Exploration is the key to discovery. Scientists have always known this, but when you consider the institute of higher learning, it's usually confined by four walls. However, no education is complete without experiencing outside culture. Traveling is the best way to learn the things that matter. Whether you stroll through the streets of Paris, hike through the most trying trails in the Himalayas or spend a sunny afternoon on a Caribbean beach, travel will never fail you as a teacher.
Travel teaches you not just about the world as it was but as it is. It’s probably the best way to truly understand the political situation, economic scenario, and social structure of the world in which we live. Our views about distant people and cultures are often influenced by what we see through the lens of others. When you start to travel, you begin to understand the underlying reasons behind why the societies of different areas are shaped in a particular way and why they may differ from yours. When you travel extensively, you begin to realize that, despite all the differences, we all are the same somewhere deep down in our hearts. All your prejudices begin to subside.
As a student of the world, real experience is a way to gain practical and memorable information. After all, school is not all about memorizing. Memories created out of physical interaction are everlasting.
The most important aspect of travel is the education you gain about yourself. I have been incredibly fortunate to have traveled both as a student and as a teacher. The hostels may have been upgraded to hotels over the years, but my emotional connection has remained the same. I’ve learned that Greeks rival Southerners with their gracious hospitality, Italians make me weak in the knees, and effortlessly chic Parisians require no filter. I've also learned what squid tastes like, what the Mona Lisa looks like, and what a raging case of ringworm feels like.
You realize that your world is a quiet place until you engage with strangers. You’ll be touched when you find so many wonderful people all over the world that you begin to feel the whole world is your home. Travel fuels independence, compassion for others, and opens your mind to other possibilities.
To develop cultural sensitivity and witness the vastness of our differences puts one's life in perspective. You may not have the time or the money to travel, but that doesn’t need to limit your education. Watch and listen to the world around you; pay attention to its beauty. Embrace every opportunity to expand your mind, your palate, and your heart. Remember life is the only trip worth taking once all your reservations are canceled.
French Bistro Salad with Tangy Baked Chicken Cutlets
INGREDIENTS
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken cutlets usually 8 cutlets
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup Duke's mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
For the Salad
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 cup panko
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon slat
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 head escarole, trimmed and leaves separated
- 1/2 head frisée (curled endive)
- Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Chicken
- Move one oven rack to a low position. Preheat the oven to 400F and place the chicken cutlets on a rack on top of a baking sheet. Spray the rack liberally with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Set out two medium bowls. In one bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In the other bowl, mix the panko and parmesan cheese.
- Place the chicken cutlets in the mayo mixture and toss to coat. Then one at a time, press each cutlet into the panko mixture on both sides to coat. Lay on the baking rack.
- Bake in the lower part of the oven for 15 minutes. (Cooking low in the oven helps the bottoms to crisp up.)
- If the tops haven’t browned, move the baking sheet to a higher rack and turn on broiler on for 1 minute. Watch to make sure they don’t burn. Serve warm.
For the Salad
- In a 10-inch skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on papertowels, reserving drippings in skillet. Add bread crumbs and half of the garlic to reserved drippings. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until bread crumbs are brown. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in bacon and parsley.
- For dressing, add 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet, heat over medium. Add remaining garlic and the shallot scraping up any crusty brown bits. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a blender mix vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper with remaining 3 tablespoons oil plus shallots and garlic mix. Pulse until you get a creamy blended texture.
- Arrange escarole and frisée on a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve salad over chicken and top with crumb mixture and shaved parmesan, and if desired, additional parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
