Tasty Vinaigrettes…

Vinaigrette is a mixture of vinegar (or sometimes citrus juice) and oil, often flavored with herbs, spices, and other ingredients… Commercial preparations are often emulsified with lecithin or similar additives, while fresh preparations can be more weakly emulsified with mustard or left as mixtures that will separate.

It’s been a while since I had anything to say on this page. Okay, truth be told I almost always have something to say but I’ve been a bit lazy when it comes to sitting down in front of my keyboard lately.

Recently I was chatting to someone about matters relating to reconciliation and specifically the challenges stemming from racial segregation. We spoke about South Africa’s history as well as the challenges of being a minority USA resident – she was born in Central America. We’ve both had experiences where we have been (and she still is) a part of student bodies that are, at least superficially, integrated. While there are at times still some prejudices, mistrust or other segregation by-products I’m not going to dwell on those right now.

I was actually thinking back on my experiences at high school and one of my college experiences and I likened those student bodies to a vinaigrette type salad dressing. The reason for this is that while the ingredients don’t dissolve they combine to form something new that none of the elements could manage on its own. Vinegar, oil, spices and herbs can combine to transform a simple salad but it takes a bit of shaking, stirring or mixing to get all the ingredients to work together. So what happens when everyone leaves the campus? Well from I experience I’d say that this would be like no longer shaking or stirring the mixture. They oil and vinegar separate, the pepper possibly sinks to the bottom and perhaps some of the herbs will float, or vice versa. I’ve seen this happen where friendships/connections across cultures are only superficial that once the whisk (the campus experience) is removed we tend to separate and return to what is familiar.

Is this a good thing? Is it natural? Is it just the ways things are (supposed to be)? Is there then any point to mixing things up in the first place? How do we maintain the flavour of the vinaigrette? I have my own thoughts and/or answers to some of these and perhaps in another entry I’ll delve into some of them, but for now I thought I’d make this observation. That’s all… What do you think?

Mail me at: nomadiclessons@gmail.com