Until next time.

Sometimes I try too hard.

I was going to write a big post today about Kierkegarrd, the uncertainty principle, ethics, and the soul crushing nature of office work. Lucky for you I struggled with it for about three hours then gave up because I was hungry. So instead you get my dinner. While I was wrestling with the big questions I was also roasting chicken. It may not be my death row meal, but it is easily one of the most soul satisfying meals you can eat. Sorry about the Kierkegarrd. I know you are disappointed, but my brain just isn't up to it today.

The beauty of roasting chickens is amounts are only limited to the size of your oven and the size of your pans. Now I like to get a couple of Belle and Evens organic chickens from the Butcher Boy because while I haven't given up meat those factory farms do push my ethical boundaries... must... not... discuss... Kierkegarrd... and  I think the organic chickens taste better.

You will need a chicken, 3 or 4 good sized potatoes, a bag of those baby carrots (saves knife work, but by all means get regular carrots if you can't afford the extra buck) a lemon, an onion, sprigs of thyme if you have fresh ( a window box will save you enough money to buy the baby carrots) and melted butter. Mmmm butter!

1. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the bird.
2. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the cavity, then stuff the lemons in after.
3. Peel the onion. Cut it into quarters. Stuff it in the bird.
4. Stuff the thyme in there too.
5. Truss the drumsticks together with kitchen twine.
6. Smear the bird with the melted butter. Mmm butter!
7. Liberally salt and pepper the outside of the bird.
8. Grease a roasting pan with melted butter. Mmm butter!
9. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
10. Cut the potatoes into chunks roughly the same size as the baby carrots.
11. Spread them in the roasting pan. Spread more sprigs of thyme over the vegetables. 
12. Place a cooling rack over the roasting pan.
13. Place the chicken on the rack. Fold the wings under the body so they don't burn.
14. Roast for an hour and a half until the juices run clear.
15. Place the chicken under some foil.
16. Give the vegetables a stir. Cover them with that lemony greasy goodness. Then give them another 20 minutes in the oven.

The amounts can be doubled until the pan or the oven gets too small. Figure 3 people per chicken, or a whole chicken if you are a tubbo like me. If you have a big enough roasting pan you could get 3 going at once. You can also skip the cooling rack, but if you do you will have to move the chickens around of the middle one will stew. Check that, use the cooling rack.

Hallelujah!

I had to modify this post. Originally it was just about the glories of Sunday mornings off from work and the joy of Hollandaise sauce. In view of the event in Japan that seemed cavalier and more than a little tasteless. Instead my agnostic soul  hopes that I am just wrong. I hope there is a reason for the pain, redemption for the lost, and comfort for those left behind. A secular song that feels more spiritual than most religious songs is all I have. (the original post follows)




I love Sunday morning. As I have repeatedly said nothing is quite as spiritually satisfying as breakfast out. Food just tastes better when people make it for you. It also tastes better when you cover it with hollandaise sauce like the Irish benedict at Rafts in Haverhill.

Mmmm Irish benedict. Instead of english muffins use soda bread. Instead of canadian bacon use hash. Instead of poached eggs use poached...oops! brain freeze absolutely use poached eggs. Finally drench the whole thing in hollandaise sauce. Mmmm Hollandaise sauce.

Bloody Marys

It's Sunday morning. Maybe you need a little hair of the dog. Maybe a little brunch. Maybe... hey this is America, we should be at our respective houses of worship! (I choose Linda's at the beach. Nothing says almighty power like a lobster benedict, side of hash browns, and a grilled cinnamon roll). Worship doesn't mean you have to cancel the party though.



Hey, it's Mardi Gras. Since when does spirit and jazz not mix?



Okay! You want a traditional approach fine!



Ah come on, more country? Really?



Well if we're all going to be fussy about our worship I'll take...



I do indeed love me some Patsy Cline. America, you can do anything 10 different ways and as long as you aren't hurting anybody you should be left alone. It's true of your choice of worship, your choice of political belief, your choice of music, your choice of art, hell, even the way you make a Bloody Mary.

Party!

Fat Tuesday is a week from today. Back in the day that meant you had one week to cram in as much excess as possible before lent. Seriously, what could be more American than wallowing in excess. Hippies in the sixties, teabaggers today, gay pride parades in between, has there ever been a cause or movement that couldn't be helped along with freaky costumes, alcohol, and narcissism. The trick is to combine all those things in such a way that when you wake up the next morning the worst  you might need is an aspirin and a hosing off. Quick! For bonus points is this picture of a) hippies b) teabaggers c) gay pride advocates?

                                           (Infrogmation)

Probably all 3 because this is a picture of Mardi Gras. Strip out the politics, leave in the self indulgence and you have a) My last date b) a democratic fundraiser c) fun.  So lets have some fun.

We have 7 days to cook up a big spread, so I'm going to chug me a VooDoo lager,  throw a Meters record on the turntable, and get to cooking. Now there are a few things we have to deal with. The first is you can't always find authentic creole and cajan ingredients in the local Market Basket. Who cares? You heard me. Authentic is where posers and jackasses go to die. If I hear one more food, music, art, film, theater, whatever snob punish somebody's efforts with a sneer and a "Well, I guess it was alright even though it is not...." Ahhhh! I'm ruining my party mood so I'll just let that on go for now.