Tarek Fahmy: Cultural Critic

Fish is not only healthy for you, it is amazingly tasty. I always prefer whole fish as opposed to fish that has been pre-filleted or fish steaks becasue the flavor is stronger. When you cook the whole fish the bones, head, and skin’s juices give the fish a beautiful taste.

Tonight I opted for a whole Bronzini, which is Mediterranean Sea bass. I asked the fish monger to clean it, gut it, and leave the fish intact. For the novices out there, there are a couple of ways to make sure that the fish is fresh. The best way is to grab it in your hands and smell it. If you smell nothing then it’s fresh. If you smell fish or a fishy smell then it’s not fresh. Also look at the eyes and if they are foggy then it’s another sign that the fish has been dead for more then a day or two.

Cooking the Bronzini:
I am a purest in a sense and i love the taste of fresh food, especially fish. I opted to lemon and oil the Bronzini (Olive oil) then sea salt it and pepper it (fresh ground pepper). The key here is fresh ingredients, even the pepper should be freshly ground; makes a world of a difference.

I sliced an Idaho potato vertically with the skin on, oiled it (olive oil), salted it and finally peppered it as well. I placed the fish with the potatoes in the oven preheated at 475 degrees for 18-25 minutes.

While the fish is cooking I started to prepare the amazingly simple yet tasty sauce. It consists of cilantro (coriander), parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper. I cut the cilantro and parsley into very small pieces. Not exactly a paste, you want the herbs to retain a bit of consistency. Then I put some lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper, and a decent amount of olive oil.

The amount of each ingredient is subjective so start with little amounts and increase to taste. That’s always my motto. When the fish is cooked, take out and plate with the potatoes. Simply drizzle the sauce all over the fish and potatoes. Rustic bread is also key in this dish as that sauce is tailor made for dipping the bread into.

UX design means user experience design. These designers literally design the experience that the end-user (person using the web-site or application) will have online or on the desktop.

When websites and desktop applications are being designed, the end-user should always come first. This is called user centered design. Since different applications/websites have a different archetypal end-user(s), a user experience designer has to determine what type of design appeals and is more efficient to that particular archetype of an end-user(s).

The experience designer also delves into information architecture, user interface design, art direction (over-all aesthetic feel & vibe of site/application), branding, usability studies, story boarding and wire-framing, research, client interaction and client presentation,

As of late there are many different terms being used to describe these designers. Some of the terms being used are:
• Visual Designer
• UX Designer
• UI designer
• Information Architect

In my opinion, the best UI/UX designers are the post modern equivalent of renaissance artists; versed in many seemingly disparate but truly interrelated disciplines. These UI/UX designers combine logic, creativity, and communication on a day to day basis. They are versed in psychology, usability, graphic design, fine arts, as well as wireframe rendering and story boarding. These designers also have the ability to put themselves in the end-user’s shoes.

UX design is a growing field that is extremely integral in today’s business. The ceiling is high and the future is bright.