The Rosarita Beach Cafe

Re: the last post...

Jacques — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:11:00 +0000

I sure like commas, don't I?

Countdown to the Return to Anarchy...

Jacques — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:03:00 +0000

Mistress K has a Great Idea! An idea which, shamelessly stolen from her, I've implemented at the top of the sidebar to your right.

The timer is counting down the days until Sept. 4 '08, the last day of the Republican National Convention when, presumably, those former non-political libertarians will lay aside their "Ron Paul Revolution" signs and return to being anarchists once again.

I, of course, have my doubts, cynic that I am. Political action is a drug, and after mainlining it for a couple years, I think many libertarians are going to be hooked. I also suspect we'll see some sort of "Write-In Revolution" attempt after Paul fails to receive the RNC nomination.

Also, I imagine many, after their "successes" with the Paul campaign (with the "Money Bombs" and all), will be politically reinvigorated, and will rejoin the LP with a renewed hope in political means. I bet Carl Milsted and his ilk will latch on to the Paul "successes" too, and cite them as an example of the superiority of moderation. Heaven forbid we see a surge in the LRC as well as the LP, but it's a distinct possibility, considering the underlying moderationism that seems to be a primary tenet of the libertarians-for-Paul movement.

Anyway, I'd be a bit sickened to see a herd of libertarians rubberbanding back to anarchism with the failure of their experiment in political action... It's supposed to be a philosophy of principle, not expediency.

Cheap drinks...

Jacques — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:49:00 +0000

Wow...

I went to a wedding Saturday; after the ceremony, some of us retired to the American Legion across the street for drinks (the groom's idea... he's a member). I got a Woodford Reserve Manhattan for $2.80. Can you believe it?!? She may've rung it up wrong, but all the drinks there are super cheap.

I just wanted to brag about that. :P

Good bourbon, btw.

Mixology Monday (Barely)

Jacques — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:48:00 +0000

It's about a quarter till Tuesday right now, actually, but hey...

Gin... I actually bought a bottle specifically for this. I mean, I've always wanted to try it, but (as I am the world's best procrastinator, when I get around to it), I had to wait until I had a "deadline" to actually get some. Sick, isn't it?

I wanted to try a Pegu, but I spent so much money on booze this last week (8 six-packs of Bridgeport IPA, two bottles of vermouth, a bottle of Bombay gin and a bottle of Maker's), I couldn't bring myself to buy Cointreau too (sorry, Doug). Maybe next week. :)

What I did try, I was happy with... which brings us to the drinking part. My favorite.

London Dry Gin (Neat):
A little bit of Bombay (Original)
Glass

Interesting. Not bourbon... but what is, really? I grew up in Juniper country, so the aromas were... nostalgic, I guess. Very interesting.

Dry Martini:
1.5 oz. Gin
.5 oz. Dry Vermouth (M&R, until I go to the city, or get off my lazy you-know-what and buy something nicer online)
Lemon peel garnish

Not exactly my new favorite drink. I love (LOVE) sweet Vermouth, and I don't mind Gin, so it must be the dry vermouth that throws me off this one. I made it pretty wet; maybe I'll try some different ratios, but I can't see this as a regular. Just like in my Manhattans, though, I love the aroma from the lemon peel. No orange bitters yet... see the note about laziness; I could see how they could round out the drink, though.

Sweet Martini:
1.5 oz. Gin
.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth (M&R... see above)
Dash Angostura bitters (no orange bitters yet... see above)
Lemon peel garnish

Much better. I still prefer the Manhattan, but this is going into the rotation. There's something about red vermouth... Maybe it's complexity, maybe I've just got a sweet tooth, I dunno. But it's good stuff. The Angostura, as in any drink, adds a nice je ne sais quois... It may've helped the dry martini, but I didn't want to fsck up my nice clear drink.

