Making Dough at Giant’s Bakery
Every weekend, my father and I go grocery shopping together at Giant, picking up whatever essentials we need for the week ahead. It would seem, every time we go, we end up near the baked goods section because the delectable smell of dough pulls us in without us even realizing it. When I’m in that section, I can see Amanda rolling the dough in the back with a lost-in-though expression. Sometimes, I even see her working the counter, politely conversing with customers with a smile spread across her lips. Her confidence always makes her look tall and graceful like an elegant swan floating in the water with its head held high. One day, I found out that was not the case when I accompanied my mom to help her pick up a dozen cupcakes for work. Amanda was actually shorter than me, which was saying something because I am only five feet two inches tall. I now understand what self-confidence does to a person. It gives them attraction.After high school, most people go straight to college and then find a job. Amanda decided to take a different approach. Instead of attending college first, she decided to get a job in order to have some work experience, so when she is a college student, she will have enough work experience to find a job that corresponds with her major. I thought this was a good idea, to have work experience to get ready for college. Perhaps, it would be good practice for creating a work ethic because in college, to be a successful student, one needs to have a great work ethic.
Amanda admitted that one thing she really wanted to do was work in the Peace Corps. She wanted to help the unfortunate by cooking them delicious food because she feels like she can make a difference that way rather than continue baking at a bakery for the rest of her life. My heart melted when she told me this. It is amazing to have people in this world who will give up their life in order to help out others in a time of need. I wished there were more people like her. Also, I find that it is great that someone my age has already found their dream job and purpose in life. There are still middle-aged people who have not found their dream, and it is rare to find a likeable job nowadays, but Amanda found it and is working towards it at a steady pace.
Baking at Giant’s bakery was actually a good start for her because it gave her a chance to learn many new recipes and methods. She learned how to make doughnuts, including the specific procedures that go into frying the dough. Additionally, Amanda learned how bake rainbow cupcakes and cakes. She makes the rainbow cupcakes by mixing six different colored bowls of batter and stacking the colors in a specific order, starting with purple on the bottom followed by blue, then green, with yellow next, ending with orange, having red on top. If the dyed batter mixes with other colors, it won’t turn into an ugly brown color. As for the cakes, each different colored layer is baked separately and stacked later. Amanda also learned how to make an assortment of pies. For three years, she has worked many crazy hours in the bakery. And, even though it is hectic from time to time, she enjoys her time there, baking mouth-watering cakes, doughnuts, pies, breads, along with other delicious desserts. When she is ready, she can take her baking skills and make good use out of them when helping people in other countries. It is really a great skill to possess.
When I asked her if I could interview her for my interview project, she became excited and immediately agreed to help me. She was so surprised that someone wanted interview her, who was not even the main baker. I explained to her that I picked her because she was about my age, approachable, and it seemed like she took pride in her work. But, also, because I thought she would be the best person to ask about the types of ingredients. With issues regarding food these days, I was curious about what Giant’s bakery had to offer to the public. I wanted to know if they were helping the public or making things worse. Plus, there were some additional things I wanted to know. For example, many of my family members have food allergies. My cousin, for instance, is allergic to milk, eggs, and peanuts, so it is very difficult to find things for him to eat. I thought I could help him out a bit. I figured while doing this project, I might as well get something out of it besides a grade.
I started off the interview by asking, “Why did you choose to work at the bakery in Giant?”
She automatically grinned and said, “I chose this job because I've always enjoyed baking growing up. I was good at it and being a baker at Giant was something I could start doing while under the age of 18, while still going to high school.” She paused to take a breath. “It also didn’t really involve any sort of education.” Then, I asked her what she liked about her job. It didn’t take long for her to answer. Almost immediately, she answered with a bright smile, “What I like about it is that I work very early in the morning and then get done with my shift early in the afternoon, so then, I still have most of the day to do errands and meet up with friends.” Amanda paused for a brief second and tapped softly on the table as she was thinking about more details to add. “Also, working in the bakery is the only department where you can be creative by having your say on what you want your product to look like, by choosing different designs and colors on cakes, cookies, and doughnuts, for example.” She showed me a picture of a doughnut she made that had a rainbow with big fluffy clouds at each end drawn on it with assorted colored icing.
