If you’ve gone through and binge-watched all the shows you wanted to, it’s time to head over to movies. Here are some of the best movie franchises you can binge-watch now for the best movie marathon of all time.
Photo Credit: Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings
Including the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit series, this movie franchise comes from Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth. These movies are not just popular but have won many awards, as well. Each film is roughly three hours, so this is a lot more daunting than it looks. But you have more than enough time on your hands now to get through them!
Advertisement
Photo Credit: Harry Potter
Harry Potter
One of the most successful book series also has an extremely successful movie franchise. Harry Potter is everything you want in a fantasy film and has eight movie adaptations to prove it. Plus, there’s the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy (with the third released in 2021), so even more magic awaits.
Photo Credit: Star Wars
Star Wars
Some of the most beloved films of all times the original six Star Wars movies have a strong following and, with the release of the newer films and spin-offs starting in 2012, there are more than enough movies to keep you occupied for a while. Plus, it’s time to get through The Mandalorian series on Disney+ if you haven’t already!
Advertisement
Photo Credit: Hannibal
Hannibal
This chilling horror series about a cannibal serial killer is one of the best movie franchises of all time, offering up four films to binge-watch… with the lights on, of course.
Photo Credit: James Bond 007
James Bond
One of the longest movie franchises in history with a rotating lead actor, James Bond continues to attract an audience and has seen some strong, critically acclaimed films during the Daniel Craig era.
Advertisement
Photo Credit: Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park
With three original movies and two more recent ones, there is no other franchise like Jurassic Park. It tells the story of what life would be like if we brought back dinosaurs to coexist with humans, a terrifying thought IMO.
Photo Credit: Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean
One of Johnny Depp’s most notable roles, you will love Captain Jack Sparrow and his eccentric, hilarious character in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Advertisement
Photo Credit: Toy Story
Toy Story
The only animated series on this list, Toy Story is not only for kids. If you’re like many of us, we grew up with Toy Story and have come to love the characters as well. With only four films, you’ll get through this fast but not without some nostalgia.
Photo Credit: Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones, the story of an archaeologist who goes on wild adventures is thrilling and exciting and will keep you entertained through all four franchise films.
Advertisement
Photo Credit: Rocky
Rocky
A film about an aspiring boxer, the Rocky franchise has continued making new movies for more than forty years.
With spring practices officially cancelled and so many unanswered questions hovering in the air, the four Illinois Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs have found a silver lining in the dark clouds of the unknown.
The impact of COVID-19 has left staffs scrambling to meet the needs of its players, keep track of academic performances, set up workout plans and a myriad of other agenda items. Yet, in a time of uncertainty those staffs have also been granted clock hours to build for the future.
“This is a very unique time that we’re in. We’ve got a great opportunity as a staff to get ahead recruiting-wise, so we’re doing a lot of recruiting and maintaining structure and staying connected with our (current) players,” Western Illinois head coach Jared Elliott said recently.
Knowing recruiting is the lifeblood of every football program no matter the size or level or conference affiliation, Prairie State Pigskin contacted staff members from each of the Illinois FCS schools — Eastern, Illinois State, Southern and Western — to gain insight on this spring’s changing landscape.
With geographically better early spring weather, SIU has traditionally opened its practices sooner than the other schools. That held true this year as head coach Nick Hill’s Salukis were able to get in five such practices before the pandemic shut things down. SIU was also able to hold a junior day for the high school class of 2021.
“We had over 120 kids on campus,” SIU recruiting coordinator Gaizka Crowley said. “That was a really good event for us. Along with those five practices, that gave us a jump start. A lot of programs weren’t able to get any in.”
Crowley added that once Hill’s staff had its current roster set up for distance learning, workouts and other priorities, SIU turned its attention to recruiting.
“For me in my position, it’s hog heaven a little bit, being able to watch a ton of guys and speak to high school coaches and speak to a lot of prospects,” Crowley said.
Changing a negative into a positive
Adam Cushing has entered his second year as Eastern Illinois head coach. Despite not getting a chance to put his young team (which by fall will be 85 percent of his staff’s recruits) through much-needed spring practices, Cushing leans toward optimism.
