Month: January 2010

50 Shots of America–Georgia

Sips

Even though I live about a half-hour’s drive from the Florida-Georgia border and even worked in that state (however briefly), I had absolutely no idea that Georgia was one of the original 13 Colonies much less the 4th official state, having ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788.

(Seriously, we’re getting close to concurrent dates, here–will it happen? I suppose I could peek ahead and see but I like to be surprised. Actually, I don’t, but I’ll make an exception in this instance!)

You know, I bet the Union must have taken it very hard when Georgia seceded is 1861; one of their own betraying them and all. But the Union got their revenge: many battles fought on Georgia clay, General Sherman setting fire to a good portion of the state during his March to the Sea and then it spent the longest time of any of the other Confederate states in Reconstruction. They were the last of the CSA to be readmitted into the Union in 1870. Gee, hold a grudge much?

At any rate, I did know that Georgia was the Peach State and that it also grows a lot of cotton (I’ve passed the fields on my way through that state more times than I can count) and is known for peanut production as well (it’s the state crop). What I didn’t know is that they are #1 in the world for pecan production (though I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me) and are home to the Granite (Ellerton), Poultry (Gainesville) and Carpet (Dalton) Capitals of the World. Pretty impressive stuff.

While many know that Girl Scouts began in Savanah in 1912 and the unfortunate fact that high muckety-mucks in Georgia were responsible for the Trail of Tears in 1838, another thing started in Georgia that might just surprise you: the US Gold Rush! It was not out in California that the first gold was found, but in Dahlonega, Georgia in 1829. You can tour one of those early mines and even pan for gold and gemstones while you’re there!

Golden Peach

1 oz Peach nectar
2 tsp Goldschlager cinnamon liqueur

Combine the nectar and liqueur over ice in a small cocktail shaker and shake it like a miner down to his last pan. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Peach was the obvious choice for a Georgia drink and even though the Goldschlager was, at first, a novely decision based on the bits of gold floating around the bottom of the bottle it made sense the more I thought about it. Peach pie seasoned with cinnamon, anyone? Exactly!

This drink is also deceptively simple. It actually took 3 tries before we found the right balance between cinnamon and peach. I think this would scale up very easily with the addition of vanilla vodka and a brown sugar-graham cracker rim to make a very nice dessert martini.

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The Best Burger

Nibbles

This weekend I was craving a nice, juicy hamburger and while I would have settled for take-out, Todd was nice enough to make a trip to the store (while I slept off another dose of cold meds) for the necessary ingredients to make them at home.

It’s not enough to just form some ground chuck into a disk and toss it on a grill or in a frying pan.

First of all, you have to have the right mix of meat to get good results! Too much fat, like in straight ground chuck, and your burgers shrink to half their size or bunch up in the middle and don’t cook evenly. Too little fat and you wind up with a dry, mealy burger that falls apart on the grill. A 50/50 mix of chuck and lean seems to work best and results in a juicy burger that still fills out the bun.

Secondly, salt enhances flavor, as do other seasonings; don’t be afraid to use them! Salt, pepper, garlic and onion all go into our burger mix. This time we also dashed in a bit of paprika for fun. One thing I do tend to go back and forth on is whether to go powdered or fresh with the onion and garlic. On the one hand, fresh is generally best but it can be tough to finely mince the onions enough that the flavor is evenly distributed. Onion and garlic powders allow, I think, for a greater distribution throughout the meat. We also add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, too.

Finally, help the meat stick together by adding some binding agents. Just like you do with meatloaf, an egg and some breadcrumbs certainly won’t hurt the burger and can help a too-lean mix hold up to being flipped over flames. I’ve used oatmeal in the past, instead of breadcrumbs, and Todd’s used crushed potato chips and even rice cereal! As long as it’s fairly finely crushed (a rolling pin and a plastic bag will do if the food processor’s too much of a hassle) it’ll work!

Stove versus Grill

There’s just something about a grilled burger than one done in a frying pan or skillet can’t match. If you have a gas grill, like we do, firing it up (even in January) is no sweat. Charcoal takes, I think, a little more commitment but the flavor is often worth it (though I think having a second item–like some chicken quarters or a pork roast–to cook while the coals are still live is the most efficient use of a charcoal grill). An indoor grill is somewhat superior to a skillet but if you really have a hankering and a frying pan is all you’ve got, then go for it!

What are your qualifications for a really good burger?

A New Direction

64 Arts

New for me, but not really. And really (really!) old in general.

The Spark…

The other night Todd & I were watching the movie Outsourced [v.funny, thanks for the rec, Netflix!] and there was a scene where the rom-com leads are in a sticky situation that they, of course, make the most of. A copy of the Kama Sutra is involved. And a reference to an “impossible” position: Monkey Pulling Turnip. Of course they don’t show it, but it becomes a joke later on in the film and, being the folks we are, Todd & I were curious if that was a real position or not.

So I went and grabbed my copies of the Kama Sutra. Yes, copies. Only one of which is illustrated. Considering that the male and female animal archetypes do not include monkey of any sort, we figured it being a real position was slim. As neither monkey nor turnip showed up in either index, we’re going with the made for the movie idea.

