An American Icon

It's the weekend. Time for grilling, partying, and just kicking back and enjoying yourself.

Any and all of the above activities are often accompanied by what has become an American icon - the Red Solo Cup.

If you’re attending a backyard barbecue, pool party, or any kind of group gathering, chances are someone’s going to offer you a beverage in a red Solo cup... the disposable, recyclable, and brightly colored plastic cup has been a de facto accompaniment to good times in the good old U.S. of A.

Especially popular at the beach

Although the Solo Cup Company has been making paper cups since 1936, it wasn’t until the 1970s — the decade of Animal House and Dazed and Confused — that the plastic version was first released and immediately adored by collegians, campers, and backyard burger-flippers alike.

Officially called the Party Cup, it was originally introduced in four sizes and four colors, but it’s the red 18-ounce version that’s risen to iconic status...

And here’s something you might not know about the party staple: it’s not just a place to pour your drink, it’s a place to measure your drink too!

Yep, the lines on the classic cup design aren’t just for aesthetics or grippiness — in an act of kismet, they correspond to common fluid-ounce measurements. Starting from the bottom up, they mark one ounce (a perfect shot of bourbon for your Boulevardier or gin for your Negroni); five ounces (a standard wine pour); 12 ounces (a typical can of soda or beer); 16 ounces (aka a pint); and the final 18-ounce mark for any overflow from ice.

Click to embiggen.

So if you’re ever in a pinch and can’t find your trusty Pyrex measuring cup while you’re cooking, you can always grab a cup from your party stash and save the day.

Just don't over-indulge...

Home At Last

It was a long day yesterday - 22 hours from the time we got up until we laid our heads down. But at least we laid them on our own pillows. That's a very nice feeling.

Our flight out of Edinburgh to Newark was delayed. Much uncertainty on the part of the airline as to the new departure time. Updates were few, far between, and inconsistent. Frustration level mounted accordingly.

Finally took off over two hours late. A manageable connection in Newark (4+ hours) had shrunk to a narrow window - about 1 1/2 hours. That may sound like enough time, but we had to clear Immigration and Customs, recheck our bags, and go through security again - plus get from one end of the airport to another (why are international gates always placed as far away as possible as the other gates?).

At Newark, the baggage carousel was having problems. Luggage would get jammed up at the top, creating a backlog below. The baggage handlers would crawl up the ramp, clear the logjam, and restart the carousel. Lather, rinse, repeat...

We finally got our bags, dashed through Customs and Immigration (if you haven't enrolled in the TSA Pre √ and the Customs Global Entry programs, do so ASAP - they've saved me untold amounts of time and aggravation), and made the mile-long sprint from the International gates to our departure gate. Got there sweaty and breathless just in time.

We made the flight - our luggage didn't.

So today I'm catching up on mail, doing chores around the house, getting my internal clock back in sync, and all that sort of stuff while waiting for the lost luggage to turn up.

Oh well, at least I don't have to do any laundry...

Truck Party

Alright already - enough!

I've gotten a lot of grief over my Friday post, which was all pictures and few words. There's a good reason for that. The clicking of the keyboard hurt my head.

Let me explain.

The weather around here has been pretty dismal for most of the last month. Everyone was getting a bad case of cabin fever, so my wife and I figured it was time for a party. Since my truck had just turned twenty years old, we decided to throw a Truck Birthday Party. Nothing fancy - just an extended Happy Hour on Friday afternoon.

My 1995 F-150 all decked out for the party. Yes, that's a homemade birthday hat on top of it.

We sent out invites, stocked up on food and drink, and waited for the big day. I had a bunch of wild game in the freezer, so I thought it would be interesting to grill it and conduct a blind taste test. I used the same cut of meat, cut them into cubes (think meat ka-bobs - no veggies), marinated them all in the same concoction, and grilled them all at the same time. Everything was as identical as I could make it. The only variable was the meat itself. We had antelope, beef, whitetail deer, and elk.

Meanwhile, my wife busied herself with the chips and dip, veggie platter, fruit and cheese, and deserts. I iced down the beer and lined up the wine bottles. Then we sat back and waited for our guests to show up.

Evidently everyone else was ready for a party as well. We had about 30 people attend. They showed up early, stayed late, and ate and drank enthusiastically. That was fine with us. We had plenty of time, chow, and booze.

Unfortunately, as chief chef and host I was too busy to eat much. I did not, however, let those duties prevent me from sipping imbibing guzzling. I paid for it the next day. From what I understand, I wasn't the only one.

