Off to Another Conference!

The Brave Astronaut Clan is on the road for another professional meeting.  LBA and and SoBA are along for the ride - but they're really here for the baseball portions of the trip (Cooperstown, a Rochester Red Wings game on Saturday, and maybe a stop at the Little League Museum on the way home).

The Spring 2014 MARAC Meeting is being held in Rochester, NY this week.  There is a full slate of activities, sessions, and events for my friends and colleagues to do for the next few days.  BuzzFeed posted a while back on the "Awful Stages of Attending a Conference."  Hopefully our meetings aren't like this.

1. You have to wake up at a stupidly early hour because the event starts at 8.30 ON THE DOT.  Even though half the delegates arrive late and no conference in the history of human evolution has ever started or ended on time.  (For years, we have been toying with our schedule to try and get some events moved to different parts of the day from first thing in the morning - but someone is always going to get screwed.) 
2. Conferences usually take place in the basement of musty old hotels, where there’s no phone reception. (This is becoming less of a problem as hotels join the 21st Century and provide free wi-fi - so you can keep playing that game of Words With Friends or Candy Crush.) 
3. You’re supposed to be networking and exchanging business cards, but it’s too early and you find it endlessly awkward peering at people’s name badges to see who they are. (As the President of the organization, I meet a lot of the conferees and I'm ashamed to admit that I have stolen more than a few glances at name badges when people come up to me.) You're supposed to be networking and exchanging business cards, but it's too early and you find it endlessly awkward peering at people's name badges to see who they are.
4. And when you do see someone you know, you can’t remember their name so avoid making eye contact. (I know someone in the profession that when engaged in a conversation with him - he would constantly be looking past you for someone else to talk to.) 
5. There may be an exhibition area where sponsors can tell you all about their wonderful products. They may have hired a DJ. (In my memory, there's never been a DJ - but we get some good swag from our exhibitors - and there's often candy - something that LBA and SoBA will root out very quickly this week.) 
6. Then the conference itself starts. There are some great speakers… and some not so great ones. (As a profession, we are not the most dynamic speakers - but we do OK.)  
7. If you're a journalist covering a conference, you're often reduced to searching for laptop battery power. (We don't get a lot of journalists covering our meetings.) 
8. Lunchtime! Now you have to try to eat and chat while holding a plate and cutlery and and a drink. Good luck. Bonus observation: What’s with those metal food heaters you get at conferences? Where do they come from? (We have pretty good luncheons - I used to avoid them unless the topic really grabbed me - but now as President, I'm there.) 
9. You are praying there are cakes. Please let there be cakes. You are praying there are cakes. (We have pretty good breaks - and at this conference there is reported to be ice cream!) 
10. After lunch is when you have to ward off that sleepy feeling. (Yeah, I try not to go to sessions in the afternoon - I don't want my snoring to disturb the presenters.)
11. It wouldn’t be so bad if conferences weren’t so expensive. It will cost you $6,000 to attend the TED event in Rio this year. (Well MARAC is still pretty affordable - and most of the time - our employers will help with the costs.)
12. And when it’s all over? There’s a free bar. Which you make full use of. (MARAC's Hospitality Suite "After-Parties" are legendary in the organization.) 

Spiced Peach, Graham Cracker and Oat Crisp

LBA and SoBA get snacks for after school each day (though not this week as they are off for Easter Break).  Most of the time it's Cheez-its and Cheerios and raisins, but sometimes I will mix it up and give them Triscuits and graham crackers.  So there's usually graham crackers in the house.  There may be some frozen peaches in the house, but I know I need more oats.  From the Washington Post.

Spiced Peach, Graham Cracker and Oat Crisp
Sarah L. Voisin / The Washington Post
Nourish Mar 5, 2014

Warm fruit desserts are one of my favorite ways to end a meal or dress up a weekend breakfast. I'm always tinkering with different combinations of fruits, spices and toppings to mix things up. Here, a classic peach crisp is spiced like a gingerbread cookie. 

To really indulge, serve with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Servings: 8
Tested size: 8 servings

Ingredients 
For the fruit 

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 2 pounds frozen peaches, cut into 3/4-inch chunks 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

For the topping 

• 1/4 cup quick-cooking or regular rolled oats (not instant) 
• 1/2 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs 
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

Directions 
For the fruit: Whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Add the peach chunks and vanilla extract; toss to evenly distribute. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping: Combine the oats, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Add the butter and use your fingers to thoroughly work it into the dry ingredients to create a crumbly mixture.

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Use cooking oil spray to grease a 9-by-13-inch shallow baking dish or one of equal volume (2 1/2 quarts).

Pour the fruit mixture into the baking dish, distributing the peaches evenly. Scatter the crumb topping over the fruit, covering the surface as much as possible. Bake (on the lower oven rack) for 45 to 50 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling up the sides of the dish and the fruit at the center is tender when pierced with a fork or skewer.

Wait 10 minutes before serving.

See The USA!

The Brave Astronaut Clan is on Spring Break this week.  Time to see the USA - or at least a little corner of it.  The Huffington Post put out this list of the ONE thing that you need to see in each state.

