It's Masters Weekend!

Many who know me understand that while I play golf occasionally, I also enjoy watching it on TV. And this weekend that means the Masters. It is the one tournament that I try to never miss. One of these days I will get there in person (maybe when Archival Trash adopts me - he has tickets).

So while I will be glued to the TV for most of the weekend watching anyone but Tiger, our friends "across the pond" have come up with a game known as "Pub Golf" (seen on Buzz Feed) As defined by Urban Dictionary:

The pinnacle game of choice in the modern sporting era. The game involves visiting 18 different pubs, in 18 different locations, drinking an alcoholic drink of previously specified choice. The aim is to complete the course, and the winner is decided as to who can complete the course in the fewest number of consecutive "sips."

The lowest possible score in Pub Golf is 18 shots. This would require "downing" each drink in one go, and without stopping. Any player taking any more shots that the standard course par of 72 is deemed the winner.

Any form of drink "spillage" or players puking up invokes a penalty of 2 shots.

The rules are rather involved [taken from a website that features black text on a black background - so it was a bit hard to see]:

1. Each player must choose and consume ONE drink in each pub. Points are only scored for this ONE drink.

2. The winner shall be the player with the LEAST NUMBER OF POINTS at the end of the ninth hole.

3. Point scoring system: Just like real golf, we have defined what constitutes a 'par' ( i.e 0 points) for each kind of drink you may choose to consume. A bogey is one over par (i.e. +1), a birdie one under par (i.e. -1), an eagle two under (i.e. -2), and an albatross three under (i.e. -3). [The British creators came up with a very intricate scoring system based on alcohol contents of beer and the selection of mixed drinks, but I think it could easily be simplified]

4. Penalties:

• Failure to complete a hole (i.e. failure to finish drink) = 3 shots dropped (& no points awarded for your drink)
• Failure to have a drink at all = 4 shots dropped
• Puking = 3 shots dropped. The other players are encouraged to sneak on their competitors should any player attempt a quick 'tactical' spew.
• Failure to complete the course - instant disqualification and a very bad hangover.

5. Water hazards: Players are not allowed to go to the toilet at any hole deemed a 'water hazard'. Penalty = 2 shots dropped.

6. Bunkers: To get out of a bunker each player must consume one shot of their choice (single measure) in addition to their chosen drink. Failure to negotiate bunker - 2 shots dropped. Shot must be neat, i.e.: not water, ice etc, and downed.

7. Hole in one: Should a player DOWN a pint in one, then they may add -2 points to their score for that hole. Definition of down: finish a drink in one go, i.e.: drink a full pint of chosen beverage without taking the glass away from mouth and without taking longer than 30 seconds about it. On completion, the glass should be upturned on the player's head, thus ensuring the drink was actually finished.

8. Time: Play commences before 6pm. Competitors are allowed a strict half an hour to complete each hole. Should time be running out towards the end of the evening, the referee will have the discretion to further limit the time allowed at each hole.

9. Scorecards: Each player is responsible for maintaining his own scorecard. However, at the start of the match competitors will be allocated partners with whom they will play the round. It is also a players responsibility to ensure his partner's score is correctly kept. In addition, at each hole players must declare their score to the referee who will be responsible for maintaining a leaderboard.

10. Referee: A referee shall be appointed for each game. The referee shall be timekeeper, judge, and the final arbiter in all disputes. The referees' decision is final.

So, I think we should move the MARAC Metal Edge Open indoors and try this in Charleston!

Shrimp with Broccoli

Last week I lamented the lack of Baked Potato Soup in my life now that we live some distance from the Houston's restaurant that could provide it to us easily. Another culinary delight that is missing for me here in the Brave Astronaut neighborhood is good Chinese food. I miss Golden House. Perhaps I should add that to my platform for my Council Member Campaign - Good Chinese Food here in Cheverly!

My favorite order for Chinese is Shrimp with Broccoli, so I was excited to see the Amateur Gourmet post a recipe for it. Perhaps I will give it a shot here at home.

Enjoy!

Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli

1. Heat the oven to 425.

2. On a large cookie sheet, toss together 2 pounds of broccoli cut up into florets (but not teensy tiny florets, I like a little stem attached), 2 Tbs olive oil, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground), 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground), 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/8th tsp hot chili powder. Spread into a single layer and pop into the oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss together one pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined, with 2 Tbs olive oil, lemon zest from one lemon, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (I just eyeball the salt and pepper) in a bowl. When the broccoli's been in the oven 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the broccoli and toss (carefully.)

4. Roast another 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the broccoli is "tender and golden around the edges."

