Shuffle Up and Deal!

Tomorrow night the Brave Astronaut will be tending bar at LBA and SoBA's school fundraiser, Casino Night!  This is the fourth year I have been making drinks for parents, and this year the event has a Mardi Gras theme and one of the drinks that will be served up will be lots of Hurricanes.

So based on where you live, what should you be drinking (from BuzzFeed - where you can get all the recipes for the drinks below as well)?

1. Alabama - The Alabama Slammer (Amaretto, Southern Comfort, Sloe Gin, and orange juice) Why?: Legend has it that the drink originated in the state in the 1970s and is known as the signature drink of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.
2. Alaska - The Smoked Salmon Bloody Mary (Smoked Salmon Vodka, V-8 Juice, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper) Why?: Alaska Distillery has recently produced a vodka made with a secret recipe of smoked salmon caught in the Gulf of Alaska.
3. Arizona - The High and Dry (Mandarin Vodka, Triple Sec) Why?: During the prohibition era, Phoenix featured a “secret bar” behind a bookshelf in the Arizona Biltmore, where “every self-respecting gentleman” had access to a decent highball.
4. Arkansas - The Arkansas Razorback (Rum, vodka, amaretto almond liqueur, Kahlua coffee liqueur) Why?: This popular cocktail shares its name with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. You can even buy cocktail glasses embellished with the Razorback mascot! 
5. California - The Mai Tai (Light rum, dark rum, lime juice, orange curacao, orgeat syrup) Why?: This fruity beverage is said to have been created by Victor “Trader Vic” Buergon at his Polynesian-style restaurant in Oakland, Calif.
6. Colorado - The Snowball (Vodka, Fresca, and lime juice) Why?: The interesting combo of vodka and lemonade is also popular in the U.K., but this combo of Colorado Premium Vodka and Fresca makes this drink uniquely Coloradan.
7. Connecticut - The Limonata (Vodka, sparkling lemonade, blood-orange juice) Why?: Available exclusively at Ballo at the Mohegan Sun in Monteville, Conn., this drink features a sphere of frozen blood orange that adds sweet flavor to the cocktail as it melts.
8. Delaware - Blueberry Vodka Tonic (Vodka, blueberries, and lots of time) Why?: Unlike typical vodka tonics, Delaware’s blueberry version features a vodka infused with fresh blueberries for over a month.
9. Florida - The Rum Runner (Captain Morgan, blackberry liqueur, creme de bananes, and orange juice) Why?: Rum Runners are said to have been invented in the 1950s at the Holiday Isle Tiki Bar in Islamorada, Fla.
10. Georgia - The Scarlet O’Hara (Southern Comfort, cranberry juice, and a lime wheel) Why?: There are several varieties to “The Scarlet O’Hara”, but in Georgia, they typically feature Southern Comfort.
11. Hawaii - The Blue Hawaiian (Light rum, vodka, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice, and sweet & sour mix) Why?: This tropical cocktail was invented by Harry Yee, a legendary bartender at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki.
12. Idaho - Spring Whiskey Sling (Blended whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, and water) Why?: The Red Feather Lounge in Idaho features a famed Spring Whiskey Sling that was featured in the “Best of List” in The New York Times.
13. Illinois - The Chicago Fizz (Dark rum, ruby port, lemon juice, sugar, club soda, and egg whites) Why?: While New Orleans is credited with the origination of the fizz, the Chicago variation’s claim to fame was its popularity at the Waldorf-Astoria bar in New York during the pre-prohibition era.
14. Indiana - The Refined Janet Guthrie (Sweet Tea Vodka, Refined Mixers margarita mix) Why?: In honor of the Indy 500, this beverage was created to commemorate the first woman that qualified and drove in the race.
15. Iowa - The Iowa Sunrise (Bacardi white rum, vodka, lemonade, sprite, orange juice, and grenadine) Why?: While similar to many cocktails in composition, the Iowa version is said to represent the beautiful sunrise over Iowa in winter mornings.
16. Kansas - The Pendergast (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, and Angostura bitters) Why?: This cocktail is named for Thomas Pendergast, a Kansas City politician famed for his populist touch and connections with the Mafia during the Prohibition. 
17. Kentucky - The Mint Julep (Bourbon, sugar, and water) Why?: The origins of the drink are murky, but the mint julep was introduced by US Senator Henry Clay during the 18th century.
18. Louisiana - The Sazerac (Rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, sugar, and absinthe) Why?: In June 2008, the Louisiana Legislature proclaimed the Sazerac as New Orleans’ official cocktail.
19. Maine - Dust to Dust (Cold River Vodka, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, Aperol, and ginger syrup) Why?: The bar Grace, located in Portland, Maine, is famous for this unique ginger cocktail.
20. Maryland - The Black-Eyed Susan (42 Below Vodka, Early Times Kentucky Whiskey, sweet & sour mix, and orange juice) Why?: The cocktail, named after Maryland’s state flower, is the official drink of the Preakness Stakes. 
21. Massachusetts - The Cape Codder (Vodka and cranberry juice) Why?: The drink was conceived by the Ocean Spray cranberry growers under the name “Red Devil,” which was later changed to “The Cape Codder” in the 1960s.
22. Michigan - The Golden Cadillac (Creme de cacao (white), Vodka, Galliano, blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice) Why?: While the cocktail was created in California, it’s famed name (Cadillac, of the Motor City origin) and taste has made it a popular beverage in many bars in Michigan.
23. Minnesota - The Bootleg (Bootleg mix, gin, vodka/light rum, and club soda) Why?: Bootleg cocktails are made specifically from Bootleg Mix, which can only be purchased from the Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata, Minn.
24. Mississippi - Mississippi Punch (Dark rum, bourbon, brandy/cognac, fresh lemon juice, and sugar) Why?: This cocktail recipe was first printed in Jerry Thomas’ The Bon Vivant’s Companion, attributing its location in Mississippi.
25. Missouri - The Missouri Mule (Bourbon, Applejack, lemon juice, Campari, and Cointreau) Why?: The cocktail was created for President Harry S. Truman, with its name representing his home state of Missouri and the donkey mascot of the Democratic Party.
26. Montana - The Montana Tornado (Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, gin, tequila, and 7 Up) Why?: Unlike other tornadoes, the Montana Tornado features 7 Up instead of the commonly used Coca-Cola. The drink is also served in a mason jar instead of the typical cocktail glass.
27. Nebraska - The Kool-Aid Caddy (Orange vodka and Kool-Aid) Why?: Kool-Aid was invented in Hastings, Neb, by Edwin Perkins. Naturally, the state boasts a beverage in his honor.
28. Nevada - The Nevada Cocktail (Light rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and sugar) Why?: In honor of Nevada Day, which falls on the last Friday of October, many drink this cocktail to celebrate.
29. New Hampshire - The Gin-Esaisquoi (Lillet blanc, Velvet Falermum, egg whites, and orange bitters) Why?: This drink was originated at the White Mountain Cider Company in Glen, NH by bartender Jeff Grdinich for his friend Kevin Ginestet, who, ironically, is allergic to eggs and does not drink alcohol.
30. New Jersey - The Applejack (Applejack brandy, lemon juice, and grenadine) Why?: During the colonial period in New Jersey, the Applejack was used as currency to pay road construction crews. New Jersey also boasts the oldest licensed distillery, Laird & Company, which continues to produce applejack.
31. New Mexico - La Paloma (Tequila and grapefruit soda) Why?: This cocktail was first recognized in Evan Harrison’s Popular Cocktails of the Rio Grande. Known as “The Dove” in Spanish, it’s origins are claimed to be somewhere along the Rio Grande. 
32. New York - The Moscow Mule (Vodka, lime juice, ginger beer) Why?: The cocktail is said to have been invented in 1941 by John G. Martin of G.F. Heublein Brothers, Inc., an East Coast spirit producer and Jack Morgan, President of Cock ‘n’ Bull Products.
33. North Carolina - Dirty Beetz (Vodka, beet juice, lime juice, and orange juice) Why?: The Fiction Kitchen, a local Raleigh haunt, features this cocktail. Created by Christopher Tamplin, the use of beets creates a vibrantly colored cocktail when garnished with a lime and orange peel.
34. North Dakota - The Howlin’ Wolf (White Creme de Menthe, blue curacao, vodka, and Sprite) Why?: It’s no surprise that this drink is named after North Dakota’s state animal, the coyote (AKA prairie wolf).
35. Ohio - The Black Gold (Captain Morgans, Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila, Sierra Mist, and Grenadine) Why?: The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes have specialty cocktails, naturally the folks in Thistledown wanted to create a drink to represent the Ohio Derby. The Black Gold is named after the only horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Ohio Derby.
36. Oklahoma - The Farmer’s Daughter (Vodka, fresh strawberries, basil leaves, and simple sugar) Why?: Lobby Bar, located in Oklahoma City, specializes in maintaining the tried-and-true nature of cocktails while adding an individual twist, crafting each individually with added, natural ingredients. Each of their Farmer’s Daughter cocktails is made with fresh fruit. 
37. Oregon - Flaming Ring of Fire (High proof rum, whiskey, and tabasco sauce) Why?: Named after Oregon’s location in “the Pacific Ring of Fire”, this shot turns up the heat with added Tabasco sauce.
38. Pennsylvania - The Bronx (Gin, Sweet red vermouth, dry vermouth, and orange juice) Why?: Strangely, this cocktail was created by Joseph S. Sormani in Philadelphia, a retired Bronx restaurateur. 
39. Rhode Island - Rhode Island Red (Partida Blanco tequila, chambord, lemon juice, agave nectar, orange bitters, and ginger beer) Why?: While hailing from California, this drink was created to salute the 350th anniversary of Rhode Island’s reception of a Colonial Charter. 
40. South Carolina - The Hemingway Mojito (Bacardi, sunset-red Italian Campari, muddled mint & grapefruit, soda water, and grapefruit juice) Why?: Amen Street’s, located in Charleston, mixologists created a cocktail to match the colorful like of Ernest Hemingway. The drink boasts beautiful colors to reflect Hemingway’s love for Key West’s sunsets.
41. South Dakota - The President (Light rum, grenadine, and orange juice) Why?: Over 2 million people visit South Dakota annually to visit this befitting cocktail’s dedication, the Presidents of Mount Rushmore.
42. Tennessee - Lynchburg Lemonade (Jack Daniel’s whiskey, Triple sec, sweet & sour, and Sprite) Why?: This famous cocktail got its name from the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Alabama restaurateur Tony Mason brought JD to court, alleging that the distillery stole his recipe, but a judge declined his request for $13 million in damages.
43. Texas - The Mexican Martini (Tequila, Cointreau orange liqueur, sweet & sour mix, lime juice, orange juice, and Sprite) Why?: This cocktail variation of a margarita is served straight up in a cocktail glass and can be served extra spicy. This drink was created and continues to be incredibly popular in Austin, TX.
44. Utah - The Mountain Derby (Woodford Reserve, grapefruit juice, honey, and lemon juice) Why?: This interesting cocktail was created by Dave Wallace and beat out other cocktails in a competition held in Park City, UT. As a result, his concoction is now featured on drink menus at bars and restaurants all over the city for six months.
45. Vermont - The Old Vermont (Gin, maple syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, and bitters) Why?: For a true version of an Old Vermont, a bartender needs to use Barr Hill Gin from Vermont.
46. Virginia - The Copper Barley (Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water) Why?: The Copper Barley is a cocktail that uses malt exclusively from the Virginia Highland Malt distillery.
47. Washington - The Washington Apple (Vodka, Sour Apple Schnapps, and apple juice) Why?: This can be served as a martini, a shooter, or on the rocks, but its main ingredient is Washington apples from, well, Washington.
48. West Virginia - The Persephone (Bourbon, whiskey, triple sec, lemon juice, and egg whites) Why?: This holiday inspired, champagne-based cocktail was featured in the West Virginia Gazette by its style team.
49. Wisconsin - The Tom and Jerry (Rum/brandy/whiskey, egg whites, vanilla extract, sugar, nutmeg, and powdered milk) Why?: This Christmastime cocktail was originally created by journalist Pierce Egan in the 1820s, but continues to be most popular in Wisconsin. 
50. Wyoming - The Boiler Maker (Light draft beer and whiskey) Why?: Similar to Old Faithful in Wyoming, The Boiler Maker is a geyser of sorts. To consume this cocktail, you first have to drop the shot of whiskey into the beer, then down the entire thing in one gulp.
51. Bonus: Washington D.C. - The Rickey (Gin, lime juice, and carbonated water) Why?: While the drink was created in the 1880’s, the drink maintains its popularity as one of the most popular gin cocktails in the area and even has a virgin version called the “lime rickey”.