1. ALABAMA - Go to space camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Aspiring astronauts ages 9 to 99 come to Huntsville for a chance to sleep in bunks, spin in the Multi-Axis Trainer, and handle a crisis on simulated intergalactic missions - I've been to Huntsville.  I've seen the Rocket Center.  The rest of my time in Alabama is a story for another time.
2. ALASKA - Hang with polar bears in their real home at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge The villages of Kaktovik and Barrow, located on Alaska's 19 million-acre wildlife refuge, are especially spectacular spots to stay the night, meet a guide, and watch polar bears live wild and freely. polar bears - I've not been to Alaska
3. ARIZONA - Spend a night on the floor of the Grand Canyon Yes, you could settle for a standard daytime walk around the rim. But that way, you wouldn't see Havasu Falls - I've been to Arizona, but not yet to the Grand Canyon.
4. ARKANSAS - Visit Anthony Chapel in Garvan Woodland Gardens Nestled within 210 acres of flowers, streams and waterfalls is a sky-high (okay, six stories high) chapel made of pine beams and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. You can practically hear Mother Nature singing - I haven't been to Arkansas.
5. CALIFORNIA - Drive State Route 1 through Big Sur Nothing is more California than a coastal road trip, and this one will take you past some of the most precious views on Earth. Stop at Nepenthe for sunset cocktails on cliffs over the water - I have not been to Northern California
6. COLORADO - Go sandboarding at Great Sand Dunes National Park If you thought Colorado's mountains were shreddable, wait till you speed down the tallest dunes in North America on a fiberglass board. Don't worry; you can usually still see snowcapped peaks in the background - I've been to Colorado, but only to Denver, and I'm not really a "boarding" guy.
7. CONNECTICUT - Order the white clam pizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria "Pepe's" is one of the oldest pizza joints in the country. It was Frank Pepe himself who invented apizza -- now a New Haven delicacy -- by subtracting mozzarella, adding oregano, and thinning the crust of the average slice. Pepe's white clam apizza has been called the best pizza in America - I've been to Connecticut, I've been to New Haven, I may have even been here - but I'm not sure.
8. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Go paddle boating on the Tidal Basin There's something about seeing D.C.'s biggest monuments from the water. On a warm spring day, you can paddle past the Jefferson Memorial and catch sun between the cherry trees - check
9. DELAWARE - Walk the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk Finally, a U.S. boardwalk that hasn't lost its vintage vibe. At precisely one mile long, your stroll will last the perfect amount of time to finish a Kohr Brothers cone. Stop at Arena's Deli for a sandwich if you're still hungry - check
10. FLORIDA - Climb the Shark Valley tower Take a tram tour or brave the humidity and bike around this zone of Everglades National Park. Halfway through, there's an observation tower you can climb-- it lets you realize, from above, just how many zillions of alligators have been lurking in the swamps all along - been to Florida but not into the Everglades
11. GEORGIA - Eat at the Olde Pink House in Savannah This refined Southern restaurant has played many roles as a residence, a bank and an army headquarters - this is something James Habersham, the home's original owner, is apparently not happy about. Patrons have reportedly seen Mr. Habersham's ghost hanging around the bar... so take your spiked raspberry lemonade to go and walk along the Savannah River outside - I've been to Savannah, but maybe I can check this off the list when we are back this summer.
12. HAWAII - Climb the Stairway to Heaven Ok, we can't exactly promote this hike, since it's technically illegal. But the view is actually spectacular - not been to Hawaii. 
13. IDAHO - Drive Interstate 90 across the Panhandle This fast, furious, 75-mile zoom across Idaho's top portion will remind you why driving is an American pastime. Stop in scenic Coeur d'Alene for a cold PBR - I've haven't been to the Potato State.
14. ILLINOIS - Have a drink at the top of the Hancock Building Whether it's the sunset hour or late at night, the best way to see Chicago is from a table at The Signature Lounge on the 95th floor... with an esquire martini in hand - I've done most of the sights in Chicago but not this one. 
15. INDIANA - Try the tenderloin sandwich at Ivanhoes This family-run restaurant in Upland has 100 shakes and sundaes to choose from. For a total Midwest experience, complement yours with thin-pounded, deep-fried pork loin on a hamburger bun - I haven't been here but it sounds like I should.
16. IOWA - Visit the Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair A dynasty of five master artists have sculpted the Butter Cow over the years... he's been a State Fair tradition since 1911. At 600 pounds, the Butter Cow could butter 19,200 slices of toast - I would like to see a butter cow. 
17. KANSAS - Sample the No. 6 Oatmeal Stout at Gella's Diner & Lb. Brewing Co. One day, Gerald Wyman's wife told him to please stop brewing beer in their kitchen. A few years later, Wyman had a charming-yet-modern storefront and a Gold World Beer Cup Award for his Oatmeal Stout - I haven't been to Kansas.
18. KENTUCKY - Drive and drink (but don't drink and drive!) along the Bourbon Trail This pre-planned route leads you past eight of Kentucky's distilleries, from Jim Beam to Maker's Mark. If you can't be trusted to operate a motor vehicle, hire a party bus - I don't do the brown liquor and I haven't been to Kentucky. 
19. LOUISIANA - Go to the French Quarter Festival New Orleans's classic neighborhood hits its prime during this free three-day music festival every spring. It's also the best way to fit every local delicacy into your stomach at once: restaurants sell little sample-size plates at the "world's largest jazz brunch" - I've been to New Orleans a few times, but never for the jazz festival.
20. MAINE - Watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain Most of the year, this is the first place the sun comes up in the whole United States. It's also the most famous hike in beautiful Acadia National Park - check, well not the sunrise, but I've been to the top of Cadillac.
21. MARYLAND - Crack a crab at Cantler's You can drive your boat directly up to this "riverside inn," where they sort crabs in a wash basin right before your eyes. Accompany with LOTS of Old Bay seasoning - I've been meaning to go, this summer it will happen.
22. MASSACHUSETTS - Dance at The Beachcomber on Cape Cod This rollicking, old-school dance bar is parked right on the beach in a former lifesaving station. After a few mudslide cocktails, the live reggae and rock will make you feel supercharged enough to sprint into the ocean - been to the Bay State, but not to the Cape. 
23. MICHIGAN - Visit the Shinola Store Shinola is aiming to "reinvigorate the storied American brand" - and reinvigorate Detroit in general - by manufacturing quality watches, bikes and leather goods right in the heart of the city. At their hipster-licious storefront, you can shop for timepieces and watch the bicycle assembly line - I've not been to Michigan.
24. MINNESOTA - Canoe the Boundary Waters There are over a thousand individual lakes in this slice of Superior National Forest. Many of them are only reachable if you paddle past majestic pine groves and hulking rock formations - I've not been to Minnesota.
25. MISSISSIPPI - Listen to blues at The Lyric in Oxford When you need - if you need - a break from the beer bars and battle cries of the Ole Miss students in Oxford, hide out in this movie-theater-turned-concert-hall. It first served as a stable for William Faulkner's family - I can spell it, but I haven't been there.
26. MISSOURI - Explore the Ozark Caverns Out of thousands of caves in Missouri, the most famous feature is Angel Showers, where water constantly flows from the ceiling like a waterfall. During your tour, you might also encounter the rare blind salamander - Haven't been to the Show-Me State.
27. MONTANA - Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road You'll feel like you're in one of those nature-themed IMAX movies during this 50-mile drive through Glacier National Park - haven't been to Big Sky Country 
28. NEBRASKA - Throw horseshoes during Popcorn Days in North Loup At this festival, Nebraskans pay tribute to their state's most prosperous crop with three days of polka dancing, turtle racing, bull riding, and UNLIMITED FREE POPCORN! - one of the flyover states, that I haven't been to.
29. NEVADA - Order a late-night Awful Awful Burger at The Nugget Gamblers say they're coming to Reno for the refreshingly low-key vibe at Peppermill Casino. What they're actually after, however, is probably just The Nugget's world-famous Awful Awful Burger, served with a "mountain of fries" - Haven't been to Nevada. 
30. NEW HAMPSHIRE - Add your pumpkin to the wall at the Keene Pumpkin Festival Every year, people from far and wide lug pumpkins to Keene-- they're battling to either defend or win back the official world record for "most jack-o'-lanterns in one place." Last year, they successfully snagged the title back from Boston - I've been to New Hampshire but haven't done this. 
31. NEW JERSEY - Climb Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island There are 217 steps in this tower, which locals affectionately refer to as "Barney." It's clearly not the tacky Jersey shore you've seen on TV - I've climbed New Jersey lighthouses, but not this one. 
32. NEW MEXICO - Watch a Balloon Glow at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta At the biggest balloon rally in the world, hundreds of hot air balloons hit the big blue sky at once. When they light up for a Balloon Glow night ascent, you feel all magical and ticklish inside - I've been to New Mexico, but not amongst the balloons.
33. NEW YORK - Go wine (and pie) tasting on Long Island's North Fork You'd never guess that 30 picture-perfect wineries were so close to the city - or so insanely cheap to tour. A strawberry pie from Briermere Farms will further alter your life - check
34. NORTH CAROLINA - Tour the Biltmore Estate Exploring the largest private residence in the United States feels like being at the Palace of Versailles . . . except you're in America. And you can rent bikes to whiz freely around the gigantic property - This is on the list of things to do - but it hasn't happened yet. 
35. NORTH DAKOTA - Climb White Butte This massive hill outside the town of Amidon is the highest point in the whole state, at 3,507 feet above sea level. The hike (or "wilderness stroll," shall we say) to the top only takes about an hour, but climbers from all over the world come to conquer it because the trail is littered with dangerous rattlesnakes. Pack a celebratory picnic in case you survive - I've not been to either of the Dakotas. 
36. OHIO - Get a scoop of black raspberry chocolate chip at Graeter's Ice Cream This adorable store in Cincinnati has been selling its famous, ultra-thick ice cream (made in tiny two-gallon batches) for well over a hundred years . . . and it's sooo good - I will travel pretty far for ice cream - I could get there in about 8 hours, DAY TRIP!
37. OKLAHOMA - Go to the Norman Music Festival What started in 2008 as a tiny, one-day music fest has exploded into a three-day concert experience with multiple stages, art walks, and local food tastings... all for free. That's the Oklahoman way - Not been to the Sooner State 
38. OREGON - Get lost in Powell's City of Books This bookstore in Portland claims it's the largest one in the world . . . and considering 1.6 acres of bookshelves and nine color-coded rooms, we're inclined to believe them - it's a bookstore - but it's somewhere I haven't been.
39. PENNSYLVANIA - Go to a mud sale in Lancaster County Mud sales (named for the wet ground in springtime) are the live auctions and craft sales that happen every year in Amish Country. Pennsylvanians - both Amish and not - haggle with each other to score a handmade quilt or home-baked pie. Take a tour of the quaint Amish countryside afterward! - Been through most of PA, and the Amish country, but not to a Mud Sale. 
40. RHODE ISLAND - Take the Cliff Walk in Newport Ocean on one side, gigantic Gilded Age mansions on the other. Your only problem in life will be deciding which view to look at - check.
41. SOUTH CAROLINA - Taste the barbecue hash at Sweatman's BBQ They call this 100-mile barbecue because it's totally worth the long drive to Bub Sweatman's house-turned-buffet-room in the town of Holly Hill - Been to South Carolina, but not for this BBQ
42. SOUTH DAKOTA - Visit the Mitchell Corn Palace This multi-use facility isn't all that interesting on the inside. But the outside, it's truly a sight. The building is actually decorated with crop art and is redesigned each year with a new theme! - This over Mount Rushmore? Someday maybe. 
43. TENNESSEE - Spend a day in Dollywood It's the most awesomely kitschy and fabulously delicious experience in all of Tennessee. The park, in Pigeon Forge, is run in a partnership between the great Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. Think food, waterslides and all things Dolly - Haven't been to Tennessee and don't feel the need to visit this particular amusement park. 
44. TEXAS - Tube the Guadalupe River Nothin' says Texas like drifting down the river on a toasty summer day with all your best friends and a massive floating cooler of Coors - been to Texas, but not to tube 
45. UTAH - Hike to Delicate Arch It's the most famous sandstone formation in Arches National Park and the same one you'll see on Utah's license plates. The Olympic torch even passed through the arch in 2002, making this hike both beautiful and historic - Haven't been to Utah.
46. VERMONT - Take a brewery tour For a small state, Vermont packs an alcoholic punch-- it has the most breweries per capita of any state. Visit as many breweries as possible, without having to travel very far! The Vermont Breweries Association offers a full list of options. Make sure to check out Magic Hat Brewery in South Burlington and take a free guided tour - been to Vermont, and to Ben and Jerry's factory but not for beer.
47. VIRGINIA - See a movie at The Byrd Theater in Carytown, Richmond's cutesy shopping district, and The Byrd is the big, glamorous old-time movie palace that's been showing films since 1928 - on Saturdays, you can still hear an organ performance before your movie. Tickets are $1.99, which means you have more than enough spare change for a french toast donut from Dixie Donuts - Been to Richmond and other places in Virginia, but not to the movies here. 
48. WASHINGTON - Hike the Ape Caves They're actually ultra-long lava tubes near Mount St. Helens, one of our country's "highest threat" volcanoes. Wander through the dark, cold tubes with a headlamp, and pop out in a sunny forest on the other side - Haven't been to Washington. 
49. WEST VIRGINIA - Eat a pepperoni roll from Country Club Bakery Never heard of a pepperoni roll? That's because they're basically only in West Virginia. The Country Club Bakery in Fairmont is where it all began, when Italian immigrant Giuseppe Argiro first stuffed freshly-seasoned pepperoni into a warm roll - Been to Charleston but not for pepperoni rolls.
50. WISCONSIN - Shop the Dane County Farmer's Market Everyone in Madison - from hippies to soccer moms - shops the Saturday smorgasbord that sets up around the Capitol building (they're open almost all year round!). Be sure to pick up some classic Wisconsin cheese curds - I've been to Wisconsin but not to Madison. 
51. WYOMING - Go to Cheyenne Frontier Days On your way to Cheyenne, pass through Wyoming's seven national parks to get a feel for the state's supreme scenery. Then, meet their supreme people at "The Daddy of 'em All," a 10-day rodeo-meets-small-town-bonanza with free pancake breakfasts and concerts from the likes of Brad Paisley - Haven't been to Wyoming.

