Cantaloupe-Lime Spritzer

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I am still enraged. Still. Just the other day, I was writing about how my fellow food bloggers think I am cheery. Not today. Today, my psychologist hat is on. I do not tend to talk about work too much on Como Water. But a recent abuse of psychological “research” has left me so frustrated, I am having a hard time compartmentalizing. And I am definitely having a hard time being cheery.

You see, I went to college thinking that education was a “great equalizer.” During my first week of school, I went for ice cream with some women from my dorm. One women turned to our group and asked, “Princeton Review or Kaplan?” In turn, each of the other three women replied, “Kaplan,” “Kaplan,” and “Princeton Review.” I looked on blankly. They looked at me blankly. I told them I had no idea what they were talking about. Clearly uncomfortable, the woman who asked the original question replied, “What SAT prep class did you take?” I explained that I hadn’t taken a SAT prep class. They explained that for over a thousand dollars, you could take a class that would teach you how to take the SAT. They explained that everyone had taken such classes.

That moment is cemented in my memory. It was the moment that my worldview about inequality changed. I just couldn’t believe that if you were wealthy you could take a (money back guaranteed) class that would teach you how to take a test that was supposed to be standardized, a test that was supposed to ensure that one’s social class, and race, and gender didn’t influence performance on that test.

Prior to that moment, I had thought–if people just work hard enough, they can get whatever they want.  I believed in a just world. And don’t get me wrong, I still believe in justice. And I still believe in hard work. But no longer do I think that hard work alone can ensure positive outcomes or equality. There are many, many, complex forces that make equality, true equality something that we must ALL fight for–CONSTANTLY.

It was also at that moment standing in front of the ice cream counter that I became committed to exposing and alleviating inequality, in whatever ways that I could. Eventually this led to me obtaining a PhD in psychology. And even starting this blog was an attempt to do my piece in fighting inequality. I thought, “I love food and I am fighting for social justice, how can I combine the two? I’ll share alternative ways of eating that may lead (at least some) folks to make healthier choices without sacrificing flavor.”

So you can imagine when earlier this week a psychologist writing about his opinion cloaked that opinion in psychological jargon and elementary statistics and tried to pass that opinion off as scientific research, how I felt. Enraged, disappointed, and saddened. I take research very seriously. And expect all scholars to approach their research with integrity. Clearly I expected too much, at least from this particular psychologist, who completely compromised the integrity of something that I believe is essential to our functioning as a society–rigor and responsibility in the ways we create knowledge.

I’ve vented to friends. I’ve started an online petition to demand that the publisher be held accountable for the work that they published. I’ve meditated with lavender oil on my temples. Eventually, the only thing that remotely calmed me down was this spritzer.

Cantaloupe-Lime Spritzer (Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup chilled, cubed cantaloupe

juice from 1/2 lime

ice

seltzer water (feel free to play with flavors here)

Method:

*Blend cantaloupe and lime juice until completely smooth. Add desired amount to glass with ice. Add seltzer and garnish with lime. I liked this spritzer as is… my cantaloupe was sweet and I didn’t need any extra sweetener. If you like beverages on the sweeter side, feel free to include a bit of simple syrup.

Written by

Tiffany M. Griffin is the woman behind Como Water, Washington DC’s premiere veg-centric cuisine consulting company. Through cooking classes, demonstrations, catering, and consultations, Como Water gives people the opportunity to learn how to prepare veg-centric cuisine that boasts maximum flavor, with minimal effort. Tiffany is quickly becoming a go-to expert on the future of veg-centric cuisine, and is a regular contributor to Como Water, the blog, as well as to vegetarian and vegan sites across the Internet. For over a decade, this self-taught, entrepreneurial expert has developed a set of tried and true techniques for making simple, delicious, and sometimes decadent veg-centric dishes. Featured on the Steve Harvey Show and other leading media outlets, Tiffany was born and raised in Springfield, MA. She then earned Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Communications from Boston College and a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan. She now resides in Washington DC, where she has worked in the US Senate and at a federal agency on issues around health, food, nutrition, and international food aid/development, and of course, as the owner of Como Water. Tiffany gets culinary inspiration from the food she grew up eating, and from her travels throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. She is dedicated to sharing her wealth of knowledge on veg-centric cuisine with others and to help others live by her mantra—love life, live long, and eat veg-centric cuisine!

Comments

  1. Wow, this cantaloupe drink sure look so refreshing with the bubbles…beautiful picture! Hope you are having a great week Tiffany 🙂

  2. Wow, I cant wait to try this juice in the summertime. I live for fresh homemade juice, thanks so much for your recipe..

  3. Tiffany, this looks superb! Though with me a glass of wine usually does the calming down miracles, I’m tempted to give this a try 😉

  4. Definitely going to try this over the weekend. Btw, love the new logo!!!

    • Thanks Dara!!!!!!! We need to meet up! 🙂

  5. This looks so neat and perfect for the summer!

  6. Hi Tiffany- Love your spritzer, I love cantaloupe- I keep meaning to buy some at the market but I always forget. Your post was super interesting I love hearing your POV and I agree, with anyone and everyone being able to post things on the internet now days we should be held accountable. But I have a confession, I was one of those girls that went to SAT prep, my school actually had a course that was mandatory. (Prep school what can I say) But obviously you didnt need it since you got to the same place as those girls and got a PHD! =)

  7. Sorry, to hear you are having a bad week.
    This drink sounds very refreshing. I think it would be wonderful after a work out.