As someone who likes to be creative as well, I understood her desire of wanting to be creative at her job. It spices up the day, and makes it more entertaining and fun. She made it clear that she does this by sprucing up the cakes, cupcakes, and doughnuts with colorful and fun designs. For example, since Easter is nearing, she has been making doughnut chicks for the past couple weeks, giving them facial expressions that give them personality.While writing her responses down, the tip of my pencil snapped off. Even though it was such a minor thing, I became extremely embarrassed. I did have another pencil with me, but before I could get it out, Amanda snagged the blue pen off of her black marble counter and handed it to me. I thanked her and continued. “What is the most challenging thing to make in the bakery?” I wondered. I knew how to bake a few things, but I wanted to know what was considered difficult for someone who was skilled at baking.
She brought her hand to her chin and thought deeply. When she knew what she was going to say, her eyes widened, her forehead crinkled, and her nose twitched. “The hardest thing to make would be doughnuts,” she stated as she put emphasis on the word “doughnuts”.
I couldn’t help but laugh from her response. The way she said it was comical. It seemed the subject of doughnuts slightly annoyed her. “Why is that?”
Amanda explained in one breath, “They take about eight hours to make the daily required amount, and you need to be trained by a specialist. It takes lots of practice. Typically you have to make about twenty-five dozen a night, roll each one out, fry them all, and decorate or fill them. It's just a lot of work.”
“Ah.” I never knew doughnuts were fried. It sounded very interesting. “That does sound like a lot of hard work. I definitely wouldn’t have the patience to do that,” I admitted honestly. “I think the smell of the dough alone would get to me.”
She smiled. “Eh, you get used to it after a while.”
“So, do you know where the ingredients come from?” I tried to as casually.
She tilted her head slightly and contorted her lips to one side as she glanced upward at the ceiling. “Most of the ingredients have to get ordered from a warehouse every other day.” She didn’t know which warehouse in particular. “Or, some of them, we just get off of the store shelf, such as produce, oil, flour, etc.”
I actually didn’t think they took ingredients off the shelf. “Really?” I said to myself quietly, feeling a little surprised. “Seems convenient,” I chuckled softly. “Interesting.” Amanda nodded, agreeing with me. “Does the Giant’s bakery get their ingredients locally?” I jumped into the next question almost immediately.
“Not in the bakery. But, produce, meat, and seafood are obtained from local farmers all around Pennsylvania. In the bakery, our stuff comes from factories and warehouses all over the country. Some items even come from Canada.”
“Oh, okay.” It didn’t seem that unusual to me. Most places are like that. “Are the ingredients mostly processed, natural, or organic?”
“A majority of the ingredients in the bakery are processed.” Amanda gave me a list of some of the things that were processed. “Icings, cake mixes, frosting, and muffins.” Additionally, she mentioned, “But, things such as sugar, flour, cinnamon, apples, strawberries, and blueberries are organic.” When I asked her about how there could be organic versions of some of these ingredients since they are using some of them from the store, she also included, “Those things get shipped in.”
“So, then, if it was your choice, would you use processed, natural, or organic ingredients?”
“If it was my choice?” She retorted back to herself. “I would use all organic ingredients,” she answered enthusiastically as she slightly smacked the wooden surface with her hands as they dangled halfway off the table. “That way, customers would know exactly what was used, no additives, harmful chemicals, pesticides, or artificial ingredients. And, also, because organic tastes better and is healthier for you.”
I agreed, “Organic is healthier.” Amanda nodded. With my cousin in mind, I asked, “Does the bakery cater to those with food allergies?”
She frowned for a brief second and fiddled with her sterling silver ring that had a shining pale blue stone in the center. “No, it's not possible. Since we work in an environment with nuts, dairy products, and spices, there is no way of knowing for sure if the products have any traces of allergens.”
“Makes sense,” I stated. “It’s good to play it safe. You obviously don’t want any lawsuits.” I suddenly remembered that they put warning labels on things made in the bakery, so they could warn customers about potential hazards. I should have known the answer to my own question. To end the interview, I inquired, “What makes Giant’s bakery different from any other bakery?”
“Unlike other bakeries, most of our products are baked or made/assembled on site. We decorate our cakes, bake all the cookies, muffins, and other sweet goods instead of just un-boxing and placing items onto the shelves.”
“Oh, I see,” I paused. “I just assumed all bakeries made their own products.” I was thankful that everything worked out. Amanda Sallada did not become uninterested at any point, and she was able to answer all of the questions. Before I left, I thanked her for her time and shook her hand.
It was evident from her happy-go-lucky responses that she really enjoys baking at Giant’s bakery. Even though this is not her dream job, she is still happy with where she is now and acknowledges that the job is a great start for when she wants to work in the Peace Corps. For now, she is taking advantage of this opportunity and giving a 110 percent when baking. It definitely shows in her decorating skills. When she is ready, she will apply to the Peace Corps, hopefully getting selected to travel across seas to help people who are less fortunate.
