The Slow Food Challenge

Slow Food, like many great movements in history, began with a tipping point. That was in 1986 when McDonald's opened a fast food restaurant near the Spanish Steps in Rome. Carlo Petrini, then writing culinary articles for two Communist publications, was outraged, calling for preservation of traditional and regional cuisine. Three years later the founding Manifesto of the International Slow Food Movement was signed in Paris by delegates from 15 countries, “Not so much as a protest against the restaurant chain as a protest against big international business interests,” to quote Wikipedia.

Now Mr. Petrini heads the University of Gastronomic Sciences whose mission is to bridge the gap between agriculture and gastronomy. The Slow Food Movement has chapters in 132 countries. The structure is decentralized. Each chapter has a leader who is responsible for creating and promoting local events.

Last year we participated in a tuna canning organized by Jeremy Brown, who was recently appointed Fisheries Ambassador to the International Sustainability unit of the Prince Charles Trust. This was an event of the Fourth Corner Slow Food Chapter.

In August the Fourth Corner leader, Diana Campbell issued a $5 challenge for Saturday, September 17. Could we arrange a dinner that would cost no more per person than we would pay at a Jack in the Box (where we have never been but whose commercials we like best)? We asked two couples with whom we dine regularly to join us.

Naomi and Roger brought a large salad with blue cheese from the Co-op and greens from their garden.

Last year we participated in a tuna canning organized by Jeremy Brown, who was recently appointed Fisheries Ambassador to the International Sustainability unit of the Prince Charles Trust. This was an event of the Fourth Corner Slow Food Chapter.

In August the Fourth Corner leader, Diana Campbell issued a $5 challenge for last Saturday, September 17. Could we arrange a dinner that would cost no more per person than we would pay at a Jack in the Box, where we have never been but whose commercials we like best? We asked two couples with whom we eat regularly to join us.

Naomi and Roger brought a large salad with blue cheese from the Co-op and greens from their garden. For dessert, also from their garden, they brought strawberries and blueberries with some wild blackberries.

Irene made a casserole of zucchini, onions, mushrooms and Feta cheese. Jack, her husband, brought a large – and inexpensive bottle – of white Italian wine. We wrapped small portions of Jeremy's tuna in lettuce leaves for hors d'oeuvre, then grilled chicken breasts with slices of red pepper on charcoal.

All agreed it was the best meal we have had together in memory. While we didn't request sales slips, we're reasonably certain we stayed within the $30 budget.

For information about the Fourth Corner Slow Food Chapter, the new leader is Lisa Dailey at lisa@ladailey.com.

ak

BP's Biennial Open House

Each time I've attended the BP refinery's open house at Cherry Point--three times in the last eight years--I've been impressed with their good-neighbor efforts, attention to safety and positive employee relations. While I can't pretend to know anything about any other unit of this huge corporation, this one seems to be on the right track.On October 16, along with about 400 of my friends and neighbors, I waited for a bus while browsing the poster presentations and chatting with the staff on hand to answer questions. Another squadron of staff was managing parking, providing beverages, donuts and sweet rolls under the shelter of an immense tent, and others were conducting people onto the fleet of Belle-Air buses on the tarmac in the employee recreation area.

Because I missed my intended bus due to an unfortunately timed trip to the toilet, the wait seemed long in the brisk morning air. Once aboard, our guide, Ron Petty welcomed us with jokes about charging for the treat and an introduction of himself. He retired from being a BP operator from 1966 to 1999 and has returned to service.

For the next 45 minutes or so, he kept us informed about the history and operation of the refinery. Starting in the 1950's, the plant has changed hands several times and now employees about 800 people with another 800 contractors on site at any given time. (They are constantly hiring--see Careers at www.bp.com.) This labor force produces about 9.6 million gallons of product every day.

All vessels (tanks) are taken down and inspected every five years. BP does this on a rotating schedule that creates a six-to-eight week "turn-around" every year or two. Birch Bay residents and businesses are familiar with this event that brings a thousand or so workers into the area.

The new and improved feature of this tour was the stop at the Shops facility, where we got off the bus, received safety goggles, and were escorted into the huge new (move-in November 2010) building on the Grandview Road side of the property. After a general introduction, we visited demonstration sites in the Instrument and Electrical Shop, the Machine Shop and the Maintenance Shop, where we learned about pumps and impellers (getting a freshly minted miniature impeller key-ring from the computer driven machine).

Tiana Osborne, a maintenance technician, was a welder before she joined BP and the other welders, pipefitters, fabricators, valve specialists and equipment operators in the Maintenance Shop.

Returning to the main tent, we were treated to lunch and a piece of the 40th Anniversary cake. In discussion with Michael Abendhoff, Director of Government and Public Affairs, who was responsible for organizing this event, he said that the Stores building might be on the next tour where we would see many of the items used on a regular basis--sign me up!

rah

You Could Contribute to an Islamic Relief Fund (or Invest in a Fund that Follows Islamic Principles)

Next weekend undoubtedly there will be anti-Muslim stuff about “the enemy” but, really, we should recognize that a great many people of that faith in the world had nothing to do with the attack on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the plane that was forced down in Pennsylvania. When politicians harangue about “the enemy”, it would be better to express kindness to the many Muslims who bear no ill against our country and—in some cases—are suffering from our actions.