“Our approach to this whole situation is, what does this make possible? Flip it from a challenge to an opportunity,” Cushing said. “We’ve been given time; nobody ever gives you time. Let’s use that time to be detailed about all the things we really want to be detailed on.”
One of those things that he’s detailed on is his staff’s rankings of potential recruits.
“I generally know about the top five guys on the board by position, but now we’ll have a much deeper board,” he said.
Deeper connections and closer looks
Every coach interviewed discussed the opportunity to establish stronger bonds with possible future players.
“We’ll have much deeper connection if we can stress daily connection,” Cushing said. “As crazy as it it is, (during the past) you’d be fighting to get the prospective student-athlete, the high school kid, that you want to get on the phone with because he’s a football guy, but he’s also in track and he’s a 4.0 student. You don’t want to take a lot of his time, but (now) he’s got a whole bunch of time too. If you can set it up right, you can really be maximizing relationships on a daily basis.”
Khenon Hall coaches running backs at Illinois State. He is also head coach Brock Spack’s recruiting coordinator.
“With Coach Spack we’re usually pretty much ahead, but this has cleared up some extra time and allowed us to reevaluate some guys that fit what we want, what we’re looking for this year. We have a big senior class this year so we’re probably going to have a big signing class. It’s actually been a blessing to sit back, reorganize and hone in on the guys that are our top targets and the guys that fit the ISU program,” Hall said.
No on-campus visits
The NCAA has declared a “dead period,” meaning that no recruits can make visits to campus nor can any coaches take to the road in attempts to land potential recruits. Thus, recruiting may look a little different for those 2021 signees.
“For us, it’s allowed Coach Hill, myself and our other staff to develop relationships with those kids because normally we’d be in spring practice right now,” Crowley said. “While we may potentially miss seeing a kid for in-person evaluation depending on how your (high school) camp schedule lays out, what it’s honestly allowing you to do is to get to know a kid better on a one-on-one basis . . . we’ve been able to watch a ton of film, but even more importantly than the film is getting to know the kids. Getting them on the phone, talking to parents. We’ve been able to do that quite a bit.”
Hall said, “Letters, phone calls, FaceTime, whatever we’ve got to do in order to continue to build that relationship.”
Illinois recruiting analyst “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran said in a Tuesday YouTube video, “Basically March has become the new May, meaning the spring evaluation period is such a busy, busy time for recruiting on a lot of different levels. All this has done is pushed things forward and pushed the calendar back even further. Now you have college coaches looking . . . Something we’ve noticed this past week, all of the sudden multiple, multiple FCS schools are offering a lot more kids. More than I can remember at this time of the year in particular.”
An added bonus?
Nearly all recruiting experts rate the state’s 2021 class higher than the recent 2020 signees. Could the cornavirus actually help keep more of those recruits here in Illinois?
“It helps us a lot. Chicago, especially the ‘21 (class), is better than last year as far as the talent goes,” Hall said. “We take care of our backyard, but now the kids that are getting attention from the out-of-state areas can’t go to those campuses, or they might have early offers from these MAC schools in Ohio or Michigan or wherever.
“Now, they can’t get to those campuses, but they’ve probably been to ours. We are one of the top schools in the state and country, so we’re able to get some of those guys that tend to go to that MAC area. Now we’re going to be able to keep those guys home.”
Crowley added, “We’re in the middle of everything. We’re in the middle of Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Memphis, St. Louis, so we’re able to get a lot of kids on campus. With potentially the spring and summer camp season being very much in the air, you’ve got a lot of kids that (normally) go to the one-day camps, put on a great performance and that’s when they earn a lot of offers. From our perspective, can you go up and grab a kid who’s a Group of Five kid or even a Power-5 kid? I think that’s very much a reality.
“It’s uncharted territory. How does it (COVID-19) affect commitments? How does it affect the December signing day? Last year we signed a huge majority of our class in December; now does that change? What’s the impact? Are more kids now going to sign in February so they can take more visits? That’s very much a possibility. We’re taking it week by week right now.”