The Light Goes Dark

A sad note from the world of television. CBS Television announced this week that "The Guiding Light," which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running television drama has been canceled and will air its last episode on September 18, 2009. "The Guiding Light" debuted in 1937 as a 15-minute radio serial and premiered on television on the CBS network in 1952.

I admit here, which will surely lead to some ridicule, I watched Guiding Light for many years. My mother was a big fan of the CBS soap opera lineup: "Search for Tomorrow," "The Young & the Restless," "As the World Turns," and "The Guiding Light." My viewing years included the short-lived "Capitol," as well. "The Bold and the Beautiful" made its debut during this time as well, but I didn't watch that one. I had some dignity. My mother watched these shows religiously. Once VCRs became commonplace, she began to tape the episodes if she was out and then would watch them later.

I might have to fire up the DVR to tape the final episode. I am sure, wherever she is, my mother will be watching. I believe that in heaven you get to meet and talk to anyone you want. So I am pretty sure that my mother has been hanging out fairly regularly with Charita Bauer, who played the matriarch of the Bauer clan for 34 years. One of my mother's best days was when she went to a luncheon featuring Guiding Light actors and got to sit with the actor who played the villain Alan Spaulding. "The Guiding Light" featured the firmly-middle class Bauer family and the high powered Spaulding family, which ran Spaudling Enterprises.

I, of course, could drag you down into the depths of the twists and turns featured over the years on Guiding Light, but I won't do that to you. The end of Guiding Light will close a significant chapter in television history. In addition to the many records it holds, the show also served as a launch pad for many well-known actors, including Kevin Bacon, Sherry Stringfield, and Hayden Panettiere, just to name a few. James Earl Jones and Ruby Dee also appeared on the show, making Guiding Light the first show to feature prominently African-American characters. Many other Hollywood stars made appearances on the show for a few episodes.

So the Guiding Light is getting turned off. But, truth be told, haven't they just been telling the same story over and over and over? Isn't that the definition of a soap opera? And in my defense, while I watched Guiding Light, I enjoyed the parody of them a little more (see Tootsie and Soapdish).

Whither the National Archives?

Most people know where the Brave Astronaut punches his time card everyday. The National Archives has been in the news a fair amount lately. The Archivist of the United States, Allen Weinstein, announced his resignation in December 2008. Later, in January 2009, at the time of the Obama inauguration, it was noted (also here) that the Bush administration web presence had been replaced (as was expected), but that the Bush websites may not have been "archived" appropriately. There has even been calls from some to investigate NARA and our practices. Some of these black marks have come as the National Archives prepares to celebrate its 75th Anniversary this year.

But unfortunately today, it has all seemingly come to an end. I have learned the National Archives will close its doors due to the recent downturn in the economy. No more records will be taken into the holdings of the archives, the repositories were close to being full anyway. Some of the holdings will be sent back to where they came from. Those items that are deemed to have significant historical value will be auctioned off to try and meet the extraordinary deficits the National Archives has incurred.

The Charters of Freedom will still be available for viewing, however. Special viewing booths will be constructed allowing people access, where they can place a dollar in a slot. Then a curtain will raise up to allow viewing of the documents for a limited time. This will ensure their continued survival as repeated exposure to light was limiting their lifespan anyway.

Despite recently raising reproduction fees for researchers, additional revenue generating ideas will be instituted. If researchers wish to view any documents, they can make use of the viewing booths described above. Also, some staff may be used, wherein the documents will be held up to the glass at the Archives building for people to copy down the information.

A bake sale will be held today only, with proceeds to go to the purchase of apples, bread, and soup. Lines will form outside the public entrances to the National Archives Building.

In order to get this project underway, an extensive search was conducted for any and all correspondence with the date of April 1. All of that correspondence was then stamped with the words "April Fools" on it and placed on immediate display for today only.

[Baked] Potato Soup

Mrs. BA and I are big fans of the Baked Potato soup that we used to get at Houston's restaurant. (After a while, you could only get it at the Rockville location, where Tuesday is Baked Potato soup night). So what joy it was to find local Cheverly Chef Scott posting a great recipe for Potato Cheddar Soup. Enjoy!

Potato-Cheddar Soup

• 6 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2lbs potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces (about five medium potatoes)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cloves of roasted garlic
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

1. Fry the bacon in a large pot until crispy and the fat has rendered out. Reserve bacon on a paper towel lined plate. Pour out all but one tablespoon of bacon fat.
2. Add the onions to the pot with the one tablespoon of bacon fat. Saute until tender and translucent. Add the fresh thyme, carrot and potatoes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, until the potatoes are fork tender. Prior to the next step, remove the stems of thyme.
3. Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. Add the roasted garlic to the first batch of soup to be pureed. Process until smooth. If you would like some texture to the soup, other than silky smooth, don't process until fully smooth, leave some bits and pieces of potato.
4. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add the cheese and cream. Stir until the cheese is melted and the cream is incorporated. If you wish to thin the soup out, add some additional broth or cream. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve hot and garnish with the cooked bacon and if you have them, some fresh snipped chives.
   

