I found myself off the grid for a bit and it has been a while since I have posted anything. It has been an interesting start to the summer, so for what it's worth, here are a few things that I've been up to.
My computer needed to be shipped out for repair, so that was part of the posting problem. When it comes to posting something on my phone, I am all thumbs!!
Recently I had to deal with a bout of kidney stones. As I was going through that ordeal, I was reminded of a story told by Abraham Lincoln. An ancient ruler once asked his closest advisors to come up with a phrase that would be appropriate in all situations. They came back with, “This too shall pass.” They were right, and they did! I feel much better now.
In one week, I probably had one of the best burgers and Coney dogs in my life!! I went to Detroit on the spur of the moment for a Tiger's game. Free tickets are always a motivating factor! We got there early enough to do some exploring. I thought I would do my own taste test and put my 2 cents worth in on the ongoing debate between Lafayette vs. American Coney Dogs. However, at that point American Coney had not reopened from Covid, so the hands down winner was Lafayette. The Coney sauce was a true sauce. I guess I have become accustomed to Coney sauce being more of a glorified sloppy joe type of concoction on a hot dog. The dog itself had a nice snap to the casing, was very juicy in and of itself, and the bun was steamed perfectly. You also cannot beat the atmosphere. It may have been just the impulsive nature of the entire trip that added to the overall perception of the dog, but it was good. The bad news is I don't have an appetite for the local fare anymore, they just don't taste the same!
Here is a blog that was written a few years back with some interesting insight between the two restaurants.
https://themetdet.com/lafayette-vs-american-coney-island/After I got back, I was part of a funeral for a man who made it known that after the service he wanted a small group of family and friends to enjoy one last meal on him, at one of the nicer restaurants in our area. They cut their own meat and advertised their burger to be made of New York strip, filet, and ribeye. I don’t know the ratio, but it was very juicy, well seasoned, and tasted great. I ordered the Blue Cheese Crusted Steak Burger with grilled onions, mushrooms, and bacon. It seems like it was one of the few times I have ordered any kind of meat medium rare and it actually came out as medium rare! Once again, it could have been as much about the atmosphere rather than the food, but it was good!
For another event a while back, we did a butterfly release. Kristen warned me about birds possibly swooping in for snacks and the possible traumatizing effect it could have on young children. As it turned out the weather was kind of cool, so there wasn’t the dramatic cloud of butterflies swarming up out of the box. Instead, some kids got to go around and place butterflies on people’s hands and arms until they flew away. I think that way was actually nicer. My son has a two year old and she was frightened by the butterflies and did not like them at all or want anything to do with them. She probably would have been cheering for the birds!
My wife has been selling baked goods at our local farmer’s market. There are only a hand full of booths and more crafts than fresh fruits and vegetables. She also made up some of the pucks for seasoning cast iron pans to sell. Canadian John, let me know if we owe you any royalties! The pucks work great and leave a nice finish, but I don’t think we will get rich off of the proceeds. So far I have given away more than she has sold!! However, at the market I did pick up a very interesting savory rhubarb chutney that I think will go great on some pork ribs this weekend.