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A free quarterly magazine full of Things to Do. Articles on ways to help you slow down and relax including hobbies, recipes, and reading.
Citation preview
Quarterly Speed Bump
Spring 2012
magazine
Slow Down & Relax Slow Down & Relax Slow Down & Relax Slow Down & Relax Slow Down & Relax
QSB
Volume 2
No. 1
2 Frontage: From the
Editor
3 Mileposts: Things to Do
4 Potholes: One Pot Plot
6 Work Ahead/Quail
Pillow
15 On the Road to...Fantasy
Baseball
18 Roundabout: Orange
Asphalt
26 Roadside Stand: Save
Some for Later
28 The Fork: Cook
Something for Yourself
34 On the Corner
38 At the Crossroads
40 Interchange: Get Ready
to Read
43 Off the Beaten Tracks
44 Undulations
Contents
QSB: Spring 2012
A note on the products in our pages: QSB only features items that we like and actually use. We haven't
been paid for any of our comments or recommendations; we just like to share.
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
1
It's raining as I write this which is not so
surprising in Spring. What is surprising is just how mild
the winter was. We hardly had any cold weather or rain or even
fog. The weather might not be warmer now but there's still
more light every day. Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing,
and birds are twittering everywhere when they're not hunkered
down waiting out the rain. What a wonderful time of year (is it
my favorite season? Could be.).
We have a full issue of things for you to do outside when the
weather's nice or inside when it's a bit soggy. In any case, we
hope you have a wonderful Spring!
Cheers,
Frontage
F
From the Editor
J
.
V
a
u
g
h
n
Editor/Publisher:
Rebecca L. Wendt
Columnists:
Jessica Herrick
Sebastian Nelson
Contributors:
Jeff Crawford
Joseph Vaughn
Scott Wendt
Rebecca L. Wendt
Editor-in-Chief
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
2
Mileposts:
More Things To Do
www.poets.org/npm
www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth
& in June:
14 - Flag Day
16 - Bloomsday
17 - Father's Day
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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P
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t
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o
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l
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e
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:
:
T
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O
O
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e
e
P
P
o
o
t
t
P
P
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o
o
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t
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
4
Find 1 pot at least 18" in diameter
and 24" deep,
Good quality potting soil, &
Large saucer (maybe with wheels).
+
Plant the tomato quite
deeply in the soil & pat soil
gently to firm.
Place tomato cage over tomato plant.
Plant 3 peas at the base of each cage leg.
Plant lettuce seeds in a circle, 5 inches
in from pot rim.
Plant radish seeds in a circle, 2½
inches from pot rim.
+
Water well,
Check moisture levels frequently, &
Keep damp but not soggy.
Watch things grow!
Find a sunny spot with
6 hours of sun/day minimum.
+
+
=
Grab a tomato transplant, snip off
bottom sets of leaves,
remove from transplant pot, and
gently tease apart some of the roots.
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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Wo
rk
A
hea
d
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
6
The state bird where I live is the California Quail, Callipepla californica,
an amusing bird to my way of thinking. These chubby guys (just a little
smaller than your average pigeon but much prettier) post lookouts while the
covey (technical term for a group of quail) eats or bathes in the dirt. Their
curving feather head plumes are distinctive as is their three-syllable call
(some say it sounds like "Chi-ca-go" but I swear they're saying my name).
Quail seem reluctant to take wing until the very last moment. Generally, if
startled, they run away into the underbrush in a speedy move that makes
them look like they're levitating.
This season's crafty project is inspired by one of the lookout quail that I
snapped while we were out on a walk one weekend. He was braver than most
or maybe just a camera hog.
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
7
Quail Pillow Pattern
You'll Need:
• 2 16 inch squares of white cotton fabric (medium weight)
• 2 yards ½ inch black piping
• Black embroidery floss (cotton)
• Embroidery hoop
• Embroidery needle
• Sewing thread - black or white
• Pins
• Pencil or other way to transfer image
• 15 inch pillow form or stuffing
• Sewing maching or the patience to hand sew
• Iron
1. Make a sandwich with the black piping in between two white squares. Pin all three layers
together. Remember to have the right side facing in. The raw edge of the piping should be aligned
with the raw edges of the squares.
2. Sew the sandwich together a ¼ inch from the edge. Use either a sewing maching or needle
and thread. DO NOT SEW ALL THE WAY AROUND. You must leave a large opening to get the
embroidery hoop through as well as room to fit the stuffing into the case. Turn right side out and
press.
3. Transfer quail outline to front of pillow case. Trace, use carbon paper, or other method.
2 3
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
8
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
9
4. Place your embroidery hoop over the quail image. Be sure to only catch one layer of the pillow case
in the hoop.