NOTE: If you wish to make this soup vegetarian, skip the bacon. Just cook the onions in olive oil. And instead of chicken broth, use vegetable broth. For some additional flavor you could add about 1/2 a cup of beer. Also, if you don't have a food processor or blender, you can make this soup more rustic by mashing the tender potatoes and vegetables with a potato masher. You will have a hearty, textured soup that is a little less creamy and maybe a little more brothy.

The History of the Bagel and a Hamantaschen recipe

Can you really have a recipe when you're going to talk history of the official food of the greater New York area? We'll see what we can come up with by the end. Some time ago, Slate had a very interesting article on the History of the Bagel (subtitled "from Ancient Egypt to Lenders"). Who knew? This also led to a good review of a book, "The Bagel," which I found from a link on Marginal Revolution.

No trip to New York is complete for me without acquiring at least a dozen bagels from Bagel Boss in Hicksville and usually several Hamantaschen cookies. So with the history of the bagel, here is a good Hamantashcen recipe that made its way to my Google reader a few weeks ago.

The recipe comes from Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies (Knopf, 1977)

Makes 27 cookies

PASTRY

• 2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 lb (1 stick) butter, cold and firm
• 1 egg
• Finely grated rind of 1 bright-colored orange
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
  

Sift together, into a large mixing bowl, the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch slices, and with a pastry blender, cut it into the dry ingredients until the particles are fine and the mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat the egg lightly just to mix. Stir the egg, orange rind, and juice into the dough. Mix thoroughly and then stir well until the dough is completely moistened and smooth. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap, flatten the dough slightly, and refrigerate overnight.

The filling may be made the next day or it may be made ahead of time and kept at room temperature for a day or two or refrigerated for a longer time.

FILLING

• 12 ounces unsweetened dried pitted prunes (about 2 cups, lightly packed)
• 6 ounces unsweetened dried apricots (about 1 cup, lightly packed)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup honey [these are better with a mild clover honey than with a strongly flavored one]
• 2 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) walnuts, cut into medium-size pieces
  

Cut the prunes and apricots into small pieces. Place them in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat so that they just simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until very soft. (Some fruits are drier than others -- if the water evaporates before the fruit is soft add another spoon or two of water and cook a bit longer.) Add the lemon juice and honey. Cook, stirring almost constantly, for about 5 minutes (it should not get too thick; it will thicken more while cooling). Stir in the nuts and set aside to cool.

When you are ready to bake, adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 400 deg. Cut aluminum foil to fit cookie sheets.

Work with half the pastry at a time; refrigerate the other half. Work quickly or the dough will become sticky. On a floured pastry cloth with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough, turning it over occasionally to keep both sides floured. Roll it to an even 1/8-inch thickness (that is thin but be careful -- if you roll the dough too thin, it will be hard to handle). With a plain round 3-inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds. (Reserve the scraps of dough, press them together, and rechill until firm enough to roll.)

Hold one round in your hand. Place a rounded teaspoonful of the filling in the center, mounding it rather high -- it will not run out in baking. Fold up two sides of the dough -- each side should be a third of the circle -- and pinch them together where they meet, forming a triangle and leaving a generous opening at the top. The filling should extend above the top of the pastry. (If the rounds of pastry become soft or sticky before you shape them, transfer then with a wide metal spatula to a tray or cookie sheet and chill briefly in the freezer or refrigerator only until they are firm enough to handle.)

Place the Hamantaschen 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on the cut foil. Slide cookie sheets under the pieces of foil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are barely colored on the sides, slightly darker on the edges. Reverse the sheets top to bottom and front to back to insure even browning. If you bake only one sheet at a time bake it high in the oven.

With a wide metal spatula, transfer the Hamantaschen to racks to cool, or serve them warm. If anyone is in the kitchen with me when I bake these, very few if any actually have a chance to cool.

Thanks, Mom

Today would have been my mother's 79th birthday. I miss her everyday.

