Resolution Revolution

Well, its that time of year again: the time to reflect on the past 365 days and decide what in your life needs updating and changing; then resolving to do better for the next 365 days.  But doesn't it seem as though every year most of us make the same resolution?  I resolve to lose weight!  I resolve to eat better!  I resolve to spend less money!  How about this New Year, you  revolutionize that resolution!  Think up different resolutions that will actually be something you can achieve and maybe even find they can enhance your every day life.  This year I am making a resolution revolution and going outside the box!

Perfection Isn't Reality
As some of you may know, I am a bit of a perfectionist.  I straighten my hair about 45 times per day, all plated food I prepare must contain the entire rainbow, people that don't use their blinker while driving make me crazy, and God help you if your around me and I find I have received a grade that is anything less than an A.  My name is Jackie and I am a perfectionist.  I hope you all know how difficult that was for me to admit...as a perfectionist, I am now admitting I am less than perfect.

But why take so much time stressing over being less than perfect?  I will never get there, no one can.  One of my best friends in my class, Mariana, said to me one day, "Why does it matter so much to get a grade of an A rather than an AB?  Will you get a better job?  Will you get paid more money?  No.  Its just not worth killing yourself over being perfect in school."  When she first said that I scoffed in my mind.  I will know if I get a less-than-perfect grade!!  It will be on my transcript.  It will ruin my 4.0 GPA at Mount Mary.  But then I got to thinking: if I didn't kill myself to be perfect, think about how much more time I would have.  Think about how much less stress I would be under.  And most importantly, think about what a much better mood I would be in.  So next year, I resolve to understand that perfection isn't reality and not worry so much about being perfect...at least, I'll try.

Quality Over Quantity
This last year was a big wake-up call to me.  My fiance began his career as an attorney and because of that fact, he worked quite a bit.  Most weeks, he would work 7 days a week and bring work home with him.  I'm not going to lie, it was a big adjustment for me.  I am so proud of him and what he has accomplished in his career and I have tried so hard to adjust to his lifestyle and the responsibility that he has to his law firm.  That being said, I still got a bit jealous that on Saturday mornings, it seemed that he would rather hang out in his office than with me.

When I stop to think about my feelings on this I came to a conclusion: I would get upset that he was spending so much time working.  But so what?  What else would we be doing if he wasn't working so much?  Cleaning? Watching TV?  Reading?  Maybe I should be more concerned with using the time we do have together and doing something meaningful and fun.  Make a date night once a week.  Use that time to visit family.  Or use it for something else altogether, that we both love to do and make great memories.  Next year, I resolve to remember that quality time is favored over just quantity time.

Learn To Have Fun By Yourself
Over the course of the last year, I think I have covered more miles than I have the rest of my life combined.  Driving miles, that is.  I was finishing my Dietetics degree at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, living with my grandma in Port Washington during the week, and commuting back to Madison on the weekends.  I easily drove about 250 miles each week.  And that doesn't even count when I would have to travel to shadowing opportunities through my classes that, of course, where about an hour and a half out of my way.  That being said, I spent a lot of time in the car by myself. 

When I transferred to Mount Mary and began the long commutes every day, I hated it.  Long spans of being in the car, left with my radio and my thoughts.  I would get bored so easily and resent the fact that I was sacrificing my time to see Tyler and my family.  The same songs would play over and over again on the radio.  I would see the same sucky drivers every morning (note: Milwaukee drivers are out to kill every driver on the road, except themselves).  But about halfway through the year, I began to notice a change in myself: I actually started to look forward to my time alone in the car.  It was almost therapeutic in a way.  During the middle of the semesters I found myself so stressed, so having this time to just be silent and reflect and breathe really helped me.  If I needed silence I would turn the radio off, if I needed cheering up I would give myself a pep talk, if I needed to study I would go through study guides.  I learned to have fun with myself, and honestly, I learned a lot more about myself.  Next year, I resolve to continue learning about myself and having fun by myself.

Its the time of year to start new and wipe the slate clean.  This year, do something a little different and make a resolution revolution!!

 

Happy New Year!!

Snow Day!

Thursday, December 20th was the "Blizzard of 2012".  Madison was lucky enough to get over 15 inches of snow from Wednesday evening to early Friday morning (lucky is being used sarcastically in this sentence).  I am not a huge fan of the snow.


As I was sitting on the couch looking at the white-out going on outside, I felt a bit antsy.  As I mentioned, I don't particularly like the snow.  I can't go anywhere; usually if I try to drive somewhere, I hit everything in sight.  You know how people always complain about those drivers who can't seem to get it together in the snow, even though they live in Wisconsin and should be used to it?  Well, I am that person.  And I can't even really walk anywhere in the snow, especially the deep snow, because I am too cheap to buy snow boots.  That's right, I have lived in Wisconsin my entire life and can't seem to drive in the snow or buy snow boots.  Did I mention I really despise snow?

So, that brings me back to last Thursday.  Most people who know me pretty well understand the fact that if I don't have a project or something to keep me busy, I go a little crazy.  I was sitting on the couch trying not to clean the bathroom one more time (I think I would have scrubbed a hole right through the floor), I racked my brain for something to do.  What did I come up with?  Cooking!  I decided to make a healthy home-cooked snow day dinner for my fiance (who, of course, went into the office today...had to get those billable hours, you know!)

Since Tyler and his whole family are big hunters, we have a freezer full of venison.  I decided to make a venison roast in the crock pot, with some great spices and flavors and add some great veggies to roast along with the meat.

1 boneless venison roast (frozen or thawed)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
3-5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp pepper
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
3 tsp chili garlic sauce (or any hot sauce)
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bell pepper, cut in strips
2 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp butter

1.) Put roast in the crock pot.  Pour chicken broth, water, and Worcestershire sauce over the roast.  Sprinkle each spice on top of the roast and in the liquid around the roast.  Throw all the veggies into the roast pan.  Lastly, add butter on top of the roast.
2.)  Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Along with a protein, I always make some type of side dish as well.  I went grocery shopping the day before and picked up some couscous.  Its one of my favorite grains and so I decided to boil some of that to go with the venison.
 
