Are You Adam 1 Or Adam 11

You may know David Brooks from his insightful articles in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, or from his many appearances on Meet the Press.  I hope you will have the chance to read his new book, The Road to Character.  Although I have just started it, I already want to recommend it.

In the introduction, Brooks talks about what he calls Adam 1 and Adam 11.  Adam 1 is the career-oriented, ambitious side of our nature.  Adam 1 wants to build, create, produce, and discover things.  He wants high status and to win victories.  He wants recognition.  He wants to conquer the world Adam 11 is the internal Adam.  Adam 11 wants to embody certain moral qualities.  He wants to have a serene inner character, a quiet and solid sense of right and wrong.  He wants to sacrifice self in the service of others, to have a cohesive inner soul that honors creation and one's own possibilities.  Most of us are a combination of Adam 1 and 11, thank goodness.  This book is about Adam 11.

Brooks gives some statistics early on that show where we are as a nation.  In 1950, Gallup asked high school seniors if they considered themselves to be a very important person.  12% said yes.  The same question was asked in 2005, and those that considered themselves very important was 80%.  Wow.  Psychologists have a thing called the narcissism test.  They read statements like "I like to be the center of attention...I show off if I get the chance because I am extraordinary."  The median narcissism score has risen 30% in the last two decades. 92% of young people score higher than the middle score just twenty years ago.  There's been a rise in self esteem and an increase in the desire for fame.

Brooks speaks often of humility.  People who exhibit humility are Adam 11's.  I can't wait to read more, find out who in history he considers Adam 11's, and how we can all show more of our humble side in daily life.  Check this book out at your local library if it sounds as interesting to you as it did to me.

Leftover Stuffing Recipe

I love Thanksgiving leftovers.  I think the reheated stuffing is even better than eating it for the first time, and a cold turkey and cranberry sandwich, well, there's nothing better.  Often we are left with more leftover stuffing than we know what to do with.  Here's a simple way to put it to good use.

                            Leftover Stuffing Recipe

leftover stuffing
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
Meat, grated cheese, and veggies of your choice

Moisten the leftover stuffing with a little melted butter, then pat it into a pie pan, like a pie crust.  In a 375 degree oven, cook for 8-10 minutes.  Then, add you quiche ingredients.  You can use leftover turkey if you wish, or make it vegetarian with just cheese and veggies, plus the milk and eggs.  Cook at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.  Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Bird Carcasses Along Pacific Are A Mystery

Climate change affects much more than just the weather.  It affects ocean temperatures, water levels, and the ocean food chain.  The carcasses of thousands of small birds called Cassin's auklets have been washing up ashore over the past year from Northern California to the north coast of Washington, and although scientists have not pinpointed the reason, climate change is considered one possibility

One possibility involves the unusually successful breeding season last year in the British Columbia.  Almost every breeding pair laid an egg that hatched, and as young birds flew south they may not have been able to find the small fish and shrimp that they normally feed on.

Pacific ocean water is warmer than usual.  This could touch off subtle change in the food chain that may make it harder for small birds to find sustenance.  But other birds are not dying at the unusual rates as the Cassin's auklet.  Possibly, birds are flying closer to the shore to find food.  Normally, the birds fly far out at sea to find food.  Spotters normally see one to two dead birds along a kilometer of beach.  Oregon spotters saw up to 30 dead birds per kilometer last November, then 115 dead birds per kilometer in December.

This is still considered a scientific mystery, but scientists feel that climate change is partially, if not totally responsible for this disaster.  What's happening in Northern California to Cassin's auklets, is happening to many other bird species.  Thank goodness we have rescue teams that are working diligently to save our wildlife.

Cooking Classes For A Healthy Lifestyle

Several months ago, Fran and I went to a breast cancer fund raiser put on by her sister, Maryanne.  It was great fun, and Fran won lots of prizes.  One of the prizes she won was a cooking class for 4, at the home of Freddie Pakier.  Freddie is a well known cooking teacher in San Diego, and a nutritional coach.  She is very knowledgeable and entertaining.  Fran invited Janie, Maryanne and myself to join her for an evening cooking class, titled Silent Inflammation.  I was excited to go.  I am stuck in a rut, making the same dishes over and over, and frankly, Ron and I are sick of it.  This class gave me inspiration to try something new.  Here's what we ate and learned.

