How can a man who is warm understand a man who is cold? This is a question posed by a prisoner in “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,” written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who himself spent many years in Soviet labor camps. As a student in my humanities classroom once noted, by reading a book like this, a man who is warm can better understand a man who is cold.

This is the power of books in granting a reader such as this student entry into experience far from their own. We need the humanities because they help us better understand the experiences of one another, which enhances understanding across differences and divides and promotes peace at home and elsewhere.

Failures of empathy in the U.S. and around the world, as evidenced by incivility, conflict and war, demonstrate how we need the humanities today more than ever to remind us of our fundamental and shared humanity. Yet the number of humanities degrees conferred has steadily decreased since 2012, and humanities programs are under threat nationwide. For example, West Virginia University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro closed programs, while the state of Indiana is proposing to reduce the amount of world languages, literatures and culture class requirements from its high school curriculum.

If Solzhenitsyn’s account of a Soviet prison camp seems distant from today, one need only remember Alexei Navalny, who suffered under harsh conditions in an Arctic prison camp and whose death in February demonstrated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutality toward Russia’s most visible opposition leader. Currently waging an unjustified war on Ukraine, Russia has been cast as a key enemy, yet Russian literature, often written under repressive conditions and itself under attack, continues to offer wisdom on everything under the sun, as students discover in my humanities classroom: the horror of war, the meaning of life, the problem of death, the power of art, failure to communicate, love and loss.

Still today, nothing else can so powerfully simulate an experience of being someone else in another time and place. For example, a book can offer the experience of being a young person who has a mistaken idea, murdering someone for it, and viscerally feeling the crime’s consequences even before any punishment begins, and thus understanding why one should not kill. The humanities investigate and offer this kind of why, tackling the big questions, the ones most worth asking and the ones we forget at our peril.

To better understand people from other world regions on their own terms, there is no better way than to learn another language or study abroad. Thought itself may be reframed by learning another language, such as Russian, which divides nouns into things that have a soul and those that do not. Study abroad reveals that people everywhere, despite conflicts and wars that divide us, are all alike.

Not only do the humanities make good people and good citizens, but they also are good for future careers.

Despite a widespread misperception that a humanities degree is it not good for any job, humanities training actually is good for every job. Skills such as critical thinking, effective written and oral communication, and collaboration with others, including those from different backgrounds, are in demand from employers. The U.S. government needs foreign language expertise and supports the study of critical languages that are crucial for national security and in international relations. Global or multicultural understanding often figures in university mission statements, while society needs universities to equip young people to tackle problems on a global scale and to cultivate skills and flexibility of mind to deal with the unexpected.

Yet, even as the world stands at the brink of catastrophe and conflict, meaning such skills are needed more than ever, language enrollments are declining. This foreign language deficit leaves society less prepared to face global challenges, despite a recent reorientation toward Russia and China due to national security concerns. Study abroad in China has declined dramatically, to the detriment of foreign relations in the future, while opportunities to study abroad in Russia have shut down completely. Yet hope is not lost, since programs to study Russian have sprung up in Armenia, Georgia, Baltic countries and Central Asia, giving double the bang for the buck in learning about multiple world regions at once.

The world situation today calls for more support for the humanities, the study of foreign languages and study-abroad opportunities, since there is no better way to cultivate understanding of other people across boundaries and to discover common humanity around the world.

Yet cuts to the humanities are rising, demonstrating the impact of a decade of investment in only science, technology, engineering and math fields and the denigration of non-STEM fields. Thankfully, the solution to the humanities crisis is surprisingly simple: “The programs that are thriving are the ones that the schools are investing in,” Modern Language Association Executive Director Paula Krebs observed. “It’s kind of a no-brainer.”

So the humanities crisis is actually a funding crisis. Reversing it will benefit global understanding. It is time to rediscover the value of the humanities for all humanity.

Sara Pankenier Weld is a professor of Russian and comparative literature at the University of California at Santa Barbara and a public voices fellow of The OpEd Project. She wrote this column for the Chicago Tribune.

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At Twelve, a waterfront restaurant in Portland, Maine, the hottest seat in the house is right by the plancha, where you pick up a few tricks (and a little perspiration) while watching line cooks prepare steak after steak. On a recent visit, Everette Allen, the chef at the protein station, made about a dozen strip steaks in an hour.

He seasoned each slab with salt, white crystals visible on the red meat. Then, he seared the steak’s fat cap running along its side by holding it up with tongs perpendicular to the hot metal plancha. After browning both sides of the steak, hard and fast in its own sizzling fat, he transferred it to the oven to finish cooking.

When Allen placed the dish in front of me, I knew I was in for something special.

For those nights when a chef isn’t making your steak dinner — and when you don’t want to turn on the oven at home — a stovetop butter baste is the way to go.