The results of the blind meat tasting were interesting. The antelope provoked the strongest responses. People either really liked it, or really didn't. It does have a strong flavor - not gamey, but more of a herb flavor. Since they graze quite a bit on sagebrush, I guess that makes sense.

The beef and the venison were middle of the pack. No strong reactions one way or the other - mostly a "pretty good" response, but not out-of-this-world raves.

The hands-down winner was the elk. Tender, flavorful, juicy - it was really, really good. And it disappeared in a hurry.

Anyway, a good time was had by all.And I (re)learned a valuable lesson. Eat first, then drink. And alternate drinks with glasses of water.

The More I Drink

My wife went on a Girl's Night Out last night. That's fine with me. She does a lot around here (and puts up with a lot...) so she deserves a night or two to kick up her heels and blow off a little steam.

The only problem is that it leaves me home alone, and I have no self-control.

The evening started off innocently enough. I shared a couple of beers with the dogs.

Hey, what can I say? They're Texas dogs. They like Shiner. I take a sip, give them a little sip, and then it's lather-rinse-repeat.

I am careful not to give them too much. We split one bottle between the three of us, then I cut them off. I don't want them to get in trouble for BWI (Barking While Intoxicated).

Next, I started prepping meat for this weekend. We're having a small get-together Friday night, and I'll be grilling. Just for fun, we'll have antelope, beef, elk, and venison. All the cuts of meat are the same, and I'm preparing them the same. It'll be a blind taste test to see if our guests can tell which meat comes from what animal.

The marinade I'm using calls for red wine. The amount needed is less than a full bottle. However, I suffer from Blake Shelton disease ("The more I drink, the more I drink").

Somehow, the leftover wine that didn't go into the marinade turned into Rebecca Creek Whiskey (It's Texas in a glass).

It was fun while it lasted...

A Place In The Sun

A friend of ours owns a private island.

He's an interesting guy. He grew up on a dairy farm outside of Pearland TX. He worked his butt off to get through college, then headed off to Hawaii and became a hotel general manager. Met a wonderful gal there (much too good for him), and eventually returned to the mainland and went to grad school at UT (that's the University of Texas, for you foreigners out there)..

Graduated with his MBA and went to work for a large international consulting firm. If you know anything about consulting firms, you know that, like large law firms, they chew up and spit out junior level employees. Long hours, lots of travel, lousy assignments and working conditions, the whole nine yards. But after three or four years those who survive and prosper can achieve great things. My friend was fast-tracked to a partnership. What the consulting firm didn't realize was that as they were using and abusing him, he was soaking up what made them successful like a sponge. After a decade or so he left them and started his own consulting firm, specializing in the nexus of technology, business processes, and innovation. However, his dream has always been to find Margaritaville.

He first became aware of the island while evaluating Caribbean real estate for an investor group. It had been neglected by the owner, damaged by storms, and generally was run down and ill kept. It needed a lot of work to become habitable again. The investors were looking for something that was ready for immediate use, so they passed on it. But my buddy saw a lot of potential there.

The price was right - that is to say, dirt cheap. He was able to raise some capital to buy the land. The rest was sweat equity: put together a local team (qualified people who would do the work in exchange for a promise of a share of the profits, assuming there were any); renovate the buildings; repair and upgrade the infrastructure; obtain furniture, linens, kitchen equipment, and other necessary items; acquire the recreation equipment (jetskis, kayaks, boats, etc.); build a management and marketing team; and all the other activities associated with starting up a small resort.

He has succeeded magnificently.

The finished product is a small luxury resort on a private island a short distance off the coast of Belize. Belize is an interesting place. Like the U.S., it's a melting pot of several cultures and languages. It's official language is English (a residue of its history as a British colony), which is almost universally spoken to one degree or another. Other commonly spoken languages include a local form of Creole, Spanish, and Mayan. The people we met were likewise diverse, descended from indigenous Mayans, transplanted slaves, German Mennonites, Spaniards, and a sprinkling of others. Regardless of their ethnic background, everyone we met was universally warm, friendly, and welcoming.

Belize is also a well-known tourist destination, which brings us back to the island. Under its new name - Royal Belize - it is marketed as an all-inclusive private luxury getaway.

The very essence of privacy and luxury. An entire 7.5 acre Caribbean island for your exclusive use. A completely personalized experience.

Complete with a full staff including a manager, concierge and cook, you will enjoy paradise with your closest friends and family, or just you and someone very special. Spend your days relaxing or stay busy with beach games, jet skis, sea kayaks, snorkeling, scuba, sailing and fishing. If you care to venture off of the island, your concierge can arrange a variety of activities including zip lining, waterfall hiking, helicopter tours, cave tubing and excursions to the Mayan ruins.

