Some Tidbits of Off the Grid Living at the Taos Pueblo …. Taos, NM

The Taos Pueblo
An example of some tidbits of “off-the-grid” living, natural, organic living in harmony with the natural environment that our ancestors in the American Southwest still live-by. It’s quite impressive ….

Often in the Taos Pueblo you’ll see what are called Drying Racks. These racks are utilized for many different purposes such as drying wild game meat for jerky, drying harvested corn, pumpkin, squash, and bean crops, wild berries, and animal hides for clothing. The buildings are made entirely of Adobe. Adobe is earth, straw, and water mixed and poured into forms - after the bricks are sun-dried, they are stacked and bounded together with the same adobe mix. The walls are frequently several feet thick and the interiors are coated with washes of white earth to keep the rooms bright and clean. The roofs are supported by large timbers/vigas. Smaller wood/latillas are placed across the vigas. The roof is then compacted with earth. The exteriors are plastered annually with adobe due to the exposure of the four seasons. The Pueblo maintains a restriction of NO ELECTRICITY and NO RUNNING WATER within the sacred village. The introduction of wood stoves was adopted in many of the homes for cooking purposes, some families continue to cook right in the fireplace. The village is surrounded by an adobe wall. At one time it stood as high as 10 feet with 5 lookout places … It serves as the boundary for keeping the people safe and undisturbed during ceremonial times. Today this wall serves as a boundary of where Traditional Cultural beliefs are nurtured and where the foreign beliefs do not apply. (Taos Pueblo introductory brochure)

Horno ovens, Taos Pueblo, Taos, NM © 2005 ,br>technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Horno Oven, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Horno is a Spanish word to describe the outdoor adobe oven that is used mostly to bake bread and pastries by the women of the Pueblo. A cedar fire is built to heat the oven, then the ash is removed. The loaves/pastries are placed inside to bake. The horno is also perfect for baking large portions of wild game and vegetables. (Taos Pueblo introductory brochure)

Pueblo structures © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

house, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

The two main structures of the Pueblo are called Hlaauma / North House and Hlaukkwima / South House. These structures are believed to be well over 1,000 years old. The buildings are actually many individual homes built side by side and layers with common walls and no connecting doorways. The Pueblo looks much like it did when the conquistadors first arrived. The exception is the introduction of doorways. At one time, the only entryway into the homes was by ladder through an opening in the rooftops. This served as a source of light then as it still does today. The roof top entrances also served as a safe guard against intruders of the Pueblo. If an enemy was approaching the ladders were pulled from the ground levels to the rooftops. (Taos Pueblo introductory brochure)

Pueblo structures © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Housing, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico © 2005 technogypsie.com, click photo for larger view.

Wash Those Hands, People!

I love surveys that try to figure out how many peopel actually wash their hands after doing things that you should probably wash your hands after. I guess that’s because the idea of cameras in public bathrooms kind of freaks me out, but I love that people say they wash their hands more than they actually do.

In a new survey by Harris Interactive, 91 percent of adults contacted in a telephone poll said they wash their hands every time after going to the bathroom, but in observations in public bathrooms in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and San Francisco, only 83 percent actually did.

That’s up from 78 percent observed the last time this study was done in 2003. It comes as no surprise to me that men are less likely than women to wash their hands after doing their business, and they’re less likely to report that they do. And the rise in hand washers came almost entirely from women; about 90 percent of all women observed washed their hands.

In the phone survey, people were also asked if they washed their hands other times. Eighty-three percent said they washed their hands after using the bathroom at home, 77 percent before eating or handling food, 73 percent after changing a diaper, 42 percent after petting an animal, 32 percent after coughing or sneezing and 21 percent after handling money.

The World Health Organization says that hand washing could significantly cut down on the spread of infection in hospitals and the outside world. Especially in this time of cold and flu, it’s worth the friendly reminder: wash those hands!

Cool Veggie Guide

Here’s a really cool website I was sent to by a buddy on a Yahoo! group: Canned Veggies. Though the page is the home of the Canned Vegetable Council, there’s lots of good information here about uncanned veggies, too.

There are veggie bios that talk about how some of our favorite vegetables got to be so popular, nutrition information on the canned stuff and a slightly amazing array of recipes using canned vegetables.

