WEEK TWO BLOG ENTRY

 (AS A REMINDER!...each week you 1. answer the question and respond to classmates, 2. read the reading, and 3. respond to the reading...have a good week!)

WEEK TWO BLOG ENTRY...

What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten? Ants from Columbia? Pancreas from Spain? Cow heart from Peru? Deep fried grilled cheese from the Kern County Fair?

Alternatively, if you are not that kind of eater or have not tried such culinary oddities, what is one food you would never eat?

WEEK TWO READING

SOURCE:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/dining/fowler-and-wells-restaurant-review-beekman-hotel.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Frestaurant-review&action=click&contentCollection=dining&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection&_r=0

You enter Tom Colicchio’s new restaurant near City Hall through what is suddenly the most stunning hotel lobby bar in New York City. The Beekman hotel’s bar is at the bottom of the atrium of the 1883 Temple Court Building, which rises up through seven floors of elaborate cast-iron railings to end in a soaring glass pyramid. It’s a striking room where you can sink into an armchair with a solidly built drink in your hand and get lost in the past, a quintessentially urban experience that most of the city’s grand old hotels no longer give us.

With Fowler & Wells, Mr. Colicchio tries to extend the atrium’s Gilded Age exuberance. He never quite gets there. The problem isn’t quality or effort: The cooking is spotlessly correct, the ingredients shimmer on the plate, the flavors all make sense, and the dining room is dignified in a way that makes you realize how undervalued that trait has become in restaurants. But the central vision tying it all together is fuzzy. The restaurant is somehow less than the sum of its parts.

Choosing the $135 tasting menu one night, I got a seven-course tour of robber-baron dishes as interpreted by Mr. Colicchio and Bryan Hunt, the executive chef. The opener was a delicious variation on the theme of oysters Rockefeller. Watercress stood in for spinach, and the chubby Belon oyster had been poached in oyster liquor and crème fraîche seasoned with fennel and bacon: all the right flavors, rearranged.

Duck à l’orange was reworked, wonderfully, with kumquats. I smiled at how smart the chefs were to add a rippling charge to the sweetened citrus with ginger, mustard seed and vinegar made from oranges.

The meat of little lobsters had been chopped and replaced in the shells with a green slash of tomalley, tarragon leaves and chanterelles the size of shirt buttons. It was very good, but was the sort of dish that chefs of Mr. Colicchio’s generation have been cooking for a couple of decades. With the possible exception of its superb pastry crust, the same was true of venison Wellington, with chestnuts and black trumpets inside a ring of huckleberry sauce.

None of this is a problem in and of itself — good food is good! — but you might feel mildly let down if you believed the pre-opening press, which promised cooking inspired by an earlier era. At Le Coucou, Daniel Rose locates the energy in old-guard French dishes and then multiplies it, but the kitchen at Fowler & Wells often seems to be trying to get away from the past.

If you order à la carte, the historical references are hard to spot. The freedom the chefs take here can lead to some exciting turns of imagination. Pounded rabbit loin was fried into a long, crunchy schnitzel and served over chickpeas and pistachios; lemon confit and lots of thyme leaves snapped the dish into harmony.

There was a memorable monkfish cooked in hot wood smoke, served with freekeh and other grains cooked in reduced beet juice. The same grains, toasted to a crackle, had been tossed over the top. Warm crème fraîche softened the earthy taste of the beets, although I didn’t see the point of spiking this sauce with caviar.

The kitchen’s creativity seems to run out of gas at some points, though. There wasn’t a lot of flavor in firm lumps of sweetbread with brussels sprout leaves and pale bands of lardon, and not much surprise in the juxtaposition of roasted salsify, sunchokes and leeks over a pale sunchoke purée. There’s a pretty plate of raw fluke under red-rimmed wheels of radish and tiny globes of finger lime; it was as good as it is in other restaurants where I’ve had nearly the same dish.

The à la carte menu would be more tempting if it overlapped at all with the tasting menu. It wasn’t until my third visit that a server suggested the chef might be able to dislodge some dishes from the tasting menu to serve as an appetizer or main course. The two barely related menus make it hard to figure out what the Fowler & Wells experience is supposed to be.

The disconnection carries over to the atmosphere. Like the lobby bar (but not the hotel’s other restaurant, Keith McNally’s Augustine), the dining room interior was done by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, but seems to have been put together by two different Brudnizkis who may or may not be on speaking terms.

