The pies for this week (yes, two, there's that much fruit about this time of year) are Apricot-Blueberry, straight out of Ken's incredible book. One or both may find itself involved in chariable fundraising, I'll keep you posted.
However, an earlier recipe involved using less than a full can of sweetened condensed milk, and we've got a lot of berries on had. Following this blog's pattern of using pie leftovers for breakfast, here goes:
Berry Delicious Oatmeal:
Ingredients:
3 Cups water
1.5 Cups "traditional" oatmeal
.5 Cups black raspberries
.5 Cups blueberries
.25 Cup (I think) sweetened condensed milk
Procedure:
Bring the water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Place the can of milk next to the burner, this will make it easier to pour later.
Slowly add the oats, stirring continuously.
Reduce heat, watching for boil-over.
After a couple minutes, pour in the milk and stir.
When the oats have about 1min to go, add the berries and stir.
Serve warm.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Deflationary stimulus and stimulating taxes?
A friend recently send along a link to the latest quarterly review from Hoisington Investment Management.
The point it makes that of the conditions required for inflation, essentially that there is a desire to invest and increase economic capacity, we currently meet none. Meanwhile, empirical evidence cited (and yes, we're always a little suspicious of that) suggests that US government spending does not have a Keynesian multiplier significantly different from zero. In other words, most government spending does not increase economic activity so much as shift it from private to public expenditures.
How does this work? Consider the demographics of graduate school enrollment. It grew even during the boom year, as students with technical degrees were largely faced with the choice between grad school and investment banking (there were exceptions, like chemical engineers). Now, IB isn't much of an option, although government planning might bring it back. Goldman's sure doing well.
However, for most of those students, grad school has largely become industry R&D on the cheap. The government has piled into the game, and now quite a lot of projects that used to go on in places like National Labs, Bell Labs, Xerox Parc and at drug companies now goes to people making 30-60% for the first few years of their careers. Government sponsored research into the energy industry has, according to the President, reduced solar cell prices by something like 80% in twenty years. This shifts the aggregate supply curve to the right, making economic activity cheaper.
In normal times, that's a good thing. Productivity goes up, inflation stays under control. In times like these, government research spending is actually deflationary. Ask Japan. On the other hand, if the Henry-Waxman climate bill actually does anything to increase the costs of emitting carbon, it will spur private sector investment, since it will be cheaper for large companies to plow money into the private economy than the government.
Shifting the AS curve left is an inflationary move. We're entering a deflationary cycle. We've got simultaneous climate, energy and debt problems to solve, and we the taxpayers own a car company that we really want to make money selling small cars.
The point it makes that of the conditions required for inflation, essentially that there is a desire to invest and increase economic capacity, we currently meet none. Meanwhile, empirical evidence cited (and yes, we're always a little suspicious of that) suggests that US government spending does not have a Keynesian multiplier significantly different from zero. In other words, most government spending does not increase economic activity so much as shift it from private to public expenditures.
How does this work? Consider the demographics of graduate school enrollment. It grew even during the boom year, as students with technical degrees were largely faced with the choice between grad school and investment banking (there were exceptions, like chemical engineers). Now, IB isn't much of an option, although government planning might bring it back. Goldman's sure doing well.
However, for most of those students, grad school has largely become industry R&D on the cheap. The government has piled into the game, and now quite a lot of projects that used to go on in places like National Labs, Bell Labs, Xerox Parc and at drug companies now goes to people making 30-60% for the first few years of their careers. Government sponsored research into the energy industry has, according to the President, reduced solar cell prices by something like 80% in twenty years. This shifts the aggregate supply curve to the right, making economic activity cheaper.
In normal times, that's a good thing. Productivity goes up, inflation stays under control. In times like these, government research spending is actually deflationary. Ask Japan. On the other hand, if the Henry-Waxman climate bill actually does anything to increase the costs of emitting carbon, it will spur private sector investment, since it will be cheaper for large companies to plow money into the private economy than the government.