Problems Associated with Cheap Food
Because these cheap foods are being rapidly mass-produced in factory farms, the production of cheap food causes environmental pollution. One huge pollution problem that the production of cheap food causes is an increase of greenhouse-gas. “Greenhouse-gas emissions from the agriculture sector account for about 22% of global total emissions; this contribution is similar to that of industry and greater than that of transport. Livestock production (including transport of livestock and feed) accounts for nearly 80% of the sector’s emissions” (McMichael et al. 1). Of the global total emissions, livestock production makes up the majority of it, which means the production of cheap food through factory farming accounts for most of the global total emissions. That number is high enough. As the demands for animal-based products grow, factory farms will continue and most likely increase along with the percentage of greenhouse-gases being manufactured by livestock production. These greenhouse-gases affect climate change significantly and add onto the global warming problem. Temperatures, rainfall, humidity, and weather patterns are all affected.
A diagram of “Proportion of greenhouse-gas emissions from different parts of livestock production” from the journal article, Food, Livestock Production, Energy, Climate Change, and Health, shows that deforestation and desertification accounts for 35.4% greenhouse-gas emissions. Deforestation and desertification take up the majority of space on the pie chart, making that method the largest source for greenhouse-gas production (McMichael et al. 6). It is the main source for the production of these gases, which mean there is a lot of Deforestation and desertification being used today.
Deforestation is also a big concern. People love their cheap food, but they do not realize what they are losing because of it. In order to produce such foods, factory farms need to be built, and to build them, forests need to be cleared for livestock production, which includes grazing land and soy-feed production (McMichael et al. 7). Wildlife is running out of space to live. Animals are being forced out of their home environment and are being pushed towards more populated areas such as towns and cities where there is not a significant food source or shelter. Because these areas are not suitable for wildlife, animals are dying, some of which are becoming endangered or extinct. “Noted conservation scientist David Wilcove estimates that there are 14,000 to 35,000 endangered species in the United States, which is 7 to 18 percent of U.S. flora and fauna. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has assessed roughly 3 percent of described species and identified 16,928 species worldwide as being threatened with extinction, or roughly 38 percent of those assessed” (Greenwald).
Runoff is another environmental issue. According to Sustainable Table, inadequate storage or disposal and remaining excrement on factory farms contributes to the contamination of air, water, and soil. Sustainable Table also states, “1,000 hogs create six million pounds of waste each year” (Williams et al. 3). That is a lot of excrement and a major source of pollution. This type of pollution contaminates water sources, threatening the lives of animals, especially to amphibians and fish. “Scientists estimate that a third or more of all the roughly 6,300 known species of amphibians are at risk of extinction” (Greenwald). “The American Fisheries Society identified 700 species of freshwater or anadromous fish in North America as being imperiled, amounting to 39 percent of all such fish on the continent. In North American marine waters, at least 82 fish species are imperiled. Across the globe, 1,851 species of fish — 21 percent of all fish species evaluated — were deemed at risk of extinction by the IUCN in 2010, including more than a third of sharks and rays” (Greenwald). This does not improve the health of society and just deteriorates it. Not only does the production of processed food cause environmental concerns, it also causes health risks.
With all of these problems, food companies are still continuing to increase the production of cheap processed food and the construction of factory farms in which they are being produced. Society needs to protect the environment by understanding the harms contributed by these problems so they can fight for a healthier planet. People should want to protect their home; it is where they live and raise their children. The planet we call our home should be respected and well preserved, and there are ways to do that.
One thing that would have to change is the rate at which processed food is being made. In the article, Food, Livestock Production, Energy, Climate Change, and Health, it mentions, “To avert dangerous climate change, the primary need is for radical change in energy generation technologies and energy use” (McMichael et al. 9). This plan will knock out two birds with one stone. Not only does it lower greenhouse-gas emissions, it also lowers the pollution from runoff. Another method could be reducing the consumption of processed meat. That method may be almost impossible to do because meat is a strong consumer preference. But, there are ways. If people can learn to decrease the amount of meat they eat, perhaps by a few pounds, it can make a significant difference in their health. These are just a few methods that can help, and it is up to the public on whether or not they want to make a difference.
Annotated Bibliography
Andrew Williams et. al. "Raising Awareness of Sustainable Food Issues and Building Community via the Integrated Use of New Media with Other Communication Approaches." Cases in Public Health Communication & Marketing 2 (2008): 1-12. Web.
