What's All the Excitment?

"Marica?"

"Yes, Missy?"

"Are you busy?"

"Why, no. Not really. I'm just diddling around the World Wide Web. What's up?"

"I'm sensing a bit of excitement in the air. It portends of the unusual. Pray, is something different about to happen here at the Farm."

"Ruff?"

"How perceptive of you, Missy!"

"Ruff ruff! Ruff?"

"You, too, Rocky. And yes, Daughter C will be gone for a few days. She's off to visit Mr. Bow Tie."

"Ah. Mr. Bow Tie. Such a pleasant fellow."

"RUFF!?"

"Because she's flying on an aeroplane and it's difficult for dogs to fly on aeroplanes."

"ruff."

"Pardon me, but we seem to be getting off topic. Is something about to happen?"

"Indeed it is! Thanksgiving is coming up."

"Ruff?"

" 'Thanks giving.' Excuse my ignorance, but that is something less than satisfying as an answer. What, pray tell, is 'thanks giving?' "

"Thanksgiving is an American holiday. You remember that we're Americans, right?"

"RUFF."

"Of course! I'm proud to be an American dog. 'All-American,' I might add, given my Newfoundlandian and German heritage."

"Ruff. Ruff."

"Good for you, Rocky! Stafordshire Terriers do have British ancestry. Anyway-- Thanksgiving is an American holiday on which we-- as a country, as families, and as individuals-- take time to reflect on what we are thankful for."

"Hum. Don't we do that everyday, Marica? I hear you tell Mr. Big Food you're thankful we all live together here on the Farm at least two or three time a week."

"Ruff? Ruff ruff ruff."

"Yeah, I do. And Rocky, I know you give thanks every night before you lay your little head down on the pillow that Daughter C rescued you from being chained to a tree. But this is a day where everyone gives thanks."

"Ah. An institutionalized holiday."

"Riiight. We also remember those folks who first came to America from the Old World."

"Ruff?"

"Excuse me! 'Old World?' There was a world before this one?!? I recall no mention of this on The Big Bang Theory! Old World! Is a TARDIS involved? My head is spinning!!"

"Oh, Missy. Don't take things so literally. The old world refers to Great Britain and the Continent, as opposed to America which, at the time of its discovery and colonization, was referred to as the New World."

"Ruff."

"Oh. Please. You did not know that. Stop acting so smug. Now, Marica. I have several more questions but I wonder if you might retrieve for me a map of these Old and New Worlds, as my questions are predicated on understanding this distinction."

"Ruff ruff ruff!!"

"Stop laughing. I know I am the retriever. But it's Marica's library-- she would know better than I where the appropriate map is located."

"You have to admit, that was pretty funny! I'll go retrieve you a map, Missy."

"Ruff ruff ruff!!"

"Thank you ever so much, Marica."

"Ruff!"

"Really? Ruff ruff!!"

"Most helpful. Thank you very much!"

Look at all that white space

I gotta figure out how to write in columns.

H/T Miss M

A Quiet, Yet Memorable Evening

Creamed spinach. PopEye!

We enjoyed the last of the fresh spinach-- for a little while. I picked it hard the other day, and what with the cold weather, growth has slowed considerably.

A. Leland tried out the beta version of his Winter Tea. He'll make a big batch for Thanksgiving and serve it in the crockpot.

Miss M was able to take time out from writing to grace us with her presence at dinner.

Daughter C is preparing for an excellent adventure and still managed to compose the #1 word of the day sentence (see below).

Mr. Big Food found yet another excellent grace to read before dinner.

AND... we had had our first "V" word!

Mrs. Mumaw was not only vituperative, she was physically abusive.

--Miss M

Not a trait one desires in a grade-school teacher.

Just because you hate it here in Mississippi, and you think being a tenure-track professor at Mississippi State University is beneath you, you have no reason to be vituperative toward your students, Mister Assistant Professor.

--Marica

Or in a professor.

His vituperative bellicosity cost him friendships.

--Mr. Big Food

Martin Bashir's vituperative eruption in response to the conservative woman's commentary not only demonstrated an inept frame of mind but a vicious character.

--A. Leland

It's not as if she was being vituperative when telling him he did the wrong study in the form of a question. Actually, yeah she was.

--Daughter C

GVOYA

A Lunchtime Trip

from Starkvegas, Mississippi to Oxford, not-Mississippi via Poland, Berlin and South Africa

We begin our little journey with the recent announcement that Donald "Field" Brown, a Mississippi State student double majoring in English and Philosophy, has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship! The Rhodes Scholarship was established at the behest of Cecil Rhodes.