Gin and Tonic:
Highball full of ice
1.5 oz. Gin
Top with Tonic water (Schweppes here)
Lime (or Lemon) wedge

Now we're talkin'! See last week's post for more of my feelings for the Gin and Tonic. Love it, love it, love it. Here in the summer (roughly 4/5ths of the year) it'll be a BIG regular. I think God made bourbon and beer on the first day... on the second, He made Gin and Tonic (they really, naturally, go together... every other Gin drink is simply a bastardized G&T). Good stuff.

I leave you tonight (this morning, now) with, again, a quote from The Man:

It is a curious fact, and one to which no one knows quite how much importance to attach, that something like 85% of all known worlds in the Galaxy, be they primitive or highly advanced, have invented a drink called jynnan tonnyx, or gee-N'N-T'N-ix, or jinond-o-nicks, or any one of a thousand or more variations on the same phonetic theme. The drinks themselves are not the same, and vary between the Sivolvian 'chinanto/mnigs' which is ordinary water served at slightly above room temperature, and the Gagrakackan 'tzjin-anthony-ks' which kill cows at a hundred paces; and in fact the one common factor between all of them, beyond the fact that the names sound the same, is that they were all invented and named before the worlds concerned made contact with any other worlds.
--Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

G'night.

Edit: I can't believe I was too tired last night (this morning) to remember to give a *ahem* "shout out" to the host of today's (yesterday's) MxMo... so, thank you, Jay at Oh, Gosh! (best url EVAR!).

Don't say I didn't warn you...

Jacques — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:28:00 +0000

I told you I procrastinated...

Anyway. Recent blogworthy things:

Flying: I got to ride in one of these yesterday. Very, very cool. I enjoy fixed wing flying (and to tell the truth, once we were in forward flight, there wasn't a lot of difference), but I've always been fascinated by choppers; the way they move, the places they can get into, the fact that someone actually was able to make machines like that fly. Love 'em.

Drinking: Finally got some gin, and have been experimenting with that. I'll probably participate in next week's MxMo and expand on my experiences then, but for now I'll say that the Martini isn't bad, but it's not my favorite drink, and the Gin and Tonic... well, I'm thinking of running off with the Gin and Tonic, maybe raising a little family. Get a dog.

"... then I decided that I was a lemon for a couple of weeks. I kept myself amused all that time jumping in and out of a gin and tonic."
Arthur cleared his throat, and then did it again.
"Where," he said, "did you...?"
"Find a gin and tonic?" said Ford brightly. "I found a small lake that thought it was a gin and tonic, and jumped in and out of that. At least, I think it thought it was a gin and tonic."
"I may," he added with a grin which would have sent sane men scampering into the trees, "have been imagining it."
--Douglas Adams (aka The Man): Life, the Universe and Everything

Politics (Why does Firefox mark "politics" misspelled?): Wendy McElroy had a blog entry the other day about the Free-Market News Network bitching about the Cato Institute running favorable articles about Fred Thompson instead of supporting Ron Paul. Two (supposedly) libertarian organizations disagreeing on which Republican is the best. I haven't worked that one out yet.

It doesn't bother me all that much, since I'm a non-voting anarchist, but it still boggles the mind a bit. I mean, I don't know much about what's going on in the LP lately, but I can only assume Kubby's leading, and I've only heard a bit about him over at Tom Knapp's place. It seems like all the libertarians in the country (even some of the "non-voters") are lining up to punch Paul's name on a ballot. These people joined the "Party of Principle"... why, exactly?

It's all very strange; I'm not ready to get out my tinfoil hat yet, but like the man said, I smell a rat. Especially after the "Portland Purge" last year. Very weird happenings. Ah, well.

Later.

Todays meal...

Jacques — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 23:33:00 +0000

Had lunch with Mistress K today... always a pleasure. I haven't actually made this meal in a while, but I'm planning on it for this weekend. It's a favorite.