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup fresh spinach
1 small red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, chopped and seeded

1.) Saute spinach, red onion, and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.  Add red and yellow peppers, saute for about 5 mins.
2.) Add couscous and tomato, and mix for about 2 mins.  Add 2 cups of water and bring to boil.  Let couscous soak up the water.  Once all water is soaked up, remove from heat and serve.

Usually, I also add a veggie with every dinner that I make.  However, because there are veggies in the crock pot with the venison, I decided to omit extra veggies for the night.  That being said, there always has to be dessert - Brandied Cherry Balls!

1/2 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup cherry brandy
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 ounces dark chocolate candy coating, chopped
1 tablespoon shortening
White candy coating, chopped
Pink paste food coloring

1.)  Place cherries in a small bowl. Cover with brandy; refrigerate at least 6 hours.
2.)  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until crumbly. Drain cherries, reserving 2 teaspoons brandy. Add cherries and reserved brandy to cream cheese mixture.
3.)  Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place balls on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4.)  In a microwave, melt dark chocolate candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Return to the baking sheet.
5.)  For drizzle, melt a small amount of white candy coating in a microwave; stir in food coloring until smooth. Drizzle over candies. Chill until set. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

So, next time there is a snow storm that keeps you home bound, try out some new recipes for the ones you love!  Or, do the alternative, watch sappy movies with a bottle of wine (that was my backup plan for the day!)

Merry Christmas!!

Holiday Tips: Taste Everything, Eat Nothing

Recently, I was getting fitted for my wedding dress.  The young woman who was taking my measurements (and helped me pick out the wedding dress of my dreams) was chatting with me about holiday eating.  I had mentioned that I will very soon be a Registered Dietitian, she asked me a question that I'm sure everyone thinks about and ponders this time of year: "How do you eat what you want and still keep your figure over the holidays?"

What a great question!  And is certainly one that is on most everyone's mind.  Even sometimes I struggle with this.  But I would like to share some things that I do over the holidays that make me feel a bit better about what I eat and the choices I make.

Usually this situation comes up when you are attending a party or get-together.  The first thing I do when I get to a party, is grab something to drink.  I know what your all thinking..."what a lush!"  But this doesn't have to be an alcoholic drink.  Most of the time people get to a party and immediately start filling up on whatever food is sitting out without even looking at it.  This can be a big mistake!  What if the food isn't even that good?  Or what if its something you don't even like?  But because you were starving yourself all day for the party and were so hungry when you got there, you just gorged on empty calories from a food that you wish you hadn't even seen.  So, step one: get a drink!  Take a few sips, chat with some people, take a look at the spread and make a good decision.

My favorite motto for a party or for anytime during the holiday season is: taste everything, eat nothing.  Now, I know that sounds pretty harsh, but hear me out.  There are so many choices of different foods at parties over the holiday season and I know most people want to try it ALL.  But that doesn't mean you need to have a plateful of each food.  First of all, check out the spread.  If there is something on the table you absolutely don't want to eat, or doesn't look good, then don't!  But if there are multiple foods you would like to try, take a small bite (and I mean ONE BITE) of each and just taste them.  This way, you can taste everything you really want, but you don't actually "eat" all of it.

Okay, so now that you've tasted all that you really wanted to taste, you are really craving more of those amazing cheesecake bites that were absolutely scrumptious.  You know that if you walk over there to grab a couple more of them, you will end up taking five cheesecake bites plus two platefuls of dips, cheeses, and salty treats.  So, take a moment.  Usually when you have a craving for something, distracting yourself can make you forget the circling thoughts of those cheesecake bites.  Grab another glass of wine or water, find someone to chat with, and after a few minutes you may not even remember those sugary sweets.  But what if you still are?  Well, then it may be the best to go grab another one.  Otherwise, you may not be able to stop thinking or obsessing over those little cheesecakes, and it may be best to quench that true craving. 

This is what I usually do to try to curb the calories during the holiday season.  Maybe you already have your own system that works for you, and thats great!  Just remember, that even if you do overindulge a few days during the holiday season, it won't kill you!  Usually the weight fluctuations of a pound or two over a couple of days isn't true fat pounds, it is water weight.  One pound of weight gain is equal to an extra 3500 kilocalories.  That would equate to an extra 500 kilocalories a day for a week to gain that one true pound of fat. 

So, don't get overly stressed about eating over the holidays, and let yourself have fun.  Enjoy this holiday season!!

The History of Hunting

This time of year it seems as though every man's favorite colors are blaze orange and camouflage.  Why?  Well, deer hunting, of course!  Each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, men seem to puff up their chests, exude copious amounts of testosterone, shine up their guns, pull out their lucky overalls, and get ready for the kill.  Which, of course, means going out and sitting in a stand for a few hours and then heading back to camp to drink beer, gorge themselves on food, play cards, and exchange the same stories told year after year (why is it these stories always seem to become more elaborate the longer they are told). 

But what is the history behind going deer hunting in Wisconsin?  I wondered that myself so I did a bit of research.

Native Wisconsin Tribes:
Prior to the European contact, Santee Dakota Indians relied heavily on deer hunting in the southern regions of what is now Wisconsin. They migrated with white-tail deer throughout the winter and subsisted on their meat and fur while being ever-vigilant to preserve the deer population. Spear hunting and later bow hunting along with complete animal use helped maintain a balance that was soon jeopardized by the influence of firearms and the fur trade. To compete with early European settlers, tribes such as the Ojibwa and Menominee, that had previously subsisted mainly by fishing, began to hunt deer for subsistence and for the fur trade. The next wave of European settlers would further inhibit the migratory patterns of both the white-tail deer and the native tribes.

