A little rain never
Ely Caleb, A farmer from Washington county, PA, was born on July 29 1829. While visiting William Allison’s pharmacy in Waynesburg, PA, he lamented that it always rains on his birthday. So, Allison began tracking the weather for that day. Before long, the whole town began gathering on July 29 to celebrate rain day and place bets on the weather. The tradition continued long after the death of both farmer and pharmacist. In 1985, Al Roker, yes, that Al Roker visited the town and got in on the fun, launching it into the consciousness of the entire nation. As the saying goes, A little rain never hurt anyone. But, it does tend to impede events, unless the event is the rain day celebration in Waynesburg or the celebration of a birthday, like Ely Caleb or Cat-Hi! Happy B-day!
While this is a fun trivia fact, and a seemingly unremarkable excuse for a holiday, It makes you think about the importance of rain. Sure, it puts a damper on parades, baseball games, and weddings. But, it serves so many more important purposes. So, to honor this extremely necessary occurrence, let’s look at what rain is, why we need it, and why it has such a checkered reputation. A little rain is refreshing. A lot of rain is an annoyance, and potentially dangerous. Just ask the residents of Kerr county, Texas, Ashville, NC, and a host of other places devastated by floods. While these events are horrific, if not for rain, our food supply chain would come to a halt and all manner of life would cease to exist. So, it’s really a love/hate relationship.
Table of Contents
Who said a little rain never hurt?
We can blame Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the bad reputation rain has. In 1842, he released the following Poem:
The rainy day:
The day is cold, and dark, and dreary
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.
My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
What a dismal view of rain. And, the poem seeped into our collective consciousness. The line: “Into each life some rain must fall” is part of everyday vernacular. Although, it does capture the reality of life, and, despite the dreary poem, it gives us hope by the implication that this too shall pass.
So, bring on the rain
Besides cold, and nasty things, rain is actually very useful. The world is covered by a lot of water. Humans and other living beings are made up of a high percentage as well. Crops and a whole variety of beings rely on the rain. Think of it as a redistribution of water to where it’s needed. Which brings us to how rain works. As mentioned, approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. That water evaporates and rises to the sky where it stores up in clouds. As the world rotates, those clouds end up over different parts of the world. When they reach a maximum saturation, they release the water back down to the Earth.
Depending on temperatures, it may appear as rain, hail, sleet, or snow. Then, we get into the density of cloud cover and wind speeds to determine whether the precipitation is helpful, an annoyance, or potentially harmful and destructive. Again, it’s all about redistribution. It’s like the government, will it go to areas that desperately need it, like moisture deprived deserts or to moisture rich areas where it over enriches something that is doing fine and causes great harm to innocent bystanders in its path. And, as with wealth and power, too much corrupts the possessor. Take vineyards for example. The right amount of rain makes for a stellar vintage. Too much leads to rot, tainting the crop and diminishing output. This same problem occurs to all kinds of crops.
A little rain never stopped food production
When we buy produce and other food at the market, we rarely stop to consider rain in the equation. But, it plays a major role. Granted, most farms have complex irrigation systems. But, even those rely on rain. The water for the plants we eat, and the plants that animals eat before they become livestock is rain at some point. Municipalities and businesses store water in reservoirs. They don’t magically fill by themselves. It’s the rain that fills them. And, when rain levels are down, the stores dip as well. So, not only are the plants in danger, so are the people and all creatures of the municipality.
That’s why most people live near a good water source. And, it’s why places like Las Vegas are a drain on water resources. As Sam Kinneson pointed out: You live in a desert! Do you know what this is? It’s sand. Do you know what it will be 100 years from now? SAND! Rain, soil, and what vintners refer to as terroir are vital to horticulture, viticulture, and the general well being of all things living. Without it, we could be on a path toward Soylent Green. So, before you complain about a rain storm, think of how vital it is to everything and everybody in our world.
A little rain on your plate
Everything on your plate from meat to potatoes relies on the rain. This is more obvious when you have a plant based diet. But, don’t forget, the animals people eat rely on plants and water as well. All you meat eaters who say you don’t like vegetarians, remember, cows are vegetarians, and you like them. Michael Pollan, in the Omnivore’s Dilemma and other writings impresses upon us the importance of knowing where your food comes from and what it takes to get it to your table. Rain is an important factor, often overlooked in that chain. So, why not take a little time to really think about the entire cycle of the food chain, which is actually more of a food recycling circle.
Start with a plot of land. Plant some seeds. Water evaporates from a nearby lake, pond, ocean, etc. That water drops on the land in the form of rain. The seeds sprout when nourished with the water which makes the nutrients in the soil available. The plants grow, and are consumed by some animals. The animals utilize what they need and defecate what they don’t. The remainder fertilizes more plants that are consumed in part. The remains of the plants and creatures breakdown into the soil, and nourish a whole new crop of plants and animals. And, all these plants and animals create more liquid that runs off into the bodies of water and/or evaporate directly into the clouds, creating more rain to recreate the cycle and recycle over and over again.
As you can see, it’s all related. rain, earth, plants creatures, and all things cycle and recycle. It just goes to show a little rain never hurt anything, in fact, without it, we wouldn’t exist. So, take this cue from the Temptations:
So, how do we celebrate the rain?