Sustainable Table is trying to educate society about better farming methods that is healthy for the people and the environment. They argue that there are many risks associated with factory farming. They back up their argument by mentioning three main points. The first one is the overuse of antibiotics that can cause antibiotic strains of diseases. The second point that is being made is factory farming causes environmental pollution. In the article, it says, “1,000 hogs create 6 million pounds of waste each year. Improper storage and excess waste on factory farms leads to pollution of air, water and soil” (Williams et al. 3). The third point that is being made is about the influence factory farms have on local communities and farms. This source is very understandable. It goes into enough detail about each subject that it doesn’t leave unanswered questions. It is very informative.
Anthony J. McMichael et. al. "Food, Livestock Production, Energy, Climate Change, and Health." Energy and Health 5 370 (2007): 1-10. Web.
This journal article argues that food production, mainly livestock production, is increasing greenhouse-gas amounts and deforestation, which is hurting the planet along with society. McMichael states, “Industrial food refining, marketing, and over consumption increase the risks of some non-communicable diseases; and fossil fuel inputs to modern food systems, together with other aspects of crop production and animal husbandry, contribute substantially to greenhouse-gas emissions” (10-11) .This article also mentions strategies that can reduce these issues and predictions that go into the next forty-five years of what it would look like if those strategies were put into place.
It starts off by talking about what the purpose of food and how it is consumed in different communities. Later, it talks about the health aspect of food. “This unhealthy component of the nutrition transition has contributed much to a widespread rise of obesity and related chronic diseases (including metabolic and vascular diseases, in particular, type two diabetes and ischemic heart disease and, less certainly, some cancers)” (McMichael et al. 4). Even income is a large determinant on whether society eats healthy or not. Fresh, natural, and organic food is generally more expensive than processed food, so those who cannot afford the healthier food end up buying the cheaper products. This is a very good source because it talks about the many different angles of food production, such as health risks, the effect it has on the planet, and the original purpose for consuming food. Showing strategies on how to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and how it can be planned out throughout a span of forty-five years gives the reader confidence about the plan, which might get them to participate. Even the diagrams of the “proportion of greenhouse-gas emissions from different parts of livestock production” and daily food consumption gives another perspective to the wide range of issues. This article is a little more scientific than the others and makes it a little difficult to understand. With that said, it is still worth reading because it talks about multiple topics, with health risks being one of them, and the information is valuable because it uses different angles. One of these angles is the original purpose of food consumption, going all the way back to different communities such as hunters and gatherers.
Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. Print.
The story is about a family who moves to Virginia to start a farm. Throughout this book, Kingsolver talks about her and her family’s life as they are trying to go a year of only living on locally grown food or food that they have grown themselves. And, with this, they can only eat food that is in season. The main reasons they did this was to improve their diet and so they didn’t have to rely heavily on other for their food since Tucson, Arizona didn’t provide that much. “We wanted to live in a place that could feed us: where rain falls, crops grow, and drinking water bubbles right up out of the ground” (Barbara Kingsolver 3). Kingsolver argues that society is too reliant on companies and factories to provide them with food. She also proves that it is possible to wean yourself off of factory produced food and create your own food source. Kingsolver explains that even if the community grew some of their own food, it would make a difference on their health and maybe get them to be a little less reliant on companies and factories. The story includes the perspective of her daughter, Camille Kingsolver and passages from her husband, Steven L. Hopp, which gives a better insight on how farming works along with all of the hard work it takes to be successful. This source is very easy to understand, and the insight that is given to the reader is valuable in a way that it is easy to relate to the characters since their thoughts and feelings are presented upfront. Kingsolver’s family’s experience in raising a farm is rather valuable not just because it shows the reader how she sought her goal all the way through to the end but also the perseverance Kingsolver and her family had even though they wanted to give up. In today’s age, people tend to give up quicker rather than sticking it out, so reading this book will show people if you set your mind to it, you can do pretty much anything.
Food, Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Perf. Eric Schlosser Michael Pollan. 2008. Film.
This film scrutinizes the industrial production of meat as it covers the maltreatment of animals and the risks that go along with factory farming. They want people to know the truth about their food. Joel Salatin says, “I think it's one of the most important battles for consumers to fight: the right to know what's in their food, and how it was grown” (Michael Pollan). It examines the manufacture of produce and how it is also economically and environmentally unsustainable. Lastly, the film reveals the truth behind companies and their marketing methods of how they are giving the public a false sense of the truth by making it seem that factory farming is just like the beautiful illustrations on the meat packages. This includes a segment explaining the influence economic and legal power on major food companies by showing how cheap and contaminated food is given to the American society regardless of the health hazards because these companies only care about the money. For example, it was mentioned that many of the farmers Michael Pollan wanted to interview had declined him, and he concluded that it was because they did not want people to know the truth and lose money because of it. Food, Inc. is a great source because it is factual, and shows people the truth about factory farming. It really goes in deep and exposes companies for what they really are.