The house I lived in growing up was near a major road, which frequently saw rescue vehicles scream down it, on their way to some accident, fire, or medical emergency. My mother would often get up and go out on the porch to watch them go by. My siblings and I always thought of buying my mother a police scanner to help her stay on top of things. There were even some occasions when my mother would jump into the car and follow the fire trucks. She loved a good fire. In my mother's memory, I went out last night on a "ride along" with the Cheverly Police department. While it was something I wanted to do as part of my campaign for Councilman, I also thought it would be fun. And my mother would have loved it.

It was a quiet night in the town. My ride along was with Officer Lamb (Cheverly PD's Officer of the Year in 2007!). We rolled through the various trouble spots in the town, with Officer Lamb pointing out this and that. We made a few traffic stops (one for no seatbelt, one for a headlight out) and then took out the radar gun. We made two speeding stops, including one woman who was driving with a suspended license (and had her six-year old in the front seat with her). We then went to a stolen car report (which will happen when you leave the keys in the ignition). After that, we ended the evening with a fire (I'm sure my mother planned that one). A small fire broke out in the apartments in the town, and the FD had to break open a few doors to check on residents. At the same time, two of the fire trucks sideswiped each other, taking off a mirror on one of the trucks. When Officer Lamb headed back to the station to write up his reports, I took my leave and headed home. It was a very good experience and I am glad I did it.

Some time ago, I received the following video from my friend north of the border, Stinkypaw. I have to say that Mrs. BA finds herself saying to LBA quite often, "What did I just say?" I have taken to telling him something and then asking, "Do you understand?" or "What did I say?" Sometimes he gets it sometimes he doesn't. But it's selective - he's four. Then there was the time that he knocked his little brother down after being told not to do so. When he was asked why he hit his brother, he replied, "I didn't hit him, Mommy, I punched him."

Firsts - but second

Because she said I would.

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?

• The one I actually went to? Kim from Huntsville, AL. The first one I was invited to? That would be Donna Kadlub, who invited me to get her ex-boyfriend to ask her - then she decided to go with him. And don't get me started on the 9th grade formal. It was like that scene in Say Anything ("sitting here at like the Gas 'n' Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?")
  

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?

• How are we defining love? But no, whoever she is, I am not still in contact with her. But I talk to my true love every day.
  

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?

• I was always a vodka guy.
  

4. What was your FIRST job?

• Delivering Pennysavers, then newspapers

5. What was your FIRST car?

• First one that was all my own - a 1982 Mercury Zephyr
  

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?

• Haven't received one yet, but I don't get a lot of personal ones - hockey scores and news alerts are the majority of my texts.
  

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?

• Mrs. BA

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?

• Ms. Marino

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?

• I think the first time I flew was when I went to France in 1983.
  

10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?

• Probably Gary and not as much as we should.
  

11. Where was your FIRST sleep over?

• I think Gary again.
  

12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?

• Mrs. BA - telling her I wanted five more minutes (that's usually the first words we exchange in the morning)
  

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?

• My brother's wedding (we wore Morning Suits - I was a teenager)
  

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?

• Getting breakfast ready for the boys
  

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?

• Easy - Billy Joel, Madison Square Garden, 1985 - we got tickets through a lottery system. You sent a check and a self-addressed stamped envelope and your tickets came back to you in the mail. How quaint.
  

16. FIRST tattoo?

• Thank you, no.
  

17. FIRST piercing?

• Again, thank you, no.
  

18. FIRST foreign country you visited?

• Canada (on a school trip to Quebec) followed by the aforementioned France.
  

19. FIRST movie you remember seeing?

• I don't remember but I think it was at Radio City Music Hall in New York. It was the thing to do.
  

20. When was your FIRST detention?

• Thanks for bringing that up - Lunchtime detention, elementary school, with Mr. Zazucha. And just when I thought I had blocked that out.
  

21. What was the FIRST state you lived in?

• New York

22. Who was your FIRST roommate?

• I went off to college and my first roommate never showed, so I had a semester with no roommate (but three suitemates). Second semester, Joe Basi showed up, less than stellar student, but a good pot farmer (remind me to tell you that story some day)
  

23. If you had one wish. What would it be?

• "I'd like to teach the world to sing . . . " - no really, I guess - is not being tired a good wish?
  

24. What is something you would learn if you had the chance?

• I would love to learn to fly and get my pilot's license
  

25. Who do you think will be the next person to post this?

• Possibly the Canadian Paw or Ohioan Amy
  

Heart Attack on a Stick

Yet one more reason that I am not allowed to own a deep fryer. I would certainly be dead by now.

French Fry Coated Hot Dog
from this website, seen first on Buzzfeed

Ingredients:

• One hotdog
• One large russet potato
• Plenty of oil for deep frying
  

For the batter:

• 100 grams of plain flour
• 75 grams of cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• half a cup of milk

Peel the potato then slice into french fries in a mandolin slicer (or do it by hand). Set aside.

