How to Open a Coconut Without Tools. By Geniusofdespair

Your Sunday Tutorial from Eye on Miami:



The guy talks about conserving energy while opening a coconut, yet he is lifting and hurling a 30 or 40 pound rock at  it. Does that not take some energy?

Millions march against Monsanto ... demonstrators in Miami, too ... by gimleteye

See slideshow of the local Miami protest.

This weekend Miami citizens turned out to protest against the take-over of the food supply by Monsanto and its GMO products.

Millions march against Monsanto in over 400 cities
Two million protesters 'March Against Monsanto' across US, around globe in anti-GMO rally
May 25, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Two million people marched in protest against seed giant Monsanto in hundreds of rallies across the U.S. and in over 50 other countries on Saturday. "March Against Monsanto" protesters say they wanted to call attention to the dangers posed by genetically modified food and the food giants that produce it. Founder and organizer Tami Canal said protests were held in 436 cities in 52 countries.

Winter in Florida: Miami food culture makes a slow move up the ladder ... by gimleteye

In the last ten years, food culture in Miami has made a slow move to catch up with the rest of the nation's major cities. These days I really look forward to the weekend markets, especially at Pinecrest Gardens (former Parrot Jungle -- don't get me started) in South Miami on Red Road.

Go for the best smoothie in South Florida, made from sapote and mamey, by a young couple from South Dade. Their booth is mid-way in, on the north side of the market.

Stan's outdoor market on Saturdays in the Grove is still the war horse of the fresh market scene, but the variety of vendors and quality of produce at the Pinecrest market is terrific. 

I have a theory why the food culture remains low, here. First of all, transportation and refrigeration costs are very high. Also, when produce is coming from any other part of the country, two or three additional days is taken off its lifetime compared to other cities, just for the transit and wear and tear getting to South Florida. 

Some progress has been made, to be sure. Judging by the crowds at Whole Foods and Fresh Market, there is no shortage or inconsistency of demand. Still, the quality in Miami of fresh produce is poor compared to sister ships in big metropolitan centers I've visited. 

Second, the industrial food producers in South Dade dominated, for many decades, what passed for good ingredients. Small, specialty growers were marginalized and even ridiculed by the powers-that-be; the farmers/developers and neanderthal bankers who ran and still run the show.

Third, fresh fish -- the defining feature of Florida -- has become cost prohibitive. This is due to pollution, over-fishing and the failure of regulations protecting the environment. 

As a result of these three factors, food quality in most restaurants in South Florida is marginal. It is pretty simple. If you can't find excellent ingredients, you can't make excellent food.

These days, things change in the winter months.

A number of intrepid, local farmers now have outlets to consumers, thanks to the open air markets. While it is still cool -- and so long as there are no major freezes -- on weekend days you can almost feel like you are in coastal California. There is better news yet: the prices you pay in the winter months for local produce are lower, significantly, and much better quality than you get in the industrial markets.

So get out there and do your job, helping to lift up food culture in South Florida and don't miss the smoothies at the Pinecrest market on Sundays.

Great loss for the nation, from California ... by gimleteye

A tidal wave of corporate farming money swamped Proposition 37, that would have required the labeling of food with GMO components (genetically modified organisms). What a shame. Prop 37 would have mandated labels on “raw or processed food offered for sale to consumers if the food is made from plants or animals with genetic material changed in specified ways.” It would also prohibit any food with genetically modified (GM) ingredients from being labeled as “natural." The politics of food will wait for another battle to protect consumers. Thank DuPont, PepsiCo, and Monsanto for the havoc to our food supply.

Climate Change: a Sunday Sermon ... by gimleteye

The weather is in the news. Again. Last week it was warmer in Bismark, North Dakota than Miami. In January.

No one in Florida worries about no snow in Utah, but we should. In Utah-- John Huntsman territory-- the snow pack has gone from epic last winter to historic low. Sound familiar? South Florida was in the middle of an historic drought a year ago. Odd pulses of rain broke the drought. They didn't come during rainy season, but after.