One Brudnizki went for a turn-of-the-century glint. There are tiered bronze chandeliers and walls overlaid with green and gold plaster until they look as if they belong in the ballroom of some faded Italian palace. In the middle of it all is an immense oval cabinet, with wine bottles on its marble top and stemware on shelves held up by bronze rails that rise into the air like the upper decks of an ocean liner.

The other Brudnizki commissioned huge grids of backlighted colored glass and brought in mirror tiles and sparkly faceted-glass sconces. The walls belong in “The Leopard,” but the mirrors and sconces are right out of “The Sopranos.”

The name Fowler & Wells is a muddle in its own way. Before the current structure was built, another building stood on the corner of Beekman and Nassau Streets. Among its tenants were Orson Fowler and Samuel Wells, a pair of phrenologists with a sideline in publishing.

The 19th-century belief that skull shape revealed character provides some amusing, arcane cocktail names. But in its day, phrenology wrapped a gauzy cloak of fake science around the ugly armor of racism. Fowler was close to several abolitionists, but he also wrote that the heads of black people made them “our best nurses” and “excellent waiters” while dooming them to language skills that were at best “middling.”

This is obviously not a side of phrenology that Mr. Colicchio, who is outspoken about his progressive politics, embraces. “We don’t want anybody to think we take it seriously, because it was used for some not very good things,” he said in an interview.

Later, I told him that the dining room staff was noticeably diverse. (One day I hope that will go without saying at restaurants all over the city.) “I’m not involved in hiring front-of-house staff,” he said. “But I’ve got to say, I feel pretty good about it.”

My service was sometimes jittery, but fast and attentive. A brisk professionalism is at work throughout the restaurant. The wine service and the list, overseen by Jarred Roth, is welcoming whether you have specific tastes or just a general notion of what you like.

Meals always ended on a high note thanks to the pastry chef, Abby Swain. She has a nimble mind and a sensible palate, a great combination that results in desserts like a baked alaska based on the flavors of Black Forest cake, or the panna cotta with poached quince and maple syrup.

Fowler & Wells has so many strengths that few people will leave unhappy. But they may wake up the next day with scattered impressions of what the place is about, until Mr. Colicchio and Mr. Hunt can bring more focus to the menu.

WEEK TWO WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ

What was the single best line of this restaurant review? Why was that line so appealing?

SYLLABUS PART TWO (assignments, grading scale, required reading)

REQUIRED TEXTS:

For all of these books, you may buy any edition, online or paper.

1.     The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell.

2.     The Tortilla Curtain, by TC Boyle.

3.     Quick Access (Rationale: This handbook, which is required of all CSUB writing courses, is a resource for questions of grammar and mechanics. If purchased new, this text is expensive, so I recommend you find a used copy, borrow one from a friend, or just use an online tool such as the OWL at Purdue: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl).

GRADING:

·      IN CLASS ESSAY: (20%)

·      RESTAURANT REVIEW: (20%)

·      CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ESSAY: (20%)
 TORTILLA CURTAIN ESSAY (20%)

·      TIPPING POINT ESSAY

·      BLOG: (10%)

·      WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ: (10%)

ASSIGNMENTS EXPLAINED: 

BLOG: (10%)

Each week there will be a question on the blog. You will write at least 250 words(a long and brilliant paragraph) in response to that question. You must also respond to your classmates’ writing. The more you write, the better.

WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ: (10%)

After you read each week’s selection, you will respond to a question about the reading.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: (20%) (a descriptive essay)

This will be our first “essay.” You will get the full assignment this week, but in general, it is this: go to any restaurant. As you eat, take notes on the ambiance, the food, and the service. You may choose any restaurant (from Taco Bell to Café Med), but you should use this writing assignment to explore your descriptive capabilities. Use sound, touch, taste, smell, and the look of the food and surroundings. The review will be approximately two pages in length. You may use the first-person in this review.

TORTILLA CURTAIN ESSAY: (20%)
We will write an essay on this book.

TIPPING POINT ESSAY: (20%)

For this assignment, you will email me the final draft copy of your essay.

The essay should be attached as a Microsoft Word document and should be 4-5 pages in length, double spaced.

There are two essay topics to choose from.