DIY Cadbury Creme Eggs

Mrs. BA has a weakness for Cadbury Creme Eggs.  Personally, I can't stand them.  And that's saying a lot.  With the introduction of Halloween Creme Eggs a few years ago, she can get her fix now twice a year.  But now if she wants, she can make her own any time of the year.

In addition to the recipe below, BuzzFeed posted a while back - "17 [other] Scrumptious Ways to Eat a Creme Egg."  Click on the link to see the recipes for the items listed below.

1. Creme Egg Donuts.
2. Creme Egg Brownies
3. Creme Egg Pudding
4. Homemade Creme Eggs
5. Dip Toasted Brioche In A Creme Egg
6. Deep Fried Creme Eggs
7. Creme Egg Cupcakes
8. Creme Eggs Benedict
9. Creme Egg Salad Sandwich
10. Creme Egg Toastie
11. Creme Egg Foo Young
12. Creme Egg and Bacon Rolls
13. Creme Egg Cocktail
14. Creme Egg Chocolate Hearts
15. Creme Egg Milkshake
16. Creme Egg Cookies
17. Creme Egg pie

Homemade Creme Eggs
(from Food 52 - see a video here)

Makes 15 to 20 eggs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Lyle's golden syrup (or corn syrup) 
• 6 tablespoons butter 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 3 drops orange blossom water (optional) 
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds removed (optional) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3 cups powdered sugar 
• 12 ounces dark chocolate (or bittersweet chips) 

1. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment (this can easily be done by hand or with a hand mixer). Add the golden syrup, salt, orange blossom water (if using), vanilla seeds, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is mixed well. 
2. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 
3. Place one third of the mixture into a small bowl and add enough yellow food color to obtain desired color. 
4. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap and put into the freezer for at least 15 minutes. It is necessary that this mixture be very cold while you work with it. 
5. When the sugar mixture is thoroughly chilled, remove from the freezer. Working quickly take about a half teaspoon of the “yolk” mixture and roll it into a ball. Continue forming your yolks. 
6. Once the yolks are complete, place them on a plate or a sheet tray covered with parchment and then put that back into the freezer. 
7. Now, measure a tablespoon of your “whites”, and then roll that into a ball. Continue until all the white portion of the sugar mixture is gone. If the whites are too soft to work with, place back into the freezer for a few minutes. 
8. Remove the yolks from the freezer. Place a white in the palm of your hand and gently flatten a bit. Create an indent in the center to rest the yolk in. Place the yolk in the center of the white, then cover it up. Roll the white into an egg shape. If at any point the sugar mixture gets too soft, quickly put it back into the freezer. 
9. Continue this process until all your eggs are complete. Return to the freezer. While your eggs are chilling, temper your chocolate. Or melt the chocolate in a microwave at 30 second intervals stirring very well in between. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to the chocolate and stir well. This gives you a little more flexibility with the chocolate eliminating some of the need for precise tempering. You will not, however get as nice of a crack as you bite into the egg. 
10. Working with one egg at a time, remove the egg from the freezer and stick a toothpick in it. Dip the egg into the chocolate and carefully let the excess chocolate drip off. Place the toothpick into something – like a potato perhaps – while the chocolate sets.
11. Place the chocolate-covered egg into the fridge for 10 minutes while the chocolate sets. Carefully remove the toothpick from the egg and cover up the small hole with a little bit of tempered chocolate.

Where are the Kayaks?

Every time I announce that I am going to Costco (as I will do tomorrow to buy things for Mrs. BA's family to join us for dinner on Sunday) - SoBA yells, "you can't go by yourself, because you'll buy a kayak.  Kayaks are one of those things that Costco sells, next to the five loaves of bread and the battery piles to get you through the apocalypse.  I'm over the kayak - but SoBA hasn't seen the basketball hoop set they are currently selling. From BuzzFeed (my comments in italics)

20 Survival Tips To Get You Through Costco Alive

1. Get there early - parking spaces go faster than a cheesecake sample.
2. Never let your kid bring a toy inside with them - because if he/she loses it in there you are NEVER. EVER. GOING. TO. FIND. IT.
3. Don’t forget your membership card - not just anyone can join this club, you know. Well, that’s not true. Anyone can. But they still won’t let you in without it. 
4. Skip the flat bed - you’ll want to strap your kids into the shopping cart so they can’t run around.
5. Don’t even think about going in there without a shopping list - I once knew a family who went to Costco just to browse. I miss them.
6. Keep your head down and walk straight to the first item on your list - you do not want the kids to see the toy section. And your wallet doesn’t need you to see all the cool stuff in the electronics section, either. (I have always been an up and down every aisle kind of guy - but even I skip aisles at Costco.)
7. Seriously, don’t let yourself be tempted by big-ticket items.
8. Visit the sample folks every chance you get - “Why, yes, I would like to try a chicken, apple, and herb breakfast sausage.”
9. Just be sure to get out of the way once you’ve got your sample.
10. Samples are awesome for kids too - if your kids are picky eaters, you’ll love that they can try it before you buy it. (On those occasions when LBA and SoBA come with me - they're all about the samples)
11. It’s smart to focus on nonperishable items - when you buy in bulk, you’ll want to be able to take your time eating this stuff.
12. But think twice on perishables - I once got a deal on four pounds of shrimp. For the next week I woke up every night in a cold sweat worrying that it’d go bad before I finished it all.
13. You’ll want to think about your freezer space too - If your freezer isn’t big enough to stash a body, you probably should pass on that economy-sized box of waffles.
14. It’s easy to get distracted by the Costco-ness of it all. Stay focused - yes, those are 14-foot Christmas trees for sale in August. No, you don’t need one. What’s next on the shopping list?
15. Speaking of distractions… Don’t waste time searching for the ark of the covenant - It looks like the same place, I know, but it’s not. Seriously. Stay focused.
16. If you get lost, don’t panic.
17. Also, don’t look up - or you’ll be in for a serious case of vertigo.
18. Just keep heading in one direction until you see something you recognize - “There in the distance… Past the industrial sized jar of oatmeal… That’s the book section! I know where we are! I KNOW WHERE WE ARE!”
19. Once you have everything on your list, there’s one last challenge: checkout - if your kids complain, remind them they have no problem waiting 45 minutes in line at Six Flags.
20. Congratulations! You survived! - reward the family with a slice of Costco’s awesome pizza. And a hot dog. And a churro. Anyone know if they sell this stuff in bulk too?

Everything Bagels!

We are approaching the Passover season - the only time of the year when Bagel Boss, the best bagel shop on Long Island, IMHO, is closed - you can't exactly sell bagels when you're not supposed to eat bread products.  The Brave Astronaut clan stocked up when we were up at Christmas - but they never last.  We will buy more when we are up in the summer to celebrate my father's birthday.

In the meantime, maybe I will give this a go.  I often tell people the story about New York bagels are so distinctive because of the water.  There was evidently a New Yorker who moved to Texas and opened a bagel shop and had New York water trucked in so he could make the authentic bagels. Recipe from the Amateur Gourmet.

Everything Bagels from Scratch 
Summary: Adapted from Chow.com.

