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.

Eggplant Parm

No meal in the history of my family elicits so many varied reactions. My father, for instance, at the mere mention of Eggplant Parmesan, breaks into a series of vailed threats, fake vomit sounds, and arm shaking. I've never let this deter me. I just make sure there is meat and potatoes available so he doesn't have to pretend he enjoys it, or attack anyone.

The secret to good eggplant parm is to dry the eggplant out. After cutting it you MUST salt each side to let the moisture work it's way out. Otherwise you'll cook up some nicely seasoned eggplant slime. And no one wants that. So salt it and let it stand and "soak" for at least 30 minutes before doing anything!

Once your eggplant is dehumidifying you can begin. This is the first time i've used Hansel Eggplants. They range between 3-9 inches when ripe, and are ready at anytime in-between. They are skinnier than the average grocery store veg, which makes for more of an appetizer looking dish. But rest assured, you don't even need a side with this awesomeness.

3-4 Hansel Eggplants (depending on size)
1 16-ounce jar of organic pasta sauce (or don't be lazy and make your own)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large chunk of Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup of first cold press virgin Olive Oil
1/4-1/2 cup of bread crumbs
2 free range, organic eggs
1/8 cup dried basil

After slicing the eggplants into bite-size pieces (and drying them out), heat the olive oil in a pan to medium high. Start grabbing pieces and dip them an egg/basil mix, then some bread crumbs, and fry them up. Not too long, just until they start to golden. Preheat your oven to 350 and empty your pasta/homemade pasta sauce into the bottom of a 9X12 baking dish. Add the garlic and maybe an extra diced tomato from the garden (or two!). Place each fried eggplant into the dish in rows. When you have fried all the eggplant slices, cut up the Mozza and place intermittently throughout the pan. Now dust the top of the dish with the Parmesan, left over breadcrumbs, and remaining dried basil. Pop it in the oven for 30 minutes and drink a nice boastful Red Wine to pass the time. Now you've got something my father might even try.

The Cuc

To be honest, i was wondering what the hell i was going to do with a cucumber plant that has fallen in love with the weather and decided to pop one out everyday. Problem solved. Hendricks Gin is one of the finest on the planet, and infused with cucumber to boot. So this infusion decision was easy.

One can even go cheap on this too. An $18 dollar 1.75 bottle of Gordons is all you need. Pour the juniper berry goodness into a large glass vessel and chop up 2 cucumbers (preferably organic and just picked of course). Shake it up a couple times a day and be sure to test it hourly (wink). By day 3 it should taste like heaven. Strain it into a decanter and enjoy.

Tonight my mixture was ready for the limelight:
2 Jiggers of homemade Cucgin
3 ice cubes and shaken with some muddled mint leaves

Why did Sublime's "Summertime" just come to mind?
Cheers!!

Local Muzak

During the summer of 1999 i was home from college and unemployed in Bloomington, Illinois. I had three months to kill and envisioned hanging with old friends from high school (who I'd rarely seen in the past 3 years), drinking too much, and becoming an accomplished pool shark. But it becomes difficult to do these types of things with no money. My mother, a Political Science/Global Studies Librarian at the University of Illinois, mentioned a summer job opening in the Business Library. I can think of a lot of boring jobs, but alphabetizing microfiche has GOT to rank amongst the most boring in the history of man. Never the less, I took it.

It's a 50 minute drive each way from Bloomington to Champaign, so the radio was GOD. And oddly enough, the station my mother and our car pool companion Elizabeth preferred was the college radio station, 107.1, WPGU. Now before i go on much further, let me state now, my musical taste as an adolescent was horrid. Until college i thought Poison was the greatest rock band of all time. Followed by Bush, Oasis, and Metallica. I was a Top 40 whore. College taught me more than books and life, it also introduced me to the Beatles, Dylan, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, CCR, etc. And thank god for it. I also became a fan of the Dave Matthews Band, in fact the only modern band i could stand at the time (or had access too), mostly because every conversation with a Co-Ed required the knowledge to answer "what's your favorite Dave song?".

So there i was, riding in the back of a car for 2 hours everyday, and hearing music i never thought existed. The Violent Femmes, The Clash, The Kinks and new underground alternative stuff too. And hardly any commercials. I was introduced to Weezer, Hum, The Offspring, and Beck. I found new appreciation for The Smashing Pumpkins and The Foo Fighters. It didn't take 2 days for me to bring along a Walkman to work and from then on it was non-stop new music. Good music. Music i didn't know i had been looking for.

The summer ended. As did college. And I headed out to Colorado for 4 years. There was no WPGU out there, and the internet was certainly not the bastion of new music that it is today. So it was back to U2 and Classic Rock for 4 years. Off to Missouri in '04 and the songs remained the same. But in January 2007 I returned home and was hooked again immediately. Now it was The Strokes, James, Alkaline Trio, The Killers, The Decemberists, Air, Born Ruffians, The Thermals, Sufjan Stevens, Oxford Collapse, The Shins, Stella Star, The Bird and the Bee, David Bazan. And another new band i'd never heard of, Headlights. Their songs Cherry Tulips and TV quickly jumped to the top of my playlist. And then it happened. I heard them described as "local favorite". Local favorite? This band was from Champaign? My hometown? Sure enough. As was Shipwreck, Curb Service, Common Loon, Elsinore, New Ruins, Post Historic, and several other bands whose songs i'd been hearing and grooving too for weeks, but had no idea they were written and preformed in my own backyard. It was a whole new ballgame.

Since then i have gone to every live, local show i can find. And the local music festivals, including the Pygmalion, held every September. Through friends who share similar tastes, my eyes have widened to even more independent, alternative bands. You hear it first on WPGU, then maybe an article in Paste, and a few months later; the cover of Rolling Stone. Long live college radio.

Last night i headed down to Mike and Molly's to see an old favorite. Shipwreck was playing a reunion show. To my knowledge they hadn't played since the 2007 Pygmalion and as it turns out, this would be their last performance. No beat was skipped and every hipster, nerd, punk, indie/alt freak in attendance was soaking up every last chord. When you get into local music, you become part of an unspoken club. It's membership is open to all and free. A knowing glance and occasional head bob the secret handshake. As "A Kiss In The Dark" concluded and the faithful clapped and cheered and whistled, i looked around. Many in the audience were members of other local bands, out to celebrate the end of an era. The rest, like me, were just lucky enough to have wandered into the loop.

Here is your invitation:

Shipwreck - A Kiss in the Dark
Headlights - On April 2nd
Curb Service - The Keeper
Common Loon - Dinosaur vs. Early Man
Elsinore - Yes Yes Yes (Eric Enger Remix)
Post Historic - New Gardens
Angie Heaton - Rollerskate
Jiggsaw - Dance for Me
New Ruins - Book Lung
Headlights - TV
Elisnore - Wooden Houses
Santah - The Crumble