Art is Everywhere You Look...

For some people, food is simply a matter of sustenance; something they need to consume on a daily basis for strength and survival. For others, especially Italians, food is an art and should never be ignored - particularly when the phrase ends with "parm". There are a number of "parms": chicken parm, veal parm, or in the case of this picture, eggplant parm!

You may be wondering how food can be art...let me explain.

Most people agree that a great meal is usually the product of starting with good ingredients but they don't always think beyond that point. If care is taken when selecting what goes into the recipe, shouldn't care be taken when putting everything together? Much like a piece of art, each step should be carefully considered and executed with precision. For example, when an artist paints a picture he/she must first prepare the canvas, and so too must the cook prepare his/her bread when preparing a sandwich. Once each condiment is spread on the bread, care should be taken to make sure every layer is added nicely, so its taste blends in perfectly with the others. There is usually an order to the ingredients, determined by its importance to the sandwich: is the ingredient considered a "base" or simply a "garnish". If you put the sandwich together incorrectly it could fall apart in your hands.

At the same time, just as artists spend years perfecting their craft, chefs spend years observing and assisting other chefs in an effort to develop an individual style. Once this style is implemented certain trademark dishes follow a chef wherever he/she works - and don't the patrons usually go too? How many times have you traveled out of the way to eat at a restaurant because you know the chef prepares your favorite dish in the most unique way?

Once the meal - or in this case sandwich - is prepared the chef should be very proud of what he/she created. The individual has usually worked hard to produce a "masterpiece" and would like to share it with whoever is around. The day I took this picture, the chef said to me, "Take a look at these...don't they look fantastic! This is something you should take a picture of." He had taken so much care in making each sandwich that, when they were finished baking, he couldn't help but call everyone over to take a look. When I actually pulled out my camera to snap a picture he started to laugh. I said, "No, I agree, they look awesome!"

Unfortunately, they were for someone else and I couldn't buy one!

That's the Golden Perspective...what's yours?

Changing with the Seasons...

Don't be confused - yes, this is a picture of ducks swimming in the middle of a plowed corn field. As the season changes many locations take on uses different than normally expected: landscape nurseries transform into Winter Wonderlands as they sell Christmas trees and wreaths; local baseball fields turn into sledding fields; and apparently corn fields turn into makeshift ponds!

Recently, my town was experiencing a flash flood as, what felt like, two inches of rain fell in less than 12 hours. Throughout the storm, streets were flooded, shutters and gutters tossed into bushes, and cars floated down the highway. This particular morning, as I drove to my first meeting, I don't think any of my car's tires touched the road at all...I would have been better suited with a row boat!

On my way home, soaked, cold, and ready for a warm cup of anything, I passed this flooded corn field. I originally stopped at the other end, marveling at how two/three inches of water lay where corn stalks stood just a few weeks ago, when suddenly my attention was diverted. In the distance I saw ducks having a great time for themselves swimming around in the rain. I had to laugh because so much rain had collected in this field that it was deep enough for these birds to go swimming. How could they know that due to the obscene amount of rain falling I could barely see out my front window or that my shoes were wet through to my socks - they seemed thrilled at the sudden appearance of a makeshift swimming hole! As I sat there I thought about all of the people I know - who will remain nameless - that don't like stepping outside in a mere drizzle and here these ducks were reveling in a deluge of water...I know, I know, they're ducks and are supposed to get wet! At least someone/something was benefiting from the storm.

As temperatures and snow begin to fall I'm sure there will be many more sights that will seem "out of the norm" and I hope they are all as entertaining as ducks swimming in the middle of a corn field!

That's the Golden Perspective...what's yours?