5. Tie a know in an 18 inch length of embroidery floss. Stitch over the transferred image outline. Be
sure not to go through more than one layer of the pillow case. For more information on
embroidery stitches, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embroidery_stitch.
4
5
6. Use any combination of stitches that you like. This is freestyle embroidery. You may even want
to fill in the entire outline to make a silhouette. The sky's the limit (plus your time and
inclination).
7. Once you've finished your stitching, fasten off you loose ends. Then remove your pillow case
from the embroidery hoop. You'll notice that the hoop has left creases and folds in the
pillow case.
8. In order for your pillow to look professional, you must rid it of these creases. Iron using a
press cloth to protect your work.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
10
7
9. Stuff your pillow.
10. Sew up the opening.
11. Admire your work!
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
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QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
14
QSB: Do you refer to this hobby as
"fantasy baseball" or is there another
term that's preferable? What, in a
nutshell, is fantasy baseball?
Jeff: We just call it fantasy baseball--nothing
special or high-brow. Ours developed by coming
up with our own system. It's not rotisserie
baseball that started in a New York broiler. We
started in 1993. It was just us doing it for fun, no
money. Ours is just for fun.
Fantasy baseball is the use of statistics for the
players who you select for your team. You
compete against
other people in
your league. You
have a "salary"
and so much
"money" to
spend. It's all
statistics-based
and doesn't really
reflect baseball.
Strikeouts don't
count against you.
You're rewarded
for the 35
homers. It may
cause you, at
times, to root
against your own
real life team.
I avoid this problem by never having Dodgers on
my team. Here's a problem: almost everyone in
my league is a Giants fan and they have an
aversion to Dodgers except my bother. Someone
has to step up to pick up great Dodger players so
my brother Brian won't get them in the last
round. With me, my real life team eventually was
the Giants after growing up with a dad who was a
Dodgers fan but I went through the Brewers and
Twins first.
QSB: What about fantasy baseball appeals
to you?
Jeff: I love baseball as a sport and really enjoy
watching baseball. I just enjoy it. It hearkens
back to the pastoral era of our times. It is a little
bit cerebral, a little more complex than just
getting hits.
I only do fantasy
baseball. It's the
same group of
people for 20
years; the same
group of family
and close friends--
the Gorskis-- who
I've known since
elementary school
when we moved to
Pleasanton in
1977. It's a family
thing, a reunion.
Bragging rights are
involved. It's being
connected to the
same group. It's
my Christmas. I
look forward and I wake up that morning and it's
draft day.
QSB: When did you get into fantasy
baseball? How did you get started?
On the Road to. . .
Fantasy Baseball
with Jeff Crawford
Players hold up one finger per time they've won the league. Jeff is on the left.
For the "On the Road to..." column a Quarterly Speed Bump writer sits down with a hobbyist
and finds about how to get into their particular hobby and what they find to be rewarding
about it. In this issue we're on the road to fantasy baseball. We were pleased to sit down with
Jeff Crawford to learn more:
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
15
Jeff: We started with just four teams in 1993,
have had as many as 9-10, and will have 8 teams
this year. Steve, Larry, Vince and I went to a
preseason game at The 'Stick in 1993 and decided
how we were going to do it. We sat down with
our notebooks. The first pick of the first draft I
selected the new Giants outfielder, Barry Bonds.
For the first couple of years all the statistics were
totaled by hand. Funnily enough, the person
doing the math won each year (I was that person
twice). Now you do it by computer so it's much
easier to change players if
they get injured. The
league has always been
called the Humm Baby
League--we were coming
off that great era of Giants
baseball when we started.
We've never played for
money but in the first few
years the winner was feted
at a Giants game. I got a
really sweet Giants hat one
year and haven't won the
league since I lost my hat.
Three times we have held
the draft at Spring
Training. In 2000 at
Spring Training, the draft
weekend was the most
enjoyable weekend I've
ever had in my life. All the
important people in my
life were there. Kristen got us great hotel rooms
and service at the restaurant. It was just perfect.
It felt like everything went right. Unfortunately
it's become more difficult. Since we started the
League we've had life and death events happen.
There was a period of six straight years when, if
you had a major even in your life, you won the
league. One week after we came back from
Spring Training in 2000 we found out my dad had
melanoma. He won that year. Steve passed the
trophy on to my dad just days before he passed
away. My dad was not able to move and, maybe,
not even speak at the time. But everyone was
around the bed.
QSB: What would you recommend to
others who might be interested in getting
into fantasy baseball? What supplies do
you need and what would you
recommend to a beginner?