Space: The Final Frontier

As I am the Brave Astronaut, I try to remember the anniversaries of significant space milestones.  Here in January, we have two that fall one right after the other.

Yesterday was the 47th Anniversary of the launchpad fire that killed astronauts Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee on the Apollo 1 Mission to the moon.  I have posted about this before - and it is of course, one of the reasons I am known as the Brave Astronaut.  This month, the movie Apollo 13 has been playing with some frequency, and it's one of those movies that I will stop and watch if I come across it.  In that movie, Jim Lovell's (played by Tom Hanks) asks him about the fire that killed Grissom, White, and Chaffee.  Lovell tells his son they fixed the door so that kind of tragedy would never happen again - which it didn't.

As for today's anniversary, 28 years ago, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds into its mission, killing American teacher Christa McAuliffe and six others: Gregory Jarvis, Judy Resnik, Dick Scobee. Ronald McNair, Michael Smith, and Ellison Onizuka.  The seven are memorialized on a monument at Arlington National Cemetery.  I remember watching the launch of the Challenger (very few people still were, as the shuttle launches had become very routine) and realizing something very bad had happened, by the way the reporters on TV were talking.  As far as shuttle movies go, one of the better ones is Armageddon, which I also spotted in the TV listings the other day.

Space travel has its risks - we should always remember those who gave all so we could expand beyond our terrestrial borders to see what is out there.  Ronald Reagan's speech the evening following the Challenger disaster (when he was supposed to have delivered the State of the Union - something President Obama will do later this evening) was extraordinarily moving.

Roasted Broccoli

Three weeks ago, Roasted Chicken.  Last week, Roasted Potatoes.  This week, Roasted Broccoli.

• Preheat oven to 375° 
• Chop a head of broccoli (do not rinse, immediately prior to preparing!) 
• Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic 
• Put broccoli, garlic, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and a few shakes of salt and pepper in a ziploc bag. 
• Shake it up!! 
• Spread out on baking sheet, place on top rack, and bake for about 30 minutes. 
• Broccoli will be crunchy and delicious!

