Thursday, 13 December, 2012

Class today consisted of  clarifying the expectations of for the independent reading project; analyzing the homework reading by Diane Jacob in order to be sure of the procedures for writing a restaurant review; and revising an existing restaurant review rubric.

A project demonstrating analysis of the role of food in a piece of literature is due on January 8th. Click this text to obtain an extra copy of the assignment handed out today.

After "Jigsawing" the homework article, and having groups present their findings, the Restaurant Review Rubric was revised to this copy.

Students are encouraged to work on their independent projects over break, but there is plenty of time to do good work in January.

Enjoy your break!

Some key findings from the groups reporting out on How to Write a Restaurant Review:
Choose where to go.
Ask yourself questions
Say why people should know about this restaurant
go back if you can (or go somewhere you've been before)
research the restaurant
go with a group if they know you have to be paying attention to the restaurant not them
if you go in a group you can taste more food
be honest
keep a low profile

Frank Bruni says that restaurants are like theaters, social laboratories, microcosms of the neighborhood .....

Tuesday, 11 December, 2012

In class today we reviewed the negative review of Guy Fieri's restaurant and discussed it's tone and style.

Students had time to conference on their personal essays.

Students were given a handout from Will Write for Food to study for class on Thursday.

Monday, 10 December

In class we checked off the personal essay rough drafts due today.

Then we checked and reviewed the annotations of Tilth that was due today.

We added the vocabulary word: "capsule review".

Finally we began reading this review of Guy Fieri's new restaurant.

For homework students are to annotate this review to answer the following questions:
Would you eat here?
Is it fair?
Do you know enough about the reviewer?
Is there ANYTHING positive in the review?
Does the review provide all the information you need? Where? How?
Would you chill with Pete Wells?

Homework assignments are at the bottom of this entry.

In class we reviewed the SOAPS+Claim homework for the article "My Life as a Chef for $25 an Entree".

We then reviewed (part) of this article:

One Hundred Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do

By BRUCE BUSCHEL October 29, 2009

Herewith is a modest list of dos and don’ts for servers at the seafood restaurant I am building. Veteran waiters, moonlighting actresses, libertarians and baristas will no doubt protest some or most of what follows. They will claim it homogenizes them or stifles their true nature. And yet, if 100 different actors play Hamlet, hitting all the same marks, reciting all the same lines, cannot each one bring something unique to that role?

1. Do not let anyone enter the restaurant without a warm greeting.

2. Do not make a singleton feel bad. Do not say, “Are you waiting for someone?” Ask for a reservation. Ask if he or she would like to sit at the bar.

3. Never refuse to seat three guests because a fourth has not yet arrived.

4. If a table is not ready within a reasonable length of time, offer a free drink and/or amuse-bouche. The guests may be tired and hungry and thirsty, and they did everything right.

5. Tables should be level without anyone asking. Fix it before guests are seated.

6. Do not lead the witness with, “Bottled water or just tap?” Both are fine. Remain neutral.

7. Do not announce your name. No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness.

8. Do not interrupt a conversation. For any reason. Especially not to recite specials. Wait for the right moment.

9. Do not recite the specials too fast or robotically or dramatically. It is not a soliloquy. This is not an audition.

10. Do not inject your personal favorites when explaining the specials.

11. Do not hustle the lobsters. That is, do not say, “We only have two lobsters left.” Even if there are only two lobsters left.

12. Do not touch the rim of a water glass. Or any other glass.

13. Handle wine glasses by their stems and silverware by the handles.

14. When you ask, “How’s everything?” or “How was the meal?” listen to the answer and fix whatever is not right.

15. Never say “I don’t know” to any question without following with, “I’ll find out.”

16. If someone requests more sauce or gravy or cheese, bring a side dish of same. No pouring. Let them help themselves.

17. Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait.

18. Know before approaching a table who has ordered what. Do not ask, “Who’s having the shrimp?”

19. Offer guests butter and/or olive oil with their bread.

20. Never refuse to substitute one vegetable for another.

21. Never serve anything that looks creepy or runny or wrong.

22. If someone is unsure about a wine choice, help him. That might mean sending someone else to the table or offering a taste or two.

23. If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc.

24. Never use the same glass for a second drink.

25. Make sure the glasses are clean. Inspect them before placing them on the table.

26. Never assume people want their white wine in an ice bucket. Inquire.

27. For red wine, ask if the guests want to pour their own or prefer the waiter to pour.

28. Do not put your hands all over the spout of a wine bottle while removing the cork.

29. Do not pop a champagne cork. Remove it quietly, gracefully. The less noise the better.

30. Never let the wine bottle touch the glass into which you are pouring. No one wants to drink the dust or dirt from the bottle.