Jeff: Buy a magazine or study guide. Or, Yahoo,
USA Today, CBS Sports, and others all have up-to-
the-minute online study guides. There's strategy
involved. Some people have mock drafts.
Traditional fantasy baseball leagues have pitching
and hitting stats--basically runs, steals, average,
homers, and RBIs. Because
of the way our league
developed we use way
more stats. We even use
triples. Our league puts
more of a premium on
speed and we're weighted
towards hitting and speed.
We use Yahoo for stats. Just
enter what stats you want
to track. Steve's our
commissioner and will
enter the draft results.
Then, you manage your
own team. You have to
realize that as soon as you
drop somebody, somebody
else is going to be right
there to pick him up. I like
to look at who's panicking
early and getting rid of
players. I hope the bad
statistics are eaten by the other league player.
QSB: Is there a player you most want to
have on your team this year and who has
been the best in past years?
Jeff: There's always a premium on Giants in our
league. About 3-4 years ago I said that if I had the
number 1 pick, I'd take Albert Pujols. For a long
time I was always drafting Brian Giles--especially
during his pumped up 'roid years with the
Pirates. Greg Maddox too. He was just a good
pitcher.
The virtual passing of the Rog (the trophy) since last
year's winner, Vince Gorski, was unable to make it from
Portland for the draft.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
16
QSB: What are your expectations for this
year and what have you gotten out
playing fantasy baseball?
Jeff: This is the first time my son older son,
Luke, is going to sit in on the draft. Hopefully
this will lead to a generational shift and,
hopefully, the boys and girls--the kids--will want
to play along.
QSB: What happens during a season of
fantasy baseball?
Jeff: Before the draft everyone creates a board.
You paste on the players you want, there's a grid
to track who has what players. Some of the
boards are 2 feet x 3 feet or they might be the
size of a legal piece of paper. I'm more of a cut
and paste and
tape-it-on kind of
guy. The board's
proprietary. We
don't use a
computer for the
draft. We sit at a
table, draw names
out of a hat and
figure out if we
want to trade our
draft positions.
Our draft is in
person or by
phone
conference. It's
hard to all get
together now but
we always have a
draft. We each
get 7 pitchers, 11 position players, and 2 for the
bench.
I check stats daily. During the season I probably
make more changes than most people--a couple
of changes a week. I draft on hitting but change
pitching later after I see who's hot. I can bump
up my strikeout and win categories by choosing
middle relievers rather than closers. I take a
chance but it doesn't always work.
Our trophy is a bobblehead. Steve won it when
he was feted--in 1994 maybe? First the winners'
names were just written on. One year the
bobblehead took a tumble and now it looks like
it's had surgery. It's on a trophy base now and
the winning team's name is engraved on.
QSB: Are there any publications or
websites that you've found particularly
useful?
Jeff: Any of the magazines are useful. They have
projections but I like to focus on previous years.
Sometimes it's better to grab a general baseball
magazine to focus on previous stats. Generally,
the people who study the most do the best
though some of it's random due to injuries and
such.
QSB: Anything
you'd like to
add?
Jeff: I do the
league and I do it
for one reason:
it's family. Our
kids all play when
we're doing the
draft. The draft is
less about the
draft than about
the day and the
people that are
there. It's more
about family than
baseball. And
we've literally
seen life and death.
I'd like to win the league again. Last year I tied
for second place with my mom. That was kind of
cool. The draft is at her house this year.
Jeff was born in Superior California and completes in
his fantasy league under the team name "Bandidos Feos
de Muerte."
The intense studying that goes on during the draft. However the league's motto
is "Study Long, Study Wrong."
———
Someone once said “you are what you
eat.” If you had asked Frank E. Pohl, he
might have said “ you are what you sell.”
Or rather, your place of business is what
you sell. Pohl was one of those visionary
pioneers of what has become known as
roadside vernacular architecture. Starting
in the 1920s Pohl and his family opened a
chain of roadside orange juice stands across
California that were built to look like giant
oranges. His iconic oranges served as
beacons to generations of thirsty travelers,
until new highways and changing tastes
began to take a bite out of the oranges.
One by one the giant oranges closed, were
abandoned or repurposed until just a
handful were left. The Society for
Commercial Archeology, an organization
dedicated to twentieth century
architecture, included California's giant
oranges on its list of the ten most
endangered roadside places, joining the
ranks of the Teapot Dome Gas Station (a
1920s gas station in Washington State that
looks like a giant teapot) and “Tex Randall”
(a 47 foot tall concrete cowboy in the Texas
Panhandle).