Mix together the dry batter ingredients, add the egg and the milk. Mix to a thick paste, adding more milk if it is too dry: you’re aiming at the batter being thick and sticky rather than runny like a real corn dog batter, slightly more viscous than a dough. Set aside.

Fry the french fries in oil until golden. Remove from the oil onto a paper towel. Coat the hotdog in the batter, then glue the french fries to the dog as best you can. Drop this monstrosity back into the boiling oil and fry until the french fries begin to brown.

A Timeline of Food

I know I've mentioned this before, but I love kottke.org. I'll even forgive him for a recent post when he got snarky (well, quoted someone else's snarkiness) about preserving the website whitehouse.gov before the change over. He shared this great timeline with his readers in early December and it's too good not to share.

The Food Timeline
Just remember, the foods we eat are not invented, they evolve. As OSG is fond of saying, how about the guy who decided that eggs were edible. "Hey that thing just came out of that chicken's ass, let's eat it!"

Here's a recipe I selected from the timeline. It is for Bananas Foster, which brings back memories of my father flambeing bananas after dinner on more than one occasion. The recipe is from Brennan's in New Orleans.

Bananas Foster

• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup banana liqueur
• 4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
• ¼ cup dark rum
• 4 scoops vanilla ice cream
  

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

One Down, Three to Go

I found out that I lost an election today. As many of you know, I was a candidate for Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC), the professional organization of which I have been a member since becoming an archivist nearly fifteen years ago. I am certainly disappointed in the outcome, it was an election I had really hoped to win. My opponent was a formidable candidate and she will do a great job. I will hope for the opportunity to run for the job again in two years. I really believe in the organization and look forward to the chance at helping the group continue to move forward. In a very conciliatory note from the Chair-elect, she has offered me an opportunity to serve the organization that I really do love. I hope to have some opportunity to help.

I am also a candidate for Nominating Committee for the Society of American Archivists, my national professional organization. That voting will commence next week. If chosen to be a member of the Nominating Committee, I will have a voice in selecting the next leaders of the Society. There is a lot going on in our profession right now and it is essential for us to have strong leadership to guide our profession in the right directions. So look for my name on your SAA ballot, if you are a member. I would appreciate your support. Here at my employer, I am coming to the end of my first term as the Treasurer of the staff professional association. I have agreed to run for a second term. So we will see how that one turns out.

Finally, I have made a decision to run for town council in my hometown. It is an idea that I have thought about for several months, after discussions with several of my neighbors and community members. The incumbent has decided to run for another term, but I have some ideas that I feel would benefit my town and would like the opportunity to make a difference for my community. So if you live in Cheverly, in my Ward, I'll be coming around to see you. I will look forward to hearing your ideas. That election will take place in early May.

Presidential Portions

Can you believe it has been a little over a month with our new president? I get all giddy when I hear about "Former President Bush" and they have to qualify which one! In case you missed it, here is my favorite of the recipes from the luncheon after the Inauguration ceremonies.

Seafood Stew (serves 10)

• 6 (1 Lb) Maine lobsters
• 20 medium size Sea scallops
• 36 Large shrimp, peel, cleaned and tail removed, approx. 2 lbs.
• 10 (1 oz) pieces of black cod
• ½ cup small dice carrots
• ½ cup small dice celery
• ½ cup small dice leek
• ½ cup small dice Idaho potato
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 cup dry vermouth (can be made without)
• 10 (5 inch) puff pastry rounds

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil; poach lobsters, then shrimp, then black cod and last scallops. After seafood is cooked, remove from water; reserve water and bring to boil.

Cook all vegetables in liquid that was used for the seafood, remove vegetables when tender. Allow the liquid to continue to boil until only 1qt of liquid remains. This will be the base for the sauce.

Bring seafood liquid back to a boil and add the vermouth and heavy cream and reduce by half,
season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste. You have reached your desired thickness when the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.

Cut Maine lobster, shrimp and scallops into bite size pieces.

Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees.

Fold seafood and vegetables into cool sauce, being careful not to mix too much as this will break up the seafood. Scoop mixture into terrines or oven proof baking dish of your choice.

Cover terrines with puff pastry rounds, brush them with egg wash and bake them until golden
brown about 8-10 minutes, allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. You can cook this 2-3 hours ahead of time and keep warm at 150 F degrees.

3 Years Today

Today is the third anniversary of my mother's passing. Next month she would have turned 79 years old. There are days when I really want to pick up the phone and call her for some reason or another. There are days when I want just one more day. But she's still around. There are lots of occasions when I realize that she has just moved on but leaves reminders around for me to see.

