Cocktail Confessions

This footage was shot at the same time I was filming my series on ‘How to prepare a Beef Brisket for slow smoking.’ and thought it was important content to share as well.  Yeah, I know it’s a little lengthy, clocking in at just over eight minutes in length, however, there’s a lot of information packed into these 8 minutes.  You should think of this as a ‘supplementary’ episode (i.e. episode 2.5).

The content here in “Rubs & Marinades” is broken up into four sub-categories and I spend a few minutes on each one:

1. Marinades: generally liquid based with some sort of acidic base, whether that be a natural juice such as orange juice, or vinegar.  Talk about pre-packaged spice packets, or bottled varieties.  The key thing to remember here is timing.  Most acidic based marinades should not be left on the meat for more than 10-12 hours.  At that time, there is an actual process of the meat breaking down and starting to lose its natural flavor.  Personally, I like to marinade 6-8 hours if possible in the refrigerator, turning over only a few times.  Bring your meat out of the refrigerator about an hour before your ready to cook it help it get up to room temperature.  Also, the more acid the less time you need.
2. Injection – I discuss and show a large gauge needle specifically designed for injection.  A good rule of thumb is .5 oz of liquid for every pound of meet.  Try and evenly disperse injection points throughout the surface and slowly depress plunger and also slowly remove needle.
3. Salt & Pepper – It is very important to take this step seriously.  Avoid at all costs both iodized, granulated table salt and pre-milled pepper.  Try and use fresh peppercorn and either Kosher salt or sea salt crystals.  A little bit can go a long way, and salt & pepper, done right, will improve your flavor and char crusts ten-fold.
4. Dry Rubs – Whether it’s pre-packaged or a homemade concoction there’s a few simple guidelines: A) Try and use fresh herbs and spices.  This ensures natural oils and the strongest flavor.  Spices do in-fact degrade over time and can lose their intensity if exposed to too much air, light, heat, and moisture.  B) A mortar & pestle, or separate coffee grinder is the best way to grind fresh spices. C) Know your side-dishes and audience!  A very spicy southern rub may not be appreciated by those that are used to tamer flavors.  Curry is nice for Mediterranean dishes such as lamb, but not so good for a Texas BBQ with ranch style beans.  The spices and rub you use for your meat should compliment and enhance everything else at the table as well.

Well, here I am with Part II of 4-part series on how to prep and smoke a beef brisket.  I realize the first video was a little on the lengthy side (about 8.5 minutes), so I trimmed this down to a more digestible five minutes.

In this segment, I talk about cleaning up the meat, taking note of the grain, trimming the fat-cap and brisket in general and some ‘scoring’.  In brief, you’ll want to rinse your brisket off under the sink and pat dry with a paper towel to remove as much excess water as possible.  With a sharp knife, you’ll want to cut off or trim any dangling meat ‘flaps’ on the underneath of your brisket and any pieces of errant fat. 

Now flip the brisket over so that the ‘fat-cap’ is on top, and again, with a sharp knife try and trim the fat cap to a uniform thickness of 1/8″ to 1/4″.  Since you’ll be smoking or grilling fat side up, this fat will begin to melt at a certain temperature and gravity will allow it to penetrate the meat downwards during the cooking process.  This is what helps keep your brisket moist and adds a ton of flavor, so you don’t want to trim all the fat off.

The next optional step is to ‘score’ your fat.  I make diagonal cuts about an inch apart in both directions only as deep as the fat cap itself.  Try to avoid actually cutting into the meat.  By doing this cross-hatching, it will allow you to get that spice rub to penetrate just a little bit more and provide a little additional surface area for your dry rub to adhere to.  Like I said, it’s totally optional, but this 30 second step I think is a no-brainer and I personally believe helps the taste out in the long run.

Finally, take note of the grain of the meat.  You’ll want to make sure you know which way the muscle fiber is running, because once you smoke your meat for 6+ hours and get that nice dark crusty bark on the outside, it’ll be hard to tell which way the grain is running.  And why do you want to know this?  Because you are going to slice your brisket ‘AGAINST’ the grain, not with it when it comes to serving it up.

Okay, Part III should be ready in a few days, and here’s where we get down to the good stuff.  It’s all about the rub, the injection, the marinade, and the flavor.  So stay tuned, because I’m actually really proud of that segment

Well, It’s finally here.  Part 1 of my long promised “How To” series on smoking a beef brisket.

