Anti-miscegenation laws were finally declared unconstitional by the Supreme Court in 1967. In the intervening years, how many families were destroyed by these inhumane laws?

While it is thought that the proposed amendment is simply a nod to the right wing and that it probably will not pass, nothing should be taken for granted. It seems that too often in this new century we see an erosion of basic rights. We, like the frog thrown in a pot of slowly heating water, will not realize the danger until it is too late.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Stanislaus Salad Bowl

Squash Flowers filled with cheese

I've been salivating over so many food posts recently, I decided to add another.

The Modesto Farmer's Market is open again on Thursdays and Saturdays. With homegrown music, homegrown fruits, vegetables, bread, pastries, nuts, cheeses, conserves, dried fruit, plants, etc, it is a feast for all the senses, not the least of which is the sense of community.


Yesterday, with green beans from the market, I made Mrs. B.'s famous green bean salad, posted by Ms.ABCmom yesterday. Breakfast this morning was rellenos de flor de calabaza. Not the healthiest of foods perhaps, it is a treat restricted to when those delicate squash flowers are available. The best squash flowers can come with mini-mini-squashes attached. These did not have the baby squashes, but they were round, plump and delectable. The preparation is simple.

When the squash blossoms are still fresh from the market, gently open the flowers and stuff with small chunks of your favorite cheese. Gently twist the blossoms closed around the cheese and refrigerate until you are ready to fry. Toss the blossoms in flour and salt, dip in egg, (I used egg substitute - I know it is not a diet dish, we were out of eggs), then again in flour and fry lightly in a little olive oil and butter - turn the flowers to fry on all sides. Remove, pat of excess oil with paper towels and serve immediately.

I've seen some intriguing recipes for other rellenos. This clearly is not the only presentation for the succulent squash flower. In Aguascalientes I tasted an amazing sopa de flor de calabaza, second only to the sopa de cilantro we also discovered there.

Squash flowers are generally not available, but you might try at an Asian market.

Today, we are on to tabouli salad, with tomatoes from the market. Had to stop at the Middle Eastern Market for the right kind of bulghur and their special cucumbers, "xiara", I think, in Assyrian (I asked). MsABCmom will probably post that.

I am so glad that the salad bowl that is now homegrown Stanislaus County includes exotic vegetables, fruits, flavors and accents. The melting pot is dead, long live the salad bowl.