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups tepid water (105 F) plus 1 tablespoon for the egg wash 
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) 
• 4 cups bread flour 
• 2 teaspoons malt powder 
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (that’s salty! Cut it down to 1 tablespoon if you’re worried) 
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg white 
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 
• 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds 
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds 
• 1 tablespoon dried onions 
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

Instructions

1. Mix together the tepid water and yeast in a measuring cup with a fork; set aside. In the bowl of a Kitchen-Aid mixer with the dough hook attached, combine the flour, malt powder, salt and sugar. Add the yeast mixture, scraping out any dissolved bits. 
2. Mix on low speed, about 2 minutes. Then increase the speed to medium low and continue mixing until the dough is “stiff, smooth, and elastic” about 9 minutes more. (If the dough gets stuck on the hook, mash it back to the bottom of the bowl.) The dough should be stiff. 
3. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl, turning to coat it in the oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise for 20 minutes. 
4. Heat the oven to 425. Fill a large, wide pan (I used a Dutch Oven) with water, bringing to a boil over high heat. Set a wire rack over a pan to collect the boiled bagels. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for baking the bagels. Mix together the egg white and the tablespoon of water for the eggwash. Combine the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onions, onion powder and garlic powder in a separate bowl.
5. Turn the risen dough on to a dry surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces, about 3 ounces each (you can use a scale to measure, I didn’t). (While you work, keep the dough you’re not handling covered with a damp towel to prevent drying). Roll each piece into a 9-inch rope, lightly moisten the ends with water, overlap the ends by 1 inch and press to join so you’ve created a bagel. The hole at the center should be quarter-sized. Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 
6. Then, boil the bagels 3 or 4 at a time, letting them bob around for 30 seconds on each side until they look shriveled. Then remove to the rack and finish the rest of the bagels. 
7. Place the bagels on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with the everything bagel spices. Pop into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until they’re a “deep caramel color” and have formed a crust on the bottom and top. 
8. The hardest part: let them cool for 30 minutes before eating. Good luck. 

Preparation time: 2 hour(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 12

By the time you read this title - all of this stuff will have happened!

Every once in a while it's nice to slow down and look around.  But every five seconds all of these things will happen.  From BuzzFeed.

Food and Drink

1. Every 5 seconds, 10,056 pounds of edible food is thrown away in the United States. 
2. Every 5 seconds, 375 McDonalds burgers are sold.
3. Every 5 seconds, Americans consume 1,750 pizza slices. 
4. Every 5 seconds, 2,090 KitKat fingers are consumed worldwide. 
5. Every 5 seconds of every day in the month of January, Americans purchase an average of 500 cans of Campbell’s Soup. 
6. Every 5 seconds on an average day, Dunkin’ Donuts sells more than 100 cups of freshly brewed coffee. 
7. Every 5 seconds, 2,750 hot dogs are eaten in America. 
8. Every 5 seconds, two jars of Nutella are sold. 
9. Every 5 seconds, over 35,000 Coca-Cola products are consumed. 

Internet and Social Media

1. Every 5 seconds, 205,000 Facebook posts are posted.
2. Every 5 seconds, 23,000 tweets are posted.
3. Every 5 seconds, 1,860 people search for porn on Google. 
4. Every 5 seconds, 8,666 Snapchats are sent.
5. Every 5 seconds, 17 million emails are sent.
6. Every 5 seconds, 47 new websites are created.
7. Every 5 seconds, 28 new Wordpress posts are created. 
8. Every 5 seconds, six hours worth of YouTube video content is uploaded.
9. Every 5 seconds, 300 new Instagram pictures are uploaded.

Consumption

1. Every 5 seconds, 1,250 iTunes tracks are downloaded from the iTunes store. 
2. Every 5 seconds, Amazon sells nearly $7,000 worth of product. 
3. Every 5 seconds, 35 LEGO sets are sold by retailers around the world. 
4. Every 5 seconds, nearly two Barbie dolls are sold somewhere in the world. 
5. Every 5 seconds, Nike makes a little over $3,000. 
6. While every 5 seconds, someone working at a Nike factory in Vietnam makes $.00012. 
7. Every 5 seconds, Americans consume 7,500 water bottles. 
8. Every 5 seconds, Americans consume 60,000 plastic bags. 
9. Every 5 seconds, about 3,150 steel cans are recycled. 
10. Every 5 seconds, about 79,181 pounds of trash is thrown away in the United States. 
11. Every 5 seconds, about 4,645 barrels of oil are used.

Life and Death

1. Every 5 seconds, about 21 babies are born in the world.
2. Every 5 seconds, about 10 babies are born into poverty.
3. Every 5 seconds, about one baby is born with birth defects.
4. The world population has a net gain of about 13 people every 5 seconds.
5. Every 5 seconds, about 9 people die in the world. 
6. Every 5 seconds, 1.5 people die of starvation in the world. 
7. Every 5 seconds, one child in the world dies of starvation.

Earth and Outer Space

1. Every 5 seconds, about 500 lightning strikes have struck the ground.
2. Every 5 seconds, the sound of thunder travels one mile.
3. Every 5 seconds, 15,800 tons of water flows over Niagara Falls.
4. Every 5 seconds, 80 million tons of water has evaporated from the Earth’s surface.
5. Every 5 seconds, the Sun has flung five million tons of matter out into space.
6. Every 5 seconds, the universe has expanded about 46 miles.

Humans, Insects, and Animals

1. Every 5 seconds, some flies can beat their wings up to 1,000 times; three times faster than a hummingbird.
2. Every 5 seconds, 500,000 chemical reactions have taken place in every single cell of your body. 
3. Every 5 seconds, the average person blinks.
4. Every 5 seconds, a woodpecker can hammer with its beak 12.5 times.
5. Every 5 seconds, a sloth can move at a rapid speed of a little over one foot; 13 feet per minute.
6. Every 5 seconds, adult bed bugs can crawl about 4 inches.

And for motivation:

1. Every 5 seconds, Oprah earns a little over $43. 
2. Every 5 seconds, Bill Gates earn $1,250; about $20 million a day.
3. BONUS: Every 5 seconds, the average person in the world makes $.001.

[Home] Opening Day!

The Washington Nationals open their season today at home (they started the season on the road - with a series against the Mets earlier this week).  There's instant replay in baseball this year and each of the managers are allowed one challenge (like in football).  The problem is - we may not see some of these managerial eruptions any more.  From BuzzFeed.

"In a preseason game Monday, Major League Baseball saw its first use of the expanded instant replay system.  This is great news! But there is also reason to mourn. Because the advent of instant replay could mean a scarcity of disputed calls, and therefore, epic manager ejections. So let’s take this moment to appreciate some of the great manager meltdowns of the past."

1.  Lou Piniella - June 2, 2007 - one of the all time greats at blowing up, Lou Piniella even has a signature move — kicking his hat around the field. Which he enthusiastically employs here. This was his first ejection as Cubs manager, and the crowd is immediately behind him, launching their own hats and assorted detritus onto the field in solidarity.
Best Part: The groundskeeping crew swarming the field to collect the debris at the end.
End result: Lou’s Cubs lost, 3-5.

2.  Joe Mikulik - June 25, 2006 - the minor leagues are known for having some of the best manager meltdowns around. Frequently, minor league managers will “get their money’s worth” from their ejections in an attempt to raise the profile of themselves or their teams. Here, Joe Mikulik just plain goes ballistic, throwing bases, covering home plate with dirt, throwing bats on the field and more, all while the home team sound system taunts Mikulik with a stream of music and movie clips (the “Who’s On First” routine matches shockingly well).
Best moment: After Mikulik throws bats out on the field, the poor bat boy takes a step toward them to clean them up, only to jump back from Mikulik’s re-emergence from the dugout.
End result: The Tourists lost, 2-5.

3.  Gary Robinson - August 27, 2010 - There are certain moves that become recurring themes in manager meltdowns — kicking dirt on the umpires, uprooting and throwing the bases, and covering home plate with dirt are tried and true favorites. But sometimes a manager takes a move and makes it his own. Take State College Spikes manager Gary Robinson, who doesn’t just remove a base, he then PULLS A PEN OUT OF HIS UNIFORM AND AUTOGRAPHS IT for a kid in the stands. Was it planned? Improvised? I’m honestly not sure which is more awesome.
Best moment: The kid’s awkward thumbs up to the camera after he receives the autographed base.
End result: The Spikes lost 3-7.

4.  Gary Allenson - June 12, 2011 - Here is an ejection tirade that will probably never be replicated. In the top of the ninth inning, Norfolk Tides right fielder Tyler Henson launches what appears to be a home run, but upon replay is actually a ground rule double. The ball landed behind the padding of the wall. The Durham Bulls players notified the umps that the ball was still behind the padding, and the umps reversed the call. Tides manager Gary Allenson did not agree with overturning the call. Presumably thinking that the ball behind the wall was already there from before, Allenson marched out to the wall, climbed the wall, and searched the grass behind the wall to see if he could find, in theory, the “real” ball. Not surprisingly, he did not find it.
Best moment: The “Well what did you expect to find?!” smirk from the umpire during Allenson’s long walk back.
End result: The Tides won even without the home run, 11-5.

