Recipes

PERI PERI CHICKEN WINGS

No Super Bowl party is complete without a bowl of a different
sort—filled with smoky, fiery wings. Here's how they do it in South
Africa. I think you'll like how the lemon-chile-herb sauce electrifies
the flavor.

Though I like to serve the wings hot off the grill, you can make them
before game time, then reheat in a 325 degree F oven.

Source: Planet Barbecue (Workman, 2010)
Method: Indirect grilling
Serves: 4 as an appetizer
Advance preparation: 6 to 24 hours for marinating the wings

For the marinade:
1/2 cup South African peri peri sauce (see Note below), Brazilian piri
piri sauce,
Crystal, Tabasco, or other hot sauce
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
One 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds large chicken wings

For the glaze:
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) salted butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoon peri peri sauce or one of the other hot sauces mentioned above
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Make the marinade: If using a blender, add the peri peri/hot sauce,
garlic, onion, ginger, cilantro, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
and puree until smooth. If using a food processor, puree the solid
ingredients first, then work in the liquids. Transfer to a large
nonreactive bowl, roasting pan, or large resealable plastic bag.

2. Cut the chicken wings in half, discarding the wing tips. Stir them
into the marinade and marinate for at least 6 hours, or as long as
overnight—the longer, the richer the flavor—stirring every few hours.

3. Make the glaze: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the cilantro and
garlic and cook over medium-high heat until sizzling and aromatic,
about 2 minutes. (Do not let the garlic brown.) Stir in the peri peri
sauce (or other hot sauce) and lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium (350
degrees F). Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the chicken wings
on the grate and indirect grill until crisp and golden brown on the
outside and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Make a small cut in the
thickest part of one of the wings: There should be no traces of red or
pink at the bone.

5. Transfer the wings to a platter and pour the hot glaze over them.
Toss to mix and serve at once.

NOTE: Nando's Peri-Peri Sauce can be purchased online from
www.southafricanfoodshop.com.

CURRYWURST: BRATWURST WITH CURRY SAUCE

Currywurst is German comfort food, invented (or so the story goes)
when a resourceful street vendor dropped a box containing ketchup and
curry powder. What matters on Super Bowl Sunday is that currywurst
gives you a whole new approach to bratwurst.

Source: Planet Barbecue by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2010)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon for grilling the brats
1/4 cup white onion, minced as fine as sand
1 teaspoon mustard seed or mustard powder
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon anise seed
1 cup ketchup (preferably Heinz)
8 bratwurst

1. Make the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan. Add the
onion and mustard seed and cook over medium heat until the onion just
begins to brown. Stir in the curry powder, pepper, nutmeg, and anise
seed and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup and
gently simmer the sauce until thick and richly flavored, 3 to 5
minutes. The sauce can be made several days ahead of time, but it
should be warmed for serving.

2. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium. Brush
and oil the grill grate.

3. Arrange the brats on the grill and grill until the casings are
crusty and brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per side, 16 to 20
minutes in all, turning frequently with tongs and moving to dodge hot
spots or flare-ups.

4. Transfer the brats to a cutting board. Cut each brat crosswise into
1/4-inch thick slices. Mound the slices in a shallow serving bowl and
spoon the curried tomato sauce on top. Serve with toothpicks.

"KOBE" BEEF SLIDERS

Despite the recent burger frenzy, the slider (or slyder, as it was
originally called) originated in the 1920s at the White Castle chain
in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921. To make upscale, off-the-charts sliders,
use wagyu beef (the cattle breed that gives the Japanese
Kobe)—available via mail order from www.allenbrothers.com. Or use
regular ground beef, but make sure you have a fat content of at least
15 percent.

Source: Planet Barbecue by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2010)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 8 as an appetizer

For the caramelized shallots:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or more butter)
1 pound shallots, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

For the sliders:
1-1/2 pounds ground waygu or Kobe-style beef, or substitute ground
chuck (ideally
between 15 to 20 percent fat)
12 small brioche rolls or Parker House rolls
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Your choice of condiments, including pickles, mustard, ketchup, etc.

1. Make the caramelized shallots: Melt the butter with the oil in a
heavy saucepan. Add the shallots. Cook over medium heat until the
shallots have been reduced to a thick, sweet paste. This will take
about 15 minutes and you'll have to stir often. Lower the heat as
needed to keep the shallots from burning. (Add a tablespoon or two of
water as needed.) Add salt and pepper to taste. The shallots can be
caramelized several hours or even a day ahead.

