...and the horse he came in on!

Really Fat Boy? 3 Posts in a row?

I don't want to keep posting about how dumb we are. There are other dead horses to beat and there are other things to talk about. For example, if you are a right winger who wanted Bill Clinton gone shouldn't you be angry at Herman Cain? If you are a left winger isn't what Herman Cain did his own personal business between him, his wife, and his accusers? No left wingers, what Bill Clinton did was absolutely sexual harassment if nothing else simply by the uneven power and status between him and his conquests. The fact that Lewinsky was an intern and  Paula Jones was a secretary makes it harassment even if there was no direct consequence. When someone has power over you there is an implied risk in thwarting their will. Right, Left, either side will try to have it both ways, but that makes them  criminals or dumb-asses... oops, I was going to talk about something other than how dumb we are... sorry.

It's hard not to think about how dumb we are though. I was watching the Pats game at the Grog last Sunday and everyone around me seemed to be dumb enough to think the Pats can win another Super Bowl with the worst pass defense in the football. That's only sports though. Rooting for your team is always a happy illusion until reality crashes the party, besides they have to play the games anyway.Who knows? miracles happen so I'm more than willing to embrace the dumb. Go Pats! The three drunk twenty somethings leaning on my back though were another story.

Great place, but also a home for nitwits.

Leaning on people sitting at a bar is not cool so I feel no remorse about listening in on their conversation. They were, apparently in no particular order, hot for the bartender and beer aficionados. The Grog, like every bar I've been in for the past 10 years, had about 5 old standbys on tap. Guinness, Mmmm Guinness! a light dry beer with a creamy head that they get from adding nitrogen at the tap, Samuel Adams lager, Mmmm Sam Boston lager! Smooth and bitter with a complex flavor that is very assertive compared to the lagers brewed at large American breweries, Sam Adams winter lager which I will pass on because spiced cider is fine, but spiced beer is not my thing, Budwiser, Mmmm Bud! Clean, crisp, short on flavor compared to the Sam but perfect with food, A hefeneiezn whose manufacturer I do not remember, yuck! I don't want crap floating in my drinks ever ( take that Japan and your nasty bubble tea), and 2 Dogfish Head whatevers because you have to have a couple of beers from a cooly named creft brewery for the "afficianados". (For the purpose of this blog whenever I use the word afficianado feel free to substitute rube, or dumb-ass.)

The leader of team beer leaned over my shoulder, pointed at the 2 Dogfish taps, tried to channel his best  Barry White voice (sorry young-uns, if you don't know what I'm talking about take a listen) and asked the bartender which of the 2 was the hoppiest. Hoppiest, really? Dude, even if you knew what you were talking about saying hoppiest made you sound dumb. She shrugged then offered him a taste of both. What followed was lots of Hmm m's, lip smacking and what sounded like gargling. All right over my head. Finally he pointed at a tap and after mentioning how nicely sweet that beer was ( hops make beer bitter so maybe I missed something) he ordered 3. $36 dollars for a round of 3. He didn't even have enough money to tip his future wife. Rube.

I kind of feel bad for the kid. Getting robbed by bars for the privilege of being a pretentious ass seems like a bad way to spend your younger years, and what about the bartender? If that whole beer snob thing had worked would he be better off or worse off than when he started? ( Ladies I am curious, when you work as a server and you are trapped and some stranger uses that as a chance to pitch woo is it always annoying? a good way to boost your tips? or something you consider on a case by case basis?)

$36. You can still buy a pretty good meal for $36 dollars. More importantly, which is the crux of the matter, can any beer be 2 1/2 times better than a Boston Lager, or 3 1/2 times better than a Bud? I'd ask Bill Clinton or Herman Cain, but it seems they had a waitress trapped at one of the booths in back. Me? I was drinking 16 once PBR's.

Well, that's BS but at $3 for a 16 once can who am I to complain?

Go with what you like, but more importantly know what you like. Do I think PBR is a better beer that a Sam? Nope. Does it matter if what I'm after is crisp, cold and cheap. Nope. Think about things a little, it all comes clear if you do. Like Thanksgiving... best... holiday... ever.

The three F's, food, football, and family.

I think a lot of people don't appreciate Thanksgiving enough because their Mom didn't make enough side dishes. Turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes are awesome, but one plate is never enough so I'll try to throw you a couple of my own favorites these next 2 weeks.

Sweet potato hash, for when you are a grownup and putting marshmallow in your food seems like a bad idea.

Break out your cast iron skillet. Go to your fridge and take out the four sweet potatoes you baked off last night. Hey, it was a do ahead while you were making pies. Dice them into 1/2 inch cubes.

1. Cook 2 strips of bacon, Mmm bacon! on medium heat until they are crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
2. Leave the bacon grease in the pan then add 2 tablespoons of butter. Mmm butter!
3. Watch the butter, Mmm butter! when it stops foaming add a diced shallot and a tablespoon of chopped sage.
4. Keep them working for 3 or 4 minutes then add the sweet potatoes.
5. Salt and Pepper now.
6. Give it a couple of good stirs to mix then leave it alone for 5 minutes so it will crisp up.
7. Stir again, then leave again. Crisp is good. Mmmm crisp.
8. Crumple in the bacon, stir and serve.

The whole thing takes 20 minutes if you prep things the night before. Twenty minutes is how long you should let the turkey rest after you take it out of the oven and cover it with foil. Serendipity? One bite and only the most hard assed veggie haters will say no.