Jul 16

Calling a Spade a Spade

The title of this post was a popular slang term in our parents’ or grandparents’ day. More recent equivalents are telling it like it is, cutting the crap, or speaking truth. It’s time for all good people to call a spade a spade: The current President is racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic, and a serial liar. Not to mention narcissistic.

Back in the day, children were told that their Presidents set (some) examples that should be followed. Franklin Roosevelt, who battled back from polio. Dwight Eisenhower, a self-effacing war hero. John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic President. Barack Obama, the first African-American President. I am hard-pressed to see anything worthy to emulate in our 45th President.  I certainly wouldn’t want my 5-year-old nephew to do so.

Today’s post coincides with the death of former US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. Stevens earned a Bronze Star in World War II and was the 3rd-longest-serving Supreme Court Justice in history. At a gathering with his former law clerks earlier this year, Stevens exhorted  them to keep fighting for the rule of law. Now there’s an example worth emulating. Be at peace, Justice Stevens.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/16/calling-a-spade-a-spade/

Jul 13

How Do You Like Them Onions?

I’ve been disappointed by the quality of yellow/Spanish onions in grocery stores hereabouts. They  often have soft spots or are on the moldy side. Last night I asked the produce guy in our regular store why that’s the case. He admitted that they weren’t particularly good, and suggested I substitute the Walla Walla sweet onions. Walla Wallas have their place, but it’s not in cooking.

This morning I went to the fruit stand, thinking it would have a better quality onion. No dice. I think it’s because the California growers don’t cure them properly. They just crate them up and send them north. My friends back east who grow onions could teach the Californians a thing or two.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/13/how-do-you-like-them-onions/

Jul 09

Seattle vs. Portland Smackdown!

Seattle and Portland are friendly rivals, be it on the soccer pitch or in the national imagination. In the spirit of my previous compare and contrasts, here is the Seattle – Portland smackdown!

Coffee. Seattle has Starbucks, Caffe d’Arte, Vivace, and other outlets. Portland has Stumptown. Stumptown has come to Seattle, with one outlet on Capitol Hill.

Microbreweries. Ubiquitous in both towns.

Water. Seattle is hemmed in by Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and the Ship Canal. Portland has the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

Restaurateurs. Portland has Vitaly Paley and Andy Ricker. Seattle has Tom Douglas and Eric and Sophie Banh. Each of them has multiple outlets in their respective cities. (Yo, Andy, when is Pok Pok coming to Seattle?)

Farmers’ Markets. We’ve been to Portland’s Saturday market before, but that struck me as more of a flea market. Pike Place Market rules.

Academics. Both Seattle and Portland have state-supported medical schools. Each also has a variety of public and private colleges and universities.

Hipsters. Both cities have them in abundance. Julian remarked as we walked up Hawthorne Street in Portland on Saturday, “I don’t think I’m hip enough for this neighborhood.” I feel that way in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood.

Television. Portland has Portlandia. Seattle has had Frasier and Here Come the Brides (“The bluest sky you’ve ever seen, in Seattle…”) And, lest we forget, Bill Nye the Science Guy.

The score? There is no score. We’ll gladly visit Portland any time.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/09/seattle-vs-portland-smackdown/

Jul 07

USWNT 2020!

After Team USA’s World Cup 2-0 victory today, I need to revise my post of earlier in the week. I think the whole team should run for national office. At least we’d have competent women (and a few men from the coaching staff) in Cabinet posts.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/07/uswnt-2020/

Jul 07

Days in the Hood (River)

Hood River, Oregon is known for two things: It’s the windsurfing capital of the world, and it serves as a dividing line between lush forest and desert ecosystems along the southern bank of the Columbia River. Tourism plays a big role in the local economy, between windsurfers, mountain bikers, and backpackers. It is also the home to several wineries and microbreweries.

On our way to the Hood River July 4 fireworks, we learned another interesting fact: Hood River is the headquarters for Tofurky, the soy-based meat substitute. Julian was horrified. It became a running joke throughout the trip. He speculated that instead of the buffalo meat loaf served at Mount Rainier, the Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood served Tofurbalo (tofu buffalo). It did not, at least in the Ram’s Head Restaurant. He also warned me about hitting a wild Tofurbalo on the way to Mount Hood: “Leaves a nasty white mess on your car’s grill.” By the way, Hood River’s July 4 fireworks show was spectacular. It was probably the best show we’d seen. Not only was it 25 minutes long and featured great pyrotechnics, but we had a ringside seat for the show.

I thought that the chop suey genre of “Chinese-American restaurants” had gone the way of the dodo bird in the Northwest. I was wrong. Hood River has one that’s alive and well. The sweet and sour pork was a pile of batter-fried pork hunks in a dark sauce, with more sauce on the side. (At least the sauce was not violently hot pink.) Even though the pile was a “children/seniors” portion, I could barely make a dent in it. Julian’s spare ribs were drowned in a similar sauce.

One highlight of the trip was the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. It had interesting exhibits on the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Oregon Trail migration, indigenous tribes and their lost way of life. The Center also has a raptor exhibit of birds that have been rehabilitated, but could not be released into the wild. The birds featured in the Q&A session we attended were an American kestrel and a red-tailed hawk.

