DSM-5 Autistic Spectrum Disorder Disaster By Kim Oakley Should Be Mandatory Reading For The DSM-5 Committees

I have great respect for Kim Oakley  a California mother who has been honestly and courageously documenting her severely autistic son's self-injurious behavior on Youtube, Classic Autism kgaccount's channel,  for several years.  Within the past year she has also begun  a blog, Autism, Epilepsy and Self-Injurious Behavior, on which she presents her views on autism with  the same honesty and courage. 


Ms. Oakley's most recent blog comment DSM-5 Autistic Spectrum Disorder Disaster is as direct and to the point as the title itself.  She pulls no punches in ripping (deservedly) the DSM-5's failure to acknowledge the  serious and fundamental autism problem of self-injurious behavior:

"Has the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Lost It’s Collective Mind? Have the “36,000 Physician Leaders in mental health” ignored history? After all, decades of autism research show self-injurious behavior is a hallmark trait of severe autism.

Hundreds of research studies have been published on autism and self-injurious behavior. Hundreds of papers are written about autistics who present with self-injurious behavior. Thousands of experts have discussed the challenges of self-injury among autistics. Yet, today, you see no mention of self-injurious behavior in DSM-5 autism diagnosis.

Yes, the modern mental health leaders of the APA would have us believe autism with self-injurious behaviors doesn’t exist."

DSM-5 Autistic Spectrum Disorder Disaster elaborates further, asks many tough questions and provides a list of references to back up Ms Oakley's concerns about the DSM-5's failure to address such an important autism issue as SIB, self-injurious behavior.  

Notwithstanding that I have zero influence, standing or recognition with the DSM-5 teams, I strongly recommend that the DSM-5 committee members responsible for drafting the New Autism Spectrum Disorder read this comment by Kim Oakley, view the Youtube videos of her severely autistic son's self injurious behavior and reflect on this important issue. 

I would actually like to see the DSM-5 people consider contacting and meeting with Kim Oakley and her son to gain an understanding of severe autism and self-injurious behavior. Given the disdain that many members of the psychiatric and psychological professional communities have displayed towards the perspectives of  parent advocates of autistic children generally that is unlikely to occur but you never know. It might dawn on the DSM-5 team members that a parent like Kim Oakley has actual first hand, direct, 24/7 observations ... real evidence ... of the realities of severe autism and the challenges ... including self injurious behavior ... that it imposes on the lives of those it affects and the family members who care for them.  It might occur to them that she could provide them with the benefit of some real word autism experience and knowledge that they lack.

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5 Finger Lickin' Chicken Wings for a Touchdown!

So the Superbowl is coming up - have you got your gameday grub planned? At our house, chicken wings will definitely be on the table. We love our chicken wings and over the past year, I've made a few various kinds that would be great to serve up for the big game. If you're a chicken wing lover like me, you'll love any of these 5 Finger Lickin' Chicken Wings for a Touchdown!

Cornmeal Buffalo Wings

Honey BBQ Wings

Sticky Wings

Zesty Italian Chicken Wings

Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Need more? Here's last year's round up!

 

7 Tasty Gameday Chicken Wing Recipes

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Not Accounted For By General Developmental Delays: In DSM-5 Era Life for Autism's Invisible Vast Majority Is About To Get Much Harder

DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder Will Exclude 

Autism's Vast Majority  Of Intellectually Disabled

While the New York Times, the CBC and other mainstream media giants debate the DSM5's potential exclusion of high functioning autistic persons from autism diagnosis barely a whisper is heard about the express exclusion of autism's vast majority of intellectually disabled. The exclusion of the intellectually disabled from the DSM5's New Autism Spectrum Disorder is not a potential effect, it is the express and intended effect of the language of mandatory criterion "A" as recently confessed by Dr. Catherine Lord.

"Autism Spectrum Disorder


Must meet criteria A, B, C, and D:


A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts, not accounted for by general developmental delays, and manifest by all 3 of the following:"

Dr. Lord made it clear in her interview with the NYT that the APA's primary means of addressing the autism epidemic wasn't by removing high functioning autism from the DSM5 for that matter by conducting research into the environmental causes of autism. The APA will challenge the autism epidemic by redefining autism's vast majority of intellectually disabled out of the New Autism Spectrum Disorder:

"Catherine Lord, the director of the Institute for Brain Development at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and a member of the committee overseeing the [DSM-5 autism] revisions, said that the goal was to ensure that autism was not used as a “fallback diagnosis” for children whose primary trait might be, for instance, an intellectual disability or aggression." [Bracketed terms added for context - HLD]


Exclusion Criteria - Not Accounted For By General Developmental Delays


Dr. Lord's confession is confirmed by the words "not accounted for by general developmental delays.  The "not accounted for by" is recognized as an exclusion criteria formula used in the current DSM-IV.  It is not controversial or contentious  (particularly given Dr. Lord's confession) to read those words, as used in the DSM-5, as excluding autism diagnoses in cases involving intellectual disability or as it is also known in the DSM-5: A00,  Intellectual Developmental Disorder. 