31. Never remove a plate full of food without asking what went wrong. Obviously, something went wrong.

32. Never touch a customer. No excuses. Do not do it. Do not brush them, move them, wipe them or dust them.

33. Do not bang into chairs or tables when passing by.

34. Do not have a personal conversation with another server within earshot of customers.

35. Do not eat or drink in plain view of guests.

36. Never reek from perfume or cigarettes. People want to smell the food and beverage.

37. Do not drink alcohol on the job, even if invited by the guests. “Not when I’m on duty” will suffice.

38.Do not call a guy a “dude.”

39. Do not call a woman “lady.”

40. Never say, “Good choice,” implying that other choices are bad.

41. Saying, “No problem” is a problem. It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm. “My pleasure” or “You’re welcome” will do.     

42. Do not compliment a guest’s attire or hairdo or makeup. You are insulting someone else.

43. Never mention what your favorite dessert is. It’s irrelevant.

44. Do not discuss your own eating habits, be you vegan or lactose intolerant or diabetic.

45. Do not curse, no matter how young or hip the guests.

46. Never acknowledge any one guest over and above any other. All guests are equal.

47. Do not gossip about co-workers or guests within earshot of guests.

48. Do not ask what someone is eating or drinking when they ask for more; remember or consult the order.

49. Never mention the tip, unless asked.

50. Do not turn on the charm when it’s it’s tip time. Be consistent throughout.

51. If there is a service charge, alert your guests when you present the bill. It’s not a secret or a trick.

52. Know your menu inside and out. If you serve Balsam Farm candy-striped beets, know something about Balsam Farm and candy-striped beets.

53. Do not let guests double-order unintentionally; remind the guest who orders ratatouille that zucchini comes with the entree.

54. If there is a prix fixe, let guests know about it. Do not force anyone to ask for the “special” menu.

55. Do not serve an amuse-bouche without detailing the ingredients. Allergies are a serious matter; peanut oil can kill. (This would also be a good time to ask if anyone has any allergies.)

56. Do not ignore a table because it is not your table. Stop, look, listen, lend a hand. (Whether tips are pooled or not.)

57. Bring the pepper mill with the appetizer. Do not make people wait or beg for a condiment.

58. Do not bring judgment with the ketchup. Or mustard. Or hot sauce. Or whatever condiment is requested.

59. Do not leave place settings that are not being used.

60. Bring all the appetizers at the same time, or do not bring the appetizers. Same with entrees and desserts.

61. Do not stand behind someone who is ordering. Make eye contact. Thank him or her.

62. Do not fill the water glass every two minutes, or after each sip. You’ll make people nervous.

62(a). Do not let a glass sit empty for too long.

63. Never blame the chef or the busboy or the hostess or the weather for anything that goes wrong. Just make it right.

64. Specials, spoken and printed, should always have prices.

65. Always remove used silverware and replace it with new.

66. Do not return to the guest anything that falls on the floor — be it napkin, spoon, menu or soy sauce.

67. Never stack the plates on the table. They make a racket. Shhhhhh.

68. Do not reach across one guest to serve another.

69. If a guest is having trouble making a decision, help out. If someone wants to know your life story, keep it short. If someone wants to meet the chef, make an effort.

70. Never deliver a hot plate without warning the guest. And never ask a guest to pass along that hot plate.

71. Do not race around the dining room as if there is a fire in the kitchen or a medical emergency. (Unless there is a fire in the kitchen or a medical emergency.)

72. Do not serve salad on a freezing cold plate; it usually advertises the fact that it has not been freshly prepared.

73. Do not bring soup without a spoon. Few things are more frustrating than a bowl of hot soup with no spoon.

74. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.

75. Do not ask if someone is finished when others are still eating that course.

76. Do not ask if a guest is finished the very second the guest is finished. Let guests digest, savor, reflect.

77. Do not disappear.

78. Do not ask, “Are you still working on that?” Dining is not work — until questions like this are asked.

79. When someone orders a drink “straight up,” determine if he wants it “neat” — right out of the bottle — or chilled. Up is up, but “straight up” is debatable.

80. Never insist that a guest settle up at the bar before sitting down; transfer the tab.

81. Know what the bar has in stock before each meal.

82. If you drip or spill something, clean it up, replace it, offer to pay for whatever damage you may have caused. Refrain from touching the wet spots on the guest.

83. Ask if your guest wants his coffee with dessert or after. Same with an after-dinner drink.

84. Do not refill a coffee cup compulsively. Ask if the guest desires a refill.

84(a). Do not let an empty coffee cup sit too long before asking if a refill is desired.

85. Never bring a check until someone asks for it. Then give it to the person who asked for it.

86. If a few people signal for the check, find a neutral place on the table to leave it.

87. Do not stop your excellent service after the check is presented or paid.

88. Do not ask if a guest needs change. Just bring the change.

89. Never patronize a guest who has a complaint or suggestion; listen, take it seriously, address it.

90. If someone is getting agitated or effusive on a cellphone, politely suggest he keep it down or move away from other guests.

91. If someone complains about the music, do something about it, without upsetting the ambiance. (The music is not for the staff — it’s for the customers.)

92. Never play a radio station with commercials or news or talking of any kind.

93. Do not play brass — no brassy Broadway songs, brass bands, marching bands, or big bands that feature brass, except a muted flugelhorn.