Most recently, I found myself thinking of her when they did the "dead montage" during the Academy Awards. My mother and I would watch together at times, with the World Almanac between us checking to see how old one of the presenters was or whether that person had won before and when, etc. My mother never really got hooked on the web, but it was made for her. I come by my archival traits genetically. My mother craved information.

Anyway, during the "In Memoriam" sketch during the Oscars telecast, the only speaking acknowledgment came from Paul Newman, who was one of my mother's favorites. She used to say that "he could put his shoes under her bed anytime." Wherever my mother is, I envision it as a place where she is well again, at an age where she was most happy, and is near all of her friends and family who left before her. But my mother, who hated not having a full table of guest, friends and family for any holiday, has surely had dinner with Paul several times since he got there. I won't think about what else might have happened.

It is also nearing Girl Scout Cookie time. Several stories crossed my radar screen recently, every single one making me remember the years my mother served as neighborhood cookie mother and our living room would be strewn with cookie boxes and the freezer would be stocked with Thin Mints, as they were the only cookie that really froze well. And they were her favorite. So again, wherever she is, I'm sure she's having a spirited conversation with Julie and Olave about these egregious sins being committed in this economic downturn. And I feel the pain of those in the last story. If I want a fix of Tagalongs or Samoas, I have to practically go out on the black market at my employer to find them.

• "Rising costs bite into Girl Scout Cookie portions," seen via Buzzfeed from the Dallas Morning News
• "Crumbling economy will make for thinner boxes of Thin Mints," from CNN
• "Thin Mints and office politics," also from CNN
  

I love you, Mom. I miss you. Rest well, you've earned it. But you would have really loved that story about Teresa's daughter. But I'll tell it to Bill and he'll make sure it gets into the family history.

Stout Ginger Bread

Today was the finals of the "Great Gingerbread Bake-off" for the lunch table group. For several weeks we were all treated (?) to various ginger bread recipes. The idea was launched in the fall, ground rules were created, NJM was selected as a "control" (she did all of the baking - and Kudos to her for all her hard work). It's possible that by today we were all a little sick of ginger bread. I myself am not a huge fan of the ginger root, but I soldiered on. ADR was noticeably absent for the final tasting today.

So after several selections, here is the winning recipe (It was a close vote 3-2)! It comes from Mrs. OC - I am not sure where she originally got it from.

Stout Ginger Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout
• 1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tbsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cardamom
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated (white) sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• confectioners sugar for dusting

Special equipment: a 10-inch (10 to 12 cup) bundt pan (although this batch and all batches were prepared by NJM in a 13x9 glass baking pan).

Accompaniment: unsweetened whipped cream (also missing from the tastings)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack about 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.

Cook's notes:

• This recipe was tested with Grandma's brand green-label molasses.
• The gingerbread is better if made a day ahead. It will keep 3 days, covered, at room temperature.

Serves 8 to 10.

Croissant Bread Pudding

LBA has a thing for croissants. I think he would eat them every day for breakfast. Is it the butter?

When I first saw this recipe on Cheverly Chef Scott's blog, I thought he had used Milk Duds in it, but he corrected me - they're bittersweet chocolate pieces. Yummy Goodness!

• Unsalted butter for the baking dish, at room temperature
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 croissants, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks

Heat oven to 375° F. Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Add the
croissants and chocolate and mix to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tip: Cut the croissants and chop the chocolate, then store them at room temperature in separate resealable plastic bags for up to 1 day.

Note: Scott followed this recipe up with one for caramel sauce, which would go well with this.

Where I Am Tonight AND Who I Am With

As I have reported here before, I am a volunteer usher at Ford's Theatre, here in Washington DC. The highlight each year is, of course, the gala that is held each year, which draws the cream of Washington politicians, and the President of the United States. Tonight the theater will have its grand reopening celebration and the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, will be in attendance. It is an event I have been waiting four years for. My previous three galas have been celebrated with the 43rd President and I am very excited to be in the same room as our new President.

Ford's has undergone a major renovation and has only just reopened. I was in attendance last Friday night for a preview performance of "The Heavens are Hung in Black," the first play of the 2009 season. It stars David Selby as President Lincoln and takes place in the months between the death of Lincoln's son, Willie, and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. You can read a review of the play here and you can read more about the renovation of the theater here.

Tonight's celebration will feature performances from James Earl Jones, Jessye Norman, Joshua Bell, Jeffrey Wright, and Kelsey Grammer. Richard Thomas (John-Boy!) will serve as emcee for the evening and Lincoln Medals will be bestowed upon George Lucas and Sidney Poitier. As I said, can you understand why I have been looking forward to this? A new era of new programming for the gala (read: no more country music!) makes this Brave Astronaut a very happy boy.