Meat and Veggies in beer (original name, huh?)
Ingredients:
1 lb. red meat, cut into strips about one inch thick (mutton, beef or, preferably, game meat)
1-2 pints dark beer (brown ale is about perfect)
1 large onion
1 large bell pepper
2-3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients:
Splash of cider vinegar
Handful of wheat flour for thickening

Directions:
Rub meat with salt and pepper
Place in a large, heavy pot with 1 pint of beer
Add a splash of vinegar if you want for taste
Simmer for 50 minutes

While it simmers:
Chop the garlic and cut the vegetables into strips
At 50 minutes, add veggies and garlic to pot
Continue simmering for 5-10 minutes;
Beer should be boiled down to a thick sauce... if it gets too thick, add more beer; if it's too thin, turn up the heat to boil it down (adding a bit of flour helps as well)

Cook Time: ~1 hour

Servings: 4ish

Notes/Serving suggestions:
This is a medieval recipe for mutton in beer that I found while looking for ways to cook with homebrew and tweaked a bit; mainly to include more veggies. Boiling the beer down carmelizes the malt sugars, which really compliments red meat, particularly game meat (elk is great for this recipe). It also is a delicious sauce; I'd serve this with chunks of sourdough bread for "mopping up".

To answer your question, Sunni...

Jacques — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:47:00 +0000

Yes, it's good... in that way only bourbon can be. As you said, nectar o' the gods.

As good as Maker's? Hmm... Is moonlight as good as sunshine? Is air as good as water? Is a meadow as good as a sandy beach? :P

It's as good as Maker's, at least. It's hard to say exactly (I bought the Knob Creek 'cause I was out of Maker's, so I couldn't do a side by side tasting... I should've), but the KC seemed spicier than the MM (I think they use a regular rye based grain bill, rather than being wheated like Maker's). Still very smooth, though... absolutely drinkable neat. But I love the spiciness... especially in this week's drink (Which is was actually cool enough last night to have one of.).

Speaking of, btw, this week's drink is... The Manhattan! (And if any cocktail geeks are reading this, I just know they're screaming at their monitors: "But the Manhattan's made with RYE, you blaspheming idiot, not bourbon!") (I'm working on getting some rye to expand my booze horizons, but it's hard to stock up a bar when you live in the sticks... I'm a small town guy through and through, but I need better liquor and beer selections. Ah, well... At least I don't have to deal with liquor board nazis like some.)

Anywho...

The Manhattan
2 oz. whiskey
1 oz. sweet vermouth (vermouth is our friend)
1-3 (dozen :-) dashes bitters

Stir well with ice. Strain into cocktail glass and garnish with a Maraschino cherry (No, no, not that kind... put the fluorescent fruit away.) or lemon peel (Jac's personal favorite).

Enjoy spiced nirvana...

Editor's note: Never order a Manhattan at Applebee's. I know, I know... I should've known better, but the waiter came up when I was on the phone and I just said the first thing that came to mind; I nearly slapped myself the moment the words "Manhattan with a twist" left my lips, though. And when he brought my dad's drink and said "They're working on that Manhattan... she's never made one before" I almost reached for my butter knife (I don't know if I'd've used it on him or me, though.). Lessons learned:

A. Vermouth is NOT the modern bartender's friend... I saw the big green M&R bottle come out from under the bar, but I think she was teasing me. There was a whisp, MAYBE.

2. Bitters? What're those? Not a hint of 'em. I don't expect bartenders to psychically discern my preference for a heavy dose of bitters, but is it unreasonable to expect at least a token amount as, y'know, maybe a tribute to the drink's RECIPE?

And finally, the "cherry". The less said about finding Rudolph's nose in your drink, the better. I don't know why they never hear me (second time, by the way... at least the guy at the hotel that one time used vermouth) when I say "with a twist"... maybe I need to speak up. But he heard "Manhattan", right? It can't be all my fault..?

Today's meal (breakfast)...

