Wednesday, February 27, 2008

And now for a few commercial words

I got a cold and I can't help but put up a plug for the zicam cold remedy rapid melts with vitamin C.

I think these really put a kibash of the cold, but I would have a hard time attesting to that because about twice a day I take a handful of pills that would make any good nursing home doctor proud. alleve, vitamin c, mucinex, euchanicia, and others have all contributed to this apparent victory.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Creme De Brule

Ok, here we go. I think I'm far enough though the head congesiton to write a coherent post on the creme de brule and to the matter T directly addressed in her comments the other day.

First, let me tell you that I am a huge fan of this desert which, as I understand it was developed by a monk who need a way to use the leftover yolks after making mirange. a good article can be found here. http://www.coquinaria.nl/english/recipes/05.2histrecept.htm

I myself have made the creme brule on many occasions. This is the first desert that wifey and I made in our apartment after we moved into downtown Atlanta. We have made many renditions of this favorite and I must say it is quite difficult to prepare. I always found the custard to have warmed or the toping not sufficiently crispy or there was liquid on top or the custard didn't make and you didn't have a dessert and on and on. So difficult did we find the creme brule that I know we prepared a back up on several differnt occasions.

So, when I ran into the tortious one in the Kroger buying stuff for creme brule at 11:30 or so on Saturday, I must honestly say I was skeptical. I really thought it took more time for the stuff to congeal and it seems the times we had best success was went the little pots made it to the fridge well before noon. (side note - making it the night before is fraught with peril becasue the custard often develops a tough layer on top)

So, I engaged wifey in a bit of discussion as to the liklihood of acutally having creme brule for dessert and I must say wifey thought it could be done. I was hopeful.

So, over for diner and out come these little ramikins for the creme brule. I must congratulate the tortious one on several fronts. 1) finding a real vanilla bean here in maconga. I had no idea you could get those here. I'd never seen one in person before. I thought for sure you could get one off the internet, but local procurement before the opening of the fresh market is a showing of mad skilz in deed. 2) The custard set up perfectly, nuff said. 3) The use of the brown sugar on top. Well played indeed. The brown suger caramalized easily, leaving the creamy custard below quite cool as it the proper way. Once caramalized, the brown suger gave the appropriate crunch for successful creme brule.

I'll take a few notes from that dinner party, yes I will.

Sick Day

Well I'm taking my first sick day. I hate a head cold. I just gave in, took two benadryl, slept till 9 or so and have spent the remainder of the day on the couch. Not my idea of a great day but the dog appears to enjoy the company.

Feeling better though. that's the good news.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Now that was a Tasty Steak

Was invited over to the abode of McD for a very tasty steak dinner with wifey and Tortious. Easily on of the best new york strips I have ever had. Damn good bottle of wine too I might add.

It is nice to go somewhere other than my house or an expensive restaurant for a really good dinner. It is my opinion that we accomplished that last night.

Thanks guys!

Saturday, February 23, 2008

VICTORY

Ha - I finally got this desktop computer hooked up to the internet. After failing to get it to work wirelessly, I went on ebay and ordered some kind of tester. The tester came from Hong Kong, no joke, there was a customs sticker from Hong Kong on it and it came singature required mail.

However, the little device works great and I finally have this computer on the internet for real. Hopefully I can finally finish that stuff for my CPA and I can get my taxes done.

ITS A CELEBRATION!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Feiry Charriot

I witnessed the most surreal thing today.

I remembered I forgot to put my 25lbs of charcoal out of the rain and I was headed back home when this Pontiac Grand Am was coming down ridge. Only, there was a whole lot of orange light coming out of the bottom of it. Was that some new effect?? No - clearly not as the dark acrid cloud of smoke would indicate it. There was a car being driven down the road and it was on fire.

I stuck my arm out the window and pointed. People were honking, and well, how do you tell someone their car is on fire?

Anyways I went home, put my charcoal up and then drove back to see what happened. I would like to think I could have pulled in front of them and stopped them from driving any further, but honestly I as so amazed all I had time to do was gesture real big.


To my releif, the lady had pulled over and gotten out of her car. The car was totally engulfed in flames, but it did't appear that anyone was injured.

What a weird thing to see on the way to work.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Yoga continues

But some lady butted into a spot that was not big enough and made me scoot back and blocked my view and was really awful at yoga and just damn it that didn't ruin my che

I weighed in at 215.8 today. A recent low.

I have to be in atlanta tomorow for CLE for new lawyers. Really, this is a bit much but it is an excused day out of the office.

Salsburry steak dinner - its what's for lunch. It amazes me that you can have one of these tv dinners with 280 calories and about 10 ounces of food when the small snack of cheezits i just ate weiged 2.2 ounces and had 220 calories. modern food science - go figure

The mother in law was in town and I played some tennis with her and the wifey. I think i'm still a little sore but I think the tennis is pretty good times.

Work is going well. just working working working

I had a good dumb blonde moment the other day. I have benn struggling mightly with the desktop computer we have had for five years. I put a few hundred dollars into it, new memory, a wireless card, keyboard, etc and have been trying to get the wireless to work. The wireless wouldn't work, after many many calls to lynkssys so I decided to try and wire it. I plugged a wire in, which i thought was hooked up to the telephone and the thing went dead. didn't plug in, nothing. I really thought I blew it up. After panicked calls to my brother and looking for a motherboard online, I then went back in and sat there and stared at the thing. Turns out my rattling around down there turned off the power strip. What a moron.

Finally, I got the thing on the internet. Now to do the taxes!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

It has been a big week

Last night I attended my first yoga lesson. I don't know if I buy into that whole - yoga, a way of life bit, but its a damn good way to stretch out. I rolled around on the floor and contorted myself but I must say the experience was very favorable in general. If you sit at a desk all day or are on your feet all day or have shoulder problems like I do, it might be worth it to spend 90 minutes or so looking gay to releive that pain.

We had a real weekend here in Cadleized land - I bought some clothes. I think i have a great idea. Get two suits with two pairs of pants each. You can wear the same suit all week and leave two coats and matching ties in your office.... that way you're always ready to go and need only wear a clean shirt and pants. why only four - Casual Friday people. show me your pieces of flair!

I also went to a great 30th birthday party where my friend Nail was totally surprised and I had some of the best fried chicken I've encountered in quite some time. Good times had in the gold rush town of Dalongah. the Smith house has some damn good fried chicken.

Monday, February 04, 2008

the champ v. Rockington

It was a helluva sport to watch last night. In one corner, weighing in at 180 pounds, you had the Champ, the contender and in the other corner, you had Rock Rockington weighing in at 275 pounds. Champ sought to go beer for beer with the larger and undermatched Rockington. Rockington was dressed like a title holder with a shirt showing a thumbs down sign and the word panties on his shirt. Also adorning the champion was a coorinating Mardi Gras Beads.

Who would have thougth that lil' Champ would match Rockington beer for beer as Rockington pulled out his meal of Popeyes chicken and biscuits and quenched his thrist with a twelve-pack of Colt 45? Who would have thought it.

But no, the end of the contest saw the Champ, in his full glory dancing to some latin music and having placed a budwise select on the mantle for each of Rockington's Colt.

Did I mention the superbowl was last night?