In what may be one of the most fun internet developments for me a a good long while, I'm now a member at the lovely Boar's Head Tavern. It's a really nice place. Michael still has the Farrah poster up. I'm not sure what to make of that.

3 AM

Really, the only appropriate response to Hillary's new ad.

Is it just me, or has it become utterly impossible to take these people seriously these days?

HT: Daring Fireball

Backpacking Recipes

Since it's hard to explain a whole recipe in 140 characters, here's my better response to AndyM801, who, in response to my announcement of my deification as god of backpacking food, asked me to share a backpacking recipe or two. Fair enough. I tried to tweet a backpacking cholent recipe, but in retrospect, I'm pretty sure that it was basically useless. So here we go.

Cholent is a Sabbath meal-in-a-pot that's cooked overnight in an oven or a crock pot, idea being you don't do any work cooking come Shabbos lunch. They tend to be a way to use up leftovers and such. Personally, I've never made cholent the same way twice, and that goes for this ersatz one, too. If you don't have all this stuff ready, don't sweat it, just make a good substitution.

Obviously this cholent isn't work free, nor do you have to cook it overnight (although i wonder, could you somehow bury it in a campfire? idle musing.) but since I'm using Sarah Kirkconnell's venerable Freezer Bag Cooking methodology, it almost is. Consult your rabbi for the details, although if he's reformed, he'll probably have to make something up on the spot. Go easy on him.*

Spike's Backpacking Cholent

In a quart freezer bag, combine...

• 1/2 cup precooked bulgur or rice or a combination
• 1 oz precooked chickpeas
• 1 oz precooked red kidneys
• 1 oz (more or less) vegan burger crumbles, dried hamburger or TVP
• 1 Tb dried diced tomatoes
• 1 Tb peas (or whatever green vegetable you have on hand)
• 1/2 Tb baharat
• 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne, depending on how spicy the baharat is, or omit if you want
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Low-sodium bouillion of your choice--I like beef

Cover with boiling water with an inch or so to spare and put in a cozy for 15 minutes.

I'm a big fan of Thai, so when I found coconut cream powder, I had to try it out. This is my first attempt, and it's pretty good. It need some simplification, but of course, when someone Twitters me a request, I'm required by law to do what they say. Me and Strong Bad gots it rough.

Spike's Thai Curry, Mark I

In a bowl, combine...

• 1 c. instant or precooked rice
• 5 Tb. coconut milk powder
• 2 Tb. peas
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1/2 tsp chile powder (chile with an e, not chili with an i. use a little more cayenne if you don't have it.)
• 1 TrueLemon packet
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried basil (optional)
• 1/4 tsp dried cilantro (optional)

Mix and divide into two quart freezer bags. (Did I mention this makes 2 servings?) Cover with boiling water and let sit in a cozy for 15 minutes.

But like I said, it's way too complicated, so I'm working on simplifying. My stovetop curry uses an equal combination of pad thai and panang curry pastes from Maeploy (I think--I'll have to check the brand and the exact pastes I use.) So next on my dehydration agenda is a tub of each of those. That stuff goes a long way, it's cheap, and looks promising for drying. If it works, and I haven't gotten bored with blogging in the next week or so, I'll post that one.

* I am not personally any more Jewish than I am Catholic, but since my mother calls at least twice a day and is deeply disappointed that I didn't go legal or medical, you can put me down as "sympathetic."

I'm not sure what the procedure is for first posts anymore, if one is expected to lay out an introduction or just start pumping out non sequiturs from the get-go.  Anyway, I'm Spike.  Good to meet you.

Ah, I was never good at inroductions anyway.

I have a Twitter account at http://twitter.com/FatherSpike if I disappear for weeks at a time, which I am apt to do.