Freddie talked about knowing your CRP.  That stands for C-Reactive protein, something a blood panel can test for, but you have to ask your doctor to include that test in your blood panel.  You want yur number to be less than 1.  She talked about low glycemic foods, especially good for diabetics.  She talked about eating real food, eating organic fruits and veggies and grass fed beef, eating lots of greens and eating whole grains in moderation.

The best veggies to help maintain a low glycemic load dozens of veggies, mostly green.  This list does not include carrots, corn or beets, all high sugar vegetables.  Other foods to avoid to keep your CRP low include sugar, flour, processed food, gluten and dairy and starchy foods.  Obviously it is impossible to avoid all of these foods, but recognizing that they lead to a higher CRP and also lead to weight gain, may help you eat them in moderation.

Our menu at the class included split pea soup first, followed by a delicious arugula, cabbage and lettuce salad, steamed veggies with glaze, marinated and baked cod, and sweet potatoes with curry and olive oil.  It was a delicious meal, low in calories with a low glycemic index.  Dessert was a frozen strawberry and banana sorbet.  What a satisfying meal!

Thanks, Fran, for taking me to Freddie's cooking class. It was informative, fun, and delicious, and got me out of my cooking funk.  I especially loved the sweet potatoes, and will make them soon.

Mediterranean Eggplant Dip

On my last trip to Zion and 99 Ranch Markets in San Diego, I bought a Chinese eggplant.  It is similar to the Japanese eggplant, although lighter in color, thinner, but much longer.  The one I bought was about 18 inches long.  I used it to make a delicious Mediterranean eggplant dip.  It's easy to work with, as the skin is thin and easy to peel.  I served the dip with pita triangles.  Here's the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it.

                                         Mediterranean Eggplant Dip

1/4 c. capers
2 lbs eggplant
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped parsley, flat leaf
1 garlic clove
1 tsp lemon zest
3 T. lemon juice
2 T. pomegranate molasses (I used regular molasses, but a little less)
2 T. yogurt

Rinse capers, then soak in lukewarm water for 20 minutes, and rinse again.  Set aside.  Peel and cube eggplant, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, and cook on a cookie sheet for 20 at 400 degrees or until eggplant is golden brown and soft.  Remove and pulse in a blender until coarsely chopped.  Then add all other ingredients and pulse until incorporated.  I like to keep the mixture with some texture, but you can blend it to your desired smoothness.  Serve with triangles of pita bread or pita chips.  It is delicious, and you can also use it as a sandwich or wrap spread, then top with veggies.  Any way to serve it, it's delicious.

A Day Of Fun

Every once in a while we need a day of pure fun.  I had a day like that a few weeks ago.  Fran, Marie and Deb joined me for our Asian adventure.  Here's some of what we did.

We met in Del Mar and drove to Claremont Mesa Blvd to browse and buy wonderful food items from Zion Market and 99 Ranch Market.  We started at Zion.  If you've never been there, it is well worth a trip.  The fruits and veggies are fantastic.  There will be many veggies that you've never heard of or seen before.  I bought a Chinese eggplant.  It was light purple in color, about two inches in diameter, and about 18 inches long.  It was similar to the Japanese eggplant, but much longer.  I also bought a box of dried persimmons.  I am never able to find them in traditional markets, and since they freeze beautifully, I bought a box.  There were several perishable items, like sushi and salads that we loved, so we decided to return there at the end of the day.

