More Hops!
Modern Methods just released the beer that I helped pick hops for a month ago, 7 Frogs. Then two weeks ago, I went down to Noble Creature to pick more hops and brew beer.
WHile we were picking, Ira was brewing a 15 gallon batch outside.
OBX
Spent the week at Corolla, NC with my sisters, nieces and nephews. The weather was absolutely perfect – mid 80s and not a single drop of rain. We like to tempt fate and go in early September (at least until the grand-niblings are old enough for school) and we hit it perfectly this time.
We were in one of those huge houses, right on the beach. 18 of us, but the house had nine bedrooms and ten bathrooms. Lots of fish; lots of beer, and even a pinball or two at the Sunset Grille
I came back in one drive, but on my way down stayed in downtown Fredericksburg, VA. Nice town with some really good breweries. Red Dragon was excellent but I think I liked Water’s End best, if only for the name of their flagship beer – Damn Beer. I got to say ‘Gimme a Damn beer!’, and I’m sure I was only the 4,382nd person to do so. This year.
I left my heart
One of my favorite museums – and one of the best collections of American art in the country – is just a few miles from me, the Butler Institute of American Art. I’m a member and go there often. It doesn’t hurt that it’s just around the corner from a favorite brewery, Noble Creature Cask House.
I went there yesterday because one of my favorite artists, Anthony Benedetto, passed away at the age of 96. I understand that he also sang. He’s got a lovely piece there:
While I was there, I looked around. They were having their Midyear Exibition. One of the pictures caught my eye:
It was taken by my next door neighbor. That’s her husband – and my house on the left.
And finally, something only a geek would notice.
It’s a lovely acrylic, but look at the border. Hm. All numbers above 31 and under 127. I’ll bet…
Yup. ASCII for ‘Women’s rights 2022’.
Cioppino
As promised, more food. Cioppino is one of my favorites, and yeah, it’s probably not the smartest thing to cook or eat in this weather – but my porch herbs are calling me.
Recipe for enough for me for three meals:
- 2 T butter
- 4 T olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 14.5 oz stewed tomatoes
- 2 c. chicken broth
- 12 T basil, chopped
- 1 T thyme, chopped
- 1 t oregano
- 1/2 c. water (see below)
- 3/4 c. white wine
- 3/4 c. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 # bay scallops
- 20 mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 1 leg crab
- 3/4 # cod fillets, 1/2″ cube
- 1 can chopped clams
- Melt butter and oil in a large pot. Add onions, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly 4-5 minutes until the onioon is soft.
- Add tomatoes (break them into chinks). Add broth, herbs, water and wine. Note: I peel the shrimp and toss the shells into a cup of water and boil that for a few minutes and strain, and use that for the water. Adds some depth. Mix, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
- Stir in the seafood. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer 6 minutes or until the mussels open.
Pro tip: Just like chicken noodle soup, I strain with a spoon and store the leftover broth and meat separately. The broth takes forever to warm up; if you do both at the same time your broth will be hot and your meat will be overcooked. Warm up the broth for 5-6 minutes and then toss the meat in for 1.
Rosemary focaccia, from Suzanne Dunaway’s No Need to Knead:
- 1 c. lukewarm water (85 to 95 F)
- 2 t active dry yeast
- 2 c. bread flour
- 1-1/2 t salt
- olive oil
- 2 T chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 t kosher salt
Measure the water into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in the salt and four and stir until smooth. The dough will be wet and tacky. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove the dough 2 hours before shaping and let stand in a warm place. Preheat the oven to 500F. Port the olive oil into a cast iron pan and pour the dough into the pan. Brush olive oil over the top and sprinkle the top with 1 t kosher salt and the rosemary. Set aside for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 400 F and bake for 37 – 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
First Paycheck
My first paycheck at Denman, my first real job.
This was for three weeks. So I was bringing home $351 a month! I had no idea what to do with that much money.
Well, that’s a lie. Of course I knew what to do with that much money. Maplewood Tavern, and 3.2% Stroh’s for everybody! And back when beers were a quarter, that went a long way.
London
So took the train down from Edinburgh to London. Because of a whole bunch of AmEx points and a good offer, I was staying at L’Oscar London. This is not my usual type of hotel. And I probably wouldn’t do it again. But it was a fun thing to do once. Turndown service and all that.
The reason I picked this hotel is that it’s smack in the middle of London, right around everywhere you read about in books. Half a mile from the Charles Dickens Museum; quarter mile to the British Museum;
two blocks from the John Soane. Short walk to the Thames:
St. Paul’s:
and right next to the neighborhoods you always read about in London: The West End:
Soho:
The best thing about this? My first trip to the UK in 1994 was to Brighton, for the UK Data General conference. Back when I was a young boy. With this game I have now officially played the silver ball from Soho down to Brighton.
My favorite, though, was the London Science Museum. Everything from Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ to
It wasn’t in walking distance – but I have an Oyster Card, and the tube is simply wonderful.
Oh, yeah. I went to a pub or two. 🙂
Fantastic trip, and I will be going back. I flew Delta First, but the flight was actually run by Virgin Atlantic, so I got to take advantage of their lounge at Heathrow. This will give you an idea.
Scotland
Had a wonderful time. Flew into London two days before the coronation, but luckily my London time was at the end of this trip. Got on the Edinburgh Express. 400 miles from London to Edinburgh and the train takes less than five hours. I love travelling by train!
Spent five days in Edinburgh
walking around things like this:
And no, there was no escalator up to the top. I looked.
And there was whisky, of course. I am now an official member of the Scotch Whisky Appreciation Society, which I believe entitles me to 10% off a bottle I couldn’t afford anyway. But it was fun.
Drank a beer or two. I was amazed at the amount of cask ale in Scotland. My first visit, nearly 30 years ago, you couldn’t find any.
But even after 30 years, some things never change.
From there I rented a car at the airport and drove up to Inverness, at the top of Loch Ness. I’ve driven in the UK before. It isn’t relaxing – I keep trying to scrunch to the left, and on Scotland back roads there’s either a mountain or a loch on your left. I got through it OK. Hertz cooperated by giving me a Volvo, so I didn’t have to learn any new controls. The most common road sign was this, which made me nervous. Tell them not to do that!
But it was breathtakingly gorgeous. Pictures don’t do it justice, because you can’t stop and take them where it’s really stunning.
I took the long way up so I could stop at Bannockburn and Glencoe. Stopped at the Claddach Inn in Glencoe, per Doug’s suggestion. I’m a MacDonald (my paternal grandmother), so I appreciated this:
Did a Loch Ness tour, and got to go to Urquhart Castle.
Drove the ‘easy’ way back to Edinburgh, dropped off the car, and hopped the train back to London.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Birdfish Fat Tuesday. But they interrupted pinball league!
Dessert
Praline cake from Noble Creature. Praline ice cream from Cockeye. 2018 Toris the Tyrant 13.8% triple stout from Hoppin’ Frog. In a Birdfish glass, of course.
I think I gained five pounds just typing that.
