In the wake of the flood, many people have pulled together to help one another out. It has been amazing to be a part of this community, helping out my neighbors as I watch others doing the same in their neighborhoods. But I, like many others, are a little concerned about the narratives surrounding the flooding and the comparisons that are being made between Nashville and New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (thanks to Jenn Lena for bringing this to my attention). So in the space left from the lack of my own thoughts, I leave you with theirs.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Nashville has flooded
A few weeks ago, Nashville flooded. I was fortunate to not have any personal damage to my home, but there are many in this city who have. I still have not yet found the words to describe my own thoughts, but I feel the need to share those of others. One of my best friends, for example, had this to say about what it was like during those days.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
No Fry Zone
It's been over a month since I've updated. Is this because I have not consumed any french fries? Of course not! Any who knows me would know how preposterous such a thought would be. The causes of my silence, and there are a few, are these:
1. Lack of Time. While I find the time to eat french fries, the consumption usually takes place while I am doing work, or in the 20 min. breaks I allow myself. the thought of then writing about my dining experience adds an additional item to my to-do list and more stress to my day.
2. Lack of New Places. I am terrible about trying out new places. In the past few months, I have simply been eating french fries from places that I know and love. And because I am consuming them as a source of comfort, I am not reflexively thinking about my experience or the quality of the fry. I am simply enjoying them in the moment.
This experience actually reminds me of debates I hear among friends about experiencing live music. At the extremes, there are those who hate to take pictures/recordings of the show and those who love it. Those who hate the picture-takers believe that we should all fully enjoy the concert experience, and that something gets lost when we are focusing on trying to remember the experience instead of simply living it. Then there are the others who love to document such things, and claim that not only does it not inhibit their enjoyment of the show, but it allows them to re-live it time and time again.
Since beginning this quest, I have realized that I am in the first group when it comes to eating. While the experiences are not an exact comparison (taking a picture of my fries will not cause me to miss out on eating them) I believe there are some similiarties. When I eat, I like to simply experience the food. To enjoy it simply for the taste and not think about all the reasons why I do or do not like it. To think about my eating as I am eating has the potential to ruin the simple joy of the eating experience. Instead of feeling the wonderous, salty, greasy tastes, I am thinking about objective qualities (such as saltiness and texture) so that I can remember, and describe to you, my experiences at a later point in time. While this is useful, and especially since that's the main point of this blog, I can't help but be afraid that this quest will taint my pleasure.
3. Lack of Creativity. A side purpose for my starting this blog is for me to practice writing. I am a terrible writer, especially when it comes to my academic work. I have been told many times that my ideas are good, but that I do not successfully communicate them in written form. One way to correct this problem is to write more often. Another way to improve the quality is to practice writing in a less formal manner. To write as if I am speaking and not get lost in pretentious jargon that ruins clarity.
What does this have to do with lack of creativity? Well, because of this side purpose, I have been trying to think of ways to creatively describe my dining experiences. However, in my head, I sound boring. Am I really writing a blog that only entails statements such as, "These fries were good. This is the score I give my experience?" I need to be better than that. But when lack of time is combined with lack of new places, I find myself stuck in a dull, dull world.
So the solutions? I will try and experience new places. I will try and be more reflexive about my experiences. I will also try to find time to write about them more frequently. However, I will not continue to limit myself to talking about fries. I don't want to bore myself, or you. So while I will be continuing on my quest for the best fries in Nashville, and updating on that quest as necessary, I will also be writing about whatever inspires me, fry-related or not.
Today's wit: I decided that becoming a vegetarian was a missed steak.
1. Lack of Time. While I find the time to eat french fries, the consumption usually takes place while I am doing work, or in the 20 min. breaks I allow myself. the thought of then writing about my dining experience adds an additional item to my to-do list and more stress to my day.
2. Lack of New Places. I am terrible about trying out new places. In the past few months, I have simply been eating french fries from places that I know and love. And because I am consuming them as a source of comfort, I am not reflexively thinking about my experience or the quality of the fry. I am simply enjoying them in the moment.
This experience actually reminds me of debates I hear among friends about experiencing live music. At the extremes, there are those who hate to take pictures/recordings of the show and those who love it. Those who hate the picture-takers believe that we should all fully enjoy the concert experience, and that something gets lost when we are focusing on trying to remember the experience instead of simply living it. Then there are the others who love to document such things, and claim that not only does it not inhibit their enjoyment of the show, but it allows them to re-live it time and time again.
Since beginning this quest, I have realized that I am in the first group when it comes to eating. While the experiences are not an exact comparison (taking a picture of my fries will not cause me to miss out on eating them) I believe there are some similiarties. When I eat, I like to simply experience the food. To enjoy it simply for the taste and not think about all the reasons why I do or do not like it. To think about my eating as I am eating has the potential to ruin the simple joy of the eating experience. Instead of feeling the wonderous, salty, greasy tastes, I am thinking about objective qualities (such as saltiness and texture) so that I can remember, and describe to you, my experiences at a later point in time. While this is useful, and especially since that's the main point of this blog, I can't help but be afraid that this quest will taint my pleasure.