We had two breakfasts at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. Before we left for Portland, we had breakfast at a place called Brøder Ost (Swedish for Bread and Cheese). The restaurant was next to the Hood River Hotel, which had a distinctively younger, hipster vibe to it than where we stayed. I had aebelskiver (Danish pancakes), while Julian had lefse (Norwegian potato flatbread) with salad and egg toppings. The former are made in a special pan and turned with chopsticks or a spoon to get evenly cooked. Mine were served with lingonberry jam (to right of photo) and lemon curd (hidden).

Aebelskiver in background, lefse in foreground.

We recommend Hood River as a jumping off point for sightseeing and wine tasting in the Columbia River Gorge. The towns on the Washington side are pretty small, and The Dalles is a bit farther east. Hotel reservations are strongly recommended in the summer months.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/07/days-in-the-hood-river/

Jul 03

July 4th Follies

It’s been our tradition since we moved to Seattle to do a short trip around July 4. The last two years we were in Vancouver. In previous years we’ve gone to the Olympic Peninsula. This year we’re in Hood River, Oregon.  Our home base is the Columbia Gorge Hotel, an old school hotel perched on a cliff. We stayed here 15 years or so ago. The items on the agenda (such as it is) are to visit the Maryhill Winery and do a day hike on Mount Hood. On the way home we’ll swing by Portland and have dinner at Paley’s Place. Malheureusement for Julian, we will be there nine days too early for the Paley’s Place Bastille Day celebration, featuring a meal made from a cannabis-fed pig. (Sounds to me like an episode of Portlandia: “Was Arnold fed an organically-grown, high CBD strain of cannabis?”)

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/03/july-4th-follies/

Jul 02

Rapinoe – Naeher 2020!

The US Women’s soccer team is in the finals for the third time in a row. The combination of Megan Rapinoe on offense and Alyssa Naeher in goal has been nearly unstoppable. Although Rapinoe didn’t start today’s match due to an injury, others picked up the scoring and Naeher made at least one unbelievable save.

Although neither Rapinoe nor Naeher is the minimum age to be President or Vice President, their complementary skill set gives a good example for what’s needed in a 2020 ticket. One needs a no-holds-barred strategic offense and the ability to read the competition. On defense, one needs to anticipate where the ball’s headed and swat it away.

At the Greenwood Car Show last Saturday, I saw a woman wearing a hand-printed T-shirt declaring, Rapinoe for President. I think the team of Rapinoe and Naeher would be even better. Go USA!

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/07/02/rapinoe-naeher-2020/

Jun 26

Debate Nights

So here we are at the first Democratic debates. The New York Times created a Bingo sheet to play for the debates. Here are my things to watch:

  • How many times will Elizabeth Warren use the word fight?
  • How many times will Joe Biden use the word folks?
  • How many times will a man interrupt a woman? And will he be called out on it?

More fracas to come.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/06/26/debate-nights/

Jun 25

Seattle’s Newest Park

It’s not much to look at. It’s just a small sliver of beachfront off the Burke-Gilman Trail. It’s not readily accessible by car. However, the NE 130th Street End Park now belongs to the city after a long battle. You can read about it in this Seattle Times article.  

The Save the Beach campaign was an effort by many folks in the Lake City neighborhood to get the city to reclaim the property from the adjacent landowners, who decided to declare it their own. The city did have to purchase the property; however, the park now provides a place for bicyclists and runners to cool their heels on a hot day. Congratulations!

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/06/25/seattles-newest-park/

Jun 23

Snow Belt versus Seattle Cars

I grew up in the Snow Belt of upstate New York, where it snows eight months of the year (if you’re lucky). My trip Back East last week reminded me how different vehicle types and conditions are between Seattle and the Syracuse area. Some of it is necessity; others, preference. Here are the main differences:

  • All-wheel or four-wheel drive SUVs. This feature is a necessity in the Snow Belt, given the severity of snowfalls. In the Seattle area, these vehicles are used more for carrying capacity (think carpooling) or going on washboard Forest Service roads. There is one exception: Who in their right mind is going to drive a Mercedes SUV costing over $70,000 on a one-lane dirt road with a steep drop-off in Olympic National Park?
  • Hybrid or electric cars. You’d be hard pressed to find one of these in my hometown. In Seattle, they’re status symbols of your political correctness.
  • Parking places. I had no problem parking my rental Nissan Versa around upstate New York. The parking lots were striped to accommodate SUVs and trucks. Many parking lots and garages in Seattle have “compact car” spaces. This does not, however, hinder drivers of Ford Explorers from shoehorning their vehicles into these spaces.
  • Snow or traction tires. These are a necessity in the Snow Belt. In the southern reaches of upstate (Ithaca), you can get away with all-season tires – or take the bus if you live in town. The only people with traction tires in the Seattle area are those who go skiing in the winter or routinely go over the Cascade passes. Some infrequent pass commuters keep tire chains in their car; however, most folks are clueless on how to put them on – even bus drivers.
  • Rust. Most cars over five years old in upstate New York have visible rust, due to road salt used in the winters. Ignore the hype about rustproofing services, rust is destiny in the Snow Belt. Some folks have “winter rats”, old rusty cars that come out at first snowfall and are driven throughout the winter. My grandfather had a 1951 Chevy truck in the late 1970s that he’d drive in the winters instead of his Pontiac. The floor of the truck cab was so rusted out that our dog, Lucy, was reluctant to ride in it. Seattle rarely uses road salt, and then only on major streets. You’ll see rusty cars and trucks on the Olympic Peninsula, but the rust is from salt spray off the ocean.

Permanent link to this article: http://ediblethoughts.com/2019/06/23/snow-belt-versus-seattle-cars/

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