Dozens...

 

Last night I had this clever idea:  I would write a little post this morning saying that twelve minutes and twelve seconds past midnight it would be  12:12:12  on 12/12/12.  And, it wouldn’t happen until…......... just after lunch!  ha ha.  Well, then guess what.  I was fumbling around on the computer and looking for a document I might have created in 2009. I thought I saw something promising in an old file so clicked on it.  A little box appeared and a green bar started marching across the screen.  I thought it was loading some archived stuff and I could search for my document.   Finally it was completed, and it said I would need to start the machine again to make it take hold.  Fine.  I did.  When it came to life after watching agonizing (what seemed like minutes) black screens, I followed my usual practice of opening the email.   It showed some email stopping in June of 2010 and informed me I had a “send/receive error”.  A little more investigation revealed I had no connection to the internet!  It was rather late at night so help was unavailable and I had to go to bed with visions of “lost everything” dancing in my head.  Needless to say it was a fitful night.

So instead of posting my clever little thing about multiple twelve’s I instead looked over the shoulder of my IT support team.  Bottom line was they fixed the thing that kept me from the internet, and eventually located the correct PST, and I can now see some historical mail.  I am gradually beginning to believe that things that appear gone, may not be.  You just have to know where to look!   Anyway, since there is no 13^th month, we’re done with a lineup such as today.

CoCo Cantina Revisited.

MFO and I met some friends for lunch yesterday to discuss some future travel plans, and we decided to give CoCo Cantina another try.   As you might recall, I had a rather pleasant experience there a bit ago for lunch, so since it was convenient to all, we decided to meet there.  To dispense with the food, it was tasty and again seemed freshly prepared, with no evidence of the “glop” associated with a lot of Mexican Style places.  Dishes were a burrito, a chicken sandwich and the luncheon fajitas.  The side Mexican Slaw was fairly tasty.

Anyway if you go there, you might notice down in the corner of the luncheon menu a little note that says something like:  15 minute quick lunch.   Well on our visit they missed that by about 3 times.  Once again there were maybe only 4 tables occupied, certainly not crowded.  Turned out that one of the servers didn’t show so the maitre d’ lady was pretty much on her own.  It was about ten minutes and an over the shoulder tossed "be right with you" before she approached the table, took drinks and another ten or so before they appeared (water and iced teas).  I’d say it was a good half hour before the food came out.  If in fact we were on a 15 minute-ish time line we would have missed it.  Other reports I have heard have mentioned slow service.   For what it’s worth.

Missing Sign

If you have gone by that architectural disaster called LongHorn Steak House, you might notice that there is a banner over the door.  Normally it would say: “Now Hiring” a more and more common site on the box stores.  This one says “Apply On Line”.  Personal touch.  Pretty soon there will be more staff than customers in this county.  Probably not.

A nice ending

Just so I’m not totally negative today, here’s a couple of pictures from Historic St. Mary’s City Madrigal Dinner of last Saturday night.   I only took my little point and shoot, but you get the idea.  Music was supplied by St. Maries Musica,

 

 

 

and decorations by Mistress Brent Garden Club.  All the decorations are naturally occurring plants and stuff.  They were very beautiful this year.

 

0884

 

If you haven’t ever been you should go..  unique stuff, but you STILL have to

DFD

Johnny's errata

before everybody pounces, being born on December 6, 1992 means last week you turned 20....typo in post below,  pretty much the definintion of a "kid"...  probably didn't

DFD

A quick diversion

After watching that unbelievable Redskin game (and hoping RGIII is okay) with a winning performance by my MSU guy, and now a kind of comical Giant/Saints game going on, I got football on the brain.  Food can take a break, i'll sort of get this off my chest...  Maybe consider it to be a palate clearing entry…

Last night while we were enjoying the Madrigal Dinner at St. Mary’s City State House ,this year’s winner of the Heisman Trophy, emblematic of the nation’s “best” (one of my favorite stupid words) football player.

I have to admit I was sorry that Manti Te’o didn’t win, regardless of what team he represents, although his team is in the Championship game, with a lot to do of the defense.  I’m trying to be reasonable here, but really, somebody nicknamed “Johnny Football”?  A (so far) one season wonder, with his resume being he beat the vaunted Alabama team on their home turf.  Not taking anything away from that accomplishment, but I can’t help wonder if A&M lost that game, would he have won the trophy?  He’s a (redshirt) freshman, the first ever frosh to win the award.  Manti is a senior who played in all 38 games in his Notre Dame career, starting 36 total games including 35 consecutive contests for the Irish, boasting 324 tackles, 157 solo stops, 28.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.  THAT is a body of work! Probably being a totally defensive player worked against him.  After all, everybody knows that quarterback is the most important position on the team.  Maybe Football Johnny will go on to an illustrious college (and pro?) career; let’s check his stats four years from now unless he goes starry eyed pro.  Although he didn’t win the Heisman, remember that quarterback from the Irish team that was to be the next Johnny Unitas?  How’d that career turn out? 