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
3433 N. Claremont Ave. in Chicago: $1,495,000 | Listed on Feb. 18, 2020
This 4,000-square-foot Roscoe Village home has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a professionally landscaped front yard. The new construction home features an open floor plan, three levels of living space, hardwood floors, custom millwork, solid core doors and designer drapery. A custom white and gray kitchen by New Style includes French gold hardware, white quartz counters, built-in banquette seating, a walk-in pantry, three ovens and three dishwashers. A Calcutta marble fireplace and surround sound make up the family room. The master suite boasts high ceilings, three closets and a master bath with radiant heated floors, a water closet, double vanities, makeup desk, air jet tub and steam shower with body sprays. The radiant heated lower level has a family room with a custom built-in walnut wet bar. The front yard is professionally landscaped and enclosed by a wrought iron fence. Additional outdoor features include a paved back yard, wood burning fireplace and a roof top deck.
Agent: Natasha Motev of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, 312-751-0300
Geronimo is handsome tri-color smooth-coat male guinea pig looking for a loving guardian.
Geronimo was purchased as a baby and put in a cage with an older female who he mated with resulting in two litters before all eight guinea pigs were given up to Friends of Petraits.
If you notice the little smirk on his face, Geronimo is a funny personable and talkative guy who is enjoyable to spend time with. Since he’s always lived with females, we don’t know how he’d do with other male pigs. But, he’d probably be happy to chat with another pig through their cages while they get to know each other.
He deserves a loving environment and wonderful care. Guinea pigs eat a diet of unlimited timothy and/or orchard hay (which is better for those with allergies), limited pellets, and fresh vegetables including romaine, parsley, red leaf and green leaf lettuces, cilantro, red peppers for vitamin C, etc. Guinea pigs are one of the few animals (like humans) who don’t manufacture their own vitamin C and require vitamin C treats or a slice of red pepper daily.
Please read up on guinea pig care and diet before adopting by visiting this excellent web site http://www.guinealynx.info/.
He would love a home with people who will handle him daily, keep him well fed, and keep his habitat nice and clean.
If you’re interested in meeting and possibly adopting Geronimo please contact [email protected].
He is being fostered in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood.
His adoption fee of $30 benefits the friends of Petraits Rescue. For an additional $50, we’ll include a starter kit of everything you need to care for them including food, cage, hay, litter, hidey hut and water bottle.
Good managers know how important it is to keep people happy, and that starts with providing an attractive workspace. You’ve probably interviewed at places and known right away that you want to work there, just by looking at the office.
But what if your business doesn’t have the perks of a modern office? How can you bring it up to date? Changes big and small to your office’s appearance and amenities can add up quickly to transform what was once a boring, tepid workspace into a modern paragon of productivity. Try these seven ideas to get you started.
Add Some Greenery
Plants might not seem modern to you, but a little foliage can go a long way toward removing the antiseptic feel many office spaces have. You can get them on a fairly affordable budget, and if you don’t have the funds for a gardener, your facilities person should be able to make a lap of the office a few times a week to keep plants watered and trimmed.
Plants clean the air and give your office space a much more homey feel. Just consider the lighting in the space and be sure you’re not choosing plants that will die and cost you money.
Allow BYODevices
Modern technology can make working while on-the-go simpler than ever, and offering the option to do business on a personal device might improve productivity and comfort levels at the same time. An employee who’s constantly on-the-go might get more done in less time if they can use their personal cell phone or laptop.
Not only does this make your office modern and pragmatic, but it could save you money in the long run. Think of all those laptops and phones you’re not buying.
Get the Light Right
People respond to the amount and type of light in their workspace. Natural light is best, but allowing too much natural light can cause your office to become uncomfortably warm.
Consider adding blinds or a light-deflecting canopy system depending on your office’s location and lighting needs. These are two very cost-effective investments that can improve worker and customer happiness if your business operates a storefront, and they will last a long time before needing maintenance or repair.
Implement an Employee Wellness Program
Insurance costs go down when companies have fewer employees who are likely to need medical care. One of the best forms of preventative care is practicing a healthy lifestyle, and that’s something your office can promote without the need for much structural change.
Consider using some extra space to install a small exercise room or space for stretching. Make healthy snacks available at the office and consider incorporating wellness into your regular company newsletter. You can even hold events like scavenger hunts and a company run/walk club, or bring in educational speakers to teach your team about wellness.