Greenwald, Noah. The Extinction Crisis. 2013. Web. 12 April 2013. <http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/elements_of_biodiversity/extinction_crisis/>.
Greenwald argues that humans are responsible for causing the endangerment and extinction of animal species. He says, “Unlike past mass extinctions, caused by events like asteroid strikes, volcanic eruptions, and natural climate shifts, the current crisis is almost entirely caused by us — humans. In fact, 99 percent of currently threatened species are at risk from human activities, primarily those driving habitat loss, introduction of exotic species, and global warming [3]. Because the rate of change in our biosphere is increasing, and because every species’ extinction potentially leads to the extinction of others bound to that species in a complex ecological web, numbers of extinctions are likely to snowball in the coming decades as ecosystems unravel” (Greenwald). He also gives statistics on different species of animals and their extinct and endangered rate, including species such as birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and plants. This source is very reliable because it was put together by a group of scientists that are trying to educate the public about how our actions influence wildlife. It is written in a scientific manner, but it is easy to understand. Complicated scientific names or words are thoroughly explained, which makes it easy to comprehend what is being said. I was able to read through this source once and retain all of the information. This source is great for facts, which help back up some examples in the essay.
Jonathan R. Leake et. al. "Health Benefits of 'Grow Your Own' Food in Urban Areas: Implications for Contaminated Land Risk Assessment and Risk Management?" Environmental Health (2009): 1-7. Print. 18 March 2013.
In this article, the main topic is growing your own food. Leake argues that there are many benefits when it comes to growing your own food, such as improving cardiovascular function, reducing the likelihood of getting osteoporosis, increasing the overall muscle tone, creating a better immune system, and improving psychological health. “Encouraging children from an early age to eat fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to establish healthy choices and improve their long-term health [15]. This is likely to be further enhanced by active engagement of both children and adults in GYO providing outdoor exercise, and psychologically-enriching interaction with greenspace, together with the nutritional rewards of greater access to some of the key components of the life-extending 'Mediterranean diet'[16]” (Leake et al. 3). However, there are also some risks when growing your own food, such as environmental pollutants that may do more harm than good. But, there are more benefits than there are risks, and this article makes it seem like growing your own food is a better choice. I found this article very scientific in some sections, which made it difficult to understand, but there were parts that are very understandable. I did find myself skipping around the article to help myself understand it better. If I understood the large data table better, I might have been able to understand the scientific sections. Other than that, I was able to grasp a lot of the information, and I think this source is very useful when trying to understand the risks and benefits about growing your own food.
Lupton, Deborah. "‘A Grim Health Future’: Food Risks in the Sydney Press." Health, Risk, and Society 6.2 (2004): 1-13. Print. 17 March 2013.
This article talks about the coverage of food threats over the latest fourteen months in three resident newspapers accessible to the community of Sydney. Over this period, the main issue argued is the association concerning food consumption and obesity, “Since 1985 the numbers of obese and overweight children in Australia have doubled . . . One child in four is overweight and one in 20 obese” (Lupton 5). This issue goes hand-in-hand with the rates of food consumption and the steady rise of obese children. Another argument is about the health risks connected to primary food production and the dangers from consuming processed, restaurant or takeout food. Lupton argues that it is the individual’s responsibility to eat effectively. Even though this source was written in Australia, it is still reputable as it talks about the concerns for nutrition and how processed or cheap foods are not helping the health among people. It is very informative and easy to read as well. Also, the statistics and facts that are laid out enhance the argument that is being made. An example of this is Lupton brings up how people don’t have proper attitudes towards personal hygiene when handling food and storing it by backing up her statement by stating, “The report, by the federal government, found that many employees at such places were not taught how to handle or store food correctly” (Lupton 11). This quote is factually stating that many employees don’t know how to work with food properly.
Nestle, Marion. “The Food Industry and ‘Eat More.’” Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. Ed. Darra Goldstein. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2007. Print. 22-24.