2. Make the burgers: Divide the beef into 12 portions. Lightly wet
your hands and mold each into a square patty about 2 inches square and
1/2 inch thick. Arrange on a plate and chill, covered with plastic
wrap, until you're ready to grill the sliders.

3. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Brush
and oil the grill grate.

4. Generously salt and pepper the sliders and arrange on the grate.
Grill until cooked to taste, 2-1/2 to 3 minutes per side for medium,
turning with a spatula. Meanwhile, brush the cut sides of the rolls
with melted butter and grill them until golden brown. (Watch closely.)

5. To assemble the sliders, place a spoonful of caramelized shallots
on the bottom section of each bun. Top with a slider and the top bun
half, and serve at once with condiments.

Wario's Heritage

Sean

welcome back!
10:13amDavid

Spanks
10:16amSean

Do you think it's funny that mushrooms have make Italians normal sized
in Super Mario Bros.? Are they saying that Italians are all really
short?
10:19amDavid

Actually, it makes them giant, and then gianter
10:19amSean

Look at Mario in Mario 64. He doesn't look normal sized.
10:20amSean

I mean, at least Luigi is of respectable height.
10:21amDavid

Is he in manhattan around other normal people in mario 64? You only
ever seen mario around luigi, who is the same size as him but a bit
taller

Yeah, so there are some short italians and some average size ones
10:21amSean

I think mario is a midget.

wait, We've seen him next to Solid Snake.
10:23amDavid

WE haven't. I don't know what YOU'VE been seeing during your heroin
induced comas.
10:23amSean

http://ds.kombo.com/images/media/marioscale.jpg

Look, The princess is taller even! And Luigi has to duck down just to
see eye-to-eye with his brother!
10:26amDavid

Princess isn't human
10:26amSean

Yes she is
10:27amDavid

No, she isn't. SHe's the princess of mushroom kingdom, her father, the
king, clearly seen in Mario 3, is most definitely some form of shroom
humanoid thing
10:27amSean

She doesn't have a tail, nor does she wear a mushroom cap. She is the
dictator of mushroom kingdom after ousting an oppressive government of
freaks

FREAK

S
10:27amDavid

Her FATHER
10:28amSean

I hear they don't even worship mushroom Jesus, let alone the regular one
10:28amDavid

You don't know anything about her species
10:28amSean

Cause she's a human woman, not because she's a shroom hybrid thing
10:29amDavid

Yeah, well, the alien in Species looked human too, but if you confuse
her with a human woman at the bar when yhou're cruising for chicks you
end up dead.

Just cause she looks human doesn't make it so. Only Mario and Luigi
are human in that world
10:30amSean

What about Wario and WaLuigi?

Okay, WaLuigi could be an evil elf monster thing... but Wario is human
10:31amDavid

THey're like super evil clones, they're only as human as the alternate
dimension version of evil you...

Not evil twins, evil alternate dimension versions.. maybe human, maybe not.
10:32amSean

Wario was Mario's childhood friend!
10:32amDavid

Is he?

You can't just say shit like that. You need to cite a source.
10:35amSean

Nintendo Power once stated that Wario is Mario's cousin
10:35amDavid

If we can just start saying shit, I could make up shit too.. "Wario
was only Mario's childhood friend because he was genetically
engineered by Mario's genius genetic engineer/ plumber on the side
father, and is not genetically compatible with human beings only
having a 44 chromosome base set"
10:35amSean

I had read that they were friends from childhood but Mario got his own
game but became jealous.

http://www.mariowiki.com/Corkscrew#Corkscrew
10:35amDavid

Why would Mario become jealous after getting his own game?
10:35amSean

states the cousin angle.
10:36amDavid

The word cousin could be used metaphorically.
10:37amSean

Well, regardless he's Italian at least.
10:38amDavid

The site doesn't even say anything about him being human, it
specifically says that no one knows where he is born, only that he's
Italian, which doesn't mean anything, because I have vinegar that is
Italian. My vinegar is a cousin to Mario in their shared heritage, but
the vinegar sure isn't human, either.

Recipes

GRILLED LONG-BONE PORK CHOPS WITH ONION JAM

Pork chops go upscale in this recipe hot off the set at Primal Grill
III. Note: you can also make it with veal chops.

Method: Direct grilling
Advance preparation: 1 hour to make the onion jam.
Serves 4.