Upgrade to Ergonomic Furniture
Speaking of keeping employees healthy, offices that expose people to long days behind the desk can improve by implementing ergonomic furniture — for example, office chairs that include lumbar support, standing desks for employees and foot pads to stand on.
Changing to these modern furniture solutions might seem like a high-priced switch to furniture that accomplishes the same thing your old pieces did. However, workers have been shown to be happier and healthier in offices that use standing desks and other ergonomic furniture. Absenteeism is reduced, productivity goes up and workers report feeling better overall in the workplace.
Switch to Cloud Storage
Many offices still store all of their company data on-premise. This creates a single-point-of-failure, which you probably know is resolved by creating backups. But what if there was a way to eliminate the need for all that extra equipment? Cloud-based storage does that. It also helps you reduce energy costs and be more carbon-neutral in the process.
Instead of relying on equipment on-premise, cloud storage moves your information offsite to a redundant storage array. You will need to boost your internet connection, but with all the money you’ll save on power and hard drive space, you can probably afford it!
Add Some Color
You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes when you splash some color on those old beige walls. Choose something fun and aligned with your company’s marketing language. It will make people feel energized and more a part of your brand. Add some decorative stenciling to give your walls a fresh look with low expense.
Are you ready to get started? Remember that you might not be able to do all of these things on day one, but if you make a plan and work toward a more modern office, your employees will know. Start small and celebrate your wins on the way to an office you can be proud of!
Today is April first. I know you’re all hoping someone would say April Fools and this month long nightmare would be over! Sorry, but it’s been like a different holiday. It’s been like living this movie scene.
The alarm goes off at six am. He gets out of bed and heads to the shower. The water is icy cold. He heads into town and stops at the diner. When walking across the street, he steps into a puddle of slushy water. Walking down the sidewalk to greet him is an annoying, too giddy insurance salesman, Ned Ryerson. That’s what life is like for Phil Connors, in Punxsutawaney, Pennsylvania on Groundhog Day.
When Phil finally reaches the end of his day, he’ll go to sleep, only to awake to that same alarm clock at the same time. He’ll get into the same cold shower. The same puddle and the same insurance salesman awaits him. And all of this will occur again…and again…and again…and again.
Yeah, I know “Groundhog Day is only a movie. These aren’t real people. Bill Murray isn’t really Phil Connors and Stephen Tobolowsky isn’t really Ned Ryerson, although most of think of him as that. It’s just a movie, right? So how come many of us have been living our own version of “Groundhog Day” in the last couple of weeks?
Here’s my life:
I get up at the same time every morning. Yeah, it’s closer to nine than six am, but I don’t have to be anywhere so there’s no need to wake up before the sun rises. I go outside to get some fresh air. I’ll take a walk around the neighborhood. The street here is shaped almost like a track at a high school. According to the app on my phone, it’s one third of a mile. Nine hundred and thirty steps. I go around three times to make a mile. I see the same people every day. Some are walking their dog. Others just want to get out of their house. One woman told me she was waiting for the ducks. She said she saw them having sex and was curious to see if they would do it again. Imagine how bored she must have been to check that out?
It’s time to come inside and get ready for the day. I jump in the shower, but I have the opposite problem of Bill/Phil. The water is too hot. I get dressed and think about breakfast. Special K with red berries is the choice. Same thing, same time, every day!
Next comes the news. More cases of the coronavirus. More people becoming ill. More people dying.
I turn off the television to take a nap. The stress and anxiety of our current way of life wears you down. Sleep is good whenever you can get it. It gives you strength to deal with the monotony of the stay at home life.
Seven pm is dinner time. That’s followed by another walk in the neighborhood. Same one third of a mile. Nothing new. Nothing changes.
At eight pm the evening’s entertainment begins. It’s time for the “Family Feud” on the Gameshow Network. Did you know they show the Feud for four and a half continuous hours? That’s nine episodes of Steve Harvey. NINE!!! I’m good for two hours of them. Hell, it’s mindless entertainment that keeps my mind off of what is happening in the world. Anything that makes you worry a little less is good, right?
At ten, I’ve had enough of Steve and it’s time for the news. It’s Brian Williams on MSNBC. Nothing like an hour off bad news to help you get ready to sleep.
