Only five kinds?

apple
just apple by Joe P. Marselo on 500px.com

If you like the apples made by a particular tree, and you want to make more trees just like it, you have to clone it: Snip off a shoot from the original tree, graft it onto a living rootstock, and let it grow. This is how apple varieties come into existence. Every McIntosh is a graft of the original tree that John McIntosh discovered on his Ontario farm in 1811, or a graft of a graft. Every Granny Smith stems from the chance seedling spotted by Maria Ann Smith in her Australian compost pile in the mid-1800s.“Why Your Supermarket Sells Only 5 Kinds of Apples” by Rowan Jacobsen

A fascinating article on the history, genetics and economics of apples.

Apple Pie Lettuce Smoothie

Apple “Pie” Lettuce Smoothie

This is a modified version of a recipe Bhavana found online. It’s a refreshing mix of apple, lettuce, cinnamon and ground flax seeds. You will hardly notice the lettuce and the smoothie taste like apple pie, and apple pie you can drink. I used Deer tongue lettuce for this recipe but red leaf or Romaine lettuce will also work. The Deer tongue makes this smoothie slightly bitter but I didn’t mind that at all.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 615 grams apples (about 4 medium apples)
  • 133 grams lettuce (about 1 head of lettuce)
  • 296 grams water
  • 2 grams cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoon flax seed

METHOD:

  1. Preparation: Cut the apples ( I used 4 medium apples ) and clean the lettuce. Add the cut apples, lettuce, the flax and the cinnamon to a blender ( I recommend a Vitamix ). Blend on medium high for about 40 seconds. Stop the blender and ice cold water then continue blending for another 30 seconds.

  2. Serve: Pour into a tall glass. SERVINGS: 2

Living in Steve's House

gdgt's co-founder and technology critic Ryan Block on why we needn't worry about Steve Job's absence from Apple.

For the nearly fifteen years since his return, Steve's worked to prepare Apple to avoid the mistakes of the past, stock leadership and board members loyal to his way of thinking and doing business, show the bad apples the door, and demonstrating to everyone at the company how the company ought to operate with or without him.