Might I Read To You?

In my next life I hope to be a writer. And this is how I want to write...

From Again to Carthage by John L. Parker.

Eight days later the Runner lay in an oak box at the feet of a childhood friend on the hot little hill of faded brown grass in the middle of the coral peninsula the Spaniards named for flowers. The faint traffic hum from Interstate 4 in the distance drifted across the parboiled landscape of scrub palmettos and spindly pines, indicating that humidity and rabid insects notwithstanding the Sunshine State was on the move.
The preacher was waiting.
Cassidy made a noise just to be sure he could. Then he pulled some cards from his inside jacket pocket and looked up at the small group. "Robert Penn Warren wrote about how there is really no one quite like a friend of your youth. Someone who looks at you later in life and sees you only as you were when you were young. I cannot truly comprehend that we are here today for the reason that we are, and I don't think I'll be able to understand it for a very long time. And the one person who I would want to help me understand it is the one person who cannot. He was a friend of my youth and that is the way I will always think of him."

and

"It was that crazy head-floating scent of frangipani, oleander, Spanish moss, Gulf Stream, and some kind of spicy bayonet plant that always reminded him of the aroma of drawn butter sitting beside a lobster tail.
It was salty tropical fruit salad is what it was and it woke him to the first rays of sun over Lake Worth. He lay drowsily under a single mostly symbolic sheet watching the orange glow suffuse the stucco surfaces and arches of his bedroom, stretching deliciously and almost without movement in the rare absence of air-conditioning's false chill."

If you didn't know, I loved Parker's Once a Runner. While I'm barely into his Again to Carthage it's shaping up into a wonderful read.

PBS Discovers Desires

The Botany of Desire that is...

Hot off the e-press...a new PBS series, The Botany of Desire, based on Michael Pollan's book of the same name will begin on Oct. 28. Carnac says it'll be a four part series, but what does Carnac know?

Seriously, this is one of my many favorite books and I'm betting PBS does a spectacular job with the series.

My Favorite - Tortilla Soup

I've been lucky enough to work with two different chefs in two different kitchens who also spent time in the Mansion's kitchen. Both were pretty darn good chefs and amazingly (not really) they had similar versions of Tortilla Soup. I suspect it was Dean's version, but that I do not know for sure. I've never eaten at the Mansion.

Here's the compilation (in scaled-down form) of the tort soup recipe I developed working with both of the chefs. It was ultimately put on the banquet menu at Central 214. Thanks Susy and AS.

Central 214 Tortilla Soup

Canola oil for sauteing and other uses
4 Roma tomatoes, cut in half longways
2 tomatilloes, cut in half
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 medium yellow onion, rough chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 qt. chicken stock (homemade is best, of course)
1 qt. tomato juice
2 tbsp chili powder, plus more to adjust seasoning
1 tbsp cumin, plus more to adjust seasoning
8-6 inch corn tortillas (cheap stale ones are fine), torn to small pieces
juice of one lime
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped (perhaps, reserve some for garnish)
Other garnishes:
grilled chicken shredded, diced avocado, grated cheddar, sour cream, cilantro, crispy corn tortilla ribbons

1. Coat tomatoes and tomatilloes in oil and season with S&P, place in small pan (skin side down) and roast in 450 degree oven about 25 minutes-until soft and slightly charred. Cool.
2. In 6-8 qt stockpot, saute onion, celery, garlic with bay leaves, S&P, chili powder and cumin until celery and onion are soft but not caramelized. Add roasted tomatoes and tomatillos with their juices. De-glaze roasting pan with a splash of chicken stock and add to stock pot.
3. Cook on high until tomatoes start falling apart. De-glaze with chicken stock, add tomato juice and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves (both).
4. Add tort pieces and simmer another 2-3 minutes, add cilantro.
5. Using a stick blender to puree until smooth. You can also work in batches and use a regular blender, but LOOK-OUT!---safety issue.
6. Finish with lime juice and adjust seasoning with S&P and cumin/chili powder if needed.
7. Garnish with shredded chicken, avocado, cheese, sour cream, crispy tortilla strips and/or cilantro.

Here's how I like to plate (bowl) it:

In a pasta bowl place a table spoonful, or two, of diced avocado and shredded chicken. Gently ladle the soup around the avocado and chicken. Float a heaping teaspoon of sour cream in the middle, sprinkle with a pinch of shredded cheese. Float a few crispy strips and top with minced cilantro.

Serve with a mushroom and spinach quesadilla wedge.

Lyrics of the Day - If I Had a Million

The lyrics from songs endangered of burn-out on my Zune.

If I Had a Million by Pat Green

Well if I had me a million, I'd build you a mansion
A hundred miles from nowhere with all a girl could need
Run around in the hallways and dance in the backyard
we ain't got no neighbors, ain't no one'll see

If I had me a speedplane, I'd fly you across the land
and land us in some little border town
Drink some margaritas, dance to mariachis
and put you on my speedplane at night, and bring you on back home

If I had me a steamboat, sail across the ocean blue
and dock in some little port o'call
We would have a fine time, Swiss cheese and French wine
put you on my steamboat at night, and bring you on back home

I ain't got no million, ain't got no speedplane
ain't got no boat upon the sea.
All I got are these two strong arms, I can hold you so tightly
Baby, won't you, won't you please, come back home to me.

The Number One Reason...

it's so hard for Americans to eat healthy:


Because making poor choices is so easy...and cheap.

Since Braum's doesn't list nutritional data I've done a little probing and here's my best estimate (h/t calorie counter):
2 Braum's patties = 860 cal/74 g fat
1 Braum's bun = 300 cal/4.5 g fat
2 slices Braums cheddar = 220 cal/18 g fat
1 regular vanilla shake (from Steak n' Shake) = 717 cal/22 g fat

Not including the produce or condiments I get a grand total of 2100 cal/118 g fat
A whooping 50% of the calories from fat!

On the upside...fries don't come with the meal. (small from Micky-D's is 230 cal/11 g fat)

In contrast, I was in Whole Foods (Lakewood) yesterday and organic apples(my new favorite fruit) were on special for $0.99/lb. So let's compare...

$2.99 of apples from WF = approximately 660 calories negligible fat
$2.99 meal from Braum's = 2100 calories and 118 grams of fat

1 penny buys you two calories at WF, but the same penny buys you 7 calories at Braum's.

The question of the day is "Does it cost more to eat healthy?" Ponder on...