I heard a snippit of his acceptance speech, going on about “when I was a kid”.. he just turned 30 this week, not very far removed from a kid..  Our next chance to see him will be against Oklahoma on January 4^th in the Cotton Bowl.  After watching the Sooner’s game against the Irish, who knows what will happen.

Maybe the RG III phenomenon had something to do with it..  flashy, grab the ball and run is all the rage now.   Maybe that helped when Johnny was paired with a defensive player who has played year in and year out.  Who knows..we’ll see how Johnny is an a year or so…  I hope Manti shines in the Alabama game when it’s played sometime in the next century…

 

okay, go
DFD

Here come de judge!

old enough to remember that??

 

I was asked again this year be a judge for the annual charity fund raiser “chili cook-off” held in the hangar on base where I used to work.  I always enjoy doing it for a couple of reasons: number one, I get to try a bunch of different chili’s; and two: see a lot of the people that I worked with for many years.  So I drove back on base, retraced my usual path to the hangar and went into the judging room (which is the break room for the shop) to see eight containers (mostly Hamilton Beach oddly enough) of simmering chili.

 

There were two other judges besides myself so potential ties would be eliminated.  So we got the tools of the trade (water and crackers not pictured):

and tasted our way down the line.  Fortunately (for me), there were no “blow your head off” varieties, although a couple of them were the “sneaky hot” kind where 30 or 40 seconds after you tasted, you noticed that little tingling on the forehead, or warmth on the neck.  There was one “white” chili which I appreciated, but most (save one) were of the “normal” variety, beans, meat, tomatoes, some cut up chili peppers, pretty much what is expected as “chili”.

There was one pot (the“save one” pot mentioned above) that was very intriguing. It appeared to just be ground meat (beef?) with no sauce, no beans, no peppers, just kind of a pot of ground meat. I thought I got a little vinegar bite and aroma off it, but I wasn’t sure.  It was Number Two, and I would be interested in its origin.  It was very different.  It wasn’t my favorite but I do appreciate the originality.  Maybe it came from a family history or a special region or nationality.  Good for the person who had the gumption to bring such a unique concept.

Which brings me to my standard speech about “judging” this kind of thing.  Chili is one of those dishes like crab cakes or pizza which are pretty much subjective.  What you like in chili could be very spicy, no beans, and is very different from what I might prefer, say maybe less spice, shredded meat, more vegetables.  Who’s to say what is “best”? 

Anyway I appreciated being able to sample all the chili’s, the judges compared scores and a “winner” was announced later in the day.  Everybody benefited..It was great fun for me, and maybe they’ll let me participate again next year!!  I might suggest for next year that the person who makes the chili provide a little card with ingredients (not necessarily the recipe, but whether it is beef only, pork, venison, sausage; kidney, pinto, black beans; what type of pepper, etc.). 

Trendz

I “subscribe” to a few sources of “foodie” information that appear daily on my DROID. Culinary gems like Pizza Hut is creating a limited-edition fragrance to celebrate Pizza Hut Canada reaching 100,000 facebook fans; or that some 70% of restaurant patrons decide on dishes they can share with friends as a means of tasting more of what’s on the menu.  Stuff like that. Or, “Darden (conglomerate of some of our favorite chains like Olive Garden/Red Lobster/LongHorn, etc.) cuts 2013 outlook as sales fall”  Awww, too bad.. CEO Otis said..”our disappointing results for the quarter points to the need for bolder changes in the promotional approach at our three large brands”.   Can't wait to see what that results in....Anyway it's fun stuff to read, maybe I should pass along more things of interest.  Just kind of hate to be a clearing house..

And, sometimes other folks send me links or places to go to for other facts.  Got one the other day about the top 10 food and drink menu trends.  FWIW, here they are:

The top 10 food menu trends for 2013 are: locally sourced meats and seafood; locally grown produce; healthful kids' meals; environmental sustainability as a culinary theme; children's nutrition as a culinary theme; new cuts of meat (e.g. Denver steak, pork flat iron, teres major); hyper-local sourcing (e.g. restaurant gardens); gluten-free cuisine; sustainable seafood; and whole grain items in kids' meals.

The top 10 drink menu trends for 2013 are: onsite barrel-aged drinks; food-liquor/cocktail pairings; culinary cocktails (e.g. savory, fresh ingredients); micro-distilled/artisan liquor; locally produced spirits; locally sourced fruit/berries/produce; beer sommeliers/Cicerones; regional signature cocktails; beer-based cocktails; and locally produced beer.