The news is filled with extreme weather events. These phenomenon-- weather that pushes at the boundaries or beyond historic norms-- is exactly what climate scientists associated with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted. That's the U.N. organized group of nearly 1000 scientists whose conclusions about global warming turn GOP leaders to stone.

"One of the major concerns with a potential change in climate is that an increase in extreme events will occur." (Easterling et al, "Climate Extremes: Observations, Modeling and Impacts, Science Magazine, 22 September 2000)

The question to consider-- even for Republicans voting in the upcoming Florida primary-- doesn't have to do with ski season in Utah or regional economic disruptions. It has to do with food production. 

The 99 percent of Americans rely on food produced by less than 2 percent of the population. If extreme drought or flood conditions disrupt food production, it is hard to imagine that those 2 percent will continue to be able to supply food for the 99 percent.

I don't believe this is going to happen tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow. But history is instructive.

When I started writing about the decline of Florida Bay in the 1980's, I was called a "Chicken Little". For years, the argument among scientists revolved around sideshows of what was causing the change of sea grass composition on the bay bottom. What we were looking at, then, was a cascade of death in the bay; a cascade triggered by some tipping point.Today, for all purposes, the bay resembles nothing as it was.

There is a tipping point out there, somewhere, and beyond it a world of radically rising food prices. Even Republicans must be interested in that outcome.

Utah has a special place in my memory. I recall vividly the winters in the late 1960's. The snow then was so dry and light you could clear it off the trees by whistling your breath. Although Utah had a record snow pack last year, like much of the West; the moisture content is rising higher and higher. These are signals that climate aberrations will accelerate. They correlate to the rapid rise in global warming gases. Is there really nothing we can do?

In times of hardship the smart squirrels hoard as acorns as fast as they can. That happens in the economy too. Climate change may already be playing a role in the economic crisis, as big shareholders of polluting corporations decide to gather in as much cash as they can while there is still time.

We don't need 50 words for snow like the Eskimos or more evidence to deduce the trend in weather or, even, more science to predict what happens when climate change deprives people of food. On this point, in Africa's marginal, decert-ifying rural populations, climate change refugees suffer indescribable hardships. It is far from bling Miami, but not so far when you look into the sky.

Those who go to church, to temple, or to mosques on Sunday or any other day of the week: by all means pray for a better place in the next world, but what if our world-- this one-- is the next world?  What if we are judged for what we have done to the blue planet that feeds us through a stable climate with predictable growing seasons? We've been lucky. So far.

Popular Restaurants: Last Food Inspection Reports. By Geniusofdespair

Read some of these at your peril you can also look up your own favorite place some of the Chinese restaurants, I didn't want to know (The "Critical" violations are in red on the website):

Performing Arts Catering by Barton G 8/26/2010:
No violations were observed

Morton's Steakhouse (Miami Beach) 8/19/2010:
No Violations were observed

Mario the Baker (NE 25 Street) 7/26/2010:
* Critical. Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on site and held more than 24 hours with not properly date marked.
* Clean glasses, cups, utensils, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner.

Captain's Tavern 8/31/2010:
* Critical. Observed ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on-site and frozen not properly date marked.
* Critical. Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name.
* Critical. Cooked potentially hazardous food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours.stuffing from previous day
* Critical. Observed raw animal food stored over cooked food.fish over pasta
* Critical. Observed cloth used as a food-contact surface.cover ice
* Critical. Observed employee engage in food preparation, handle clean equipment or utensils, or touch unwrapped single-service items, without washing hands.
* Critical. Observed soiled reach-in cooler gaskets.
* Critical. Observed soil residue in storage containers.
* Critical. Observed buildup of soiled material on mixer head.
* Critical. Observed interior of reach-in cooler soiled with accumulation of food residue.
* Observed build-up of food debris, dust or dirt on nonfood-contact surface.around kitchen
* Clean glasses, cups, utensils, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner.
* Critical. Observed bathroom door in disrepair.