Because it is so small - there are only five bedrooms, located in three different villas - it is managed as an exclusive resort. That is, only one party is booked at a time, so you will know everyone there. The price seems high at first glance, but it includes everything - and I mean everything. There were no add-on fees, extra charges, additional taxes, or other surprises. We didn't pay a penny more than the agreed upon rate. And since we are friends of the owner, we got a generous friends-and-family discount.

Getting there was a piece of cake. One hour flight from San Antonio to Houston. Two hour flight to Belize City. Fifteen minute flight (in a 14-seat Cessna) to Dangriga. Twenty-five minute boat ride to the island. We were met at the dock by the island staff holding tall glasses of rum punch. Great way to start a vacation.

Once we were there, it was literally a tropical paradise. Meals that were the equivalent of five-star restaurants. An incredibly attentive and accommodating staff. Top-notch facilities. Many activities to choose from - too many to experience them all in a four day trip. If you're into scuba or snorkeling, it can't be beat. We also managed to squeeze in some down time - lounging around, working on our tans and catching up on our reading.

Don't get the wrong idea. We're not jet-setters. In fact, one of the reasons we were so impressed by the resort is because it's the type of place that we typically can't afford to visit. It was great to see how the other half lives.

So if you win the lottery - or even if you don't, but you have a hankering for a once in a lifetime trip - check out Royal Belize. The price may sound a little steep at first, but divide it by ten people (or whatever the size of your party is), and keep in mind that you won't have to pay another penny for anything else once you get there.

In my honest opinion it is one of the best experiences you'll ever enjoy. (And I didn't get paid to promote the place.)

Some Beach Some Where

If all has gone as planned, we are in the process of traveling to a remote island off the coast of Belize for a little R&R.

"A little R&R" will hopefully consist of a little fishing, a little diving, a little sailing, and a whole lot of laying around recovering from the stress of being retired.

It's a small resort island - maximum occupancy is ten people. We're going with four other couples, all friends, so a good time should be had by all.

Internet connection might be a little iffy, but I've got some posts prescheduled, so if it wasn't for this bragging status report you shouldn't even know I'm gone.

Return date is Tues. Feb. 6. Don't let obama do anything too stupid while I'm gone...

It's A Tough Life

My wife and daughter are out of town visiting friends this weekend, leaving my son and I to fend for ourselves.

Since I'm a big fan of the United Nations (*snort*), I decided to make this a day of international food and drink.

The day began with coffee from Ireland, Kahlua from Mexico, and cream from Texas, served in a mug from Wyoming.

Breakfast was Pigs in the Blanket, using small beer sausages from Poland.

The weather outside is cold and damp, so I figured venison stew would be a good choice for dinner.

The meat has been seasoned, floured, and browned. It was placed in the crockpot, to await the veggies and broth.

The broth is composed of ingredients from France (Dijon mustard), Ireland (Guinness), and Texas (Shiner), along with a little homemade beef stock (not shown).

Later on tonight the stew will be accompanied by a very nice Malbec from Argentina.

But right now, I'm going to take a nap in front of the fire.

Life is good...

Take That, Vegans

Had a delicious Elk Bourguignon for dinner last night...

Recipe available upon request.

... accompanied by a very nice Australian Shiraz.

I pity those poor vegetarians. They don't know what they're missing.

Merry Whatever

Okay, it's the day after Thanksgiving. It's now time to turn our attention to Christmas. Of course, given the times we live in, we must be inclusive, and take care to avoid offending anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas.

Thank goodness we can now buy a politically correct Christmas sweater.

Over the years, political correctness has seeped into many areas of every day life.

Christmas time in particular is a period where every effort is made to include even those of non-Christian faiths in the festive cheer.

So ... it was only a matter of time before someone invented the 'Multicultural Christmas Jumper.'

(The) multicoloured offering features several different signs of faith including; Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikh, a form of scientific atheism, Chinese philosophy and also the peace sign.

And to help guide you through those awkward social encounters when you wish someone a happy (insert holiday here) and they are offended, here's a guide that I wish everyone would take to heart.

(Click to embiggen)

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone, regardless of his or her religious/spiritual leanings, would look beyond the words and into the heart of someone who offers them a Christmas/Hanukkah etc. greeting?

That's the true spirit of the (insert holiday here) season.

Getting A Head Start

I'll have a post tomorrow afternoon to help you cope with pre-Thanksgiving stress. In the meantime, here's an adaptation of something I posted last year.