Jacques — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:52:00 +0000

Across the street from where I ~~blog~~ work (heh, who said that?), there's a burger shack (it actually used to be a Tastee Freeze, before the owners went independent). Ironic, really, considering I work at a health supplement company ("Yep, our mission is to help you stay healthy... now excuse me while I run across the street for a burger combo and malt.").

Anyway, this place makes fantastic breakfast burritos. The head cook makes them the best (unsurprising, since she's worked there 40 years). Now, when my boss moved his company here from the city, he knew that having a burger joint across the street would wreak havoc with the company's health standards (not that you can get fired for being unhealthy, but we like to practice what we teach), so he asked the owners if they would consider carrying whole wheat tortillas (they have great bean and chili meat burritos, too), so at least his employees wouldn't be eating a bunch of white flour (a big no-no in our philosophy; okay by me, since white flour just tastes gummy). So, now, at least twice a week, I go across the street for breakfast (as an aside, is it a sign of being in a rut if a restaurant's staff knows what you want without asking, and expects you to come get it at a certain time?)

So, without further ado... the Egg, Potato, Cheese and Tomato Breakfast Burrito!

Breakfast Burrito
2-3 eggs
salt
pepper
1 tsp. butter
grated cheddar cheese
diced potatoes
diced tomatoes
1 whole wheat tortilla

Whisk together eggs, potatoes and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt butter, coating pan. Scramble eggs until they are firm and the potatoes are done. Transfer to a bowl or plate. Warm the tortilla on the skillet (don't burn it, though).

Fill tortilla with eggs, top with tomatoes and roll into a burrito. Eat, while pretending to work.

Ah, campaign season...

Jacques — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:56:00 +0000

I try to not even pay attention to this crap, and I'm already tired of it. Seriously, when even some of the hardcore anti-political, small-l libertarians (and even some of the anarchists) jump gleefully onto the bandwagon of, as Wendy McElroy said "a man [Ron Paul] who seeks a position of raw political power over their lives", it's a little disturbing.

Really, I'm just a guy who wishes, with all my heart, to be left alone to live my life as my conscience dictates. That is my moral position. As far as the academics of anarchy, though, and the eloquent philosophy, I simply ~~crib from~~ rely on others... Pigmaei gigantum humeris impositi plusquam ipsi gigantes vident, as Mr. Newton put it.

So, in that spirit, my (first of many, probably) anti political post will be a compilation of quotes from some of my favorite giants (all emphasis mine).

Women are human beings, and consequently have all the natural rights than any human beings can have. They have just as good a right to make laws as men have, and no better; AND THAT IS JUST NO RIGHT AT ALL. No human being, nor any number of human beings, have any right to make laws, and compel other human beings to obey them. To say that they have is to say that they are the masters and owners of those of whom they require such obedience.

The only law that any human being can rightfully be compelled to obey is simply the law of justice. And justice is not a thing that is made, or that can be unmade, or altered, by any human authority.
-- Lysander Spooner, Against Woman Suffrage

This one I have hanging on the wall of my office. I read the second paragraph at least once a week; not because I have to remind myself of what I believe, but because I don't think anyone has ever laid down on paper the principles of natural law quite so elegantly as Spooner did, particularly in that second paragraph of Against Woman Suffrage, or in Natural Law. He is, in my ever so humble opinion, one of the most important philosophers in the history of the United States.

We must not forget the central point. Your dictator might be preferable to another dictator. There are obvious differences in degree. But we are concerned not only with the relative demerits of dictators, but with the possibility that one can be a dictator and a libertarian at the same time. Can libertarians actively support and promote a benign dictator, just because he might be the best dictator available? This is a peculiar situation indeed, and it would force libertarians to support the lesser of two evils.
In short, I would not call your candidate for dictator a libertarian, because the two are incompatible. I might call him a well-intentioned dictator, but he is no libertarian. And I would oppose him, because my principles leave me no option. There is no proviso in my stand against dictators that exempts those with good intentions.
--George H. Smith, Party Dialogue

A simple and direct explanation of the reasons for consistent libertarians to abstain from the political process.