For the onions:

1 pound small torpedo onions, cipollinis, pearl onions, or shallots
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1 cup honey, or to taste
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons, 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 gorgeous pork chops, preferably long-bone, Heritage-breed (each 1 to
1-1/4 inches thick and 10 to 12 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

2. Peel the onions, leaving most of the stem end intact. (The helps
hold the onion together during cooking.) If you're feeling ambitious,
toss the onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill the onions
until well browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. For ease in
turning, you may wish to thread the onions on bamboo skewers before
grilling. You can grill the onions at a previous grill session. This
step is optional, but it will give the sauce a rich smoke flavor.

3. Place the onions (grilled or raw if you've omitted the previous
step) in a large deep saucepan and add the wine, vinegar, honey, and 3
tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the sauce
until the onions are tender and the wine, vinegar, and honey have
cooked down to a syrupy glaze, 6 to 10 minutes. If the onions become
soft before the sauce has thickened, transfer them to a plate with a
slotted spoon, and continue boiling the sauce until thick and syrupy,
then add them back. Correct the seasoning, adding salt to taste and
vinegar or honey as needed. The onions should be a little sweet, a
little sour, and very flavorful. The onions can be cooked several
hours—or even a day ahead—and reheated just before serving.
Immediately before serving, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
You should wind up with about 1-1/4 cups.

4. Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Have one
grill zone on medium. Brush and oil the grill grate.

5. Generously season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.

6. Arrange the chops on the grill grate running on the diagonal to the
bars of the grate. Grill until nicely browned on the outside and
cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the desired
degree of doneness. Give each chop a quarter turn half way through on
each side to lay on a crosshatch of grill marks. If the chops brown
too much on the hot zone, move them to the medium zone.

7. Transfer the chops to a platter or plates. Reheat the onion
mixture. Spoon it over the chops and sprinkle with the parsley if
using. Serve at once.

CARIBBEAN RIB RUB

Source: Steven Raichlen
Makes about 1 cup; can be multiplied as desired

1/2 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to mix, breaking up
any lumps. Excellent when rubbed on pork ribs or even chicken before
grilling or smoking.

And that...

These pics contain a large chunk of my visit to New Jersey, and a lot
of my time in New York and Philadelphia. The city was filled with
musicians hoping for change, everything from an underground small
orchestra to just a guy playing music with trash who had no shoes. I
didn't spend a whole lot of time in either city but both were really
rich environments, I spent most of my time hanging out with Mike and
Jackson, lots of time playing Fluxx, some time playing Killer Bunnies,
and lots more time just talking and relaxing. There was a lot of time
spent at starbucks. In EVERY city we went to. Starbucks junkies.

100409093555.jpg hosted at ImageShack.us

Visit bentsea's (my) ImageShack profile

Quickpost these images to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

Recipes

A PERFECT STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI

9781579653545.jpg

Source: Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann
(Artisan, 2009)
Method: Grilling over embers
Serves: 1
Advance Preparation: Make chimichurri sauce 1 day ahead

One 1-pound boneless rib-eye steak per person, about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches thick
Coarse salt
Chimichurri (recipe follows)

Make a wood fire about an hour before you plan to serve the meat.
Shovel or rake a 2- to 3-inch bed of coals under the grill grate. (The
grate should be 3 to 4 inches above the coals.) You want a medium-high
temperature, a "2 Mississippi" fire. Salt the steak(s) to taste. Brush
and oil the grill grate.

Place the meat on the grill. Rotate the meat after 5 minutes. Cook for
4 more minutes, then turn the steak(s) over with tongs and cook for
approximately 7 more minutes, or until medium-rare, rotating after 4
minutes to achieve a handsome crosshatch of grill marks. Transfer the
steak(s) to a platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Serve with
chimichurri.
Chimichurri

Makes about 2 cups

1 cup water
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil

Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the salt and stir
until it dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Mince the garlic very fine and put in a medium bowl. Mince the parsley
and oregano and add to the garlic along with the pepper flakes. Whisk
in the vinegar, then the olive oil. Whisk in the salt-water mixture.
Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at
least 1 day. Chimichurri will keep, refrigerated, for 2 to 3 weeks.

GRILLED PROVOLETA

Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen's Indoor Grilling (Workman, 2004)
Method: Grilling over embers
Serves: 4 to 6 as an appetizer

When Argentineans say grilled cheese, they really mean it—thick slabs
of provoleta (a firm cow's milk cheese similar to provolone) seared on
the gridiron until they are melted and lightly browned. It's mandatory
fare at any Argentine steakhouse and a great recipe to do in the
fireplace.