The mainstream media, led by the NYT, is obsessed with the very high functioning persons at the barely autistic end of the current autism spectrum.  Autism researchers also focus on this point.  Very few display any interest in those most severely affected by autism.  Instead of addressing the many serious and harmful effects confronting those on the autism spectrum who are intellectually disabled the APA simply redefines autism ... and defines away the most serious problems currently associated with autism as illustrated in this article on wsiltv.com: 

"Working with young autistic children is key to helping them become more functional in society.

"They have difficulties interacting with people with their social communication," explains Kirsten Schaper, the Autism Center Clinic Director in Carbondale.

The Autism Center at Southern Illinois University works with about 16 autistic kids a semester, far less than the number of people that come seeking treatment.

"I'd say 90 percent of the referrals to the center do not have autism," says Schaper.

Schaper says mis-diagnosis of autism is rampant in the U.S., partly because the criteria to diagnose the disorder are vague and subjective.

"We do have a lot of referrals for kids for challenging behaviors, tantruming, head-banging, aggression, self-injury, but these are not characteristics of autism spectrum disorder," Schaper explains.

Now a group of autism experts are tightening the criteria for identifying the disorder by stating specific characteristics to look for. Some parents fear their child, who has mild symptoms that were diagnosed as autism, will no longer get treatment under the new rules. But Schaper says the new criteria should, actually, better help those kids.

"Kids who have maybe an intellectual disability, or a language disorder, or maybe a behavior disorder, rather than autism, these kids will not be identified as having autism, and hopefully get the correct diagnosis, and therefore the correct treatment for whatever disorder they're having." [Bold Emphasis Added - HLD]

Hopefully get the correct correct diagnosis, and therefore the correct treatment for whatever disorder they're having?  NONSENSE. The APA is changing the rules  so psychiatrists, psychologists and other health care professionals can ignore the most serious cases of autism and dump autism's vast majority in the invisible category ... now to be known as Intellectual Developmental Disorder. In the US where more and more states are requiring insurers to provide coverage for autism the financial hit they experience will now be minimal ... a permanent gift from the American Psychiatric Association.

Frankly, as a father of a 16 year old son with autistic disorder and profound developmental delays, my trust in the psychiatry profession is declining rapidly with each passing day.  Life will be easier for the members of this profession who will now address the autism challenge by ignoring the most difficult cases.  For autism's vast majority of intellectually disabled though, they will now be even more invisible, more forgotten, more ignored as they are dumped in the Intellectual Disabled Development bin.  Life for autism's vast majority is about to get much, much harder in the era of the DSM-5's New Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO LAYER CAKE

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY

The secret to staying young is to live honestly,
eat slowly,
and to lie about your age.
~ Lucille Ball

“Oh, grow up!” he often says to me when I’ve said or done something particularly ridiculous, a smirk dancing upon his lips, a glint of humor in his eyes. “Would you really want me to?” is my usual rejoinder. We revel in our youthful silliness and utter disregard for the rules of behavior that most seem so urgently ready to apply to folks of our age. Another birthday has rolled around and I am now squarely centered in that “woman of a certain age” category. I look in the mirror and see the lines on my skin and the silver threaded through my dark hair, I feel the weight of the years upon my shoulders, pulling me down with unforgiving severity, gravity giving me a less-than-youthful appearance. These old bones creak and the back has a tendency to slouch, the elevator has taken precedence over the stairs and fabric seems to strain at snaps and buttons. But for all of the outward changes, that slow but inevitable metamorphoses that we each go through, the visible traces left by the advancing years, I somehow feel an inward subtle shift in the opposite direction.

So the “Oh, grow up!” followed immediately by the “Would you really want me to?” is a game we play, just more childish banter between two who simply do not feel that the years have made us grow old. We laugh in the face of Old Man Time and hold onto youth joyfully, in an ironclad grip.