94. Do not play an entire CD of any artist. If someone doesn’t like Frightened Rabbit or Michael Bublé, you have just ruined a meal.

95. Never hover long enough to make people feel they are being watched or hurried, especially when they are figuring out the tip or signing for the check.

96. Do not say anything after a tip — be it good, bad, indifferent — except, “Thank you very much.”

97. If a guest goes gaga over a particular dish, get the recipe for him or her.

98. Do not wear too much makeup or jewelry. You know you have too much jewelry when it jingles and/or draws comments.

99. Do not show frustration. Your only mission is to serve. Be patient. It is not easy.

100. Guests, like servers, come in all packages. Show a “good table” your appreciation with a free glass of port, a plate of biscotti or something else management approves.

Bonus Track: As Bill Gates has said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” (Of course, Microsoft is one of the most litigious companies in history, so one can take Mr. Gates’s counsel with a grain of salt. Gray sea salt is a nice addition to any table.) tip time. Be consistent throughout.

Next students were asked to write about why they go out to eat and what is most important about this experience them. This writing was shared with a partner and discussed. This will be an important element of the restaurant reviews due in January.

Students were then given a copy of a restaurant review of Tilth by Frank Bruni. 

Homework is to read and annotate the review to respond to these two questions:

Does this review provide all the information you need? Where? How? 

Do you know enough about Bruni to evaluate Tilth? Where / how do yo learn this?

Also, a draft of a personal college or OSAC essay is due on Monday as well.

Tuesday, 4 December

Class began by reviewing the homework question, "What do Restaurant Reviews and Personal Essays have in common?" There were a number of things that were identified, however Mr. Zartler made a special point of discussing that for both kinds of writing the audience has specific needs for information.

Next the class created a variety of "value line ups" so that each student could become clear on what their values around eating a meal out are.

After the line ups, students made notes about their values so that they would be sure to let the readers of their reviews know what those values are.

HOMEWORK:
Complete a SOAPS + Claim analysis of the following essay.
(Subject; Occasion; Author/ Audience; Purpose; Significance; Claim(s)) Due Thursday, 6 December.

Future Due dates include:

Personal Essay draft: Monday, 10 December

Independent Reading complete: Thursday, 13 December

Independent Reading Project: Monday, 8 January

Restaurant Review: Thursday, 17 January

Monday, 3 December

Homework: Consider the question, "What do personal essay's and restaurant reviews have in common?"

Remember that independent reading is due before the Winter break.

In class we wrote about and analyzed excellent experiences eating (with a focus on eating out), and terrible experiences eating (out). We made a list of what made the experience excellent or terrible.

Thursday, 29 November, 2012

Class today began with a discussion of what the audience for the college and scholarship personal essays would want.

In short the class concluded that Admissions Officers and Scholarships Committee folk want to know the answer to the following questions:
Who are you?
Why do you deserve to be part of the college or to have the scholarship?
Are you a learner?
Will you take good advantage of the opportunity?
Do you have dreams, aspirations or goals?
What do you bring or offer?
How do you respond to challenges?
Are you committed to something?
Are you honest and sincere?

Next we began studying the Restaurant Review. Students will be writing a review this month.

We began by considering what the role of the critic is; we viewed and discussed this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih6jcKd7VwU&feature=related&safe=active

Then we discussed this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef91za0liTM&safe=active and discussed how being an egotistical reviewer is a problem because you may not give the audience of your review what it is they want.

Next, working in pairs, students read a multiple reviews to determine what the essential components of a good review are. Essential to a review is information to answer the question, "Should I go?"

Tuesday, 26 November

We reviewed the criteria for a well written essay.
Clear purpose
Well organized (including thesis and related topic sentences)
Specific, vivid word choice
concrete imagery
figurative language
carefully chosen and developed ideas
well edited
strong lede or hook
good balance of scene and summary


Homework was checked.

Then writers were asked to see which items in their list of experiences could be entered under more than one heading. Writers identified those experiences that involved the most categories. 

Next the class looked at the questions asked for the OSAC Scholarships and the Common Application:

OSAC

Requires writing on each of the following four topics, each essay to be no more than 150 words.

1.    Explain your career aspirations an your educational plan to meet these goals.

2.    Describe a challenge or obstacle you faced in the last ten years. What did you learn about yourself from this experience.

3.    Describe a personal accomplishment and the strengths and skills you used to achieve it.

4.    Explain how you have helped your family or made your community a better place to live. Provide specific examples.

Common App

The length for the common app essays is 250-500 words.

1.    Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

2.    Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.

3.    Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

4.    Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

5.    A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

6.    Topic of your choice.

The next step in class was for writers to identify an experience that seemed to match with one of the questions, and to write about that experience.

Monday, 26 November

Students received credit for bringing their new independent reading book to class and for sharing why they choose it. Books should be read and analyzed by December 14th.

Students made up their toasts as needed.

