Tina Casagrand's Salus Populi

Like Gramma’s? (Chocolate Chip Cookies Critiqued)

What makes a good cookie? Or, perhaps I should start more objectively–what makes a cookie good?

Cookies look attractive and taste sweet. They are portable–small and not too crumbly, easy to slip into a pocket and smuggle out of a dining hall. A baker needs not bother with a rolling pan or cutting knife; merely a sheet and spoon will do. What began as an accident (chefs baked dallops of cake batter to test their oven temperature) beget its own cookbooks, and now boasts incredible diversity.

Other sites chronicle the evolution of the cookie ad nauseam, and I have neither the knowledge nor the interest to augment their research. Only one strain of the cookie genome tickles my taste buds into scholarly pursuits: the chocolate chip cookie.

KitchenProject.com reports the history of this, the greatest of cookies:

Ruth Wakefield invented chocolate chip cookies in 1930 at the Toll House inn she and her husband Keneth ran near Whitman, Massachusetts. … One evening in 1937 she got the idea to make a chocolate butter cookie so she broke up one of the bars of semi-sweet chocolate that Andrew Nestle gave her. She thought that it would mix together with the dough & make all chocolate cookies. Needless to say, it didn’t. However the cookies came out decent so she served them. They of course were so good they had to be done again. She published the recipes in several newspapers and the recipe became very popular.

Ruth Wakefield, we salute you.

Let’s return to the question of what makes a good cookie. Now, my great-grandmother’s special cookie recipe is hands-down the best cookie on the planet, and I hesitate to declare it the best in the universe only because extraterrestrial grandmothers might have equally stellar recipes . . . or at least intergalactic lasers. Only nine other people share this grandmother, you see, and therefore most of you must look elsewhere for sugary satisfaction. I’m happy to guide you in the right direction. Here are some cookies I’ve eaten recently, and how they stack up to gramma’s:

MU Campus Dining Services’ Double Chocolate Chip Cookie: While I suspect they purchase pre-made dough, the fine people of the Mizzou dining halls serve these cookies warm from the oven, with white and milk chocolate chips melting into a chocolate dough. Their small 2.5″ diameter (probably for minimal food waste) produces the perfect balance of crunchy edges and soft interior. The next best thing from CDS: Carnival Cookies.
Like Gramma’s? Not really, too uniform. Rating: 4/5
Pepperidge Farm Soft-Baked Chocolate Chunk Milk Chocolate Caramel Cookie: These cookies don’t live up to such a long title, or even the golden-brown image on the packaging. Granted, I prefer well-browned cookies, but these even have a chalky texture. The caramel chunks are also way too hard, which a few seconds in a microwave might remedy. Overall, Pepperridge Farm really needs to stick to what they do best–Milano cookies (the rival of even the best chocolate chip cookies) and snack crackers.
Like Gramma’s? How dare you. Rating: 1/5
My Best Friend Katie’s Sister’s Cookies That She Served During New Year’s Eve: Perhaps the Stolls just prefer soft cookies, but I thought these M&M-spattered treats could afford five more minutes in the oven. That said, I’ve also been known to enjoy slightly burned cookies (they’re so tasty with milk!), so naturally that opposite end of the spectrum is less appealling. Katie’s sister’s cookies weren’t bad though, especially since they came right out of the oven.
Like Gramma’s? She’s not an M&M kind of gal, really. Rating: 2/5
Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate: My biggest problem with soft cookies is that their the texture reminds me, “you’re eating something made primarily from butter and sugar.” Kashi defies that concept. Here’s what they have to say for themselves:

Our cookies combine our signature Seven Whole Grain blend with hearty, natural ingredients such as peanuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, walnuts, shredded coconut, flax seeds, and dark chocolate.

Indeed. They’re low on sugar and oil, high on chocolate chips and grains. If you’re seeking something hardy, this is definitely the way to go. I’d eat these cookies for breakfast.
Like Gramma’s? Quite! Rating: 5/5

Hey you! What do you consider a “good cookie?”

¶ Posted 29 January 2010 † tinacasagrand § Food § History ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: chocolate chip cookie, cookies, I've come to admire my grandmother even though she's kind of crazy, review, Ruth Wakefield

Butterfly Plates and Pepper Shakers

Rain ruined the hike we planned yesterday, so Eva, Brendan, Ted and I went to Artichoke Annie’s! After working in Heartland Antique Mall for two years, I’m no stranger to this enterprise of material culture. Nevertheless, no antique mall experience can ever replicate another one (contrast that with outlet malls, where the shopping by its very nature is homogeneous).

My art history professor Kristen Schwain usually finds a way to mention Artichoke Annie’s in everyday conversation. When she brought a panther TV lamp to class on Thursday, I knew the time had come to journey east on I-70. Sadly, I couldn’t photograph all the hundreds of curious items. My biggest regret is not getting a shot of the Howard Taft campaign buttons. I’ll return soon though–we only saw a third of the store! Click on the pictures for more descriptions.

