A Kernel Of Truth

I tell people I became a vegetarian primarily for philosophical reasons--I simply can’t justify killing another being for pleasure, even the pleasure of eating. Another reason is that I have experienced firsthand the health benefits vegetarianism brings with it. But a third reason I never mention (mostly because it sounds really shallow next to those other two) is that my name is Jodi…and I am a carbohydrate addict. I love simple sugars in all forms, but corn might just be my favorite. And corn in popped form is my most definitive downfall. Any family with two bowls reserved just for popcorn is obsessed. When Scarlett sees pots and pans in storybooks, she refers to them as “corn-corn,” which is what she calls popcorn and primarily what she’s seen pots used for in her young life. So, it seemed only appropriate that during “C” week we would check a book about corn out of the library. And, as happens so often these days, I learned all kinds of stuff I never knew from Gail Gibbons’ Corn. It was the major product of the great Mayan and Aztec civilizations. Early Euro-Americans used every part of the corn plant--kernels, cobs, husks, silk, stalks--for daily purposes. There are types of corn called “strawberry corn,” “Autumn Explosion,“ and “Hopi Blue.” Have you ever even heard of those? Me neither. People and animals use corn products virtually every hour of the day. And, best of all, there is a corn just for popcorn. I like that.

http://www.amazon.com/Corn-Gail-Gibbons/dp/0823421694

http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1069

An Apple A Day

It is interesting, and vindicating for moms, to see how often wives’ tales and superstitions are shown to have real-world application and scientific benefit. For instance, it is wise not to walk under a ladder not just because it is bad luck, but also because ladders can come tumbling down on unsuspecting heads, sometimes bringing heavy things, including people, with them. You get the idea. An especially useful piece of folk wisdom is the one about eating apples and keeping doctors away. In times before common nutrition knowledge and readily available medical care, staying healthy was not only smart but absolutely necessary. I like apples in most forms--sauce, pie, sliced, dried--but I’ve never really known much about them. Since Scarlett and I have been working together at home, we began at the beginning with “A,” which naturally led to paying attention to apples this week. And even though Scarlet is the student, I’ve learned a ton. Did you know that the channels where apples keep their seeds are called carpels? Or that over 250 million bushels of apples are grown in just the United States every year? Apples, which seem so American, are not native to this country, and all apples, despite their seeming variety, are some combination of red, yellow, and/or green. Fascinating. Well, it has been for me, anyway. In Apples, written by the number one children’s nonfiction writer Gail Gibbons, I found out why apples are such a big deal. I think I’ll go have a snack.

P.S. Happy Anniversary, Oba and Grandpa Dan!

http://www.amazon.com/Apples-Gail-Gibbons/dp/0823416690

http://www.gailgibbons.com/