After my wife brought home a Brinkman smoker from her 10-year anniversary with working for her company, I was chomping at the bit to try my hand at smoking a brisket.  The good news is was that it turned out pretty darn good and everyone who tried it loved it.  Even better, it was a perfect excuse to use my Kodak Playsport and record all the footage from my preparation, trimming, and rubbing with my own spices, to actually doing a time-lapsed capture on the smoker itself and finally finishing it up on the oven.

When it was all said and done, I had enough footage to string together a basic “How To” video series that I’m in the process of editing and posting to both YouTube and here.  I initially thought I could break it up into three videos, but after this first one clocked in at just over 8 minutes in length, I decided to break it up further into 4 videos.  I think most people can absorb interesting information in smaller 4-5 minutes chunks as opposed to fewer and longer 8 plus minute pieces.

So while I understand you may think this eight (8) minute video may be a little long, I promise that the future installments will be smaller in size.  This first segment talks about selecting a beef brisket, what to look for at the grocery store or butcher, a bit of the anatomy of the meat and initial preparation.  Things really start to take shape in Part II (already edited as of this writing) with Parts III and IV on rubs, marinades, injections, wood, bastings and finally the smoking and revealing of the finished brisket itself.  I promise, it gets better.

Anyway, in this video series you will see an amateur no-holds barred, step-by-step instruction of me smoking a 6.62 pound USDA hand picked beef brisket over hickory wood (not mesquite as I mentioned in the video) in my Brinkman Bullet.

I can’t take credit for this list.  The author is actually Richard Goldsmith and I found this article online.  Try some of his suggestions and report back.

Football season is upon us, and while that certainly means lazy Saturdays and Sundays on the couch relaxing with beer in hand and pizza on speed dial, it also means early mornings firing up the grill with like minded fans in crowded parking lots. This time of year is for tailgating more than any other, and no exhaust pipe party is complete without cooler full of brews to wash down the nicely charred brats, burgers, wings, and pots full of chili.

You could, of course, buy a case of Bud and call it a day. But when there are so many spectacular brews to choose from it seems almost sad to pair an awesome day with the Bears, Vikings, Giants, etc. with anything but a beer perfectly suited to a crisp Fall day with good friends and greasily delicious food cooked over hot coals. And if you end up shirtless and painted in team colors along the way, that’s the mark of a day well spent.

Here are a few bottles worth packing in the cooler alongside the face paint:

Great Lakes Brewing Dortmunder Gold – Brewed in Cleveland, a town with a proud football tradition and a contract out on Art Modell, Dortmunder was originally called The Heisman, making it just about the perfect beer to pack up for a productive Saturday of college football. A nicely balanced lager with an easy drinking malt and hops combo, it pours a rich gold – though it’s unlikely to make it into a glass before a game. What’s especially impressive is how much hoppy aroma and flavor is packed in without making it a bitter hop-bomb, as so many beers of late seem to be. It’s toasty and warming, despite having a relatively light-body, with a crisp finish and almost creamy texture.

Penn Oktoberfest – Just across the border in Pennsylvania, Cleveland’s arch-rival Pittsburgh brews up beer fit for a day of food and football at the Pennsylvania Brewing Company. In this case, it’s a traditional German marzen that’s just heavy enough to fortify against the cold without being so heavy you have to go easy on it in order to pack in a couple of more burgers. Nice yeasty aromas abound, with dry malt on the aftertaste and some interesting fruit up front. It has a little citrus to it with just enough carbonation to cut the grease from nachos and the massive quantities of grilled meats customary before taking in a game.

Narragansett Porter – The Patriots are still among the class of the NFL, so, with any luck, drinking like one might help out your team of choice. Narragansett Brewery is located on the cusp of Patriots country in Providence, Rhode Island and, not surprisingly, puts out cans that are right at home packed into a pregame cooler. The company’s porter in particular is a nice change of pace. The nearly black brew is complex and heavy on the malt with an appealing tartness that seems almost out of place in a porter. It’s not as heavy as many other porters, with fairly gentle carbonation and an easy sweetness that doesn’t get cloying after three or four, thanks to a touch of bitterness from the hops. Plus, the brewery’s “Gansett Girl” blog makes for some solid conversation around the grill.

