Sometimes it's hard to just Eat Drink and LIve...

Later today Qurans will be burned. Whether in Florida or Kentucky or Kansas. And video of the burnings will be uploaded to the internet. And the world will see the America they fear. The America they should fear. The America we should all fear. A country of know-nothing cavemen hypocrites. Self appointed keepers of the flame who continuously burn themselves and those around them with the self righteous, greed driven umbrage of all things different. Accept this truth or not, should one page of Muhammad's text singe on 9/11 by American hands, everything that we claim to stand for in this country will die. There is a clear difference between freedom of speech and treason. And to be clear, the planned nazi book burnings tomorrow will serve only to undermine our government and place not only our troops but our citizens at risk. Anyone joining fire and Muslim text on the anniversary of this generation's great horror not only does our civilization and country a great injustice, they are guilty of treason. A crime once punishable by death. In the end, they may not be the ones who reap the consequences of their actions, and that may be the greatest injustice of it all.

Fired Up Marinara Sauce

What do you do with an explosion of fresh heirloom tomatoes? Start looking for and creating recipes that call for at least 2lbs of tomatoes at a time. I did just that yesterday, and despite setting the ash box of my grill on fire, it was a major success. The great thing about growing several varieties is molding their different flavors and colors together to create a medley of summertime tastiness. Heirlooms are never as big and perfect looking as the plants you may pick up at your local nursery or Lowe's, but they make up for it in abundance and zing.

Whatchu need:
2 lbs of ripe tomatoes
1 cup of portabello mushrooms
2 tbsp of triple cold pressed olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced in half
4 garlic cloves (you can never have too much garlic)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
pepper to taste

I also threw in 3 small black Hungarian peppers to spice things up. Ripened jalapenos would do the same trick.

First off, clean the grates on the grill with a wire brush, especially if there is a lot of your roommate's nasty hot dog remnants glommed on them. Use a charcoal grill if you have one, gas grills don't add that smokey flavor. I also use lump charcoal, not briquettes (which are horrible for the environment).

Get that fire going and wait about 15-20 minutes until the heat is around medium high. Roll up a couple of paper towels and dip them in olive oil. Then wipe the grates with the oil so the tomatoes and onions don't stick and are easily flippable. Cut your tomatoes in half and place them on the grates "cut end" down for about ten minutes. Do the same with your onion. Don't worry if they start to blacken. It's flavor and part of the reason we are grilling! Flip them over and let them cook for a few more minutes. Remove them and let them cool to the touch.

While the tomatoes cool, dice the onion, garlic and mushrooms and heat them on medium in a big pot with olive oil. Go ahead and add the oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Let it start bubbling and reduce it to simmer. Peel the tomatoes (it's easy now!) and slice them up into quarter inch chunks. Add them to the pot and let it simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour. If it gets to thick, add some red wine. If it stays to thick, add some water.

Now you're ready for some kick ass pasta!!

Pumpkin Blossoms

I'm unfailingly surprised more people have never had fried pumpkin blossoms. I've always seen them as a Right of Fall, but I'll be the first to admit my upbringing was anything but than normal. Having cooked them a few time this summer already I've been encouraged by the reactions of first timers. Others had only had them in Italy and mine were praised as authentically Tuscan. I've been indulging nightly while looking forward to the promise of cooler weather.

Pick several blossoms making sure not to disturb any that have germinated. This is easy to tell as there will be a little green ball behind the flowers (this, of course, a future pumpkin). Make sure to wash them to get all the tiny bugs out. If some remain, try soaking the blossoms in salt water. Whip up a couple eggs to dip the blossoms in. The toughest part of the process is deciding with starch to work with. Flour is popular, but i prefer crushed, Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Heat a pan with olive oil on medium high. Now dip the blossoms in the egg, transfer to the crumbs, and then into the pan. It doesn't take long and as soon as the blossoms begin to brown, flip them over. Pull them out with tongs when done and place them on a paper towel to drain the oil. Salt to taste and you're good to go. From start to finish it's one of the quicker late summer luxuries.

