Month: April 2013

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This Is Just a Middle-Aged Man Dressed as a Japanese Schoolgirl.

This Is Just a Middle-Aged Man Dressed as a Japanese Schoolgirl.

Now honestly. I have so many disparate responses that it’s hard to put it into words. I see a man in A Sailor Moon suit and I have to ask, is this a fetish or a hobby. The immediate response is to assume fetish, at least if you have grown up in the United Oper States of America during the lifetime of the Millennials. The immediate response is to assume he has some diabolical labyrinth of tunnels and cells where he keeps little Sailor Girls sewing skirts for him and darning his socks.

But what of middle aged Americans dressing as Darth Vader, or a random Airship Pirate and going off to comic con. The comparison is obvious but is it that they are as pathetic as him? Or is it that He’s as pathetic as they. But then there are the UoS or British Civil War reenactors. Where is the value in pointing muzzle loaders at one another and firing puffs of smoke while everyone lies down for a nap in fancy 17th century dress.

Ah but not all renactors are playing to a script! What about the Society for Cruddy Accoutrements? They really hit one another, and then there are the jousters and the ones who use live steel, albeit blunted, usually. Now those guys are for real so it’s not crazy right? Except didn’t some guy get killed in the utility tunnels under UC Berkeley back in the ’70s playing Chainmail the original LARP form of D&D? Oh wait we’ve come full circle haven’t we.

Like I said it just makes my head spin. Have a nice lunch and read a book.

 

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Where’s My Hookah?

A friend urged me to dig out my old Mushroom loaf recipe’. It had issues–word to the wise, don’t mix minced raw mushrooms with minced raw meats or meat byproducts, unless you particularly like muddy lavender colored foods–so I made some repairs and here is it. If you like it you can thank me, if you hate it blame Kevin.

Tha Rescape’:

 

Mushroom Loaf

Ingredients:

1 lb mixed mushrooms, minced (I recommend chanterelle, crimini, and all American white)

½ lb mushroom caps, whole without stems

1 cup beef broth

2 packets unflavored gelatine

¼ large onion minced. (you can use a whole golfball sized onion but the taste will be a bit mild)

3 cloves of minced fresh garlic (recommend fresh or wet from a jar. If you must use dried reconstitute it with the wine before saute)

⅓ cup California Merlot. (you can substitute that other Merlot from that French place west of Switzerland but the recipe calls for Cali Red)

2 eggs beaten

2 cups bread crumbs (panko will blend with the loaf flavors best)

¼ cup cornstarch

2 tsp sesame’ oil

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp chopped basil

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Optional:

½ cup whole or chopped pecans

 

Directions:

Add gelatine to cold broth and set aside until blossomed. Saute mushroom caps with with ghee or a mix ½ and ½ of olive oil and butter. Don’t use margarine since the emulsifying effects of butter are needed. Set caps aside to rest. Saute minced mushrooms until they release their liquid, then add onions and garlic and continue saute until onions sweat. Deglaze with wine and simmer until wine reduced by half. Add mixture to caps and allow to rest. Toss mixture with gelatine solution, sesame oil, basil, salt and pepper. Add eggs and mix by hand, folding in cornstarch and bread crumbs.

Mixture should resemble a loose meatloaf. Grease a loaf pan or oven safe mold with olive oil and mold loaf. Place pan in an oven preheated to 350 deg F and bake for 1 hour or until firm. I recommend lightly browning each slice and serving with a bit of hollandaise, bottled brown sauce or gravy.