Brief Blog Break

My calculus students had a test yesterday. Having now graded them I understand, like never before, the meaning of the word “futility.” Their logic is not like our Earth logic.

My future elementary school teachers had their test today. About forty minutes in to a fifty minute period, as I was begininning to get nervous that no one had yet handed it in, one of my students asked if I was angry at the class when I wrote the exam. Everyone else then noted they were wondering the same thing. Get the idea?

At least we get a week for Thanksgiving, starting at the end of business on Friday. I'll be visiting the 'rents in New Jersey, then the cousins in Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving day. I'll be making the guacamole. Three mashed Hass avocadoes, Two roughly chopped Roma tomatoes, One finely diced rib of celery, One finely diced jalapeno pepper, A handful of chopped cilantro, The juice of one lime, salt and curry powder to taste. Combine. You are not ready for anything so delicious. Just make sure you have thick chips.

Sadly, blogging is going to be low priority until I return. See you then!

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Have a happy Thanksgiving!

By Glenn Davey (not verified) on 18 Nov 2009 #permalink

What the hell is celery doing in guac?

By Sven DiMilo (not verified) on 18 Nov 2009 #permalink

No garlic in the guacamole? Otherwise sounds pretty good.

The lime juice prevents the avocado from oxidizing because of the citric acid, but any acid can perform that function. We have this idea that mexican food requires limes, but lemon juice actually tastes slightly better with the avocado.

Also, use large grain salt (sea salt) if you've got it.

By Chris Bell (not verified) on 18 Nov 2009 #permalink

Glenn -

Thanks! You too.

Sven -

Raw onion is more common, but my father really hates raw onion. Celery provides the same crunch with a much more mild flavor. Trust me, it works really well.

chezjake -

Come to think of it, my father's not too keen on garlic either! Actually, though, I think there are enough strong flavors in the guac that garlic might be a bit too much.

Chris -

I'll have to try it with lemon juice some time. Lime is traditional of course, but then again I'm already using the celery...

Given the first two paragraphs, I would've expected a nice strong drink recipe.

Y'know, tequila in guacamole isn't unheard of....

As a guacamole purist, I must object in the strongest possible terms to your use of celery and curry powder. I'm not even a fan of putting tomatoes in it... The whole purpose of guacamole is to make the avocado shine. As such, the only ingredients should be roughly mashed avocado, preferably done with a mortar and pestle; salt; lime juice; cilantro; some kind of chile pepper (I prefer serrano, but it doesn't hugely matter); and optionally cumin and/or red onions. Any other ingredients are a sin.

Whooo hooo recipe blogging! Try an orange sometime. It gives a fresh taste and complements the avocado very well.

By airedalelover (not verified) on 19 Nov 2009 #permalink

Happy Bird Killing Day!! All thanks to their avian dinosaur forbears!

Jason, you did not report if you answered the question . . did you say.. "naw I like all youz guys..." or snicker malevolently?

You need to set the record straight!

and curry powder in guac? maybe a bit of chile powder.... hmm what kind of curry? some are more dark than yellow...

By Kevin (NYC) (not verified) on 19 Nov 2009 #permalink

James -

If you are trying to make the avocado shine, I think celery works better than onion. Onion tends to be overpowering.

Kevin -

Cumin is pretty standard, but the first time I tried making guac I discovered at the last minute that I didn't have any cumin. A typical yellow curry powder has cumin in it, which is why I initially used it. I liked it, and have been using it ever since!

Now you know how I feel...as a former HS Biology and Chemistry teacher and now a high school principal....OH MY GOODNESS, frustrating and futility are the nicer thoughts that go through my mind on a daily basis

My future elementary school teachers had their test today. About forty minutes in to a fifty minute period, as I was begininning to get nervous that no one had yet handed it in, one of my students asked if I was angry at the class when I wrote the exam. Everyone else then noted they were wondering the same thing.

Ha! That sounds like my impression of every math test I've ever taken! I guess that's partly why I became an English major. ;^D

~David D.G.

By David D.G. (not verified) on 23 Nov 2009 #permalink

Fortunately I became and emeritus before things got really bad. Colleagues tell me the feeling on entering a classroom is that of facing an angry mob.

By Jim Thomerson (not verified) on 27 Nov 2009 #permalink