Shiner Bohemian Black Lager – No tailgating brew list would be complete without a beer from the heart of Texas. Located west of the Texans and south of the Cowboys, Spoetzl Brewery has been in business since 1914 and the brewery’s flagship, Shiner Bock, is a common sight at college and pro football tailgating all over the state and country. But the company also brews up a black lager called schwarzbier. With far more body and lip-smackingly bitter hops flavor than the average lager, it pours a deep black with some ruby highlights. Roasted malt flavors come through clearly, bringing out some coffee and sweetness, but even with the complexity and fairly bold flavors it’s easy drinking. There’s some unfortunate graininess to the texture, but if there’s spicy foods at the party, this is the beer to bring. Though there’s some heavy carbonation to the beer, so watch out for some impressively fiery brew-inspired belching.

I can’t take credit for the article and I’m not going to copy and paste the whole thing here, but if you jump over to one of those convoluted links over at MSNBC.com, I came across an interesting story about a guy who gave up meat for 30 days in protest to meat industry and factory farms.

Doesn’t sound like that big of a deal?  Well, it is if you’re actually Craig “Meathead” Goldwyn, author of the famous BBQ blog and recipe site, amazingribs.com.

He did mention some side effects:  1) He lost five pounds, 2) And experienced some intestinal distress towards the end.  Not sure if that is because he obviously increased his overall fiber intake, his body was adjusting to a new diet, or something else entirely.

The closest I ever gave up anything for that long was alcohol once many years ago.  A friend bet me I couldn’t last a month without a sip of booze.  I actually made it about 29 days, and then I was a party and I think I had a wine cooler or something just as horrid.  I suppose I could have gotten away with it if I really wanted to, but a bet is a bet, and I was honest, and I came clean.  She treated me anyway to a nice dinner of Pick Up Stix anyway for my efforts (we were young and broke at the time).

I was thinking about “Meathead’s” meatless month and I wondered if I could do the same.  I probably could, although it may be slightly harder than I may think it is.  I’m not really positive how much meat I eat a week.  I do have quite a few sandwiches during the week, BBQ a lot in the summer, and make other dinner time meals during that usually has a meat component.

I did wish I ate more fish though, so I ‘may’ be able to get persevere anyway.  I suppose if my doctor told me to give up red meat, I eventually could.  My doctor told me to cut back on my cholesterol at one point and I can honestly tell you I cut my buffalo wing consumption by 80% and my shrimp/lobster/crab consumption by 95%, (I still have the occasional shrimp, but not like I used too).  Cheese is the hardest I find.  I do eat more 2%, low-fat, and even some non-fat cheese on occasion, but I can’t stomach the ‘vegi’ or ‘soy’ cheese.  It’s horrid.

Anyway, it’s an interesting article and you can read it here.

Well, anyone up for another foodie review?  Good.  This past weekend I had the pleasure of getting out of the house with my buddy Jon, and we decided to head just slightly out of our geographical comfort zone and head up to the city of Orange.  There’s a lot of interesting restaurants of all ethnic varieties scattered throughout Orange and some really interesting digs in Old Town Orange.

Well, I had a hankering for some BBQ this summer evening, so I suggested to Jon that we open the sunroof up on my Ford Edge, crank up the tunes, drive up HWY 241 and head into Orange the back way and mosey into old Johnny Rebs’.  I’ve been to Johnny Reb’s a handful of times now and it is an interesting place to say the least, and I’d suggest it to anyone who wants a little something different in the barbeque experience.

There are 4 Johnny Rebs’ locations in CA and you can visit their main page and click on the ‘locations’ link to see them all in case you ever make it out to the Golden State.  Personally, I think the one located in Orange is the nicest looking of the bunch.  It has a very unique street facade, that while looking slightly out of place in a somewhat modern city, brings a down south charm to the neighborhood.  It often reminds me of a themed ride you may find at Knott’s Berry Farm or some other Californian ghost town like Bodie.

Red Trolley Ale served here.