That name sounds familiar.

Cecil Rhodes: Man and Empire-Maker. Princess Catherine Radziwill. Funk and Wagnalls Company, New York. 1918.

Sure enough, there it is right on the shelf behind my desk/lunch table-- British rule of South Africa, which would explain where ol' Cecil got his money. Mining.

So who is this Princess? My minimal skimming of the book suggests she's not the most objective author, but what do I know? It's lunchtime and I am not predisposed to go wandering about searching for biographical information, so I turn to that infallible source, Wikipedia:

Princess Catherine Radziwiłł (30 March 1858 – 12 May 1941) was a Polish princess from the Polish-Lithuanian aristocratic Radziwiłł family. She was born as Countess Ekaterina Adamovna Rzewuska. She married Prince Wilhelm Radziwiłł at age 15 and moved to Berlin to live with his family.

And then it gets interesting:

She stalked the English-born South African politician Cecil Rhodes and asked him to marry her, but he refused. She then got revenge by forging his name on a promissory note. She was convicted of forging Rhodes' signature and spent time in a South African jail for her crimes.

Enough about the miner & the Princess. Back to Oxford-- not-Mississippi, the Oxford across the pond-- where Field will be studying.

Brown, the son of Willie and Cynthia Brown, said he is particularly interested in studying post-World War II African-American literature. He said both English and philosophy are related to his love of studying ideas.

"English is the narrative form; literature deals with everyday people and how they relate to ideas," Brown said. "Philosophy is the systematic study of ideas, and the two go together."

Brown said that, while the promise of continuing his studies at Oxford is thrilling, the reality of gaining the fellowship is life changing.

"So many great minds have walked the halls of Oxford, including tons of writers and a lot of important thinkers who have shaped the western world," Brown said.

Brown said he plans to pursue masters of studies degrees in both American literature and modern English literature. Specifically, he is interested in trans-Atlantic interactions within literature, particularly how McCarthyism scare tactics of the 1950s and the Cold War affected which books were promoted.

Recipe: Best Breakfast Casserole and Party Variation

Really, really good!

This is the regular version, not the party variation. It would make an excellent breakfast for the coming busy weekend. Make it in the evening, refrigerate overnight.

"Scrumptious. Be creative with the bread and meat you use." 

BEST BREAKFAST CASSEROLE AND PARTY VARIATION  

12 slices bread (“may substitute French bread for white bread: either preferably homemade—see recipes in Baked Goods section) 
1 lb Velveeta cheese 
8 oz sausage, cooked and drained (preferably homemade—see recipes in Meats section) 
1 stick butter or margarine, melted 
6 eggs, beaten 
1 tsp dry mustard 
½ tsp salt 
1 quart milk 

Break bread into small pieces and place in a greased 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Cube cheese and place over bread, then top cheese with sausage. Pour melted butter over all. Stir together beaten eggs, mustard, salt, and milk, then pour mixture over casserole. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours. Preheat oven to 350° and bake casserole for 1 hour or longer, until a crust forms on the top and the casserole is firm. 

PARTY VARIATION 
 “Layer over bread 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained. Add the cheese and diced ham. Add 2 tablespoons instant minced onions to the beaten egg mixture, pour over casserole. Proceed as directed. Serves 10.”

Recipe: Texas Style Barbequed Chicken

Broiled version

TEXAS STYLE BARBECUED CHICKEN  
Serves 6 

1 C catsup or chili sauce (preferably homemade—see recipes in Basics section) 
1/3 C lemon juice, strained 
1 Tbsp onion, grated or chopped very fine 
1/3 C butter, melted 
½ C Worcestershire sauce 
½ tsp black pepper 
2 3 ½ lb frying chickens, cut up 

Blend together all ingredients except chicken pieces, brush on chicken, and let stand 20 minutes. 

TO BROIL 
Arrange chicken on foil-lined broiler pan and broil at moderate heat 6 inches from flame, about 35 minutes total. Turn chicken several times and baste frequently with the remaining sauce. 

TO BAKE 
Preheat oven to 350°. Place chicken pieces in shallow baking pan (lined with foil if desired, for easier clean up) and bake 45 minutes.

Recipe: Carolina Slaw

Add this to your barbeque sandwich. Very Carolina!

CAROLINA SLAW  
Serves 8 to 10 

1 head of cabbage, shredded fine 
1 medium bell pepper, chopped fine 
1 medium sweet onion, chopped fine 
2 carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch strips 
1 C sugar (or less, to taste) 
1 tsp salt 
2/3 C vegetable oil 
1 tsp dry mustard 
1 tsp celery seed 
1 C cider vinegar 

Combine cabbage, bell pepper, onion, and carrots in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves, and then stir frequently. Pour hot dressing over vegetables and toss well. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Wait. What?