Youth is a wonderful thing.
What a crime to waste it on children.
~ George Bernard Shaw

The body is some strange foreign vessel, almost alien in its outlandishness. There is an odd disconnect throughout our youth and well into adulthood, this relationship we have with our outer shell, as if wearing someone else’s ill-fitting clothing. As a child, we often have moments of not quite being able to control our movements nor do we quite understand the changes that happen seemingly overnight as we sleep; as a teen, there is discomfort and embarrassment in every lump and bump, every growth spurt and unruly, out-of-control development. There may be a brief moment when we achieve the perfect balance, when we reach some ideal age, that place in time where it all comes together effortlessly, without blemish, pure and sublime, our hair, our skin, our figure; we glance in the mirror and smile, content, self-confident, at ease and at peace with ourselves. “Ah, I have finally grown up and grown into the person I was meant to be all along!” we exclaim, nodding in approval as we turn to blow out the 30 or so candles. But the moment is fleeting; it rushes by, a whisper blown swiftly away on the wind. We wake up shortly after, minutes it seems, and the walls begin to crumble; the skin sags, ever so imperceptibly at first, but we notice it a bit more every day; the first gray hair sneaks in, almost as a fine joke; the knees creak and crack as we climb the stairs to the apartment and it seems just that much more difficult to push ourselves out of bed in the morning. We catch a glimpse of our face, our body as we walk in front of a mirror or plate glass window and are stunned, wondering when it was that we grew so old.

Growing old is mandatory;
growing up is optional.
~ Chili Davis

Yet, although I reached my stride quite a number of years ago, my peak physical years have come and gone, and today, well, the lines are getting fuzzy, the streaks of sophisticated silver run their fingers brazenly through my unruly hair and keeping in shape takes more effort every day, my inner child is well and alive, thank you very much. Rebellious in nature, the youthful me bursts at the seams, a ball of energy, not willing to sit still and twiddle her thumbs allowing any old rather snooty Grande Dame to make the decisions. Some may say that there is something irreverent in the way I behave, that silliness does not become a woman of a certain age; others may shake their head in dismay at my adamant determination to simply not grow up, their eyes opened wide in disbelief at my jokes or antics. But although I have little control over the outer shell other than exercise, diet and a good haircut, a touch of makeup and the choice of what I wear, my spirit is my own to do with as I please.

Age is a question of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
~ Leroy "Satchel" Paige

Yes, another birthday has come and gone with much hurrah and I was spoiled and pampered by my men in their usual, quiet way. And as is the tradition every single year, I baked my own cake. French pastry shops are abundant in tarts of glistening fruit, creams of chocolate, raspberry or vanilla studded with poached pears or bright berries and crunchy with praline or biscuits, elegant verrines of layer upon delicate layer of mousses and bavaroises topped by froths of whipped Chantilly; one jaw-dropping gorgeous, ravishingly delicious delight after another, it is true, but a birthday is simply not a birthday without a layer cake. And there is no better way to have exactly what you love best than making it yourself. I toyed with the idea of repeating last year’s wildly successful Espresso Chocolate Cake with Mocha Mascarpone Frosting, as it had indeed been one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. And although I had finally settled on the same flavor combination – a favorite – I turned instead to my favorite chocolate cake recipe, one that was handed down from my father, and my simple chocolate buttercream frosting. Yet I twisted and turned and added espresso to both the cake batter and the frosting, whisked in a container of fresh mascarpone to the buttercream for a richer, smoother, creamier frosting and voilà I created my perfect birthday cake!


A childhood delight to bring out the youthful frivolity, the joy and delight in each of us; dense, ultra moist, devilishly chocolaty layers with a diabolically inspired kiss of espresso, a cake at once flirtatious with its voluptuous swirls of mocha cream and serious in its sinful decadence. And what a cake! A flash to whip up and bring together, and oh so easy going down. Kid friendly indeed yet oh so incredibly adult.


And a perfect romantic dessert for St. Valentine's Day.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO LAYER CAKE
Makes a 8 ½ or 9-inch two layer cake or an 7-inch three layer cake.


1 ¾ cup flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla
1 cup prepared coffee *

* If you prefer, the coffee can be replaced with water or a mixture of water and fruit juice.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Oil and flour two 8 ½ or 9-inch round cake pans or three 7-inch cake pans generously. (I oiled the pans, lined with parchment and then lightly oiled the paper and dusted with flour.)

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk or whiz them with the electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until everything is well combined. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on low until well blended then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes. Bring the 1 cup of coffee just to the boil and stir in carefully by hand until very well blended. Carefully divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans – it will be liquid. (If you want to make the smaller 3-layer cake and only have 2 cake pans: oil, line and flour the two pans and divide 2/3 of the batter between the two; the pans should be filled about 1/3 to ½ full. Bake the first two layers. When they are done, remove from the oven, allow to cool for several minutes, slide a sharp knife around the edges to loosen and invert (then upright) on cooling racks to completely cool. Clean, oil, line and dust with flour one of the pans and pour the remaining third of the batter into this pan and bake as directed.)