The chapter, “The Food Industry and ‘Eat More,’” talks about all the aspects about food, including how the food industry controls what we eat and in turn, our health, the ways in which food corporations use “political processes” to acquire the support of the government and experts for the sale or their goods, and the food industry’s advertising methods along with the use of the political system. “To satisfy stockholders, food companies must convince people to eat more of their products or to eat their products instead of those of competitors” (Nestle 22). Nestle argues that regardless of whether the food is healthy or not, it is the companies’ goal to sell their products and try to making them as appealing as possible, and states, “Food companies are not health or social service agencies, and nutrition becomes a factor in corporate thinking only when it can help sell food”(Nestle 23). This source covers a wide range of issues, including the truth about cheap food. It is a very reputable source and has taken data from Public Health Reports and the National Center for Health Statistics, and it is a prize-winning book.
Sucker-punched in the Mouth
As soon as the hairdresser lady was done with me, I didn’t give my hair a second thought. At this point, I didn’t care. What’s done is done. I couldn’t change it now. Patiently, I sat in the playing area, waiting for my brother to be done. After about twenty minutes, my brother came out with a bowl-shaped haircut. For some reason, I always thought he looked like a duck with that fluffy, almost white hair of his, especially with his pointy nose, long lips and small face. Anyway, as my mother paid for our haircuts, my eyes sparkled as I stared at the lollipop jar. One of the old women behind the counter saw me and spoke in a peevish manner, “You may take one. Make sure it is the one you want because you only get one chance.” There were other children standing behind me, waiting for their turn to take some candy.
At this age, I was about four feet and eleven inches tall, about eyelevel with the counter. My hand eagerly found its way into the jar as I stood on my tippy-toes. I struggled to reach my hand deep into the jar, battling against all of the unwanted flavors that lavished the jar, all of the flavors that were left over. Sitting there towards the bottom were two lollipop flavors that my brother and I wanted, blue raspberry and butterscotch. The second I saw them, I pushed aside the other lollipops until I had both of them in my hand, and then, I slowly pulled my hand out, making sure I was careful not to knock the jar onto the floor.
As I opened my hand, it became apparent that I won the battle. My brother’s eyes lit up, and he smiled happily as he snatched the blue raspberry lollipop from my hand. He quickly unwrapped and stuck the candy in his mouth appreciatively. I unwrapped mine without hesitation and put it in my mouth, stuffing the wrapper into my shorts’ pocket. That’s when this salty, bitter, and unpleasant taste punched me in the mouth, robbing and murdering the hint of the Bazooka bubble gum taste that still lingered in my taste buds from chewing it hours ago after eating a quick lunch at Chi-Chi’s. Without thinking and as a part of my gag reflex, I spit the lame excuse for a lollipop onto the wooden floor. “Ew! What the hell was that?” I shouted, feeling completely shocked and letdown. Butterscotch has never tasted like that before, as a matter a fact, none of the flavors tasted like that. Either those lollipops spoiled or the old witch poisoned them, so I thought.
The customers, not to mention my mother and the ladies behind the counter all glared at me. I could see the rage on my mother’s face. Her jaw tensed, her brows furrowed, her forehead wrinkled, and her hands rolled into fists. “Pick that up!” She barked. “You are in deep trouble when we get home, young lady! Wait till your father hears about this!” Her threat didn’t scare me because when it came to stuff like this, my father would laugh and lecture me in an amused tone.
Reluctantly, I picked up the disgusting lollipop and threw it into the trashcan that stood next to the door. Then, I reached into my pocket for the wrapper to see what flavor I ended up with. What I thought was butterscotch was actually a flavor I have never seen before. It was popcorn-flavored. I never even knew such a flavor existed.
It made me wonder though. Who was the bright one to say, “Hey, I have an idea; let’s make popcorn-flavored lollipops?” It’s so immoral to have a flavor that contaminates an entire bag of candy. You have all of these different fruit flavors, butterscotch, root-beer, bubble gum, cotton candy, chocolate, and a few other non-fruit flavors. Then, after all those flavors that make complete sense, there is popcorn. Ever since I was a child, I loved eating all sorts of candy. I was open to trying new things, mostly different kinds of candy, especially candy from foreign countries. These candies included a Japanese candy called Ramune, which is a soda candy that fizzles in your mouth, Mexican candy called Rockaleta, which are lollipops that taste of spicy chili and have gum in the middle, one that I didn’t like very much, and Germany’s fruit pulp jelly mix gummies that actually taste like real fruit but with a sweeter flavor. All these candies had been given to me by my mother because she knew how much I loved different cultures and their food, specifically candy. My mother also likes to experiment with different kinds of candy, and I think that is where I got the curiosity from.
