Toby Keith and Beer for the Voters

The day is grey down here and the surf rough as Faye sends some weather our way, so I thought to offer some random thoughts while my coffee brews…

Toby Keith, Democrat?  Anything to sell records, I guess.

I see that some college administrators want to stop binge drinking in part by lowering the beer age to 18.

I turned 18 while a senior in high school, and while 18 was the beer age when I was in college I attended a dry college.  I can tell you this-beer tastes a lot better when it is drunk illicitly…it is like a victory against The Man.

But I will tell you now what I said 25 years ago when states started rolling the beer age up to 21…

If you can vote at 18, and you can carry a weapon and defend our country at 18, then I think you should be able to buy beer at 18.

Obama may still pick Hillary, but I doubt it…unless he finds a way to keep Bill Clinton’s mouth shut.

BTW, all the stuff that happened this year on the Democratic side is much more understandable if you read Bob Shrum’s Concessions of a Serial Campaigner. The background and behavior of so many of the Democrats was in wide view to insiders four to eight years ago, including Bill Clinton’s unwillingness to allow someone else to hold the spotlight.

Next time you head to Myrtle Beach, remember: Georgio’s on NMB main street for pizza, Ella’s in Calabash for seafood. Oh, and they have opened a Five Guy’s down here. Yes, the controversy over the various Bike Weeks continues.

Be careful buying ground beef from the Food Lion’s down here…apparently “sell by” dates mean something else in SC than it does in VA.

For tapping your toes, nothing surpasses being here at the ancestral home of Beach Music, right here on Ocean Boulevard.

GO, USA!  Congrats Misty-May and Kerri!

To Marinade or Not…

The suburbs are alive with the aroma of grilling, and a lot of those who are grilling do so after letting the target meat sit over night in a bath of the grill-dude’s chosen secret sauce or rub.

However, this article in the WaPo food section suggests that the value of the marinade may be more in the ritual than in the overnight soaking, and that to get real flavor the marinade time can be less than ten seconds accompanied with either an occasional dunk into or spooning of the sauce during the cooking process.

Take a look, and decide for yourself.

Random Thoughts…

Today is the first day this month I have not started the day with some kind of painkiller, so my thinking is relatively lucid albeit remarkably unfocused…so just a few thoughts.

First, SenKen needs to buy new shirts.  See the photoblogging from the Fifth District GOP convention. My time in retail taught me that men with longer necks need to wear a higher shirt collar than others to camouflage the neck length-otherwise you get the weather vane look.

Cooch, trust me on this-you need a higher collar.

Item next, Jason Cook performed on “American Idol” last night, and made a marvelous statement about the dangers of self-indulgent behavior. It is a lesson that is of benefit to anyone who makes or hopes to make their livelihood through communication of ideas.

There comes a time-and Jason has been in the middle of it for several weeks-where one has to decide if they want to focus on what they want to focus on or if perhaps they should focus on what their audience wants to focus on. Jason refuses to leave the comfort of his goofy rasta coffee house vibe. If it were a planned decision to take advantage of a perceived fan base, well…that’s one thing. More likely it is a simple unwillingness to try other styles or techniques that some viewers/voters might be interested in. The interest in staying in your comfort zone and doing only what you want or like despite the need to stretch is indulgent behavior.

We see this every day…the salesman who tries to sell you something because they like it-even though the customer clearly is not thrilled; the restauranteur who insists on putting certain favorite items on the menu even though they don’t sell and lose him money; the politician who regularly drives off message because he has an urge to touch on a particular topic, and in doing so diminishes his overall message.

We are surrounded by the indulgence, but Jason Castro is a most telling example…Starbucks Coffee is another one. As the campaigns stretch forth this fall, it will be interesting to see which candidates indulge their indulgences…

As much as Ben Tribbett and others may hate to hear it, I do believe the pant suited lady is singing for Hillary Clinton. She is about out of runway, about out of money, and running short on time. So let me suggest the model for her to follow now-Ted Kennedy 1980. Kennedy finished strong against an incumbent president. He translated this into a primo speaking slot at the convention, gave a memorable speech (often called his “Defense of Liberalism” speech), and moved from the role of presidential aspirant to Senate player and then powerhouse.

Senator Clinton can at this point fight it out to the convention or sulk in her tent, either of which helps the GOP…or she can begin to unify the demo’s and stake out her position as a major party player and capitol hill powerhouse. Maybe it isn’t head of the executive branch, but as can be seen in bios of the great legislators the ability to effectively move legislation to passage is a rare gift. Those that have it have power and influene beyond the title of their office.  Hillary, give it some thought…

Finally-if you are making chili and have the choice between Giant ground beef or Giant Chili Meat, use the latter…the thicker cut beef seems to hold moisture and spices better!