Rebs’ was established in 1984 and tries to bring in the influences of Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina to the forefront in it’s aesthetic style, food choice, and hospitality.  According to their own website, it was Zagat rated as the Best BBQ Restaurants in Southern California (2004), although its not clear which location.  To be blunt and honest though, a lot of BBQ joint have sprung up in the last few years and I daresay I think I’ve had some better BBQ in 2010 such as Bad to the Bone in San Juan Capistrano, CA amongst a few others as well.

Speaking of hospitality though, Johnny Rebs’ does excel.  Everyone there is extremely nice and helpful and I find the staff generally chatty and pleasant, often coming around the table more than a few times to check on your meal, your satisfaction, or if you need anything else.

Johnny Reb's, Orange

The place itself is a site to behold, both inside and out.  As I mentioned earlier, it has a really nice ‘rustic’ vibe, both inside and out, and the setting and decor itself transports your mind back in time.  I think older folks and kids alike will enjoy the ‘log-cabin’ feeling on the inside, the swamp inspired waiting area outside, and of course the covered patio room located on one side of the building.  It was packed this particular night with a waiting list outside.  They also cater to parties as well and we witnessed the ritual “pig-kissing” and dancing for some old coot’s birthday that the whole place gets involved in as well.

There’s a small bar located centrally within the restaurant, which allows standing or seating for a good 6-8 people and they serve various beers on tap, some common and some uncommon ones as well.  This day, Jon and I both had a large schooner of Red Trolley Ale and it just seemed perfect for the setting.  While the beers are nice and cold and the staff friendly, I was discouraged to hear that the lemonade was actually from concentrate.  WTF?  Concentrated lemonade at a BBQ joint?  That just seems sacrilege and wrong and not an area a fine BBQ joint should be cutting corners on.

There’s tons of peanuts on the floor as well.  It’s one of those places you can get your own roasted peanuts, shell ‘em, and then toss them on the floor.  It’s fun and adds to the charm as well.  But the one bone I have to pick here is that the peanuts aren’t always fresh.  Sorry, but I’ve seen them toss new peanuts on top of the older ones in the barrels there, meaning the older ones never get rotated enough and thus just get older.  Not just this time, but other times my party has commented that we’ve always gotten more than a few stale peanuts, and there just really isn’t an excuse for that either.

For openers, Rebs’ has a really nice lineup of down south appetizers.  I’m not going to list them all here, but you can’t go wrong with their cornmeal dipped fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, sweet potato french fries, fried okra, or my personal favorite: fried dill pickles.  Yup, everyone looks at me sideways at least twice when I order them, but I think I have converted quite a few.  These dill pickles are sliced like a quarter, then breaded in cornmeal, deep fried, and served with a side of ranch dressing.  Yum!  Oh, and I may as well mention here they make their own biscuits and cornbread as well.

Between us, we split an order of the fried dill pickles and an order of sausage.  The pickles were as ever good as I recall, and ths sausage was moist and peppery.  Although when I think BBQ sausage, I think we were expecting more of a traditional hand made sausage, and this was more like a kielbasa link served with BBQ sauce.

Okay, so now onto the main fare: Like most BBQ joints you won’t be surprised to find both beef and pork ribs, fried or BBQ chicken, tri-tip and brisket in various forms, and catfish.  They also have pork chops & gravy, Cajun sausage, and blackened prime rib or sirloin steak.  Now since we are going to a BBQ joint, we are going for the ribs.  But give the menu a good looking over, there are plenty of bbq inspired sandwiches, a few salads and fish dishes as well.  Prices are average to slightly below average from what you’d expect in a BBQ joint.  Expect a dinner meal for two with drinks and appetizers to run about $65, and of course it’d be less for the smaller dishes or lunch.  They also serve a pretty exciting country breakfast as well.

I had a 1/2 rack of St. Louis ribs along with a side of mac-n-cheese, Cajun rice, and biscuit.  Jon had a 2 meat sampler of sausage and ribs along with mashed potatoes, biscuit, and something else I can’t recall right now, maybe baked beans.  The one thing you need to know about the sides is that you can request a second helping of any of your ordered sides, at no additional cost when your server comes back on by to check on you.  For me, I had a second helping of mac-n-cheese, although it wasn’t the best mac I’ve ever had.  Many places make gourmet mac with a combination of 2-3 cheeses, or a creamier texture by adding Velveeta.  Personally, Rebs’ came up a bit short in my book as their mac-n-cheese only uses one type, cheddar, and it was a little one-note and dry.  Same for my Cajun rice….it was a bit dry and bland and not what I was expecting or hoped for.  I did enjoy my ribs however, eating every last one and was happy with the amount of meat and taste I got for St’ Louis style (I usually get baby back pork).