Even though most of these candies are delicious, there still are a few that are not so good like those popcorn-flavored lollipops. I’m sorry, but to me, they are completely disgusting. I’d rather suck on those Mexican Rockaleta lollipops even though I am not a fan of chili or chili-flavored anything. They are still a hundred times better than the popcorn-flavored Dum-Dums though.
That flavor still haunts me to this day, and all I keep thinking is if some poor victim, like me, who greatly detests these popcorn-flavored Dum-Dums, but doesn’t know it yet, is given one of these and has such a horrible experience because of it. Or, better yet, if someone who detests these things sees a bag of lollipops or someone’s handing them out, they are most likely thinking, “Anything but the popcorn-flavored one. Please God, help me. I don’t care if I’m allergic to cherries, I’ll take the cherry one over the popcorn one any day. I don’t care if I die.” Once you get the popcorn-flavored one, though, you’re done! All that’s left to do is throw it away because no one will even think of trading with you. No one would dare to give up their perfectly normal-flavored lollipop for that, well, unless they were insane, that is. Another plausible scenario could be you get a mystery flavored one, and you are very happy because you like guessing what it is from the color you can barely see through the slightly transparent white wrapper. When you see the yellow-brownish tint, you know you’re in trouble. Surely, you will be thinking, “Please be butterscotch or root beer.” But, no, it’s popcorn. You thought you could escape its wrath by getting the mystery flavor, but no cigar.
Why couldn’t the Spangler candy company just make another fruit flavor like Kiwi? Better yet, get one of those “fireball” candies and just add the stick. How hard is that? The least they could do is put a warning label on the wrapper. “WARNING! May cause you to throw up!”
Despite the fact that I despise these flavored lollipops, there are many people that do not. Each flavor of Dum-Dums lollipops that are seen today have actually been voted in by the public, meaning the popcorn-flavored lollipop was voted in by fans like many other flavors. It just so happens that my taste buds reject the flavor, and there is no changing that just like how there are people who love it. It was only recently that I discovered that the popcorn flavor had been sent on “vacation” in 2001, and hasn’t returned since, but I am sure it will rear its ugly head again in the near future. I’m just glad that I don’t have to deal with it in the time being and can buy those huge bags of lollipops again. Before, I had been buying the one pound tub of the butterscotch-flavored lollipops from the Dum-Dums website, which got tiring after a while because I got sick of them since that was the only flavor in the tub.
The main point I am trying to make with my experience is not everyone has the same taste buds, which can definitely make certain flavors more appealing than others, meaning everyone is entitled to their own taste. I can hate this flavor as much as I want because of the horrible experience I had. At the same time, I am not trying to persuade the public against this flavor or tell those who love the flavor to ditch it. I just want to share my experience along with my reaction to it to give people a good laugh. Everybody’s taste buds are uniquely designed to fit their palate. Don’t let others tell you what you should or shouldn’t like. Your taste buds are your own, and like the saying goes, “To each his own.”
For more information about Dum-Dums lollipops, go to http://www.dumdumpops.com/.
My First Softball Tournament
The first softball tournament that my team, The STAA Dawgs, played at Muhlenberg is where I learned so many things, such as confidence, teamwork, and trust from the best and worst moments. During this tournament, I was not the only one who learned something. My other teammates learned something as well. It is impossible not to have learned something during those three days. But, what I got out of it is extremely important and will be carried on through the rest of my life.
Confidence is the first thing I learned as I played each game, and the first game is where I learned the most. It was the first inning and the opponent’s coach was running his mouth, like he was known for, saying to my coach, “Your girls are never going to be able to hit my pitcher; she’s the best in our county.” Of course, my coach became very angry and began yelling at the guy to the point where one of the umps almost threw out my coach. My coach, Bill, had a tendency to overreact and the cocky coach’s words made him blow up. I swear, I could see the steam coming out of Bill’s ears. Anyway, my team heard what the other coach said and became pumped up.
We had the chance to bat first since we lost the coin toss. Hitting first meant that the other team had last at bats, which is a great disadvantage when playing a tough opponent. To me, it did not matter because I was the leadoff batter. The only thing running through my mind at the time was to get on base so that the person after me could bunt and move me to third base. As I stood in front of the plate in my left-handed stance, my hands shook along with my legs out of nervousness. Another thought raced through my mind. I wanted to prove that coach wrong and smack the ball into the outfield.