Write a 4-5 page double spaced essay on one of the following topics:

1. How might one or more of the ideas in the book The Tipping Point apply to your chosen profession?

2. Locate a trend [social, political, cultural, other] that seems to exhibit a "tipping point" phenomenon. Provide a brief explanation of why you think this phenomenon meets Gladwell's three criteria for tipping point phenomenon: a) contagiousness b) little causes having big effects c) not gradual but dramatic change.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ESSAY: (a couple of extra credit percentage points) http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper2/thoreau/civil.html

I am not one for political activism—I teach history and English and love to attempt to inspire students to think deeply and to act justly and to love mercy and practice that with those close to them. Others, however, feel compelled to activism either because of their own experience of suffering or compassion for others in need. Henry David Thoreau, one of the most important American writers, arrived at a point in his life when he felt compelled to disobey the established powers and act for broader concerns.

Later in the semester, we will read the Essay on Civil Disobedience and write an argumentative blog entry about it and about what you feel the proper role for a person in 2017 should be as related to these issues.

IN CLASS ESSAY: (20%)

Since this course satisfies the GWAR, you must pass one in class essay to be eligible to pass the course. That essay will be given during our meeting on a date in March or April.

Students must earn a grade of C or higher in this course to satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). In addition, this course can fulfill the GWAR only if a student has completed 90 or more quarter units of college work before taking it.

To be eligible for a C in English 305, students must earn a C or higher on at least one in-class writing assignment and a C average on all other course assignments. Since this is an online class, in-class writing assignments may be given at the first meeting or the last.

SYLLABUS PART ONE (the somewhat boring businessy stuff)

I don't usually like to post this one, but the email system is being wonky--isn't that a great British word?

COURSE INFORMATION/COURSE SYLLABUS

Modes of Writing, English 3109, Dr. Brett Schmoll

bschmoll@csub.edu

Office Hours: Fridays, 3-6pm…but always make an appointment before showing up to ensure that I do not make another meeting during that time.

Course Description

English 3109 is a hybrid course in effective expository writing with an emphasis on writing as a process. Fulfills the GWAR.

Prerequisite

ENGL 1109 (formerly ENGL 110) or the equivalent with a grade of C- or higher and upper-division standing.

General Education & GWAR Requirement

This course fulfills the GWAR requirement of the CSU Bakersfield General Education Program, including reading and writing foundational skills and reinforcement of the following General Education themes— Theme Q: Quality of Life; Theme R: Revolutionary Ideas and Innovations; and Theme S: Sustainability & Justice—through readings, discussions, and assignments.

This course counts toward the Teacher Preparation Programs in Liberal Studies and Child Development but does not count toward the major or minor.

Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in this course to satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). In addition, this course can fulfill the GWAR only if a student has completed 90 or more quarter units of college work before taking it.

Successful Completion of English 3109

To be eligible for a C- in English 3109, students must earn a C- or higher on at least one in-class writing assignment and a C- average or higher on all other course assignments. Since this is an online class, in- class writing assignments may be given at the first meeting, the last meeting, or both meetings.

Course Learning Outcomes

GWAR Goals
Goal G-1: Students will demonstrate college-level reading skills.

Outcome G-1: Students will evaluate how effectively a writer’s rhetorical choices (e.g., bias, rhetorical modes, organization, diction, etc.) and logic meet the needs of a particular rhetorical context.

Goal G-2: Students will demonstrate college-level writing skills.
Outcome G-2A: Students will create effective thesis statements for various types of writing

tasks.
Outcome G-2B: Students will effectively use discourse-appropriate prose.
Outcome G-2C: Students will use logical reasoning, at the appropriate level, to develop and

organize ideas.

Goal G-3: Students will demonstrate college-level research skills.
Outcome G-3A: Students will find and evaluate diverse, reputable sources for a specific writing

task.
Outcome G-3B: Students will effectively and correctly use summary, paraphrase, and direct

quotes to synthesize sources.

Waiting List/Drop Policy

Students enrolled in English 3109 must attend the mandatory Saturday orientation session. Students who miss this session will be dropped. There is no make-up orientation session.

Students who wish to add the course once the class is full can contact the instructor before the quarter begins and ask to be put on a waiting list. These students must attend the mandatory Saturday session to remain eligible for a seat, and these students can only be added if a spot in the class becomes available.

MyWritingLabPlus

MyWritingLabPlus is designed to help you with writing and grammar necessary for persuasive, logical, and effective writing. This online program allows you access to work on grammar, mechanics, writing, and research skills at your own pace, on your own time. MyWritingLabPlus supports different learning styles as well, utilizing audio files, videos, and interactive exercises. For this particular course, there is a class set up in MyWritingLabPlus where all the topics and resources are available to you. You can treat this as an online handbook, where you can go for more information about writing, research, or grammar. You can also submit papers in any subject area to Pearson Tutor Services, and within 48 hours, someone with a Master’s or PhD in that area will get back to you with feedback in grammar, mechanics, documentation, and content. Your instructor may also require you to complete specific topics on an individual basis.