And it is now 1000 hours, and still no pain killers today…let’s hope it keeps up!

Cuccinelli-Oleszek: See What the Foodies Say…

It seems the Cooch and the Hoot have very different attitudes towards blogs.  Cooch will seemingly talk to anyone anywhere-including blogs.  Hoot not only tightly regulates her appearances, but as implied yesterday in the WaPo (and previously in other venues) seems to think the value of blogs is in direct relation to how favorable to her they are.

The two of them seem to be poles apart on blogs (among other things), and this set me off to pondering the place of blogs in the political universe, but before I could render anything…the Foodies beat me to it.

Michael Ruhlman is the author of several books about cooking and the food service industry, and currently serves as a judge on the Food Networks “The Next Iron Chef”. Ruhlman recently had an article online that examinedthe relationship between bloggers and chefs. Ruhlman referenced this article in a piece on the twentieth anniversary of Chef Charlie Trotters eponymous establishment.

I urge you to read the comment section of the Charlie Trotter post. Go through the comments, replace the word “chef” with “politician” or “candidate”, and you come away with a really good representation of ideas on the validity of blogs. In fact, between the “all publicity is good” and the “the great unwashed should listen and not talk”, you find echoes of both the Cooch and the Hoot on how they view the blogosphere…

The Chicken that Almost Blew Her Face Off

It is Labor Day weekend, and the neighborhoods are ripe with the smell of mower gasoline, bug spray, and the smell of grill masters at work.

In my home,  my wife does the cooking and I do the grilling.  We have come to accept that we each have certain gifts when it comes to food preparation…and any activities that potentially involve flammable properties is delegated to me.

However, there was one time when my beloved SWMBO dared to grill…with unusual results.

My wife, the beloved SWMBO, blogged before I did and got me invovled.  She has not blogged in a lon gwhile as grad school has taken up her time.  However, she did take the time back in the day to record her attempt at grilling.

All those who bill be grilling tomorrow-read and heed and don’t forge into unknown territories…

And now, in the interests of public and culinary safety, brought to you from an undisclosed blog location, this is SWMBO’s entry describing her grilling efforts of June 20, 2005…

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Tuesday, June 21, 2005

The Chicken that Nearly Blew My Face Off

Last night, I decided it would be a good idea to fire up the grill to cook a whole chicken. It was a calm, pleasant, even coolish night, and I thought that sitting on the deck would be a great way to spend an early summer evening.

I am a good cook but I have never turned on the gas grill before, and I have never really cooked anything other than a few burgers on the grill. The grilling responsibilities have long since been abdicated to my husband.

Things started off okay. I opened my Paula Deen cookbook, found the recipe for “Beer in the Rear” chicken, and then rinsed, dried, and seasoned the big ‘ole bird. In my brain I was thinking “how hard can it be?” My husband grills a lot…

[Bwana grilling note-for those who have not tried the Beer Can Chicken recipe, the idea is to use the beer can to stand up the chicken.  While cooking, the beer evaporates out of the open can, keeping the chicken moist.]

Well, apparently, it is beyond my capabilities.

I turned the knobs, I hit the ignitor, nothing happened. Called the husband. Turned a few more handles, adjusted some settings, nothing happened. Called the husband. Pulled out my large candle lighter thingy, stuck it in the side of the grill and……..

KABLAM!!

There were bits of hair falling out, a lovely singed smell about me, and a scary new sense of my own mortality. I was so close to really burning my face that I had to sit in stunned silence for several moments while the fire roared in the grill.

[Bwana note-apparently during all the time prior to lighting the flame the gas was on.  While I was not there, apparently the black cloud that went up was not unlike the big explosions at the German fuel dump in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"]

Things didn’t get any better from there.

I turned the flames down, put the chicken on the grill, lowered the lid, and went inside to clean up my hair and to check out the damage. Next thing I know, there was billowing smoke coming from the grill. The flames were so huge that I could barely get the lid open (finally dawned on me to get the oven mitts — duh). I was hesitant to turn the grill completely off because I did NOT want to have to restart the fire and at that point I actually thought I would need to keep cooking the chicken. Ultimately, I turned off the grill because I was about to burn down the house and deck. Even after I turned it off, the flames did not subside for 10 or 15 minutes. Nothing like a little burning chicken fat to really get a fire going.