Early State Legislation:
1851 saw Wisconsin's first closed season for deer hunting. Realizing the potential for over-hunting, early state legislators began to limit the time period for legal hunting to July through January. Indian reservations were not subject to the closed season and were allowed to continue hunting throughout the year. In 1876, hunting with dogs was prohibited. As legislation increased, so to did the need for oversight, forcing the state to employ its first game warden in 1890. Increased agricultural use in the midst of deer migrations led farmers to extinguish deer as pests during this period. Though early hunters sought to harvest deer for both subsistence and for trade, sport hunting was also becoming a popular Wisconsin pastime, and by 1910 the deer population had reached a record low.

A Vanishing Resource:
In the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's legislature aimed to preserve the white-tail deer population in the state through a series of evolving restrictions and continued monitoring. In 1921, hunting younger deer with antlers less than three inches in length was prohibited. Antler length restrictions would be a crucial early biological monitor of deer as a resource and would continually adjust dependent on the rise and fall of the deer population. In 1927, the game commission merged with the conservation commission to form what became the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The same year produced legislation that would close deer hunting in Wisconsin in alternating years for the next decade.

Stabilizing the Deer Population:
In 1962, deer population goals were reached for the first time since the commission's oversight began. The Department of Natural Resources continued to monitor migratory patterns and population trends, adjusting restrictions, the length of open seasons, harvesting checkpoints and caps per hunter, and the amount of licenses issued per year. Hunter safety was also becoming a concern, as gun hunters were now required to wear orange beneath their outerwear. By 1980, blaze orange vests became required outerwear for all gun hunters. Bow hunting season now preceded gun hunting season to further inhibit both over-hunting and firearm accidents. During this period, the white-tail deer's other main predator, the timber wolf, reached near extinction due to poaching for agricultural needs. Harvesting regulations would loosen, as would season length in an attempt to prevent overpopulation.

Chronic Wasting Disease and Overpopulation:
With the absence of the timber wolf, deer populations thrived to the extent that scarcity of resources became a major issue for white-tail deer survival. Bait hunting with corn or other fruits and vegetables had always been common unrestricted practice, although culturally unpopular with animal rights organizations. In the 1980's, antler-less deer hunting was permitted in certain southern regions of the state to alleviate crop damage. Increased license promotion and incentives saw increased harvesting, but not at a rate that quelled the rise of the deer population.

Though the Department of Natural Resources attempted to increase the harvest year to year, overpopulation continued along with inevitable food scarcity. In 2001, the first cases of Chronic Wasting Disease, a spongiform encephalopathy where sponge-like holes form in the brain, were reported in Wisconsin among harvested deer. The contagious nature of the disease led wildlife officials to attempt to curb the population. All licenses now included antler-less hunting permits and the amount of management units increased statewide to monitor the health of local deer populations. The gun hunting season now began earlier than it had in almost a century.

Stabilization and Present Day:
As cases of Chronic Wasting Disease became almost non-existent, antler-less hunting regulations returned, as did the onset of baiting restrictions and bans in most Wisconsin counties. For the first time in decades, 2009's harvest was predicted to decrease from the previous year. Sport hunting remains a tremendous source of income for Wisconsin, as well as a deeply rooted tradition in many communities. Hunting license promotions include a youth hunting weekend, a disabled hunt event, and a donation program to harvest meat for Wisconsin's hungry. Continued monitoring will aim to protect the health of the white-tail deer population in Wisconsin for generations to come, ensuring that the practice of deer hunting will go on.

Deer hunting is a deep-rooted tradition in Wisconsin and will continue for years to come.  My fiance, his family, and many others continue to enjoy deer hunting as a part of the activities around the Thanksgiving season.  As fun as all this excitement surrounding deer hunting sounds, I have my own tradition.  Going to see the essence of the perfect male physique...Thunder Down Under, of course!

Happy Hunting!!
 

I'm Stressed!!

Lately, I have been feeling a little more stressed than normal (I think the people closest to me in my life can attest to this!)  With all the projects, classes, homework, studying, tests, presentations, and clinicals, and hold on, I think I'm planning a wedding now, who has time to sleep?  Let alone eat?  Every day, I keep checking the clock, hoping that I will get an extra hour or two to get everything I need to done.  I know I'm not the only one out there that has problems with dealing with stress.  This day and age, the attitude is go, go, go.  But what is this attitude and stressful life doing to our health?

What is Stress?
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.

The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.

The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV.

But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

The Body's Response to Stress:
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.

Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

How Much Stress is Too Much?
Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s important to know your own limit. But just how much stress is “too much” differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches, while others crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. Some people even seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle.

Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors, including the quality of your relationships, your general outlook on life, your emotional intelligence, and genetics.

Effects of Chronic Stress
The body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off.

Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Some health problems that are caused or exacerbated by stress include: pain, heart disease, digestive issues, depression, obesity, autoimmune diseases, sleep problems, and skin conditions.

 

So, what am I trying to do to manage my stress?

 

1.)  Avoid unnecessary stress

• Learn how to say “no”
• Avoid people who stress you out
• Take control of your environment 
• Avoid hot-button topics
• Pare down your to-do list

2.)  Alter the situation

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up
• Be willing to compromise.
• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life.
• Manage your time better.

3.)  Adapt to the stressor

• Reframe problems. 
• Look at the big picture.
• Adjust your standards.
• Focus on the positive. 

4.)  Accep the things you can't change

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.
• Look for the upside.
• Share your feelings.
• Learn to forgive.
• Let go of anger and resentments.

 

5.)  Make time for fun and relaxation

• Set aside relaxation time.
• Spend time with positive people who enhance your life.
• Do something you enjoy every day.
• Keep your sense of humor.

6.)  Adapt a healthy lifestyle

• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.
• Get enough sleep.

Slowly and surely I am trying to get my stress under control.  Our culture is all about go, go, go these days.  But one of my very best friends asked me one day: Where are we really in such a hurry to get to?  And is it all really worth our health?



Love

October 20th, 2012.  I will remember this day forever.  Its the day Tyler asked me to marry him.

Usually, I take the opportunity to use this little bit of hyperspace to discuss the latest and greatest nutrition news and gossip, or burning diet and exercise questions that many of you ask me every day.  But this week, it just seems fitting to share to you all a very special day.

