February 2009 Archives

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Graduate School in a Nutshell

After my first month in graduate school, I've begun to reflect on what it's all about. Here's what I have come up with:

This is a regular job. I get a monthly paycheck that covers living expenses. If I get to campus at 8 when the building opens, then the lab is quiet and I'm able to start my experiments without distraction. I teach a class or two each week. Sometimes teaching requires me to spend extra time preparing or grading at home. I get to eat lunch while I'm taking a break from my experiments. I get home sometime between 5 and 8 pm. Occasionally I have to stay later, but that's really quite rare if I time my experiments properly. When I leave in the evening I'm excited about returning the next morning. If I keep this up for the next couple of years, I will walk away with a higher degree.


What does grad school boil down to?

A poorly-paid 9-5 job with a definite contracted end that drops one off in a different societal class when one reaches the end.

Why don't more people go to graduate school?

Christina
posted February 24, 2009 12:00 PM

Zingiberales in the Spice Market

Tom and I enjoyed exploring a grocery store called Jungle Jim's in Fairfield, Ohio (about an hour away from Miami University). The produce section was reminiscent of Berkeley Bowl, and I'll have to do an entry on just their produce another day.

We were especially enthralled by the spices available throughout the international section - and the huge quantities that they sold. As always, we were drawn to the Indian spices. Huge bags of whole sesame seeds, coriander, cumin, and so forth - two rows and multiple shelves of spicey adventure. Upon returning home, I decided to consult a yummy cook book The Indian Spice Kitchen by Monisha Bharadwaj, to sort out how I could use those delicious spices. It was there that I realized many of my favorite spices are Zingiberales.

Turmeric (Haldi)
Curcuma longa

We get the musky-scented orange turmeric powder when we cure and grind the root.

Zedoary (Amb Halad)
Curcuma zerumbet

Similar to Turmeric, Zedoary's rhizome is where we find the flavor. Instead of being cured and ground, Zedoary is often grated or chopped fresh. It is also frequently served pickled.

Ginger (Adrak)
Zingiber officinale

We all love Ginger. It's there for us in cookie form when we visit Grandma's house, and it greets us as a beverage when we need to settle an upset stomach or relive a head cold. It's best fresh. Unlike the vibrant colors Zedoary and Turmeric, Ginger flesh is cream or light yellow.

Cardamom (Elaichi)
Elettaria cardamomum

Cardamom is a bit different than the others - we make use of its seeds. Their seeds are hiding in green or brown capsules, and the spice lasts longer when stored in their capsules.


Zingiberales in my spice rack remind me of the work I did at UC Berkeley with Costus and Heliconia with the Specht Lab .

Images from this entry are from the following websites:
http://www.britannica.com/
http://www.gingersrus.com
http://www.botanical.com

Information for this entry from:
Monisha Bharadwaj, The Indian Spice Kitchen: Essential Ingredients and over 200 Authentic Recipes. (2000) Hippocrene Books, New York.

Christina
posted February 1, 2009 1:03 PM