Huh?

One can only hope the various weather predicting organizations are as accurate as they typically are.

Word of the Decade

A lack of eptitude resulted in an inept character.

--Mr. Big Food

I left it inept to the other fella to put the shine on the barn.

--A. Leland

Excessive drinking and crack usage do not alone make one an inept city official.

--Daughter C

It was the most inept performance by a professor-- in front of his own students no less!-- that I've ever seen.

--Marica

You're inept.

--Miss M

It doesn't take much

to amuse us.

These are mockernuts.

Mockernuts are a species of hickory: Carya tomentosa. I got that from the infallible source, Wikipedia. It confirms what my Plant Book [1] and several tree identification books [2] say.

Mockernuts are A. Leland's gig. He's been collecting, removing the husks, and shelling them. He reports the nut meat is sweet and buttery with a hint of banana.

If he keeps up his current pace of collecting, removing and shelling, we should have at least four or five cups of nut meat by next Spring. That is, if he isn't distracted by the walnuts. 

A. Leland observed that it was cool that we could just walk outside and gather food to eat. He's not one, but it's good to be reminded that some folks think delicate nuts come from Whole Foods. 

[1] The Plant Book: The World of Plants in a Single Volume. Random House Austrailia Pty Ltd. 2001

[2] Trees of North America: A Field Guide to the Major Native and Introduced Species North of Mexico. Frank Brockman. Golden Press, New York. 1979.

Question.

WHAT does history mean to me?

That's an excellent question.

It's Plain & Obvious. Duh.

The plain and obvious Meaning of the Words Freedom and Liberty, in common Speech, is Power, Opportunity, or Advantage, that any one has, to do as he pleases. Or in other Words, his being free from Hindrance or Impediment to the Way of doing, or conducting in any Respect, as he wills. And the contrary to Liberty, whatever Name we call that by, is a Person's being hinder'd or unable to conduct as he will, or being necessitated to do otherwise.

(Emphases in original; From "Concerning the Notion of Liberty, and of Moral Agency" by Jonathan Edwards [from the "Treatise on the Freedom of the Will," 1754] in Selections from Early American Writers 1607-1800, William B. Cairns, ed., The Macmillan Company, New York, 1912.)

Freedom and Liberty. 

Thinkers

I'm gaining an appreciation for Hume.

But I'm not going to talk about Hume in the hallway.

But I might think about talking about Hume later in the day.

I have a "Hume" tag. Is that pathetic or what?

re ∙ con ∙ dite

Foolish recondite puffery is the real "hobgoblin."

--Mr. Big Food

Metaphysicians seem to be incapable of offering anything but the worst recondite theses.

--A. Leland

According to contemporary scholars, "No genuine scientific understanding is possible." "How recondite," said Hume.

--Marica

re ∙ con ∙ dite

Private Message

page 3

I bought a bunch of copies to send to y'all.  Please email me your adresses.

Mr. Low Man! Who told you could get out of that corner? Get back there!

Recipe: Hot Potato Soup

Welcome to the 2013 Fall & Winter Soup Contest!

The soup can easily be veganized-- which is what Mr. Big Food did. He also sauteed up some red hot sausages to add-in, and served the soup with your choice of sour cream, vegan sour cream, milk, or almond milk. 

HOT POTATO SOUP  
Serves 8 

2 C onion, chopped 
1 C celery, chopped 
1 quart red potatoes, peeled and sliced 
1 clove garlic, minced 
½ stick butter 
2 C chicken stock, plus more, or use veggie stock for a vegetarian/vegan soup (preferably homemade—see recipes in Basics section) 
Milk, soy milk, almond milk 
Sour cream 

Sauté onions, celery, and garlic in butter until limp, add 2 C chicken stock, then add potatoes and enough additional stock to barely cover potatoes. Cook covered until potatoes are tender. “This can be pureed in a blender if you want it smooth or mashed with a potato masher. Add half milk and half sour cream, or all milk, until the right consistency for soup.”

Recipe: Toamto Gravy II (used for a macaroni dish)

Veganizable in the obvious ways

Mr. Big Food made this as a sauce for baked macaroni. A nice vegan variation on mac & cheese. Also, he used broccoli stock rather than water. No need to let those vitamins go down the drain when you boil veggies!

“Instead of tomatoes, you can use canned tomato juice or canned tomatoes.” 