5.  Wally Backman - June 26, 2007 - in 2007, a ten episode documentary called “Playing For Peanuts” followed the return of manager Wally Backman to minor league baseball, as he managed the South Georgia Peanuts. During one game, Backman came out to argue a call, got ejected, and proceeded to flip out on the umpires. The cameras recorded every single word (most of those words NSFW) for future generations to enjoy, in all it’s bat-throwing, nail-clipping glory.
Best moment: “Let’s go have a beer, Doug.”
End Result: The Peanuts lost 5-6.

6.  Phillip Wellman - June 1, 2007 - there is a point at which this stops being a baseball ejection and becomes something resembling performance art. It starts off with the classics — covering home plate in dirt, removing bases and throwing them, etc. But then Mississippi Braves manager Phillip Wellman takes it to another level, dropping to the ground in an army crawl, and pantomiming throwing a rosin bag grenade at one of the umpires before ultimately marching through the outfield to the exit, pausing to bow to his adoring fans.
Best moment: Are you kidding? Of course it’s the grenade throw.
End result: The Braves lost 6-7.

7.  Earl Weaver - September 17, 1980 - this confrontation is profane, hilarious baseball poetry. Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver, a true baseball character who once had a meltdown so massive he ended up forfeiting a game in the middle of a pennant race, and umpire Bill Haller get into a truly extraordinary shouting match. There are countless amazing lines from each. Weaver is a diminutive bulldog, going straight at his much taller opponent, and Haller is the perfect dance partner, alternatively dishing the hostility back at Weaver, then dismissing him with a weary, “Ahhhh.” Notice how Weaver plays the crowd, coaxing a thrilled cheer from them with every time he turns back to continue the confrontation.
Best moment: Though the video is dominated by Weaver, Haller lands the best blow with, “You gonna be in the Hall of Fame for f*cking up World Series?”
End result: Weaver’s Orioles coasted, 9-3.

"Although baseball’s expanded replay system will eliminate plenty of mistakes, balls and strikes, most managers’ favorite argument topics, still belong strictly to the umps. So while the apoplectic manager might become more rare, he will likely never go extinct."

Toasted Butter Pecan Cake

When our good friends got married, part of their wedding cake (there were several flavors) was a toasted butter pecan cake.  Mrs. BA has replicated the cake with this recipe and it was the one she chose for the final round of her office Bakeoff!  And she used whole milk instead of 2%.

The cake was a winner!  As noted earlier, the contest this year was bittersweet for Mrs. BA, with the loss of our good friend, and chief taste tester.  Her win this year and the trophy that she will hold for the next year is dedicated to him.

Toasted Butter Pecan Cake
from Taste of Home

If you like butter pecan ice cream, you'll love this cake. Loads of nuts are folded into the batter, and more are sprinkled over the delectable frosting. —Phyllis Edwards, Fort Valley, Georgia 

12-16 Servings
Prep: 25 min.
Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Ingredients 

• 1 cup plus 
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided 
• 2-2/3 cups chopped pecans 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 4 eggs 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup 2% milk 

FROSTING:

• 2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened 
• 2/3 cup butter, softened 
• 6-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons 2% milk 

Directions

1. In a small heavy skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add pecans; cook over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool. 
2. In a large bowl, cream sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat just until combined. Fold in 2 cups reserved pecans. 
3. Spread evenly into three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. 
4. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Store in the refrigerator.

Lemon Chess Pie

Mrs. BA made it to the Finals!  This week she will "bring her best" to a one on one competition.  Come back next week to see what she made (and if it was the winner!).  For the pie round - there was much discussion as to what to make.  She looked at a variety of pies and tarts before settling on the Lemon Chess Pie.

Here's a recipe from Epicurious - it calls for a pre-made pie shell - but she made the dough from scratch.

Lemon Chess Pie
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Finely grated zest of 3 large lemons 
• Juice of 3 large lemons 
• 5 large eggs 
• 1/3 cup butter, melted 
• One 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium- size bowl. Beat the eggs in, one by one, then add the butter in a slow stream, beating all the while. 
3. Pour the filling into the pie shell, slide the pie onto a baking sheet, and bake on the middle oven shelf for about 45 minutes or until puffed and delicately browned.
4. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before cutting; don't fret when the filling begins to fall. This is what gives chess pies their silken texture. Cut into slim wedges and serve.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today is my sister's birthday.  She's got some snow today from my mother.  Winter might be done with us now.  Happy Birthday Peg!  Did you have some green cake today?  No?  How about this one - it was the winning cake from Mrs. BA in her office March Madness Bakeoff - this week is Pies!

Salted Caramel Ding Dong Cake
from Epicurious
Bon Appétit | October 2012
by Janet McCracken and Alison Roman
Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
Cake:

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray 
• 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
• 1 cup hot strong coffee 
• 3/4 cup buttermilk 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2 cups cake flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 3 large eggs 

Caramel ganache:

• 9 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped 
• 1 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Filling and assembly:

• 1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 
• 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 
• Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) 

Special equipment: Two 9"-diameter cake pans with 2"-high sides; a 9"-diameter springform pan

Preparation
For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment-paper rounds; coat paper. Place cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Pour hot coffee over. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla; set aside.

Whisk cake flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with chocolate mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter evenly between pans; smooth tops.

Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes (cakes will deflate slightly). Run a knife around pans to loosen cakes; invert cakes onto racks. Peel off paper and let cakes cool completely. Turn cakes over.

If needed, use a long serrated knife to cut off bumps or trim dome from top of each cake to create a flat, even surface.

For caramel ganache: Place chocolate and salt in a medium bowl. Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over medium heat until caramel bits dissolve. Pour over chocolate in bowl. Add vanilla; stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly.

Place 1 cake layer in springform pan. Pour 1 cup ganache over. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Cover remaining ganache and let stand at room temperature.

For filling and assembly: Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a small heatproof glass or metal bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over; let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.

Pour water to a depth of 1/2" into a small skillet set over medium heat. Transfer bowl with gelatin to skillet; stir until gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from skillet. Set aside.

Place cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Using an electric mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add gelatin; beat filling until firm peaks form.

Spoon filling over chilled ganache on cake layer in pan; smooth top. Gently place second cake layer on top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill until cream layer is set, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Remove sides from springform pan. Using a knife or offset spatula, scrape off any filling that may have leaked out from between cakes to form smooth sides. Transfer cake to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.

Rewarm remaining ganache until just pourable. (Microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, or set a metal bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water until just warm, not hot.) Pour ganache over cake, tilting cake as needed to allow ganache to drip down sides and using an offset spatula to help spread ganache, if needed, to cover sides of cake. Chill until ganache is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with a cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Sprinkle cake with flaky sea salt.

Sugared Pretzel Cookies

It's March Madness Bakeoff at Mrs. BA's employer again.  The first round was cookies and this was the selection.  And it was a winner!  From the Smitten Kitchen.

Sugared Pretzel Cookies 
Adapted, barely, from Cook’s Illustrated

I love the rye flour in here; it gives the cookies an earthier flavor and depth, while the hard-boiled egg yolk gives the cookies a perfect sandiness that holds up even days later. You can use an equal amount of all-purpose flour (1/2 cup) if you don’t wish to make these with rye flour. 

Yield: 80, eh, in hindsight, I think this estimate from CI is too high, I’d say 48 tops and 36 safely. Apologies for any trouble.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, hard-boiled and cooled 
• 10 tablespoons (140 grams or 1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 grams) granulated sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (this is halved from the original) 
• 1 cup (125 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup (45 grams) rye flour (medium or white will work) 
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water 
• 4 teaspoons turbinado or clear sanding sugar 

Preparation

Place butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Crack egg and peel shell. Separate yolk from white; add white to your next sandwich or egg salad. Press yolk through fine-mesh strainer and into mixer bowl with other ingredients. Beat mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl and beater with spatula as needed. Add vanilla, mix until combined. Add flours and mix at low speed until just combined. Using rubber spatula or your hands, reach into bowl and knead dough a few times into a cohesive mass.

Divide dough in half; place each half on a square of parchment paper. Form each into a log about 6 inches long (it will be about 1 3/4 inches in diameter) and wrap tightly with parchment, twisting ends to seal. Chill logs for 30 minutes, until semi-firm. (If you chill them longer, you’ll want to warm them up a bit or it’s difficult to work them into pretzel shapes.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice 1/4-inch off first chilled log and roll slice into a ball in the palm of your hands; this softens the dough. On a counter, roll ball into a 6-inch rope. Pick up each end of rope and fold turn it into the center, pressing it into a pretzel shape. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies one inch apart on prepared sheets.