2 thick slices of provoleta or Provolone (each about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and
8 ounces)
1 tablespoon good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons dried oregano, or 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves,
preferably small ones
Crusty bread for serving

Brush each slice of cheese on both sides with the cracked black
peppercorns and oregano.
Prepare a wood fire. Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and
preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes. You want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi
fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the cheese
slices on the hot grate. The cheese will be done after cooking 2 to 4
minutes per side. Take care to remove it before the cheese melts on
the embers.

I Drew This

I drew this today with a calligraphy pen

Up in Smoke Recipes

PAELLA ON THE GRILL

Source: Recipe from the upcoming book "Planet Barbecue" by Steven
Raichlen (May 2010)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 cured chorizo sausage (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced (see Note)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 ripe tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cups Valencia-style rice, such as Bomba or Calaspara
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

1 fryer chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 8 even-size pieces
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound squid, cleaned, cut into 1-inch pieces, and skewered on bamboo skewers
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed
12 mussels, scrubbed
1/4 cup cooked green peas (or if you have an unbelievable amount of
patience, use fresh peas skewered on a slender bamboo skewer)

You'll also need: Logs or chunks of hardwood for the fire or hardwood
chips (soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained); paella pan;
grill hoe; Tuscan grill (optional—helpful if working on a wood fire).

1. Place the saffron in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons warm water. Let
soak for 5 minutes.

2. Set up your grill for direct grilling and build a 3-zone fire. In
the best of all possible worlds, you'd build and work over a campfire.
Alternatively, you'd work on a large charcoal grill (like a Weber
Ranch) or gas grill. If working on a charcoal grill, toss a log or
some wood chunks on the fire to generate smoke. If working on a gas
grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch.

3. Place the paella pan over the hottest part of your fire. Add the
olive oil and a piece of onion and heat until the onion sizzles
boisterously in the oil. Add the remaining onion, the bell pepper, and
chorizo and cook over high heat, stirring with a long-handled
implement, like a grill hoe, until the onions begin to brown, about 4
minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, and tomato halfway through (after 2
minutes). If the mixture starts to burn, slide the pan to a cooler
part of the grill.

4. Stir in the rice and sauté until the grains look shiny, 1 minute.
Stir in the soaked saffron and wine and boil for 1 minute. Stir in 4
cups stock and adjust the heat (by moving the paella pan closer or
further away from hot part of the fire) to obtain a gentle simmer.
Gently simmer the rice until soft, about 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the 5th cup of stock if needed, and add salt and
pepper to taste. While you're at it, season the chicken pieces,
shrimp, and squid with salt and pepper.

5. Meanwhile, on another part of the fire (if working on a campfire,
position your Tuscan grill over the embers), grill the chicken pieces,
starting skin side down. This will take 6 to 8 minutes per side,
working over a medium-high heat. Once the chicken pieces are crusty,
brown, and cooked through, add them to the paella. After about 12
minutes, place the clams and mussels on the grate and grill until the
shells pop open. Transfer the bivalves to the paella with tongs,
taking care not to spill the juices. Brush and oil the grate and place
the shrimp and squid on the grate. Grill until firm and white, 1 to 2
minutes per side. Add the shrimp and squid to the paella. In the event
you have been obsessive enough to skewer the peas, place on the grill
and grill until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per
side. Unskewer the peas over the paella.

6. Taste the paella for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
If you've done this right and the stars are in alignment, the rice
will be tender just as all the stock is absorbed and the proteins are
cooked. You may need to add more stock or you may need to cook the
rice a little longer to absorb any excess stock. Don't worry—your
paella will only improve in the process. Serve at once, with a crisp
dry Spanish wine, like an Albarino or Txakoli. Get ready for the best
paella on Planet Barbecue.

Note: If using raw chorizo, available in bulk or stuffed into casings
like sausage, please cook thoroughly before using.

VARIATION—PAELLA "PRIMAVERA"

I created this meatless paella for some vegetarian friends and for my
first Primal Grill TV show. For a really dramatic presentation, fire
up two kettle grills. Use one for cooking the rice and the second one
for grilling the vegetables. Or use a large charcoal grill, like a
Weber Ranch, or a large gas grill. If your grill space is limited,
grill the vegetables first (this could even be done at a previous
grill session) and grill the paella to order.

