News, Entertainment, Enlightenment
Whisky expert Jim Murray has declared the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 to be the world’s best single malt Scotch in his 2015 World Whisky Bible.
It’s the first time in the book’s 12-year history that a Scottish-made Scotch didn’t make the top five.
Murray personally tasted 1,000 whiskies in compiling his data.
No information is available as to how many times Murray annoyed neighbors with bad renditions of I’m Gonna Be a.k.a. I Would Walk 500 Miles.
Fall marks breeding season for deer, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129) which makes them an autumn road hazard about which Pennsylvanians must be especially aware.
He notes that they are especially active, between sunset and sunrise.
Cox said if a dead deer presents an obvious safety hazard on state roadways, motorists can call 1-800-FIX-ROAD to have the deer removed.
For what it’s worth, road-killed deer may be claimed by state residents regardless of whether the person picking up the deer was the one who hit it or if he had already shot one during the hunting seasons. Permission to pick up the deer isn’t required. However, anyone who claims a highway-killed deer must apply to the Game Commission for a free permit within 24 hours from the time the deer is claimed. The permit can be applied for over the telephone. Call the regional office serving the county where the deer is claimed to make application and for more details.
In should be noted that road-kill cuisine is not uncommon in the United States.
Cox also noted that falling leaves, lower sun angles, wet roads, fog, and frost also make fall driving less than ideal.
All drivers are encouraged to slow down and use extra caution, as roadways and bridges may be icy or wet, he said. Drivers are also encouraged to allow extra following distance between vehicles and to the stay in the right lane unless they are actively and safely passing another vehicle.
PennDOT also recommends ensuring your vehicle is kept in proper working order: make sure all lights on the vehicle are working, tire tread is sufficient, and that heating and wiper systems are operating effectively. It is also recommended to clean the inside of the vehicle’s windshield to reduce glare.
For more tips on handling the fall driving conditions, click here.
Many still remember the view of the Publicker Distillery while crossing the Walt Whitman Bridge and its billboards for Old Hickory Bourbon and other products.
Others remember how the 40-acre site on Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia became a polluted Superfund scandal after it closed in 1982.
In its heyday in the 1950s, it was one of the giants of the liquor industry with a plant in Scotland producing Inver House Scotch, named for owner Simon Neuman’s Radnor home, and was the world’s biggest buyer of Cuban molasses.
The company got into the booze business in 1933 with the end of Prohibition.
Fortune magazine ran a optimistic story at the time about how Harry Publicker — founder and Neuman’s father-in-law — was going to shake up the booze business by making drinkable whiskey without aging it. One supposes they were right. Here is the link.
Tonight’s mean by Chef Bill Sr was grilled eggplant parmesan (thank you Andrew.
Note that is grilled eggplant. No breading or frying in oil.
The sides were deviled eggs by Mrs. Chef Bill and an antipasto featuring summer sausage supplied by #2 son and fresh garden tomatoes.
The wine was an inexpensive but delicious Dancing Bull merlot from one of Pennsylvania’s socialist liquor stores. If our memory is correct it was a Chairman’s Select.
Tonight’s meal by Chef Bill Sr was Australian lamb smothered in garlic with homemade bruschetta, grilled eggplant, asparagus sauteed on the grill in butter, and fresh garden, red and green tomato salad (thank you Andrew and Angela).
Dessert by Mrs. Chef Bill Sr was applesauce cake.
Frozen Beats Thawed Regarding Steaks
Cooks Illustrated has found that it is better to cook your steak frozen — albeit it might take just a little longer — than thawed.
Frozen-cooked steaks lost least moisture and were more evenly cooked.
Cooking it frozen means you don’t have to remember to put it in the frig the night before so we can call it progress.
One caveat: make sure the steaks are frozen before being wrapped and bagged for long-term storage.
And so much for conventional wisdom.
Here is the video:
The Cumberland County Library System thought it had a neat idea. With the local Penn State Agricultural Extension System and the Cumberland County Commission for Women, it created a seed-gardening program — aka a seed library — that allowed residents to “borrow” seeds in the spring and replace them with new ones harvested at season’s end.
It was launched on April 26, Earth Day, at the Joseph T. Simpson’ Public Library in Mechanicsburg as part of the borough’s Earth Day Festival.
Sixty signed up.
Oh pity them for they didn’t realize they were part of a nefarious plot to violate the Pennsylvania Seed Act of 2004 signed into law by then Gov. Ed Rendell.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture sent a high-ranking official and a bevy of lawyers to the library in July to shut the program down and make sure those running things got their minds right.
The Seed Act is about proper labeling in the sale of seeds, which the library was not doing. Apparently our state officials feared the seeds might be mislabeled on purpose hence allowing terrorists to spread poison ivy or some such thing.
Some cynics think the crackdown is because big agriculture doesn’t want competition no matter how small.
When is it going to dawn on the rest of you that really stupid and/or greedy people are governing our lives?
Hat tips Tom Flocco and Naomi Creason of the Sentinel of Cumberland County.
Tonight’s meal by Chef Bill was a plum baked ham steak with a Greek salad featuring garden-fresh parsley by Mrs. Chef Bill.
The plums were brought today from Produce Junction.
Dessert was an apple-pie from Walmart.
Chef Bill Sr. recently put to use some leftover grits to create hillbilly bruschetta, which as far as we know is an original dish.
Chef Bill would be the first to tell you it is not as good as the traditional way. On the other hand, why let good grits go to waste?
And it is a fun and tasty meal.
Here’s the recipe, which — if you cook the grits just for this — makes about two dozen. Really though, it’s best to be used for leftovers:
3 cups water
1 cup uncooked stone-ground white grits
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/2 cup sliced black olives
Combine water, grits, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until grits are very thick, stirring often.
Remove the grits from the heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour out onto a flat baking sheet and spread to about 3/8-inch thickness (10-inch square). Allow to cool completely (about 1 hour in a refrigerator) so that the mixture is firm to the touch.
Cut the grits into 2-inch squares. Place them on a skillet coated with cooking spray; brush with a tablespoon olive oil and grill at medium heat until golden brown, which should be about 15 minutes. Flip the squares over, and brush other sides with remaining olive oil and put on the tomatoes, olives and bell pepper slices. Fry for about 10 more minutes. Remove, cool and eat.