We woke up on Saturday morning and for the first time in a long time I didn't feel an urgent need to get up and get something done.  We planned on heading out of town for the day to go corn mazing and see some of the last colors of the season.  I love to go corn mazing; its so nice to get outside on a beautiful fall day and just be a kid again.  Tyler told me he had to get a couple of things done at the office in the morning (no surprise to me), and I should meet him outside his office after I took a shower and got ready and we would meander around one of the last Farmer's Markets of the season (also one of my most favorite Saturday morning rituals).

As I walked up to his office, I couldn't help but notice what a perfect fall day it was.  The sun was shining and it was already getting warm at 9:30am.  As we were walking around the Farmer's Market it was nice to not have the throngs of people swarming about like there usually is in the summer.  Tyler got a apple cider doughnut for a little breakfast and I, of course, got a fresh Honey crisp apple.  I'm such a dietitian!  Although I did steal a bite from his doughnut and I have to say, it was delicious!

We got the car out of his parking spot at the law firm on the capital square that he works at and I mentioned that it would be wonderful if we could stop at home before heading out of town.  Naturally, I had to re-straighten my hair.  Anyone who knows me is not surprised by this comment.  I am overly OCD about having my hair straight.  Tyler said he had to fill the tires up with air anyway, so of course he could drop me off so I could re-straighten it.  Although, I think I did see a bit of an eye roll as he said that.

Finally, we were headed out of Madison for the day, after we stopped at Target, of course.  We drove west on Highway 12 until we got to Sauk City.  We were planning on going out to an apple orchard, called Ski Hi, west of Sauk City near Baraboo.  But, as we were getting closer to Sauk City, Tyler suggested we stop at a bar on the river in Sauk City to watch some of the Badger game and have a beer and a bite to eat.  Of course, I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to belly up to a townie bar and have a beer, so there wasn't much convincing me.  As we drank our $2.00 beer and watched the game and gabbed with the overly chatty bartender (who, by the way, I think had makeup on from the 70's...she literally just hadn't washed her face since then), I couldn't have been happier in that moment or more relaxed.

After we finished our two beers and shared a chicken salad sandwich, we headed towards Ski Hi.  We got there in about 15 minutes and were a bit disappointed.  There were about 4 apples left to buy and that was it.  They were closing down for the season on Monday (10/22), and they were almost sold out of all their stock.  We left after about 5 minutes and Tyler suggested we take a drive through Baraboo.  I'm not sure how many of you have been there, but there's really nothing to see.  I sort of looked at him questioningly, but agreed to take a drive there. 

After an anticlimactic drive through Baraboo (I was still confused about that), we headed toward Treinen Farm in Lodi, WI, to test our abilities in the corn maze.  As we got out of the car, I started skipping to the entrance of the farm.  I practically stiff-armed 3 kids out of my way I was so excited to get started on that maze.  It took us about a half an hour to get all the way through the maze, but we did it!  And let me clarify: when I say WE did it, I mean TYLER did it with me being like "I have NO IDEA where we are in this maze!"  I swear, if he weren't there, I probably would never get out of that blasted thing.

As we left Treinen Farms, I was excited because we talked about hitting Wollersheim Winery on the way back.  Its right outside of Sauk City and I love that place because the views are breathtaking.  Its right on hillside and as you gaze out you can see the Wisconsin River and the bluffs around it.  It was always my dream to have my wedding reception there since the first time I went there, and I told Tyler that at one point.  I think he laughed at me and told me to save my money!  So, it was around 3:30pm as we were leaving Treinen and I was thinking we were going to have some wine in the near future.  Tyler had other plans.

"Is there anywhere else you want to go around here?  I'm not ready to head back to Madison yet."  He said to me as we were driving.  "Um, I don't think so," I said, but what I was really thinking is "Um, we are in the middle of nowhere and Jackie is ready for some wine..."  So, we ended up driving around for about 45 minutes and I was getting so confused.  I think we went through Lodi about 5 different times.  Finally, I said, "we don't have to go to Wollersheim if you don't want to.  We can head back to Madison."  "Well, I'm not a huge fan of their wine," Tyler said, "but we can stop there if you really want to."  "Yes.  Go."  I said immediately.

We got to Wollersheim around 4pm, I think.  It was packed!  But, for the second time that day I was ready to belly up to the bar, this time for a wine tasting.  As we had our first flight, I smiled as I remembered last year when we went corn mazing.  We stopped at Wollersheim on our way back and it was our first time there and that was when I decided I wanted my wedding there someday.

We finished our flight and Tyler asked if I wanted to do a specialty flight that we had to pay for.  I looked at him like he was crazy.  Tyler is one of the cheapest people I have ever met in my life (but I love him anyway!), so for him to ask that was very out of character.  I, of course, never turn down another opportunity to drink wine, so naturally I was like "let's go!"

We headed to the other area where they were pouring the specialty flights and just as the wine pourer came over to us, I felt a hand on my back.  I turned around and there were my parents!  What a coincidence!  I was actually telling Tyler just a few days ago that I miss them and wish I had just a few extra hours in a day to go see them, and here they were!  "What are you guys doing here?" I asked.  "Oh, we were just out cruising around, seeing the colors," they said.  I noticed they were pretty dressed up to go "cruising around" but didn't say anything.  I was in a Badger t-shirt, sweatshirt, jeans and tennis shoes.  We were supposed to go to a Badger party when we got back to Madison.

Mom and Dad joined our tasting and just as we were finishing up, Tyler said "Look behind you."  I turned and there were Perry and Heidi (Tyler's parents), Greg and Grace (Tyler's aunt and uncle), and Shane and Cheri (Tyler's brother and his girlfriend).  I was shocked.  "This is so strange!  Hi everyone!"  I said.  Translation: What the Hell is going on?