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes or until the center is set (30 – 35 minutes for the smaller layers). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes on cooling racks before turning them out onto the racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE MOCHA MASCARPONE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING


11 - 12 oz (325 - 350 grams) powdered/confectioner’s sugar
8 Tbs (120 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1.8 oz (50 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Tbs very hot prepared coffee
3.5 – 5.3 oz (100 – 150 g) fresh mascarpone cheese

Using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and the powdered sugar together. Add the cocoa powder and the hot coffee and beat, scraping down the sides as necessary, until well blended and fluffy. Beat in as much mascarpone as desired until smooth and whipped.

Chill in the refrigerator until firm enough so that, when spread and the layers are stacked, the frosting does not slide.

Frost the tops of the layers then stack, placing the bottom layer on a cake or serving plate. I slip strips of waxed paper or parchment under the edges of the cake before frosting the sides in order to keep the plate clean and frosting-free. Smooth the frosting on the sides of the cake. Pipe rosettes of frosting and decorate as desired. Gently slide the strips of parchment out from under the cake and retouch as needed. Chill in the refrigerator until the frosting has firmed. Because the frosting contains mascarpone, it is best to store uneaten cake in the refrigerator.

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Pizza Pasta Casserole

With the Superbowl coming up, I wonder how many folks will be cheering {and jeering} the football teams while eating pizza. Let's face it, pizza is pretty easy to serve when friends are over. But the thing that gets me is that it takes more effort to enjoy pizza like everyone else if you happen to be gluten free. It's not like we can just omit various toppings on the pizza, but rather have to have a whole different crust all together. However, I've found a way to enjoy all the flavors of my favorite pizzas another way... in pasta form! Sure, it requires the use of a fork, but for me, this Pizza Pasta Casserole highlights the best part of pizza - the toppings. Whether you like onions, peppers, sausage, pepperoni, or even extra cheese on your pizza, you can throw it all into this dish along with pasta, a zesty sauce and bake it up until the cheese is melted. So grab a fork and have some pizza!...

One of my biggest cravings lately is a good pizza. When I saw this recipe pop up on Heather's site, I immediately put it on my menu. Finally - a dish that's easy to make and captures the flavors of pizza! I made this with gluten free corn pasta and added my favorite pizza toppings into the dish. Feel free to adjust the recipe to suit your tastes and pizza preferences. I really liked how easy it was to prepare and it's versatile too. For those that are looking for make ahead/freezer meals, this recipe fits the bill too. I've included make ahead/freezer meal instructions below.)

Pizza Pasta Casserole
recipe adapted from Hezzi-D's Books & Cooks

1/2 pound dried macaroni, penne or shell pasta (or any short gluten free pasta)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 fresh italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups marinara sauce; homemade or store bought
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup sliced packaged pepperoni - reserve a few slices for topping
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or shredded pizza cheese blend
fresh minced parsley for garnish
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the dried pasta according to package directions. Cook until al dente, drain and transfer back to pot.

In a large skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onions, garlic and bell pepper, cooking until softened. Transfer mixture to pot with pasta.

In the same skillet (no need to rinse) over medium high heat, add the Italian sausage and brown until cooked through. Drain any rendered fat and transfer sausage to pot.

In the large pot, add the marinara/pasta sauce, dried spices, and pepperoni. Stir to fully combine.

Transfer half of pasta mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover the cheese layer with the remaining pasta and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the reserved slices of pepperoni over the top of the last cheese layer.

Bake the casserole uncovered in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until top is melted and warmed through.

Garnish with fresh minced parley and serve hot with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

* To make ahead/freezer meals - Prepare as directed but prepare the dish in an oven- and freezer-proof baking dish. Allow to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap, a layer of foil and freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake casserole uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until cheese melts and middle is warmed through.

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Air Playit - Streaming Video to iPhone iPad Android Anywhere

Air Playit is a video streaming software designed to stream videos audios to Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Google Android OS mobile devices. Air Playit is capable of streaming 320 different video & audio formats to your mobile devices via WiFi and 3G/4G network. It acts as your personal audio video cloud server and lets you watch videos on the go.


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Siri on iPad 2–How to Install

Siri – Your wish is its command…Siri on iPhone 4S lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and more. Ask Siri to do things just by talking the way you talk. Siri understands what you say, knows what you mean, and even talks back. Siri is so easy to use and does so much, you’ll keep finding more and more ways to use it.
Because of its popularity, everyone in the jailbreaking community wants to have a crack on how to install Siri on other apple iOS devices. I found this post from idownloadblog on how to install Siri on iPad 2.