Asphalt
Photos and Text
by Sebastian Nelson
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
18
Roundabout
Mark's Hot Dogs in San Jose, California
19
San Jose
Dixon
What is it about these crazy buildings that
have endeared them to generations of
Americans? How did structures of plaster,
concrete and plywood enter our collective
pop culture consciousness? Are they still
worthy of our attention and protection?
Today two of Pohl's last giant oranges can
be found in the cities of Dixon and San
Jose, and I decided to take a trip and try to
answer these questions.
Dixon's giant orange has stood sentinel on
the south side of Interstate 80 since the mid-
1940s. Pohl's family operated the orange
juice stand, also know as George's Orange,
until 1973. More recently the orange
housed a Mexican restaurant called Mr. Taco.
A few years back Mr. Taco moved into a
nearby strip mall. The new location is no
doubt clean, comfortable and convenient.
The orange, however, was vacant and lonely
when I arrived. The whole building is
painted orange, while the ten foot tall
orange itself is emblazoned with paintings of
dancing Mexicans. A weathered neon sign
above the building looks out across some
nearby fields.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
20
George's Orange in Dixon, California
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
21
I can see some framed photographs of
anonymous individuals inside the orange
itself. As I leave for San Jose, I wonder if
this orange has seen its last customer like
so many others around California.
Last look at George's Orange in Dixon, California
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
22
San Jose's giant orange has, since 1947,
housed a hot dog stand started by Mark
Yuram. Mark's Hot Dogs is an east San
Jose institution featuring car service and
arguably the best natural-casing hot dogs in
Santa Clara county. Around ten years ago
Mark's moved about a mile to a new
location, and remarkably the owners
brought the orange with them (in part
because the orange was declared a city
landmark in 1992). Today patrons have a
variety of dining options. Car service is
still offered, but on warm days you might
want to eat your hot dog sitting on one of
their outdoor tables. Mark's orange is
bigger than George's orange, measuring
fifteen feet high and 37 feet in diameter,
and includes a grill, cash register and even
a few seats. It too is painted bright orange.
I treat myself to a chili dog and an orange
flavored milk shake. Business seems brisk
and encouraging, but as I leave I realize that
the urban surroundings makes it difficult to
imagine what the orange must have
originally felt like back in the 1930s and
40s.
Now we're in San Jose
23
The freedom that many Americans must
have felt in the early twentieth century by
having new roads and automobiles seems
more tangible while looking at the rural
landscape around the Dixon orange and
listening to its nearby interstate. Perhaps
Pohl's giant oranges remind us of a time
when travel was more adventurous or
glamorous than it seems today. Maybe they
remind us of mirages reported by weary
desert travelers; fanciful sights that
couldn't possibly be real. Unlike mirages,
however, the giant oranges are real and
don't disappear as you approach them.
Most of California's giant oranges have
vanished, however. The few that remain
serve not only a geographical markers
letting motorists know where they are, but
also as temporal markers that tell us where
we have been and, perhaps, where we are
going.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
24
Sebastian is an archivist at the California State Archives and a
native Californian. He enjoys sleeping, Civil War reenacting, the
gentle art of heraldry, and things that go bump in the night.
Want to see more photos of Sebastian's road trip adventures?
Go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/114367610595201294871
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
25
ROADSIDE STAND: Save Some for Later
Rhubarb!
Sometimes know as the pie plant, rhubarb is available in late winter and early
spring when most other local fruits are not yet ripe. It's beautiful color and
perky flavor offer welcome relief to the sometimes colorless days of winter.
Rhubarb is pretty sour and needs a nearly equal amount of sugar. Don't eat
any of the leafy parts (the leaves have a high oxalic content and may also
contain anthraquinone glycosides: toxic and poisonous!) but the stalks are just
fine and yummy too. You may want to pull off the strings if you find the stalks
to be very tough when you cut them.
Raspberry Rhubarb Jam
Makes 2 cups
12 ounces raspberries (fresh or frozen)
6 ounces rhubarb, chopped into berry-sized pieces
18 ounces sugar
Let fruit mascerate in sugar for half an hour. Then, over medium heat, let the mixture boil until
it thickens to a pleasing jam consistency (about 1/2 hour), stirring occasionally to make sure it
doesn't stick or burn. Store cooled jam in covered, clean jars in the refrigerator. Great on bagels
with cream cheese.
Rhubarb Syrup
Makes just over a cup
Cook 4 cups of rhubarb in a tiny amount of water until soft and jucy. Pass through a food mill
then add 3/4 cups sugar to the juice. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves. Store syrup in a tightly
sealed bottle. Good on pancakes or add two tablespoons of syrup to a glass of seltzer water for a
refreshing drink.