And while, yes, the theater did get all new chairs, the entire renovation is amazing. There are now elevators in the building, an expanded lobby, with a gift shop and concessions. A new museum will open in the late Spring. It is such a grand venue here in Washington. I urge anyone who lives here or is planning on coming to Washington, to make some time to experience a play at Ford's. Perhaps I will even be there to help you to your seat.

Lobstah!

Picking up on the financial ruin you all are suffering if you didn't eat crepes on Candlemas Day, here's a story that rose to the surface a few months ago. The recession has evidently hit the luxury food market. Here's some "lobster history."

• Luxury on Sale - The Lobster Glut (from the New York Times)

The Brave Astronauts invited our good friend NJM to dinner on Christmas Eve. She was very kind to bring lobster rolls, a traditional meal on Christmas Eve in her family. My family usually had hamburgers and my father's homemade potato chips. Her recipe for lobster rolls appears below.

In keeping with the ever-worsening economy, to make things worse, the sales of champagne are also "losing their fizz." I guess it's good to know that if we are all forced back to church to pray for our financial well-being, there's always good, nutritious "Jesus, bread of life" to eat.

NJM's Lobster Rolls

• dinner rolls
• approx. 1 lb cooked lobster meat (you can use claw or tail meat - ask her to tell you the story about scoring the meat for the Christmas Eve batch in a state the prefers crab to lobster)
• approx. 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Hollow out dinner rolls. Mix lobster meat and mayo together so the meat is bound together. Place meat inside the hollowed out rolls. Broil in the over for approximately 5 minutes, just enough to brown the tops and heat the meat through. This amount of meat should yield about 10-12 rolls.

If you ever find yourself on the east end of Long Island, go here and try the lobster rolls. They're fantastic. While the rolls prepared by NJM were absolutely swoonworthy, give me some drawn butter and a whole steamed lobster and you won't hear from me until I'm ready for seconds.

A 6-6-6 Meme

This was created by the venerable archivist, Terry, who blogs here. He created this meme. Here is my own take on it:

Rules: Six categories, with six entries each done in six minutes without Google (I didn't use Google, but I did consult my iPod).

Six songs with numbers in the title

1. 867-5309 (Jenny)
   
2. Route 66
3. One More Night
4. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
5. 99 Red Balloons
6. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
   

Six songs with a color in the title

1. Purple Rain
2. Little Red Corvette
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. Blue Bayou
   
5. Man in Black
   
6. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
   

Six Songs with Animals in the Title

1. Cats in the Cradle
2. Honky Cat
3. Me and You and a Dog Named Boo
4. Free Bird
5. A Horse with No Name
   
6. Bye Bye Blackbird
   

Six Songs with Body Parts in the Title

1. I Only Have Eyes for You
2. My Eyes Adored You - "Carried your books from school, made believe you were married to me. You were fifth grade, I was sixth, when we came to be."
   
3. Open Arms - that one's just for OC
   
4. Ain't that a Kick in the Head
   
5. Brown Eyed Girl - it's my ringtone when Mrs. BA calls
   
6. Heartache Tonight
   

Songs with a Country / Place name in the Title

1. Born in the USA
2. China Grove - not here.
   
3. America the Beautiful - though I really, really love the version below.
4. City of New Orleans
5. Georgia on my Mind - while I love this song, it will always make me think of this show.
   
6. Goodnight Saigon
   

Songs With a Job in the Title

1. Working at the Car Wash Blues
2. Son of a Son of a Sailor
   
3. Operator
4. The Candy Man - but only sung by him.
   
5. The Entertainer
6. I Wanna Drive the Zamboni
   

Spanning the Web . . . .

I have a bunch of random things that I have been meaning to toss out here. None, on their own, warrant a post alone, so here's the big bucket of Internet goodies.

• If you want me I am likely playing either of these two new Flash games that I tell myself, sure, I'll only play for a few minutes. Then it's midnight. Ameobas and Filler.
  