When we place voting into the framework of politics, however, a major change occurs. When we express a preference politically, we do so precisely because we intend to bind others to our will. Political voting is the legal method we have adopted and extolled for obtaining monopolies of power. Political voting is nothing more than the assumption that might makes right.
--Robert LeFevre, Abstain from Beans

"Bind others to our will"... an action entirely diametric to the philosophical tenets of libertarianism: voluntary association, non-aggression, individual liberty. Abstain from Beans is another favorite of mine; it's a short, easy read and makes a strong case, especially evident in the paragraph quoted above, for philosophical consistency in libertarians.

I don't have any particular problem with libertarians who vote... hey, some of my best friends are minarchists, really. And I do hope Dr. Paul's campaign educates some people (won't be holding my breath, though). But I'm really sick of hearing about it. That is why, horrible, unpatriotic American that I am, I will be ignoring election news as much as possible. And I will abstain from beans.

Bite me, PK...

Jacques — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:25:00 +0000

:P

I was busy yesterday. Really busy. Incredibly busy. Super busy.

Actually, I stayed home from work and played handyman yesterday. I could've blogged, but I was too occupied with building and fixing and painting. Which, I suppose I could've blogged about. But it would have been boring.

Anyway. This week's drink is... the Whiskey Smash!

I live in the desert; my first two featured drinks have been minty and refreshing... notice a trend? What was it you once said about sunburns in February, E.? :)

Anyway, departing from my previous affair with Maker's Mark, I bought a bottle of Knob Creek when I was last at the store (It has a cork! Yes, I'm easily amused and somewhat sentimental. Sue me.). Ah, bourbon. What can I say about bourbon? Need anything be said about bourbon? I didn't think so.

So, the Whiskey Smash (from Jerry "the Professor" Thomas' Bartender's Guide or How to Mix Drinks, 1862... he called it "a julep on a small plan"). (I originally saw this at The Cocktail Chronicles... Thanks Paul.)

Whiskey Smash
(Use small bar-glass. [Old fashioned glass])
Take 1 tea-spoonful of fine white sugar.
2 tea-spoonfuls of water.
1 wine-glass (2 oz.) of whiskey.
3 or 4 sprigs of tender mint.

Put the mint in the glass, then the sugar and water [Jac's note: Simple syrup FTW!]. Mash the mint to extract the flavor, add the bourbon, and fill up the glass with shaved ice. Stir up well, and ornament with two or three fresh sprigs of mint.

Sip slowly. Laugh at people who only experience 3 month summers.

This week's meal...

Jacques — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:40:00 +0000

I skipped two days!!! Lawda mercy! Ah, well, I've been busy.

So, this week's meal is a staple in our family; I've probably had a thousand of 'em (two within the last 24 hours). They are only made properly with my dad's chili bean recipe* (for which there isn't really a "recipe"). Anyway, it's pretty simple fair, but it contains all the food groups (carbs, fats, proteins and chili), and is very filling. And, for some reason, they're always bigger than you intend them to be.

Haystacks
Place a handful of tortilla chips on your plate (not Fritos, please... if you use Fritos, the Mexican Food Fairy will kill you in your sleep). Ladle beans onto chips and sprinkle with cheese. Top with lettuce (iceberg is best for this... it's crunchy!), tomatoes and onions. Add, to taste, salsa or hot sauce.

Try not to make a mess while eating.

*Chili Beans
(This applies to our crockpot size... YM, as they say, MV)
Rinse 5 cups of Pinto beans, cover with water and soak overnight.

In the morning, rinse again and transfer to crockpot with enough water to cover. Add, to taste (like I said, this has never been written down), chopped garlic and onion, salt, ground chili (you can buy this, or the dried red peppers to grind yourself, in any proper Mexican market) and butter.

Cook until soft (but not mushy), stirring occasionally. Add water as needed.

Talk Like a Pirate Eve...

