I walked to the bridge and back this evening, just after sunset. The return part of the journey, I did, for the most part, with my eyes closed. I did this purely as an exercise, to see if I could. There was no significant danger; it's a relatively quiet road, and I can hear cars coming a long way off.
Walking over a half mile with your eyes shut, in a straight line can present a bit of a challenge. I discovered I could tell the difference when I stepped on the painted line at the edge of the road versus when I stepped on pavement. It felt different. It sounded different.
And yet once I drifted off that line, it was hard to find again. Sometimes when I blinked open my eyes for a second to check bearings, I was drifting towards the center of the road somewhat... not what I wanted to do.
I discovered that if I walk with one foot on the grass, and one on the pavement, I can go indefinitely without drifting in the least.
***
Cooking, I think, was our first science, or our first magic. It depends on how you look at it.
It exposed a principle worth examining.
Probably, before salt was used as a preservative, someone noticed something dead on a salt flat, or in a dried tidal pool. She or he smelled it. It wasn't rotten, and yet it had obviously been there a while. Perhaps on a dare, or more likely out of desperation, this someone ate what she or he had found... and didn't get sick. It may have taken days, it may have taken years, it may have taken generations... but sooner or later, someone- maybe that same someone- thought, "If salt will do that to something that fell in it, why would it not do that for something I put in it?"
Before there was gelatin, someone noticed that when a soup was made with ox's hooves, and it chilled, it became a solid lump. Then someone thought... if ox's hooves will do that in a soup, by accident. could I not do that with berries, on purpose?
All this holds true with people as well as ingredients. Look at what they do. Sometimes, it can be wise to ask, if this person would do that (whatever that may be) to another person, why would he or she not do that to me?
Sometimes there are good answers, sometimes not.
I try to make it where if the question were asked about me, there would only be the good answers. But better yet is to avoid the need for the question to be asked.
***
This is a quiet time for me. If you have words to break it up a bit, I would very much enjoy hearing them.
Even if not, take care of yourselves, and be well.
Walking over a half mile with your eyes shut, in a straight line can present a bit of a challenge. I discovered I could tell the difference when I stepped on the painted line at the edge of the road versus when I stepped on pavement. It felt different. It sounded different.
And yet once I drifted off that line, it was hard to find again. Sometimes when I blinked open my eyes for a second to check bearings, I was drifting towards the center of the road somewhat... not what I wanted to do.
I discovered that if I walk with one foot on the grass, and one on the pavement, I can go indefinitely without drifting in the least.
***
Cooking, I think, was our first science, or our first magic. It depends on how you look at it.
It exposed a principle worth examining.
Probably, before salt was used as a preservative, someone noticed something dead on a salt flat, or in a dried tidal pool. She or he smelled it. It wasn't rotten, and yet it had obviously been there a while. Perhaps on a dare, or more likely out of desperation, this someone ate what she or he had found... and didn't get sick. It may have taken days, it may have taken years, it may have taken generations... but sooner or later, someone- maybe that same someone- thought, "If salt will do that to something that fell in it, why would it not do that for something I put in it?"
Before there was gelatin, someone noticed that when a soup was made with ox's hooves, and it chilled, it became a solid lump. Then someone thought... if ox's hooves will do that in a soup, by accident. could I not do that with berries, on purpose?
All this holds true with people as well as ingredients. Look at what they do. Sometimes, it can be wise to ask, if this person would do that (whatever that may be) to another person, why would he or she not do that to me?
Sometimes there are good answers, sometimes not.
I try to make it where if the question were asked about me, there would only be the good answers. But better yet is to avoid the need for the question to be asked.
***
This is a quiet time for me. If you have words to break it up a bit, I would very much enjoy hearing them.
Even if not, take care of yourselves, and be well.
AUG 15, 2008 12:12 AM
Food discoveries fascinate me. I look at things like yeast breads, beer, coffee and wonder how did someone see the food potential there? Even grains are amazing given how nearly inedible most are in their raw forms.
Your analogy is interesting too. Most people are willing to, and do apply those concepts to their lives on a daily basis, yet ignore them when it comes to relationships. I know I have. 
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