  8. Oh my! This sounds amazing! Cantaloupe is so good and refreshing, it must make a delicious bubbly drink!

  9. Tiffany…once again….vibrant colors….and this looks so refreshing! So…call me naive, but I believe hard work, if not for the shear integrity of it, trumps wealth every time. Anyway…going to try this over the weekend. Will nickname it ‘the equalizer’ and think of you every time I drink it! : )

  10. How frustrating! Sounds like you need to add some tequila to that spritzer! Lovely pictures, looks perfect for spring!

  11. Oh honey, that sound SOOOOOO refreshing! We will have to add cantaloupe to the grocery list!

  12. Hi Tiffany, and I’m sorry to hear you’re having bad week. Your story was very interesting as I didn’t go to school here till college. Well, in Japan, we have similar test to get in to college. In Japan it’s very important that you are following everyone and there is no “individuality.” It’s not expected that you stand out (either for success or failure). So back in school days, when everyone was going to cramming school, I felt I needed to go just because everyone was going… but my mom thought it was not necessary unless I felt the need (help on studying). Our society is strange that we are sort of expected to follow the same path despite there are options. I feel I got distracted…but it was an interesting post. You are very strong and determined hard worker. You will feel fine with this NICE drink!! 😉

  13. I can see why you are frustrated. Inequality is tough to see in any circle and I agree, opinion is NOT empirical and should not be considered research or scientific fact! I would be ticked as well! So glad this spritzer helped! I have been into the lime flavours lately and this looks (and sounds) wonderful! Hope the rest of your week goes better!

  14. This looks so refreshing for warm summer evenings! Can’t wait to try this…

  15. It’s so refreshing, must get cantaloupe to try out myself…

  16. Very interesting post… made me feel even a little closer to you! I hate injustices too and that was what lead me to graduate in Political Sciences… In Italy we don’t have to sit for a test for everything… only for certain subjects/faculties (like medicine for example). I do not like it… to me public education should be free and open to everyone. In Italy we have other problems which prevent the people who deserve it to go ahead… if you know the right people you go ahead in life… otherwise, merit is not even considered as a requirement. I find that unacceptable… 🙁
    Your drink sounds so refreshing… I love all sorts of melons and this drink will make it to my table in summer! A big hug and I hope your week improves… 🙂

  17. BTW… Lovely logo!!!!!! 🙂

  18. Oh, I can understand why you needed this refreshing spritzer. Love your mix with the melon. There are times when we need to vent, especially as this doesn’t sound at all right: not fair at all. Cheers to equality and social justice – and a better week for you, Tiffany.

  19. What a story. I know where you are coming from. I used to be a teacher in Harlem and the South Bronx and got fed up with stuff like this all the time. Your spritzer looks amazing – it would definitely calm me down!

  20. I come from the school of hard knocks also. I can totally sympathize with you about those who don’t have to work as hard but seem to get to the same place (or further) just because of who their daddies know or who they were friends with in fraternity or sorority. Always keep in mind that hard work builds character and strength that will support you longer for future endeavors and future troubles. Thanks for your insights and all the tasty, healthy postings here.

  21. I am in love with this post! 1. The spritzer looks so tasty and refreshing. Perfect for the upcoming summer. I cannot wait to try it! 2. Your POV is so interesting and insightful. I have a friend who works in the dairy industry and often times, her and I discuss our frustrations at the opinion-loaded articles out there against typical farming. I love when someone fills an article with words they don’t expect the regular public to understand and try to pass it off as research… I feel you, girl!

  22. It definitely looks super refreshing…I am wanting one of these yummy drinks right now…

  23. Please give me a glass of that! What a lovely drink 🙂

  24. Unfortunately, not all scholars are made equal – and academia is still wrought with ego and personality that often do not match up with integrity, ethics, or even ability. You can’t determine what others do or think, just your own actions – like making this wonderful spritzer!

  25. I love that you’re so passionate about what you believe in and fight for it. It’s hard to find anyone who’s passionate enough to fight for what they believe in. I too have felt the unjust hand of inequality’s slap in the face more than once. I’m glad that your petition is making a difference. This spritzer sounds like a great calm me down drink that I will definitely be needing this weekend, thanks for sharing. =]

  26. This sounds wonderfully refreshing! When I was little my Mom used to blend up cantelope plain and give it to us and it was delicious! I can only imagine how this could be even tastier!

  27. i have a masters in molecular biology and i know what you mean about certain professors not respecting other people’s research… it is quite frustrating. i am glad you are taking a stand! hope your week gets better 🙂

    that spritzer looks refreshing!

  28. I’m so sorry, Tiffany, that you’ve had one of these weeks where you’ve felt overwhelmed and frustrated. I completely agree how unfair it can be in life when there is little equality, and some of us who are smart, but less privileged than others, have to fight so much harder. I can completely relate, and am still at this very moment fighting for the things I feel I deserve in this world, and continuously getting slapped in the face. I wish you luck with your petition, and I really hope you feel better soon and find a resolution to all the things that are getting you down. xo

  29. Refreshing/Calming/Equalizing whatever this spritzer needs to be for you, it is. Tons of people have book sense but no common sense. You have both along with compassion. Please continue to stand up for what you believe is right.

  30. Thanks for the comments and the encouragement everyone!