Especially when you spend nearly every waking moment working your ass off.
It’s no secret, Fatted Calf had secured themselves a space at the brandspanking new Oxbow Market up in Napa mumfs ago. So, while keeping their amazing charcuterie running, they were also building a fancy upscale kitchen & butcher shop with retail space from an old tire putter-onner-store. Architects, contractors, inspectors, oh my! Then? Take your entire operation, load it up and move to new an hour north. Do you have any idea what it takes to make a dream like this a reality? Brett does, but that’s another story entirely.
Come along with Jlee and myself and see what Fatted Calf is up to at their Grand Opening.
good night to one and all – But Where’s Ted !?!
Wishing one a good morning or a good day, usually winds up with side-stepping. Nobody wants to know how you are or how your life is. So, I will always reply, “Excellent!”
It’s how I Is.
But Where’s Ted?
Man, I have the story to end all stories. Not only am I convinced I’m the only one, but surely he’s now also spreading the good word as well. I encountered Ted the other day, in a most amazing way. And here’s how it went …
I work in a glue factory. No really, we make glue. Fancy glue, really fancy stuff for people who restore anything wooden. 80 year old wooden boat? We have what you need. 80 year old home? We have the technology & products to supply. Been there for 18 years, I’ve seen many come and go.
The other day I came back with my lunch, probably some lameass somethingorother, parked my badass little blue wagon and entered my office. Within a phone call I needed to head down to the sales office for an invoice, pen and whatever else. Probably a dumb UPS price schedule letting our dear customer know that their over-night need would cost more than the product shipped. Long pause, and it turns out UPS Ground is a fine way to be. Sigh.
Opening the door I whipped in, and found Ted (Yes, “The” Ted) conversing with Creepy E (co-worker and longtime friend). Ted looked at me, I looked at Ted. The same words were spoken at the same time, “What the *uck are “Y”ou doing Here?”
That’s right folks, I had a Ted Sighting at my very own company, no shit. He was like, right there.
Biggles
Meathenge’s Hot n’ Dusty Wings – a contest entry
The mighty Nick Lindauer of Hot Sauce Blog is hosting his 2nd annual Hot Wing competition. I didn’t make it in last year, but this year is different. I got my act together and put this little recipe up.
Hmmm, I wonder if red savina chile pepper is hot-like?
just now sunset of love
I can’t stop myself. Each day, each morning, each sun set of day, I find my nose pressed against the windows, running to the outside to see. Click on the image above to get a larger version.
Just like gravy, the skies above me from day to night enslave me.
xo, Biggles
sunset through richmond – Saturday Evening
Not too long ago.
Then a few minutes after that?
This.
xo, Biggles
ps – click on photographs to enlarge
Pit Boss BBQ v2.0 – Richmond California
Here is my first review of Pit Boss BBQ.
Early this morning, about 6:10am, Tiny E was hacking, coughing and not feeling well. This means ol’ Papa will be tending to his smallish ward, for the day. He wandered off to his corner and I spent the morning cleaning, cleaning and doing more, cleaning. I’m behind in my chores, eh.
About 11 my tummy let me know it was time to start thinking about lunch, Pit Boss! I needed another meal to finish out the review and this was my perfect opportunity. Not only could I get my meal, but Tiny E could try their hotdog with fries. Most excellent. 22 dollars later, we were at home with the above meal. This would be a 2 way combo of Carolina Pulled Pork Shoulder & Death Row Ribs. The sides were tater salad, fries and the corn bread. And of course a plain hotdog children’s meal.
Pork Chop Roast, via Fatted Calf. World’s best mashed taters, via me.
I’ll be honest with you, this post went around a few different poles before landing here. I was heavily armed with most certainly one of the best pork chops within 1.2 million miles, the technology to bring it forth and an absolutely sure fire way of making the best mashed potatoes ever, easy.
Good thing Meathenge is here, with his camera. To capture it all and lay it down so you can run home to play. Don’t you love me? Don’t you care?
Pit Boss Barbecue Company – Richmond, California
I’m a bad restaurant reviewer. So, I don’t do many. What’s my problem? I want to love every restaurant and meal, nearly to a fault. What do I mean?
When I dine at any time, at any restaurant I’m giddy. The look, smells, service and menus, I love it all. The images dance, no skip, through my mind with the greatest of glee. And after ordering my meal I wait for the love to pour. To this end I offer …
Easy Meat Corned Beef Tasty Smells
Tuesday evening Tiny E came from the kitchen and said to me, “Papa, we need to go shopping to fill up the fridge.” And I’m thinkin’, “I’d rather go shopping to fill up my tummy.” We did both.
One of my things is to start on the side of the grocery store where there’s no meat. This way I can weave my way through the store, ever building my expectations. Was hoping for the sale on the baby back porky ribs, nope. Guess what I spied with my meaty eye? Those large packages of beef with the little spice packet for to make the corned beef dinner! Sure if I was a real go gettem’ food blogger I’d spice my own. But it was Tuesday evening and wasn’t feeling it.