Learning more about rain, all the good, bad, necessary, and indifferent is a good place to start. If it doesn’t rain today, try to remember how important it is, the next time it does. Even if a little rain doesn’t come into your life today, why not make a nice meal to highlight the importance of water in your diet. A plant based meal is probably best. But, remember, animals need rain too. So, to that end, we present a few recipes to help you celebrate the rain:
Minted Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Feta
Ingredients
- 2 cup cubed fresh watermelon
- 2 cup fresh English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1/2 cup shaved red or sweet onion
- 1 cup feta cheese cubed
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint julienne
- 1 handful fresh spinach or arugula
- For Dressing:
- 1/4 cup honey or agave
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp pink peppercorn
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- mix all ingredients for dressing except oil in a mixing bowl with stick blender or in a blender. Slowly add in oil until emulsified.
- Toss all ingredients in a bowl except dressing. Put in a little dressing at a time until well coated, but not swimming in dressing. Serve chilled.
Aztec Vegetable Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Seeded and Cubed Zucchini
- 2 Cups Diced Sweet Onion
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 2 Cups Cubed, peeled Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Diced Fresh Tomato
- 1/4 Cup Diced Poblano Chili
- 1 Cup Cooked Pinto Beans
- 1 Cup Grilled Fresh Corn, cut off the cob
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
- 2 Cup Water
- Avocado Oil for cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
- Tortillas, Rice, and Salad to accompany
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over high heat. Put in the coriander and cumin seeds. Lightly toast them until they become aromatic. Remove from the pot and grind in a spice grinder. Set aside.
- Heat some avocado oil in the same pot over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and sweet potato. Saute until lightly browned and softened, stirring as needed. Add in the chili at this time.
- Add some water and bring to a simmer. You want to cook the potatoes. If the liquid evaporates, add more.
- Add the tomatoes and bring back to a simmer. Then add all the remaining ingredients, including the freshly ground cumin and coriander. Season to taste. You only want to cook until heat has penetrated all the vegetables. So, no more than a minute or two. You don't want to overcook the squash, or it will become bitter.
- Serve in a casserole dish or right from the pot. We suggest a simple salad with lime and oil to dress, and rice as accompaniments.
Notes
Vegan Avocado and Fava Bean Mousse
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Peeled Fava Beans (Fresh or frozen)
- 1 Large Avocado
- 3 Cups Vegan milk/cream Almond, coconut, or other
- 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 Tbsp Finely chopped Lemongrass
- 1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Mint
- 1 Tbsp Agave Syrup
- 1 tsp Agar agar
- Avocado Oil for Cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- More herbs, avocado, and fava beans to Garnish
- Microgreens to serve with
Instructions
- Peel and cut your avocado. Peel your fava beans if they aren't already. Gather all your ingredients.
- Saute the fava beans in a light olive oil over high heat to accentuate the color. Do not overcook. But, make them soft enough to puree.
- Bring the Vegan milk, agave, and lemongrass to a simmer. Whisk in the agar agar and allow to thicken. Remove from heat and move onto the next steps.
- In a good blender, blend the beans until smooth. Add in the avocado, herbs, lime juice, and a little avocado oil. Blend until a fine puree. Add in the vegan milk steeped with avocado. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mousse to molds. Refrigerate for at least an hour until they hold their shape.
- Serve in the dishes or unmold onto a salad of microgreens, herbs, and vegetables with lemon juice, avocado oil, salt and pepper as a dressing.
And, for the meat eaters:
Beer Braised New England Pot Roast with natural gravy, Root Vegetable Hash, and Buttered Fiddleheads
Ingredients
- 2.5 LB Eye of the round beef
- 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
- 6 each medium garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup each rough chopped carrot, celery, and onion
- 12 oz beer, preferably a medium bodied ale
- 2 qt Beef stock
- 1 quart water
- 1 each bay leaf
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup oil for searing the beef
- Root Vegetable hash (see separate recipe)
- 1/2 lb fresh fiddleheads
- 1/4 Lb unsalted butter
Instructions
- prepare all your vegetables and get your mise en place together.
- rinse the fiddleheads with warm water repeatedly to remove any dirt. Then, soak them in cool water to remove dirt that gets in between. Trim the bottoms if they are black. Remove from water, and drain them.
- mix flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the beef in the flour mix. Save the extra flour
- Heat the oil in a large heavy duty pot or dutch oven. When it is just below smoking, put the flour coated beef in. Sear each side of the beef until golden brown (about a minute per side depending on the heat from your burners).
- In a separate pan heat the beef stock and water mixed together.
- Add in the garlic, celery, carrot, and onion, stir occasionally. Cook until some color comes into the vegetables. Add in 1/2 of the butter and melt. Stir in the remainder of the flour mix. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes to make a pan roux. Add in the beer and stir.
- Pour the Beef stock mix into the pot with the beef and vegetables. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Then cut back to a simmer. Add in the herbs and bay leaf.
- Allow to simmer for about an hour. Check the beef to see if it is tender. Stick a fork in. It should be able to wiggle relatively freely without pulling apart the beef. If it is still tough, but the sauce has thickened, add more stock or water.
- When the beef is cooked, remove it from the pot, and, reduce the gravy until it becomes a pour-able, not too thin or thick consistency. Strain the vegetables and herbs out of the gravy and keep it warm for service.
- Melt the remaining butter in a separate saute pan, stirring occasionally. Add in the fiddleheads and cook over high heat. Add salt and pepper, and stir it in.
- Slice the beef and plate with vegetable hash (see recipe), the fiddleheads, and drizzle with gravy.