Our next stop was 99 Ranch.  We concentrated here on the prepared foods.  I bought several Portuguese custard tarts.  I first had these on a cruise several years ago, and the only place I ever see the custard tarts is at 99 Ranch.  I bought sesame balls filled with taro and mung bean paste.  It sounds terrible, but I love them.  Fran bought lumpia, a Philippino type of taquito, Marie bought Kimchee, Deb bought ginger cookies and some frozen thin pancakes, that you fry on a skillet.  I haven't tried them yet, but Deb loves them.

It was now lunch time, so we headed to Jasmine, my favorite place on Convoy St. for dim sum.  We stuffed ourselves, then decided to check out the rest of the shopping center.  We found the reflexology center and vowed to get reflexology treatments on our next visit to Convoy Street.  Also of interest was a new ice cream type treat.  It comes in dairy or non dairy, and many flavors.  We tried strawberry.  They take a huge frozen disc and shave it into thin strips.  The result is a cross between a snow cone and ice cream.  It's light and fluffy and they have toppings you can add.  I don't know if it will catch on in San Diego.  Boba drinks, so popular in Los Angeles, are available in San Diego, but never really became popular.  Also in the center is another dumpling restaurant, and a Chinese herb store.

What a great day.  We all went home with lots of goodies, and most of us bought prepared food for dinner that night.  We'll need more time on our next visit, as the $29.99 one hour reflexology treatment is too much to pass up.  It was a great day with friends, and I can't wait to do it again.

To Improve Personal Service

I just found out what tips, as in the amount of money you tip a restaurant server, stands for.  It means "To improve personal service."  When I heard that I thought that made sense.  A tip is a reward for good service.  However, with hourly wages so low for restaurant servers, most servers rely on tips just to make a minimum wage.  A friend of mine was telling me that her granddaughter works at a popular seafood restaurant for $2.75 per hour.  She receives this under the table, so there are no taxes.  In addition she makes about $10-$15 an hour in tips, which she has to share with the bus boys.   That's hardly much of a living.

Europe has always included the tip in the cost of the meal.  One could argue that it no longer is a reward for good service, but just part of the cost of the meal.  This has been tried by some American chain restaurants, but so far it has not had success.  It seems to me that there must be better oversight over this group of people, most of whom work very hard, and make very little.

Years ago we used to go to Lawry's prime rib restaurant, in Los Angeles.  The wait staff there bought and owned their stations.  They were that valuable.  At the time, probably 30 years ago, a retiring waitress could sell her station for $50,000, so you can only imagine that waitresses made a very good living at Lawry's.  There are other high end restaurants, where servers make a great living, but there are too many coffee shops where food is cheap and the customers even cheaper.  Something should be done to make sure that the hard working men and women in this industry make a living wage.

By the way, I think Uber is on the right track.  The price of a ride includes tax and tip.  No money changes hands with the driver.  I have talked to dozens of Uber drivers and they are all happy with their job and the pay.  The restaurant industry might want to take a look at this.

All Politics is Local

There's no need to hide my disappointment at the election of Donald Trump.  I think America made a mistake that will have far reaching effects for years to come.  However, the electoral college has spoken (he did not win the popular vote, but that's a discussion for another time), and he will be our 45th president.  I wish him well, and hope he chooses wisely, the people he will rely on for news and information and counsel.

In the meantime, let's get to work at the local level and do what we can to make our community the best it can be.  Even if our leaders don't want to work on climate change, for example, does not mean that we at the local level can't.  A perfect example is the recent vote by the Encinitas city council to ban styrofoam containers in their city.  Styrofoam is not degradeable.  It sits in the landfill, taking up space, forever.  A decision such as this would never happen at the national level, but at the local level Encinitas got this to happen in short order.  The banning of plastic bags, which has now taken affect in dozens of cities, is another example of working for change at the local level.

We have so many problems, both nationally and locally, that we have many opportunities to enact change in our local communities.  We can work on improving education, climate change and race relations at the local level.  I hope people will not let disappointment keep them from getting involved at the local level and work to make America greater than it already is.