[Bwana grill note-when grilling something like "Beer in the Rear" chicken, use indirect heat.  If using a gas grill, put the chicken on one side of the grill and only turn on the burner on the other side.  If using charcoal or wood, put an aluminum tray in the middle of the shell and directly under the chicken.  Pile the charcoal/wood on either side.  You get the indirect heat from the charcoal, and the fat drips into the tray.]

The chicken looked like a blackened marshmallow. Torched skin and a raw interior. Scrumptious.

I called husband. He picked up dinner.

I will try again to conquer the grill.

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So far, she hasn’t…but there’s always tomorrow!

Remember, light the candle lighter and then turn on the gas.  If you use charcoal, I recommend you use a chimney for lighting.  Either way, as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus always said “Let’s be careful out there!”

Life’s A Beach!

As noted earlier, yesterday we got home from our vacation.  First came a day at Kings Dominion late last week… and then on to North Myrtle Beach for a week with the in-laws, their children, and the grandchildren. Fourteen (14) of us in a beach house…yep, it was a rocking time!

We saw some interesting things.  In Ashland, we saw a black Ford 150 pickup truck with tags that read “got ink” and had what appeared to be a set of plastic testicles handing from the trailor hitch.  Somewhere in NC, we bestowed the “I am Pretentious” award on an old style Saab with tags “Phd Phd”.  There is a McDonalds in Dunn, NC that has video screens to entertain customers in the drive up outside and fireplaces to warm customers inside.  Dolly Parton’s brother Randy has just opened a theater at Exit 171 on I-95 in Roanoke Rapids, NC.  It is visible from the interstate, and is quite the building!

Life at North Myrtle Beach, shag (the dance, not the, uh, verb) capital of the world, often seems like it is in a time warp.  Giorgio’s still sells it by the slice or the pie, they still shag the night away at Fat Harold’s, and the OD Pavillion is the home for music, food, and fun to young and old, pale or tanned.

Others change…the old five story concrete looking motel I used to stay at back in the day has been replaced by a fifteen story condo center (complete with lazy river), the horseshoe outside the Spanish Galleon is not quite as insame as it once was, and Crazy Zack’s is long gone…shoot, where can a young fellow get a beer at 0500 in NMB these days?

Maybe it was best summed up at the no name barber shop on NMB’s main street.  I went in for a long overdue haircut, and heard one of the regulars go on about some kid loitering at his store.  When asked when it started, he said, “I am not sure…the days sort of run together.”  Another regular replied, “Yep, that’s old age for you.  When you are young, the night’s blend together.  When you get old, the days run together.”

The beaches were less crowded than usual, as SC started school back in on 8.20.2007. The weather was hot, and the water was quite warm-none of this walk in slow and acclimate stuff!

Even so, there is plenty of fun to be had…and some highlights I can recommend:
-Go to Ella’s in Calabash, NC, to get some great seafood…and some might attractive t-shirts!
-If you want a great breakfast, head here in Cherry Grove, but be aware with a store name like that you might go light on the t-shirts. The food is great, the pancakes heavenly, the patrons racially diverse. Check the link, and then ponder what would happen if you opened a restaurant with that name (despite the heavy Uncle Remus focus) in NoVA…
-Want authentic Mexican? Head to Fiesta Mexicana in Myrtle Beach. Food is great, service is slow, so allow plenty of time for some great food.

We also got to play a round of miniature golf…and not just at any course, but at the home of the USPMG tour masters, the Hawaiian Rumble course. Nope, I kid you not…they even have shirt that mimics the lesser Masters golf event in August, GA.

It was a rollicking good time, replete with maximum sun and minimal sunburn…and now it is back to the grind stone, and fielding emails from folks who are irate I did not have internet connectivity while away.

Funny to think we came home from fun in the surf to weather a thunder and hail storm last night!

With This, Who Needs Seconds?

I am not a fit person, although I aspire to be one.  I am back on the fitness trail, hit the company fitness center multiple times each week.  But it doesn’t come easy.  You see, I enjoy eating, any my travels around the Commonwealth have allowed me to consume some marvelous food, and often in the most unexpected places.

I have had Jess’ dogs and taken down an entire “what the gang ordered” sandwich at the late lamented Spanky’s around the corner in Harrisonburg.  I have had frozen custard at Carl’s in Fredericksburg as a chaser to dinner at Allman’s barbeque in the same day where I knocked back multiple pulled pork sandwiches at Pierce’s in Williamsburg.  In my mind I genuflect at the mention of the Smoky Pig in Ashland and the Pig and Steak in Madison.  I have consumed Gus Burgers, Motor Burgers, and Cheezy westerns. 