Talking about sleep, then it’s time to turn off the tv and the lights and try to get some rest. It’s takes about a half hour to to shut down my brain and finally fall asleep. Getting to sleep hasn’t been too tough so far, but we still have a long way to go before this pandemic is over.
Then I get to wake up and do it all over again…and again…and again…
See? This stay at home life really is our own personal “Groundhog Day”. Hey, it’s time for my morning neighborhood walk. I’m hoping to avoid the woman and ducks. She’s my real-life Ned Ryerson.
My so called friends think it’s time to edit this section. After four years, they may be right, but don’t tell them that. I’ll deny it until they die!
I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for four years.
It started as a health/wellness thing and over the years has morphed to include so many things that I don’t know how to describe it anymore.
I really thought this was going to be the final year of the blog but then Donald Trump came along. It looks like we’re good for four more years..God help us all!
Oh yeah…the biographical stuff. I’m not 60 anymore. The rest you can read about in the blog.
“Love Doesn’t Make It Easy On Us” is classic Ocean Blue, and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the single, and video, they released a few months back. It harkens back to their second record, Cerulean, and conjures memories of my childhood with every strum.
I wasn’t sure how I’d felt about their latest album, Kings and Queens/Knaves and Thieves, after hearing it on Spotify, but I took a chance and bought the beautiful, red, vinyl at their show. They played Lincoln Hall in Chicago, last fall. Here was my post:
Certain songs stuck out, live, while others just didn’t hit the mark. “All The Way Blue,” could have fit on their debut, Between Something and Nothing. I love that record, but it feels like it’s been done before, that’s my only beef.
[embedded content]
“Paraguay My Love” is the best song on the album, because it feels fresh and new. An upbeat lovesong, carefree and heartfelt. This was the main reason I bought the record and one of the best sounding songs of the night.
[embedded content]
“Therein Lies The Problem With My Life” is another one from ‘Knaves that did not feel forced. Not a bad record in all, just not their best either.
They need to tap Oed Ronne for more songs like “Ticket To Wyoming” and “Sunshower,” and he needs to sing more live. Variety is the spice of life, even though we love us some Schelzel.
I got a lot moving forward this month, but little is finished. Had days of sanding waiting for warm weather to paint and varnish. Watch the list get short quick with warm weather! However, with the health and movement restrictions put in place by the government, I lost one solid weekend of work, not sure the shipyard would be open and backed off this project boat temporarily.
The shipyard rules with Covid are now posted and clear. Two are allowed to work on a boat at a time, and no social gatherings. This means in April I can get back on the horse and keep riding her. However, the sailing season is looking very unclear at this point. Only time will tell. After last years engine fiasco losing 6 weeks of sailing season, I really planned on being on board the boat as much as humanly possible this year.
309. The Raritan electric flush is using excessive water per flush filling the holding tank rapidly. This wastes electricity as well. I’ve been back and forth with Raritan. We use a weird system to flush – open the intake water thru-hull lever, press the electric button to put water in the bowl (which also evacuates the bowl), ahem, then flush which doesn’t seem to do much, stop, then flush again which works leaving water in the bowl, then shut off the intake water thru-hull, flush again to remove the remaining water.
What was designed was to remove the water intake impeller from the Raritan pump (which works simultaneously with the evacuation pump). Add a 4gpm water pump with its own switch and additional hosing from the thru-hull through the pump to the head. This way there is one new button to add water to the bowl, and the original button to evacuate the bowl. Me thinks this is a great advancement in reducing the filling of the holding tank.
Additionally I removed the plate on the evacuation pump and found a lot of long hair woven with TP wrapped around it. This could help explain the slow evacuation as well. Women – never ever ever put hair in a boat head! I remember removing hair from head pumps when I was 15 and now I’m 60. Knock it off!
310. Installed stickers 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, (the numbers represent the headsail size) A, A (“A” for “Afterguy”) on rail. The old labels fade, and don’t stand out in the dark with night sailing, now they stand out!
When jumping a halyard, all mast position crew look back to see which line the pit trimmer is holding. By marking the halyards on the mast, that need is no longer needed. I label Main, Jib, Spin and Pole on mast.