Jacques — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:36:00 +0000

Is upon us. T'morrow be our day, me hearties, t' talk like the buccaneers we be. Aaargh!

MxMo was certainly enjoyable yesterday... Gabriel has a nice round up, with pictures (so you can read it too, Li'l P!). Some nice looking drinks there... I swear these people are obsessive; someone help me please, before it's too late!

In other news... the TCF/TMM changeover continues, with some interesting discussions taking place, and some interesting descisions being made. I find myself alternating, at times, between feeling disturbed and flattered when a Certain group of individuals is so often mentioned as a primary cause of recent discord. And sad... there's certainly a fair bit of sadness there. O'course, there is always a certain part of me (would that be the Certain part?) that is pissed off at the thought of being a scapegoat (even if, personally, only by implication and association) for all the troubles of late. I'm not saying the CPC was a font of calming wisdom or anything, but c'mon...

And anyway, doesn't anyone realize the incredible egos most members of the CPC (not me, of course) have?!? Infamy is like catnip to these freaks... they eat it up. :P

Anyway, I've said it before: I don't know what went wrong. But I will say now that I sure as hell know that the blame (if there even is any) can't be placed on the shoulders of just a few.

Just had to get that off my chest, I guess.

Drink of the week, and MxMo...

Jacques — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:07:00 +0000

Well, week two of the blogging thing commences. So far, I've been blogrolled (it tickles) thrice... hopefully, the peer pressure will keep the bloggin' on track.

I've been doing the cocktail thing lately (it's like chemistry sets... with booze!), so I was thinking of starting this week off with a drink (see previous references to food and drink). In my recent delvings into the world of cocktail geekery, I've stumbled upon many great cocktail blogs (Yes, blogs devoted to cocktails... it's a sick world we live in.), a few of which are listed to the right.

Sidenote: Y'know, I think I'm wired somehow to identify with subcultures... I mean, there's the whole libertarian thing, and the anarchy thing (which is a subculture within the libertarian subculture, sort of), and the CPC. And now I'm a cocktail geek. There must be something in my brain that really hates being normal.

Anyway, today happens to be a Mixology Monday, so I asked myself why, since I am now blogging, I shouldn't participate in it. And I couldn't really give myself a decent answer to dissuade me, so...

Today's MxMo, hosted by Gabriel at cocktailnerd.com, is themed Fizz!! (Two exclamation points because... fizz is exciting, I guess? I had fun, anyway.)

So, the drink of the week, and my MxMo entry is (gimme a drumroll, Kirsten)... the Mojito! Rather boring, compared to some of the other entries, but I'm no mixologist, and it's a new drink for me, so I don't care if it's boring. It's definitely a top summer drink for me now, and since I'm a desert rat, that means I'll be drinking Mojitos about 9 months out of the year. :)

It is a simple drink really, but it's a charming simplicity, rather than the vulgar simplicity of a Vodka Redbull, or whatever the kids are drinking these days. When you need to pound a nail, you grab a hammer; when it's a hundred degrees in the shade you grab a Mojito. Y'know, that kind of simplicity.

Anyway, before I start waxing too poetic about booze, I'll just post the recipe and send it up. I really do ramble, don't I?

The Mojito:
10-12 fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp sugar (I use a 1:1 simple syrup made with raw demerara sugar, plus a pinch of crystals for abrasion)
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 oz. white rum (Cuban is best, but try finding that in the States... free market; what's that?)
Ice
Club soda
Sprig of mint and slice of lime for garnishment

Muddle mint leaves and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pint glass. Fill to half with ice, then add lime juice and rum; stir well. Top with ice and soda, then give it another stir or two. Rub the peel of the lime slice around the rim of the glass, then drop the lime in. Lightly pop a sprig of mint between your hands (to bring out the aroma), then place it in the drink.

Blissfully ignore the current popularity or non-popularity of the Mojito, and drink up.

Meal of the Week

Jacques — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 17:14:00 +0000

Two in a day... Aren't you lucky?