The Fork:
Cook Something
For Yourself
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
28
Cavatappi with Chicken and Asparagus (Pictured next page)
Serves 6
½ pound cavatappi pasta
Cook pasta until al dente in boiling salted water, save some of the pasta water to thin out the
sauce if necessary, then drain.
1 ½ pounds asparagus
Remove tough ends then cut on the bias into one inch long pieces. Simmer bias-cut pieces in 1 ½
cups chicken broth until tender. Set aside.
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, poached in poaching liquid (below)
Poaching liquid:
2 quarts water
juice and rind of 1 lemon
1 bayleaf
1 teaspoon whole pepper corns
2 peeled garlic cloves
sprigs of fresh herbs (I like marjoram or thyme)
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
the ends of the asparagus spears
Let cool, then chop chicken into bite-size pieces.
Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces mushrooms (at minimum), sliced
1 large shallot, minced
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (basil and parsley)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and shallot.
Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in with the mushroom
mixture over medium heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir over medium
heat until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat.
Toss pasta, chicken, and asparagus with the mushroon herb sauce. Thin with extra pasta water as needed.
Serve with Recotta Focaccia.
Ah, Spring. Asparagus is plentiful and, hopefully, local. Rhubarb is making its ruby
presence felt. And, if you feel like making a light but satisfying meal, you'll want to try
these recipes. For a spring picnic, these dishes travel nicely--the pasta tastes great hot
or at room temperature.
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
30
Ricotta Focaccia
Makes 1 dozen squares
2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
½ cup warm water
pinch of sugar
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup olive oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
Soften yeast in the warm water
with the pinch of sugar in a
medium bowl. In the meantime,
combine the dry ingredients in a
large bowl and make a well in the
center of the mixture. Beat
together the rest of the wet
ingredients with the yeast mixture once the yeast has bubbled. Then gradually add the
wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape
into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until double--about 1
hour. Punch down and press into a well-oiled 9"x13" pan. Cover and let rise for 40
minutes. Press your fingers into the top of the dough to form the typical dimples of
focaccia bread then brush top with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Bake at 350° F until
nicely golden brown--about 40 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.
Rustic Rhubarb Pie
Serves 6-8
3 cups rhubarb chopped into 1 inch lengths (about 1 pound)
1 cup sugar plus one tablespoon, reserved
3 tablespoons flour
zest of one orange
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 recipe of Favorite Pie Crust (below)
Mix 1 cup sugar with the flour.
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
31
On a piece of parchment paper, roll crust into a 14 inch round--no need to be perfect here, just be
approximate and rough edges are fine. In the center of the crust, place half the sugar/flour mixture in a
circle. Place rhubarb on top, then sprinkle over the remainder of the sugar/flour. Add the orange zest
and then dot with butter. Fold the edges of the crust up and over the rhubarb so that you have
approximately an 8 inch pie. Leave some uncovered rhubarb in the center for good looks. Sprinkle the
reserved 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top. Transfer pie on parchment paper to a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake at 425° F for 20 minutes then reduce temperature to 350° F and bake for 25 minutes more or
until crust is golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Top each slice with cardamom whipped cream (below) when ready to serve.
Favorite Pie Crust
Makes three crusts
Note: You can use 3 cups of all-purpose flour instead of two different flours or play with
the ratio of all-purpose to whole wheat. Below is what works best for me. This recipe
makes three pie crusts--enough for one double crust pie of your choice plus one pie
shell.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup shortening (I like one without hydrogenated oil)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons cold water
In a food processor mix the flours, shortening, butter, and salt until just combined (you
still want lumps). Quickly pulse in the wet ingredients until the dough just barely
comes together (visible pieces of butter and shortening are desireable). Divide dough
into thirds, place on plastic wrap, and press into 7 inch disks. Chill until workable--
about 30 minutes--or freeze until you need pie crust. Works great for both sweet and
savory pies.
Cardamom Whipped Cream
Plenty for 6-8 servings
½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons sugar
¹/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Beat cream, cardamom, and sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
32
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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On the
Corner
D.H. (David Herbert) Lawrence was a modernist
English novelist, artist, poet, and critic who lived
from 1885-1930. You may be more familiar with
him for his once-considered-racy novels such as
Women in Love and Lady Chatterly's Lover.
"The Enkindled Spring" was first published in his
1916 volume of poetry, Amores. More conventional
than his later poems (I mean, really, it rhymes!),
"The Enkindled Spring" still brings nature to the
fore. Lawrence is generally concerned that
civilization is becoming more unnatural and
dehumanizing so spring and this poem must be an
considered an antidote. Read it and see...