Anything you can do now to minimize what you have to do on Turkey Day is a plus. One of my favorite tricks is Do-Ahead Gravy. Not only is it one less thing to do on the big day, it also provides the fixings for an additional stress-free meal. And OMG, does it make some fantabulous gravy!

Do-Ahead Thanksgiving Gravy

Ingredients

2-3 pounds chicken or turkey wings
1 red onion, sliced and quartered
2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
2  carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces (bonus points if you can score carrots with the long green tops)
4 cups turkey or chicken broth (see note below)
4 cups water
3 large fresh sage leaves
2 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup flour or cornstarch
Meat juices from roast wings

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large shallow roasting pan (or cookie sheet), place wings, onion, celery, and carrots. Roast 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until wings turn a deep golden brown. I like to lightly sprinkle the wings with Cajun seasoning to help them attain that golden brown color.

2.  When wings are done, transfer along with cooked vegetables from roasting pan to a large stockpot. Add broth, 4 cups water, and sage leaves. Set aside.

3.  Place roasting pan on top of cooktop or stove burners. Add wine to roasting pan and heat to a low boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, about 10 minutes or until wine is reduced to 1/2 cup. Transfer wine mixture to stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, about an hour or so. Have a drink of the leftover wine to fortify yourself.

4.  Strain liquid in saucepot into another pot. Set aside wings, but discard vegetables. Let broth sit while you shred meat from wings.

5.  Skim fat from broth. Amount of broth should be around four cups. If broth is significantly less than 4 cups, add flavored liquid (chicken broth, white wine, sherry, beer, etc.) to bring volume to 4 cups. If broth is significantly more than 4 cups, return to saucepot and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until volume equals 4 cups. Have another drink of wine.

6.  Heat broth to boiling. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix flour (or cornstarch) with 1/2 cup water until blended. Whisk flour/cornstarch mixture into boiling broth. Boil for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously as it thickens. Remove from heat.

7.  Let gravy cool, then transfer into a container with tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month. Finish off the wine while the gravy is cooling.

8.  Complete gravy after roasting turkey: Add strained and skimmed pan juices from roast turkey to gravy. If you need more gravy, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup cream or milk, chicken broth, wine, etc. Heat and serve.

Notes:

I like to make homemade turkey broth from the turkey carcass after Thanksgiving. Basically just toss the leftover bones into a large stockpot, throw in some veggies and seasonings, cover with a mixture of water, wine, sherry, chicken broth, or what-have-you, and simmer for a few hours. If you'd like more detailed directions let me know.

I then freeze the resulting broth until next year. I use it as the stock to make the Do-Ahead Gravy.

I also use the broth as the base for turkey soup. Simply add the shredded meat from the wings you used for the gravy, plus your grain or pasta of choice (barley, couscous, farro, orzo, wild rice, egg noodles, etc.). Simmer for 30 minutes or so. You can also add whatever else you like in your soup. For example, I usually saute some mushrooms and garlic, and put them in the pot. I also like to top off the soup with chopped green onions. But it's up to you. Be creative.

Oh yeah - don't forget to open another bottle of wine...

Old Friends

My long-suffering and very understanding wife will have to make do without me this weekend - again.

After being gone for almost two weeks on a hunting trip, I've been home just long enough to do my laundry and enjoy several home-cooked meals and a few nights sleeping in my own bed. Now I'm leaving for a reunion/golf weekend. A group of us from way back when I used to work for a living began these outings thirty years ago. We get together to play a few rounds, have a few drinks, and tell a few lies. Over the years the hair has gotten grayer (or thinner) and the waistlines have grown, but not much else has changed.

It'll be good to see old friends again (at my age, all of my friends are old...).

Frosty And Foamy

It's Friday night, and I'm enjoying a few frosty foamy adult beverages. So no deep thoughts or penetrating insights. Instead, a few humorous observations about man's best friend...

 

Saturday Night Dinner

Bacon-wrapped venison backstrap...

... along with bacon-wrapped asparagus...

... accompanied by a very nice Malbec.

Life is good.

Vacation After-Action Report Part Two

Following up on yesterday's vacation AAR, I wanted to expand on something I said.

The dynamics of the ranch are interesting. We've been meeting up with the same people there every year for the past couple of decades. Since there's no TV, cell phone service, or Internet connection, you basically spend two weeks interacting on a personal face-to-face basis with folks. You get to know them on a much closer and deeper level than you do most people in your everyday life. We've formed some extremely tight relationships with people we've met there.