Who is the Most Significant Person of All Time?

Statistically speaking, of course.  Two individuals set out to quantify the contributions of prominent individuals and come up with a list of the most significant people in the world.  From the Atlantic.  Thoughts?  Comment away.

1. Jesus
2. Napoleon
3. Mohammed
4. William Shakespeare
5. Abraham Lincoln
6. George Washington
7. Adolf Hitler
8. Aristotle
9. Alexander the Great
10. Thomas Jefferson
11. Henry VIII
12. Charles Darwin
13. Elizabeth I
14. Karl Marx
15. Julius Caesar 
16. Queen Victoria
17. Martin Luther
18. Joseph Stalin 
19. Albert Einstein 
20. Christopher Columbus

So we have four religious leaders (Jesus, Mohammed, Martin Luther, and Henry VIII), two of them in the top 5.  Protestants just can't get a break.  There is a part of me that feels that Johannes Gutenberg needs to be on this list, because without him, numbers 4 and 10 (and for that matter #17) don't have an outlet for their work. 

I would like to see how they calculated their results to have Napoleon come in at number 2.  I guess it's plausible, seeing as what he accomplished (or didn't accomplish) made number 7 and number 18 possible.  But one could also make the case that Alexander the Great begat Julius Caesar who begat Napoleon.

It's interesting the sciences are so "underrepresented," with only Darwin and Einstein on the list.  Leonardo DaVinci, anyone? Copernicus? And it's nice (for those of us living here in the Americas) for Columbus on the list, but there are other explorers out there that one could say had a greater impact on navigation and exploration.

Can you tell I have some issues with this list?

Roasted Potatoes

Two weeks ago, I posted the alleged best roast chicken recipe.  There's nothing quite like good roasted potatoes surrounding your bird in the oven.

Roasted Potatoes
from Bon Appetit, October 2013

yield Makes 8 servings

Ingredients 

• 8 sprigs hearty herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, and/or sage) 
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, lightly crushed 
• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 3/4" pieces 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place herbs, garlic, potatoes, and oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast, tossing occasionally, until potatoes are soft and golden brown, 45–55 minutes.

Hemingway's List for Young Writers

I didn't make a list of resolutions for 2014.  Less disappointment when I don't follow through.  Although, I would like to, and will make a concerted effort, to lose weight this year - which may result in my sleep apnea going away.  I would just like to feel better.  Mrs. BA and I are also trying to save more (any?) money this year - so we have started on the 52-week savings challenge.  You can see more about it here.

For several years, I have played with a manuscript that I have started, edited, stepped away, come back to, all with the hopes that someday I might get it published.  Maybe 2014 is the year for that too.  So while, I no longer could be considered young, here's a list of books recommended by Ernest Hemingway in 1934.  Think these are available for the Kindle?

• “The Blue Hotel” by Stephen Crane
• “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
• Dubliners by James Joyce 
• The Red and the Black by Stendhal 
• Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham 
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 
• Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann 
• Hail and Farewell by George Moore 
• The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 
• The Oxford Book of English Verse 
• The Enormous Room by E.E. Cummings 
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 
• Far Away and Long Ago by W.H. Hudson 
• The American by Henry James 

To help me with the book, I may also follow Hemingway's advice on "How to Write Fiction."  Also, I would probably benefit from Elmore Leonard's advice on "10 Rules on Writing:"

1. Never open a book with weather - "If it’s only to create atmosphere, and not a character’s reaction to the weather, you don’t want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people."
2. Avoid prologues - "They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword."
3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue - "The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in. But said is far less intrusive than grumbled, gasped, cautioned, lied."
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said” - ". . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange."
5. Keep your exclamation points under control - "You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose."
6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose” - "This rule doesn’t require an explanation. I have noticed that writers who use ”suddenly” tend to exercise less control in the application of exclamation points."
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly - "Once you start spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes, you won’t be able to stop."
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters - "In Ernest Hemingway’s ”Hills Like White Elephants” what do the ”American and the girl with him” look like? ”She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.” That’s the only reference to a physical description in the story, and yet we see the couple and know them by their tones of voice, with not one adverb in sight."
9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things - "Even if you’re good at it, you don’t want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill."
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip - "Think of what you skip reading a novel: thick paragraphs of prose you can see have too many words in them… I’ll bet you don’t skip dialogue."

Clementine Jam? Sign me up

I was never a big fan of the "marmalade" - jam, for me, is one color, red.  And it tastes like strawberry. Or raspberry.

Both LBA and SoBA love clementines.  I do as well, I often have a couple with my lunch.  So here's a recipe that I think might please all the men of the launchpad.

Clementine Preserves
from Mountain Mama Cooks who "borrowed" it from the Imperial Sugar recipe website

Prep time: 1:30
Yield: Makes 5-6 half pint jars

INGREDIENTS

• 20 clementines 
• 2 lemons 
• 5 cups water 
• 3 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and peel clementines, reserving peel from three clementines. Set aside reserved peel and cut all clementines, first in half and then quarter halves. Put clementine pieces in a large non-aluminum pot. Do not use an aluminum pan as it can react with citrus. A cast iron dutch oven is ideal.
2. Peel both lemons reserving seeds. Cut lemon same as clementines and add diced lemon flesh to pot with clementines. Dice reserved clementine peel into small (1/4-inch) pieces and add to the pot. Add sugar and water and and turn stove on to medium-high.
3. While the fruit and water are heating up, add reserved lemon seeds to a cheesecloth bag with a tie or place seeds in a piece of cheesecloth that you can tie with kitchen twine. Drop it into the pot. Bring the fruit to a boil, turn heat back to simmer and cook for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally until water evaporates and preserves start to thicken. Remove cheesecloth with lemon seeds from pot. If you'd like a smoother consistency preserve, use an immersion blender to pulse the preserves and rind until desired consistency is achieved. 
4. Preserves will gel more as they cool. It's crucial not to overcook preserves and keep a close eye on it during the last 10-20 minutes as they can burn easily. 
5. Transfer preserves to clean, sterile jars and store in the fridge up to 3 months.

IMPERIAL SUGAR INSIGHT
Puree the rinds and clementine flesh with an immersion blender to create a bitter-sweet dream that's more like jam than marmalade.

Recipe developed for Imperial Sugar by Kelley Epstein @Mountain Mama Cooks.

The Best Roast Chicken Ever?

A while back, BuzzFeed held a March Madness contest (in October) to determine the best Roast Chicken Recipe.

Here’s how it went down: 

BuzzFeed Food editors chose eight famous roast chicken recipes and randomly seeded them in a single-elimination bracket. For each matchup, the two competing chickens were cooked in separate ovens exactly as the recipe prescribed.* Every matchup was decided by a blind taste test of both white and dark meat from each chicken, marked only as “Chicken 1” and “Chicken 2.” 

*Since the goal of this tournament was to find the most delicious method of roasting a chicken, each chicken was served plain, with no sauce. Therefore, if a recipe called for a sauce or au jus, that part of the recipe was ignored.