Jon didn’t finish his whole meal, opting to take a portion home, but he seemed to enjoy it none-the-less.

At this point we were pretty full from our meal, opting not to have any desert, but here’s the quick rundown on the sweets: drop biscuit peach or chocolate cobbler, southern pecan pie, key lime pie, fried Mississippi mud pie, apple pie and vanilla ice cream.  I did note one special addition I hadn’t seen on the menu: a banana and nilla wafer pudding parfait I imagine was served in a mason jar that I would have liked to have tried but skipped out on it.

This place was tougher than I thought it was going to be to score.  There are some pretty definitive pro’s, yet a few things that after thinking about it a bit more make me want to hold back.  Overall: 3.

Ambiance: 4 – The nostalgic decor, peanuts in the floor, rustic look, and picnic style seating make for a fun and cozy atmosphere for most.  Bathroom could use a little extra love.

Hospitality: 4 – Very friendly and attentive staff who seem to be cheerful and chatty with the customers.  Something you’d expect from the South.

Food: 3 – Decent prices.  Great appetizers and desserts really open and close the show nice.  Main fare was ‘okay’, missing a bit of that smokey element one looks for in BBQ.  Some of the sides were one note and sub standard in some cases, but at least you can get an extra helping if need be.

Freshness: 2.5 – Rice was dry, mac-n-cheese a bit dry, lemonade from concentrate (?), stale peanuts, and ribs missing that ‘it’ factor kinda bummed me out.

Value: 3 – Extensive menu, extra sides, prices are good for the portion size you get

Ahhhh….two of my favorite things are coming together this October 3rd at the Fiesta Gardens just outside Austin, Texas.  The marriage of good ole smokey Texas style BBQ and the sounds of fidgeting pocket protectors of all us techno weenies who are proponets of Google technologies, namely the Android OS.  Unfortunately, and to my utter dismay I will not be attending.

I didn’t want to doctor up their own advertisment too much, so here’s the cut and paste promotion from the dudes over at Android and Me:

This October marks the two year release of the G1, the first Android device many of us came to know and love. Soon, it will also mark one of the largest, wildest, most beef-fueled, community-organized gatherings of Android fans ever attempted. The Big TX Android BBQ will be thrown on October 3rd, at the Fiesta Gardens in Austin, Tx. The event is being hosted by the likes of Android Swag, Android Guys, @thedroidguy, @bigkeivan, and of course, Android and Me. 

For a measly $25 (until Aug 15) you get all-you-can-eat BBQ, a totally rad free tee (designed by our own Angie Strickland), all the Android fellowship you can handle, and maybe some special guests. Aaron from Android Swag has been wheeling and dealing trying to land solid entertainment and guests for the BBQ but so far has been keeping his surprises close to his chest. 

To make it as easy as possible to attend, Aaron even lined up a discount code for those flying Continental. Using the code ZJE9896123 will get you a cool 10% off flights and we are still working on lining up some hotel (or even some camping) discounts for people who want to spend a few days here in Austin.

For more attendance info, go ahead and check out the offical site here.

If any of you do attend, I’d love to see some pics.  Feel free to send them to me here: cocktails1@hotmail.com and I’ll post them and give you credit as well (.jpg format please).

Oh, and by the way, there is official rumor that the long awaited Adobe Flash 10.1 will be available sometime today (Aug. 24th) for Android based smart phones.  You may have to do a search over at the Android Market Place for “Flash 10.1″, but it seems our wait is just about over.  But don’t yell at me if it is delayed a day or two,…they’ve done it before, but this time looks like it is legit.

*Santa Fe burger courtesy of FoodTV

So I realize I’ve been a little light on the recipe’s this summer. Not much of a cocktail and grilling blog if you don’t have the content to back it up once in a while. I’m still working on some “how-to” video’s for smoking a brisket…it takes a lot longer than you think, but I made some good headway this past week and I should have the first one posted soon.

