The Emerald Rose

Saw a piece this morning that the average life span in the world is going up,….ok, big deal! Well surprise the US life span is behind the curve on following it!! My mind first thinks, “why the hell is that , we are a powerful, technically advanced company with some of the most forward medical advancements in the entire globe!

So I’ve been “people watching” a lot more, and I’ve noticed several differences that might be determining our poor performance. I’d like to discuss a few with you, take them for what they are worth, and don’t jump on me about it!!

We are “FAT” people!! Number one reason,….period! Now before you go ballistic, please understand I’m one of you! Me like steak, fried anything, breads, soups, desserts, and anything else we ALL know will make us fat,……but we eat as quickly as it is offered to usQ

Why? I suspect two reasons, 1) we are weak and our personal self determination is much akin to the consistency of  Strawberry  Jello , covered in “Real whipped cream”and not the “Low-Fat, No-Sugar,refreshing(?) alternative”, covered in air infused OIL, from a bowl of homogeneous white goop with sweetness substitutes and enhancers of some kind! BUT IT TASTES BETTER!!!!

I drive a lot each day, and on a Coastal Gulf of Mexico road, in Northwest Florida, engulfed (bad pun!) in pure sugar white sand beaches, the most gorgeous teal water, and virtually every accoutrement to enhance you’re vacation and weekend experience in complete comfort, gentle tropical breezes, gorgeous sunshine over 300 days a year, “puffy little white clouds”, every beach “”toy” you can imagine, little ”motor scooters’ in numberous configurations and colors, plus the rented “Golf Carts” for commuting from the house, rental property, hotel, or other temporary ‘domicile’ you are residing within! We make them here,  in “cozy” one bedrooms up to the “Mega Beach houses” that sleep 20 plus folks.

Now that you are dreaming and drooling, a few facts!

#1 – this area exists to MAKE MONEY, first and foremost for all it’s owners and investors, and it’s YOUR money we want!

#2 – we ain’t responsible for weather conditions, especially temperatures, winds, and wave conditions, in short, COME, SPEND, and GO HOME, at your own risk  of course. Not our responsibility, or liability. That’s what God gave us, we’re so sorry, (And by the way  thanks for coming and leaving lot’s of money!!…..no refunds, discounts or future credits,….a/k/a Tough Luck

#3 – Oh yeah we have hundreds of stores, malls, eateries as well,….please bring money as we have a very short window of opportunity to cover the entire years payroll, expenses, taxes, and oh yeah that little element called ‘PROFIT’

#4- Feel free to ignore our “Beach Conditions/ Warning” flags, as well as all Radio, TV channels, and other methods we have to tell you simply, “You’re butt is in GRAVE DANGER , so DO what you’re told to do!” This ain’t your local “swimming hole”.

The Tourist Developement Councils, vendors and other “locals”, including the County which is levying taxes , we don’t get a holiday, as soon as the summer season ends, we remove all the salt and pepper shakers from the table, dig out the old “two-for”signs and, lay in a huge supply of ‘cheap beer’ and enjoy a week or two until the “infestation” of the dreaded “Yankee Snowbirds” which flock here rather than keep their driveways shoveled and clean for the October to March time slot.

They are a class of their own, the local printers love them because they make up a few THOUSAND BEST  (fill-inn the blank) in the County! They present them like business cards and fully expect another 10-20% discount if any of them mention they are “snow-birds”, and promise herds of thousands, coming in to support them.

But I digress from the intent of this blog!! Back to “life span”!

We as a people are FAT, OVERWEIGHT, OUT OF SHAPE, and eat lousy!! (ME included!) .

That said, between our eating habits and like and tastes, the “big” food firms, you know the huge ones with three hundred brands and the stadium sized mechanized plants are locked in death struggles for the “market domination”! That means they cut corners, use cheap chemicals instead of ALL natural ingredients, natural grains and vegetables not “GMO” (genetically modified organisms) seeds!

For example, “FILET MIGON” is a centercut from the tenderloin of the cow,  and it should be about an inch and a half to two inches thick, and  virtually , no muscle, sinew, or “joined” pieces of meat wrapped in bacon and clear wrap onn a stryofoam “tray” to display.  But years ago someone invented a “needling and tenderizer” machine which  essentially “pounded” a piece of meat, like Veal Steaks, to break down the muscle tissue. The “needling” machine drives hundreds, and in some cases thousands of “needles” or steel shafts that look like needles through an entire piece of meat like a tenderloin, hundreds of times a minute.  It’s purpose is to permeate the muscle, ligaments and other natural components and tenderize them so they “melt in your mouth”. BUT remember it’s a connective tissue you’re eating, albeit one that has been tenderized, NOT a pure tender piece of organic meat. You can not see “puncture holes” or other tell tale signs of a “needle”.

I mention that because my wife began buying “Filet Mignon” at Walmart, and the price was probably 15-20% below the Fresh Food, Whole Foods and other “high end” stores. Anyway it was good, and consistent. But in chatting with her she told me it sometimes came with a “tail” of meat on it, which she has to wrap around it andeither a piece of bacon, or toothpick to secure it. I’ve been eating it for several months now and while it is good, you can tell it’s not a pure filet! I still need a “steak knife” to consistently cut it.

But the BIGGEST question is simply this one!  WHY  can’t these food guru’s make vegetables just taste better?? I know I should eat them, it’s the “healthy food”, and  I’d eat them but ONLY if they can make them “TASTE”, better, not like weeds and grass clippings!. Have a piece of steak, and then a vegetable, no comparison!!

Now a POTATO, is creamy, especially when piping hot with  gobs of butter in it, and I love and eat, even the skin on a baked potato!! For both steak and potato you add salt for TASTE. It’s like “what do I do with a mitten?, PUT IT ON YOUR HAND!!! DUH!!!” But hardly ever for a vegetable! “You don’t need it,….it’s healthy for you and you will learn to love the taste!” (At 72 years old I’ll rely on my doctors to invent the various pills, powders, sauces and coverings to at least make them somewhat paletteable!!

But really, vegetables are different, they are the “red-headed stepchild” of the food chain! YES, I’ve tried all the “sensible”recommendations, like the South Beach Diets, (and seven cook books), all the “Mediterranean Diet” and cooking options, BUT they are just VEGETABLES!!!! They have no real taste, nothing but crunchy textures (my wife tells me they can’t be overcooked because they turn to mush,……my response,..”.MUSH TASTES GOOD!!”)

I’ll wait patiently with my Lasagna, Steak, Creme Brulle’ with a dram of Grand Marnier to wash it down and savor flavor. Science will find an answer, after all if they can cure polio, put a man on the moon, invent an underwater breathing device so we can enjoy 4/5ths of the world under the ocean,….I really think finding a cure for “severe vegetable aversion should be child’s play for them!!

Cause and effect, we don’t eat vegetables, we get fat, round and unhealthy! (So I’m told), but fat, biscuits, gravy, ice cream, hollandaise and butter blanc sauces make  the world go round! It’s what taste is REALLY all about!!

-30-

P.S. READER- all spelling mistakes are courtesy of spell check,….not me. SIX times  Itried putting beurre blanc sauce, but finally had to change it to “butter blanc” because it kept fighting me!! Sorry!