Month: October 2021

October 12, 2021 – The Cure for a Hangover

October 12, 2021 /

One of the most treasured things that I gotten in relationship of a Latino family was the ability to open up to culture that was very foreign to me. I find it fascinating that two families can grow up in the same geographic area and relative socioeconomic level and yet have experiences that are extremely foreign.

The older I get the more I realize this is more common with ethnic families. They have largely embraced the American experience while retaining elements that are important to the original culture. I suppose that I cannot speak in ultimate authority, but I have seen examples in this family for sure. Speaking outside of food traditions for the moment, there is something called Curanderismo or white magic. I am not going to go any deeper than surface level but there is a technique for solving an ear ache or taking away bad dreams.

I find that there is a lot of superstition, most of which I don’t think there is a whiff of science or logic but this one makes some sense, the cure for a hangover. When my wife and I were dating, I was enamored by so many new experiences. One of them was for young families to stay out late dancing, drinking and socializing. Then, after the social outing you would cap off the night (or morning) with soup called menudo.

On first blush, this is a fairly simple composition of ingredients. The primary ingredients are tripe, water, garlic, oregano, salt and chili powder. Some people like some variants that include hominy and pigs feet. Sound good yet? The work is in the prep and the timing because there is a fair amount of those two things.

Having made this a number of times, I would not call it exactly inexpensive. At seven dollars a pound for tripe, buying 15 pounds the price starts to add up. These are big pots, so it is typically made at 10 gallons at a time. But, let’s get into it.

Tripe is most often bought frozen. It is a beef byproduct that is cleaned and fresh frozen in blocks. Most supermarkets will cut these blocks on the bandsaw in smaller pieces but they are never small enough to use. So, these need to be thawed out plenty of time, like overnight before you need to start cooking.

I add salt and about a head of garlic for about five pounds of tripe and enough water to start boiling down the trip. If you use pigs feet, this is also the time to add them. What these do to the soup is contribute collagen for thickening and this soup will end up solid at room temperature when done right. One foot per 10 pounds of tripe is about right. I didn’t want to spring for a bunch of pigs feet, but I did use some smoked ham hock which I already had.

Now, what I have done is put this pot on overnight. This time I added the menudo mix which is oregano and chili flakes along with salt and let it go. By the time I woke up in the morning there was 1/2 an inch of fat on the top of the liquid and the tripe was boiled down to half of its size. I say this so that you are careful about how much additional water is added. I used three quarts initially but if I had to do over again, I would have done more tripe and less water.

I was serving this around dinner time, normally it would be late breakfast time so you may need to get up early to get the seasoning done. I used 25 dried guajillo chilies to rehydrate and make a paste. That happened to be all I had, it probably needed double that amount for this batch. If you don’t have enough which is frequently the case, you can use chili powder to help out. Keep tasting because you want the broth to have body.

Hominy is a slightly controversial ingredient. In Tex-Mex fashion, it is used. My wife likes it so I try to do a 50/50 tripe to hominy ratio. In Mexico, there would be no hominy added. Keep tasting you may need salt, chili and garlic.

Serve with corn tortillas, chopped onion, limes (my wife likes lemons), extra menudo mix and chili for added spice. Coffee or Coke is the best pairing for drinks and eat three bowls. That will cure your hangover.

I will be honest, I don’t love it. It tastes fine and I am good with it every couple of months but I don’t crave it. What I do appreciate is keeping the tradition alive. I also appreciate the waves of people enjoying the food and the camaraderie. I also like being the white guy that makes the best menudo and it makes my wife happy. So, once a year or so I will do it again just for the heck of it.

End Your Programming Routine: Yesterday was the two month anniversary of my father-in-law’s death. This was an homage to him as the hominy and the menudo seasoning was his when we cleaned out the pantry. I made it for my wife who returned home from Texas over the weekend who loves it. His passing still weighs heavy on her heart. We really didn’t have a hangover in a traditional sense, but in a small way hopefully this helps with the figurative one.

October 11, 2021 – Making Plum Wine

October 11, 2021 /

This is something that I should have done a long time ago. I have had these plums prepped and improperly stored in the freezer for over six weeks now. The truth is, I thought that I would talk about brewing much more than I have. This may be the first time I have written about it other than saying that this was one of the things that I was going to write about.

About mid August, a box of plums showed up on the deck. I don’t really know where they came from. I think I do, but nothing has ever been confirmed. Now, I don’t really care for them and would much prefer them dried, then called a prune. I also thought about trying to give them away, ultimately I decided to try and make wine.

Never having done this before, I did some research. Plums are a stone fruit. It seems like they are related to the peach and the almond. So, there is some risk of cyanide that is contained within the pit. It was generally regarded as minimal risk with a whole pit, (not being ground or broken) and in some cases it was preferred to have some pits with the brew. I decided to just pit them all for several reasons. Since I don’t know the source, I don’t know the condition of the fruit. Could they be rotten or green or contain bugs?