Here were the contestants:

1. Glamour's Engagement Chicken - because evidently it's so good, that when you make it, your man will propose.
2. The Food Lab's Roasted Butterflied Chicken
3. Thomas Keller's Chicken
4. Jamie Oliver's Chicken
5. Martha Stewart's Chicken
6. Judy Rodger's Chicken
7. The Pioneer Woman's Chicken
8. Julia Child's Chicken

In the opening round, 1 beat 2; 3 beat 4; 6 beat 5 in a landslide (that just warms my heart); and 8 beat 7 (which upsets me).  In the second round, Keller beat Engagement and Judy was defeated by Julia.  In the finals - Thomas Keller beat Julia Child.

Simple Roast Chicken
Thomas Keller - Epicurious, October 2004

yield Makes 2 to 4 servings

EPICURIOUS EDITORS' NOTE: This simple roast chicken recipe by legendary chef Thomas Keller is one of the top-rated chicken recipes on Epicurious. It's an essential, delicious chicken recipe any home cook can master and enjoy.

Ingredients 

• One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)
• Unsalted butter 
• Dijon mustard 

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be super-elegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #12 (2013 Edition)

For those of you who are interested, here are some of the things the Brave Astronaut was rewarded with this Christmas.  For the record, I didn't get any of the Twelve Days of Christmas gifts, nor did I get any of the fantasy gifts from Neiman-Marcus, I guess I wasn't good enough.

This was a very sweater Christmas, which was good, because I needed some new ones (as I sit here, I am wearing a very comfortable, but holey L.L. Bean sweater, that I'm not allowed to wear outside anymore).  I got a very nice maroon cashmere sweater from my MIL, and three, more casual sweaters from Mrs. BA.  I also got a sweater from my father, who also remembered the right stocking stuffer for my siblings and me.  A new popcorn maker was under the tree, which was good, because Mrs. BA threw out the old one.  I made popcorn for LBA and SoBA for pizza/movie night tonight and somehow, it tasted better.

Mrs. BA and I also scored some gift cards for shopping for things that we may not have realized we wanted or needed (as did LBA and SoBA) and my father made a contribution to a repair that we need to make to the Brave Astronaut mobile.  And we also got some new towels, a very exciting gift - but it's what we needed.

LBA and SoBA were also good boys this year - and were rewarded with multiple Lego sets, Razor scooters, DVDs, and new Wii games.  LBA also scored a iPod shuffle and SoBA has a new LeapPad.  Mrs. BA and I will be working on getting them to write thank you notes soon.

Mrs. BA really wanted one particular gift - and I was having trouble finding it - so I checked with Santa and he delivered me one.

Yep, it's the Lego Museum Break-in.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #11 (2013 Edition)

It's the recap / review blog post.  As I write this post, it's snowing outside the launchpad.  It is just enough to make things pretty - but not enough to cancel work for tomorrow - and LBA and SoBA are still off until next Monday so they didn't need to wear their pajamas inside out.

We spent Christmas Eve with Mrs. BA's family and LBA got his dinner wish of tacos/Mexican food for dinner.  My MIL was unable to join us - having gone to the hospital with pneumonia.  She's better now, after some antibiotics.  We had planned to have LBA and SoBA spend today and tomorrow with her - but between Mrs. BA and I, we are splitting the two days.  Mrs. BA took today and I am home tomorrow.

On Christmas Day, we celebrated both the day and the birthday of LBA.  We had a very nice dinner with some friends, "my sister Nancy" and C in DC's family.  This is becoming a tradition of having C in DC over for Christmas dinner, having done it for several years in a row.

The next day - we packed up and headed north for celebrations with the extended Brave Astronaut Clan.  We enjoyed out time there - having a nice family dinner on Thursday evening (and some cutthroat card playing) - then a trip to NYC on Friday.  There was rain in the forecast for Sunday - so everyone bugged out on Saturday, including us.  We had a relatively easy trip up and back, though it's possible our trip back may have gone well because the car was lighter.  You see, we left a duffel bag of clothes in New York, but luckily friends from town were also visiting Long Island and brought our bag home to us.

For New Years Eve, we continued with the tradition of celebrating with our good friends with fondue.  This year, we had our cheese fondue "appetizer" and then a wonderful dinner of beef tenderloin.  For dessert this year, I made a batch of crepes, which we ate with salted caramel sauce, jams, and fresh whipped cream.  We stayed until about 10, heading home, where LBA made it up until midnight.  It was a little uncomfortable watching Dick Clark's Rockin Eve with him, I came to the conclusion that I am too old for the music, he's too young for it.  And Jenny McCarthy is just awful.

On New Year's Day, we went to a friend's new house for an Open House - it was great to see her and many friends to celebrate the new year.  Today I went back to work and Mrs. BA stayed home with LBA and SoBA, though she took them to see "Frozen".  I am not sure what we will do tomorrow - as it is supposed to be bitter cold.

So another Christmas season is passing on - this weekend will be spent de-Christmasing the house.  I hope all of you, dear readers, enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and all the best wishes for a healthy and happy 2014!

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #10 (2013 Edition)

SoBA has a penchant for eggs.  And he (and LBA) like my crepes.  Today is SoBA's birthday, maybe we will make these soon. From the Amateur Gourmet.

Breakfast Crêpes with Eggs, Bacon and Cheese

Our first weekend in the new apartment and it was my mission to make breakfast. I’d carried a box of foodstuffs from our old refrigerator to the new refrigerator so as not to waste anything and that box contained perishables like eggs, bacon, butter and milk. In my pantry, I had flour, sugar and salt. What could a person make with these things that wasn’t boring? A vision came to me, a vision of a nun on a beach dancing the hoochie-coochie. But then another vision came to me: Crêpes! 

I once made crêpes, long long ago (in 2007), but after that I didn’t make them. It wasn’t a choice or anything, I just didn’t think to make them. Then I was watching Lidia in the new joint (I’m always watching Lidia) and she made an Italian version of crepes and made it look so easy. That’s where this idea came from. 

And you know what? It is easy. I can sum it up in this paragraph: melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool. Then add 4 large eggs and 1 1/2 cups whole milk. Whisk that together and then whisk in 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 cup all-purpose flour. (Recipe from Martha Stewart - [but I don't like her - as most of you know, use my recipe instead]) Martha says you should do it in a blender but I didn’t want to dirty my blender so I used a whisk which worked fine.

Now for the “hard” part. I put “hard” in quotes (and did it again) because it’s really not that hard. Tip 1: pour the batter into a measuring glass. Tip 2: melt some more butter, pour it into a little bowl and use a brush to brush a non-stick skillet with that butter. Then turn up the heat.

When the pan’s hot, lift it up and pour the batter in a thin stream around the perimeter, tilting it all around and trying to create the thinnest layer you can. See?

Let that cook on medium/high heat for a bit (30 seconds or so) and then slide a rubber spatula underneath it all around. Take a peak: is nice and browned? Then it’s time to flip. You can be a pro and do the whole flipping motion thing or you can just lift up a corner and use your fingers to flip it. It’s not that hot.

It’ll cook faster on the other side so take note, maybe 15 seconds or so. Then slide on to a plate and start again: more butter, more batter, more cooking, more flipping, more crêpe-making. When you have all the crêpes you want, make your filling. I rendered some bacon in a skillet then added six eggs (beaten together with a pinch of salt and pepper), stirred slowly on high heat until curds formed, then I took it off the heat and added a bunch of grated Cheddar cheese. I piled that into the center of a crepe, in a straight line.

Then I rolled it up.