Brush each pretzel cookie with egg white wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake cookies until they have golden brown edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven but let firm up on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to cooling racks.

Do ahead: Cookies stored in an airtight container between sheets of waxed or parchment paper will keep for at least one week.

Off to the Grocery Store

Sunday is my day to grocery shop.  Mrs. BA and I always say that we are going to menu plan and I can then go to the store with a better list of ingredients to know what meals we are going to have for the week.  With both of us working - it's hard to know what dinner is going to look like when you come home at 5:30 and nothing is defrosted or ready to go.

But I like going to the grocery store.  There, I said it.  Mrs. BA doesn't like going to the grocery store.  In fact, she's not very good at it.  So it all works out.  I like going up and down every aisle and I love my Wegman's app that tells me where things are and what's on my list.  But that, of course doesn't stop me from buying the "emergency breakfast" or something else that I just have to have.

So it appears that grocery stores have been controlling my (our) minds for years.  From BuzzFeed.

21 Ways Supermarkets Control Your Mind

1. The make you associate the color red with discounts - supermarkets often put red “discount” signs in their parking lots, so you’re familiar with their format before you enter. Once you’re inside, the same sort of red signs don’t always denote a price reduction. But, because of the association you’ve already formed, you’ll be more inclined to buy the product.
2. They make shopping carts extra large - shopping carts, which were invented in 1938, are purposely much larger than the average family’s weekly food shop. This encourages you to buy more food than you need. (I will say that Wegman's does offer a small and large cart - but I always go for the large one.)
3. They put fruit and vegetables at the front - fruit and vegetables are usually positioned at the supermarket’s entrance. Although this doesn’t make sense for the shopper, who will crush their fresh shopping with heavier items later, the fresh smells and bright colours of fruit and veg make you feel positive. Plus, if you buy healthy food at the beginning of your shop, you’re more inclined to spend more on junk foods later.
4. They trick you with math - loose fruit is often priced by the pound, whereas packaged fruit is priced by the item. This makes it difficult for you to work out which is the cheaper option.
5. They pretend their fruit and vegetables are fresh - fruit and vegetables are often displayed in crates to make them look like they have just arrived from the farm.
6. They spray their vegetables with water - vegetables are often sprayed with a water mist throughout the day to make them look fresher. (I will note that at one of the Safeway's that I have shopped at, it's a show - you hear thunder and see "lightning" before the sprayers are turned on.)
7. They use flowers to fool you - flowers are also positioned at the supermarket’s entrance, usually in a more open display than food. This reminds the shopper of being in a local store and makes them feel less overwhelmed by the size of the shop which, in turn, encourages them to spend longer there. (And on those occasions when I have SoBA with me - he will always demand that we buy flowers for Mrs. BA.) 
8. They make you feel really hungry - most supermarkets position baked goods near their front doors. The smell of fresh bread activates your salivary glands, which makes you more inclined to make impulse purchases.
9. They force you to walk everywhere - essential items, such as bread, milk, and eggs, are spread out all over the store in order to make you wander around more. (hey, that's often the only exercise I get during the week)
10. They make you think you're going fast when you're not p they use smaller floor tiles in the more expensive aisles to make your trolley click faster. This makes you think you’re traveling faster, so you subconsciously slow down and spend more time in the expensive aisle.
11. They hide the cheese at the back - dairy products are usually positioned against the back wall, so you have to walk through the entire shop to get to them, encouraging you to pick up more things on the way.
12. They've worked out a sneaky right-left formula - since most supermarkets make you move from right to left, you’re naturally inclined to buy things from the right-hand aisles. The most expensive products are placed there. (Hey, I'm left-handed and I usually work the store from the farthest point back to the front (and do the aisles in reverse - so I'm OK with making suckers out of my right-handed friends.
13. They exploit your kids - expensive items are positioned at eye level, whereas items that are meant to appeal to children are positioned at their eye level. The cheapest items are positioned at the bottom of shelves, as you’re least likely to look there first. (This is one of the main reasons that I really like to grocery shop solo)
14. They make you think things are cheap when they're not - when you’re in a hurry, you’re likely to pick up bargains on the ends of aisles, rather than considering the best-priced options. Supermarkets will rarely place the cheapest products here. (I do like the impulse, end-cap purchase, I'm sorry to say.) 
15. They subliminally suggest food pairings to you - complementary items, such as crackers and cheese or apple pies and cream, are positioned next to each other in order to encourage you to buy more than you intended.
16. They sell meat and fish against white walls - meat and fish is often sold against a white backdrop, as this makes it look fresher.
17. They make things look better so you spend more - visual cues, such as installing wooden shelves and nice lighting, make you more inclined to spend more money on quality products.
18. They paint the walls red to make you stay longer - warm colors grab your attention and and encourage contemplation. Research shows that people contemplate which fruit juice to buy for a long time, so those aisles are painted red.
19. They play music to make you spend more - slow music makes you shop for longer, whereas classical music makes you spend more. Experiments have also shown that playing French music in the wine aisles increases the sales of French wines. (I will say that Wegman's has a really good Muzak system - I often find myself singing along, and I'm not alone.) 
20. They place essentials to encourage impulse buys - everyday items, such as socks and deodorants, are often placed near the registers as you’re likely to pick them up on an impulse, because you’ll need them at some point, even if you weren’t planning on buying them.
21. They appeal to your greedy side - check out lines are often lined with things like chocolate, which you’re likely to pick up as a reward for yourself for doing the shopping.

Time for Fish on Fridays

This Wednesday marks Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent as Catholics prepare for Easter.  So while that means crepes on Tuesday (for Shrove Tuesday / Mardi Gras), it also marks the time when "good" Catholics should abstain from meat on Fridays.

The Brave Astronaut's church will be holding "Soup and Stations on Fridays during Lent and there is even going to be a Lenten Fish Fry later this month, sponsored by the Methodist Church in town, which is sure to be a good time. Mrs. BA is one that will usually order Fish and Chips if it's on the menu when we go out (I will get it some of the time) - but this recipe might be worth a try.

Fish and Chips with Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise
from Epicurious
Bon Appétit | September 2013
by Adam Evans The Optimist, Atlanta, GA
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Headnote: Key when making this batter: Be sure your beer and club soda are ice cold, and chill the batter if prepping ahead.

Ingredients
Malt vinegar mayonnaise:

• 1 large egg yolk 
• 2 tablespoons malt vinegar, divided 
• 1 cup vegetable oil 
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 

Fish and assembly:

• Vegetable oil (for frying; about 4 cups) 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more 
• 12 ounces (or more) chilled light lager 
• 1 cup chilled club soda 
• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar 
• 1 cup corn flour or all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 pounds cod, haddock or pollack, cut into long, 1 1/2"-wide strips 
• French fries (for serving) 
• Old Bay seasoning, flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), and chopped fresh dill 
• Lemon wedges (for serving) 

Special equipment: A deep-fry thermometer

Ingredient info: Corn flour, which is more finely ground than cornmeal, is available at Latin markets, natural foods stores, and bobsredmill.com.

Preparation 
For malt vinegar mayonnaise:
Whisk egg yolk and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil, drop by drop at first, until mayonnaise is thickened and smooth. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

DO AHEAD: Mayonnaise can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

For fish and assembly:
Fit a large pot with thermometer; pour in oil to measure 3". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 375°F.

Meanwhile, whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly add beer, club soda, and vinegar, adding more beer if batter is too thick (it should be the consistency of thin pancake batter).

Place corn flour in a shallow bowl. Season fish with kosher salt and pepper. Dredge fish in corn flour, shaking off excess, then dip in batter, letting excess drip back into bowl. Working in batches and returning oil to 375°F between batches, fry fish until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Season fish and fries with Old Bay, sea salt, and dill; serve with malt vinegar mayonnaise and lemon wedges.

February - You Are Out of Here!

The month of February has been a rough one around the launchpad.  We lost our good friend and neighbor at the outset of the shortest month, followed by a succession of unfortunate events over the course of the month, including several winter storms - and then the anniversary of my mother's passing on Tuesday.  I will not be sad to see this month end today.

We are planning a relatively normal Pizza / Movie night at the launchpad - though there was some discussion that we should watch Ghostbusters tonight to honor Egon Spengler / Harold Ramis, who we also lost in this cold, bleak February.

Most evenings, after LBA and SoBA are in bed, Mrs. BA and I will settle down for some TV to unwind.  We are often doing other work and the TV is often on in the background - but occasionally we watch something off the DVR or, gasp, on live TV.

A while ago - kottke posted a list from the Writer's Guild of America of the 101 best written TV shows.  Thoughts?  Comment away.  My comments appear for the first 50 shows.