Letting Go

"To move forward, free from the pain of the past, one must carry with them only the diamonds culled and kept safe throughout that former life." -Anon

Pepper Vodka

While i had hoped to squeeze in a fruit infusion this week to aid in the fight against constant heat advisories, the over abundance of Black Hungarian Peppers (similar to Jalapenos) in the garden has forced my hand. And that's just fine, the football season approaches as does the general populace lust for Bloody Marys. I'm only too happy to oblige. I just hope these Hungarian Peps aren't toooo hot.

After preforming the Brita trick (pour cheap vodka through a Brita filter 3 times) with some Crystal Palace, i found myself with some surprisingly sippable "well" vodka. I picked and sliced, lengthwise, 8 Black Hungarians. Toss them in and wait about 48 hours. Feel free to test at any time. Now your tailgate parties have another special ingredient. Slante!

Heatwave Focaccia Sammy

When the heat index rises above 113 degrees you might think pulling out the grill is a horrible idea. You would be wrong. It just makes ice cold Pinot Grigio taste that much better while assembling the evening's feast. It was cabin cooking this past Saturday and the list of ingredients was simple and garden grown (sans Focaccia). One of the highlights from my backyard this year has been Iraq Tomatoes. Yup, from Iraq. And thanks to the oppressive heat smothering the midwest this August they are preforming brilliantly. As are the Hansel Eggplants, which continue to multiply beyond expectation.

I love Focaccia. I didn't know it's name until this week, but I've always had a special place in my heart reserved for it. I could eat every sandwich on Focaccia. Something about how it soaks up flavor and juices. I know that sounds dirty, but as you may know, it's amazing.

Slice three Hansels (or the eggplant of your choice) lengthwise, season those babies and grill'em up. Prep some pesto (see Stuffed Portabellos and Homemade Pesto, July 23) and you have your condiment. Slice up some fresh tomatoes and you're all set It's also not bad with a little cream brie on the bread of your choice. Carb it up!!

Lolla '10

Since my return home some 4 years ago it has become an annual tradition to declare "I'm going to Lollapalooza this summer"... and then not make it. Something always comes up and nixes the plan. Last fall however, I made serious plans for Lolla 2010. A now former flame and I swore to make the trip and bask ourselves in three days of musical nirvana. When the lineup was announced in March of this year, collective jaws dropped. Nearly every band that had been exchanged via heartfelt, high school mix CD's was listed to preform. The anticipation of seeing the majority of our favorite bands together in Grant Park reached fever pitch. But life can throw you curve balls, sharp ones, and less than a month before the masses would converge on the Lakeshore of Chicago, I found myself with a pair of weekend passes and no takers.

I debated for weeks whether or not to head up anyway. I'm not one for emotional cutting so the initial response was "hell no". The thought of moving from stage to stage and pausing at each one just long enough for wounds to be torn open again did not appeal to me. But a chance exchange with a family friend changed my mind. I knew if i did go, it would have to be NEW. A fresh experience, with someone I didn't really know. And this friend fit the bill. The decision was made. I was going. Only for Friday, but I wasn't going to let the past affect my present, nor keep me from good music regardless of the recent history that attempted to sour it. I needed to take back the music. Allow it to begin writing a new chapter, regardless of the inherit plagiarism, and begin attaching new, positive memories to the prose and beat of the past.

In the history of decisions, this was one of my finest. After spending an hour early Friday afternoon tracking down a fifth of Jameson to sneak past security, we found ourselves surrounded by the most incredible and varied collection of humans I've seen yet assembled. And the music was absolutely amazing. Mavis Staples, The Big Pink, The New Pornographers, The Dirty Projectors, Hot Chip, The Black Keys, Jimmy Cliff, Lady Gaga (only for 3 songs to see the show i swear), and then The Strokes after dark. It was amazing. And healing. As I think back on it now I should have stayed for the whole weekend, but the experience Friday freed me in a way. And i will remain, as I have always been, indebted to the power of music, for it's ability to shape our lives, to break our hearts, to give us hope, to make us jump up and down and not give a damn about anything, and upon occasion, help us to accept the past and move forward filled with rhythm and grand expectations.

After returning home I picked up my guitar after a 2 month hiatus. It felt great.