311. Re-taped the shrouds after I checked all of the pins a month ago.
The next owner is really going to enjoy this boat.
Type your email address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
As a lifelong sailor, I want to share Chicago’s most unused Park called Lake Michigan with everyone. Most of the time sailing is idyllic, and rare moments are scary. Sailors are fun family types, who go out for exercise, fresh air, sunshine and rain, camaraderie, and just to get away from it all. My plan with this blog is to explain the entry points, and most importantly destroy the myth that it is expensive. Your network of friends will amaze you with people of all walks of life. In fact, a sailor who is a writer for the Chicago Tribune recommended I write this blog. Your journey begins here……….
Hello, everybody. How are you all doing? Yeah. I know it has been a couple of years since I posted. I felt inspired since I am in quarantine like everybody else in Chicago.
The global pandemic has changed life as we know it, probably for some time to come. Every single industry in our global economy has been affected by COVID-19. In this article I will discuss how the pandemic has forced us to abandon cannabis events, avoid smoking and vaping and turn to making edibles and using telemedicine to communicate with our doctors. I will share a couple of recipes for you to try since most of us are staying home!
Disruptions in the Cannabis World
1. Events Must Be Postponed
As we approach the most celebrated date in the cannabis world on 4/20, there will be no public gatherings of events. I suspect that they will move forward virtually through the many different platforms available:
Zoom seems to be the platform that millions are using
WhatsApp
FaceTime
Google Duo
Google Hangouts
Skype
These platforms are also extremely important for folks who live by themselves and especially for those who are housebound/quarantined and can no longer be visited by family, friends, neighbors and health care professionals. The social isolation for many people is causing a huge increase in anxiety, stress and depression.
2. Disruption in the Vape Supply Chain
If you are still using vaping products, since most of the vape components come from China, you will probably experience a disruption in the supply chain.
Smoking and vaping are being highly discouraged as delivery methods during the pandemic. There is a myriad of evidence suggesting that smoking does the following:
Suppress the immune system function in the lings
Trigger inflammation
Increase the incidence of influenza and respiratory infections
The likelihood is that vaping may have similar effects, increasing your risk for developing a serious infection from COVID-19.
Keeping Busy While Staying At Home
I see a lot of people complaining that they are bored, so here are some suggestions on how to spend your time while Staying At Home:
1. Clean your paraphernalia using high percentage isopropyl alcohol, so when this is over, they will be clean and shiny and ready for use
Pipes
Bongs
Dab Rigs
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ascertained that COVID-19 is not transmittable through the air. However, if someone infected with the virus sneezes or coughs on any type of paraphernalia, it could be transmitted that way.
The virus can survive on the following materials:
Up to 4 hours on copper
Up to 24 hours on cardboard
Up to 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel
2. Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer
1 cup of isopropyl alcohol
1/2 cup aloe vera gel
10-15 drops of tea tree essential oil
Mix ingredients together and transfer to a spray bottle
3. Make Your Own Topicals
Massage Oils
Soothing Balms and Lotions
4. Make Your Own Edibles
You know you have been meaning to try making edibles at home and you now have lots of time to try your hand at it. Here is a simple recipes to make and share via technology. You could host a virtual cannabis-induced meal with friends.
Marijuana Elote en Vaso (Mexican Style Street Food Corn)
Ingredients
4 Ears sweet corn
1 tablespoon cannabis infused butter
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese see note above
1 teaspoon hot sauce more or less to taste
lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
1. Remove corn from cobs and place in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain.
2. Mix hot corn with remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Divide between 4 serving glasses and garnish with additional lime wedges. Serve hot.
I have recently found a new calling and have become a medical marijuana activist. I am constantly learning about the wonders of the cannabis plant with its endless ability to relieve symptoms of diseases and even cure illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, ALS, Crohn’s disease and many more. Please join me on this journey and share this information.
My refrigerator is packed with apples. I prefer Fuji, Pink Lady and whatever else is in the market, as long as the apples are firm textured and the flavor is tart, as opposed to sweet. If you prefer a sweeter apple with a softer texture, check out varieties like Gala and McIntosh. Versatile and tasty, these apples all keep well when refrigerated, a definite plus in the time of the Coronavirus.