In Dr. Schwain’s class, Intro to Visual Culture, I get to do a long-range research paper, which I’ll augment with online media. I’m going to have fun with it, so really the most challenging task is to pick one object. Salt and pepper shakers, with an accompanying spring break trip to the Gatlinburg, TN, Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum? My butterfly earrings that Gramma gave me? How about the hillbilly with windmill arms at Rolla’s Mule Trading Post? It’s iconic, local, and could be easy to research.

The most captivating pieces of visual culture, to me, are old postcards and photographs. Reading other people’s messages in their own handwriting fulfills more than simple curiosity. It connects us to emotion in the past and reminds us of humanity. I found a cute card addressed to Decaturville, MO that on the back read something like “You are a PUNK for not writing more often!” It reminded me that A) People actually live in Decauterville (The town’s 15 minutes north of Lebanon; you can literally hold your breath between the population signs) and B) Some communication tensions never change.

The same goes for pictures of people. Some are so faded, and the faces so stoic, that it’s easy to glaze over them. Others grip your attention with urgent, imploring eyes. Without labels, the photographs allow imagination to take over about relationships, names, occupations and locations.

But some locations we know and can revisit. When he played here in Columbia, Steve Earle talked about his home in New York City, and how he often points tourists in the right direction to recreate the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album cover. Similarly, I just read an article titled “Time Travel on the Cheap” on NPR’s Picture Show Blog. Here’s what Robert Krulwich said about this phenomenon:

…And if by some magic I could fetch that photo, I could hold it in front of me and see the Room That Was while standing in the Room That Is. With a flick of my eye I could travel across time from now to then. This is time travel on the cheap.

How eloquent.

If you know of any local art, artifact, or visual curiosity that could be cool to write about, please let me know! We have to turn in our ideas by Thursday.

¶ Posted 24 January 2010 † tinacasagrand § History § Visual Art ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: all that's left is our material culture, antique mall, antiques, Artichoke Annie's, old photographs, this place has a sense about it, visual culture

We Can’t Afford to Ignore It

More than environmentalism, this was a lesson in audience awareness. MU Environmental Studies director (and an invaluable advisor to Sustain Mizzou) Jan Weaver gave a short speech last night at the League of Conservation Voters‘ kickoff meeting for the Clean Energy Missouri Campaign. Its simplicity and eloquence impressed me–she knows infinitely more about environmental issues, but chose to highlight just three reasons to address climate change legislation. Whether you seek education on the implications of climate change, or you have trouble communicating the issues with those less informed, this is useful material.*

3 Reasons to Address Climate Change Legislation

1.) Jobs

Supporting clean energy technology changes the balance of power from an outsourced economy to one that creates and maintains local jobs.

2.) National Security

As long as we’re dependent on oil, we’re vulnerable to places with dictators. If something goes wrong, we are the scapegoats because we’re the primary consumers. Furthermore, as climate change pans out, sea levels will rise, drought will increase, and dangerous storms will become more frequent. That’s bad for everyone, but particularly disruptive to developing countries…and the United States will get the blame.

Dogwoods will move farther north as temperatures continue to climb.

3. Dogwoods

Missouri is not immune to climate change. We’ve already shifted to warmer growth zones in gardening indexes–and given the latest freezing blast, maybe that doesn’t sound so bad. But it also means that dogwoods, cardinals and other wildlife we consider distinctly Missourian will move north. Not only will there be an exodus of our most beloved natural resources, soybean pests in Texas will move north, which, of course, will devastate our crops and agricultural revenue. Likewise, this state will begin to grow less economically important timber species.

As Jan concluded, “we can’t afford to ignore it.” Nor can we get burned out. Using CFL and conventional lightbulbs as an example, Jan explained that it takes time for change to come about, and we need to prepare for the long haul. She predicts that it will take at least a decade to see a real transformation in climate legislation.

Therefore, we must be understanding–”recall where you were before you bought a lightbulb.” Persistence is critical, but it shouldn’t overpower patience and kindness. When communicating the importance of climate change, we should remember to listen to the other person. They might connect best to the idea of local jobs, national security, or natural resources.

Finally, we need to know our facts. Dr. Weaver recommends the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.

Something Sustain Mizzou does well (and something I suspect Dr. Weaver influenced) is our respect for others in the way we communicate. It’s embedded in our mission “to promote a sustainable way of life at the University of Missouri-Columbia through education, cooperation, and local action regarding the environment.” We try to consciously steer clear of “you should” statements, and instead offer help. Patience and kindness guide our actions, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m so proud to be a part of the organization.

As far as LCV goes, so far so good. We’re trying to get hundreds of letter to Senator McCaskill from Boone County–benign enough. If you’re in the area and want to help, the following events are already scheduled, with more to come:

Letter writing party: Tuesday, January 26 at the Underground Cafe at 7 p.m.
Call-In Day planning meeting: Thursday, January 28 at the Underground at 7 p.m.