Shifting the AS curve left is an inflationary move. We're entering a deflationary cycle. We've got simultaneous climate, energy and debt problems to solve, and we the taxpayers own a car company that we really want to make money selling small cars.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Wild black raspberry and zante current pie
The day after we picked a whole lot of wild black raspberries, the local supermarket had a 1lb box of zante currents, basically tiny fresh seedless grapes on the clearance rack. The box was damaged, but the fruit looked fine, so home they came, visions of culinary adventures dancing in our heads. They taste kind of like extra-sweet concord grapes, and so blend very nicely with the tartness of the raspberries.
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat double crust
1lb zante currents
~1lb wild black raspberries
2/3 cup + 2T sugar
3T cornstarch
Procedure:
1) Roll the crust into a deep dish pie plate, preheat the oven to 400F
2) Mix the fruit and most of the sugar together. Stir the 2T sugar and constarch in a small bowl. Slowly and gently mix the cornstarch into the fruit mixture.
3) (If you have a pie bird, this is a good recipe for it) Pour the fruit mix into the pie shell, cover with the top crust. Poke a few holes near the edge to see pie juices bubbling through.
4) Bake for 25min, reduce oven temp to 375F and bake another 25min or until juices bubble thickly at the edge.
Ingredients:
1 whole wheat double crust
1lb zante currents
~1lb wild black raspberries
2/3 cup + 2T sugar
3T cornstarch
Procedure:
1) Roll the crust into a deep dish pie plate, preheat the oven to 400F
2) Mix the fruit and most of the sugar together. Stir the 2T sugar and constarch in a small bowl. Slowly and gently mix the cornstarch into the fruit mixture.
3) (If you have a pie bird, this is a good recipe for it) Pour the fruit mix into the pie shell, cover with the top crust. Poke a few holes near the edge to see pie juices bubbling through.
4) Bake for 25min, reduce oven temp to 375F and bake another 25min or until juices bubble thickly at the edge.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Grilled Wild Black Raspberry Pie
This one stretches the definition of "pie" considerably. But, it is made from a pizza crust, it doesn't fit other categories well, and I, the pie maker, made it. More importantly, it's extremely tasty.
It started when I had one more pizza crust than toppings while making grilled pizzas last night (incidentally, if you have vegetarians at a BBQ, this is the way to go. Also, great way to make pizza during the summer without heating up the house). I also happened to have more wild black raspberries than I know what to do with, and a bit of brown sugar.
Ingredients:
on the grill:
1 roughly fist sized ball of pizza dough
1 cup wild black raspberries (other berries should work)
2-3T brown sugar
after grilling:
1T butter, melted
~1T powdered sugar for sprinkling
2 scoops ice cream
Procedure:
Let the grill cool a bit after grilling the pizza, so that you can hold a hand over the coals for about 7s. A good way to do this is enjoy the grilled pizzas and a tall beverage while the grill is covered.
Carefully mix the berries and sugar in a bowl.
Stretch the dough ball into a rough circle 12" across (probably best to use a rolling pin)
Place the berry mix in the middle, fold up the crust around it, and place on the grill. Cover, let sit about 5min, and roll onto the opposite side, wait 5min or so, and then cook the remaining two sides.
Place the baked pie-tube on a plate, pour and smear the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with powered sugar. Serve immediately with two scoops of ice cream and two spoons or forks.
It started when I had one more pizza crust than toppings while making grilled pizzas last night (incidentally, if you have vegetarians at a BBQ, this is the way to go. Also, great way to make pizza during the summer without heating up the house). I also happened to have more wild black raspberries than I know what to do with, and a bit of brown sugar.
Ingredients:
on the grill:
1 roughly fist sized ball of pizza dough
1 cup wild black raspberries (other berries should work)
2-3T brown sugar
after grilling:
1T butter, melted
~1T powdered sugar for sprinkling
2 scoops ice cream
Procedure:
Let the grill cool a bit after grilling the pizza, so that you can hold a hand over the coals for about 7s. A good way to do this is enjoy the grilled pizzas and a tall beverage while the grill is covered.
Carefully mix the berries and sugar in a bowl.