The class reviewed the qualities of a good essay:
Clear purpose
Well organized (including thesis and related topic sentences)
Specific, vivid word choice
concrete imagery
figurative language
carefully chosen and developed ideas
well edited
strong lede or hook
good balance of scene and summary

Next students developed a chart of seven categories of experiences:

Exciting    Boring    Satisfying    Unusual     Family    Learning    Failure
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

For homework, students are to have at least seven (7) and preferably ten (10) experiences for each category.

Week of 12-15 November, and homework for break

Monday, 12 November was a holiday to celebrate Veteran's day.

Tuesday, 13 November students presented their toasts in class.

Thursday, 15 November

Class began with a discussion of how people know when they know something and how knowledge can be assessed.

Students were then put in groups to write good quiz questions for today's vocabulary quiz.

At the end of class students took the quiz of questions that they had developed.

(Toasts that were not presented on Tuesday will be presented next week.)

Homework:
Students were told that they need to obtain a new independent reading book from the  Suggested Independent Reading List. They need to have this book by the time they return from the Thanksgiving break. The book will need to be read by the beginning of winter break.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday / Thursday 6-8 November

Sorry for the late blog entry.
This week we've been working on developing Toasts that are due in class on Tuesday, 13 November. On Tuesday students received a handout with instructions and a variety of advice about toast style and structure.

We established the the ritual format for a toast is:
State the purpose of the toast
Thanks the hosts
Tell an anecdote (story) that illustrates the reason for the toast
Make (state) the toast.

On Thursday students were to bring a rough draft of their toast. The toast should be between one and two minutes long.

On Thursday we reviewed the state scoring guide for speaking, and then reviewed videos of toasts that were done well (or not) and analyzed what was done well and what not done well.

Finally students worked in groups to get feedback on their own toasts, and to begin revising these toasts for Tuesday.

Here are links to some of the toasts we reviewed:
Gets some of it just right

Many things NOT to do.

Bad job.

Strengths and weaknesses

Well done.

One more we didn't get to.

REMEMBER: Toasts due on Tuesday!

Thursday, 1 November, 2012

Students turned in and began presenting their independent reading projects today. After each presentation other students had opportunities to ask questions about the books. Since there will be other independent reading assignments, note taking and asking clarifying questions was suggested.

Before giving presentations, students had a brief conference with another student who examined the project and told the maker what the project clearly explained to the conference partner. With this feedback students could adjust their presentation to the class to be sure the project and presentation covered all salient points.

Students also completed the following self-evaluation that was turned in with the project:

Thinking about the entire process resulting in your project: choosing/ getting/ reading a book; thinking about and analyzing your book; choosing a project type; drafting the project; completing the project:

Describe what your strengths were:

Describe ways you could be more successful and / or ways you might enjoy the process more:

For the project itself:
Describe strengths
Describe weaknesses
Assign a grade to the project and provide a rationale for this grade


Thanksgiving Writing:
Think about Thanksgiving. Take 10-15 minutes to write about the memories you have; activities that commonly occur in your family during the holiday

The last assignment, which students who missed class need to complete in their note books is to think about the upcoming holiday of Thanksgiving. For ten to fifteen minutes write about the holiday with emphasis on the traditions, foods, activities, and feelings that are part of it.

Tuesday, 30 October, 2012

Today we listened to this story about the five tastes from National Public Radio. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15819485

From this story we added three new vocabulary words:
dashi
glutamate
flavor

Then in order to best understand what these tastes are students had a plate of tastes.

Important concepts we covered today include
Flavor is not taste; taste is not flavor. There are five tastes: sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and ummami. Flavor is a complex experience of eating derived from a variety of sense.

HOMEWORK:
Independent Book Projects are due on Thursday, 1 November

There will be a vocabulary test on Thursday, 8 November. The test will cover the following words:
cereal
monocot
dicot
Mise en place
sesame oil
savory
ummami
sour
sweet bitter
salt
anthropology
hearth
sustenance
fruit
rice and beans
legumes
dashi
glutamte
flavor

Monday, 29 October, 2012

Students shared their responses to the "Critical Questions to Answer Before Beginning" questions about their reading projects. The class then discussed concerns related to the projects.

Next the class read and discussed the childrens' book Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley. The following vocabulary terms were added:

"Beans & Rice" -- Beans and rice combinations are found in traditional cooking in cultures from around the world. Neither beans nor rice provide a complete protein on their own, but together they compliment each other and no meat is needed in a healthy diet.

"Legume" -- seeds know as beans and peas. These plants "fix" their own nitrogen, that is they are basically self fertilizing.

Class on Tuesday will include tasting. Students are encouraged to wash their hands immediately before coming to class.

Thursday, 25 October, 2012

Students turned in their essay's analyzing the symbol of food in a short story.

Students wrote and discussed a journal entry on "Why do you like to eat?" (And what do you like to eat?)