*If there’s some rhetorical error here, it’s likely mine (the notes aren’t verbatim).

¶ Posted 22 January 2010 † tinacasagrand § Action § Missouri § Sustainability ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: Clean Energy Missouri, climate change, climate legislation, dogwoods, League of Conservation Voters, Missouri, Sustain Mizzou

Anyone Can Play Guitar

I wandered into Crazy Music today, purchased a blue capo, and played exclusively Radiohead and Bonnie Prince Billy the entire afternoon. And by played, I mean “tried to play.” Not even “learned to play,” as that would indicate that I retained any of it.

I’m not a musician. A mood strikes every few months (or years), and I dedicate hours to a piano, guitar or toy xylophone. This period usually runs concurrent with idle time like now, just before class, when practical matters don’t gnaw at the back of my brain every minute. I’ve tried learning, but never stuck with it. In a bout of motherly graciousness I’m only beginning to appreciate, my grandmother bought an electric organ when I was 12 and paid for one year of piano lessons. When I was 14 I took a quarter-term’s worth of junior high guitar.

That’s when I bought Betty. Gramma still held a grudge for not continuing piano, so she wasn’t very willing to shell out any more money for an instrument likely to shake the house down with music she didn’t even like. Grampa took me on the clandestine missions to pawn shops, Danny Rhoades’, Two Guys, and finally Morgan Music, where my friend’s dad Mike walked us through the package deals and let me pick out any color of the Peavey Raptors that I wanted. I chose royal blue.

Fast forward through my high school boyfriend being a musical and artistic genius, my subsequent periods of self-doubt, my late-teens absorption with art and academics, and my first year of dorm life without a guitar as even a decoration.

But hey, we’re here now. It’s January. I’m 20.

And I’m playing my guitar again. Depending on the the semester’s demands, this will either be the last time I’ll spend with Betty for another six months, or I’ll actually learn a few songs. Maybe I’ll even figure out how to craft a song. And if that’s the case, knowing my spending habits, I’ll probably justify to myself an upgrade to a better guitar . . . or a mandolin . . . or at least a bunch of nice picks.

Special thanks to the following websites for enabling today’s diversion:

¶ Posted 17 January 2010 † tinacasagrand § Music ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: anyone can play guitar, storytelling begets immortality

The Racks Arrive

Actually, the racks arrived about 2 weeks ago, over winter break. But if a drying rack is delivered to a sustainability office and its project director is not around to assemble it, does it dry clothes? No, my friend. The racks arrived today.

There they were, leaning on the back walls of MU’s Sustainability Office like some hip new sustainability initiative. Armed with a box cutter, I liberated my progeny from their cardboard cages–some of them were double-boxed, and the Target racks were tucked into rolls of packaged air. All unnecessary. These tough drying appliances need no coddling. Props to IKEA for their thin plastic bag and carefully-placed cardboard squares. Most sustainable packaging by far (In addition to being nearly $30 cheaper than the other racks*).

Leifheit Tower

First impressions:

The Whitmor Accordion and Moerman Y-Airer assemble in about 3 seconds.
Shiny and small, the Whitmor doesn’t offend the eyes or obtrude the vision. Of all my new children, this will definitely fit in with the popular crowd. That said, it’s also the least dedicated rack–only 25′ of drying space. Perfect for residence halls, but maybe not useful enough to discourage tumble dryer use. But we’ll see.
The Leifheit Tower is tall. Really super tall. Like, my height. And while 5′2″ isn’t monolithic, it would still take some fancy grappling to stick this in a closet when it’s not in use. Assembled, it’s a bit shorter, but still. That ant-eye-view angle they use for the pictures isn’t messing around. But maybe that’s just how they roll in Belgium.
Also, comparing the Moerman Y to the IKEA Frost, I found their line spacing nearly identical. The Y would destroy the flimsy Frost in a sturdiness battle, but really, for $40 more, I doubt that’s worth it. These are college students hanging T-shirts, not farmers drying coveralls.
It took several minutes to set up the Moerman Tower, mostly because of the wheels. Once it’s up though, it’s good to go–easily adjustable to dry clothes on hangers or fold up agains the wall. Then again, once it’s up, it’s up. Packing it into a closet probably isn’t worth the hassle.

*I bought the IKEA racks from the store in Minneapolis, which likely made them naturally cheaper and, of course, there were no shipping costs.

¶ Posted 15 January 2010 † tinacasagrand § Action § Sustainability ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: campus initiatives, drying racks, laundry, mizzou, student sustainable initiative fund, sustainability

Like Gramma’s? (Chocolate Chip Cookies Critiqued)

Butterfly Plates and Pepper Shakers

We Can’t Afford to Ignore It