Easiest Cake Ever

I went to my friend Shirley's funeral last week.  It was a sad event, but Shirely's daughter, Susan, one of our original Chicks group (a birthday group we formed about 12 years ago), made it very special.  The service was beautiful, and then lunch and conversation at Rancho Santa Fe Country Club, made it a day to remember.  I was seated at a table with a group of Newcomers friends, and we started talking about food.  Cheryl mentioned a two ingredient cake that sounded so simple and delicious, I went home and made it the next day.  Here it is.

                                     Two Ingredient Angel Food Pineapple Cake

1 box white angel food cake
1-20 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

Combine angel food cake mix and pineapple, including juice, in a bowl, and mix until well blended.  Pour into bundt pan or angel food cake pan that has been well sprayed with Pam.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a tootpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool completely, about one hour, before inverting.  Invert on to serving platter, and cut into pieces.   l like to serve this with Cool Whip, whipped cream, or whipped cream flavored with just about anything.  (maybe a little rum would be good.)  Enjoy.

Cell Phones On Planes

There's been a lot of talk recently about the Samsung phones and the danger of fire.  On planes, one of the first instructions given to passengers is to turn off your Samsung phone (all phones for that matter) because of the possibility of it catching fire.  It happened the other day.  A Samsung phone that had been turned off, but held an 80% charge, caught fire and filled the cabin with smoke.  Luckily this was before take off, and the plane was evacuated and everyone was fine.  Imagine what might have happened if the phone caught fire while the plane was in flight,>p>

Here's what I don't understand.  The TSA has strict rules and regulations on what can and cannot be taken on board.  No guns, liquids over a certain amount, knives or flammable items.  Doesn't the Samsung in question qualify as a potentially flammable item?  They X-ray us, pat us down, have us take off our shoes, yet something that they know if potentially flammable can be taken aboard.   They are expecting passengers to be honest and turn off their phones, when we all know in reality this will not happen.  For some reason, the Samsung phone is allowed to be taken aboard, even though we know of its' potential hazard.  I just don't get it.

What Do You Know About Pokeman Go?

Ron and I stopped at the 101 Diner in Encinitas for an apple pancake one Thursday, before heading to the senior center for our afternoon bridge game.  As we parked and walked to the restaurant, I noticed about a dozen people, mostly young boys (teens), but some women and some young children too, standing in front of a store, all looking at their phones.  I commented to Ron that this was a curious sight, and what in the world could they be doing?

We went in, had our lunch, came out 45 minutes later, and saw the same people, still standing in the same place, looking at their phone.  I said to Ron that I thought they might be playing Pokeman Go, even though I didn't really know what it was.  I felt compelled to ask one of the boys what was going on, and sure enough, they were playing Pokeman Go.

They 're trying to catch Pokeman, but I don't really know what that means.  All I know is that they were completely enthralled in what they were doing.  I have heard of people walking off cliffs while playing the game.  They are so engrossed in the game, that they forget there are cars and traffic out there.  For the life of me I don't understand it.  Maybe I'm just too old for the game.  My kids and grand kids don't play it, so I don't have a young person to help explain it to me.  Maybe next time I see a gathering of Pokeman Go players, I will ask for an explanation.  They'll think I'm crazy, but maybe one of them will explain what all the fuss is about.  I certainly don't get it now.

So You Think You Can Dance

I was in Carlsbad yesterday running some errands, and I parked my car in front of a dance studio.  The students, age 5-10 were just finishing class.  About 10 children came out of the class, and four of them were boys.  I was surprised.  Parents have generally gotten their boys involved in sports, but due to several factors, dance is becoming acceptable for boys.

It could be due to the popularity of So You Think You Can Dance? and Dancing With the Stars over the past decade.  Boys see that it's ok to dance, that it can be a career, and that dancing can attract some good looking women.  Boys see football players, actors, politicians, and astronauts dancing, and want to do it too.

Dancing enhances ones rhythm, balance, grace and flexibility.  Football players, basketball players and baseball players can all benefit from dance.  Some great football players think their dance background has enhanced their ability to play football, basketball or baseball.  Lynn Swann and Willie Gault are just two of the great football players that studied dance.