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1944 Ομηρία στη Γερμανία

ΟΜΗΡΙΑ ΣΤΗ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙΑ 1944

Μια αληθινή ιστορία της Κατοχής. Τον καιρό που η φασιστική Γερμανία κυριαρχούσε, απ άκρου σε άκρον σε ολόκληρη την Ευρώπη

Λέγομαι Νικόλαος Σκαλτσάς και σε ηλικία 17 έζησα την χειρότερη εμπειρία της ζωής μου.

Είναι Αύγουστος του 1944 όταν στην Αθήνα οι Γερμανοί έκαναν μπλόκα και εκτελούσαν αδιακρίτως αθώους συμπολίτες μας με το παραμικρό.  Έτσι λοιπόν όταν έκαναν το μπλόκο στον Ν. Κόσμο στις 9 Αυγούστου του 1944, μας συγκέντρωσαν στην

Πλατεία Φάρου της Δάφνης, εκτέλεσαν 112 νέους συμπολίτες μας και μετά 1000 άτομα περίπου, μας πήγαν στο στρατόπεδο Χαϊδαρίου. Εκεί μας κράτησαν μια βδομάδα και κατόπιν μιάς επιλογής, γύρω στα 800 άτομα μας ξεχώρισαν να μας στείλουν για αναγκαστικά έργα στη Γερμανία.

Μας μετέφεραν λοιπόν στο σταθμό Ρούφ, μας στρίμωξαν σε κλειστά βαγόνια, αφού πρόλαβε ο Ερυθρός Σταυρός και μας μοίρασε από ένα πακέτο τρόφιμα, το οποίο μας βοήθησε πάρα πολύ. Έτσι ξεκινήσαμε στις 16 Αυγούστου του 44 χωρίς να ξέρουμε που μας πάνε. Περάσαμε τα σύνορα και μπήκαμε Σερβία. Εκεί στη πολιτεία Νις έγινε συναγερμός και βομβαρδισμός του αεροδρομίου και οι Γερμανοί μας είχαν κλειδωμένους μέσα στα βαγόνια. Κάναμε το σταυρό μας ζητώντας την βοήθεια της Παναγίας. Αφού έληξε ο συναγερμός ,περάσαμε όλη τη Σερβία και φτάσαμε στη Βιέννη. Εκεί μας μοίρασαν ένα νεροζούμι ύστερα από πέντε ημέρες. Θυμάμαι ότι είχαμε τενεκεδάκια και κάναμε το ψιλό μας το οποίο χύναμε από τα παράθυρα του βαγονιού.

Ζούσαμε ένα σκέτο μαρτύριο. Μπήκαμε λοιπόν στη Γερμανία και μετά από μέρες πιάσαμε και πηγαίναμε παράλληλα με τον ποταμό Ρήνο.

 Όλοι σιωπηλοί και χωρίς καμιά ευθυμία πηγαίναμε προς το άγνωστο. Θυμάμαι ένα ηλικιωμένο τον κυρ Αναστάση, μας έλεγε διάφορα να μας εξυψώσει το ηθικό. Μετά από 17 ημέρες ταξίδι αποκαμωμένοι, εφτάσαμε στο Σααρμπρύνκεν (Saarbrücken), περνώντας τη γραμμή Ζιγκφριντ και μετά τη γραμμή Μαζινό. Μπήκαμε δηλαδή στα σύνορα της Γαλλίας στην κωμόπολη Τσβάιμπρίκεν. Zweibruecken.  Εκεί μας στοίβαξαν σε ένα σχολείο και επάνω σε κάτι σανά, αντί  για στρώμα, πέσαμε πεθαμένοι για ύπνο.

Την άλλη μέρα μας έδωσαν κασμά και φτυάρι και ανοίγαμε σε ένα μήκος ενός χιλιομέτρου, ένα σκάμμα 3 μέτρα βάθος και 3 πλάτος.  Οι Γερμανοί προσπαθούσαν με κάθε τρόπο να  ανακόψουν την προέλαση των Συμμάχων στη Γαλλία. Την Τρίτη μέρα μας ξεσήκωσαν στις 3 τη νύχτα και στα γρήγορα μας μοίρασαν ψωμί, μαρμελάδα και από δύο κουβέρτες. Αυτές οι κουβέρτες απεδείχθησαν πολύ χρήσιμες σε όλη την ομηρία μας. Έφτασε λοιπόν στα αυτιά μας, ότι εκεί είχε σπάσει το μέτωπο και οι Γερμανοί  δεν είχαν τι να κάνουν και ξεσπάγανε επάνω μας.  Άρχισε τότε ένα μαρτύριο που δεν είχε προηγούμενο. Μια πορεία 100 χιλιομέτρων και πολλές φορές υπό βροχή. Ύστερα από 5 ημέρες φτάσαμε στη πολιτεία Πιρμανσεν. Εκεί μας έκαναν γενικό κούρεμα γιατί είχαμε γεμίσει ψείρες  Κάναμε μπάνιο, μας κλιβάνησαν τα ρούχα και μετά μας έβαλαν στο τραίνο. Ξέχασα να πω ότι οι σκοποί είχαν σε όλη τη πορεία και εκκινούντο με ποδήλατα και δεν μας άφηναν να κλέψουμε ούτε ένα μήλο για να κορέσουμε την πείνα μας. Μας χτυπούσαν στο ψαχνό , μάλιστα τραυμάτισαν έναν από εμάς. Με το τρένο λοιπόν μετά από περιπετειώδεις  καθυστερήσεις μια και μισής ημέρας φτάσαμε στη περιοχή Στουτγάρδης. Εκεί μας πήγαν σε ένα μικρό αεροδρόμιο το ΧΕΛΦΙΝΓΚΕΝ.