I didn’t have plans to immediately brew which is why these went into the freezer for a later date. This has several advantages beside managing schedules, freezes will kill undesirables. It will also rupture cell walls making the essence of the fruit easier to access when I decide to get started. From a (home) brewing perspective, freezing fruit is a helpful technique to to making the best batches.

I’ve done quite a bit of reading and learning about beer. However, the same is not true with wine. I guess what surprises me is that most fruit wines use sugar as an additive. In this case, I had 15lbs of fruit but also 15lbs of added sugar. At least this is the case in the homebrew world. I am aware that in the wine world, nearly anything can be done to make adjustments, from acid to flavor. I guess we will see how it comes out.

What kind of yeast do you use? I chose a freeze dried pastor blanc yeast from Red Star. In my beer research, I know that the liquid yeast strains seem to be the premium choice. However, I have not found it to make that much difference in taste. I have pretty much switched over to dry yeast for the cost and storability. I have both and could have used either red or white yeast.

Along with 3 gallons of water and a few adjuncts (that are not strictly necessary), I got my wine started. I added one teaspoon of acid blend (citric and maleic), 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient for getting the yeast going, it is some kind of urea (or nitrogen compound) and one teaspoon of pectic clarifier. I dont think that is necessary either.

Finally, I added three Campden (Sodium metabisulfite) tablets. As strange as it sounds, these are added to retard the fermentation. Traditionally, the primary fermentation is done in open vessels and the skins of grapes contain enough yeast to ferment by themselves. The brewer wants to make sure that his added yeast takes off first to have the most controlled outcome. These tablets also contain free radical scavengers to consume oxygen and reduce the oxidation of the juice.

End Your Programming Routine: So far, my experiments with wine have been not great. I have found the best place to use them is cooking or mulled. But that is OK, It is the place where my science training still gets exercised a little bit. I will keep you updated on how the process progresses.

October 8, 2021 – Still Piecing Together My Office

October 8, 2021 /

One of the ways of working that I have discovered is that I cant afford to spend my entire working day in the office. Between kids that need to get out the door and animals that need to be in and out to answering the door, I need to take my computer out of the office for parts of the day. For that reason, I don’t want to plug in 5 or 6 cables several times a day.

Because of that, I bought one docking station to try out. You can see it under my monitor on the upper left. It is meant to have the laptop sit on edge on top of the docking station. If you look closely, you can see that I have two (work) laptops and so I have tried both with the new docking station, so I am looking to get one more.

A word about docking stations. Five years ago, docks were a proprietary device that mated with specific brands and models of computer. These days, there is less of that but beware when looking at them as they are not all the same. For instance, most of them are termed USB-C port extenders and do not power the laptop at all defeating the purpose of one connection. Also, many of them support only one monitor, so if you are using a multiple monitor setup as I am, then you need to verify that will work with the docking station you are looking at.

To me, the power of docking stations gives you the flexibility to unplug and move the location you are working and then come back and pickup. If you do not work in that manner and your computer mostly stays put, then you probably don’t even need a docking station. Also, note the power requirements for your machine. I found several that didn’t output enough watts to adequately charge the battery. It is OK if is putting out more power, but not less. One last thing, if your computer is a consumer grade machine it may not be able to power through USB-C and you can get most of the features with a port extender.

To then use these optimally, I am in the market for a KVM switch. That is an acronym that stands for Keyboard, Video and Mouse switch which allows me to use the same keyboard and video setup to switch between the two computers with the click of a button. Once I have those two additional items, I can go about cleaning up all of the cable mess and my desk will be finally setup.

That doesn’t mean that my office is done. I had a couch that I was going to put in but I found out that my baseboard heater didn’t allow for the couch to be put in (so, I guess it is to the dump with that). But, my wife wanted me to take the loveseat that was in the kitchen area. Which I did and Leo thought it was a good decision.

That means that I had to take the stereo receiver out. I have made the measurements and I can build a table that will fit behind the couch and provide the optimum space to bring that back in. The downside is that with everything going on, it will be a while before I get to that project (hopefully this winter).

I still have stuff to hang up and really make it personal and I think that will help with the sound as well. But, overall it is getting close to finishing. Like everything, just money and time to get everything the way that I want it.

End Your Programming Routine: Like every project, there are the ‘wish that you would have known’ things. I wish that I would have anticipated the space the heater consumed I might have sacrificed my re-use principle to something that uses less space. I also wish I would have known how warm just the electronics would get and possibly add a window for ventilation. Those two things aside, I am still very happy with how it came out.

