10
in other words
april2
2015
Small Town, Big World: Burn Barrel Kitchen
By Britt Benson Steele
When we lived in Bali we over-wintered,
leaving the cold and rain behind, and returning to the
Northwest sometime around May 1st, just in time for
summer. Sounds glamorous, but there was something
missing. Thanksgiving and Christmas in the tropics are
a bit lackluster. Even when we tried to conjure up a
holiday meal, there wasn’t an oven to be found, so this
meant no pumpkin pie and no baked sweet potatoes.
Instead, we’d show up for a pool party somewhere and
eat mango and salad and say, “Merry Christmas!” It
was nice, of course, but we found ourselves discussing
how we took comfort in pretending it wasn’t Christmas
after all, so we wouldn’t miss home so much.
When we traveled the islands around Bali
each island was a little different. Every kitchen set up
was unique. On Bali, for example, the entire “family
compound” shared one kitchen. The family compound
was the patriarch, his wife, their son (or sons), and
their sons’ wives and children. Often there were 10-12
people in a compound, give or take a few.
Generally speaking the kitchen had a two
burner gas range (you and I call these “camp stoves”), a
sink, and some open shelving. Refrigerators were very
small, if at all, and were reserved for the wealthy, as
electricity was expensive and intermittent. I remember
it being a semi-regular occurrence for someone to come
down with food poisoning because 3 meals for the day
were prepared early in the morning and then left out all
day. These meals usually
included chicken, rice, eggs,
some local vegetable greens
and sambal (a spicy sauce
that makes the eyes water).
Given the conditions, it was
no surprise the incidence of
food poisoning.
Suffice it to say the
US has some pretty posh
kitchens. Even the “worst”
kitchen I have ever had far
exceeds the kitchens we
witnessed in some native
Indonesian homes.
This
photo shows the standard for “kitchens” — outdoor with
no roof nor floor — that lined the walking streets off the
back of the cinder block houses. You could identify a
Creature Comforts: Catnip
By Michal Smith
When’s the last time you gave
your cat catnip?
With just a couple of shakes of
good grade catnip flakes, or spray, did
your cat(s) go “bonkers,” roll around
rubbing on everything, become sweet
and uncharacteristically affectionate, or
did they just walk away?
Statistics show that actually
only about 50% of cats seem to be af-
fected by catnip and the behavior that
results varies widely between them.
Catnip is a perennial herb in
the mint family. The active ingredient
that draws cats to it is nepetguealactone.
The plant itself is considered a weed by
many gardeners. It has the general look
of mint with long stems and bilateral
leaves, but it is identifiable by its charac-
teristic clusters of white-purple flowers
on the stem ends. The alluring scent of
catnip must be inhaled to affect the cat.
The scent is received by the vomerona-
sal organ, also known as the Jacobson’s
organ, which is located in the back of the
cat’s nose. The subsequent stimulation
causes the Flehman response, which is
the funny face your cat makes when he
curls back his lips and slightly opens his
mouth. This action presses his tongue
against the roof of his mouth, forcing
air through the vomeronasal organ. Your
Absolute MARBLE
kitchen by its one distinguishable item: a burn barrel
— also known as a “stove.” There was usually one pot,
a couple of red clay bowls, and maybe some old rabbit
wire attached to the wall behind the barrel for hanging
things.
Truth of it is that I could probably stop writing
here. You get the picture:
Life is good here. It’s the
exception, not the rule, to
be without a refrigerator
and stove. And yet, we are
conditioned to “new and
shiny”: cars, appliances,
gadgets. My hope… is that
the next time I feel the urge to
update something that serves
as mere aesthetics or reach
for that poorly constructed
but cool whatsadinger, that
instead I reach for this photo
of the burn barrel kitchen in
my mind, and count my lucky stars — those same stars
that were painted on the “ceiling” of that little island
kitchen.
cat is actually smelling and tasting at the
same time.
When a cat sniffs nepetalac-
tone it can act as a stimulant. However,
nepetalactone acts as a sedative if eaten.
Cats will frequently rub against or chew
on catnip to bruise the leaves and stems,
which then releases more. The behav-
ioral response is said to look like the cat
is “intoxicated” or “drunken” and cats
have been seen rolling around in ecstasy
after having indulged in the herb.
Commonly purchased cat toys
are stuffed with catnip which provide
much entertainment to owners as they
watch the kitty prowl around to find the
best method of attacking the toy and bat-
ting it around. Catnip can be sprinkled
or spayed on a rug, cat tree, or other toys
to encourage play and enjoyment. Cat-
nip is also known to be a digestive aid
and can be sprinkled on your cat’s food
in moderation. Creatures carries catnip
flakes, sprays, kits to grow your own, as
well as infused catnip toys.
Essential Oil Tip: Lavender is
an effective oil to use (diluted as appro-
priate) when pets display allergic symp-
toms such as the uncontrollable itch and
red skin…. Call or come by Creatures
pet store to learn more 503-429-PETS
Open 7 days a week! Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat
10-5; Sun noon-4.
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