Teach your youngsters: “No. Yell. Go. Tell.”

This past Friday evening Sophia and I spent an hour at Black Belt Leadership Academy. It was the third and last introductory class offered in cooperation with the neighborhood recreation department. Among other useful teachings Sensei Mark Weinberg taught the young students how to handle being approached by “strangers.” He recommended they remember four words, “No. Yell. Go. Tell.” In essence if asked to approach the stranger – say, “No.” If the stranger approaches you – “Yell and Go.” And most certainly, “Tell a teacher, parent, neighbor and/or guardian.” Great advice.

Additional photographs from the class can be viewed here.

(click photograph for larger view)

Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph

Kitchen replaces darkroom as lab

The kitchen has replaced the darkroom as the laboratory where things get tested on the basis of chemistry, time and temperature. Things “develop” and through development become beautiful objects. I guess in the case of sourdough we’re really talking about biology too – feeding the starter seems a study unto itself.

This little object came out of a “test” to “learn” the effects of hydration in proportion to sourdough starter in relation to rise time. So simple. Yet so many variables at play. 100 gr flour : 50 gr water : 30 gr starter. One 2.5 hour rise. 20 min in preheated, covered cast iron at 450?F, 20 min at 375?F uncovered — looks like this:

(click photograph for larger view)

Leica R8/DMR, 100 mm Apo Macro Elmarit

What to put on this, warm, lovely 152 gram bun? Black bean, rice, mushroom, egg white vege burger, spiced with cumin and chile, bottomed with garden tomato and topped with onion and salsa.

Leica M8, 50 mm Summilux Asph