October 7, 2021 – ‘Tacticool’ Thursday

October 8, 2021 /

**Note: I restored from backup 10-8-21 and I didn’t realize this post wasn’t included as the latest post from an Oct 7 backup. I don’t feel like rebuilding it completely but I will try to capture the essence**

It is hunting season, although I am not going out this weekend. I am hoping to do so next weekend. Today I thought that I would do a gear dump and explain what and why for the different pieces.

First, I will start with the bag. It is a Kelty that I am guessing is 24/28L. The most important thing about the bag is it is made from fleece which reduces the distinctive nylon on branch sound. It has a bright orange rain cover as well that helps you find it when set down. I also carry 2L bottles which is always more water than I need. One other thing that I have noticed is when they are not entirely full, they make a splooshing sound as water moves around. What is on the inside from upper left to right

  • Orange gear – I usually carry a cap and stalking hat. I also have some extras in case I have some guests. These are worn or stored
  • Spare ammunition and cartridge loop – I usually carry a box (20) which is way more than I need.
  • A headlamp (with corroded batteries) – Its a good thing I checked
  • Toilet paper
  • lens cleaner pen
  • bug spray – don’t need that for hunting
  • Survival kit – I will go through that next week
  • deer tag
  • field glasses
  • fingerless gloves
  • hatchet and saw
  • hunting knife

I can fit all of that in with a lunch. I always walk a fine line between having everything I need and having way too much stuff. I don’t know what to do. I guess my thoughts were always better have it and not need it rather than not. I also have used this bag as a day pack for hikes and such. When I use it that way, I usually purge all of the hunting specific items.

End Your Programming Routine: I have several other things that I take with me, I think I will cover them in the following weeks. These are things that are left in the vehicle or camp. This will be the second weekend of deer season. I am hoping to catch weeks 3-5.

October 6, 2021 – Tomato Soup

October 6, 2021 /

What do you do when you have a lot of tomatoes around? The answer is whatever you can do like salsa or sauce, . My dad gave me a bunch and we have eaten some but it is time to finish them off before they go bad. To top it off, yesterday was a rainy day and something warm would be just the ticket.

The ingredients are simple and the technique is easy. I looked up several different recipes and kind of made my own. I coarsely chopped an onion and smashed four cloves of garlic. Those were browned in the pot. Then, I chopped up about 2lbs of tomatoes and put those in the pot after the onions were sweat.

After the tomatoes have cooked down, I added two cups of vegetable broth. That was to give me enough volume to use the immersion blender. I added some basil and some time and blended the entire mixture. I finished it off with a couple of tablespoons of cream. Be sure to taste for salt.

End Your Programming Routine: It is officially fall and the harvest is winding down. The rains are here and our annual frost date is within the next two weeks. It is likely the last hurrah for summer veggies. I paired the soup with grilled cheese and a slice of peach pie.

October 5, 2021 – Fresh Fish on the Menu

October 5, 2021 /

I don’t think that I can express in words the difference that fish being fresh can make. It is not ‘fishy’, in fact I would say sweet. The texture is firm but not rubbery or even flaky. It is moist and mild. We ate the fish I caught on Saturday and even that was not straight out of the lake fresh, it was on ice for two days.

I heard an interview with Josh Niland who is an Australian and fish chef. He has some radical ideas about aging and taste. I am very intrigued and would like to get his book ‘The Whole Fish Cookbook: New Ways to Cook, Eat and Think’. But before I change my paradigm, I have to say that it has probably been 20 years since I ate fish this fresh and, wow what a difference. That is not to say that I haven’t caught fish and eaten it, but sometimes they have been frozen first or sat in the cooler for longer than optimum, but it is also rare.

The prevailing theory on Salmonids (salmon/trout species) is less is more. I have experimented some with different flavors and one that I like is onion, dill and lemon. Another combination that I have found I like is curry on salmon. Yesterday I tried a something a little different.

To begin the preparation, I scraped the scales and rinsed the slime off of the fish. Usually, trout is cooked whole, but I wanted to make sure the portions were equitable so I decided to filet the fish. I have never filleted a trout before. In many ways, I think that it leads to waste. I am planning to make some fish broth with pho soon so I saved the heads and the rest of the carcass in the freezer. But if you do, trout have the same pin bones as a salmon would, so you can pick them out or eat around them.

I added plenty of salt and pepper with a dash of cajun seasoning. On top of that was four cloves of garlic and rubbed the seasonings with olive oil. I sliced some lemon because they were there, not because I needed to and sprinkled with fresh thyme. The fillets were baked at 400 degrees for fifteen minutes.

End Your Programming Routine: It was said that the original pilgrims got tired of eating lobster every single day because it was abundant and easy to obtain. I am sure this could be the same thing, but I sure wish that I had a few more fish. It is definitely enough to make me want to go back out there and fish again. I think it was the perfect cap to a great trip.