This spring as it comes bursts up in bonfires green,
Wild puffing of emerald trees, and flame-filled bushes,
Thorn-blossom lifting in wreaths of smoke between
Where the wood fumes up and the watery, flickering rushes.
The Enkindled Spring
by D. H. Lawrence
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
35
I am amazed at this spring, this conflagration
Of green fires lit on the soil of the earth, this blaze
Of growing, and sparks that puff in wild gyration,
Faces of people streaming across my gaze.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
36
And I, what fountain of fire am I among
This leaping combustion of spring? My spirit is tossed
About like a shadow buffeted in the throng
Of flames, a shadow that's gone astray, and is lost.
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
37
At The Crossroads:
Puzzle Pages
KW VZ NJP BT VKBDZU, DNZ XHUKBE
VTMRP BTD QZ XT HRZJXJBD: KW VZ
PKP BTD XTGZDKGZX DJXDZ TW
JPOZUQKDA, HUTXHZUKDA VTMRP BTD
QZ XT VZRLTGZ.
--JBBZ QUJPXDUZZD
Cryptoquote
Each letter in the original quote has been replaced by a different letter. To solve
the puzzle, you must determine the original lettering.
Example: DMTDTSWKL = CHOCOLATE
Go to quarterlyspeedbump.com/puzzles-from-the-mag for printable puzzle pages.
answers next issue (answers to the Winter 2011/2012 puzzles wouldn't fit in this issue.
Check out the above web page for the answers to those puzzles as well).
38
Pile-Up: A Scrambled Letters Game
by Scott Wendt
Go to quarterlyspeedbump.com/puzzles-from-the-mag for printable puzzle pages.
answers next issue (answers to the Winter 2011/2012 puzzles wouldn't fit in this issue.
Check out the above web page for the answers to those puzzles as well).
ATPOOLN
IGB
BRVAEHETAR
HRCNOILCE
OGFAR
ANSWER:
39
First, the Fluff
Ever read Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret
Garden when you were younger? That's a
perennial favorite. In The Forgotten Garden,
Kate Morton's grown up
version of the tale, a
little girl (named Nell by
the family who takes her
in) is found on the docks
in Australia in 1913 not
remembereing who she
is or where she came
from. She grows to
adulthood and starts on
a quest to find out who
she really is. But, her
task is interrupted and
it's left to her granddaughter to carry on the
search. There are three parts to the storyline: the
granddaughter's story, Nell's story, and her first
family's story. Some darkness lurks around this
garden's edges but it's pretty much a light
(though lengthy) and quick read. Heck, Frances
Hodgson Burnett makes a walk on appearance;
you wouldn't want to miss that, would you?
Perfect to read out in the spring sunshine after
your gardening tasks are done...don't forget the
sunscreen.
In Wild Designs by Katie Fforde when Althea
loses her job, she decides she'll just make a go of
being a garden designer. A gardening contest
comes at just the right time and of course,
there's the man who owns the greenhouse she's
been secretly borrowing for her plant
production. Happy endings all around but you
knew that. This one's firmly aimed at the
romance novel reader
but will appeal to
anyone who likes
domestic fiction because
of the well developed
characters and more
humor than your
average "chick lit." This
was one of Katie
Fforde's earlier novels
and the one that firmly
hooked me as a fan.
Give one of her books a
try on one of those rainy spring days when it's
too soggy to garden but you really wish you
could.
Now We're Getting Serious
I can't think of a better place to read the poems
of Robert Hass (rhymes with grass) than
outdoors in the
California he loves--
particularly Pt. Reyes,
the coast, the Sierra--or
even under an apple tree
in your own garden or
someone else's. Hass's
poetry is free verse but
full of the imagery--not
like some free verse that
I'd swear is just ordinary
prose formatted
differently--that makes
Interchange:
Get Ready to Read
My spring is full of gardening and wanting to garden. The selected reading material reflects a
garden grab bag. Some are fluffy and ephemeral. Some are educational. At least one will keep
you coming back for more. There's something here for every mood you might experience in this
most changeable of seasons, spring.
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
40
Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret
Garden is worth another look if you
haven't read it since you were a kid.
poetry last. The themes of nature recur as do
love, loss, life, and death. Hass was US Poet
Laureate back in the '90s and I think he was good
poetry ambassador; you'll find his poetry
accessible. The Apple Trees at Olema is a good
place to start as it's a retrospective collection of
previously published poems with a front section
of newer works. Perfect for contemplative times
in spring and on into summer.