It’s like a French breakfast burrito only better because instead of a tortilla you have a thin sweet pancake. So give crêpes a go this weekend. You can take them in a sweet direction and fill them with fruit and whipped cream or you can stay in the savory arena and fill them with all different kinds of scrambled eggs. And whatever batter you don’t use you can save for later: crêpes for breakfast, crêpes for lunch, crêpes for dinner and crêpes for dessert. So, to quote my earlier post: don’t be a creep, make a crêpe.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #9 (2013 Edition)

Of course today is LBA's birthday.  We have worked very hard to make sure that he has a proper birthday in addition to regular Christmas festivities.  However, there will not be tacos for Christmas Dinner tonight.  We will spend our day in church this morning followed by having friends over for Christmas dinner this afternoon.  Tomorrow we will head to NY for a few days to celebrate with the extended Brave Astronaut clan.

LBA manages pretty well with a Christmas birthday. BuzzFeed posted a list a while back with reasons why a Christmas birthday is the worst - but I maintain it's been OK for him.

1. All your friends are home with their families, so you can forget a birthday party.
2. Or if they’re around, there are so many holiday parties people don’t want to celebrate.
3. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, you still get screwed. (Everything is closed and your friends are busy. Nothing better than hanging out alone to celebrate your birth.)
4. You get combo presents from everyone and it’s not OK to point out that if your birthday was in July, this would be an outrage. (As someone with a December birthday - I often got combo presents and never really contemplated the injustice.)
5. On top of the combo presents, your birthday presents are always wrapped in Christmas paper. (That is the cardinal rule - birthday presents must be in birthday wrap.)
6. You have to save up a list of what you want all year. Hopefully your dream present doesn’t come out in February, otherwise you will be waiting 10 months.
7. On the plus side - And people like to decorate really well for your “birthday.” 
8. People also like to remind you it isn't only your birthday.  (When LBA was very young, Mrs. BA took him to the pediatrician and a little girl came over to admire LBA.  She asked when his birthday was, Mrs. BA replied, December 25.  The little girl looked up at Mrs. BA and exclaimed, "Just Like Jesus!")
9. If they even remember at all. (We may have forgotten to give a present or two to SoBA, but LBA has always done well.)
10. People always start to call you the Grinch since you’re sick of all the holiday cheer.
11. This is what your birthday dinner looks like, even if you don't like turkey. (Again, there will not be tacos this evening.)
12. Your birthday "cake" looks a lot like cookies. (LBA always gets a birthday cake.)
13. You are always forced to do some horrible holiday activity on your birthday whether you want to or not.
14. And you are always getting upstaged by a fat guy in a big red suit. And you are always getting upstaged by a fat guy in a big red suit.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #8 (2013 Edition)

Mrs. BA was talking the other day about how much longer we have with LBA and Santa.  However long that is - he will be sworn to silence to keep SoBA on board.  My counterpoint is that, while the man may not come and visit each year - his spirit lives on in all of us.  So, yes, I still believe in Santa Claus, get over it.

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

By Francis P. Church

first published in The New York Sun in 1897

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor —
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

Dear Virginia —

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
___________________________
About the Exchange:
Francis P. Church’s editorial, “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” was an immediate sensation, and went on to became one of the most famous editorials ever written. It first appeared in the The New York Sun in 1897, almost a hundred years ago, and was reprinted annually until 1949 when the paper went out of business.

Thirty-six years after her letter was printed, Virginia O’Hanlon recalled the events that prompted her letter:

“Quite naturally I believed in Santa Claus, for he had never disappointed me. But when less fortunate little boys and girls said there wasn’t any Santa Claus, I was filled with doubts. I asked my father, and he was a little evasive on the subject.

“It was a habit in our family that whenever any doubts came up as to how to pronounce a word or some question of historical fact was in doubt, we wrote to the Question and Answer column in The Sun. Father would always say, ‘If you see it in the The Sun, it’s so,’ and that settled the matter.

“ ‘Well, I’m just going to write The Sun and find out the real truth,’ I said to father.

“He said, ‘Go ahead, Virginia. I’m sure The Sun will give you the right answer, as it always does.’ ”

And so Virginia sat down and wrote her parents’ favorite newspaper.

Her letter found its way into the hands of a veteran editor, Francis P. Church. Son of a Baptist minister, Church had covered the Civil War for The New York Times and had worked on the The New York Sun for 20 years, more recently as an anonymous editorial writer. Church, a sardonic man, had for his personal motto, “Endeavour to clear your mind of cant.” When controversal subjects had to be tackled on the editorial page, especially those dealing with theology, the assignments were usually given to Church.

Now, he had in his hands a little girl’s letter on a most controversial matter, and he was burdened with the responsibility of answering it.

“Is there a Santa Claus?” the childish scrawl in the letter asked. At once, Church knew that there was no avoiding the question. He must answer, and he must answer truthfully. And so he turned to his desk, and he began his reply which was to become one of the most memorable editorials in newspaper history.

Church married shortly after the editorial appeared. He died in April, 1906, leaving no children.

Virginia O’Hanlon went on to graduate from Hunter College with a Bachelor of Arts degree at age 21. The following year she received her Master’s from Columbia, and in 1912 she began teaching in the New York City school system, later becoming a principal. After 47 years, she retired as an educator. Throughout her life she received a steady stream of mail about her Santa Claus letter, and to each reply she attached an attractive printed copy of the Church editorial. Virginia O’Hanlon Douglas died on May 13, 1971, at the age of 81, in a nursing home in Valatie, N.Y.

_______________________________
My fondest wish to all of you for a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy holiday season.  Please take a moment and make sure that you can still hear the sleigh bell.  You won't regret it. 

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #7 (2013 Edition)

We really need to decide what we're having for Christmas dinner.  I would eat this - maybe not in two days, but at some point.  We decided on Turkey instead.

Roasted Cod on Large Garlic Croutons
Bon Appetit, June 2008

Ingredients

• 1 pound plum tomatoes, cored, diced 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 
• 5 anchovy fillets, minced 
• 3 large garlic cloves (2 minced, 1 halved) 
• 4 7- to 8-ounce cod fillets or other white fish fillets (such as halibut; about 1 inch thick) 
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
• 4 1/2-inch-thick slices country white bread 
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves 

Preparation
Preheat oven to 475°F. Combine first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Add minced garlic and stir to blend. Season tomato mixture to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange fish on rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomato mixture. Cook until tomatoes soften and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

Toast bread; rub 1 side with cut side of halved garlic. Top with tomato sauce, basil leaves, fish, and more sauce.

Per serving: 414 calories, 19g fat (3g saturated), 75mg cholesterol, 408mg sodium, 20g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 39g protein (nutritional analysis provided by Nutrition Data)

It's My Birthday!

The Brave Astronaut celebrates today - it occurred to me that my father was the same age as I was when LBA was born.  I am certainly feeling my age, the knees don't work as well as they do, I weigh more than I would like, I really can't see close up without my readers anymore.