Website URL:
Username:
Password:
is November 9, 1993, then your password would be 11091983). You can change this password after you log in the first time.

http://csub.mylabsplus.com
Student ID# (e.g., 000123456)
The first time you log in, your password will be your full birth date (e.g., if your birthday

Academic Honesty Policy

“The principles of truth and integrity are recognized as fundamental to a community of teachers and scholars. The University expects that both faculty and students will honor these principles and in so doing will protect the integrity of all academic work and student grades. Students are expected to do all work assigned to them without unauthorized assistance and without giving unauthorized assistance.”

For a complete version of the University’s policy on academic honesty, go to

http://www.csub.edu/osrr/academic%20integrity%20/

Support Services for Students

To request academic accommodations due to a disability, you should contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) as soon as possible. This office is located in SA 140, and they may be reached at 661-654-3360 (voice) or 661-654-6288 (TDD). If you have an accommodations letter from the SSD Office documenting a disability, you should present it to me as soon as possible so we can discuss the specific accommodations you need for this class.

At times, school, work, and/or our personal lives can become overwhelming and difficult to handle. CSUB’s Counseling Center is available to you with skilled and experienced counselors to guide you through the challenges of daily life. Contact 654-3366 for an appointment.

Turnitin.com

Turnitin.com is a tool to help you avoid plagiarism. Approximately two hours after submitting a paper to this online program, you can access a color-coded report with details about the use of sources in your paper. Because this site does not detect problems with paraphrasing that is not cited properly, you should use this site only as a guide. To use turnitin.com, you will need to register on the site and set up a password. Once this is done, you then will need to create a “user profile” specifically for this class and any others that may use the site. You will need the following information to set up your user profile:

Class ID--###
Class Enrollment Password—XXXX I WILL GIVE YOU THIS INFO LATER…

After creating a profile, students can log onto and use the site.

 As an online course, it is imperative that you advocate for yourself on campus and on email. If you ever have any issues or questions, please email me and we will set up a meeting. In general, I hold office hours on Friday afternoons

 Required Texts:

For all of these books, you may buy any edition, online or paper.

1.     The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell.

2.     The Tortilla Curtain, by TC Boyle.

3. Quick Access (Rationale: This handbook, which is required of all CSUB writing courses, is a resource for questions of grammar and mechanics. If purchased new, this text is expensive, so I recommend you find a used copy, borrow one from a friend, or just use an online tool such as the Owl site at Purdue.

English 305 Waiting List/Drop Policy Statement

Students enrolled in English 305 must attend the first Saturday orientation session. Students who miss this session will be dropped so that other students may add the course. There is no make-up orientation session.

Students who wish to add the course once the class is full can contact the instructor before the quarter begins and ask to be put on a waiting list. These students must attend the first Saturday session to remain eligible for a seat, and these students can only be added if a spot in the class becomes available.

Course Description: An online course in effective expository writing. Emphasis on writing as a process. This course counts toward the Teacher Preparation programs in English, Liberal Studies, and Child Development but does not count toward the major or minor. Fulfills the GWAR.

Course Goals

At the end of ten weeks, students in English 305 should be able to do the following:

1. read and write literally, interpretively, and analytically or critically;

2. recognize a writer’s tone and how it informs a text’s statements; this includes analyzing diction and syntax;

3. consider rhetorical strategies and their connection to meaning;

4. identify assumptions in reading and writing;

5. analyze a potential audience and use an appropriate style and tone;

6. analyze and adapt writing techniques to purpose;

7. present appropriate details, examples, and definitions as support;

8. fully develop arguments and write cohesively using adequate transitions;

9. recognize faulty logic;

10. use a variety of sentence structures;

11. use varied levels of linguistic formality;

12. revise and edit their own writing using standard, edited American English.

Writing Requirements

Assignments will gradually increase in difficulty, and each assignment will include both a rough draft and a final essay. Writing assignments may be distributed as follows:

● at least one in-class assignment, during the first or last meeting

● writing to inform

● writing to amuse or move the reader emotionally

● writing to persuade

● writing to analyze literature and/or art