Anyway, the kids should be headed back to school soon (if they haven’t already) and summer is starting to wind down, so I think this recipe will fit in nicely. It’s relatively easy, yet looks and tastes like it may have taken some real time and effort, and could be the star of the last summer hoorah.

I give credit to my wife for finding the basis of this recipe from her own online searches. It’s basically a Bobby Flay inspired recipe that stands out great on its own, but like most things, I like to make my own adjustments and spins on discovered recipes and try and make it my own.

This cheeseburger has it’s flavors rooted in the Southwest, a favorite of mine. The queso sauce is rich and spicy and replaces the traditional ‘processed slice’ we’re usually accustomed to, and allows a platform for the roasted pablano chili’s to cling to. Some blue corn chips give the burger an unexpected textural surprise along with their salty crunch.

Ingredients

Burgers

• 1 large poblano chile
• 2 1/2 TBS canola oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 LBS ground chuck (80% lean) or sub 90% lean ground turkey for healthier alternative.
• 4 large gourmet burger buns, split & toasted. (Check local bakery for fresh goods like a nice ciabatta or potato bun.  Try and avoid the generic burger buns)
• Handful of blue or yellow corn tortilla chips

Queso (cheese) Sauce:

• 1 TBS unsalted butter
• 1 TBS all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole milk. (*sub 1/2 cup milk with heavy cream if available for a richer, creamier taste)
• 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups).  (*Sub Monterrey Jack for a slightly milder, not as spicy alternative if desired).
• Dash of dried chipotle powder for earthy, smokey flavor (*optional)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Directions

1. Coat pablano chili with 1 TBS of canola oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on grill, medium heat, and turn every few minutes until skin begins to char and bubble on all sides.  Remove chili and place in paper bag or bowl covered in plastic wrap and allow to steam for 15 minutes.  Peel, stem and seed chili at this point, then coarsely chop and set aside for now.
2. To make queso sauce, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add milk/cream, increase heat, whisk constantly until slightly thickened (approx 4-5 minutes).  Remove from heat and then whisk in cheese, a little at a time, until melted.  Season with salt, pepper, chipotle powder.  Keep warm.
3. Divide meat into 4 equal portions.  Form into 3/4″ thick patties and make small depression in the middle of each with thumb.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Using remaining oil (or cooking spray), coat grill and cook burgers over medium flame until desired doneness.
4. Place burgers on toasted bun bottoms, top with a few tablespoons of cheese sauce, a few chips, some of the pablano, then of course, toasted bun tops.

So now the beer pairing:  Personally, I really enjoy Mexican lagers with my Southwestern food.  For me, Negro Modelo is a no-brainer.  Maybe even Modelo Especial or Dos Equis.  Make sure you have plenty of sliced limes nearby.  If Mexican beer isn’t your thing, how about other domestic lagers or an ale?  These pair very well with summer beef dishes.  Try a Fat Tire amber ale, or maybe even Land Shark or Long Board lagers.  They all have a crisp and clean taste in my opinion.  And you can’t go wrong with any of the seasonal summer crafts from Sam Adams.

Well, for right now I’m holding off on getting a new Droid phone.  As much as I would like to get the Droid X, my current Motorola Droid (gen 1) is only 9 months old and I can’t justify in my mind spending the money on a new flavor just to say I have the latest and greatest.  I’d personally feel more grateful internally if I can last a whole year before I actually upgrade, and I may even get lucky and get the Droid X at a slightly cheaper price anyway.

But as these things go, I suppose as soon as I get the Droid X, a new Android phone will be announced that will even be better.  On the bright side, the long awaited update, Froyo (aka 2.2), is supposed to drop OTC this week which mean Flash is just around the corner.

And despite all those people that have the iPhone, a report was issued today stating that in North America, out of all the smart phones, that the Android OS is the most widely distributed.

Doesn’t Lady Gaga look like Marilyn Manson?  I don’t know why, but in this pick I can’t help but think that she does.  I don’t think she’s all that great looking, but she has a new spread in Vanity Fair this month, and it’s the best I’ve ever seen her (BTW: this isn’t one of the pics).  Me thinks she had plastic surgery in the past…..in the nose region.