When I turned 30, I'm not sure if I had all of these things - but I think I had most of them.  From BuzzFeed:

40 Things Every Self-Respecting Man Over 30 Should Own

1. A tailored black suit - I have a navy suit (I bought it to get married to Mrs. BA) - does that count?
2. Black dress shoes - I have both lace up and loafers in black.
3. Brown dress shoes - and brown (well, burgundy, but same thing)
4. Stocks - my stock portfolio is in my father's custody.  I have none of my own until he's no longer around to own them.
5. A tool kit - got that, and a tool box, and a drill, and various nails, screws, and other handy stuff.
6. A nice wallet - a few years ago, I went to a small card wallet with money clip.  I don't carry a wallet in my back pocket anymore.
7. Cologne - when I used to work in retail, I made friends with the Cosmetics Department Manager and got a huge selection of colognes.  I'm on my last bottle.  I could use more - if you're wondering what to get me.
8. A watch - I have several.  An everyday watch, a dress watch, and a Tiffany's watch (that was a wedding gift from Mrs. BA).
9. A proper bed with proper bedding - check.
10. A flashlight - I have several, including my favorite, a heavy duty Maglite.
11. Duct tape - because there's nothing that can't be fixed with duct tape.
12. A weekend bag - that's something that I would like to have - a nice weekend bag.  But then again, the way I pack - for a weekend I need a steamer trunk.
13. Proper glassware - I have most of the glasses I need.
14. Grooming kit - check.
15. Double-hinged wine key - check
16. Multiple towels - Mrs. BA and I would love the gift of new towels.
17. A chef’s knife - I have a whole set.
18. A passport - I had one, but it's long expired and lost.  Mrs. BA and should really get ours up to date.
19. A flask - I have my grandfather's.
20. Sewing kit - how quaint.  It's really easier to just get new stuff sometimes.
21. An umbrella - check
22. An ironing board, and an iron - I have those things, but that's what dry cleaners are for.
23. Jumper cables - check
24. Undershirts - check (and yes I do routinely replace them)
25. Playing cards - I've always been a card game lover (it's from my mother), so I have several decks, including two Pinochle decks.
26. A lint roller - with no pets at the launchpad, there's no lint roller around.
27. A leatherman - I'm on my second.  The first one was confiscated by TSA.  It was also the one that injured me, so it was OK that I had to give it up.
28. Sunglasses - I would like to have nice sunglasses, but shades are one of those things that are not worth spending a lot of money on.  They break, they get lost.
29. A record player - I may have had one when I was thirty, but don't have one anymore.
30. Football/soccer ball/basketball, etc. - yes the yard is scattered with sports items.  I did however recently buy myself a new mitt when LBA was playing baseball this year.
31. A French press - I love my coffee, so I own one of these - but I mainly use my Cuisinart.
32. Good socks - I should have better socks.
33. Good underwear - I should have better underwear, too.
34. A cast-iron skillet - Mrs. BA has one of those.
35. Multiple sheet sets - check, including several sets of flannel.
36. A bar set - I have most of the items, they're just not in a matching set.
37. Matching dishes - several sets, including my mother's china, Christmas dishes, and "summer" "lighthouse" dishes.
38. A decent car - it's going to be time for a new car soon, but we like the one we have.
39. A solid book collection - oh, there's no lack there.
40. A decent bottle of booze - yep, that too.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #6 (2013 Edition)

I know it's less than 10 days away, but it's possible that we aren't set with our entree dish for Christmas Dinner.  Here's a front-runner.

Herb-Crusted Beef Rib Roast with Potatoes, Carrots, and Pinot Noir Jus
(from Epicurious/Gourmet Live)

Ingredients 
Beef:

• 1 (4-rib) standing beef rib roast (bone-in prime rib; 9 to 10 pounds) 
• 1/4 cup mixed peppercorns (pink, white, and green) 
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 3 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and each cut into 6 wedges (keep in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration) 
• 3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces 

Jus: 

• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle Pinot Noir 
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots 
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 
• 2 1/4 cups reduced-salt beef or chicken broth 

Special equipment: 

• Heavy flameproof roasting pan (not glass) fitted with a flat rack
• instant-read thermometer
• 2 (18- by 13-inch) heavy rimmed sheet pans (aka half-sheet pans)
• parchment paper

Preparation
For roast beef: 
Pat roast dry and put, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan.

Coarsely crush peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or folded kitchen towel (not terry cloth) with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet. Stir together peppercorns, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, thyme, and rosemary in a small bowl.

Rub roast all over with oil, then coat it all over with peppercorn mixture, pressing to help it adhere. Let coated roast stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third. Roast beef roast 20 minutes.

 Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 110°F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer to a platter (keep fat and pan juices in roasting pan) and let stand, uncovered, 40 minutes (temperature of meat will rise to about 130°F for medium-rare).

While roast stands, put second oven rack in upper-third position and increase oven temperature to 450°F. Line 1 sheet pan with parchment paper.

Strain pan juices from roasting pan through a sieve into a glass measuring cup (reserve roasting pan). Drain potatoes well and toss in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons melted beef fat from roasting pan and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then spread out on parchment-lined sheet pan. Toss carrots in same bowl with another 3 tablespoons beef fat from pan and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then spread out on other rimmed sheet pan. Roast vegetables in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes for carrots and 30 to 35 minutes for potatoes.

Make jus while vegetables roast: 
Skim off and discard any remaining fat from pan juices. Set pan over 2 burners. Add 1 cup of wine and deglaze pan by boiling it over high heat, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Pour into pan juices in cup.

Cook shallot in 1 tablespoon butter with remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add wine mixture in cup, along with remaining wine in bottle, and boil over high heat until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes.

Add broth and continue to boil over high heat until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Strain mixture through a sieve into another saucepan and whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces) until incorporated. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

To carve roast, slide a carving knife along inside of ribs to separate meat from bones, then cut ribs into individual bones. Slice meat and serve with vegetables and jus.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #5 (2013 Edition)

So the next time you're listening to those Christmas songs, and the Twelve Days of Christmas comes on (personally, this version is the favorite of the Brave Astronaut), do you wonder how much all that crap costs?  Well someone at PNC Bank did and, thirty years ago, and every year since - the folks at PNC have been letting us know how much all those birds, people, and Five Gold Rings cost.

One Partridge in a Pear Tree will run you $199.99, down $5 from last year.  Two Turtle Doves and three French Hens are stable at $125 and $165, respectively.  You will need $80 more for four Calling Birds, which will set you back $600.  The price of gold remains steady and five gold rings will cost you $750.  The cost of the next 13 birds (six geese-a-laying and seven swans-a-swimming) is also unchanged this year with $210 for geese and $7000 for swans ($7000 for swans, really?  they're just mean birds).

Now, moving into people, eight milkmaids will only set you back $58 (no change from last year).  However, nine dancing ladies, ten leaping lords, eleven pipers, and twelve drummers, will cost you more this year.  The ladies are going for $7552.84, a 20% increase from last year; the lords got a 10% raise this year, costing $5,243,37; the pipers and the drummers only got a 2.9% raise costing $2,635,20 and $2,854,50, respectively.

So when you add it all up - it's 364 gifts total, the cost of the Twelve Days of Christmas increased 7.7% this year for a total bottom line of $27,393.17.

From another source (BuzzFeed) - here's a ranking of the 12 days, ranked from worst to best.  Feel free to weigh in.

12. The 11th Day of Christmas: Pipers Piping.
11. The 12th Day of Christmas: Drummers Drumming.
10. The 8th Day of Christmas: Maids A-Milking.
9. The 6th Day of Christmas: Geese a-laying.
8. The 3rd Day of Christmas: French Hens.
7. The 7th Day of Christmas: Swans a-Swimming.
6. The 4th Day of Christmas: Colly Birds.
5. The 1st Day of Christmas: A Partridge In A Pear Tree.
4. The 10th Day of Christmas: Lords a- Leaping.
3. The 9th Day of Christmas: Ladies Dancing.
2. The 2nd Day of Christmas: Two Turtle Doves.
1. The 5th Day of Christmas: Five gold rings.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #4 (2013 Edition)

All Stop. Good Quiet.  The cookie recipe for the season has been located.