I’m a big canned veggie naysayer, since I think a lot of the products (green beans, especially) taste more like can than the food that’s packed inside them, but it is true that canned veggies are better than no veggies at all, and they are packed when the food is ripe, so you probably aren’t losing a whole lot of nutrients that way. Just watch out for the salt content! And eat fresh when you can.

Top Food Trends

this time of year is ripe for year-in-review stories and trends-of-next-year lists. This one, lising the top food trends for 2006, comes courtesy of Marriott International’s Robin Uler, senior vice president of food & beverage, spas and retail services, and Brad Nelson, vice president of culinary and corporate chef.

I utterly agree that the trend is going toward natural, non-engineered foods that are prepared as freshly and simply as possible. I just hope it means those foods will become more widely available, and that more people will start eating that way!

Anyway, here’s the list of 11 trends for 2006:

1. Back to Basics and Sized to Order
Gone are the days of starched collars, jackets and ties, and three-
hour dining experiences. Guests are looking for great food served
with friendly, professional care in a “buzzing” contemporary
environment that offers a “sense of place.” Menus will reflect this
as well. Chef-crafted plates of varying sizes create a variety of
tastes and flavors, and allow for a more social, casual dining
experience than traditional “courses.” Also, this allows diners to
“graze” and determine portion control.

2. Breakfast is Back
The “most important meal of the day” is becoming even more important.
Approachable comfort food, eggs cooked to order, and healthy options
with “good carbs,” low in fat and high in protein and nutrition are
starting diners’ days. French toast and waffles are a growing trend.
Big, fluffy buttermilk, blueberry and apple streusel pancakes, sweet
and savory waffles, and flavorful French toast are being seen more and
more in restaurants and catering. New takes on breakfast basics, such
as the Lemon Souffle Pancakes that are found at the restaurants of
Renaissance hotels, are becoming more and more popular.

3. In Good Company
Communal tables have become a staple in many contemporary restaurants.
But that will be taken a step further with the advent of “gathering
areas.” Many food and beverage arenas will be the new living
room/dining room. Enclaves for small groups and quick quality snacks
and beverages will be making their way into the hospitality industry.
These will be community gathering places as well as havens for harried
travelers.

4. Takeaway
Takeout service at full-service restaurants and related venues is
growing, as the combination of stress and lack of time, but with a
sense of wanting the best, is leading the market’s drive for more
upscale foods that can be quickly delivered or purchased and consumed
on the run. Many upscale markets offer this already, but this will
expand into the restaurant realm. Note that restaurants will be sure
to have items available to go that adapt well to traveling.

5. From the Kitchen to the Bar
With the advent of more and more premium spirits on the market and the
push for evermore creative cocktails, the pairing of food and spirit
in one will be on the menu. It is now as important for the bartender
to be a trained “mixologist” as it is for culinary professionals in
the kitchen to be trained chefs. From the appetizer paired with a
special cocktail to tea- and truffle-flavored vodkas, food and drink
will be a bar and restaurant menu highlight. Look for premium liquors
to be paired with freshly squeezed juices and herbs, as in the thyme
Cosmo or basil Mojito.

6. Healthy Food … Not Diet Food
As Americans becomes more aware of nutrition combined with waistline
watching, diners are seeking healthy options on menus. Individual
preferences and needs vary and trendy diet fads come and go, so menus
are reflecting a variety of healthy dining offerings, from low-carb to
low-fat to lower calorie, depending on preference. At full-service
Marriott hotels, for example, a “Fit for You” program allows diners to
select a healthy meal based on their preference, whether it be low-
carb, low-cholesterol or low-fat.

7. Soft, Comfortable, Hip
The pendulum will start swinging away from the very angular, overly
retro or stark look of many restaurants in favor of the softer and
more opulent ambience. Clean, not Victorian, but comfortable and
contemporary, utilizing funky domes, cut crystal, etc. for service.
Gone will be the sparse white plates, replaced by a more elegant but
comfortable feel.