The Fuel…

Are you aware that there is more to the Kama Sutra than a bunch of sex positions? Yes, there is a lot to be said on the subject of sex, but there’s also information on relationships and lifestyle and educational pursuits that go beyond some of the more prurient details.

One section, in particular, I find tremendously interesting: Part 1, Chapter 3, The Acquisition of Knowledge. In this section are lists upon lists of various disciplines and sciences that were common courses of study. One of these lists is the 64 Arts. A list of various skills and talents that girls should be proficient in, ranging from the mundane (cooking) to the less common (garland making) to the rather specialized (stockbreeding?).

I thought it’d make a neat project to try for a working knowledge if not practical application in each area (who says courtesans are the only ones who should be so well-rounded!). That was several years ago, when I first found the list, and the idea just got put on a to-do list of it’s own and left to, uh, mature a bit.

Lately I’ve had to urge to get back to blogging basics but doing a life-blog seemed a bit redundant as the comic tends to fill that need. With the movie reminding me of the books reminding me of the lists–it was sort of a ‘duh’ moment, you know?

Ignition!

Have you ever thought of buying a car only to have the model you’re thinking of show up absolutely everywhere? Or learn about something and have it pop up suddenly in the darnedest places? Or make a comment about wanting to get a particular item “someday” to a friend only to have a totally different friend that wasn’t a part of the original conversation offer it to you 2 days later? (This totally happened over the holidays and now we have a chest freezer in our laundry room.)

This is how I see these topics developing. I’m going to go down the list, just as it is (because I like following lists and I see no reason to reinvent that particular wheel) and see what the Universe drops in my lap. I have a feeling that all sorts of interesting applications of each art will become apparent and I’ll be seeking them out, watching for them and sharing them as they do. Some arts may be fairly simple to tackle in a week whereas others may need more time.

And if something interesting happens in the comments? That’s even better.

50 Shots of America–New Jersey

Sips

Of all the things that come to mind when I think New Jersey (Miss Congeniality, The Sopranos, the Turnpike and my aunt who lives there to name just a few), light bulbs are not one of them. Seriously, I don’t know where I thought Thomas Edison lived when he was inventing up a storm, but never did I imagine it was New Jersey.

But so it was that the 3rd state of the Union (as of December 18, 1787) was, indeed, the home of the light bulb, the transistor, FM radio, the drive-in movie, the zipper, saltwater taffy and dirigibles. (The list goes on and on, I’m just hitting some highlights, here.) It also seems somewhat… ironic? that the place whose State Dance is the Square Dance is also home to the 2nd largest gambling town, Atlantic City (and, apparently, the city where the board game Monopoly got it’s property names!). Go figure!

When trying to decide on a drink for New Jersey I did my best to steer away from some of the more negative connotations (landfills, various refineries, hints of organized crime…) and, instead, focus on some fun bits. While the presence of the oldest operating nuclear power plant in the US does put one in the mind of a Flaming Moe (from The Simpsons, for those who don’t watch much television)–and the cough syrup ingredient is rather appropriate as I’m a bit under the weather as of this writing–I decided to go with the zipper and another New Jersey creation: cranberry sauce.

Okay, not the sauce, the juice of the same ilk. Let’s not go overboard, right?

So… zipper. Zippy. Zingy. Zesty. What flavor best equates to zippy for me? Horseradish! No, not quite there. Pepper, suggested Todd. Which led to Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces. Not the right direction, I thought. Then it came to me: ginger!

Again, I’m already on cold meds so alcohol isn’t going to be a good mix. So this week’s shot (or little sipper as I prefer to think of them–after all, if they’re so nasty you have to shoot them down just to make them bearable, why bother?) is non-alcoholic.

The Zipper Berry

1/4-inch coin of fresh Ginger, chopped up a bit
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice (100% juice blend if possible, no extra sweeteners or substitutes)

Muddle the ginger and syrup together in the bottom of a small cocktail shaker. Add juice and top with ice. Shake like you’re breezing through traffic on the turnpike (a fantasy, sure, but it’s all good!) and strain into a cordial glass.

The chilled concoction is, to me, the very definition of zippy. You get a bit of the sweetened juice and then the ginger zaps the back of your palate like an electrical current. It’s a pretty drink, too, as the muddled ginger clouds the juice ever so slightly as a few of the smaller bits drift down to the bottom of the glass. This would make an excellent brunch beverage or, if made on a larger scale and cut with some ginger ale, a lovely sipper for hot Summer afternoons.

Tinkering…

Site News

Notice any changes around here? Yup, I’m working on spiffing things up, shuttling things around and generally getting ready to add some nifty content! I’m still fiddling and sorting and all, but since I moved the Twitter updates to their own category link (up top) the front page was looking very neglected.

ETA on the new stuff? Not 100% sure. I’ve got the intro post mostly written but I’m trying to iron out a few more wrinkles before digging into it. I think you’re really gonna like it, though 🙂