Versailles 9/15/2010 and 9/14/2010:

My addiction. by Geniusodespair

I wake up thinking about them, wondering where can I go to get 'em, puzzled why it is so hard to get a decent one. Everyday it is a challenge.

It is not easy to be addicted to scones in Florida.

First, only a few places serve them...Starbucks being the most popular source, except they have recently taken to putting white stripes of icing on them. Ick! Scones are only suppose to be slighty sweet, the icing threw off the dynamic of the scone. Wholefoods had a pretty decent pumpkin scone during the fall. Second, most places don't know what constitutes a good scone. Joanna's Marketplace in Pinecrest had the worst scone I ever had (year and a half ago). Scones are suppose to be crumbly and dry, like almost-hardened cement, not cake-like. Joanna's tasted like bad coffee cake. Knowing me, I probably complained to deaf ears that had no idea the critical importance good scones were to me.

So I continue my quest for the perfect scone, preferably without fruit in them (I am a purist) to satisfy my addiction. I even went to the extreme of checking out a recipe. Now if I can only find someone to follow through. I need to get sconed!

My Email to Captain's Tavern: Avoid Server 212. by Geniusofdespair

Captain's Tavern in Pinecrest ignored my email completely so I thought I would share it with the world since we all had a bad time at $50 a pop (I edited it a bit for clarity):

Although we have had no complaints in the 50 times we have been to your restaurant over the years...last night was a heartbreak. a disaster. It was my friend's birthday. We treated 2 friends the bill came to $206.28.

Server No. 212 was the worst waitress we have ever had. We arrived at 6:30 and didn't leave till 9 pm. We don't usually take more than an hour and half to eat.

We never got our salad entree. It finally came after our main course. The waitress had major attitude. The sides didn't arrive till we asked for them. The appetizers came except one soup...it never came till we called the waitress over to ask where it was.

The lobster had black stuff inside which is red-orange roe undercooked. They argued that it was not undercooked (we summered in Maine, we know about lobster). Even the chef argued about it. The chef took it back and put it under the broiler and brought back a tough tail. Friend wouldn't eat it. Finally they brought a NEW lobster with the red-orange roe. We all had to wait for our friend to eat it as the rest of us all had finished our meals.

It just kept getting worse - we relied on the busboys for everything we needed. The waitress said it was not her fault that she was so slow because too many table sat down at one time. Wasn't true. She only had 3 tables of 4 and one table of 2. Only 2 tables sat down at the same time. She argued with us about everything. It was really awful. Anyone have a good Captain's Tavern story?

Pizza Review NOT accurate on Kitchenetta Trattoria. By Geniusofdespair

In my quest for the perfect slice of pizza, I read the review on "Worst Pizza" blog of Kitchenetta Trattoria with great interest. Worst Pizza said:

This could be the first perfect slice rating I have given to any place so far in South Florida. Kitchenetta gets 8 out of 8 slices, which equals perfection.

Okay. I was excited. I could not wait to try the pizza there and last night I took the trek to Ft. Lauderdale.

THE PLACE

I got there at 5:15 and they didn't open till 5:30. I stood around and waited. Obviously the place was empty. We went inside but it smelled of bug spray so we decided to sit outside. Maria, the bitchy hostess, steered us to a table for two with no tablecloth on the aluminum tabletop. All the other tables had tablecloths. We didn't want to sit there. She insisted that a crowd was expected and all she could give us was a table for two. I took the photo above at the END of our meal so you could see the BIG CROWD at 6:30 when we left. Why she couldn't sit us at a table for 4 at 5:30 is beyond me. So I already hated Kitchenetta Trattoria before I even had the pizza.

THE PIZZA

Okay, I admit I don't like pancakes of mozzarella cheese on my pizza. I like it marbelized. The pizza was good: the cheese, the sauce, and the crust. But the pancakes of cheese didn't cut it for me. The cheese on the slices wasn't hot enough either.

