Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Saturday

Ah, Labor Day Weekend... The full-throttle craziness of the summer was pretty much wrapped up last week, so I took a four-day weekend to decompress, and it was [mostly] terrific.

Tried making a strawberry-rhubarb crumble for the first time. I wouldn't call it a super success, and I'd tweak the recipe a bit if I decide to do it again. I think I liked the cooked down, sweetened leftover stalks of rhubarb better — memories of Aunt Jean, who loved it and is the only one I ever knew who cooked it in my childhood. It would make a great, tart side dish alternative to applesauce.

After an excellent Thai dinner at "Your Place" (naem sohd, panang beef, and shrimp pad thai) with J. & B., the crumble made an excellent dessert with vanilla ice cream while we watched a DVD of The Eyes of Tammy Faye at B's house. I thought it was a really well-done documentary, and reaffirms my belief that while so many like to deride devout Christians as mere "wingnuts," there's actually so much more to "them" than that. It's a shame that, admittedly, a huge strand has been hijacked by fear and loathing.

While watching the film, I realized I can even be somewhat of an apologist for the "money-grubbing" of megachurches and televangelists, only insofar as one has to look at people who truly believe in tithing, and the idea that perhaps it's no worse than any other "commerce" (i.e., is it better to "waste" one's money on QVC purchases or collectibles from the Franklin Mint? And yes, it's probably better to not be parted with one's savings at all, but where does "bilking" end and free will begin?). In any case, it was a great night, and I'm looking forward to writing a bit more often and more substantively now that I have time to do more than what has seemed like going to work, coming home to eat a bowl of shredded wheat, and going straight to bed.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm anticipating more writing from you like Shonen Knife anticipates Public Baths.

BigAssBelle said...

oh i LOVE rhubarb and any kind of crumble makes my mouth water. looks divine.

i love thai food now but can never remember the names of the dishes.

i have had to make a distinction in writing and commenting between people of faith, many of whom are churchgoers, and the far right wingnut crowd like those crazies in texas who lobby congress to attack iran, thus bringing on the reunification of the jews and the christians and hastening the rapture.

i think they're nuts. that some "churches" are actually political groups wearing masks makes me furious and i am dismissive, probably too much so, of this wingnut crowd.

i have immense respect, though, for people of faith. real faith, regardless of the brand attached. the AA big book says there are many people of faith who are living lives of good purpose; we alcoholics, who are so often dismissive of them should be quick to see where they have accomplished much that we have not.

so i paid attention to that and started looking around and i see that people of faith are living truly spiritual lives ~

1Cor 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.

that's where i have a problem with the hate-based religious groups. if the greatest of these is charity, how can they condemn another?

i wish i could live by these: Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.

and when i'm kickin ass working the steps, praying the god of my understanding every day, asking for help, i have those things in abundance and there is nothing like that incredible connection to ~ something ~ what? i don't know ~ something real and spiritual that touches my soul and my heart.

i never found that in church. i found it in aa. i came to a belief in my higher power through the back door. when i'd see some poor hopeless drunk with his zipper rusted shut, shaking like a leaf, with hopeless, dead eyes, i could see the power of alcoholism and its complete hopelessness.

watching the transformation of working those steps, which are solely meant to lead us to a spiritual connection, nothing else, was magic. i could see the light come on and the sparkle in those eyes and that was what convinced me there was something real aside from the physical.

aa tells me it's found "deep down within me." works for me.

hey!! thanks for letting me review ;-) needed that this morning.

can't wait to read more . . .

Salty Miss Jill said...

Nor can I wait to read more!
I've been thinking and writing about what William James said concerning the nature of belief...how one cannot choose to believe in something. If one believes in God the creator and author of the Bible, fantastic. However, how one interprets scripture and expresses his/her devotion is a whole other ball of wax. One can choose to live in a charitable way of loving thy neighbor, by the polar opposite of radicals spreading hatred in the alleged name of God, or fall somewhere in the gray area between.

More on this, please!

Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Wow. You're smart, a handsome devil and can cook too. What a combo.

Joe said...

You forgot something: I can also raise (or at least manage not to kill) African Violets.

Anonymous said...

If only you were a notary public, you'd be the perfect man.

Joe said...

I'm taking the notary exam next week.

Anonymous said...

Of course you are.

Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Oh, you are indeed a Renaissance man. I just didn't want to go overboard in my praise. Good luck on the notary exam. I hear it's harder than passing the bar.

Joe said...

JT: I was kidding about the notary exam. No one can be perfect, after all, so I must retain some level of ordinariness. HA!

M. Knoester said...

mmmm rhubarb...

My mother used to cook rhubarb into a sauce that we ate with dinner instead of apple sauce. I've always wanted to try baking a rhubarb pie of some sort, but I;ve never yet managed to scrape together the courage.

BigAssBelle said...

hey cupcake . . . you got my attention and cheered me up. thanks for that.