I was an advocate of Yoga many years ago, before it became so popular.  25 years ago I used to take yoga in Santa Monica at a well known studio, called Yoga Works.  I was shocked when I found big, burly men in the class.  I came to discover they were all football players from college and pro teams in the Los Angeles area.  Many of them were also studying dance.  Think about it.  The moves of running back require speed, flexibility, coordination and balance.  Dance and yoga improve all of that.

Thank goodness boys can now go to dance class and feel proud.  They no longer have to keep their passion a secret.  Although we've got a long way to go as a society, we are definitely becoming more accepting of our differences.  That's part of what makes us great.

Breakfast Republic

Breakfast Republic opened in 2015 in North Park to rave reviews.  Their newest location is in Liberty Park.  Although I didn't actually eat there, I interviewed several diners and know exactly what it's like.  First, the restaurant big, with seating inside and out, and crowded.  So crowded, that at 11:30am there was a 45 minute wait for breakfast!  Everything looked huge and fantastic.  Here's what customers I talked to were eating.

Scrambles and omelettes were popular, all made with four eggs.  In addition to this, they have eggs benedict several ways.  Pancakes and french toast were extremely popular.  Pineapple upside down pancakes, mint chocolate chip pancakes, and cinnamon roll pancakes were just some of the options.  French toast possibilities are lemon and coconut, banana split, marscpone and strawberries, and peanut butter with bananas and bacon!  They have one combination where you get a taste of three different french toasts.  It seemed a bit much for me, but for those with a sweet tooth, this is the place for breakfast.

We ended up eating at an empanada place inside the new market place.  This was my second trip to Liberty Station since they opened the new market place, and to tell you the truth, I don't think there are such great restaurants to choose from.  Yes, Stone Brewery is there and has fantastic food and ambience, but the little stands in the market place are for the most part, so, so.  They do, however, have a great fresh pasta place where you can buy pasta to take home, and a wonderful French bakery.  The empanadas can be taken home and frozen, and they are delicious.

Breakfast Republic is a long way from North County to travel for breakfast, but if you are in the Liberty Station or North Park area for breakfast or lunch, you might want to give it a try.  It's the kind of place Guy Fieri would visit on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  Maybe he will,

The Mother Sauces Have Been Replaced

We live in a time when we we're looking for a little simplicity.  So many things are complicated, but cooking doesn't have to be one of them.  In days gone by, cooking schools would teach students the 5 mother sauces, those rich, delicious, sauces from which all other sauces are born.  The five mother sauces are bechamel, veloute, espagnole (brown), hollandaise and tomato.  Some of these sauces require reductions, boiling beef or lamb bones for hours, or delicate additions of eggs, as in hollandaise.  Who has time for all that these days?  The UT had a recent article about sauces, and it got me thinking.  A good sauce changes the whole meal, so why not keep some of these on hand?  Here are a few of my favorite sauces.  They're all easy, and they really liven up a meal.

                     Parsley Pesto

2 C. flat leaf parsley
2 T. Toasted pine nuts
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Use on chicken  or vegetables.  Store for up to a week in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

                  Creamy White Sauce

1/4 mayonnaise
2 tsp white vinegar
one garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredient until thoroughly incorporated.  This is a great sauce to serve with hot or cold vegetables, or as a sandwich spread.  I also like it on fish.

             Basic Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain Greek style yogurt
2 T. finely chopped mint leaves

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove

This sauce can be made in a blender  or by hand.  You will get a smoother sauce if you do it in the blender.   However, I like it done in by hand with a whisk.  Combine all ingredients.  Grate the garlic clove before adding to the sauce.  To make this a cucumber sauce, simply add 1/2 chopped and peeled Persian cucumber, chopped dill and one tablespoon of cumin.  With or without the cucumbers, this sauce is fantastic.  Use it on any Mediterranean inspired meal.  Use it in a pita pocket with turkey and veggies, or on chicken or fish.  It's also a great dip for veggies or pita chips.