As I turned back around to Tyler with about 145 questions in my eyes, he said to me, "I have another surprise for you.  I love you and I want you to marry me."  I looked in his hand and he was holding the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.  My mouth dropped open and I turned the same shade of red as my Badger sweatshirt.  "Get down on one knee!"  exclaimed Greg.  Tyler got down on one knee, put the ring on my finger, and said "Is that a yes?"  I couldn't even find my voice.  My mind was shouting yes, but all I could get out was, "Is this for real?" 

After there were hugs all around, pictures taken, and eyes finally dried, my dad said, "So, you never actually answered the question.  Did you say yes?"  "Yes," I said, and I looked at Tyler and said "I love you."

I couldn't ask for a more wonderful day or anyone better to help celebrate it. My amazing parents are celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary on October 22nd. Through the thick and thin, kids and college, they got through it all. I am blessed to have them as my loving parents, and one day Tyler and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary.

October 20th, 2012.  I will remember this day forever.  Its the day my life with Tyler, my best friend, begins. 

Happy Harvesting!

Last weekend Tyler and I agreed we both needed a fun, relaxing two days off, so we made the decision to head to the west.  Western Wisconsin, that is!  Tyler grew up a small town in south western Wisconsin that is located on the Wisconsin River called Muscoda.  I love the drive from Madison out to Muscoda (or anywhere in south western Wisconsin) especially this time of year.  The rolling hills in that part of the state are beautifully decorated with bright and colorful fall foliage.  This weekend was no different; the trees were deep shades of red, orange, and yellow, which perfectly accented the bright blue sky.  Just observing the views as we ventured out to Muscoda was enough to melt away most of the stressors from the week.

But there was an ulterior motive for our trek to the west.  Wine!  Most of you who know me are not surprised by this exclamation.  But this time of year is harvest time for the wineries in Wisconsin and around the United States, and I love to be a part of this happy, happy harvest time. 

One of our favorite wineries in the area, Spurgeon Winery, which located only a few miles outside of Muscoda, was having their annual Harvest Fest.  This celebration includes free wine tasting, tours of the facility, tram rides through the vineyards, live music, and great food.  And of course, wine by the glass and bottle.  And like always, I love knowing the history behind one of my favorite past times. 

History:

Wisconsin in particular has a long history of wine making. In fact, one could argue that the origins of the American wine industry are firmly rooted in the rich soil of the Badger State. In the early 1840s, a Hungarian immigrant named Agoston Haraszthy established a vineyard, winery and wine cellars overlooking the Wisconsin River at what is today the Wollersheim Winery in Sauk City. Haraszthy went on to establish some of the first successful vineyards in Sonoma, California.

The many German settlers who came to Wisconsin in the 1800s also brought with them their wine making skills, producing versions of traditional German wines as well as new varieties made from North America’s own native grapes. Those early winemakers found that growing traditional European grapes in Wisconsin can be a difficult endeavor.

However, using ingenuity, experimentation and perseverance, Wisconsin winemakers learned to cultivate several special varieties of grapes that are well-suited to the Wisconsin climate. In addition, winemakers learned to utilize the many fruits that could be grown in the state. In time, a number of Wisconsin grape and fruit wines were born.

Harvest 101:
The period culminating in grape crush begins when the grapes start to change color in mid to late summer. The actual picking of the grapes usually happens between August and November above the equator and February to April below. What happens in between is the greatest determinant of a wine's quality in a given vintage.

The Metamorphosis—Veraison:Grape ripening begins with the growth period known as veraison, when the fruit hanging on the vines transforms from small, green, hard berries into what we recognize as grapes. Vines enter this stage about 30 to 70 days, depending on variety and climate, after fruit set (when fertilized flowers have fallen off and become tiny grape bunches)—typically in July or August in the Northern Hemisphere and January or February in the Southern.

During veraison, the grapes lose their bright green color and begin to take on mature hues—from greenish yellow for some white varieties to red, purple or almost black for red varieties. The grapes also soften and rapidly increase in size as the vine begins to pump sugars into the fruit, while acidity starts to decrease. Veraison doesn’t happen at the same time throughout a vineyard, or even for all grapes on a vine or within an individual bunch; those exposed to more sun and warmth get a head start on the grapes in shadier, cooler areas.

Striking a Balance—Controlling Crop Size:

Unlike most farmers, top grape growers generally seek to limit their yields. That's right: They want less of the thing they're going to sell. Why? Because they believe that if the vine is carrying fewer bunches than it is capable of, those grapes will ripen more fully and be higher in quality.

If a crop looks to be too large at veraison, or if ripening has been delayed due to poor weather, a grower will sometimes thin the crop, or conduct a "green harvest.” Vineyard workers cut unripe bunches from the vines; in theory, each vine's resources are then devoted to the remaining bunches, speeding ripening.

On the other hand, a grower doesn’t want too many leaves per grape bunch. Leaves look pretty, but they can get between the grapes and the sun; too much shade can also promote rot and mildew on bunches. If the weather has been particularly cool, cloudy or damp, growers may remove leaves around the grapes to promote ripening and air circulation.

Pest Busting—Protecting the Crop:
Along with the threat of poor weather, grapevines face harassment from various organisms—insects, mildew, rot, other fungi, bacteria and viruses—that can damage fruit, reduce yields or even kill the vines. And just as the grapes ripen come the birds—and deer, bear, wild boar and other hungry animals.

What can be done to protect the vines? Among other things, growers can apply pesticides and fungicides (ranging from copper and sulfur to synthetics), control the canopy of leaves so that wind can dry moisture on the grapes and attract natural predators like bats, insect-eating birds and beneficial insects that eat the vine pests.

Strong fences can keep out four-legged animals, but not the airborne. For flocks of birds, who like a tasty Cabernet as much as anyone, the heavy artillery is wheeled out. Some vignerons shell out to cover all their vines with bird nets, or hire falconers to patrol vineyards with birds of prey. Others rely on bird bombs and bird cannons. Don't call PETA just yet: These devices don't actually blast the suckers out of the sky, they merely fire off loud booms that scare birds away.

Whew, what a process!  I'm glad this time I was able to relax, enjoy the company, and most of all...enjoy the wine!  Happy Harvesting!!