As you can see, this post is here because the pictures came out all pretty. Boiling meat for 2.5 hours with spice packet, then adding taters and cabbage doesn’t exactly count, in my book, as a recipe. It was a fricken’ great meal though. And the leftovers? I can hardly wait.
Oh, and this meal doubles as an air freshener.
xo, Biggles
Where’s Ted? A series wherein we search for that elusive rancher
This just in, from yesterday afternoon, directly from Jlee. She spotted Ted!
You see, back in September I started a series called Where’s Ted? This would be Ted of Highland Hills Farm. Anyway, I realized that time and time again I’d run across either Ted and/or his famous rancher truck (beaten and muddy). Jlee had spied him on occasion, traveling at great rates of speed with hay flying in all directions. OH, it’s such great fun to find Ted.
This is where our story takes a dreadful turn. You see, while Jlee did most certainly find Ted, his truck was no wheres to be seen. Ted said he’d sold it, shudder. And you know what? He’s not saying what he replaced it with, no sir. Jlee wasn’t able to get it out of him. It’s a mystery!
Please if you’ve seen Ted, help solve this mystery. I can’t go on much longer not knowing what he’s driving, how will I know if I’ve seen Ted or not? The world needs to know.
Biggles
Stormwatch 2008 – 100 mph winds say bye bye!
Click on crazy image to get embiggened.
Bye bye you crazy storm. Sure we’re all flooded and I got dealt a bad burrito, but it’s okay. I’ll keep flushin’ and you keep knockin’. You can’t come in, you crazy ol’ storm.
xo
Muffins vs. Cupcakes or an Attractive Woman?
Tiny E and I made some cupcakes yesterday. He was feeling a little blue about not being 12 or 13 like his brother and neighbor boy (read here: being left out and taunted). So, Super Papa jumped in and grabbed a box wherein you add the eggs, water and oil=cupcakes. We had a great time and I had the wits to remember the food coloring.
Let’s just say Tiny E found out what happens when you add all kinds of different colors together, Shrek Cupcakes.
Over the last 24 hours the discussion arose over the difference between cupcakes and muffins. The boys discussed this amongst themselves for quite some time. My immediate response was that cupcakes are usually of a very cakey substance with icing. Wherein a muffin is something more substantial and doesn’t have icing. All good.
As of tonight, after dinner, we really needed to resolve this issue. So I went straight to the World Book, nada. Next up, The New Oxford American Dictionary. I was pretty spot on with my definition. But what caught me was the second definition of cupcake, 2nd dfinition was an attractive woman. The howling only now is slowing to a crawl.
Biggles
ps – Hey there cupcake, fries come with that shake?
Happy New Year !!! A fresh meaty canvas it is, 2008.
Click on pretty meat picture for larger badass version.
Yay, we’re in an even numbered year. Thank goodness, you don’t know how happy that makes me. You just can’t lose in an even numbered year. It’s like making sad music with a banjo, you just can’t do it. The meaty picture above was from a little meat fest Meathenge Labs hosted on the 26th of December of last year. We did pork spare ribs, baby back ribs and a juicy flank steak. Oh my!
Oh my is right, forgot to buy onion powder. Never been a fan of the garlic powder, but I do love my onion powder. What’s my go-to rub going to be without its key ingredient? Pah, I dunno.
4 parts Paprika
2 parts chile powder
1 part salt
2 part oregano
1.5 parts or less of celery seeds
1 or 2 parts cumin seeds, toasted (whiz oregano, celery seeds and cumin seeds together)
1 or 2 parts white/black pepper
1 part cayenne powder
and a little more salt!
Ribs got rubbed. Flank got marinated with the above rub doused with orange juice. Grilled indirectly with applewood charcoal and cherry wood branches for smoky love. Serve with ice cold Schlitz and a few sides.
Here’s a pretty photograph of the last sunset of 2007. Goodbye you craggy ol’ bastard, smell ya later.
Most certainly click on image for larger one, hey.
Biggles
Happy Merry !!!
Please click on image for a far larger photograph of love.
Sorry, can’t live without the turkey. It’s the gravy I crave, this and only. When I try the other more adventurous menus? The love and care gets murky, quite quickly. Biggles no likey. That rich perfume between the stuffing and crackly skin make my core all smiley, nose bones come alive. You can have your lamb, ham & beef of all kinds. I can’t live without the turkey, it’s the gravy I crave.
Love to you all and Merry Happy,
Biggles
Bottom Round Beef Roast with Butter on Top
You know the ones, they’re shaped like a triangle log. Fat on one lengthy side and the rest looks pretty lean? Was looking for a tri-tip or sirloin, but no luck. It’s the holidays for crissakes, why would they have those cuts? Sigh.
It was 4:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday, I had a preheated oven, could I get this on the table in time?