It was a joy for me to down a Muffin Burger at the Meadow Muffin Diner in Stuarts Draft.  I ate a 4AM breakfast at a dive on Broad Street while the manager did maintenance on an electrical bull, and from that experience I learned to always order fried food in any establishment where you are uncertain as to the hygeine of the staff.  While I think Crash Davis should have added the Grand Slam breakfast at Denny’s to his list in “Bull Durham”, I will always remember the Corn Beef Hash omelet I in Bloomsburg, PA at the Lickety Split Diner.   I have consumed ice box pies, shoofly pie, and an experimental pie of undetermined nature at the Lee-Hi truckstop in Lexington that tasted great in the moment and then stayed with me for a week.

 So, as you can see, I have been around… 

However, even with dining habits that have seldom stinted on barbeque, chili dogs, nachos, lasagna, pizza, and other high calorie, there are some things I couldn’t even consider consuming…and this is one of them.

Check the label, and you may ask, as did the divine Ms. Sharp asks, “Is any man this hungry?”  Not only this hungry, but clearly desirous of driving their cholesterol through the roof?  All day breakfast?  Does that mean you can eat it at any time of the day, or that after eating one you have no desire to eat for another 24 hours?

As for me, nah…you have to draw the line somewhere!

But looking at that picture is making me wonder what time lunch is…I had better head to the gym and get those glutinous thoughts out of my head.

Ciao!

P.S. Before my Jaycee pals ring my bell, there is a reason the Vienna Inn and their collection of beer, dogs, and chili-which ranges from amasing to disgusting to subline is not mentioned above.

Simply put, it is not fair to mention amateurs and professionals in the same paragraph.

Meandering Ruminations…

The last month has been fully populated with landmark events, from my tenth wedding anniversary to SWMBO, WMD#2 6th birthday, a Double Toastmasters district win, work projects, plus the regular time commitments that come with a wife in grad school and two kids playing sports.

While the full content hiatus comes to an end shortly, there are a few things that have been bugging me recently I thought I should toss out to show Bwana ain’t dead yet.

**Lindsay Lohan is back in rehab.  What a shock.
**Cindy Sheehan is cracking up.  What a shock
**Aint’ it funny how all policy comes down to whose ox is being gored?  Liberal groups came out out against various death penalty additions saying they were not needed, as we already had a death penalty.  Conservatives say it is needed to give additional protection to certain categories of public officials due to criminal attitudes..  At the same time, conservatives come out against special penalties for actions that are considered hate crimes, noting there are already crimes against assault and battery and other crimes against the person.  Liberals reply these additional laws protect classes of people who require additional protection due to certain societal attitudes.
**Anyone heading toward the OBX this summer beware of the I-64 stretch heading west just east of Hampton. The road narrows from five lanes to two…and the merge tain’t pretty at all.
**By the same token, while at the OBX you cannot lose by eating at The Blue Point or the Red Sky Cafe. Also, Zero’s subs, legendary creature of Virginia Beach, has made it’s appearance with a store in Corolla…visit it and ask for Russ…still serving the best subs on the eastern seaboard!
**Months ago I urged the GOP to adopt and elocute a vision for where they want to lead Virginia. Amazingly, I was ignored. Now the Senate primaries are full of challenges between the “status-quo” incumbents and the energetic anti-tax challengers…and still no vision is being offered by either side.
**The public debate is regretably enhanced by the silence in the Virginia 37th senate race.
**I miss Ginsu knives.
**The old fashioned general store with all sorts of things you had no idea you needed until you happened upon it has been replaced by the “As Seen on TV” stores popping up here and there.
**Read the book “Made to Stick”. Well worth your time.
**Sanford’s “Invisible Prey”-excellent read.

That is about it for now…more later.

Bourdain strikes!

I’m a Foodie.

I like cooking.  I am not good at it, at least if it is done indoors…on the grill, I rock.  SWMBO is exactly the opposite, as was detailed here, so we make a good team.

 I recently discovered the blog http://blog.ruhlman.com writen by the author of The Soul of a Chef and The Making of a Chef, and today he has a guest post by Anthony Bourdain, former executive chef at Les Halles, author of Kitchen Confidential, inveterate seeker of interesting food, and one full of disdain for the Food Network.

Take a look at Bourdain’s latest rant about the Food Network.  He had me rolling until he went after Paul Deen.

I don’t care who you are, you are not allowed to mess with Paula.

Other than that…enjoy!

Late Report on Thanksgiving

The tryptophan has finally been eliminated from my systen, and I can say that this was one of the best Thanksgiving’s my young family has ever had…in fact, it was so nice I thought I would share it with you.  Thanks go to my sister in law for the Pictures…