Our core group of regulars covers a wide range of backgrounds, attributes, and outlooks. We have doctors, lawyers, ranchers, businessmen, a PR person, a couple of journalists, an engineer, some retirees (like me!), even a writer and a field hockey coach. They come from all over - Boston, New York, the midwest, the northwest, the southwest, even some Europeans. There are conservatives (one guy is so far to the right he makes me look liberal), moderates, a few token liberals (two of who said they weren't going to support Hillary in 2016 because she was too conservative) - the whole spectrum. Most are straight, a few are openly gay, all are white. We have Protestants, Catholics, Jews, atheists and agnostics, and one semi-practicing Buddhist. No Muslims.

I give you these demographics because of the nature of the relationships among us. Given the lack of technology and links to the outside world, we spend many hours sitting around and talking with each other. Note the use of the preposition "with." We don't talk TO, we talk WITH. A small, but IMO critical, distinction.

The conversations are wide-ranging and free-wheeling. Family, sports, politics, religion, philosophy, food, cars - no topic is off limits. The discussions often get passionate (especially the after-dinner gatherings, which are invariably lubricated by adult beverages) but never personal. We somehow manage to disagree without disliking the person we're arguing with debating talking with. I wouldn't call it civilized in the British drawing room sense (there's plenty of raised voices and profanity), but we manage to end each evening still as friends.

And we are friends - close friends. Even though we only see each other once a year for the most part, we stay in touch. Phone calls, social media, and occasional visits are the norm. I've been to weddings, funerals, graduations - I'm even godfather to a couple of kids. I don't know how we manage to do it, but I wish the rest of society could emulate us.

Anyway, here's a few more pictures from our most recent trip.

The main creek that runs through the ranch, where we go wading, fishing, and moose-viewing.

One of the things I like about the ranch is the timelessness of the place. Very few things change from decade to decade, mush less year to year. Here's a good example. This old truck is still in use on the ranch. It receives no special care or maintenance, outside of routine tune-ups and oil changes. Any problems are dealt with in time-honored 'shade tree mechanic' style. The upholstery is ragged, the clutch chatters and slips, the patches on the tires have patches, but it's still hanging in there.

I've mentioned the consumption of adult beverages a few times. For some reason alchohol consupmtion goes up once you're there. If I drank as much at home as I drink in Wyoming my liver would be hard as a rock. Here's a pre-lunch favorite (the small cup is a side serving of Blacktooth beer from a local microbrewery).

Yes, that's a piece of bacon in it. Yummm.

And here's an example of Wyoming cup holders.

Parts of Wyoming remind me of Texas - the same blue skies and wide open spaces.

The sunsets are pretty nice as well. This one came towards the end of one of our evening rides.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that obama slipped away from Martha's Vineyard and spent a day at the ranch. Security was tight but I managed to get close enough to take this candid shot.

Go West, Young Man

If all has gone well we are now winging our way westward for our annual stay in the Wyoming mountains.

We go every year. Our destination of choice is outside of Sheridan, at a ranch nestled into the Big Horn Mountains.

Conveniently located halfway between Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park, the Big Horn Mountains are a headline attraction themselves. A Wyoming vacation all by themselves, the Big Horn Mountains offer a more diverse landscape than anywhere in Wyoming — from lush grasslands to alpine meadows, from crystal-clear lakes to glacial carved valleys, from rolling hills to sheer mountain walls.

It's a remote destination, and the accommodations are rustic. We stay in a log cabin that's over 100 years old. It does have electricity and indoor plumbing (I'm too old to sleep on the ground and squat over a hole like I used to) but no TV or phone. There is spotty cell phone reception and iffy internet service available in the general area, but for the most part we're out in the boonies.

What do we do way out there in BFE? Here's a typical day.

Eat a hearty breakfast (and I mean HEARTY - cowboys like to eat like lumberjacks) around 8:00.

After breakfast we waddle up to the corral, grab a horse, and literally head for the hills. The ranch is at around 5000 feet elevation. It seems like every direction from the main ranch complex is uphill. That's why we ride horses. I'm too old to climb everywhere I go (again with the "I'm too old" thing...).

We spend most of the morning wandering around the mountains. There are streams to swim or fish in, cliffs to climb (yeah, I know - uphill), forests to explore, and places to just sit and drink in nature.

Speaking of drinking, that's what happens after dinner. It's a relaxed, social kind of drinking. With no TV or internet people rediscover the lost art of conversation. Small groups will wander from cabin to cabin, sitting on the porch and visiting while enjoying an adult beverage or two.