Carrots With Character

This week I had the pleasure of meeting the amazing Director of Nutrition Services from the Grafton School Districts named Linda Binder.  I was assigned to shadow her for a day to see what sorts of dilemmas Dietitians deal with when going into school nutrition services as a career.  In between dealing with missing shipments, employees not showing up to work, and bomb threats (yes, I said bomb threats), she was able to share some great healthy food options that she wants to introduce into the Grafton Schools Districts, including one food I had never heard of before: multi-colored carrots.

Now, I'm not talking about a single carrot being multi-colored.  Instead, there are purple, red, yellow, and white carrots that she wants to showcase in the school lunches.

Carrots, shredded in salads and slaws, steamed, or just peeled and dunked in an herb-speckled dip, are versatile veggies that add colorful zest to your dinner plates.  These crunchy root veggies are also a well-known source of vitamin A.  Just a single, full-size carrot more than fulfills an adults daily quotient of the essential vitamin.

But the carrot hasn't always been the vitamin A powerhouse it is today.  Over two decades ago, scientists in the Vegetable Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin, began a quest to breed carrots packed with beta-carotene (an orange pigment used by the body to create vitamin A).  Thanks largely to this work, today's carrots provide consumers with 75 percent more beta-carotene than those available 25 years ago. 

The researchers haven't limited themselves to the color orange, though.  They've selectively bred a rainbow of carrots, including the colors I stated above: purple, red, yellow, and white.  Scientists are learning that these plant pigments perform a range of protective duties in the human body, which is not surprising, since many of the pigments serve to shield plant cells during photosynthesis.

Red carrots derive their color mainly from lycopene, a type of carotene believed to gaurd against heart disease and some cancers.  Yellow carrots accumulate xanthophylls, pigments similar to beta-carotene that support good eye health.  Purple carrots possess an entirely different class of pigments, anthocyanins, which act as a powerful antioxidant.

While colored carrots are unusual, they're not exactly new.  Purple and yellow carrots were eaten more than 1000 years ago in Afghanistan and 700 years ago in western Europe; but the carrot-breeding process has gone on intensively for just the last 50 years.

Spiced and Roasted Multi-Colored Carrots

3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 pounds multi-colored carrots, cut diagonally in 2-in pieces
1/4 cup white raisins
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1.)  Heat oven to 400 F.
2.)  Combine oil, garlic, sugar, cumin, salt, cinnamon, cayenne and carrots in a shallow baking pan.  Roast for 20 minutes or until fork-tender.
3.)  Remove from oven and add raisins, lemon juice, and cilantro.  Toss well.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Diabetes Equals...Death?

Two thirds of Americans are categorized as overweight and one third of Americans are categorized as obese.  As most of you know, this is a very scary statistic to me, and should be to you as well.
 

Every year the Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzes data from the national population on our overall health. As you can see from the trend sheet below Americans are failing, and in a big way.

 

 

I know what you're thinking: alright, just because we are an overweight and obese country, so what?  Why do we have to stop eating our saturated-fat packed, greasy, elephant-sized burgers?  Well, take a look at another trend sheet from the CDC and you might be surprised.

 

This map portrays the same trending data from the American public, only it is following Type II Diabetes instead of Obesity.  Does it look pretty familiar?  To me, it seems there is a direct positive relationship between the obesity trends in the first maps and the diabetes trends in the second map.  Type II Diabetes has been a proven complication from having excess body weight resulting in overweight or obesity.  But again, you may be thinking: so what??  Why is this an issue?

 

As it has been bore into all of our brains over and over again, Type II Diabetes can aid in the prevalence of comorbidities such as kidney stones, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and even death.  But how does a disease such as Diabetes lead to all of these terrible chronic disease states?

 

Well, lets first review Type II Diabetes.  Check out my blog post from April 2012, titled Down And Dirty With Diabetes:

http://nutriliciousnutritiousmeetsdelicious.blogspot.com/2012/04/down-and-dirty-with-diabetes.html

 

Now that you have a refresher on the physiology behind Type II Diabetes, lets think about how this can affect some of our most important organs and organ systems.  All this extra glucose running though our arteries, veins, and capillaries can cause strain on them.  Think about a garden hose.  The hose can only stretch so much, but if you increase the amount of particles (water) running through that hose, it has to try and stretch more and more to accommodate that extra "stuff".  The pressure increases and there will be strain on every twist and turn of the hose.  That is the same thing that happens in our body.  The increase in glucose is just an increase in the amount of "stuff" our arteries, veins, and capillaries have to push through our body.  As that amount goes up, the pressure through the blood vessels will go up, hence one is diagnosed with hypertension, or high blood pressure.

 

When you think about a glucose molecule in our bloodstream, what do you picture?  A nice round ball rolling through a tube?  Wrong!  Glucose molecules are rough and bumpy.  These rough, bumpy edges can easily damage the vessel walls, causing cuts and abrasions.  When a cut is formed from a glucose molecule, the body responds normally: by clotting and patching up that cut.  But what is the problem with that in a blood vessel?  Well, a blood vessel is only so big in diameter.  If the clotting mechanism is too large, the vessel may become clogged or blocked by the clot.  Or the clot may break off and travel through the body and cause a clog or block a vessel in a different part of the body.  This can cause kidney stones, a heart attack, or stroke.

 

Now, a little background about one of the most amazing organs in our bodies: the kidneys.  I personally, am fascinated by these amazing little filtering systems.  Our kidneys are only as big as a fist, but they have hundreds of tiny filtering systems in each one called nephrons.  Surrounding each nephron is hundreds of capillaries, all filtering out the toxins from our bloodstream to make urine.  Think about how tiny these capillaries would have to be to fit around hundreds of nephrons making up the size of one of your fists.  Without this amazing filtering system, you will die.  In an individual with diabetes, the elevated glucose levels in the bloodstream filter into the tiny capillary beds around the nephrons of the kidney as well, and most of these capillaries are only wide enough in diameter to accommodate one molecule going through at one time.  Added particles, such as glucose, can add so much strain on the capillary, it can burst.  These bursting capillaries will cause the nephrons to shut down and eventually cause the kidney to fail.  It is the beginning of Chronic Renal Failure, which leads to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).  Once you have been diagnosed with CKD, you will need to begin dialysis and wait for a kidney transplant.  There is no recovery unless a transplant has been given to you, and your body accepts it. 

