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A bacon explosion!
I yield to no man in my love of bacon! (As long as it is Tamworth bacon!) But these folks do seem to be carrying their passion a bit far. You may want to file this away for warmer weather. http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/
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I’m from the government…..
…and I’m here to protect you. Not! The USDA is announcing a plan to open our markets to cattle and beef from Brazil….despite the fact that that country is plagued by Foot and Mouth Disease…the most deadly disease that can infect cattle. Apparently the plan is to chop down the prices US cattlemen have been getting for beef. Brazil’s herd is about three times the size of the American herd, so this should do it. Thanks to Bill Roberts for this link: http://r-calfusa.com/news_releases/2013/131220-Brazil.htm When they get here, the meat and live animals will presumably be inspected by the same crack teams that have passed these chickens. (not to mention all…
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ADHD….an epidemic or a fiction?
The popular wisdom is that we’re facing an ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) epidemic. Some experts trace it to diet…others to genetically modified foods…or to herbicides. And then there are those who say it’s not a disease at all….unless you count bureaucrats grabbing onto federal dollars if they can find ADHD in the classroom. How else to account for the wild swings from state to state, with the highest incidence of the “disease” where the bucks are going. We just don’t know but certainly we had “rowdy” kids when I went to school….standing in the corner or a trip to the principals office seemed to chill them out. Dr. Joseph…
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GMO labels….the risk factor…
Big Ag and Big food have been waging an expensive, and mostly successful, campaign to block demands they label their genetically-modified products. They rightly fear a GMO label will chase away some customers. But here’s an expert in the field of risk-analysis who says the Monsantos of the world are not thinking this through. And something tells me, unfortunately, that he’s right. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/how-risky-is-it-really/201311/open-letter-big-ag-ceos
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Preparing the pork and beef….
At my request (from others too), Sylvie sends along her preparation tips from our dinner (see “Every kitchen needs one…” below). Pork: score the fat, generously salt & pepper, sprinkle thyme leaves all over. Mash fresh garlic, salt, pepper & thyme into a paste. Insert here and there in the roast. 400F for 15 minutes, then 325 to 300 F until it’s done – well done and tender. Baste occasionally with accumulated fat and some lemon juice and/or white wine. Not too much lemon juice as it can burn. Lower oven more if needed. Better long and slow than hot and fast. Brisket: sear both sides in a hot skillet.…
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Every kitchen needs one….
….a Sylvie Rowand! Particularly when you’re having a large dinner party. Here Sylvie squeezes out cheese puffs to be served with the “Autumn Gold Soup Demitasse (rutabaga). You may scroll down for the full menu. Sylvie, a French chef by way of Reunion Island, is also a gardener and our dinner depended heavily on her garden and produce from Sunnyside Farm. Featured, of course, was Thistle Hill meat, though our freezers are pretty empty. There was a pork shoulder that had escaped our customers; slow cooked with my “special” sauerkraut and kielbasa. The final presentation was artfully arranged on a platter with the kraut and sausage around the meat. Those who preferred beef, could choose…
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What’s in your beef….
…..add to the list: Zilmax. It’s a growth promoter that’s being used right up to slaughter in the industrial beef business. I hadn’t heard of it before but in addition to adding weight in the feedlot it messes with the cow’s heart (and yours?). There are two things particularly interesting about this report from Dr. Joseph Mercola. Note first, that the guy at the USDA who is in charge of monitoring this drug….is also a paid consultant for Eli Lilly, which manufactures the supplement. Even in this incestuous world, that’s going pretty far. Second, scroll down to the comments. A pretty good discussion of grass fed beef; this time some farmers…
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A billionaire and his millions….
….are soon parted. Google (you really want to trust those guys with your food, too) is financing a project in England to grow “cultured” or “cloned” hamburger. Not sure which to call it, except maybe disgusting. Almost nothing in this article is accurate but the money involved. http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/08/05/googles-brin-funds-332k-lab-grown-beef-hamburger-looks-to-make-meat-a-sustainable-resource
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A sign of the times….
….what to do about our over-weight military recruits—and everyone else? You’d think the Pentagon might decide to feed them right instead of hoping to run them back into condition. Where’ve you been? The obvious answer is: liposuction! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2478403/Suck-Chubby-military-personnel-getting-liposuction-pass-Pentagons-body-fat-test.html Our guess is the chow halls are doling out extra portions of whole wheat bread as well! (Note: if you’re new here, this is all sarcasm.)
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The bugs win!!!
An important milestone that won’t get much press coverage: A top-level health officials say we have indeed “run the course” of antibiotics. Super-bugs have won the battle and there’s nowhere we can turn. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477273/Weve-reached-end-antibiotics-Top-CDC-expert-declares-miracle-drugs-saved-millions-match-superbugs-people-overmedicated-themselves.html Just a few days ago, there was an article…one of dozens we’ve seen…worrying about where all this is headed. But now, as we read in the first story above, we don’t have to worry about where we’re headed. We’re there. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/feeding-antibiotics-to-cows-is-bad-for-humans-but-congress-wont-stop-it-new-report-says/2013/10/22/ecd2de08-3afd-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html It’s the same group of Merchants of Death (Monsanto, et al) inflicting GMO on us that have, of course, blocked any attempt to control the use of antibiotics in feeding animals. Like hormones, antibiotics speed…