Number twelve, the pitcher, threw a ball the first pitch, and I recognized it immediately. The second pitch headed perfectly towards my zone, making me swing at it. I was late, fouling it off in the direction of her teammates and her coach. The ball fell between our opponent The Muhlenberg Mules’ coach and their large, faded orange water jug. The man jumped out of fear of getting hit. The expression on his face was that of a panicked mouse trying to dodge a pesky feline’s paw, so it would not get caught. My team cheered me on. I stepped out of the batter’s box, taking a deep breath and smiled at Bill who was standing next to third base, smiling back at me. He gave me the signal to hit the ball without holding anything back. Bill believed in me, and that fact alone gave me confidence, along with almost hitting the other team’s coach in the head with the ball.
The next pitch was also in my zone. I focused in on it, swung my arms at it, and bam, a line drive between the right and center fielders. Out of that hit, I managed to get a double. My team cheered extremely loud and began singing a song for me. After that first at bat, not only did I prove The Mules’ coach dead wrong, I embedded fear into the other team, and built upon my confidence to the point I was not nervous for the rest of the game.
Teamwork, another important aspect I learned. The first game of the nine-game tournament was “easy as pie” because The Mules fell apart as The Dawgs kept pounding the other teams’ defense, making it wear away and break down. The second game, though, was not like that at all. Twin Valley was another story. They ended up batting first and going through the entire lineup in one inning as they continuously hit line drives, base hits, and many successful bunts into the gaps of the field.
Everything was a complete mess. They were running all over us. During this game, I played catcher. I felt powerless as I watched my team struggle. After Twin Valley scored five points, I called the infield to the mound and said, “Let’s go, we have to end this quickly. We can’t let them walk all over us. We are better than this!” I took a deep breath and turned to the pitcher. “Aim low and throw inside.” The pitcher followed my directions, and the other team became nervous when they weren’t able to hit the ball. Three outs were inevitable as they fouled out and had dinky hits that seemed to always go to the second baseman.
Our first at bat was not as great as the opposing team’s, but we were able to make great things happen when we worked together as a team. The leadoff hitter, which was me, hit a single. Then, Bill gave the signal of bunt and steal. Second batter up, Shannon, nodded as she took in the signals. The first pitch was in the dirt, and I stole second and third as the catcher scrambled around for the ball. Shannon pulled her bat back. Bill still wanted her to bunt. Shannon happened to be the fastest runner on our team, and she could bunt, make it to first base easily, and I would be able to score. That is exactly what happened and then more. She stole second as the third baseman tried to get me out. I slid in feet first, making myself safe.
Even with some great hits, it was not enough. During the seventh inning, we had last at bats. The score was nine to eighteen, and there were two teammates in front of me in the lineup. I never would have thought that they would have been struck out. Everything rode on me. All I kept thinking was, “Crap, this it. I either hit it or we lose at this very second.” My team cheered for me Believe it or not, I hit a double into left center. That was not the incredible part, though. What was incredible was how every hitter after me hit the ball, going through the lineup twice, and put us up by two, making us win the game. From just that game, I learned that even if a few players contribute, it will not be enough. The whole team has to contribute in order to be successful and win. But, teamwork is not successful without trust.
Teamwork only works with trust. Without trust, even the simplest tasks will not be accomplished. The team would become a disaster and dislike the individual players, which would create chaos. I learned to trust my teammates from day one. When the other players know that they are trusted, it builds up their own faith in themselves. Game six is where I was able to better understand how trust played a role in the game. We played our rival team, Mifflin. They won this tournament every year.
Throughout the entire game, my team did not play to our potential because of some drama between some of the players. It created many problems in the field. When someone made an error, someone would talk harshly about that person. No one picked anyone up or cheered. And, error after error kept putting the team behind. Bill finally had enough. He was so angry and yelled at every single one us, saying, “Go home if you are not going to take this seriously! I am sick of everyone fighting. That is not what makes a team! It is not about you, you, or you!” He pointed to every single player as he yelled across the field. What he yelled in front of everyone, including the audience, embarrassed us. His little speech kicked our butts into gear, and we trusted each other again, making play after play. Somehow, we were able to get ahead and win. The lesson I learned was even if a player makes a mistake, the player who screwed up trusts the rest of the team to pick her up and help fix her mistake, whether that is by catching a fly ball or making a play.
Without confidence, teamwork, or trust, a team will fall apart. I learned this through the many games that I played in. Confidence is needed so that players have faith in themselves, which then contributes to teamwork and trust later on. I am glad that I learned those three things than something else. These three aspects will definitely be used in the future when I have a job and have to rely on a team of people to help get work done or even being in a relationship.
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