 

 

 

 

Scary stuff, isn't it?  Now, hopefully, you understand why the first statistic I stated in this post is so scary to me.  Maybe this week you can try to eat a bit healthier.  Or go for a walk after dinner each night.  It doesn't take much, but it could save your life.  And thousands of dollars in health care costs.  Its your choice and you life.  Is it worth it to you?

Madison Food carts: Which One Is Your Favorite?

Ever since I have been living in downtown Madison, I have wanted to try the food carts for lunch.  Unfortunately, all summer I was working on the far west side and could not make the commute to come back downtown just for lunch during the weekdays.  Now that I am back in school for the semester, I have Fridays off.  Needless to say, I was incredibly pumped when my boyfriend asked me to meet him at his office on the square so we could try out some of great eats that come from the Madison downtown food carts. 

I met Tyler at noon on the dot last Friday and it was all I could do to drag him outside of his office building to check out all the good food just waiting for me (I mean us!).  I made it perfectly clear that we would need to walk around the square at least once, probably twice, for me to see all the menus prior to me making a final decision on which food cart would be the winner for that day.  Tyler, like usual, had to agree and shake his head.  "I figured." he said.  The poor guy has so much work to do, and I was not going to make this a fast decision.  But, then again, I never make fast decisions without thoroughly checking all the options. 

The first thing I noticed about the food carts, besides the mouth-watering smells, were the amazing, bright colors and originality of each cart.  For some reason, I sort of envisioned each food cart to look pretty close to all the others.  I mean, how original can a food cart be?  I was dead wrong.  Each one had its own special look and theme.  All had unique decor and eye-catching paint luring us in and tempting us to try their food that promises to be "the best food cart food in Madison!"

The Bayou, which is parked in front of Anchor Bank at the corner of West Main and South Carroll, was one of the first ones I saw.  I recognized this food cart because I have eaten at the actual restaurant, which is located just east of the capital.  I remembered the food I had at The Bayou was very tasty; a wonderfully seasoned New Orleans-themed menu that hits the spot after a drink or two.  But because I had already eaten there, I passed that one.

The next food cart is also a popular one, called the Santa Fe Trailer. Located on Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, this little blue and yellow food cart specializes the flavors of New Mexico, featuring the fiery Hatch green chiles and robust red chiles noted for their outstanding flavor. All of the food is prepared by hand and made every day using only the best ingredients available. I was on a mission to see them all before I decided, so on we went.

Blowin' Smoke Barbecue was on the corner of East Main and South Pinckney.  This food cart boasts sandwiches made from Kansas City-style barbecue: pastrami, beef, pork, chicken, turkey and occasional specials. Cole slaw and other barbecue-esque sides are on the menu as well.  As I walked by Blowin' Smoke, I had to admit, my taste buds went into overdrive and my mouth immediately started watering.  I had to keep going, to see the rest of the options, but there was a line waiting for some of Blowin' Smoke's savory sandwiches.

A taste of Mexico was next, at El Burrito Loco.  This food cart is located at the 100 block of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.  This food cart repeatedly scores high in the ratings that take place each year, and after checking out the menu, I can see why.  This little taste of Mexico serves chicken, bean and steak tostadas, tacos, burritos and taco salads. To add a little (or a lot of) kick, mild and hot sauce are available to sprinkle on your meal.  Of course, I had to keep walking.

The next food cart was hard to pass up, not just because of the smell, but because of the long line and people all around it.  FIB's Fine Italian Beef and Sausage, parked on East Main St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, is "Da Taste Of Chicago".  Calling themselves da real deal, this food cart features gonnella bread, baked fresh every morning, Italian beef, sausage, meatball, and Chicago's own Maxwell St. Polish.  Not to mention Chicago's favorite pure beef Vienna hot dog, complete with neon green relish, freshly chopped onions, sport peppers, tomato slices, a kosher pickle wedge, yellow mustard, and a dash of celery salt, on a steamed poppy seed bun.  They even serve Cheli's Chili, a tasty concoction created by a University of Wisconsin great and Chicago native, Chris Chelios.  And absolutely not to exclude their neighbors to the north, they serve a "Laverne and Shirley", which is a Milwaukee dog smothered with kraut, onions, and mustard.  I was able to maneuver through the crowd around this food cart...I need to see them all before making a decision!

Good Food was the next food cart on the walk, located on the corner of East Main and South Pinckney.  I was excited about this particular one, not just because Tyler told me it was his favorite (I was so proud!), but also because of the menu it had on one modestly painted side.  I felt this menu spoke to me the most out of all the food carts we had seen that afternoon.  Tofu, veggie, and chicken wraps and salads were hitting center stage, and I took notice immediately.  Tyler told me at least twice that the Thai Chili Wrap is his favorite.  Like usual, I had to keep walking, just in case something else catches my fancy and trumps Good Food.

Next was the Mad City Fry Guy, which by the name says it all.  Fried, fried, and more fried!  This food cart is located on the corner of West Main and South Carroll and after looking at the menu, it lives up to its name.  This food cart features hot dogs, brats, condiments galore, and hand cut french fries and deep fried cheese curds.  The perfect lunch for a classic Wisconsinite.

Wei's Food To Go is the next one that we saw.  As you can guess, this food cart has an Asian influence and is located on East Main St and South Pinckney.  This food cart has hibachi-style dishes consisting of fried rice, noodle dishes, fragrant pork, and, of course, egg rolls.  I'm not a big Asian-food eater, and of course we have not gone all the way around the square, so I went on by.