The simple method, a classic French technique called arroser, or to baste, involves searing the steak, then adding butter and aromatics like garlic and fresh herbs, and tilting the pan to spoon the pooled butter repeatedly over the meat to gradually bring the internal temperature up to about 120 degrees. As it rests off the heat, the steak will continue rising in temperature to reach a lovely medium-rare. Butter basting your steak helps you achieve an even, rosy pink interior, juicy and full of promise, rather than a distinct red line in the center, which is often tough and somehow both hot and cold at the same time (like seared ahi tuna, and not in a good way).

Hannah Ryder, the chef de cuisine of Twelve, said butter basting works only when the butter is “hot and foaming,” so that its high heat can help elevate the temperature within the steak, as well as form a nice crust. If your butter isn’t foamy, she said, “you’re kind of just washing away that sear with flat butter,” which is watery. Another definition for arroser, in French, is “to water,” but that’s not what we want with steak cookery.

In fact, Ryder suggests listening for “the little popping of the thyme leaves,” a good indicator that your butter is hot enough for a proper baste.

Here’s one more tip: The No. 1 trick to cooking steak at home is hiding all of your smoke detectors. “No matter what, that thing will go off,” Ryder said. (Of course, put them back right afterward.) All this to say, you need high heat to cook a great steak at home. But that’s only half of it: You also need a gentler, more even heat, in the form of an oven or, as in this recipe, a tried-and-true butter baste.

When a seared steak is finished with a hot shower of fat, its center cooks gently and evenly, and its outsides develop a bronze crust infused with whatever you choose to add. In this recipe, ginger, garlic and herbs lend their aromas, and the ginger leeches out its sugars, which caramelize, making the pan sauce shiny and sticky. It’s an overall effect that a quick and hard sear alone cannot duplicate.

While the steak rests, raw asparagus can be stir-fried in the savory pan juices. A splash of soy brings you home, especially once served with white rice to soak up the beef’s buttery remnants, and a spritz of lime resuscitates the palate coated in fat.

This steak might not make you feel as if you’re in a restaurant, because you’ve cooked it yourself. But you’ll appreciate the taste, and the view. It’s the hottest seat in the house.

Butter-Basted Steak With Asparagus

Butter-basted steak with asparagus. Basting your steaks with butter is the secret to perfectly cooked meat at home. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

By Eric Kim

When this simple steak gets a quick butter baste, its center cooks gently and evenly and its outside develops a beautiful bronze crust infused with sticky ginger, garlic and herbs. Its overall effect is one that a quick and hard sear alone cannot duplicate. While the steak rests, asparagus is quickly cooked using the residual heat from the steak skillet, gaining flavor from the pan juices. Serve with white rice to soak up those buttery remnants cut with electric lime.

Yield: 2 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 boneless New York strip steak (1 1/2 inches thick, ideally with a fat cap; about 1 pound)

Kosher salt

1 pound asparagus, preferably thick spears

Avocado or canola oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large garlic cloves, unpeeled but crushed

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, unpeeled and thinly sliced

1 thyme or rosemary sprig

Cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. If your steak has a thick fat cap, use a sharp paring knife to score it with a crosshatching pattern. Generously season the steak all over with salt. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. While the steak rests, trim an inch off the ends of the asparagus, then peel the tough, woody bottom 2 inches off each spear. (This means you don’t have to throw so much of the ends away.) Cut each spear in half crosswise at an angle.

3. Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high. Dab the steak dry with a paper towel. Add enough oil to lightly coat the skillet. Wait for a wisp of smoke, then use tongs to hold the steak perpendicular to the cast-iron and gently sear the fat cap until some of the fat renders, about 2 minutes. Carefully lay the steak down and sear on one side without moving it until a nice golden crust forms, about 4 minutes. Flip and sear the other side until browned, about 2 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter, garlic, ginger and thyme. When the butter bubbles, tilt the skillet slightly so the butter pools. Spoon the hot, foaming butter over the steak. Repeat, like you’re bathing it, until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 120 degrees (medium-rare), 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, season with freshly cracked pepper and let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, raise the heat to medium-high then add the soy sauce and asparagus to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus turns shiny and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let the asparagus steam in the residual heat while the steak rests.

6. When ready to eat, slice the steak against the grain (perpendicular to the fibers running across the meat), so the meat is especially tender when you eat it. Serve the steak slices sprinkled with salt and spritzed with lime, if using, and with the steamed asparagus.

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With Memorial Day behind us, we’re guessing the cooks among us have already dusted off their grills in anticipation of all the cookouts they’re hosting for family and friends this summer.

Mains are easy enough to plan — everyone loves chicken, and is there anything easier than throwing a hamburger or hot dog on the grill? It might not be exciting, but there’s just something about the smoky aroma of meat sizzling over flames that’s so incredibly pleasurable.

It’s the sides that can make the creative cook feel anxious.

While tried-and-true side dishes such as coleslaw, corn on the cob or baked beans can’t miss, it’s fun to add some zing every now and again with something unexpected that takes the meal to the next level.

These three unconventional salads from the PG archives couldn’t be easier to prepare using seasonal ingredients you’ll soon be able to find at local farmers markets, and might even have growing in your own garden. All can be made a few hours in advance and kept in the refrigerator until serving.