We read and discussed two recent pieces on food choices and eating in the New York times:

No Appetite for Good-for-You School Lunches and

Peanut Butter Takes on an Unlikely Best Friend

The class also discussed the Independent Reading project assignment.

Tuesday, 23 October, 2012

Class began with students receiving this handout describing the project required to show understanding of independent reading. The projects are due November 1st.

The class then read and discussed the memoir "A Fig By Any Other Name".

Next students choose which short story to write an analytical essay on, and had opportunities to get help. Most students had their thesis statement approved by Mr. Zartler. Students who needed more help were encouraged to attend tutorial at 2:05.

Two page, typed, double spaced essays are due in class on Thursday.

Monday, 22 October

Class today included a brief review of vocabulary,

plus the new word: "sustenance"

Noun:

Food and drink regarded as a source of strength; nourishment. The maintaining of someone or something in life or existence: "the sustenance of democracy".

Students were told that this week they will be writing a short essay on one of the short stories we have read and discussed in class (or the memoir we will read on Tuesday).

In class students independently read "The Riding Pants" by Bernard Malmud.

The class also discussed how food can be a symbol of sustenance, and family, or tradition.

Thursday, 18 October, 2012

Class continued with investigation of fiction that has a strong food component in it's symbolism or its structure.

Students also considered what their kitchen trash provides evidence for their families attitudes and practices with food and eating.

The class read and analyzed Elizabeth Woody's story "Home Cooking."

Periods 1 & 3 had time to consider how and why dates often involve food.

All classes learned that they will have a project based on their independent reading due on Thursday, 1 November. These projects will vary depending on the book being read, and options will be explored in class over the next week.

Tuesday, 16 October, 2012

Classes today finished reading and /or discussion and analysis of "Survivor Type".

Food, in general was identified as a symbol of: love, community, and life.

We added the vocabulary words:
anthropology
and
hearth

Anthropologists work by making observations. The class made observations of the neolithic village of Skara Brae and created hypothoses about the culture. One vital observation was that each home in the village was built around a central hearth. Students wrote about how they saw this structure as culturally significant.

Class continued it's examination of the role of Food in Fiction.

The class began with an in-class writing assignment in which students were asked to write about a time that they were hungry, to think about what they would have done to get something to eat, and what they would have eaten.

The class then read the Stephen King short story "Survival Type."

Tuesday, 9 October

Class today briefly continued the discussion around "Stone Soup" stories. Asked if the same concepts could be addressed without the use of food students suggested that shelter (the first thing that the soldiers and the monks asked for) or some kind of communal activity could be used instead.  We discussed how food, shelter, and community represent basic human needs.

Students had a bit of time to read their independent reading books; people shared what they were liking or not liking in their books. Mr. Zartler read Garlic and Sapphires on the plane this past week and really enjoyed not only the writing about food and restaurants, but the interesting writing about playing roles and identity.

The class worked on two vocabulary activities. The first involved charting the various terms we use for meals:

The second involved identifying the relationships among the words we use for hunger:

The last activity of the day involved reading excerpts from The Woman Warrior (a new addition to the suggested reading list), and discussing how the references to food, and symbolism were used.

Thursday, 4 October, 2012

The class read three versions of children's books telling the story of "Stone Soup".

The class divided into three groups to create detailed analyses and presentations of their assigned text.

The general questions addressed by each group for their text include:

As you read think about how food as used as a symbol in the story. In other words does food only mean food in your story?

How do the illustrations affect your understanding or interpretation of the story?

Is there a moral to the story? If so, what is it?

Is this book only for children?

Is the story meant to be funny?

Each students was asked to show their independent reading book as a assigned. This was a graded assignment.

Tuesday, 2 October, 2012

Plans for the week were reviewed.
Thursday the class will embark on a mini-unit on food in fiction. The first quarter of Food & Culture is a survey of many different topics; some will be examined in more depth as a class, others may be the subject of independent research for the thesis.

Groups had time to finish their group presentations based on the Corn Causes Vampire reading. The groups had to develop a claim with five supporting facts from their assigned field of knowledge  (Agriculture; Economics/ Business; Health; Eating & Cooking; History & Social Sciences; Jeopardy Knowledge; Science; Symbolism & Arts & Religion). Each group also had to develop a metaphor for corn based in their field of knowledge.

ANY STUDENT WHO MISSED THE PRESENTATION MUST COMPLETE A WRITTEN VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION. This can be turned in to Ms. Margolis on Thursday, or Mr. Zartler on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Students presented their claims and metaphors, and the rest of the class took notes. After all the presentations the class choose a metaphor for corn in general. Two class choose "Corn is like Oxygen," and then each person in class wrote a journal entry to explain the metaphor.

Classes reviewed the current and new vocabulary:
cereal; monocot; dicot; mies en place; sesame oil; savory; umami.

All students MUST bring their independent reading books to class on Thursday when Ms. Margolis will be teaching.