Εγώ το ονόμασα στρατόπεδο του θανάτου. Στριμωχτήκαμε σε ένα υπόστεγο 800 περίπου άτομα και αντί για στρώμα, επάνω  σε σανά, το κρύο βέβαια να γίνεται μαρτυρικό η ζωή μας αβέβαιη και ανυπόφορη. Νερό ελάχιστο ,χωρίς θέρμανση το φαγητό σκέτο νεροζούμι με ένα κομμάτι ψωμί. Σε λίγες μέρες μάλιστα δεν άντεξε κάποιος από εμάς και άφησε την τελευταία του πνοή και έμεινε άταφος αναγκαστικά στην αυλή του στρατοπέδου. Ένα στρατόπεδο με διπλό αγκαθωτό σύρμα, σαν  να ήμαστε φονιάδες  να ματώνει τις καρδιές μας και να ονειρευόμαστε την λευτεριά.  Η δουλιά άρχιζε το πρωί στις 8 μέχρι στις 6 το απόγευμα και δουλεία κασμά και φτυάρι. Φτιάχναμε διαδρόμους προς ένα δάσος για να μπορούν να κρύβουν τα αεροπλάνα τους. Μας είχαν επί τούτου και κοιμόμαστε δίπλα στα αεροπλάνα τους για να μην τα κτυπάνε οι Σύμμαχοι. Εκεί μείναμε περίπου 2 μήνες, εάν  μέναμε ακόμα 2 μήνες δεν θα γλύτωνε κανείς μας. Οι βομβαρδισμοί των Συμμάχων άρχισαν να γίνονται πιο έντονοι. Τα συμμαχικά αεροπλάνα περνούσαν κατά χιλιάδες και ισοπέδωναν τις πόλεις, τη μια μετά την άλλη. Θα ήταν τέλη Οκτώβρη του 44 οπότε ήρθε διαταγή και φύγαμε από αυτό το κολαστήριο.  Από μας δεν ήταν κανείς μαθημένος να δουλεύει σε νταμάρι, ούτε να στρώνει χονδρό χαλίκι, φκιάχνοντας δρόμους και να έχεις την τσουγκράνα να κολάει μέσα στη λάσπη και να μην μπορείς να την κουμαντάρεις.

Έτσι λοιπόν μόλις μάθαμε ότι θα φύγουμε από κει και είπαμε ότι κάτι θ' άλλαζε στη ζωή μας. Πράγματι μας χώρισαν σε ομάδες ανά 30 άτομα σε διάφορα μέρη. Συγκεκριμένα εμείς πήγαμε στο ΟΜΠΕΡΖΕΣΙΓΚΕΝ  5 χ λ μ από το ΕΡΕΜΠΕΡΓΚ την πολιτεία που είναι το εργοστάσιο που βγάζει τα μολύβια FABER . Εκεί περάσαμε πολύ καλύτερα, μας έδωσαν ρούχα, παπούτσια και εσώρουχα ,αντέξαμε παρόλο ότι το κρύο ήταν γύρω στους 20 κάτω του μηδενός. Βέβαια η δουλειά μας ήταν πάντα ,κασμάς και φτυάρι. Εκεί μείναμε μέχρι Απρίλιο, οπότε η Γερμανία άρχισε να καταρρέει.

Η απελευθέρωση   μας έγινε ανήμερα του Αγίου Γεωργίου 23 Απριλίου του 1945. Κατόπιν ανέλαβαν οι Αμερικανοί να μας επαναπατρίσουν. Μέναμε στη κωμόπολη ΟΦΦΕΝΜΠΟΥΡΓΚ  οπότε στις 30 Αυγούστου του 45 γυρίσαμε στα σπίτια μας που μας είχαν ξεγράψει. Από το Μόναχο λοιπόν και με αεροπλάνα ,γυρίσαμε στην Αθήνα και μόλις πατήσαμε στο Ελληνικό χώμα, σκύψαμε και φιλήσαμε με συγκίνηση και είπαμε ότι το μαρτύριο μας είχε τελειώσει……

24-1-2012                         Νίκος Σκαλτσάς

Οι φωτό με την λεζάντα είναι από την έκδοση Ιστορικά της Ελευθεροτυπίας με τίτλο

Κατοχή και Αντίσταση.