TOMATO GRAVY II  

1 oz (2 Tbsp) butter (“the size of a large egg”) 
1 onion, cut into thin slices 
4 whole black peppercorns 
3 whole allspice 
1 whole clove 
Pinch ground cinnamon 
½ bay leaf 
Pinch thyme 
Piece of lemon rind “about the size of a thumb nail” 
1 Tbsp sugar, plus more if needed 
2 Tbsp flour 
10 medium tomatoes, well ripened, chopped, with juices 
Soup stock or water (the former preferably homemade—see recipes in this section) 
Salt 
2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice (optional) 
A little red wine OR sour cream (optional) 

Melt butter in a saucepan or deep skillet and fry onion slices until golden. Add peppercorns, allspice, clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, thyme, lemon rind, and sugar. Add flour and mix well. Add tomatoes and their juices, and simmer, mixing frequently. Add soup stock or water when juice from tomatoes has evaporated. Cook, add salt to taste, and add additional sugar, and vinegar or lemon juice, if any is needed. “Some people add a little red wine or sour cream.” Strain gravy through a strainer.

Recipe: Pickled Pepper Roast

No leftovers!

Mr. Big Food says, "I adapted this one from an old recipe for cooking roasts in foil wraps. It’s tasty and easy, and the cooked pickled peppers are delicious to eat by themselves." 

PICKLED PEPPER ROAST  

1 roast, pork or beef (can be a cheap cut—the fat will cook away) 
(Alternatively: one turkey breast) 
1 jar sliced pickled banana peppers or pepprocini—hot or mild (use two jars for larger cuts of meat) 
1 cooking bag large enough for your cut of meat 

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 1 Tbsp flour in cooking bag, close by hand, and swirl flour around bag. Place bag in a pan or roaster big enough to hold cut of meat comfortably. Dump peppers and liquid over meat in bag. Seal bag and cut six slits with large knife across top. 

Bake as follows: 

Beef—
Boneless Chuck Roast, 3-5 pounds, 2-2 ¾ hours; 
Rump Roast, 4-7 pounds, 2-2 ½ hours; 
Sirloin Tip Roast, 4-8 pounds, 1 ¾- 2 3/4 hours; 
Eye of Round Roast, 3-5 pounds, 1 ¼ - 1 ¾ hours. 

Pork, turkey & chicken below

Recipe: Corn and Tomato Casserole (Veganizable)

Veganizable in the usual way

CORN AND TOMATO CASSEROLE  

2 ½ C canned corn, drained (or frozen)
2 ½ C diced stewed tomatoes (or replace some portion of this with Ro*tel for a spicier dish) 
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp sugar 
1 Tbsp chili powder (preferably homemade—see recipes in Basics section) 
Butter 
Bread cubes, cut from buttered toast 

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix together corn, tomatoes, salt, sugar, and chili powder and pour into a lightly greased baking dish. Top with bread cubes and dot with butter. Bake 15-20 minutes or until bread cubes on top are nicely browned.

Recipe: Creole Pork Chops and Corn Bread Casserole

Who doesn't like pork chops? ... Except for vegans?

From Leah Chase, the long-time chef and co-owner of Dooky Chase’s restaurant in N’Awlins

CREOLE PORK CHOPS AND CORNBREAD CASSEROLE  
Serves 8 

½ stick butter 
8 pork chops, ½ inch thick 
1/3 C onion, chopped 
1/3 C celery, chopped 
¼ C bell pepper, chopped 
1 large garlic clove, minced 
2 C cornbread, crumbled (preferably homemade—see recipes in Baked Goods section—or Jiffy mix) 
1 egg, beaten lightly 
14 ½ oz tomatoes, chopped with juice (can use canned) 
1 C (8 oz) tomato sauce (preferably homemade—see recipe in Basics section) 
1 tsp brown sugar 
½ tsp chili powder (or more, to taste, and preferably Pure—see instructions in Basics section) 
¼ tsp salt 
1/8 tsp black pepper 
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 
1 bay leaf 

Preheat oven to 350°. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in large skillet over medium flame. Add 4 chops and brown on both sides. Remove, draining drippings back into skillet, and repeat with remaining chops. Remove and set aside. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in same skillet, add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Remove from heat. Combine cornbread, egg, and half of onion mixture in large mixing bowl, and set aside. Add remaining ingredients to remaining onion mixture in skillet, mix to combine, and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from flame and remove bay leaf. Place 4 browned pork chops in a 3 quart casserole, and spread cornbread mixture over chops. Top with remaining chops, pour sauce over, and cover casserole. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until chops are tender.