8. There’s Always Room For …
Highly flavored gel squares and desserts made with gelatin sheets and
fresh purees are popping up on tables. From Chef Gordon Ramsey’s
Rhubarb Parfait to gel bites that taste like fresh mango, key lime and
other exotic fruits to the return of aspic, it’s okay to admit we all
love this childhood favorite and can now enjoy the slightly more
sophisticated version. Puddings too are making the transition.
Flavors like Amaretto Bourbon spiced rice pudding are taking diners
back to childhood favorites — but with a more creative twist.

9. Heritage — Boomers Are Beginning to Remember …
Foods from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe — cured salmon, goulash,
stuffed cabbage and the like will make an appearance but with a
contemporary twist, perhaps with a ‘new’ kind of cabbage or Spaetzle.
Look for a representation of this type of cuisine with a more modern
element.

10. Non-”Engineered” Product
More and more diners are looking for purity of product. The “micro-
green” … well, not so much. Diners will be looking for a more
‘natural’ product, like buttery Boston lettuce and sweet bib
varieties. Menu items will be “ingredients-based.” Fresh, wholesome
and locally grown. Foods that are true to the actual product and true
to its roots. Many chefs are utilizing their local farmers,
purchasing product grown practically in their own back yards. Some,
like Melissa Kelly of Primo in Tucson, Ariz.; Rockland, Maine; and
Orlando Fla., cultivate their own gardens on the restaurant grounds
and are attuned to utilizing the “whole” product — no waste.

11. So Long Amuse-Bouches!
We taste while shopping in the market, so why not when dining? When
visiting an upscale grocery or even bulk foods store, tasting is
almost essential, whether it’s the fresh fruit, the cheese or an item
on sale. Look for chefs to send out samples of signature appetizers
and side dishes in small tasting portions, showcasing the chef’s style
and creativity through a real menu item.

Marketing Junk

A study from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies finds that junk food marketing aimed at kids under 12 influences them to ask for unhealthy food and snacks. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but this is the biggest study to date of previous research on the influence of marketing on children’s food choices.

This is pretty disturbing when you think about how many of our habits, including food likes and dislikes, are set when we are young children. If parents give in to pressure to give their kids high-calorie, low-nutrition foods, then that’s all they will ever want and the epidemic of obesity will become even more widespread than it already is.

It is estimated that companies spent $10 million in 2004 marketing food and drink to kids, and you can bet most of that was unhealthy food and drink. The group that performed the study suggests the government should work to improve nutrition standards and provide incentives for producing and marketing healthy foods.

But this is not a place where parents can let the government take responsibility. Teach your children to like healthy foods by feeding them to your kids at a young age. I know this is possible (even though I don’t have kids) because I’ve seen the kids at my local natural foods store and farmers market begging their parents for healthy foods, just like “regular” kids beg for sweets and junk food. Don’t put your ideas about vegetables onto your children, don’t take them to fast food restaurants, and have them watch as little television as possible.

Instead, you should take your kids outside to play, or for a walk around the local farmer’s market. It will do you both some good.

Something Fishy

Omega-3 fatty acids are all the rage as a really important supplement to the diet. Coming from fatty fish like salmon, as well as walnuts, flax seeds and hemp oil, these little chemicals are said to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer and to reduce inflammation.

If you prefer to take a supplement because you don’t like fish or don’t want to eat flax seeds, there are many on the market. Do a little research and find a company that verifies that it removes PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) from the oil. PCBs are harmful chemicals that stay in teh environment (and in fish bodies) for a long time.

How much is enough? Take the amount recommended on the bottle, or about four to six grams of oil per week. That figures to the same amount you would get if you ate fish two or three times a week.

Red Ribbon Day

You probably know it’s World AIDS Day today, the one daya a year the media pays much attention to this disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate about 400,000 Americans are currently living with AIDS, and it’s thought that 40 million people worldwide have the diesase, while 20 million have died from it.

People with AIDS are living longer than ever before because of drugs that slow the process of the disease. Of course there’s a huge discrepancy between the availabiltiy of and the need for these drugs in third world countries, and AIDS is causing huge problems in Africa, where more than 7 percent of people have the disease (compared to 0.5 percent in America).

To learn more about HIV, AIDS and World AIDS Day, visit World AIDS Day. And wear that red ribbon proudly!