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ENDIVE, LARDONS & CANCOILLOTTE GRATIN with a Peasant Boule

A BIRTHDAY AND A GIFT

I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it
with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Small baby swaddled in creamy caramel blankets clutched to her chest, the woman in the supermarket line in front of me rattled on happily about the birth of her newest child, wondering that six weeks had already flown by. I smiled at her and exclaimed “and before you know it, 20 years will have elapsed” as I thought of my own babies, now grown men.

Each birthday is a time of reflection: where we have been, where we are now and where we are going. Wishes made as candles are blown out, eyes tightly shut, images of health, wealth and world peace flutter through our imagination; dreams float in and out and with each passing birthday, as we get older and the weeks and months between celebrations seem to grow shorter, we tick off our accomplishments on our fingers and make lists of what there is left to do; the years that once yawned before us seem numbered, our time now urgent and we wonder again if there will be enough time to get done all that we desire.

Yet that brief encounter at a place so banal as the supermarket, seeing one young woman’s face light up as she showed off her new baby, made me think of my own and I wonder if this is not my greatest accomplishment. I remember a letter once written to my brother so long ago during a rather rough period of my life when I counted happiness in moments spent with my husband, enumerated each struggle I faced living in a new country, how my days went with two small, headstrong boys; I felt locked in and going crazy, totally out of control and, need I say, as if I was going nowhere fast. My brother, always so thoughtful, so wise, so supportive, wrote back a long missive listing my accomplishments, reminding me that an extremely shy, small-town girl had picked up and moved abroad with no money and no help, married a Frenchman and was raising two multi-cultural sons; he pointed out that I had learned two foreign languages that I juggled on a daily basis in order to survive and get even my basic needs and those of my family met; he went on and on listing my achievements and exploits, forcing me to stare hard in the mirror of my own life and admit that, after all, I wasn’t a failure and that I had indeed done some pretty impressive things with the short number of years that had at the time so far been awarded me.


And years have flown by. Things have only gotten better; my husband and I now confront our troubles and worries as a team, encouraging each other, sharing, trying to understand the other’s confusion, difficulties and joys. We have gotten more adventurous as the years have scudded by, made changes, moved countries and cities, changed jobs as we have seen fit, as the urge, need, desire has come upon us. Maybe we have grown braver in the face of my brother’s illness and death, realizing that no one can be sure of how much time is left and that each and every moment should count, each new birthday a gift. Maybe as we have grown older and smarter we began to realize that we wanted to show our growing boys all that life can and should be, teach them the lesson that we can’t be afraid to face up to our dreams and that if we work hard enough we can make anything happen.

Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.
– Anonymous

Okay, so birthdays make me sentimental and just slightly maudlin, I do admit. And another birthday has rolled around as they inevitably do and here I sit and think about… my sons. As I revealed and clarified in a previous post, my men are shy of the spotlight and none too thrilled with being mentioned in my writing, yet here I must reflect once again on how they began as adorable bambini and have grown into tall, handsome, fine young men. Clem, always the happy, chortling, gregarious tot, who ran before he could walk, chattered on and on before he could form words, frivolous and adventurous, has grown into a smart, ambitious, creative young man. My little Simon, thoughtful and quiet as a baby and toddler, careful, patient, eerily capable of too many things and having a capacity to read adults like some dark angel, sensitive and moody throughout his boyhood has become an honest, intellectual, generous, searching young adult just on the brink of his life. Both are kind, funny and clever, interested in the world around them, knowledgeable and cultivated. Both have the talent to tease their mother while making sure she is happy and safe, the capacity to drive her absolutely bonkers or outright into a rage while looking out for her well-being, protecting her while running her in circles. And both have the ability, in their pranks and jokes, to make me roll on the floor with laughter.


My husband and I are both on the point of starting over, beginning new careers, daring to find our true selves and put our happiness and our own satisfaction first; we focus on ourselves yet, looking around us, are astonished to see what our sons have become, astounded that we had a hand in creating two young adults that we are truly proud of. And watching and listening to them, sitting and talking and laughing with them, we realize that life has become just a little bit more satisfying and easier.