Had a wonderful smoked brisket this weekend.  It was a lot of work, but my friends seemed to enjoy it pretty well and gave me accolades for my efforts.  It’s definitely a social thing though, and would benefit a group of guys hanging around sharing a case of beer and stories all day than doing it solo.  I took plenty of video’s and pictures of the process, and I hope to have those up soon here and on YouTube.

Speaking of which, my friend Brian made an excellent potato salad with blue cheese, chipotle, and smoked paprika amongst other ingredients and it was delicious.  He said he’d give me the recipe and I’ll post here in the future as well.

Er, why does Lindsay Lohan get released after 14 days of her 90 day sentence?  If it were any Joe Blow or Jane Doe, we’d serve the full time.  Pisses me off, this double-standard crap that so-called spoiled celebrities get to take advantage of.  It’s crap on all levels.

Worked on a HO structure model this Sunday during my personal down time.  I love my hobby of model building for trains.  It’s fun and relaxing, although it can be a long and arduous process.  Wish I had a bit more money so I could start my benchwork for my layout.

Started a new book: “The Art of Racing in the Rain”.  It’s a novel whose story is told through the eyes and soul of a 13 year old yellow Labrador.  Very touching and moving.  Dare I say I’ve already been moved to tears after the opening chapter?  I’ve been reading more books lately based on animals and have been enjoying them immensely.  I just finished ‘Dog Town’, based on true account of the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah.

Finally, I really need to start my diet as of yesterday.  I have approx 2.5 months to drop close to 15 lbs for a wedding in which I am the best man.  I had an excellent meal and beer fest this past Saturday, so the last two days I’m just drinking water, coffee, and ice tea.

If you’re a Star Wars nerd like me, you’ll get that reference.

Anyway, apologies for the lack of posts lately.  I actually have a review of El Cid of Los Angeles already written along with pictures and video clips, it’s just a matter of me uploading everything and doing some final edits.

In brief, here are a couple things in the meantime:

1. Work has been extremely slow as of late.  I’ve actually been watching paint dry and counting air molecules to pass the time.
2. Been enjoying new Bud Select 55, the low calorie beer, although I can’t seem to get a buzz from it.
3. Watching a lot of Netflix lately.  Love the streaming feature.  Watching Sparticus (Season 1) and Weeds (Season 3).  Tried watching Jack Black’s and Michale Cera’s “Year One”, but it is soooo bad.  Also started watching the first season of True Blood.
4. Gonna try and smoke a brisket this weekend with my new smoker.  Never did one before, but we all gotta start somewhere, so I’m thinking I may buy a brisket after work today and cook/smoke it for saturday.  I may buy a 6lb brisket from El Toro Meats to start with.  It’s $6.99 a pound, so a 5lb brisket is upwards of $35!
5. I know I’m lacking in the Big Brother updates.  I’m about 4 episodes behind as of this writing.  I’ve watched them all so far, so I need to do a brief synopsis later in a combined entry (maybe later today if I’m bored).

Check out this really cool ‘steampunk’ USB drive (pictured left).  It’s 8GB in size and it’s creator says the design was inspired by an old country sign….Er…okay…I don’t see it, but I love the end result anyway.  I just love this Jules Verne looking stuff.  It’s so much more interesting than all the other streamlined tech out there these days.  It’s a piece of art in my book.

The creator gives it an esitimated worth of $300, which for an original piece of alternate Americana technology, it’s tempting (if I had the extra money). *Image courtesy of ChipChick.

Lastly, although I’m really enjoying my new Kodak Playsport, it seems Panasonic just announced their own shoot-and-share handheld HD flash camcorder.  The TA1 currently has a pre-order (release date is tentatively Aug 17) price listing of $169, which is in line with all the others in this category, but has few things really stand out for me: 1) It’s Panasonic, and they make great stuff.  I think their plasma televisons, DVD players, and old school VCR’s are top notch, especially for their price, so I doubt you be assured the hardware is strong.  2) The stand alone camera is 8MP whereas all the otehrs in this category are 5MP.  3) It’s Skype enabled (how sweet is that?)  4)  And finally, someone has added a front facing LED ‘light’ used to help illuminate recording in low light conditions (double sweet!!).  Hopefully this additional features will prove to be worthy enough to be included in future incarnation by the other developers for the next generation of these hand held devices.  If so, I can see myself upgrading in about a year from now.