Showing posts with label yams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yams. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Shut Up!!
In his awesome yam-colored shoes, Usain Bolt ran the 100 meters in 9.58 seconds. He is the world's greatest athlete (or as we say in the Big 12, ath-a-lete)
Thursday, June 04, 2009
A Story We are Following Closely
An update on the efforts Chief Air Marshall Angus to save his Aussies from Dutch food.
Here is a hint on why perhaps a certain "lack of freshness" may be a problem.
The Dutch cooks at Tarin Kowt serve around 2500 soldiers a day, a mix of Dutch, Australian, French, Slovakian and British troops. The food is prepared in the Netherlands, frozen and then shipped to Karachi in Pakistan. From there it goes by road to Afghanistan. With delays at the border, the journey can take as much as two or three months. Because of food safety considerations, ISAF bases are not permitted to use local Afghan fruit or vegetables. (SOURCE, my emphasis)
Oh....YIKES!
So, I want to know, what IS "Dutch food." An answer, and a defense of Dutch cuisine:
Dutch cuisine? What Dutch cuisine is best known for is that there is in fact no such thing, that the Dutch kitchen consists just of herring, cheese and hotsput, and that the use of herbs and spices is unknown.
But… There is such a thing as Dutch cuisine. The Dutch do not just eat herring but do in fact have dishes that are worth trying.
Because… Over time the Dutch kitchen has been exposed to the influence of other cuisines, much to its benefit.
THERE'S YER TROUBLE! The Dutch cooks were serving ACTUAL Dutch cuisine, which does not exist, save for unspiced herring and potato/carrot gruel. If the Dutch cooks had been exposing themselves to other cuisines (such as, I don't know, Australian?), things would be been just bonzer!
Here is a hint on why perhaps a certain "lack of freshness" may be a problem.
The Dutch cooks at Tarin Kowt serve around 2500 soldiers a day, a mix of Dutch, Australian, French, Slovakian and British troops. The food is prepared in the Netherlands, frozen and then shipped to Karachi in Pakistan. From there it goes by road to Afghanistan. With delays at the border, the journey can take as much as two or three months. Because of food safety considerations, ISAF bases are not permitted to use local Afghan fruit or vegetables. (SOURCE, my emphasis)
Oh....YIKES!
So, I want to know, what IS "Dutch food." An answer, and a defense of Dutch cuisine:
Dutch cuisine? What Dutch cuisine is best known for is that there is in fact no such thing, that the Dutch kitchen consists just of herring, cheese and hotsput, and that the use of herbs and spices is unknown.
But… There is such a thing as Dutch cuisine. The Dutch do not just eat herring but do in fact have dishes that are worth trying.
Because… Over time the Dutch kitchen has been exposed to the influence of other cuisines, much to its benefit.
THERE'S YER TROUBLE! The Dutch cooks were serving ACTUAL Dutch cuisine, which does not exist, save for unspiced herring and potato/carrot gruel. If the Dutch cooks had been exposing themselves to other cuisines (such as, I don't know, Australian?), things would be been just bonzer!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
On pins and needles
French President Sarkozy apparently hasn't heard that all publicity is good publicity. He is threatening to sue a company selling a Sarkozy voodoo doll. Here's the story from the BBC:
"The doll comes with pins and a manual with instructions on how to put the evil eye on the president.
Users can stick the pins into choice quotes from Mr Sarkozy which are printed on the doll.
The quotes on the Sarkozy doll include "work more to earn more" and "get lost, jerk" - which he reportedly said to a bystander who refused to shake his hand at an event last year".
Good stuff, but possibly the best part of the article is the last sentence:
"Voodoo has become associated with zombies and sticking pins into dolls to curse an enemy, but practitioners say this misrepresents their religion".
"The doll comes with pins and a manual with instructions on how to put the evil eye on the president.
Users can stick the pins into choice quotes from Mr Sarkozy which are printed on the doll.
The quotes on the Sarkozy doll include "work more to earn more" and "get lost, jerk" - which he reportedly said to a bystander who refused to shake his hand at an event last year".
Good stuff, but possibly the best part of the article is the last sentence:
"Voodoo has become associated with zombies and sticking pins into dolls to curse an enemy, but practitioners say this misrepresents their religion".
Saturday, August 23, 2008
All Hail Jamaica!
Last night Mrs. Angus and I were out to dinner at a friend's house. Our lovely hostess (originally from Hong Kong) expressed concern about what country would "win the Olympics". Specifically she was looking for the best metric with which to argue that China had "won".
I immediately nominated Jamaica as the winner based on either total medals or gold medals per capita (hmmm, I may not get invited back there again eh?)!
Turns out that was exactly right as you can see here. Jamaica also "wins" based on gold medals or total medals per $ of GNP as well. I believe that all 11 of Jamaica's medals came in track and field (as bobsledding is a winter olympic sport).
That is truly an incredible achievement.
I immediately nominated Jamaica as the winner based on either total medals or gold medals per capita (hmmm, I may not get invited back there again eh?)!
Turns out that was exactly right as you can see here. Jamaica also "wins" based on gold medals or total medals per $ of GNP as well. I believe that all 11 of Jamaica's medals came in track and field (as bobsledding is a winter olympic sport).
That is truly an incredible achievement.
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