3. Lack of Creativity. A side purpose for my starting this blog is for me to practice writing. I am a terrible writer, especially when it comes to my academic work. I have been told many times that my ideas are good, but that I do not successfully communicate them in written form. One way to correct this problem is to write more often. Another way to improve the quality is to practice writing in a less formal manner. To write as if I am speaking and not get lost in pretentious jargon that ruins clarity.
What does this have to do with lack of creativity? Well, because of this side purpose, I have been trying to think of ways to creatively describe my dining experiences. However, in my head, I sound boring. Am I really writing a blog that only entails statements such as, "These fries were good. This is the score I give my experience?" I need to be better than that. But when lack of time is combined with lack of new places, I find myself stuck in a dull, dull world.
So the solutions? I will try and experience new places. I will try and be more reflexive about my experiences. I will also try to find time to write about them more frequently. However, I will not continue to limit myself to talking about fries. I don't want to bore myself, or you. So while I will be continuing on my quest for the best fries in Nashville, and updating on that quest as necessary, I will also be writing about whatever inspires me, fry-related or not.
Today's wit: I decided that becoming a vegetarian was a missed steak.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Quest
The potato.
Scientific name: Solanum Tuberosum. (In my head, this name is said with the same inflection as "wingardium leviosa," the levitation charm from Harry Potter).
Despite being a most versatile tuber, it is the french fry that made me fall in love with this spud. French fries take a variety of forms, from steak fries to shoestrings, waffles to crinkle cut, and who can forget the curly fry? For the lowbrow, you can top them with ketchup, malt vinegar, or smother them in cheese, bacon and ranch dressing. For a classier version, you can dip your fry in aioli. And I can confidently say that I've not yet met a fry I didn't like.
But for this quest, some ground rules do need to be established. So here goes:
1. I will rate the fries based on appearance, taste and texture. A 5-pt. scale will likely be used.
2. I will account for type of fry (steak, shoe-string, etc.) and only compare like with like, although my "best" fry will be the king of them all, regardless of type.
3. I will also note the setting or type of place in which the fry is consumed (diner, chain restaurant, fast-food, pub, etc.). No type of fry will be excluded, including home made ones, so if you feel like cooking your own special french fries for me, feel free!
That'll suffice as a starting point. Based on previous experience, I expect the best fries to appear in a bar, likely a local, dingy one. For some reason, they always seem to have superior fries. Diners will come next, and last would be chain restaurants. I'm also partial to what I call the "regular" fry. It's the same size and shape as a crinkle-cut, without the crinkles. I'm also not usually a fan of steak fries, though I must say, the Potato Patch at Kennywood makes a mean steak fry.
For anyone wanting a history of the french fry, I encourgage you to go here.
Today's wit: A hungry traveller stops at a monastery and is taken to the kitchens. A brother is frying chips. 'Are you the friar?' he asks. 'No. I'm the chip monk,' he replies.
Scientific name: Solanum Tuberosum. (In my head, this name is said with the same inflection as "wingardium leviosa," the levitation charm from Harry Potter).
Despite being a most versatile tuber, it is the french fry that made me fall in love with this spud. French fries take a variety of forms, from steak fries to shoestrings, waffles to crinkle cut, and who can forget the curly fry? For the lowbrow, you can top them with ketchup, malt vinegar, or smother them in cheese, bacon and ranch dressing. For a classier version, you can dip your fry in aioli. And I can confidently say that I've not yet met a fry I didn't like.
But for this quest, some ground rules do need to be established. So here goes:
1. I will rate the fries based on appearance, taste and texture. A 5-pt. scale will likely be used.
2. I will account for type of fry (steak, shoe-string, etc.) and only compare like with like, although my "best" fry will be the king of them all, regardless of type.
3. I will also note the setting or type of place in which the fry is consumed (diner, chain restaurant, fast-food, pub, etc.). No type of fry will be excluded, including home made ones, so if you feel like cooking your own special french fries for me, feel free!
That'll suffice as a starting point. Based on previous experience, I expect the best fries to appear in a bar, likely a local, dingy one. For some reason, they always seem to have superior fries. Diners will come next, and last would be chain restaurants. I'm also partial to what I call the "regular" fry. It's the same size and shape as a crinkle-cut, without the crinkles. I'm also not usually a fan of steak fries, though I must say, the Potato Patch at Kennywood makes a mean steak fry.
For anyone wanting a history of the french fry, I encourgage you to go here.
Today's wit: A hungry traveller stops at a monastery and is taken to the kitchens. A brother is frying chips. 'Are you the friar?' he asks. 'No. I'm the chip monk,' he replies.
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