THE PASTA

It was more like soup than pasta. We asked for bowls and spoons. It actually was very good. It was comprised of fusilli, escarole and cannellini beans.

The wine was expensive for that type of place - the cheapest glass was $9.

How would I rate Kitchenetta Trattoria? I give the pasta an 8 out of 10. The pizza a 6 and the hostess Maria a zero, she sucked.

The Quest For The Perfect Pizza in Miami-Dade. By Geniusofdespair

I am always looking for that New York style pizza in Florida. I have given up on Mario the Baker and have been going to Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza which is good but it is not New York pizza.

This hole in the wall place, Tony's Pizza, at 19329 Route 441 (State Road 7) fits the bill, I give it a thumbs up. They are just South of Ives Dairy Road. The pizza at Tony's is crispy, the crust tastes good and they put the right ratio of sauce to cheese (I hate white pizza). Anyway, give Tony's a try for good New York style pizza. Don't get turned off by the plastic utensils or the slightly caving in drop ceiling toward the back. Sit up front. The tall guy is the owner, maybe his name is Tony, forgot to ask.

Food it is! By Geniusofdespair

Since Gimleteye is talking about food today, I will too.

If I can't get someone to cook for me, I almost always make a frozen dinner. I have happened upon one I like: Boston Market's Oven Roasted Chicken. It is 390 calories for the diet-conscious and $3.69 for the budget-minded. You don't have to deal with snitty waiters or slow kitchens. I recommend you remove the dinner from the toxic microwave dish, I bought glass dishes for my dinners. I have tried Kashi TV Dinners but they are grain-heavy, no surprise there. For meat and potatoes you can't beat the Boston Market brand. It is probably loaded with sodium but I suppose I don't really care. Yes, I like eating out, I had dinner at PF Chang's last night, but the frozen dinner will do when I eat home alone.

How did I develop this ungodly taste for frozen food? My mother had 5 kids and we were latch-key till 7 or 8 pm because both my parents were in real estate. My choice of drink in those days was also frozen - orange juice - with a couple of tablespoons of sugar added. From that I am cured...as an adult I have never bought frozen OJ.

My Last Meal At Mario The Baker. By Geniusofdespair

It was the cheese.

I have been going to Mario the Bakers in North Miami for at least 25 years. I have had hundreds of good pizzas with my friend Little Bobby. There was no atmosphere, but always a quick moving line. No line now. Years ago it was great watching Noah defy gravity, tossing the dough way up and even more fun when he heaved the cooked pizza, looping it in the air and catching it on the paddle. Those were the good old pizza days.

The last few times at Mario's I have been getting soggy pizza. The dough is crispy around the edges but the cheese is so oily it seeps into the dough and it ruins the heart of the slice. It becomes limp and bends down. I want a firm slice that can hold itself up. It might seem like I am writing about something else, but I am REALLY talking about pizza. I take food seriously. Anyway, I am giving up on Mario's pizza. The waitress said many of the customers have been complaining since they switched from sliced mozzarella to shredded. The pizza doesn't even look right anymore, it is orange and glassy instead of marbleized red and white. The drive is a little longer to get to Big Louie's or I can always go to Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza.

I feel sad, like when I watched the "Last Waltz". It is the end of an era, a milestone in my life - another door shut. Mario and I have been together a long time, through the cash only years. I feel like I am leaving a friend. Sorry Mario, it was the cheese that done you in.

Inter American Development Bank: food price inflation

On the last day of the Inter American Development Bank meeting in Miami, the take-away for the 6,000 attendees is clear: the US economy is in trouble and the effects on the hemisphere are to follow. But something else is happening, beyond the implosion of housing markets and the shattering of confidence in debt and the US dollar.

In Port au Prince, rioters have taken to the streets to protest cost increases in food. And not just Haiti. Food prices are spiking, in case you haven’t noticed at your supermarket lately.