October 4, 2021 – Let the Pictures Speak

October 4, 2021 /

This was my view when I woke up yesterday morning. You are looking at Mt. Thielson in central Oregon. As I said on Friday, I was going fishing last weekend with my family. Because of Covid, because of everything that went on this summer, because of some philosophical differences I have with my wife, this was the first and probably only family campout of the year.

Nearly everything was perfect, nearly. The only thing that wasn’t great was the fishing but it was OK in that we caught some fish. The weather was in the mid-seventies, the lows were above the freezing. The wind was light and the company was nice.

A little bit about my philosophical differences with my wife. We both enjoyed camping when we met. It is just that her idea was a camp ground that required showers and bathrooms with running water. I would say that I am not entirely opposed to that concept but there are so many beautiful and new experiences that we could do that are limited by that criteria. Over the years our necessities grew as well and required a trailer or second vehicle to haul everything that I get burned out just packing.

I suspect that at some point, there will be an RV in our future. With that, there are definitely more creature comforts and hopefully less packing to get out the door. I would also like an RV from the standpoint that it makes it easier to enjoy some of these places like I was this weekend without the constraints of running water required.

My goal this time was to be light and agile. I did bring some extra stuff like my hunting pack (just in case) and camp chairs (and the dog which was easier than finding someone to watch her). We only brought no cook or freeze dried meals which made cleanup easier and cooking faster, so we could spend more time fishing.

You can see my biggest freshwater fish I think that I have ever caught. I measured it at 16″. That is on the dinner menu tonight. That was the only fish I caught. Unfortunately, my son didn’t catch a fish. I think all told, our party caught around twelve in the duration of the trip from Thursday to Sunday. Not great when you consider the limit of (5×3)4 + (2*5)2 = 80 possible. But hey, I said my favorite kind of fishing was the one I was doing, and that is the truth.

End Your Programming Routine: As I said on Friday, I have passed up too many opportunities to spend time with my family because I have been ‘too busy’. I suspect that if I was not a single parent and not blocked it on the calendar, I probably would have found an excuse to miss this one as well. I am very happy that I made the effort to make part of the trip even though it was a lot of work. I hope that I can get my act together so that this will happen again in the future.

October 1, 2021 – It is Opening Weekend of Deer Season and I am Going Fishing

October 1, 2021 /

Let’s hope that caps the week of food with more food. When I was a kid, I was so excited for opening weekend of deer season. When I was a teenager, I used to dream of when I was older, I could spend more time in the woods. Now that I am here, I hope to get out once in the season. This isn’t going to be the weekend for hunting but I will spend some time with my family fishing.

I talked about this a few weeks ago when I was talking about the decline of the outdoorsman. While my dad didn’t spend months straight in the woods, we did split hunting and fishing about equally. He always has owned a boat and we would go out at least once a year. He would take a fishing trip with his friends usually around Father’s Day. We used to go salmon fishing as kids. So, I like fishing too.

Since my dad has retired, we have been applying for draw tags in eastern Oregon. We get them about every three years. Since we won last year, this year we didn’t and decided to go fishing instead. I have applied every year for the last ten years. But I have only gone one time even though we have gotten tags three times. We did get his rifle sighted in last Friday however.

When I left my job in South Carolina, I moved back to Oregon and joined the company that my dad had worked his entire career. I remember talking with my uncle and he said “That’s great. Now you can have lunch together every day.” I remember feeling a little guilty that I barely saw him, let alone had lunch. And to some degree, I carry some of that guilt today. We live about twenty minutes apart and yet it will frequently be months in-between talking.

I do believe that the quote “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” applies here. But I can’t help and think that there isn’t something slightly wrong with me. If I get truly personal, I am overwhelmed by the size and volume of my wife’s family and when I am not in that I want my personal space.

The events over the last six weeks have definitely had an impact on me. I have seen my parents aging, I have seen the slight decline in physical ability and I know that the horizon is in view. It definitely has gotten me thinking about trying to spend more quality time while I have the chance to do it and I need to be more aware of the signs of decline.

My brother, dad and uncle left yesterday. Me being a single parent right now, I couldn’t swing the time off, I was hoping to leave tonight. but my kids have to play pep band at the football game tonight. So, we will have to settle for Saturday and Sunday. We didn’t do any family camping this year and I have never gone with my kids and without my wife but I am really looking forward to it.

End Your Programming Routine: I don’t really care if we catch any fish although I think it is likely we will. The weather is supposed to be pleasant and I have a good time with that crew. The point of this is to spend some time together doing something we enjoy. It is looking like next weekend is out, but I am still going to get some time in the woods this season before it ends.