In between breakfast and dinner is lunch and naps. Or if you're the active type you can hike, fish, play softball, volleyball, ping-pong, horseshoes, cards, checkers ... or go into town. There's even a very nice golf course about 30 miles away. Most folks have an early dinner around 6:00 p.m. and squeeze in a quick evening ride before the porch-hopping begins.

It's a very relaxing, low-key way to unwind and relax from the stress and demands of retirement.

We'll be gone around 10 days, but I have some stuff already scheduled to appear here, and I will have occasional internet access, so drop by every once in a while to see what's going on.

See you later...

Optimism

Yesterday in the mail I received my elk and antelope tags from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. In a fit of optimism I dug out some of last year's venison from the freezer, figuring I needed to start making room for all that fresh meat that would be coming my way this fall.

My wife and kids are less than enthusiastic consumers of wild game. They'll eat it, but they usually prefer that it be prepared in a manner that minimizes the 'wild game' taste (although I suspect that if I did a blind taste test they couldn't tell the difference between venison and beef, or quail and chicken).

So last night I made the venison equivalent of veal piccata (recipe below). Normally I don't soak venison in milk, but for this dish it seemed like the thing to do to approximate the taste of milk-fed veal. For the record, we don't eat veal. On this one topic we've bought into the animal rights propaganda. Yes, I know there's another side to the story, but for whatever reason we just bypass veal.

And while we're on the subject of hunting, there's a new development in bullets. DARPA has come up with a .50 caliber round that self-adjusts its flight in midair to hit targets at extreme long ranges.

The Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) system seeks to improve sniper effectiveness and enhance troop safety by allowing greater shooter standoff range and reduction in target engagement timelines. The objective of the EXACTO program is to revolutionize rifle accuracy and range by developing the first ever guided small-caliber bullet. The EXACTO 50- caliber round and optical sighting technology expects to greatly extend the day and nighttime range over current state-of-the-art sniper systems. The system combines a maneuverable bullet and a real-time guidance system to track and deliver the projectile to the target, allowing the bullet to change path during flight to compensate for any unexpected factors that may drive it off course.

Since I won't have that technology available to me this fall I guess I'd better put in some serious range time between now and then...

Anyway, as promised, here's the Venison Piccata recipe. FWIW, it received rave reviews.

Venison Piccata

Servings: 2-4            Prep Time: 2-4 hours            Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients:

- 1 lb. of venison round or roast, sliced into small steaks
- 2+/- cups of milk
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 1/2 tsp. of freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup of butter
- 3/4 cup of dry white wine (i.e., Chardonnay)
- juice of 2 fresh lemons
- 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
- 2 TBLS capers, drained

Directions:

1.    Trim venison of fat or silverskin. Slice into 1/2 inch thick steaks. Rinse with water and pat dry.

2.    Lay meat in a shallow non-metal dish. Pour 1 cup or so of milk over the meat (I like to sprinkle my venison with a little unseasoned meat tenderizer at this point). Cover and refrigerate for 1-3 hours, depending on the age/sex of the deer (longer for an older buck and shorter for a young deer or doe). Turn the meat about halfway through the refrigeration period.

3.    When the time is up, remove the venison and rinse with water. Discard the milk. Pat dry, return the venison to the dish, and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. At this point I also like to sprinkle it with a little lemon pepper and garlic salt, but that’s up to you. In any event, the key here is to lightly sprinkle with whatever you decide to use. Cover with milk again.

4.    Leave the meat out at room temperature for 30-45 minutes. At that point drain and discard the milk, and pat the venison dry with paper towels.

5.    Between steps 3 and 4, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Also, you can pour yourself some of the wine (just make sure to reserve the ¾ of a cup you’ll need in step 7). Spread the flour mixture onto a large plate. After step 4 dredge the venison steaks in the flour mixture.

6.    Pour yourself a fresh glass of wine. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add venison and brown for 4-5 minutes on each side.

7.    Add the wine and let it cook for an additional 2 minutes.

8.    Remove venison and keep warm (I like to wrap it loosely in foil).

9.    Add lemon, parsley, and capers to the wine in the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

10.    Place venison steaks on plates and pour sauce over venison. Open another bottle of wine, serve with your favorite veggies and some nice garlic bread, and enjoy!

International Sauvignonn Blanc Day

Continuing with what seems to have become this week's theme (booze), today is International Sauvignon Blanc Day.

International Sauvignon Blanc Day is an online endeavour that began in California five years ago, encouraging wine drinkers around the world to sip sauvignon and share their experiences using the "SauvBlanc" hashtag.