Source "Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen," Season 1
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 ripe tomato, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cups Valencia-style rice, such as Bomba or Calaspara
1 cup cooked, drained garbanzo beans
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups vegetable stock (preferably homemade)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

For the vegetables:

8 mini bell peppers, skewered on bamboo skewers
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into 6 or 8 wedges, skewered on bamboo
skewers
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut sharply on the diagonal into
1/4-inch thick slices
1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and cut sharply on the diagonal into
1/4-inch thick slices
12 cherry tomatoes, skewered on bamboo skewers
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, oregano, thyme,
and/or basil (or use 1-1/2 tablespoons dried herbs)
12 cloves garlic in their skins, skewered on bamboo skewers or toothpicks
1/4 cup cooked green peas (or if you have an unbelievable amount of
patience, fresh peas skewered on a slender bamboo skewer)

You'll also need: Logs or chunks of hardwood for the fire or hardwood
chips (soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained); paella pan;
grill hoe; Tuscan grill (optional—helpful if working on a wood fire).

1. Place the saffron in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons warm water. Let
soak for 5 minutes.

2. Set up your grill for direct grilling and build a 3-zone fire. In
the best of all possible worlds, you'd build and work over a campfire.
Alternatively, you'd work on a large charcoal grill (like a Weber
Ranch) or gas grill. If working on a charcoal grill, toss a log or
some wood chunks on the fire to generate smoke. If working on a gas
grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch.

3. Place the paella pan over the hottest part of your fire. Add the
olive oil and a piece of onion and heat until the onion sizzles
boisterously in the oil. Add the remaining onion and red bell pepper
and cook over high heat, stirring with a long-handled implement, like
a grill hoe, until the onions begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the
garlic, parsley, and tomato halfway through (after 2 minutes). If the
mixture starts to burn, slide the pan to a cooler part of the grill.

4. Stir in the rice and sauté until the grains look shiny, 1 minute.
Add the garbanzo beans and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the soaked
saffron and wine and boil for 1 minute. Stir in 4 cups stock and
adjust the heat (by moving the paella pan closer or further away from
hot part of the fire) to obtain a gentle simmer. Gently simmer the
rice until soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the 5th
cup of stock if needed, and add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Meanwhile, lightly brush the mini bell peppers, onion, zucchini,
yellow squash, and, tomatoes with olive oil. Season on both sides with
salt and pepper and sprinkle with herbs. On another part of the fire
(if working on a campfire, position your Tuscan grill over the
embers), grill the peppers, onion zucchini, yellow squash, cherry
tomatoes, and garlic until golden brown—even darkly browned—on the
outside and tender. This will take 3 to 6 minutes per side, depending
on the vegetable—the peppers and onion will take longer than zucchini
and tomatoes. You may have to work over a lower heat (or at the edge
of the grill) for the garlic—it should be tender and browned, but not
burnt. In the event you have been obsessive enough to skewer the peas,
place on the grill and grill until lightly browned and cooked through,
1 to 2 minutes per side.

6. The last 5 minutes of cooking the paella, stir the vegetables into
the rice, removing and discarding the skewers. (Slip the burned skins
off the garlic.) Taste the paella for seasoning, adding salt and
pepper as needed. If you've done this right and the stars are in
alignment, the rice will be tender just as all the stock is absorbed
and the vegetables are cooked. You may need to add more stock or you
may need to cook the rice a little longer to absorb any excess stock.
Get ready for the second best paella on Planet Barbecue.

Story Idea

A city of light in a world of darkness... how could I possibly have
missed the real horror of such an idea my entire life? It's
appalling... I'm writing about it tomorrow

Story Idea

I want to write a story where the US destroys Iran with nuclear arms,
I want to set the story 3 years after it has happened, I want to write
a modern Man in the High Castle

Brewing Up a Party

This last Saturday was really a red letter day. We served the first
brew that we kegged, our orange pale ale. It was an important party
for us, it was a validation of our hobby and the hardwork that we put
into it, and so it was really important that as many of our friends as
possible make it there to share in our day.