Monday, 1 October, 2012

Class began with reviewing the Mark Bittman breakfast recipe:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/dining/184mrex.html and watching the video where he makes it again:
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2009/02/17/dining/1194837897096/savory-breakfast.html

Then Mr. Zartler demonstrated how to make the dish. He demonstrated slicing scallions  (including removing the roots and basal plate of the bulb), and the tough upper part of the greens.

After eating some Wheat Berries and Scallions (with Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce) the class wrote about the dish. Students were asked to come up with a metaphor for the dish.

New vocabulary words were added (3rd period will get these words on Tuesday).
Cereal
1: A breakfast food based on processed grains (cereal) usually sweetened and very popular in the United States.

2: Grain; the seeds of a variety of monocots.

Monocot: grass and grass like plants; seedlings have only one leaf

Dicot: a large group of flowering plants including (among many others: apples, cabbages, and Douglas Fir); seedlings have two leaves.

Savory: as opposed to sweet a pleasant taste; used most often in reference to meat, spices, etc. See also umami.

Groups had a brief amount of time to prepare for tomorrows presentations on corn.

Students were reminded to have their independent reading books by Tuesday.

Thursday, September 27, 2012 Class Review

In class today students took a vocabulary quiz. The class then reviewed the quiz. Anyone who did not earn at least a "C" on the quiz needs to attend Tutorial on 2 October, or on 9 October to retake the quiz.

The class was divided into study groups in order to break down the analysis of "Carrots Cause Vampires." Each group is responsible for identifying an important claim or conclusion that applies to their field of knowledge, and then for creating a metaphor to for information contained in their section.

There will some class time available on Monday for group preparation; reports to the class will be due on Tuesday.

Homework: Man will have to work on analysis of the article. ALSO everyone is to have their food related independent reading book by Tuesday, 2 October.

Back to School Night: 27 September, 2012

Food and Culture: English 7-8

Jamie Zartler

Thank you for being here this evening. We should partner because we have the same goals.

To partner we need to be in communication.
Email: JZartler@pps.net works best for me. 503.916..5160 75 700 might work better for you.

I'm generally not at Grant Monday afternoons, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

I do use Edbox, and you should, too.

All this contact information  is on the school web page:
Zartler on GrantHS.com .

This is also the place to find my syllabus for this course. The main ideas captured there are: This is an English Course; students need to read and to write. Students should learn thinking skills as well as skills that will help them learn and be productive their entire lives.

Food and Culture is NOT a Home Economics class, though I hope my students will learn something about cooking and eating well. (And thank you for those of you who have been able to help with the suggested materials fee donation.) There will be opportunities for students to eat in class, and for them to cook in class. (Parental Warning: knives are sharp. Appropriate instruction in the use of sharp tools will be provided, but students must exercise due caution.) The idea behind the Food and Culture class is that  there are many, many interesting questions that arise when we think carefully and critically about food and how reflects culture.

The Grant English Department has, over the last several years, increasingly recognized the value of non-fiction in our curricula. As an English Class Food and Culture will have a bias towards non-fiction works. However we will also be study both short fiction and a novel -- Like Water for Chocolate -- that feature food as important symbols or motifs. Additionally, all students will have required independent reading projects throughout the year based in this evolving reading list.

(Second Parental Warning: Part of the theory behind this class is that food is a vital part of our culture. Since our culture is embedded in the communities that we live in, I will ask your students to make observations and conduct research in their community and surrounding neighborhoods. Alternative assignments can be arranged.)

At the Zartler on GrantHS.com web page, you can also find my Food and Culture Blog. The blog is vital to your student's success. The blog is primarily designed to help students track what they missed (or forgot that they didn't miss) in class. I generally ask students to "check the blog" as a first step when they have missed class. However, they may need to follow up with me for handouts or other activities. (Interestingly, some parents have found the blog a useful cure for the short lived question, "What did you do in school today?" You can also use the "What's Cooking" entries as a place to have conversations.)

If you have concerns that I don't have time or that are not appropriate to address now, please contact me as soon as possible.

Again, thank you for being part of your student's education and the Grant Community.

Finally, many Grant families have been generous in their support of materials and books for this class. The sense of being a community in part represented by this generous spirit is what helps make Grant a great place.

Wish list: flatware, paper products, mixing and serving bowls, and "Vintage" cookbooks are currently the highest priority.

What's Cooking: Thursday, 27 September, 2012

What's cooking: an occassional supplement to Mr. Zartler's Food and Culture class blog.

NOT a Celebration of Whole Grains

My friend Mary Rodeback taught me this amazing recipe. We like it with steak -- as Mark Bittman says, when you're going to have a good time eating, enjoy!

Saute two heads of spinach with

some ham stock, as the spinach wilts

add 4 oz of (or more) or cream cheese and

a handful of Gorgonzola.

Enjoy!

Parent note participation time:

What are some cultural questions or insights that may come from studying this recipe?

Tuesday, 25 September

In class today we reviewed that there is a quiz on vocabulary words on Thursday; part of the quiz is for students to have a planner or planning device.