I'm not that knowledgeable about wine. I like it, of course, and I have my own personal preferences. In general, I prefer a lighter wine. For the reds that means shiraz or shiraz/cabernet blends, malbecs, and chiantis. Sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio are my white go-tos. I don't worry too much about pairing wine with food. For me it's more about the seasons - reds when the weather is cooler, whites in the summer when I'm looking for something crisp and refreshing.

Which brings us back to sauvignon blanc.

Sauvignon blanc, an aromatic white grape, is produced just about everywhere and comes in a wide variety of styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made ... there are countless good sauvignons to be tried from New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, France’s Loire Valley and beyond.

I've conducted a highly unscientific sample, and have come to the conclusion that the best SB comes from the Marlborough region of New Zealand.

The wine that is produced in this region is of a zesty, juicy, fresh sensation, that is a must try for any wine drinker that has not tried wine from New Zeland. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect bottle of wine for any occasion.

A bit of hyperbole, perhaps, but not too far off the mark. Here's a real wine connoisseur's thoughts on the subject.

The best New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are lively wines. Big on flavor, they exude powerful aromatics that leap from the glass, exciting our olfactory senses and leaving our mouths awash with flavors of gooseberry, green pepper and various notes from grassy to tropical fruit.

There you have it. If you'd like your mouth awash with powerful flavor (no dirty jokes, please) then try a bottle of New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. One of my favorites is Kim Crawford.

"...the scents of tropical fruit such as passionfruit explode; upon swirling and sticking my nose in the glass I start to receive wafts of peach and citrus. On my tongue, all the flavors of peach, passionfruit, pale apple, grapefruit are present, followed by a twinge of a faint herby quality. This is a snappy little number and that comes across in the finish. This may be a light white wine, but it delivers with zest and acidity in a balanced way. The finish leaves your mouth puckering for more."

What is it with these wine guys and their oral fixation? First your mouth was awash, now it's puckering. Anyway...

Kim Crawford is widely available and quite affordable, I give it a hearty "Thumbs Up!" Give it a try. You'll be glad you did.

A Week To Look Forward To

Every so often I get tired of all the gloom and doom that pervades the media and 'Net. It seems that one can't go more than five minutes without hearing about some looming catastrophe, social injustice, or TEOTWAWKI.

Fortunately, I have a week full of enjoyable events to distract me.

San Antonio Beer Week Kicks Off

From May 10 -18, San Antonians have the opportunity to support and sample local brewers, brewpubs, growler stations, and craft beer friendly stores and bars through a mecca of entertaining, social and local events. So, grab your folding chairs and a pint glass and join in on the fun and entertainment.

San Antonio Beer Week Opening Ceremony

The week begins with the ever-popular Firkin Fun Pub Crawl.

Take Monday off and join the Firkin Fun Pub Crawl bus that starts at Blue Star Brewing Company with coffee and breakfast tacos before a fun-filled day of visits.

That's my kind of pub crawl - one that starts in the morning (with breakfast tacos, no less) and lasts all day.

Other fun events can be found on the San Antonio Beer Week Facebook page, including, but not limited to:

Brewing Art

Paint. Drink. Have Fun. Pinot's Palette provides all the art supplies and the artist instructor to walk you through step by step, so you spend an evening creating memories with your friends and go home with your own masterpiece.

Crawfish Beer Boil

Our crawfish boil is going to be kickass as we will be boiling the crawfish in BEER!

Beer and Bingo

Make sure to study up on your beer knowledge because we'll have beer trivia in between bingo rounds.

'Cue and Brew

4 courses will be served, all featuring Ranger Creek beers as ingredients and as pairings. Each course will be paired with a different beer...

Girls Pint Out

Ladies, put on your cocktail dress and grab your date! This night will be highlighting the wide range of beer cocktails."

Come And Taste It

Meet Texas’ best winemakers and craft brewers...

I'm not overly excited about meeting the brewers - I'd rather spend my time enjoying the fruits of their labors - but I love the creativity displayed in the logo for this event.

For those of you who don't get it, the first battle of the Texas Revolution occurred when Mexican troops tried to confiscate a small cannon used by the town of Gonzales to protect itself against Comanche raids. The Texans response was to arm themselves and resist. Below is the flag under which the Texans fought.

Anyway, back to Beer Week. One of my favorite local brews also combines Texas history and beer. It is named after the Cradle of Texas Liberty.

Yes, it's Alamo Beer. It can trace its heritage back to 1884.

Once upon a time, a long, long, time ago, there was a beer called “Alamo”.   The year was 1884 and the brewery was Lone Star Brewing Company.  The good citizens of San Antonio loved this locally brewed beer made with the best barley malt, saazer hops and Texas rice.  Then in 1918 came prohibition and the supply of “Alamo” dried up along with all the other beers across this nation...