The first American orchard was planted in Boston in 1625 by the English preacher William Blaxton. Dutch, German and French immigrants all brought seeds with them, but as Olwen Woodier notes in “Apple Cookbook” (Storey Publishing , $10.95) , the English were the first to bring apple scions (shoots). It’s an important difference. With apples, grafting is the only way to ensure the offspring will be identical to the parent. Think “cloning,” and you’re spot on.
“Every seed in every apple is a new variety,” Thomas Burford writes in “The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink” (Oxford University Press, $49.95) edited by Andrew F. Smith. “… thus the planting of the seeds out of a named variety from abroad in the rich soil of the colonies would produce many different varieties.” Burford says differences between parent and offspring were less important earlier in our history because much of the crop was destined to be made into cider and consumed locally.
Because they packed seeds, rather than scions, hundreds of new varieties were developed as the settlers headed west, each with its own characteristics. Some were good keepers, others- like contemporary Jonathans- bruised easily and had shorter life spans.
With agriculture trending global, the search for apples that shipped and stored well intensified. Apple lovers mourned the loss of older varieties, and some blamed commercial agriculture for their demise.
Oversized Red Delicious apples were often cited as a case in point. “…glamorous, but usually tasteless,…” authors Frank Browning and Sharon Silva write in “An Apple Harvest” (Ten Speed Press, $17.95). Perhaps… but way back, when the supermarkets offered only a few varieties and my much loved Jonathans were past their prime, I’d opt for a Red Delicious in a heartbeat. At least it had crunch, which was more than I could say for the ever present McIntosh, an apple with a huge fan base that didn’t- and doesn’t- include me. Taste is truly in the palate of the taster.
Red Delicious aside, commercial agriculture was, for the most part, wrongfully accused. As Browning and Silva explain, “Most antique varieties have disappeared for good reason: they were difficult to grow, they were susceptible to disease, they bore poorly, and they didn’t taste good.”
In “Apple Cookbook,” Woodier hypothesizes that the severe winter of 1918 may account for some of the changes. “In starting over,” he writes, “commercial orchard growers followed the recommendations of pomologists and planted an abundance of McIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Rome Beauties.” Add Jonathans and Greening apples (a cooking apple), and it’s the line-up I grew up with.
Happily, certain of the older varieties are both available and delicious, despite their shortcomings. Ashmead Kernel, Baldwin, Cox Orange Pippin, Wealthy, and Roxbury Russet all get a “thumbs up” from Woodier.
Homemade applesauce is a wonderful addition to any meal. The first recipe is as simple as it is delicious, but the slow cooker version-which has no added sugar- is even better.
Cinnamon Applesauce (traditional preparation)
3 pounds Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup water
Pinch of coarse salt
Combine all of the above ingredients in a suitably sized pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender, about 30 minutes. (If sauce begins to stick to bottom of pan, add 2 to 3 more tablespoons water.)
Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick. Stir in 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Mash apples with the back of a spoon for smoother sauce, if desired. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. (Applesauce will keep in the refrigerator up to one week in an airtight container; cool completely before storing.)
Makes 1 ¾ cups
Adapted from a recipe in “Martha’s American Food” (Clarkson Potter /Publishers, $40) by Martha Stewart.
Slow Cooker Applesauce (my way)
Peel the apples.
Cut the peeled apples into chunks. (I generally use five or six apples, depending on size.)
Put the apples in a slow cooker, cover and cook on high for about 1 1/2-2 hours. If the slow cooker is large enough, you can add more apples.
When the apples are soft, stir vigorously. I like my applesauce chunky, so-if you prefer pureed applesauce-you can simply cook the apples longer and then puree them until they are the desired consistency.
Note- Made this way, the apples require neither sugar nor seasoning. There’s no denying the resulting carbon footprint, but at this point, While, as Olwen Woodier notes in “Apple Cookbook” (Storey Publishing , $10.95) , apples are grown commercially in 36 states, most of the production is concentrated in Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and Virginia.
Pantry-to-Plate is a food-focused blog written by a lifelong foodie with an insatiable curiosity about the interaction between food, history, and culture.
Leave a comment