Mr. Zartler also went over the requirement that all students have a book to read for an independent reading project. That list is available online. Students may need to use resources such as Multnomah County Library to access books from the list.

The class reviewed the areas of knowledge that we used to analyze the "How Carrots Won the Trojan War" piece.

The areas of knowledge that we will use for the next article are:
Agriculture
Arts, Culture, & Religion
Eating and Cooking
Economics and Business
Health
History and Social Science
"Jeopardy Knowledge"
Science

HOMEWORK:
Every student got a handout of the chapter "Corn Causes Vampires." The class read and discussed the introduction together. For homework students are expected to pre-read the piece by first reading all the topic sentences. Then all students should do a quick read of the entire piece for Thursday.

Tuesday, 25 September

Class began with writing a scene between the writer and the character for whom they wrote a diary entry for homework.

After writing, writers shared.

Next the class read the story "That Girl." We had a long discussion about issues raised by the story:  the nature of conflict in fiction; the role of stereotypes in fiction, and others. Writers who missed class should get a copy from Mr. Zartler as we will be doing a detailed analysis of the story in class on Thursday.

The last part of class was spent studying ten elements of story telling. Writers should get a handout from Mr. Zartler. As this will be a vital reference.

Monday, 24 September

Today in class we discussed the Mark Bittman lecture that many of us attended.

We spent considerable time on his assertion that we need to make it harder to buy "bad" food and easier to buy "good" food. Part of the conversation was focused around the tension between viewing government as having a strong role in helping people and solving societal problems on the one hand and on the preeminence of personal liberty and choice on the other hand (stereotypically policies of the Democrats and Republicans respectively).

Next the class watched a Bittman video clip demonstrating a savory breakfast of wheat berries and scallions. Then we discussed if and how this recipe reflected Bittman's concept of "Food that Matters."

Remember that there is a vocabulary quiz on Thursday; part of the grade for the quiz will be for each student to demonstrate that he or she has a planning device.

Thursday, 20 September

Field Trip Update: I apologize, but the bus back from Mark Bittman tonight will be arriving at Grant later than originally expected. Expect to return to Grant at 9:40 pm. Students should meet on Grant's front steps by 6:00 pm tonight!

In class today groups presented their analysis of Bittman's writing. Students took notes individually. Then each person came up with at least one summative comment or big question related to Bittman's writing.

VOCABULARY: There will be a vocabulary quiz next Thursday. The words agriculture - unctuous from our list will be on the quiz.

Mr. Zartler shared the Wednesday, 20 September blog entry. He stated that students should make a habit of reviewing the blog regularly, and to encourage this regular checking of the blog he would sometimes post a "What's Cooking" entry, sometimes provide simple extra credit tasks, etc.

Mr. Zartler also explained that beginning next week students would have an independent reading project based on a reading list they will get next week.

Wednesday, 20 September, 2012

What's cooking: an occassional supplement to Mr. Zartler's Food and Culture class blog.

What's cooking

My mother-in-law is visiting; she loves a good steak from time to time. So I made Bistecca for her.

Now if your Italian is good, you know that I just wrote, "I made steak for her." So let me be a bit more precise. I made Bistecca all Fiorrentina for her (and, well, for me!). That is, I made a steak preparation that is popular in the Tuscany region of Italy. (Fierenze is the Italian for the capital of Tuscany, the city we call Florence).

The breed of cattle most common in Tuscany are called Chianina. They are white.

I don't think my meat came from a white Italian cow, and in cooking one often has to make substitutions. There are two main concepts to the dish that make it Tuscan style.

The first is that a thick cut of steak, a Porterhouse is traditional, is used.

The steak is grilled at first over a very hot fire, then moved off the hot flames to finish cooking over lower heat.  The idea is to strongly brown the outsides of the steaks (what chemical reaction is being used here?) while leaving much of the interior rare or medium rare.

This photo shows how a Fiorentina steak looks. The browning is a result of the Maillard Reaction.

The second aspect of the preparation is that an olive oil is used as the steak sauce. Before grilling the meat is typically seasoned with salt and pepper. Different recipes suggest different ways to season this olive oil (see, it's kinda hard to go totally wrong in cooking because everyone has different tastes). Some say just pour excellent olive oil on the steak, but most season the olive oil. Some use rosemary, others some lemon. I put some cloves of garlic, and green pepper corns in my olive oil over night, and added some lemon peal to the oil a bit before serving it.

One thing to realize is that a Porterhouse is a pretty expensive cut of meat. If you wanted to try something similar you could use any steak suitable for grilling (a sirloin for example). Some people (including me) prefer a steak with a bone in it because they think that they have a richer taste. I normally get my mother-in-law a New York Strip steak because it is her (and my wife's favorite cut). A New York has less fat than a Porterhouse or Rib-eye. But one does give up a bit of lovely unctuousness  (look a new vocabulary word) with the leaner (and healthier?) cut? The strip steak pictured below has more marbling (fat between the strands of meat) than many, so it doesn't show the difference the way I'm used to thinking of it.