Learn Something
Weeds: In Defense of Nature's Unloved
Plants is the kind of rambling read that I enjoy--
the kind that touches on a myriad of subjects
while using (in this case) weeds as a jumping off
point. Richard Mabey makes a case for weeds as
part of the planet's immune system...moving
into brownfields and
bringing life back to
abused land. He notes
that there are few (but
the few are horrible like
kudzu in the American
South or prickly pear in
Australia) weeds that are
really out of control and
explains why and how
plants become weeds
(it's a cultural construct
to some extent). In
sum, weeds are a sign of humanity's presence and
disturbance of the ecosystem. An English
perspective on weeds but relevant to the entire
world and definitely food for thought.
I'm a Michael Pollan fan (if you haven't read
Omnivore's Dilemma or The Botany of
Desire, that's a bandwagon you should get on
and we'll discuss them later) and the quietly
composed Second Nature is what first drew me
to his writing. Before Pollan became the
unwitting spokesperson for the sustainable food
movement, he became a gardener (and always a
journalist, of course). His first published book
(1991) documents his battle to create order out
of the chaos, impose his
own will, or leave
nature alone on the land
around his house in New
Jersey. Of course, along
the way, we learn all
sorts of social history
tidbits on suburbia, land
ownership, gardening
politics, and on and on.
This is a precursor to his
other books
documenting humanity's
relationship (or disassociation) with the earth.
You will be inspired to get outside, note the
changing of the seasons, and think about
gardening.
———
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
41
Books on biking can be found in the 796 section of the Dewey Decimal
System hanging out with the other books on outdoor sports. Don't forget to
wear your helmet if you go biking.
If you just feel like reading poetry, head to the 811 and other 8XX sections.
You'll find lots to ponder there. Try a new poet in the month of April.
Baseball is America's sport but books on baseball are going to be with all the
other outdoor sports books in the 796 section. Books on Fantasy Baseball
will be there too. Also check to see if your library has magazines on baseball-
-usually shelved separately from the books.
Books on birds (like the California Quail) will be in the 598 section but I
guess we've been over that before.
If you're inspired tohit the road just like our intrepid Sebastian Nelson, head
first to the California section: Dewey Decimal 979.4.
Vernacular architecture more your thing? Admire works in the 720s.
Manuals on how to embroider as well as embroidery patterns are located in
the 746 section of the Dewey Decimal system.
As always, if you want to read up on ballroom dance before you hit the floor,
you need to be in the 793 section of the Dewey Decimal System.
Library List
Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
42
Grouplove
Never Trust a Happy Song
www.grouplovemusic.com
A pop-y indie-rock group whose
songs make be want to dance
while I'm typing--probably because
they remind me of what I listened
to when I was in college (we won't
say when that is but perhaps you
can guess after listening?).
Favorite tracks: "Itchin' on a
Photograph" and "Tongue Tied."
Dum Dum Girls
Only in Dreams
wearedumdumgirls.com
Influenced by Sixties girl bands in look and sound,
the Dum Dum Girls sing of sadder and darker
times--an interesting juxtaposition of sound and
meaning. You'll find yourself tapping your toes
anyway to this retro album. Favorite tracks: "In
My Head" and "Heartbeat."
Off
the
Beaten
Tracks
Pop music might be your
summer fare but I look at
it as a reward for making
it through the dark times
of winter. Like most
genres, pop is a little
difficult to define--all
these albums simply have
pop elements--but I look
at pop songs as fun,
upbeat, catchy, and not
too cerebral. Some of
these songs will stick in
your head but that's okay;
it's a new season. Try on
new music as you slough
off your winter sweaters.
Dance around, feel
carefree, and HAVE FUN.
You deserve it.
Youth Lagoon
The Year of Hibernation
youthlagoon.blogspot.com
Dreamlike and haunting is the
only way to describe this work
by young artist Youth Lagoon
(aka Trevor Powers). He sings
in falsetto, writes some dark
lyrics, but there's an undeniable
upbeat sound. Favorite tracks:
"Cannons" and "Daydream."
Tennis
Young & Old
www.tennis-music.com
Decidedly the most pop-y
album of the five reviewed
here. This husband and wife
team produces clear and
youthful vocals with lots of
keyboard and bass plus an
upbeat tempo. Favorite tracks:
"Traveling" and "Petition."
The Drums
Portamento
http://thedrums.com/
Many of these songs sound
similar or even familiar on
first listen. Then you
realize you've been infected
with an earworm. Favorite
tracks: "Book of
Revelations" and "How It
Ended."
QuarterlySpeedBump.com
43
Photo by B. Drawdy
44
That is the question most often asked
when people find out that I am a
ballroom dancer. Some ballroom
fanatics may have difficulty answering
this, as each dance has its own flavor, its
own character, so that choosing
between them can be like picking an
apple over an orange…it just depends
on what you feel like at the time. I,
however, have an answer instantly ready:
Argentine tango.