Stretch the dough ball into a rough circle 12" across (probably best to use a rolling pin)
Place the berry mix in the middle, fold up the crust around it, and place on the grill. Cover, let sit about 5min, and roll onto the opposite side, wait 5min or so, and then cook the remaining two sides.
Place the baked pie-tube on a plate, pour and smear the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle with powered sugar. Serve immediately with two scoops of ice cream and two spoons or forks.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Someone pointed out to me recently that I must have been busy, since nothing happened here for a couple months. Well, I don't know if I'm less busy, but there's some things going on in the world that I'm having trouble sorting out. Read on, if you wish, and swing by for a slice if you care to discuss.
Harry Shearer had perhaps the best insight into the recent Palin resignation on last week's "Le Show": "The crucial difference between . . . politics and showbusiness is that in politics you have to read your negative reviews and answer your critics." This, I think, is the real difference between those politicians who we say get bad press, and those who we think are media darlings. There's plenty of articles and opinion pieces critical of the current US president, but he's very good at elegantly ducking tough questions. Watch a White House press conference some time, this guy is good. Also, his team is good, and by spreading ownership of major initiatives around, it seems like half of the Hill is figuring out responses to criticisms as fast as they come out.
Consider, as an alternative to this rather elegant criticism anechoic chamber, the family-friendly sitcom. In these series, when offense is given, it is typically the responsibility of the offender to deal with the hurt feelings. If there is mutual offense, then per our Western Humanist value set, all parties are responsible restoring harmony. Occasionally, there are characters who come along to show that there are people who don't share these values, and they are roundly condemned and held as an example of what not to do. If you feel like I'm describing a Fox News or MSNBC broadcast, you may be on to something.
Is it terribly surprising, then, that a generation of people used to watching conflicts resolve themselves in favor of the character with whom they identify have problems with civil discourse? That they would have trouble believing that it's important for people with whom they identify (say, likable politicians who come on TV after the sitcoms) to engage with people who don't share those common values? These canned conflicts remind me of canned pie filling, overly sweet with all of the flavor beaten out of them. Other periods in history have had their problems, and you will never hear me say that any particular technology "ruined" humanity (although coal-fired power plants are doing their darnest right now). This, however, is the problem of our age in the United States today.
I could be completely wrong. Certainly, despite having an uncomfortably close view of the transition of the GOP from the "elites" to the "Right," I don't have all the answers. Ted Koppel put it well in a Talk of the Nation appearance when he described an "Age of Entitlement", all people have the ability to choose a news outlet that presents everything from their point of view. As a frequent reader of the BBC, Economist, and Reuters news services and NPR station member, I want my information presented with a Western Humanist slant that is extremely cautious about saying which side it "right" (with the exception of the self-professed "mouthpiece of global capitalism" that ironically argues very well for certain social programs). I will not get into the post-modern nihilistic navel-gazing and question if my view is necessarily better because, frankly, wisdom comes not from reinforcement of beliefs but questioning and learning the limits of them.
This is a painful process. Human history, and the fall of representative governments especially, is full of people turning away from the pain in favor comfortable mediocrity (read The Challenge and Promise of a Catholic University for a lot good essays on the subject). It can't be made less painful, but a good pie makes it easier to sit down to deal with difficult issues, just promise to be civil about disagreements at my table.
Harry Shearer had perhaps the best insight into the recent Palin resignation on last week's "Le Show": "The crucial difference between . . . politics and showbusiness is that in politics you have to read your negative reviews and answer your critics." This, I think, is the real difference between those politicians who we say get bad press, and those who we think are media darlings. There's plenty of articles and opinion pieces critical of the current US president, but he's very good at elegantly ducking tough questions. Watch a White House press conference some time, this guy is good. Also, his team is good, and by spreading ownership of major initiatives around, it seems like half of the Hill is figuring out responses to criticisms as fast as they come out.
Consider, as an alternative to this rather elegant criticism anechoic chamber, the family-friendly sitcom. In these series, when offense is given, it is typically the responsibility of the offender to deal with the hurt feelings. If there is mutual offense, then per our Western Humanist value set, all parties are responsible restoring harmony. Occasionally, there are characters who come along to show that there are people who don't share these values, and they are roundly condemned and held as an example of what not to do. If you feel like I'm describing a Fox News or MSNBC broadcast, you may be on to something.