Bone in New York Strip

Bone in Rib-eye

In class as we discuss this entry, we will discuss possible side dishes and beverages to serve with Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

We might also talk about the parts of a cow.....

If Tuscany intrigues you, you can read Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. Her memoir (made into a film) includes recipes.

Bon Appetit!
Mr. Z

Tuesday, 18 September, 2012

Field Trip: Students should be at Grant at 6:00 pm on Thursday for the Mark Bittman Trip; the bus will return to Grant at 9:00 pm. A few students have not yet returned their permission forms -- please do so immediately.

Class began with students sharing their homework. After each student shared their responses to the introduction to Food Matters, other students asked them questions and challenged their conclusions.

The class reviewed SOAPS+Claim.

The class then divided into new groups to analyze the sections of the first chapter of Food Matters. Each group is responsible for presenting to the rest of the class their analysis of the section. Presentations began in class and will continue on Thursday.

All students should have read the entire hand out for class on Thursday.

Monday, 17 September, 2012

Permission slips for the Mark Bittman field trip on Thursday, 20 September were collected. Those students who have not yet turned in their slip should do so on Tuesday.

First period shared the examples of facts from various subject areas of knowledge.

Second and third period students made a list of foods that they had eaten in the last few days. From that list each student choose a "Yeah!" a "meh...." or a "Uck!". This eating experience was the prompt for a short writing assignment. Some students shared their writing.

Students were shown the Table of Contents of Food Matters and asked to make predictions of what the text will cover.

Mr. Zartler reminded the class of SOAPS + Claim

Subject

Occasion

Author / Audience

Purpose

Significance

+ Claim

These are topics to consider when reading non-fiction material such as the excerpts from Food Matters that were handed out in class.

Students were asked consider SOAPS+Claim as they read the introduction to Food Matters; each student received a the introduction and a selection from the beginning of the text. After finishing the reading of the introduction, students are to write a response to the reading. Questions addressed in the response could include: 

Does the content match your expectations?

Do Bittman's ideas strike you as right or wrong?

Does the text seem to have anything to offer you?

Does the content address of of the questions you developed last week.

Bring the response to class on Tuesday.

Thursday, 13 September

In class today students received permission slip forms for Mark Bittman. The Mark Bittman trip is is Thursday, September 20. Be at Grant by 6:05 for a 6:20 departure.

Class began with a sharing of questions that students developed as homework.

After sharing questions Mr. Zartler explained how people learn using this diagram

The class discussed how reading the article "How Carrots Won the Trojan War" was difficult because many students did not have enough "file cabinets and file folders" in their brain to place the new information. To make filing the new information easier the class divided knowledge into the following categories

Next students were placed in groups to skim and scan the carrot essay for examples of knowledge from one of the fields of knowledge defined above. Finally each group shared their examples, and students added new knowledge to a chart included new facts and a label showing what area of knowledge that fact belonged to.

Next week the class will study some essays by Mark Bittman to learn what some of the major issues our culture has with food in his opinion.

Tuesday, 11 September, 2012

Class began with a focus on vocabulary:

ag·ri·cul·ture   [ag-ri-kuhl-cher]

noun 1. the science, art, or occupation concerned with cultivating land, raising crops, and feeding, breeding, and raising livestock; farming.

hor·ti·cul·ture 

noun 1. the cultivation of a garden, orchard, or nursery; the cultivation of flowers, fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants.

ter·roir  [ter-wahr; Fr. ter-war]

noun 1. the environmental conditions, especially soil and climate, in which grapes are grown and that give a wine its unique flavor and aroma: the high quality of the region’s terroir.

trophic level 

noun Ecology any class of organisms that occupy the same position in a food chain, as primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

Maillard Reaction

chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar. E.g. "browning" during cooking which adds complex flavors.

Bechamel -- "White sauce" or "cream sauce"; butter, flour, milk (and salt & pepper); the beginning point for many sauces.

Haggis -- traditional Scottish dish consisting of heart, liver, and lungs of a calf or sheep (and spices).

offal -- organs or other non-muscle parts of an animal.

After practicing vocabulary the class returned to the article on the Middle Eastern church celebrating it's culture through food. Mr. Zartler made that claim the statement, "There's no such thing as Syrian food or Jordanian food or Palestinian food. It's all Middle Eastern food," is an example that traditional foods are a product of geography. Other examples include salmon being a staple of the diets of the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest; bison (buffalo being a staple of the natives of the plains, e.g. Arapaho, Apache, Commanche, etc.).

The last in-class activity involved reading "Chapter Five in which Carrots Win The Trojan War" from the book How Carrot Won the Trojan War. Students took notes on interesting facts and significant new information about carrots AND what areas of knowledge (e.g. geography, biology, horticulture) were accessed in the article.

Homework: students were given this blog address. They are to come to this blog and find their other homework assignment which is this:

Make a list of at least twenty questions you have about food; food and how it relates to culture; cooking; agriculture; and the economics of food. Bring these questions to class on Thursday.