It was lucky, because more people showed up than I thought would, I
was worried that more of them would have to work. Matt's brother, and
his SO, and Bobby, Jake, Sean, Tim, Jamie, and Cymeron +1 were all
there from almost the beginning of the evening. Chris eventually came
over, though he talked about maybe only stopping by before going to
see the Fast and the Furious, and.. sadly I would have been pretty
upset with him if he hadn't come at all, and I was kinda worried he
wouldn't. Later on in the evening Matt got out his guitar when we came
to the conclusion that his daughter's guitar was just a toy and could
not be tuned to make music.

I had no idea that Justin knew how to play the guitar, it was awesome,
he and Matt and I passed it back and forth, and Matt taught me some
new chord progressions. I'm going to see if one of them can teach me
how to play Fare Thee Well, one of my favorite songs written by a
friend of ours who is VERY good.

We had hamburgers, and some sausage, and hot dogs, and I got some lamb
loin to share with everyone who intends to participate with our next
brew. There was some trouble getting the coals lit, it is a new grill
for Matt, but he got it up and burning in no time. We used some wood
chips to smoke some of the meat, and later those wood chips were used
to put into the secondary fermentation of the brew we have out in the
garage that is aging right now. We're going to bottle it next weekend,
and I want to see if I can't get the ingredients to brew while we
bottle, though.. I don't think that will happen. Maybe the week after
that.

I left the party for a little bit to exchange books with Jamie, and to
play a little bit of Street Fighter IV with Tim, who really tore me
apart. I won a couple of rounds, but for the most part, he really
displayed that skill is better than button mashing. One of the few
fighting games I ever played that I couldn't just kick ass with one
button or with button mashing. I like that game so much, I think I'm
going to buy it.

And as for the Orange Pale Ale.. the reason for being there that
night? Well, it was exceptional. Incredibly delicious. Some people
said it needed less orange, most loved it how it was. Chris took some
home to someone who said they would buy it if it were available in
stores. Jamie was like, "I kindof want less orange.. buuut.. then the
bitterness that I really like about it might not be there." So, I
think the recipe needs some tweaking. MOst importantly, I think that
it needs to be done as an all grain brew, maybe even our second all
grain brew. I think next time Matt and I should use fewer oranges and
more hops.

Me Today

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The Cog and the Clock

To dust...
Shimmering in the light,
Ground beneath my heel,
Such is what becomes of the clock's face,
Transparent and unflinching,
Broken from a pane,
Pressed to shards,
Ground to...

Reflected in the glittering refraction,
Lighted by fragmented light,
Realization comes,
Utterly beaten,
Defeated,
There is nothing there,
Un-living gears mark the passage of time,
They mark it through their constant change...

Fading of the Summer's Warmth

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Missing Someone

I'm missing someone. My day seems a little emptier without her
presence. I know she is sad, and I regret that I cannot comfort her.
It weighs heavy on my mind. I will be making more cranes today. Maybe
I'm nearing a thousand. I know what I wish for.

Sketches

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Figures

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Sketches and Incomplete Work

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It's Beautiful Here

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Dialog

"You ever wake up.. and.. it's just.. like.. a normal fucking day...
well.. normal for you now... and your arm is fucked up, and you feel
tired and sore all over, and your trigger finger is strained.. and you
realize.. you're the villain in your own story... and you're alone...
and.. it's fucking ridiculous.. because all you ever wanted.. was to
keep the shit of the world from taking away everything you loved..."

"Yeah, well.. what are you trying to do now? Huh? You don't love anything."

Benjamin looks firmly at the monitor, silent, not hearing the reply
from the other room as he holds down the loudspeaker button. Just a
face on a monitor, yelling, wordlessly, before stirring from his
reverie and continuing. "No.. no.. not anymore... no.. nothing left to
love, and.. and you find yourself alone. And that's how you know that
you're the villain.. in this story of yours.. this story of ours...
we're both villains here... and you can tell.. because the villain..
is all.. alone..."

The figure on the monitor twisted around, moving from room to room,
searching, his weapon trained everywhere he goes. In the flesh,
frantic, and fighting the psychological war broadcast over every
loudspeaker in every room that he pushes through, he mutters out loud,
"No, I'm not alone. I still have my family, my friends, oh, when all
this is over tomorrow, and I'm with them, whatever I am, I wont be
alone."

"He's coming here.. he knows the last room left with intercom controls
and he's coming..." Ben looks deeply at the monitor, transfixed on the
moving figure. His finger pushes down one more time on the button, one
last whisper uttered and reverberated through the whole of the
offices, the answer to a reply he never heard. "You're going to be
alone.. because you're going to die tonight.. and everyone... dies
alone..."