• From Jason Kottke (are you following him yet? Is his blog in your reader yet? Why NOT!) - his best links from 2008.
• I had grand ideas of coupling this outstanding poster with some great recipe involving Breakfast Cereal, or perhaps reconstructing Ally Sheedy's sandwich recipe from this movie. But have a look at the poster and laugh.
• I was recently on the 6th Floor Blog and they were discussing cheese. Then I saw this. I had recommended they go to Artisanal, if you have a cheese thing, you have to go - I think it's a law. Perhaps they can just get the clock. Maybe they'll buy me one.
• People wonder and marvel at the ease of the Washington Metro system. They recoil in horror at the prospect of riding the New York City subway. How do you think they'd react to a commute from Omega Centauri to Cygnus? That transfer at Galactic Center is a bear!
• One of the best gifts received by my two sons were large Scrabble tiles with the letters of their names. Thanks OSGs! Now I need one of these.
• Although I LOVE the commercial (nearly spit my drink the first time I saw it - thank God for TiVO so I could verify that they indeed had said that) - I do NOT need one of these, I think.
• One of my other favorite places to visit is Google Sightseeing. The other day they profiled the Very Large Array in New Mexico. I've been there. It's very impressive, but as Mrs. Brave Astronaut says, they couldn't come up with a better name? It's like calling Hoover Dam, the "Really Big Dam."
• Wouldn't you expect this place to be a little bit bigger? Or is it a case of "forgive me for the crudity of the model, [He] didn't have time to build it to scale or paint it?"
• Do you have any money? I would so buy this phone number. And my names not even Jenny - then again neither is the guy who currently has it. It can currently be yours for a cool quarter million dollars on eBay.
• Finally, you all know of my dental troubles. At least I'm not this kid.

It's Groundhog Day

I know, I know. Usually I will use this day to remind people to eat crepes as it is Candlemas Day (You can click on "crepes" and get the recipe - remember to eat crepes or suffer the sadness of financial insecurity for the rest of the year - oh, wait). However, I spotted this blog entry last year a few days after February 2 and loved it so much, I wrote most of this 2009 post on February 3, 2008. It is the day the Giants won the Super Bowl. George Bush is still President, but when this comes out of draft form, he won't be. And yesterday was also Super Bowl XLIII, so congratulations to the six-time Super Bowl Champions Pittsburgh Steelers. Here is an embed to the Super Bowl Ads from yesterday.



So to the topic of Groundhog Day. The blog post that got me going is here. Here's the gist. This person took notes through the course of watching Groundhog Day and believes that Bill Murray's character lived through the same February 2 for 4 years.

These are the days actually seen in the movie:

1. February 1
2. February 2, #1
3. "You're playing yesterday's tape"
4. "Meet me in the diner", "Don't drive on the railroad tracks"
5. Punches Ned
6. "Nancy Taylor, Lincoln High!"
7. Bank robbery -- "I've seen this film over 100 times"
8. Interrogating Rita
9. "Sweet vermouth on the rocks with a twist"
10. "I like to say a prayer and drink to world peace"
11. "I studied 19th century French poetry." (He has a good French accent on the quotation, and is a good dancer.)
12. Insincere snowman. Slapped in the face.
13. Slapped in the face.
14. Slapped in the face.
15. Slapped in the face.
16. Slapped in the face.
17. Slapped in the face.
18. Slapped in the face.
19. Slapped in the face. Notices ice sculptures.
20. "Rough night."
21. "It's cold out there every day."
22. "What is... Mexico."
23. "A thousand people waiting to worship a rat."
24. Smashes clock.
25. Smashes clock.
26. Smashes clock on floor, kidnaps groundhog, blows up.
27. "Aw nuts." Drops toaster in bathtub.
28. Steps in front of truck.
29. Jump from bell tower.
30. "I'm a god." "I've been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned." Throwing cards: "Six months, four to five hours a day."
31. Gives money to bum. First piano lesson.
32. Second piano lesson.
33. Has learned ice sculpture.
34. Not bad at piano.
35. Hits on Ned, takes bum to hospital.
36. Feeds bum, gives CPR.
37. Final Groundhog day! Very good at piano.
38. February 3.

Now, beyond the days we actually see, much time is implied:

• Between days #6 and #7, at least 100 days passed: the time to see the movie 100 times, and also to fully memorize the plan for the bank robbery.
• Between days #11 and #12, he may have just memorized a single quotation (but his accent is good) and he may have already known how to dance (but that seems unlikely). So I think we can assume at least a few months passed.
• Between days #21 and #22, he memorized the entire Jeopardy show, which would take at least a few viewings. It's possible he did that while learning piano, or French.
• Some time before day #30, six months of card throwing. But that could have all been after midnight, and overlapped with any other activities.
• We saw "burned" and "electrocuted". That leaves at least five days (and presumably more) for "stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, and hung."
• How long does it take to learn ice sculpture, if that's all you do? Six months? A year?
• How long does it take to become a good piano player, if you begin in your early 40s when you have your first lesson? Consensus among those present at casa del jwz was "at least two years."

So. Based on evidence presented in the movie, he re-lived February 2 for at least four years.