Notice the liberal use of the word “local”?? it’s what it is about!!  BUY LOCAL

Friday Fun

And lastly just for a chuckle, this morning  I ran across this 50 gallon drum of…… ??  by a parking lot

I guess we won’t have to worry about how we should
DFD

First Friday in Leonardtown tonight…  last one of the YEAR!! A sobering thought..

 

A bad experience and a tough situation...

I have been relatively good lately, (save the little gripe on the Ravens), so maybe I deserve an out and out rant.. Nothing food related, just about humanity, and then a personally troubling subject…

 

First the Rant…

I don’t know about you, but I occasionally get random emails forwarded from people about WalMart employees and customers, and they are generally not favorable. One tends to take these with a grain of (sea) salt, figuring they are exaggerations.

Well guess what… here’s a true story.  Last night, MFO needed to get some oil and a filter to get maintenance performed on MOMSTER II prior to our annual holiday journey to St. Louis.  Sometimes we go to the Mart because of the propinquity to the digs, and also favorable pricing of the stuff.  We also were interested in printing an old photo of MFO’s Mom and Dad she found to distribute to various cousins and shirt tail relations for Christmas. I had a memory stick with the JPEG file on it, and after we did the oil and filter we found a sign for the “Photo Department” that directed us toward the back of the store, so we hiked back there.  Sure enough, there were various terminals where you could insert different memory devices to print your pictures.  The instructions on the machines were not clear (at least to us) as to the procedure, so we decided to ask the person behind the desk in the “Photo Department” (presumably the place to get photos). Well, guess what?.  At the counter was some lady with a shopping cart full of random items like bacon (approximately half a mile from the grocery department), clothes, soaps, etc., anything but photo related stuff.  She was just casually “checking out”, obviously avoiding lines at the normal checkout lanes in the front of the store.  And the “photo” person was just plodding through the shopping basket, scanning everything, beep, beep, beep.  A glance in our direction resulted in a “I’ll be right with you” an obvious fabrication given the amount of crap in the cart.  And then the cart lady’s son appeared and she said “Oh go get a memory stick”; Minutes passed and finally son appeared with a package and discussion ensued about the correctness of the device.

About this time, another couple appeared and looked at the printing devices and the lady suddenly loudly blurted out:  “How does this stuff work?"  Not waiting her turn, just shouting out.  There was then a five minute discussion with the clerk on how to use the device, what the pricing was, with no consideration of anybody else (including the now idle cart lady).  Just ME!  Finally without any resolution, they left muttering to each other and the photo expert went back to beeping items in the cart.  At this point we decided that between the cart lady in the “photo department”  not doing anything remotely related to photography, and the rude people blurting questions, we left.  No civility, just ME FIRST .. I don’t want to check out at the front of the store, I’ll just use the idiot at the “Photo Section” who’s too dumb to refuse her.    I’m sorry, I have to admit the postings are mostly correct.  Leave humanity at the greeter station.  We won’t go back soon.  If ever.

A conundrum …(also nothing to do with food)

Each football season, I have a standing bet with a friend on the Notre Dame/Michigan State football game.  We sometimes don’t collect the six pack or lunch, but we do enjoy the associated banter.  He is a very devout fan of the “Domers”, and I of course root for my alma mater, “Sparty”.  Readers will easily recall that I usually have not much good to say about the school from South Bend.  And for the past few years, my friend has stuck with his team which has gone through somes pretty tough times.  Well, as we all know the stars aligned this year, and they stand alone undefeated at the top of the rankings, waiting to play Alabama for the mythical National Championship.  I am happy for my friend, who is now asking me to “show some love”, or actually root for his team.  Frankly, this is very hard for me.  I will admit they are a very good team, and deserving of playing in the final game.  They have beaten every team they have played, and we’ll not quibble about “strength of schedule” (they are actually above Alabama in this statistic) so good for them.  And as I have occasionally said, it’s not so much the team itself that drives me nuts it’s the media hype..  So here’s what I think.  Congratulations to the Irish on their accomplisments this year, and as I said I am happy for my friend, he deserves to be proud of his team.  As to the game, roll out the football, and we’ll see what happens.  I really am not a fan of Alabama; Mr. Sabin kind of “did” MSU so he’s not my favorite coach, albeit obviously a good one.  While it would really be hypocritical of me to shout “Go Irish”, I will say I wouldn’t be unhappy if the highly touted SEC team loses the game.  Fair Enough..

 

and despite no foodie stuff, please remember this holiday season to

 

DFD