Last month we enjoyed a dinner with a remarkable group of such people. The program included a film about the suffering from the famine in Somalia, and we contributed to Islamic Relief, a fund that is providing water and food for those Somalian drought victims—$20 each, the requested donation, feeds a family of four for a month.

We owe this opportunity to Ruth's attendance at Western. In one of her first classes she became friends with Alaa, a young man from Egypt. He and his professor friend came to our cottage for Thanksgiving that year. We had a long, lively conversation about Muslim customs, including relations between men and women—courtship, marriage and divorce.

Back then, Alaa washed dishes in a Bellingham restaurant to cover some of his expenses. This spring Ruth re-connected with him, and we had lunch at the Skylark Restaurant where he had worked. Alaa was excited about the revolution in Egypt. He had just heard from his brother who had gone from his home in Alexandria to Cairo to be part of the demonstrations.

Alaa was now working at Saturna Capital in Bellingham, an investment company sponsoring a mutual fund that follows Islamic principles (or Sharia) that preclude interest paying investments, such as bank stocks. While some of the investors are Muslims—Alaa's ability with Arabic being an advantage— many are not. This is not a charity. The Amana Income Fund has averaged an annual return of 7.49 percent over the past 10 years versus the S&P 500 Index that has averaged only 2.70 percent. Only one other fund in the Schwab list of income funds did better in that period.

Alaa also was doing well in his personal life. Through mosque connections he was introduced to a young woman in Southern California. Shortly before our lunch date, his mother had come from Egypt to meet the girl's family. That went fine but Alaa would need to go back to meet her father, a businessman who was visiting Afghanistan. If all went well, they would become engaged and she would move to Bellingham. There was also the possibility that Alaa might move to California to work with fund clients there.

In early August we received an e-mail from Alaa inviting us to the fund-raising dinner. Nothing about betrothal, but we were hopeful.

The dinner was held in the RESources meeting room. Prior to the meal some of the participants prayed on rugs in an adjacent room before breaking the Ramadan fast.

Meanwhile, we talked with a magnetic young woman who was acting as hostess in the absence of the Iman. A graduate of Blaine High School, she has been holding down a full-time job at the BP refinery while taking a full schedule of courses at the community college and the university. She is preparing to be a physical therapist in an eight-year program that will graduate her as a doctor.

The food was much like a typical American pot-luck—several pasta dishes, rice, roast lamb, deep fried chicken and shrimp. Desserts came later. Pepsi was the most common drink. Alaa's wife was mentioned. We kept looking and asking. Finally, there she was. Beautiful – and sweet!

ak & rah

We Went Whale Watching

Ruth's work with volunteers at the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Visitors' Information Center earned us a certificate for a whale watching tour that we used last week. The San Juan Cruises boat is the one that previously made daily trips from the Fairhaven Cruise Terminal to Victoria, B.C. and back. When we took that trip a couple of years ago, we saw some whales on the homeward leg. This time we got to see two pods of resident Orcas.

It took two and a half hours to get to our destination, off the northern tip of San Juan Island. Captain Grant broke up the time by describing the history and features of the islands we passed. Abundant coffee, tea, soda, beer, wine and snacks kept everyone happy. When we found the whales, the captain identified the members of Pod K and L, giving their names, relationships, and ages. Some are very old; some were born this year.

Getting good pictures was difficult. One reason is that the whales are not publicity seekers. They make no effort to help picture-takers by coming to the surface consistently at the same points. Another reason is they don't stay up long enough for photographers to focus.

Outside the cabin on a narrow walkway, we found a vantage point with a railing against which we were able to hold our cameras somewhat steady. We considered ourselves lucky to get this picture even though the focus is not sharp.

These tours are important business. There were three other tour boats in the area, a few fishing boats and several individual recreational ones. Captains of fishing boats radio to other boats – including tour boats – the location of the pods. Adult whales eat about 250 pounds of salmon per day and fishermen follow the whales to find the salmon.

After about 90 minutes of looking for and watching the whales, we had a two-hour break in Friday Harbor, which was crowded with tourists.

Meanwhile, the hard-working crew – one young man and two young women – were preparing food for the trip back. Being small eaters on a diet, we chose only salmon and salad. Others piled their plates high with rolls, rice, chicken and salmon. (What prompts people to select chicken rather than salmon?) Dessert, including brownies and cheesecake, came later.

We decided this was one of the best days we've had since moving here eight years ago. Well worth the $89 other people paid.

San Juan Cruises, Fairhaven Cruise Terminal. wwwwhales.com 1-800-443-4552

Whale watching trips are available daily until after Labor Day, then Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until September 25, 2011. The season starts again in mid-May 2012.

ak & rah