From the Washington Post Food Section, Wednesday December 4, 2013.

Edible Letters (for the Scrabble / Words with Friends lover in your life)

A bag of these tiles would make a great gift for Scrabble fans.

There are two ways to go here. You can be a stickler for detail and slice the dough to the dimensions of actual Scrabble tiles: 1 3/16 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Or you can take the casual approach and cut the tiles a little larger. If you opt for being exact, this recipe will yield about 250 tiles. (There are 100 tiles in an English-language Scrabble game.)

Food-grade glycerin is available at natural foods stores and cake supply shops. If you want to make your own vanilla sugar, you'll need a few weeks' head start: Split a fresh vanilla bean in half lengthwise, then bury it in several cups of sugar in a sealed container.

Make Ahead: The dough needs to be refrigerated for 30 minutes before rolling, then frozen for 15 minutes once the tiles are cut. The iced cookies need to set up at room temperature for at least 1 hour before you write on them. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or frozen, without icing or letters, for up to 3 months.

Ingredients
For the tiles

• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, plus more for dusting 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• Salt 
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought vanilla sugar (see headnote)
• 1 large egg 
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 

For the icing

• 1 large egg white 
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted 
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1/2 teaspoon food-grade glycerin (see headnote) 
• Water 
• Black edible marker pen, for decorating 

Directions
For the tiles: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Lightly flour a work surface.

Combine the 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, the baking powder and salt on a piece of wax paper.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low, then medium-high speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl. On low speed, beat in the egg, then the vanilla and almond extracts. Stop to scrape down the bowl.

On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to form a slightly crumbly dough. Turn the dough out onto the work surface; knead until the dough comes together in a ball. Flatten the dough into 2 disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on the floured work surface to a generous 1/8-inch thickness. Use a ruler to measure and serve as a guide as you cut out tiles (see headnote), transferring the tiles to the lined baking sheets as you work and spacing them 1/2 inch apart. Scraps of dough can be rerolled as needed. Transfer the sheets to the freezer for 15 minutes.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees.

Bake the tiles one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until they just begin to show a pale golden color at the edges; do not let them brown. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining filled baking sheet.

Repeat to roll, slice and bake the second disk of dough.

For the icing: Beat the egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer on low speed until it becomes frothy. With the motor running, add the confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.

Add the lemon juice and glycerin; increase the speed to medium-high and beat to form stiff peaks. If needed, stir in 1 teaspoon of water at a time to achieve the right consistency; the icing should be smooth enough to spread in a thin layer. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and let it rest for several minutes.

When ready to decorate, use a small teaspoon to place a dollop of icing on each cooled cookie tile, then use a small offset spatula to smooth the icing to the edges. Allow to air-dry for at least 1 hour.

Check to make sure the icing is set and dry before you use the black edible pen. Decorate with letters and their point values, as you’d find on Scrabble tiles. Make sure the writing has set before serving or storing. 

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #3 (2013 Edition)

If you are still wondering what that special Brave Astronaut in your life needs, here's the list from the "Fantasy Gifts" from the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.

Bespoke Global Falconry Companion $150,000

Years of apprenticeship and study are behind you. Your raptor is trained, and you have received the ultimate title of Master Falconer. Now, your new Bespoke Global Falconry Companion is loaded and ready for its inaugural outing.

Circling the field for the perfect spot to set up, you consider yourself lucky to take part in an ancient sport once reserved for nobles of Medieval Europe, the Middle East, and the Mongolian Empire. Little has changed in the game thousands of years later—there are no firearms and no outside weapons. It still all comes down to a relationship between the falconer and bird.

A prime locale has been found, and you and your fellow hunters set up camp. Gazing upon your portable case and matching custom trunk, you marvel at the 20-karat gold-plated perch, hand-carved stands, leather perch scale, and hand-sewn glove, anklet, and exotic-skin hoods by Ken Hooke, the world's preeminent falconry hood maker. A day in the countryside has never been so luxuriously appointed! Next, the furniture: Chatwin chairs and a foldout table by Richard Wrightman, the foremost designer of bespoke campaign furniture (the King of Jordan is a client). You unfold the beautiful, handmade backgammon board from Alexandra Llewellyn, pour yourself a drink from one of the lead crystal decanters, and select the cigar you'll enjoy, using your matching cigar cutter by David Linley. The birds are ready, and your gauntlet is in place.

Time to hunt!

Ciclotte $11,000

Morning exercise will become far less routine, thanks to your new Ciclotte. A blend of amazing form and state-of-the-art function, this modern spin on the exercise bicycle will ensure it never gets relegated to the basement.

Approaching the machine, you admire its sleek, sculptural appearance. The large wheel is a nod to the unicycles of the late 1800s, but that's where the design-reminiscing ends. Void of the superfluous bells and whistles that characterize most of today's gym equipment, this piece is a study in the power—and beauty—of simplicity. Good looks aside, its dynamic design is rivaled only by its effortless performance.

Sitting astride your cycle, you adjust the angle of the carbon-fiber handles, choose from one of 12 levels of resistance, engage the pedals, and ride, ride, ride your way to a fitter, healthier you.

Forevermark Ultimate Diamond Experience $1,850,000

Every extraordinary gem has a history, but rare is the opportunity to trace its provenance. As the owner of this 25-carat rough Forevermark® diamond, you'll travel deep into the heart of Africa to discover where your stone began its journey more than one billion years ago.

This once-in-a-lifetime adventure starts with a trip to the De Beers headquarters in London. Once there, you'll receive your exceptional diamond in its rough and uncut form, name your diamond, learn about the unique inscription it will receive, and meet the master craftsman who will hand-cut and polish it to perfection.

A private tour of The Crown Jewels and dinner with De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier and Forevermark CEO Stephen Lussier in the Tower of London follow. Your journey continues on a vessel off Namibia's coast, where your diamond was discovered deep within the ocean floor. You'll then explore rough-diamond sorting houses and a children's community project, where the local population benefits from Forevermark's responsible sourcing of diamonds.

Upon returning to the United States, you'll meet with New York jewelry designer Maria Canale to design the ring that will exhibit your exceptional diamond.

The Glass House Experience $30,000 (I would totally do this!)

You've always dreamed of calling an architectural icon "home." For the first time ever, you and a very lucky guest get to experience the next best thing: an overnight stay in the New Canaan, Connecticut, weekend residence of world-renowned architect and art patron, Philip Johnson.

The Glass House and its bucolic surroundings are yours to explore upon arrival. Get up-close-and-personal access to the life and style of one of the twentieth century's most revered visionaries as you wander among the 14 architectural structures, study his world-class modern painting and sculpture collection, visit the private library, and stroll through the 49 acres of landscaped grounds.

As evening descends, your dinner guests begin to arrive. Up to ten of your nearest and dearest will join you at Philip Johnson's table for a locally sourced, multicourse culinary experience.

The meal comes to a close, you bid adieu to your guests, and retire to the bedroom with a perfect view of the surrounding forest and the manifestation of Philip Johnson's most beautiful dream.