1. The Sopranos - I was a late comer to this show, Mrs. BA converted me.
2. Seinfeld - not that there's anything wrong with that.  One of those shows that is sometimes on in the background if Mrs. BA and I can't find anything else to watch
3. The Twilight Zone (1959) - a little early for me, but Rod Serling is always, the Man.
4. All in the Family - it definitely started to wane toward the end - but Archie Bunker was the bomb. 5. M*A*S*H - one of those shows that I would go and find if it was on somewhere.
6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show - OH, MR. GRANT!
7. Mad Men - one of the best shows still on TV
8. Cheers - even with Kirstie Alley, I still watched.
9. The Wire - this is one I didn't watch.
10. The West Wing - Jed Bartlet is still my President.
11. The Simpsons - again, a good show, but I never got on board.
12. I Love Lucy - the definition of ground breaking.
13. Breaking Bad - I watched the first couple of episodes from the first season and even then, it was a little dark for me.
14. The Dick Van Dyke Show - a show about writers in the Top 20!
15. Hill Street Blues - HEY! Let's be careful out there.
16. Arrested Development - this show was never on my radar.  I don't think I could ever get past Jason Batemen from his Silver Spoons days.
17. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - my MIL swears by this show.  It's funny, but it's not for me.
18. Six Feet Under - watched every episode from every season.  I often quote Nate, "I hate the living."
19. Taxi - the extremely capable and underutilized Judd Hirsch.
20. The Larry Sanders Show - don't think I ever saw one episode
21. 30 Rock - One of Mrs. BA's favorites
22. Friday Night Lights - not for me
23. Frasier - another one of those shows that Mrs. BA and I will watch in reruns if it's on.
24. Friends - see #23
25. Saturday Night Live - I recently came to the conclusion that I am too old for SNL now.
26. The X-Files - never got hooked on Mulder and Scully
27. Lost - this show was of course, out there, but it was great, if confusing.
28. ER - another one that I stayed with until the end, and that was hard.
29. The Cosby Show - Bill Cosby, showing that clean comedy is great comedy.
30. Curb Your Enthusiasm - not a Larry David fan.
31. The Honeymooners - Jackie Gleason made this show what it was.
32. Deadwood - this show could only have been successful on pay cable.
33. Star Trek - despite it's limited run - the first was the best.
34. Modern Family - have not watched this one either.
35. Twin Peaks - see Lost.
36. NYPD Blue - after Hill Street Blues, all the rest were just posers
37. The Carol Burnett Show - I still can't watch some of these sketches without losing it.
38. Battlestar Galactica (2005) - I preferred the first one
39. Sex & the City - was never a big fan
40. Game of Thrones - I only went online and watched the Red Mass Massacre because I had to know what everyone was talking about.
41. The Bob Newhart Show - I agree, this Bob Newhart was better than the Vermont inn reboot.
TIE Your Show of Shows
43. Downton Abbey - have not gotten hooked on this new one.
TIE Law & Order
TIE thirtysomething - I watched most of these, I used to know someone who had a thing for Ken Olin.
46. Homicide: Life on the Street - like the Wire, never got into this - maybe it's a Baltimore thing.
TIE St. Elsewhere - Before ER, there was St. Elsewhere
48. Homeland - I may have a thing for Claire Danes.
49. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - was not a buffy person
50. The Colbert Report - no.
TIE The Good Wife
TIE The Office (UK) - didn't watch the American one either
53. Northern Exposure
54. The Wonder Years
55. L.A. Law
56. Sesame Street
57. Columbo
58. Fawlty Towers
TIE The Rockford Files
60. Freaks and Geeks
TIE Moonlighting
62. Roots
63. Everybody Loves Raymond
TIE South Park
65. Playhouse 90
66. Dexter
TIE The Office (US)
68. My So-Called Life
69. The Golden Girls
70. The Andy Griffith Show
71. 24
TIE Roseanne
TIE The Shield
74. House
TIE Murphy Brown
76. Barney Miller
TIE I, Claudius
78. The Odd Couple
79. Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TIE Monty Python’s Flying Circus
TIE Star Trek: The Next Generation
TIE Upstairs, Downstairs
83. Get Smart
84. The Defenders
TIE Gunsmoke
86. Justified
TIE Sgt. Bilko (The Phil Silvers Show)
88. Band of Brothers
89. Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
90. The Prisoner
91. Absolutely Fabulous (UK)
TIE The Muppet Show
93. Boardwalk Empire
94. Will & Grace
95. Family Ties
96. Lonesome Dove
TIE Soap
98. The Fugitive
TIE Late Night with David Letterman
TIE Louie
101. Oz

All About Soup

This week is supposed to turn cold again, with more snow forecast, too.  I am getting a little tired of winter - though my siblings and I all think that my mother must be mad at us for something.  My mother loved snow and has unloaded on all of us this winter.  Tomorrow is the eight anniversary of her passing and I still miss her every day.

My mother was not a big soup maker - she leaned toward the canned variety.  Mrs. BA has ventured down the soup road recently, making a killer batch of Baked Potato Soup not too long ago (the last time it snowed and we had a snow day).  "Potato Soup" is on the list below but Mrs. BA is #1 on my list.  BuzzFeed had this list on the "Definitive Ranking of Soup" and I have posted a recipe for my favorite on the list - New England Clam Chowder.

The Definitive Ranking Of Soups
Not all soup is created equal.

24. Lentil Soup - There is some weird underlying sadness in lentil soup.
23. Egg Drop Soup - Sorry, but those egg shreds will just always be a little unsettling.
22. Split Pea Soup - Split pea texture is what I imagine eating chalk would be like, if the chalk was pea-flavored. Plus it’s hard to eat without thinking about The Exorcist.
21. Manhattan Clam Chowder - You think hot tomato clams make you so metropolitan, don’t you? Sorry, but you’ll never be as cool as New England clam chowder.
20. Chicken Noodle Soup - This soup is great in theory, but it’s almost never executed well. Soggy noodles and sad chicken bits, crying together in a bowl.
19. Broccoli Cheddar Soup - When done well, this soup can be amazing. When done poorly, it’s an ungodly mouth punishment.
18. Gumbo - Gumbo gets points for spiciness, but there’s a lot going on. It can be a little intimidating.
17. Bean Soup - Mad love for dem beans (white beans, black beans, navy beans, love them all), but it must be said: Soups just don’t let ‘em shine.
16. Minestrone - Minestrone is the go-to vegetarian soup, but it can go bad so easily. Urgh, so many overcooked vegetables.
15. Miso Soup - Miso serves its purpose (getting your body ready for the inappropriate amount of sushi you’re about to digest) but — real talk — it’s pretty bland and lame in the grand scheme of soups.
14. Chili - Chili is like a thick, spicy bowl of the American dream. And the American dream will make you feel kind of pukey if you eat too much.
13. Matzo Ball Soup - Sure, sometimes the matzo balls are so dense you feel like you ate a softball and are scared of what’s gonna come out the other end. But when a matzo ball soup is done correctly, it’ll warm your entire soul.
12. Wonton Soup - Never choose between dumplings and soup again.
11. Mushroom Soup - Something magic happens to mushrooms when you blend them up, especially if you use rosemary.
10. Potato Soup - This is perfect if you’ve ever wanted to drink a potato. Potatoes (and sweet potatoes, as shown above) are delicious in all forms, even liquid.
9. New England Clam Chowder - Hot clams in cream seem like a bad idea. WRONG. They’re a great idea.
8. Tomato Soup - Full disclosure: If all tomato soup was actually tomato-cheddar, it would be at the top of the list. But since it isn’t, tomato remains in the upper middle of the pack. Sometimes it is EXACTLY what you need and sometimes it’s just tomato water.
7. Seafood Bisque - Like eating your own personal creamy ocean.
6. Gazpacho - When it’s hot out there is literally nothing better than gazpacho. It has all the flavors of summer in one convenient bowl. It’s like sunshine was put into a soup.
5. Chicken and Dumpling Soup - This is just an excuse to eat dumplings with the added recreation of chasing after them as they swim around.
4. Pho - Not sure what’s better — the subtle flavors or arguing with people about how to pronounce it. Either way, it will fill your soul with happiness.
3. Tortilla Soup - So many yummy flavors! It’s like a fiesta in your mouth.
2. Ramen - There’s a noodle party and you’re invited.
1. Butternut Squash Soup - This soup is the squash at its best. Creamy and yummy, it’s like drinking velvet.

New England Clam Chowder
from Epicurious
by The Culinary Institute of America Gourmet Meals in Minutes

Yield: Makes 2 quarts
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pound canned clams, minced, juices reserved 
• 2-3 cups bottled clam juice 
• 2 bacon slices, minced 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped 
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled, diced 
• 3 cups heavy cream or half and half 
• 6 tablespoons dry sherry, or to taste 
• Salt, to taste 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• Tabasco sauce, to taste 
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste 
• Oyster or saltine crackers, as needed 

Preparation
Drain the clam juice from the minced clams and combine with enough bottled juice to equal 3 cups of liquid.