While we try to teach our children all about life,
our children teach us what life is all about.
– Anonymous

He continues to cook and I to bake. A brief interlude from the sweets for one more savory: an Endive and Cancoillotte Gratin, a recipe that jumped off of the page out of our latest issue of French Saveurs magazine. Cancoillotte is a creamy, thick yet almost liquid, sticky and rather elastic cheese from the Franche-Comté region of France with a flavor that is impossible to describe (think the best cheese fondu you have ever eaten). Warm up this flavorful treasure and it becomes liquid gold, unctuous, luxurious like the finest French silk rippling, sliding down one’s skin. Although thick and oh-so decadent, Cancoillotte is one of the least fatty of cheeses with only 2 to 8% fat. Heaven! This dairy product has a fascinating history: it was actually conceived by a cheese producer during the First World War when he had the idea to produce, sterilize and can cheese to be sent easily to the soldiers, les Poilus, on the front. 90% of the production of Cancoillotte still takes place in Franche-Comté. Not widely known, my husband introduced this treasure into our home many years ago and, I can easily say, once a spoon is dipped into the creamy cheese and lifted to the lips, once it is served melted on toast, an all-time favorite, it is impossible to stop until the last drop is licked clean from the pot.


JP twiddled a bit with the recipe and placed on the table before us this magnificent gratin, at once slightly bitter (braised endives), salty (chunks of smoked ham), garlicky and tangy with this marvelous cheese all at once, the pecans giving the gratin an earthy, satisfying bite. A decadent pleasure. I paired it with this month’s Bake Together recipe by my talented friend Abby Dodge, a peasant boule, which I jazzed up with a cup of finely grate Parmesan cheese and a handful or two of mixed seeds – pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. The Peasant Boule is this month’s Bake Together recipe: follow #baketogether on Twitter and find out how you, too, can bake together with us!


I would like to share this bread with Susan of Wild Yeast for her weekly celebration of yeast, Yeastspotting!

ENDIVE, LARDONS, PECANS & CANCOILLOTTE GRATIN
From Saveurs février 2012


6 – 9 endives, depending on quantity desired
1 small pot (250 g) cancoillotte for 6 endives (1 ½ pots for 9)
Handful cubed smoked lardoons or ham
2.3 – 2.6 oz (65 – 75 grams) coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
Finely minced clove of garlic
1 small bouillon cube, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Unsalted butter

Remove the outer leaves of the endives and trim off the end; discard. Slice each endive in two lengthwise and either steam or braise in a small amount of water with about ½ a bouillon cube (if desired), for about 10 minutes until soft.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter the bottom and sides of a baking dish (terra cotta or glass/pyrex) large enough to snugly hold all of the prepared endives in one layer. Line up the braised or steamed endives in a row in the prepared baking dish.

Briefly sauté the smoked lardons until browned. Sauté the lardons in a small amount of butter if desired.


Evenly distribute the minced garlic, the browned lardons and the chopped pecans over the endives. Salt and pepper. Pour the cancoillotte all over the endives and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. The cheese should be bubbly and beginning to brown around the edges.


Serve immediately.


ABBY’S PEASANT BOULE

1 recipe peasant boule
1 cup finely grated Parmesan or Comté cheese
½ to 1 cup mixed seeds

Follow the directions for Abby’s Bake Together peasant boule on her blog, blending the cheese and seeds in with the dry ingredients before forming into a dough.


The only changes I made were using salted butter for the bowl, the pan and the top of the bread. I brushed the surface of the dough twice: once before the second rising, as instructed, and once just before sprinkling more seeds on the top of the boule and baking.


I changed the size of the cake pan I baked the bread in; I believe this may have led to the top of the bread splitting during baking as well as that the center of the dough was underbaked. But we loved the bread even if not perfect and I will be baking this again very soon.

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Nokia Lumia 900-Finally a Windows Phone that can compete with Android and iPhone

Windows Phone finally have a phone that is worthy to compete with Android and iPhone, the new Windows Phone Nokia Lumia 900. It was first revealed in last December in Europe, the Lumia 900 was codenamed ACE and was publicly announced at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show.


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Ringing in the New Year with Rice...

With the recent start of Chinese New Year, it's very common for families to stock up their kitchen with rice and prepare rice dishes. Even with Filipinos and our celebration of the New Year, rice is very symbolic in that it represents fertility, luck, and wealth for the year ahead. Here are some rice dishes we enjoyed in the past year that would make for a delicious side dish to accompany your upcoming meals!...

Leek & Garlic Rice Pilaf

Mexican Rice

Toasted Coconut Rice

Cuban Picadillo Rice

Cuban Beans & Rice

Salsa Chicken Rice Bowls

Indonesian Shrimp Fried Rice

Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Spinach, Leek & Garlic Rice

15 {More} Ways to Rice it Up!

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