Potato Salad with Pickled Pepper

This potato salad recipe from Michael Solomonov’s cookbook “Zahav” is made with pickled peppers and cilantro. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

6 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 pounds)

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup pickled peppers, sliced into thin rings

1 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Put potatoes in pot and cover with water by several inches. Bring to boil. Cook until potatoes pierce easily with a paring knife, 15-20 minutes. Drain and let cool. Peel and mash coarsely with a fork. Transfer to bowl.

Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes. Pour oil and garlic over potatoes. Add remaining olive oil, cilantro, pickled pepper and salt and mix to combine.

Serve at room temperature the day it’s made.

— “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking” by Michael Solomonov

Elote Salad (Mexican street corn)

Elote, or Mexican street corn, is made savory with feta, mayonnaise and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 ears fresh corn, husked and cut off the cob (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, very finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

4 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup crumbled feta or Cotija cheese

Handful fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for dusting

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

In large nonstick skillet, warm oil until it is shimmering. Add corn kernels and stir fry until corn is crispy throughout, about 5-6 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the dressing.

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic and lime juice. Stir in scallions, feta and cilantro and mix well, then add warm corn. Stir to coat, then add jalapeño and smoked paprika.

Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve right away for a warm dish, garnished with a dusting of paprika, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Thai Noodle Ginger Salad

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

For dressing:

1/2 cup tahini

5 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

4 teaspoons grated ginger

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons hot sauce, or more to taste

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

For salad

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

12 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

2 ears corn, off the cob

1 pound zucchini noodles, from 2 zucchini squash

1/2 red and 1/2 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into strips

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

4 scallions, sliced thin on bias

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

DIRECTIONS

Prepare dressing: Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. If it seems too thick, add a little more vinegar or soy sauce, or more hot sauce if you like it extra spicy.

Transfer to a large serving bowl. (Dressing can be made and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance; whisk to recombine before using.)

Prepare salad: Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add corn and broccoli to pan and cook until softened and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate and let cool thoroughly.

Add zucchini, bell pepper, carrot, scallions and corn and broccoli to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

— adapted from “The Complete Salad Cookbook” by America’s Test Kitchen

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The Pioneer Press recently celebrated its 175th anniversary, which made me think about how much the world of journalism has changed in my lifetime. Does anyone remember life before the internet, when a handful of TV stations, newspapers and radio stations were our only options for getting news? In the mid-1990s, many of these news outlets started putting their content online for free. That was a pivotal moment.

The days of appointment-based news consumption (watching the 10 p.m. news or reading the morning paper in print) started gradually fading, as people could access news in real time online. I worked in TV news from 2004-2008, and it was a confusing time for the industry. Ratings were slipping, social media was becoming widespread and we didn’t know what to make of it. The future of one of America’s most precious industries was uncertain.

I describe journalism as precious because freedom of the press is a constitutional right and critical to a democracy in which the government is accountable to the people. But while journalism is protected by the First Amendment, it is still a business that needs funding to stay afloat. Traditionally, the great majority of revenue for U.S. news organizations came from advertising. In recent years, many advertising dollars have shifted from traditional news outlets to tech giants such as Facebook, Google and Amazon.

The result? Nearly 3,000 American newspapers have closed over the past 20 years. The number of newspapers in Minnesota has dropped 34% since 2005, and the number of newspaper reporters in Minnesota has shrunk by 64% over the same period.

Do you value having a local media outlet in your hometown? I do. When I was a TV reporter in Green Bay, Wisconsin, I can remember city councilmembers sitting up straighter in their seats – and being more civil to their colleagues – when my cameraman and I entered public meetings.

My current hometown of New Brighton’s newspaper closed in 2019. Since then, it’s been much more difficult to find information about city projects and initiatives, candidates running for school board and city council, community events, high school sports scores, and more. The only thing remotely close to replacing the information I used to get in the local newspaper is a neighborhood Facebook group. And let’s face it, that’s not close at all. The lack of local media frustrates elected officials too, because informing their constituents is more difficult than ever.

Of course, no businesses are guaranteed success. Their continued existence is not a right, nor a given. All enterprises, local newspapers included, are obliged to adapt to a changing marketplace and figure out how to compete.

But a newspaper celebrating 175 years of consistently delivering daily news should not be taken for granted. The Pioneer Press has had its share of ups and downs. Its newsroom staff is lean, but the reporters who are there are passionate about journalism, and they work their tails off. I know because as a public relations guy, I pitch stories to them almost daily.

Given the state of journalism, let’s take a moment to imagine Saint Paul without the Pioneer Press. I believe that Saint Paul needs a thriving news organization to thrive. Please join me in celebrating, congratulating and supporting the Pioneer Press – so that they can continue to inform us for the next 175 years.

Chris Duffy is a principal and vice president of public relations at the Saint Paul-based public relations and public affairs agency Goff Public.

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