Hands down. Best. Dance. Ever.
Dedicated to Todd Ohlander and Chris Martell.
We will tango again, amongst the clouds.
“What’s your favorite dance?”
E
Essays in Dance
by Jessica Herrick
U
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The beauty of this dance lies in its improvisational
and intimate nature. By most accounts, Argentine
tango was born in the dockside neighborhoods of
Buenos Aries during the last few decades of the
nineteenth century. Thousands of immigrants
flooded into Argentina during a period of rapid
economic growth from about 1880 forward, most
of them male. Tango evolved as a form of
courtship and flirtation, in an environment where
men outnumbered women sometimes 50 to 1.
Such high stakes led men to hone their dancing
skills with other men, while women, who of
course did not want to be left behind their
partners in ability, practiced with other women.
Both sexes brought their talents out of
overcrowded tenements onto the street corners
and into bars, bordellos, dance halls, and a wide
variety of other social venues.
Argentine tango is therefore a dance of many
moods. It can be playful or passionate, seductive
or solemn, steamy or angry, grandiose or
whimsical. At its heart, tango is simply a couple
walking around a dance floor together in an
embrace, trying to harmonize their movements
with each other and the music, trying to connect
with each other. Tango is viewed by many,
including yours truly, as a form of moving
meditation. Tango is not danced for the audience.
It is danced for the dancers themselves. It
demands that each person in the pair live in the
NOW. There is no past, there is no future. There
is only the next step of the dance, which, as in
life, can be completely different than what you
anticipate.
There are no set steps in Argentine tango, and
very few “rules,” all of which are meant to be
broken. This intimidates many people,
particularly ballroom folk, who love their
patterns and steps. I cannot fault this, as I too
love the graceful patterns of a waltz, and the sexy
steps of a rumba. But in tango, dancers are not
limited to a proscribed set of movements. You
can dance exactly what the music makes you feel,
to any beat that inspires you. A freedom such as
this is as exhilarating as it is terrifying.
Tango music is as varied as its moods. More
traditional tango music, such as that created by
Carlos Gardel, Carlos Di Sarli, Juan D’Arienzo,
and other talented musicians in the first half of
the twentieth century, generally features the
sound of a bandoneon (a type of accordion)
accompanied by a violin, guitar, or piano. This
era of tango music peaked in the late 1940s. A
great many tangueros (Argentine tango dancers)
still love the feeling that this music evokes.
R. Molavi
B. D
raw
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46
As a product of my generation, I prefer the more
modern twist that groups such as Tanghetto,
Gotan Project, Bajofundo, and Otros Aries have
brought to the scene. Their music, often referred
to as tango nuevo or neo-tango, is influenced by
rock and roll, new age, techno, and electronica.
Djimi (my dance partner) and I have found,
though, that you can tango to any music which
inspires you to move. Two of my favorite pieces
of music are Bajofundo’s “Pa’Bailar,” and Salt-n-
Pepa’s “Shoop.” Vastly different genres…one
2000s tango nuevo, and the other 1990s hip-hop.
But both with a varied beat structure perfect for
the Argentine tango dancer.
Tango music, like Argentine tango itself, is
constantly evolving, changing. In that sense,
tango is alive in a way that many ballroom dances
are not. It has not been formalized into a set of
steps, a specific tempo, or certain type of music.
If, by some hopeful chance, this article or some
other influence brings you to venture into a dance
studio for Argentine lessons, be wary of
ballroom’s need to categorize every movement. If
the instructor starts teaching the “eight count
basic,” run, do not walk, out of the class.
Argentine tango cannot, should not be reduced to
a formula. It is a feeling as much as it is a style of
movement. Learning how to move, how to step,
how to feel the music, how to connect with one’s
partner…those are the important things in
dancing Argentine tango.
I simply cannot do justice to this dance with mere
words. It requires experiencing the dance, the
music, the motion, the connection with one’s
partner. Consider yourself warned, however…in
the words of tango dancer Naomi Hotta, “Tango
contains highly addictive ingredients, such as
pain, pleasure, passion, excitement, connection,
freedom, torment, and bliss. In seven out of ten
cases it takes over a person's life.”
How lucky I am to be one of the seven.
———
Jessica Herrick is a regular columnist for
Quarterly Speed Bump. Follow her
continuing adventures in
ballroom dance in our next issue.
Contact Jessica at
learn more at www.any2cantango.com.
B. D
raw
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QuarterlySpeedBump.com
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Quarterly Speed Bump Magazine | Spring 2012
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