AP reports today in advance of the World Bank spring meeting, “Rising food prices, which have caused social unrest in several countries, are not a temporary phenomenon but are likely to persist for several years, World Bank President Robert Zoellick says. He says strong demand, change in diet and the use of biofuels as an alternative source of energy have reduced world food stocks to a level bordering on an emergency.”

Here is what is going on.

First of all, the growth of Asian economies means that the cost of fuel will continue to rise, based on a limited and even dwindling supply of oil. Industrial food production, that depends on long-distance transportation cost inputs, is only efficient so long as fuel costs are low. That is no longer true.

The threat of further tightening of oil supplies, by any disruption, is forcing commodity markets upwards. At the same time of rising demand for fuel, US energy policies have encouraged alternatives—like growing corn for fuel.

Changes in seasonal growing cycles due to global warming are affecting crop productivity around the world at the same time a massive amount of acreage formerly dedicated to growing grains for food has been converted to subsidized fuel.

As Time Magazine notes, “The U.S. quintupled its production of ethanol… in the past decade, and Washington has just mandated another fivefold increase in renewable fuels over the next decade.” (“The Clean Energy Myth, Michael Grunwald, April 7, 2008),

These immutable facts; climate instability and unstable fuel supply argue for certain measures to be taken as soon as possible.

First of all, reverse the subsidies for ethanol based fuel from corn and sugar. Grunwald notes, “The grain it takes to fill an SUV tank with ethanol could feed a person for a year.”

In Latin America, as in the United States, effort is required to change farm policies to from industrial food production to encourage growing local sources of food.

It is wrong to blame third world nations for failing to tame the conversion of environmentally sensitive lands to agriculture: in Miami, we are powerless to stop the conversion of agriculturally important lands to hardware stores and office space outside the Urban Development Boundary.

Power generation needs to be re-organized to maximize the generation of power at the consumer level, whether through the combination of wind, solar and other new technologies.

Paradoxically, this may be more easily accomplished in lesser-developed nations where industrial scale investment in infrastructure has not taken root. Big electric utilities like Florida Power and Light use renewable energy investments—at least in this state—as a fig leaf for plans to massively expand capacity.

The fact is, the rules of the game have changed. This may be hard to see, through the forest of the credit crisis.

Time’s Michael Grunwald writes, “The biofuels boom, in short, is one that could haunt the planet for generations—and it’s only getting started.”

Inflation in the cost of food may have nothing to do with financial derivatives and the mistakes of Alan Greenspan, but you don’t have to be chief of the Federal Reserve to know that food costs are significantly adding to the economic storm.

Vertigo has got me. By Geniusofdespair

Been on a dizzy journey so will be short. I have never watched so many shows on redecorating with $500 or less. Very soothing while laid up dizzy. They move lamps around very slowly and pan the room with slow motion precision. Very soothing. They are good to keep you sleeping too. If you wake up during the next show, they are still moving around lamps so you haven't missed anything.

The Herald article that most interested me today was not written by the Miami Herald. It was an AP story: China not only worry on imported food. I am always appalled by people who buy produce in the dollar store. They say it is cheap, I ask: “Where is it from?” As the article says, imported produce can be watered with “Sewage Tainted Water.” We are very strict about the water on our produce in the US. But what about that Spinach in California? Is that the exception to the norm?

The article calls the producers in developing countries “violators of basic food safety standards.” Maybe our produce is more expensive but I am thankful we at least have some safeguards on our produce, although other countries shun our produce because our foodstuff is genetically engineered. South Korea doesn’t want our beef because of mad cow disease.

In the past year the FDA has rejected 19,000 shipments of food and cosmetics. The FDA only checks 1 percent of the 8.9 million food shipments coming in per year.

Now it is Mexican cantaloupes: salmonella has been found in 4% of the 139 total shipments. Do I have Cantaloupe induced vertigo? I have had a lot of cantaloupe this week. Hmmm.