Indian Larry's "Wild Child" Motorcycle $750,000

Like master motorcycle fabricator Indian Larry, you feel at your best on the back of a bike with the wind in your face. Astride his "Wild Child," you're practically one with the late chopper icon.

Handbuilt in Brooklyn, New York, for the Discovery Channel "Biker Build-Off" series, "Wild Child" is considered by many to be the pinnacle of Indian Larry's artistic achievements. It features his signature dished tank, root beer metal flake paint, twisted down tube frame, and a truly unique engine with a shovelhead front cylinder, panhead rear, and jockey shift. An open belt drive is emblazoned with the "Wild Child" name. Brass accents and a hand-carved leather seat in Indian Larry's likeness complete the picture of this motorized masterpiece.

In 2003, Larry rode "Wild Child" from St. Louis, Missouri, to Sturgis, South Dakota, where Larry's bike was named the winner of the Build-Off, one of three unprecedented consecutive wins for the chopper enthusiast. Upon learning of his triumph, Indian Larry famously declared, "There are no winners! There are no losers!" He shared his victory with fellow competitor Billy Lane, and then they both cut the trophy into pieces, signed the scraps, and handed them out to the crowd.

Jeff Koons's Dom Pérignon Balloon Venus $20,000

Resting on its perch, the bright figurine is void of any facial expression. But, look closer at the mirrored surface, and you'll see your own broad smile reflecting back—a trademark reaction from someone admiring a piece of work by Jeff Koons, an artist whose originality and charisma are unmatched.

Like Koons's other famous installations—Bilbao's Puppy and Balloon Dog—the limited-edition Dom Pérignon's Balloon Venus is playful, impactful, and signature Jeff Koons. Designed in celebration of the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2003, this incarnation is based on one of the latest works from Koons's Antiquity series called Balloon Venus (a modern riff on the Venus of Willendorf, which dates back to approximately 23,000 B.C.).

According to the artist, this version, made from polyurethane resin, represents the link between past, present, and future vintages of Dom Pérignon, as well as the continuity of the human experience symbolized by Venus.

Ultimate Outdoor Entertainment System $1,500,000

What will it be tonight? A four-course al fresco dinner with a side of jazz? Or, popcorn and a flick on the patio? A toss of a coin reveals it's movie night, but with over 300 films to choose from, you opt for a double feature of an apocalyptic drama followed by a tried-and-true tearjerker. Settling in, you click a button—your television emerges from its discreet, underground cache, telescoping upward and unfolding to reveal its mega 201" C SEED screen. The accompanying 7.1 digital surround sound heightens the anticipation, as it should—the speakers were developed by CAT—California Audio Technology, Inc., —using the most advanced marine-grade components specifically developed for super yachts. You can't find this level of superiority anywhere on land. As you marvel at this epic theater experience, you wonder how the two of you ever managed to enjoy at-home movies before now.

A true audio- and video-phile's dream, the system includes technologically advanced speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers that project unparalleled sound, a DirecTV® satellite and DVD management system, and a built-in movie package featuring up to 300 movies and concerts (The American Film Institute's 100 Most Thrilling American Films and 100 Greatest Love Stories, the remaining 100 are your choice). Oh, and that never-ending argument over who controls the remote? Not an issue—two Apple® mini iPads™ serve as the remotes; one for him and one for her. The entire system is delivered at your doorstep and includes installation and programming.

Neiman Marcus 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante $344,500

The weather outside is delightful—the perfect impetus to take your Neiman Marcus 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, one of only 10 in the world, for an afternoon of motoring.

With its elegant profile and confident, sexy stance, this automotive masterpiece scores high marks on good looks alone. But there's more to this machine than meets the eye. Beneath its NM Exclusive Seychelles Blue exterior exists the culmination of a century of technological and engineering prowess.

Handbuilt in Gaydon, England, your Vanquish Volante sports a 100% carbon fiber shell—the first ever in Aston Martin's history—allowing for a much lighter car with greater torsional and structural rigidity, while enhancing safety, performance, and handling. A new, naturally aspirated 6.0-liter, V-12 engine produces some 565 horsepower and is tuned to deliver 457 pound-feet of torque, available and accessible throughout the rev range to deliver an enhanced performance feel. The engine sends the drive strictly to the rear wheels via a six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission, making acceleration smooth, steady, and, above all, responsive.

The forecast is promising. Perhaps a spontaneous trip to the shore is in order? You load the bespoke leather luggage into the trunk before sliding behind the wheel. With a turn of the ignition, the throaty engine roars to life. A three-mode Adaptive Damping System allows you to choose the character of your ride. Cruising down the coastline, you wonder what it would be like to put the reported 180-plus mph max speed to the test. Like a certain secret agent, you have a penchant for these beautiful British automobiles—and a taste for adventure.

The Twelve Posts of Christmas - #2 (2013 Edition)

Here's a thought for a birthday cake (Mrs. BA?) or perhaps for a Christmas Dinner dessert. From BuzzFeed and Food52.

Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream Cake
Author Notes: For this decadent treat, Alice Medrich's rich and chewy nibby brownies are topped with coffee ice cream and a billowy layer of no-churn sweet cream ice cream.
Serves 10 to 12

FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/3 cup plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs 

FOR THE COFFEE ICE CREAM LAYER

• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/4 cup coffee beans, coarsely ground 
• 3/4 cups sugar 
• 5 egg yolks 
• 2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur 
• pinches salt 

No-Churn Ice Cream

• 14 ounces can of sweetened condensed milk 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 2 tablespoons bourbon pinches salt 

1. FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER: Preheat oven to 350º F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the bottom and sides generously 
2. Put the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Let cool. 
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is lighter in color, about 3 minutes. 
4. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk to combine, then fold in the flour and 2 tablespoons of the cacao nibs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the rest of the nibs. 
5. Slide your pan into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. Cool completely, then remove the outside of the springform pan and slice the brownie round in half horizontally. I find the brownies are easiest to slice after a few minutes in the refrigerator. Leave the bottom half of the brownies in the pan and put the outside of the springform pan back in place. Break the top layer of brownie into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Then prepare the coffee ice cream. 
6. FOR THE COFFEE ICE CREAM LAYER: Heat 1 cup of heavy cream to just below simmering, turn off heat, add the coffee beans, and let steep for 5 minutes. Drain the mixture through a coffee filter and transfer it to a bowl with a strainer set over it. 
7. Combine the milk, remaining heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, being careful to not let the mixture boil. Stir often, and cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture over the coffee-infused cream and stir to combine. Add in the coffee liqueur if using. Chill over an ice bath (or for a few hours in the fridge).
8. When completely chilled, churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spread the soft ice cream mixture over the trimmed brownie layer still in the pan. You want to fill the pan so it is about halfway full, which means you will probably have a bit of extra ice cream leftover; freeze it in an airtight container to enjoy later. Top the coffee ice cream with the broken brownie pieces. Put the pan in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the sweet cream ice cream 
9. FOR THE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM LAYER: Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, bourbon, and salt together in a large bowl. 
10. In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Then gently fold it into the condensed milk mixture. 
11. Top the coffee ice cream and brownies with the sweet cream mixture (you may have a bit leftover) and freeze overnight before slicing. Just before serving, sprinkle with a few teaspoons of cacao nibs and top the slices with chocolate sauce. I like this Magic Shell (http://food52.com/recipes/22873-magic-shell) with a pinch of salt. Enjoy!