Here's my first food post. I love food. Can't get enough of the stuff. So I hope to regularly have at least 1 food post and at least 1 beverage post per week. We'll see.

Last Night's Meal (Veggie Omelets and Hash Browns)
For 1 Omelet:
-2 eggs
-Teeny bit of water
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Butter
-Grated cheese
-Diced vegetables for filling (I used mushrooms, tomatoes and green chiles last night; go wild)
-Olive oil
-Small (six inch or so) flare-sided skillet

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and add ~1 tbsp butter and ~1 tbsp oil when hot. When butter is foamy (a little brown is okay, but don't let it burn), add vegetables and saute. Transfer to plate or bowl and keep warm.

Add a bit of water to your eggs (just a smidge; ~1 tsp will do), and whisk them until they start to foam.

Reheat skillet over medium-high heat and add a little butter (~1 tsp I think... just enough to lightly coat your skillet). When the butter is foamy, roll the pan around to coat it evenly. Pour the whisked eggs into the skillet and roll it around again to get an even layer. Cook about 30 seconds so the bottom of the eggs can set, then roll the pan around again to distribute the eggs evenly. If you've done it right, and have enough butter for lubrication, the whole omelet will slide around the pan a bit when you do this. Cook unil the egg yolks have set (not too hard) and you begin to see the cooked whites. Sprinkle some cheese onto one side of the omelet (1/3 of the circle), then add some filling, and a bit more cheese.

Here's the fun part. Using a spatula, carefully fold the filled third of the omelet in, leaving a flap on the other side. Then (again, carefully), slide the omelet onto a plate (that's where the flared sides come in handy). Then, fold the omelet again, so that the flap is down, and the filled pocket is on top. Sprinkle some more filling on top of the omelet, then some cheese.

Consume with fried taters.

For Hash Browns:
-Potatoes (left over boiled potatoes, refrigerated overnight are best)
-Butter
-Olive Oil
-Large skillet or griddle (cast iron FTW!)
-Salt and pepper to taste

Grate potatoes (skin on or off, your choice).

Pre-heat skillet over medium-high heat (deja vu). Add 2ish tbsp butter and a dollop of oil when hot. When the butter is melted and foamy, roll the pan around to coat it and then add the potatoes. Make sure you have an even layer, not too thick. Add salt and pepper. Cook until brown on the bottom, then flip 'em over (hard to do at once) and cook the other side till brown.

Consume with eggs.

This meal would go great with a stout. I hear wines are hard to pair with eggs. Fruit juice is a great breakfast standby (OJ with mine last night).

Edit to add: God, I'm verbose...

Check it out... I'm posting once a day!

Jacques — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:08:00 +0000

That means you're really getting your money's worth here. So, to business!

Goals for this blog:
-Get Mistress K off my back (check!)
-Freak out the straights
-Freak out everyone else
-Remind Li'l P of his status as my bitch, early and often
-Provide an outlet for the Dark Rage that Consumes me

Topics this blog will cover (or will it?)
-Anarchy (politics, economics and ethics... you know the drill)
-The Family*, and Dynamics of same
-Airplanin' (flying, for those of you who aren't my 3-year-old nephew)
-Food
-Drink
-Food and drink
-Computers and Geekery
-And whatever else happens to come up... BECAUSE IT'S MY BLOG! MINE AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME! hAHAhahHAHahahAHAA

*From Kirsten: That vaguely defined set of individuals somehow affiliated with the pro-freedom movement who may or may not be properly termed libertarians or some other related term.

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate

Jacques — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:27:00 +0000

...And, pressing submit, he set into motion events that would forever change -- indeed, destroy -- the world as we know it.

Okay, I have a blog now. Happy, Kirsten?

This isn't the first time I've tried the blogging thing, actually. Being habitually lazy and a master procrastinator, though, they haven't lasted long. Maybe this one will.

So yeah... Jacques has a blog now. Sorry.