Cook the bacon slowly in a soup pot over medium heat until lightly crisp, about 8 minutes.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in the clam juice, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add more clam juice to adjust the consistency. Add the bay leaf and fresh thyme.

Add the potatoes and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the clams and cream in saucepan and simmer together until the clams are cooked, about 5-8 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, add the clams and cream to the soup base. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the sherry. Season to taste with salt, pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Serve in bowls with the crackers on the side.

Lego(s) Are Awesome!

Because, according to the movie, Everything Is Awesome!  The Brave Astronaut clan went to the movies last weekend to take in the Lego Movie. It was very, very funny.

If you are looking for something to do - there is a new Chrome plugin that allows you to build Legos in your browser (from BuzzFeed) - and evidently, this summer, you will be able to get your very own set of Ghostbusters Lego set(s).

So do you know everything you need to know about Lego (including that the plural of Lego is Lego) (from BuzzFeed - which incidentally I think the BuzzFeed folks really, really like Lego)?

1. “LEGO” comes from the Danish phrase leg godt, which means “play well”
2.  The company got its start when Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter, lost his business and began making toys out of his surplus lumber. The business took off and eventually evolved into the giant Lego empire.
3. Originally called “Automatic Binding Bricks,” LEGO wasn’t the first to market the toy. Kiddicraft holds that distinction, and LEGO just improved on the design.
4. In 2002, LEGO sued the Chinese makers of “Coko bricks,” a building block closely resembling LEGO bricks. Coko had to cease production and issue a formal apology.
5. Early LEGO figurines had no facial features, gender, arms, or moveable legs.
6. 560 billion LEGO parts had been produced as of 2013. That’s 80 LEGO pieces for every human being on the planet.
7. LEGO is the world’s largest producer of rubber wheels—more than Bridgestone, more than Goodyear, more than anyone. They produce more than 306 million tiny rubber tires a year.
8. The world’s tallest LEGO tower was 94 feet high a utilized 465,000 bricks.
9. In 2009 a life size house was built using 3.3 million LEGO bricks. 1,000 volunteers helped to assemble it.
10. There have been fifty LEGO video games.
11. The factory process is so streamlined that only 18 out of every million LEGO pieces fail to meet company standard.
12. Every second, seven LEGO sets are sold. In the time it takes to read this sentence, dozens of sets are sold worldwide.
13. There 915 million different ways to combine just six individual LEGO bricks. According to National Geographic’s special MegaFactories: LEGO, the possibilities are nearly endless.
14. The largest commercial LEGO set is that of the Taj Mahal, with 5,922 individual pieces.
15. There are no LEGO sets with a direct military theme. Ole Kirk Christiansen didn’t want to make war seem appealing to children.
16. As part of the 2011 “LEGO Bricks in Space” program, astronauts brought 13 Lego kits to the International Space Station to see how they react in microgravity.
17. Speaking of space, there are enough LEGO bricks to stack from the earth to the moon…ten times.
18. Legoland, LEGO’s theme park chain, has a whopping seven locations worldwide. Billund, California, Florida, Malaysia, Windsor, Günzburg, and the Discovery Center in Manchester.
19. LEGO is more than just a toy, it’s an art form. Nathan Sawaya is the world’s foremost LEGO artist and he’s shown in museums around the nation.
20. In 2000, The British Association of Toy Retailers named LEGO the “Toy of the Century”, over the teddy bear and Barbie doll.

The Cubano

Today was President's Day and another successful federally mandated playdate for LBA and SoBA and our friends.  Mrs. BA made a very tasty meal of pulled beef sandwiches and chicken wings.  Here's a recipe for a Cuban sandwich.  I have had a few Cubans before and there is nothing quite like a really good one.  Perhaps the launchpad needs a panini press.

The Cubano
from Epicurious
by Jose Garces The Latin Road Home

Ingredients
Roast Pork

• 2 Tbsp kosher salt + 1 Tbsp 
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 
• 1 Tbsp ground mustard 
• 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, tied in an even roll 
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard 
• 1 tsp ground mace 
• 2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 Tbsp Spanish smoked sweet paprika 

Sandwich

• 4 (6-inch) light crisp-crusted bakery rolls 
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 
• 3/4 lb best-quality domestic ham (unglazed), thinly sliced 
• 1/4 lb Swiss or Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced 
• 1 large dill pickle, thinly sliced lengthwise 
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 

Preparation
To cure the pork, combine 2 tablespoons of the salt with the sugar and ground mustard. Rub the mixture all over the meat, cover, and set it in the refrigerator to cure for 6 hours.

Place a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F.

To roast the pork, rinse it under cold running water to remove the seasoning. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine the Dijon mustard, mace, black pepper, paprika, and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Rub the mixture all over the meat. Set the pork in a roasting pan, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 175°F, about 45 minutes. Allow the meat to cool completely before slicing.

To make the sandwiches, heat a sandwich press or griddle to medium-high. Split the bread lengthwise and pull it open. Spread the mustard on 1 side of each roll and layer on the roast pork, ham, cheese, and pickles. Spread the butter all over the outside of the sandwiches and griddle until the cheese is melted and the meats are warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. (Alternatively, wrap the sandwich in foil and toast in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes.) Slice each in half on the diagonal and serve.

Farewell to a Friend

"Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret?  There are better things ahead that any we leave behind."

- C.S. Lewis

This has been a very difficult week at the Launchpad.  Just one week ago (though it seems much longer), the Brave Astronaut clan, the Cheverly community, and I'm also convinced in a way, everyone, were stunned by the premature loss of my friend and next door neighbor, and founding member of the "collective."

Our friend Riley left us entirely too soon.  He had faced an inordinate number of health challenges over the past year (and through his entire life), but these past several years were the happiest - with his wife and two children.  As has been noted here before, their two children are very close to LBA and SoBA and the eight of us did a lot together.  Riley and I had often talked of removing the fence between our yards because the kids were always climbing over it instead of going around through the gate.

Then again, had we done that, neither Riley nor I would have had something to lean on during our many conversations about politics, our town, our families - there was no subject that Riley wouldn't talk about.  Riley was my "spotter" and support structure for working in and around the house, if I didn't quite know how to finish something - I'd go find him, because he would know.  We never got to build our communal shed - but I'm going to work on that this summer, and I know that he will be around to help me.

Last Monday, I noted on Twitter that I was having "one of those days that you don't like to have. But if you have to have it, have it in Cheverly."  I am so touched by the support of this community for Riley's family at this time and am honored to be a part of this great place.

When we sent Riley home on Saturday, his family was supported by hundreds of friends and we heard stories of comfort, humor, and dignity - all integral parts of Riley's character.  Riley spent most of his life working in politics and I woke up on Saturday morning with Ted Kennedy's eulogy for his brother, Bobby, stuck in my head.

"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. 
Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world. 
As he said many times, in many parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him:"

"Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not."

Farewell my friend.  You will be greatly missed and I know that you will always be with us.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Vegetables are liked well enough here at the launchpad.  It's possible these might even appeal to Mrs. BA.  I will say that the Pioneer Woman's Onion Straws are a new staple for launchpad meals - and this recipe also calls for mandoline work, which I am still recovering from the last go-round with that kitchen tool.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
from the Smitten Kitchen
adapted from Ellie Krieger

This doesn’t too closely follow the original recipe because I found I needed thinner chips, more crumbs, more parmesan and sometimes less baking time than recommended. I also found that I could only reliably get “crisp” effect, one that lasted for a while, when I used an egg white instead of an olive oil wash. Please don’t take any of the measurements in this recipe as the law; cooking times and required coating will vary by thickness and baking pan heaviness. You’ll want to keep an eye on them and look for a good golden color before removing from the oven, which will ensure that they get and remain crisp. They’re also best on the first day, so you’re going to have to eat them all. I promise, you won’t mind. 

Ingredients

• Olive oil or cooking spray
• 2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total) 
• 1 to 2 egg whites 
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 
• 1/2 cup plain, dry breadcrumbs, such as panko 
• A couple pinches sea salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Preparation
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Coat two baking sheets lightly with cooking spray or thinly with olive oil. Slice zucchini into slightly-less-than 1/4-inch thick rounds; if they feel especially wet, spread them on a towel while you prepare the other ingredients. In a small bowl, lightly beat first egg white with 1 teaspoon water to loosen it. Combine cheese, crumbs, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Dip each zucchini coin in egg white, letting excess run off before gently dipping them in parmesan mixture. Arrange in single layer on baking sheets. If additional egg white is needed, prepare it the same way, with 1 teaspoon of water. If additional crumb mixture is needed, make a few spoonfuls at a time, matching the volume of crumbs and cheese.

Bake zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping each over halfway through. Please keep an eye on them; they may need to be moved around on the tray so the ones at the edges don’t bake more quickly than the ones in the center. Take them out only when they’re golden all over and let them cool on the tray on a cooling rack or a plate.

Keep at room temperature until needed. Crisps are best on the first day.