Meteor Day - Today is Meteor Day! Grilling - Viewing the weather forecasts Saturday morning, it appeared Sunday would be the last day for a week or more that the outdoor temperatures would allow grilling. Forecasts of 109° weather did not invite visions of laboring over our Weber grill! In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
The word "meteor" refers to a visible streak of light that is produced by debris falling to the Earth from space. We also call this beautiful phenomenon a "shooting star" or "falling star."
The tradition of wishing upon a shooting star can be traced all the way back to 127 AD. Ptolemy, the Greek astronomer, hypothesized that the Gods occasionally liked to peer down at Earth from the other world. From time to time, a star or two would slip past them and fall through the heavens. Anyone who saw a shooting star knew that the Gods were paying attention so it was the perfect time to make a wish!
Shooting stars are actually quite small. The average meteoroid is about the size of a pebble.
Around 15,000 tons of meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere every day, but very few of them actually reach the surface. When they do, they are called "meteorites."
Sometimes when meteors survive Earth's atmosphere, they remain of sufficient size and weight to create remarkable craters when they strike Earth.
I determined that I would grill Sunday, therefore, and to this end, Laura selected some beautiful rib eye steaks—a boneless rib eye for her
and a bone-in rib eye for me!
The rib eye or ribeye is a beef steak from the rib section. The rib section of beef spans from ribs six through twelve. Rib eye steaks are mostly composed of the Longissimus dorsi muscle but also contain the Complexus and Spinalis muscles. Rib eye steaks grill well over high heat. It is best to cook them very quickly—charring the outside and keeping the inside rare.
She also bought some great corn on the cob
and some large russet potatoes.
It was a festive meal.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Meteor Day, Grilling, In the News, and Enjoy
Friday, June 27, 2014
National Orange Blossom Day, Pizza, In the News, and Enjoy
National Orange Blossom Day - Today is National Orange Blossom Day! Pizza - Last evening, Laura produced one of her delicious pizzas! In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
National Orange Blossom Day is the national day of celebration to honor the flower that produces oranges. Orange blossoms have been used in culinary dishes, desserts, and teas worldwide. They add a slight citrus flavor to any dish!
When you think about orange trees, you usually only think about their fruit: bright orange rinds, the juicy citrusy flesh inside, and the many foods and flavors associated with oranges. But those fruits come from flowers. And so the orange blossom is celebrated in its own right.
The official state flower of Florida, the orange blossom is widely used in floral bouquets and as an essence in perfumerie. Culinarily, the orange blossoms are steeped, much like tea, to make orange blossom water, useful for just a slight taste of orange, but lighter, and fainter than using the orange fruit.
In Middle East cuisines, orange blossom water is used much like rosewater—to flavor desserts and baked goods.
She made the pizza dough and shaped it. She topped the dough with traditional red pizza sauce, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, sliced mushrooms, and several cheeses. As always, it was wonderful!
Thursday, June 26, 2014
National Beautician's Day, Jambalaya, In the News, and Enjoy
National Beautician's Day - Today is National Beautician's Day! Jambalaya - Yesterday was my birthday. Fourteen years ago, I chose June 25th as the wedding date for my marriage to Laura. In the News - They walk among us! Enjoy - Relax and enjoy these images and videos!
Celebrated each year on June 26, it is National Beautician’s Day. Today we honor and thank all of the amazing beauticians across the United States that work diligently at their jobs and make us look and feel more beautiful (and handsome).
Beauticians are more commonly referred to as cosmetologist. Cosmetology is described as the study and application of beauty treatment. The branches of cosmetology include hair styling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures, pedicures , and electrology.
Many close relationships have been developed between clients and their beauticians.
For all of you who work in any part of the cosmetology field, THANK YOU for all that you do, and have a wonderful day!
For our anniversary, I wished to provide a special meal for Laura. It seemed too impersonal to simply go somewhere nice for dinner—although we shall do that Friday evening.
I decided the best way to show Laura I was thinking of her on this special day would be by producing a special dinner for her. I decided it should be something exciting and difficult to make—something in which she would delight. Jambalaya was my choice! Laura once told me she had not enjoyed truly good jambalaya since dining at Chez Paul in New Orleans many years ago.
Knowing the jambalaya there to be known world-wide as the best jambalaya extant, I set to work with diligence and determination!
I shall not disclose all the ingredients—most particularly the spices and herbs—that I used, since I maintain my recipe in my head and keep it a closely guarded secret!
I cleaned and de-veined three dozen medium prawns.
I removed the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken and shredded it roughly.
I sliced two andouille sausages into quarter-inch sections.
I set all these aside.
I diced six Roma tomatoes. I roughly chopped 12 large cloves of garlic. I julienned two large Serrano peppers and two large Anaheim peppers. I chopped two bunches of green onions. I chopped a handful of fresh parsley.
I covered the bottom of a large pan with extra-virgin olive oil and set the burner to medium. When the oil was hot, I added the tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and green onions. I stirred and cocked the lid.
I simmered this for 10 minutes. I added 2 cups of Cal Rose rice, a cup of chicken stock, and a bottle of Hot and Spicy V-8 juice.
I added the parsley and my secret mix of Cajun spices. This simmered for 20 minutes. Laura arrived, shook her head, and said, "Great cook that you are, it's almost impossible to make good jambalaya, and I've had the best!"
I smiled.
After 20 minutes of simmering, Laura began testing the rice. She said, "WOW! I've got to say, the flavor is amazing!
I smiled.
After several testings, Laura declared the rice to be done. I asked her to add the prawns, chicken, and sausage and turn the burner to medium-low.
In 10 minutes, the jambalaya was ready to eat.
Laura declared with glee, "This is amazing! You are amazing! I've never had anything this good anywhere. It's even better than Chez Paul's jambalaya! How did you do it? How can you make the rice so perfect and all the ingredients perfect and all come together like that? And what in the world is in the seasoning/thickener mixture?
I was happy to see that I had pleased Laura!