Is it terribly surprising, then, that a generation of people used to watching conflicts resolve themselves in favor of the character with whom they identify have problems with civil discourse? That they would have trouble believing that it's important for people with whom they identify (say, likable politicians who come on TV after the sitcoms) to engage with people who don't share those common values? These canned conflicts remind me of canned pie filling, overly sweet with all of the flavor beaten out of them. Other periods in history have had their problems, and you will never hear me say that any particular technology "ruined" humanity (although coal-fired power plants are doing their darnest right now). This, however, is the problem of our age in the United States today.
I could be completely wrong. Certainly, despite having an uncomfortably close view of the transition of the GOP from the "elites" to the "Right," I don't have all the answers. Ted Koppel put it well in a Talk of the Nation appearance when he described an "Age of Entitlement", all people have the ability to choose a news outlet that presents everything from their point of view. As a frequent reader of the BBC, Economist, and Reuters news services and NPR station member, I want my information presented with a Western Humanist slant that is extremely cautious about saying which side it "right" (with the exception of the self-professed "mouthpiece of global capitalism" that ironically argues very well for certain social programs). I will not get into the post-modern nihilistic navel-gazing and question if my view is necessarily better because, frankly, wisdom comes not from reinforcement of beliefs but questioning and learning the limits of them.
This is a painful process. Human history, and the fall of representative governments especially, is full of people turning away from the pain in favor comfortable mediocrity (read The Challenge and Promise of a Catholic University for a lot good essays on the subject). It can't be made less painful, but a good pie makes it easier to sit down to deal with difficult issues, just promise to be civil about disagreements at my table.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Mulberry-Rhubarb Pie
Mulberry trees are common throughout the temperate zones of the world, having spread from south and southeast Asia on the decks of British ships to many places around the world. Their fruit is very delicate, a bucket of mulberries will quickly crush the bottom layer into juice, which has severely limited their commercialization. They do show up in processed form as juice, wine or coloring extracts. However, if you are lucky enough to live near a stand of them, they are effectively free for the taking as long as they are bearing fruit, generally throughout the early summer.
Being very sweet on their own, it's helpful to add something tart to give a pie a more full-bodied flavor. Citrus might work, but that's a winter fruit, and we're all about being seasonally appropriate here. The obvious choice is rhubarb. The combination works remarkably well with the whole wheat crust.
Ingredients:
1 double-crust worth of whole wheat crust
4 cups mulberries
3 cups rhubarb
3/4 cup + 2T sugar
2T cornstarch
Procedure:
Roll out the bottom crust into a 13" circle and place into a 9.5" deep dish pie pan. Preheat the oven to 400F.
Combine the fruit and .75C sugar in a bowl, carefully stir to mix (the mulberries are delicate, so don't push them too hard). Combine the remaining sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then mix carefully into the fruit mixture.
Pour carefully into the pie pan, add a lattice top, and bake for about 40min. The pie is done when the juices bubble thickly, I've had to add an aluminium heat shield to the rim at about 30min.
Let cool thoroughly.
Being very sweet on their own, it's helpful to add something tart to give a pie a more full-bodied flavor. Citrus might work, but that's a winter fruit, and we're all about being seasonally appropriate here. The obvious choice is rhubarb. The combination works remarkably well with the whole wheat crust.
Ingredients:
1 double-crust worth of whole wheat crust
4 cups mulberries
3 cups rhubarb
3/4 cup + 2T sugar
2T cornstarch
Procedure:
Roll out the bottom crust into a 13" circle and place into a 9.5" deep dish pie pan. Preheat the oven to 400F.
Combine the fruit and .75C sugar in a bowl, carefully stir to mix (the mulberries are delicate, so don't push them too hard). Combine the remaining sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then mix carefully into the fruit mixture.
Pour carefully into the pie pan, add a lattice top, and bake for about 40min. The pie is done when the juices bubble thickly, I've had to add an aluminium heat shield to the rim at about 30min.
Let cool thoroughly.
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