Funday: Meat, Cheese & Freaks
Oh, it’s Friday. I should probably send you into the weekend with tales of cocktails or thoughts on what wine to drink during these unseasonably cool summer nights. I could tell you where to find duck eggs for a decadent weekend omelette at home, or remind you about some of the better brunch options in the area. Or maybe it would be better to point you to some inspiring recipe from a local food blogger who really knows her stuff.
Instead, I’m going to share some of the press releases I’ve gotten over the past few days. Hey, it’s part of the deal. I really like how clean the FLB is with predominantly just one post of original content per day. Yes, there are rare exceptions when I deviate from the script. But for the most part, people who come to the blog can expect a fresh story every day.
Sure, some may be better than others. But that’s how it goes.
Still, I can’t write about everything. And I believe that those folks who have taken the time to reach out to the FLB in order to spread their message, should get some kind of reward for their bravery.
So without further ado, here’s what the PR community wants you to know.
Read more…
A Game of Chicken: USA v Russia
Besides the threat of global thermonuclear war, growing up in the cold war era was a lot of fun. I mean, we had Rocky IV and whole host of Bloom County comic strips that pitted us against the Russians.
It’s hard to put a face on terrorism. These days it seems almost anyone can be a terrorist. Terrorism is all about fear and intimidation. And now that OBL and Saddam Hussein have been killed, the “War on Terror” is missing an iconic villain.
Russians, on the other hand, are easy to find. They are mostly over in Russia. And they have a government. Their military (generally) wears uniforms so they can be identified on the battlefield. They also have a badass for a president. So, it feels a bit like deja vu as relations chill between our two countries.
The good news is that we now and again will get an occasional story about how Russia is totally superior than the U.S. of A. These stories are meant to inspire us and rally Americans everywhere to do better.
Imagine my delight when I read a recent one all about chicken.
A Vacay From the CSA
Tuesday is CSA pickup day. You may remember how thrilled I was a few weeks ago to snatch a rare late-season spot in Roxbury Farm’s annual membership program. I’m still thrilled, but it’s hard to be away.
Yesterday marks the second share that I missed while on this latest Pennsylvania adventure. Fortunately, I made plans in advance to make sure that this amazing local bounty went to loving homes. And with Mile Level Country Market relatively nearby in Bedford, PA I’ve been eating plenty of local seasonal produce.
Still, I miss the avalanche of foods that force me to be creative and sometimes push me out of my comfort zone. It’s easy to just eat corn, tomatoes, and peaches all summer long. But those who do so aren’t contributing to the greater agricultural diversity we really should be cultivating. That’s a longer story.
But thanks to my CSA vacay, I’ll be able to do something awesome this weekend.
Picky Peach Picking
File this under things that I shouldn’t share.
It’s hard to find a good peach. It’s much easier to find a hard peach. Hard underripe peaches unfortunately represent the bulk of the peach selection in most major markets, even during the peak of the summer season.
But there are usually good ones to be found buried in the bin, if you know how to pick them. It’s not hard. It just takes patience and persistence. That, and you have to remember to look for this one critical thing.
The Biscuit That Dares Not Speak Its Name
The only thing I know about biscuits is that I love great ones. Like all things involving baking, I generally am happy to let the experts do their thing, and for me to be the recipient of their talents. Granted, that relies upon me finding great examples of the breads I enjoy wherever I travel. But hunting out good eats is a passion of mine.
When it comes to baked goods, I must confess a love for the simple. I prefer a plain croissant to one filled with chocolate, and ideally one that’s made from just a few kitchen cabinet ingredients. The fewer the better.
Recently I stumbled onto an easy biscuit recipe that claimed to only use four ingredients. It almost didn’t seem possible. But people (on the internet) were gushing about this recipe, so I decided to check into it further. What I found was so horrifying, that I simply had to make a batch for myself.
A Basket of Wings
I love chicken wings. I’ve loved chicken wings for a long long time. Buffalo wings were a favorite of mine years before I even know about Frank’s Red Hot or the existence of a place called The Anchor Bar.
Since then, wings have become a national phenomenon. The market price for chicken wings has skyrocketed. At the beginning this little flap of mostly skin and bone was pretty much considered worthless. Now the wing business is a goldmine.
Dagnabit.
The good things always get discovered. And when they do, they somehow get stupid expensive. I guess that’s supply and demand in action. Besides being cheaper, an order of wings was also larger. Generous places would sell them by the dozen. These days it’s much more common to see wings in orders of ten. But it’s not unheard of to see an order of eight.
There are some who lament the declining number of wings in their basket. But I can’t say that I’m one of them. As much as I love wings, having fewer of them in an order actually makes me happy for a few of reasons.
Whipping Up a Sauce
Twelve people eating. Six adults. Six children. That’s what we’re facing at the cabin every day. Really, three times a day. Even boiling a pot of water to make pasta for that many people is a chore. Honestly, going into this vacation, I had no idea how we were going to be able to do it.
The answer seems to be: in shifts.
At dinner time the kids get fed first. The adults make sure the little scamps have everything they need. Then as soon as they’re finished it’s back to the dungeon downstairs playroom while the grown-ups eat. For other meals everyone tends to just feed themselves whenever they’re hungry. Remarkably, it’s all working out great.
Saturday night we went out. Granted, there were only seven of us then. But we’re going to reattempt this success at the same place on Friday night. At least I think that’s the plan. Last Sunday night was tube meats. The kids had hot dogs, the adults enjoyed sausages. Monday was crock pot pulled pork.
Mrs. Fussy was a big fan of this simple method for slow cooking pork shoulder, and I suspect we’ll be trying this at home in the future. There was only one minor snafu.
Martin’s Potato Rolls Change for the Better
Greetings from Pennsylvania. Our cabin in the Poconos is spacious with plenty of modern amenities, most importantly wireless internet. So for better or for worse, the blog will indeed continue this week.
It’s only fitting that the first story should be about a Pennsylvania classic, Martin’s Potato Rolls. They are from Chambersburg, home of the famous Pennsylvania peaches, and beloved by many. In fact, Pirates Lakeside Grill has put these distinctive, soft widely-available buns on their menu with a great sense of pride.
That last part always struck me as odd. How could a place that uses local grassfed beef for their burgers and has a Tilldale Farm pastured pork hotdog, feel good about using a roll that is made with FD&C Yellow 5 & 6. Yes, that’s right. That signature color that some consumers must instinctively associate with eggs or butter really comes from artificial coloring.
Now what strikes me as strange, is the fact that Martin’s would finally fix a few flaws in their formulation, and keep such things under wraps. And for what it’s worth, the improvements go beyond the color.
FUSSYlittleBLOG 