So there you have it. A short course in Texas history, coupled with a week of guzzling responsibly enjoying Texas beer.

So much to do, so little time...

Everything Is Bigger In Texas

I've mentioned before that I'm a Charles Barkley fan. Of course, with Sir Charles you have to take the good with the bad. For example, in his TV basketball analyst gig he has instituted an annual tradition during the playoffs in which he bad-mouths the lovely city of San Antonio. (For the record, I grew up in and around San Antonio. I currently live about 30 minutes outside of the city.)

He did it again this year.

Charles Barkley, the opinionated analyst on TNT's Emmy-winning "Inside the NBA" studio show, likely didn't earn himself any new female fans in San Antonio, Texas last night. As tends to happen on the show, the group got to talking about something off-topic Wednesday night, and that conversation veered toward the women of that Texas city.

"There's some big 'ol women down there," said Barkley. "That's a gold mine for Weight Watchers." He added, "Victoria is definitely a secret.. they can't wear no Victoria's Secret down there."

This has become something of a running gag between Chuckles and S.A. Most folks down here understand it's done in the spirit of good-natured ribbing. But there are some who take his comments quite seriously.

The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance has asked Barkley to apologize.

"Making slurs about body size is just as offensive as making comments about body color," a spokesperson told TMZ Sports "One would think being a black man, he'd be more sensitive to having his physical body criticized. It's totally out of line. He should absolutely apologize."

I had never heard of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. I had to Google it to make sure it wasn't a joke. (It's not.) However, like many special interest groups today, it's more about making people feel good about themselves while ignoring facts.

First of all, being obese puts your health at risk. Boosting the self-esteem of overweight people, as opposed to encouraging them to lose weight, does little to help them avoid health problems.

Second, San Antonio is full of overweight people.

San Antonio: second-fattest major U.S. city

Figures recently released by Gallup show that San Antonio has the second-highest obesity rate among major U.S. cities.

The survey shows more than 31 percent of San Antonians are obese...

(It's all that Mexican food and margaritas.)

In other words, 3 out of 10 S.A. women could stand to lose some poundage. (FWIW, I fall into the overweight category myself.) But we also have our share of gals who are easy on the eyes.

San Antonio Spurs fans

We also have a pretty good rejoinder to Charles.

That should shut him up ... for a while...

Beef Plus Beer Equals A Healthy Lifestyle

Summertime is almost here. For men, that means grilling season. This summer there's even more reason to enjoy cold beer and hot coals.

Beer marinade lowers cancer risk in grilled meats

The study started out like any barbecue—with pork chops, charcoal, and beer. Researchers marinated the chops for four hours in either regular or nonalcoholic pilsner, or a dark ale. Then they fired up the grill. After cooking, they analyzed the chops for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are found in smoked and grilled meats, and may up your risk of cancer.

Turns out dark ale cut PAH levels in half, compared to unmarinated meat. The extra antioxidants in dark beer may be the trick, researchers say. Because PAHs form with the help of free radicals, and antioxidants could slow down that process. So if you're health-conscious, but love to grill? A simple beer marinade might let you have your steak…and eat it, too.

Here in Central Texas we often fire up the grill to cook fajitas. Here's a simple recipe that tastes great, and thanks to science, we now know is healthy as well.

Beef and Marinade

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 large cloves garlic, crushed or diced
• 12-ounces dark beer
• 2 pounds flank steak, trimmed and sliced against the grain into thin strips

Combine all these ingredients in a ziplock bag. Marinate (refrigerated) for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Veggies

• 4 Tablespoons canola oil, plus extra for brushing
• 3 bell peppers (your choice of colors - I like one each red, yellow, and green), seeded and cut into strips
• 1 onion, cut into thin slices
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Combine the veggies, oil, vinegar, and seasonings in another ziplock bag. Stick in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Pico de Gallo (literally, "rooster beak")

• 4-5 medium size plum tomatoes (firm, not soft), diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-4 jalapeno peppers (adjust number to your taste), diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the first four ingredients. Add the juice from the lime. Add the salt and pepper. Mix.


Fire up the grill. Let the coals get to a medium high heat. Drain the meat and veggies, discarding the leftover marinades. Toss the meat and veggies into a grilling basket. Grill until done to your taste (approximately 6-8 minutes for medium rare).

Wrap meat and veggies in warm tortillas, top with pico de gallo, and serve with cold beer.

Yummy...