As we ended up back at Tyler's office building with no food purchased, I knew I had to make a decision (that and Tyler had to head back to work).  Just as we got in eye-shot of his building I saw the last food cart on the square.  This particular one is called Igo Vego, featuring vegan burgers consisting of walnuts, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and chili's.  I immediately chose that food cart and Tyler immediately said "I thought you would!" 

I picked this particular food cart, not because I am vegan, but because I love trying new, different, healthier spins on American classics.  As I looked over the menu, I was about to order the sweet and spicy bean and chili pepper burger when I saw the homemade hummus with farmer's market veggies.  I absolutely love the earthy, grainy texture of homemade hummus with the nutty flavor of tahini and the great originality of spices that are added to make each one unique. 

As I ordered my hummus plate with veggies, Tyler went back to the Good Food food cart to get his Thai Chili wrap (there was no way he was going to choke down a vegan burger!)  We sat on a bench in the lawn of the Capital and finally got to eating.  As I ate my hummus and veggies, it became evident I chose the wrong food...even after dragging Tyler around the entire Capital square.  The hummus was good, but the flavor I was hoping for just wasn't there.  No kick of spice came my way and I have to say I was disappointed.  After trying Tyler's wrap, I had to admit, he chose the winner for our food cart lunch.  The Thai Chili wrap was sweet and tangy with just the right zing of heat at the end, which made you keep wanting more.  Oh well, there's always next Friday!!

In Season: Concord Grapes

I was meandering my way through the throngs of people at the Madison Farmers Market on Saturday, and I noticed a beautiful, colorful fruit that seemed perfectly ripe entirely too early in the season: the concord grape.  I stopped at one of the stands and asked if this was an early season for them, or if I'm just way off on my grape facts.  The cheerful woman told me that the grapes are in fact early, by about a month.  "Usually early to mid October is when we harvest them", she said.  "Concord grapes love hot, dry weather; because of the extreme dryness, though, there won't be many to harvest.  But the ones we have, are of an extremely high quality."

Grape juice and grape jellies and jams are long-time favorites of children and adults alike.  America’s favorite grape juice and grape jelly come from Concord grapes. Now, let’s explore how the Concord grape, and both grape juice and grape jelly, first came to be.

FROM SEEDS
Although commercial grape production dates back to the year 1000 B.C., it was not until 1854 that the Concord variety made its debut, appropriately named after the Massachusetts village of Concord where the first of its variety was grown. The Concord grape is a robust and aromatic grape whose ancestors were wild native species found growing in the rugged New England soil.

Experimenting with seeds from some of the native species, Boston-born Ephraim Wales Bull developed the Concord grape in 1849. On his farm outside Concord, down the road from the Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne and Alcott homesteads, he planted some 22,000 seedlings in all, before he had produced the ideal grape. Early ripening, to escape the killing northern frosts, but with a rich, full-bodied flavor, the hardy Concord grape thrives where European cuttings had failed to survive. In 1853, Mr. Bull felt ready to put the first bunches of his Concord grapes before the public -- and won a prize at the Boston Horticultural Society Exhibition. From these early arbors, fame of Mr. Bull’s (“the father of the Concord grape”) Concord grape spread world-wide, bringing him up to $1,000 a cutting, but he died a relatively poor man. The inscription on his tombstone states, “He sowed--others reaped.”

TO JUICE
The first unfermented grape juice known to be processed in the United States was by a Vineland, New Jersey dentist, Dr. Thomas Welch in 1869. Dr. Welch, his wife and 17-year old son, Charles, gathered 40 pounds of Concord grapes from the trellis in front of their house. In their kitchen, they cooked the grapes for a few minutes, squeezed the juice out through cloth bags, and poured the world’s first processed fresh fruit juice into twelve quart bottles on the kitchen table.

To preserve the juice, Dr. Welch stoppered the bottles with cork and wax and boiled them in water hoping to kill any yeast in the juice to prevent fermentation. Dr. Welch’s process was a success, and his application of Louis Pasteur’s theory of pasteurization to preserve fresh grape juice pioneered the industry of canned and bottled fruit juices in America. This first juice was used on the Communion table in the local Methodist church for sacramental purposes, and most of the first orders for grape juice came from churches for Communion.

Charles Welch transferred the juice operations to Watkins Glen, New York in 1896, and the following year to Westfield, New York. He processed 300 tons of grapes in 1897.

AND JAM
While jam-like products have been around for centuries, Welch’s created modern jam in 1918 for World War I rations, calling it “Grapelade.” The Army bought Welch’s entire first production run and returning doughboys demanded it when they got back home. Welch’s launched retail grape jam in 1923. Jam is successful because it has the great Concord grape taste, but water has been removed so it will not spoil under normal circumstances. Grape continues to be a favorite flavor of jam/jelly.

AND THE PB & J

Three products came together in World War II to create the lunch classic, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Welch’s invented Grapelade in 1918. The next major product improvement was bagged, pre-sliced bread, created in 1928. The last product came from the need to get U.S. soldiers more protein during World War II. Inexpensive but nutritious, peanuts were ground into a smooth, buttery consistency, canned, and put into soldier’s rations. Somewhere, someone mixed his rations in a very new way, and we have been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for sixty years.

In the century following the introduction of Concord grapes, more of these purple slip-skin grapes were sold than all other species combined. Today, growers harvest more than 336,000 tons in the U.S. Washington State grows the largest number, followed by New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Missouri.

As I continued meandering through the Madison Farmer's Market, munching on my concord grapes, I couldn't help but think these flavorful berries were a delicious little taste of the season.  I had them all eaten by the time I had walked the five blocks back to my apartment.

Blueberry-Concord Grape Relish:
Spread this relish on toasts topped with goat cheese or chicken, stir into yogurt or cottage cheese, spoon over roast chicken or pork, or layer on turkey sandwiches. Relish can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 weeks.

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried (two 1/2-pint containers)
2 cups seedless red grapes, rinsed and dried
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
1.)  In a large skillet, combine blueberries, grapes, sugar, ginger, rosemary, and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer gently until grapes begin to break down, 15 to 20 minutes
 2.)  Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Let cool completely before using or storing.