RECIPE CORNER

Gingered Pear Crisp

Choose the ripest Bartlett pears you can find, because their soft, juicy texture and sweet flavor make a big difference in this dessert. 1/4  cup golden raisins 1/4  cup granulated sugar 1  teaspoon grated orange rind 1  tablespoon fresh orange juice 1  teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract 4  cups (1/2-inch-thick) chopped peeled Bartlett pears (about 4 pears) Cooking spray 1/4  cup all-purpose flour 1/2  cup regular oats 1/4  cup packed brown sugar 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8  teaspoon salt 3  tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces 2  tablespoons chopped pecans Preheat oven to 375°. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Add pears; toss gently to coat. Spoon pear mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal, and stir in nuts. Sprinkle flour mixture over pear mixture. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. -Cooking Light magazine, March 2004

          FEATURE INTERVIEW

From Space Needle to Space Mountain

Demetrius Parnakopoulis took the time again to ask Grace & Vince about their lives in Seattle, thoughts on moving, and future expectations about living in the Sunshine State.

Let's get straight to the point--are you both nuts? Why would you leave such a great city as Seattle?

V: Yes, obviously we've thought about that. This was a very, very difficult decision for Grace & myself. We had to consider a variety of factors.

G: It was even more difficult for us, because not only are we leaving some dear friends who urged us to stay, we are having friends who will be MOVING here to the Seattle area-- such as Ann and Mei. . . I . . . I . . . just don't know . . .  how we are going to adjust to leaving good friends and such a great neighborhood . . . (breaks down, tears flow).

V: Look what you made her do! To summarize, the single most important reason that I decided to move to Orlando is that the position I will be taking makes the best use of all the skills I have acquired during post-graduate training: it utilizes clinical, epidemiologic, and interpersonal skills. What I'm looking for is a position that challenges and excites me, and I believe this is it.

How did you hear about this position?

V: Grace & I traveled to Orlando in February for a public health conference. We have friends and relatives who work at Florida Hospital and after I expressed interest in keeping my clinical skills up, they hooked me up to interview with an infectious disease group in the area. Initially, I was skeptical that this group could provide opportunities in the areas that were important to me, such as hospital epidemiology, research, and teaching, but to my surprise, all the opportunities appeared to be present.

Do you realize you're a traitor to public health?

V: That's a harshly worded question, isn't it? Frankly, I don't agree with the premise in your question--I will still be involved with public health. It is public health for the hospital environment, and involves important issues such as preventing the spread of communicable disease and antibiotic resistance into the community. We should all work together to prevent disease and promote health. So, although some may think I sold my soul to the enticements of  private practice, I am very keen on keeping public health issues in the forefront.

What are your concerns about moving to Central Florida? What will you miss about the Northwest?

G: Lifestyle is an issue to us. We'll be giving up our urban way of life, where we could walk, ride a bicycle, or take the bus to virtually anywhere we wanted and  returning to the suburban lifestyle where not only commuting will be necessary, but most likely we'll have to purchase a second vehicle. When we look to purchase a home, the commute distance is something we will take into big consideration.

We will miss the wonderful friends we've made in Seattle, the frequent trips to Canada, and hiking in the mountains.

V: It will take time to get used to the hot humid summers, marshy flats, and mosquitoes. The other concern I hear is that central Florida is Bush country. I had better keep a low profile or else I might be accused of being un-American. The war in Iraq and failure to find weapons of mass destruction are also such a--

G: Darling, hey stop it. This is not the forum to voice your political views.

V: Sorry.

What are the upsides about moving to Orlando?

G & V (singing): M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E! (laughter).

G: We are looking forward to having more visitors stay with us. We know, of course, that it may not be just us they want to visit--if we lived in Fargo, North Dakota, few would be visiting, so living in a tourist mecca has its advantages. I expect that Lisa & Steve, Vince's sister and brother-in-law, will be one of the first to visit, with their two boys.

V: No offense to anyone from Fargo who might be tuning in.

G: We are also looking forward to exploring Florida. Visiting Miami and Key West, cruising the Carribbean . . . (pause, turning to Vince) You know, I've never been on a cruise before.

V: I get the hint, darling. Would you like the Royal or the Captain's Suite?

You’ll be putting in some much longer hours compared to your previous position.

V: That’s OK. I'm still relatively young; I can handle it.

What will you miss about CDC?

V: I’ll really miss the international scope of work and collaboration with our overseas colleagues. I learn so much when I see life through the eyes of another culture. And I had great mentorship and support from my CDC colleagues.

What were some of the other career opportunities you were considering?

V: The most difficult decision was deciding between Florida and Vietnam, where I would have had an opportunity to help CDC set up influenza surveillance in Southeast Asia. The threat of SARS and bird flu remain high in that area. Other opportunities that I could have taken advantage of included working as the assistant health officer in Pierce County, Washington, or as a medical epidemiologist right here in Seattle.

G: You can't have it all, and Vince had to make a decision.

V: These were all good choices, and I could only choose one (sigh). But it's all ice cream, as I like to say.  Just need to decide which flavor to choose.

You’ve moved plenty. In the last 3 years you lived in Seattle, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. You’ve also expressed the desire to plant some roots. How long do you think you’ll remain in Orlando?

G: Couldn't give you a time line. It really depends upon several factors, including job, environment, friends, and other unforeseeable factors. However, we're looking at this move as one that will be long term.

V: We want to settle down, no doubt about it. We believe that Orlando offers us this chance to feel a more sense of permanence.

G: We would like to purchase a home, raise children, and become active members in the community. We want to get involved in the Central Florida arts scene—I would like to join a Masters Chorale, Vince would like to be active with the American Guild of Organists, get involved with more photography and join a triathlon club in the area. There are so many activities to participate in, it’s a matter of taking the initiative. We are looking forward to that.

We don't feel like we need to be bound to Central Florida--we can leave any time. But as long as we're happy with Vince's career and with the friends and activities that surround us, we'll stay.

V: She couldn't have said it any better.

Pictures in text, top to bottom: Florida Hospital, Main campus, Orlando; before the  St. Patrick's Day Dash (March 20, 2004); snowshoeing at Snoqualmie Pass (Jan 25, 2004)

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