Forget Your Troubles C'Mon Get Happy

This soup was a mash up of a NYTimes Cooking Greek inspired soup but Mexican-ized slightly by replacing cilantro for dill and Cotija cheese for Feta, and adding lime along with lemon.

Life is temporary, and nothing is that important but food can be magical and satisfying and it can make you forget your troubles, if only for a time.  As do cats and other things.

Clang, Clang, Clang Went the Trolley

Fish in the Gowanus 

I get cheap thrills from finding swarms of fish in the Gowanus Canal behind my work. 

Tacos and a Burrito take out from Brklyn Burro.  This guy got big points for having properly seasoned meat, adding charred green onion and the burrito was toasty warm and everything inside was layered and had purpose.  The size was optimal, not too big, but it was slightly reminiscent of the giant San Francisco burritos in that it was all in there, beans, rice, meat, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, melted cheese.  This guy touts Mission Style Burritos from SF for Brooklyn.  And the promise was kept.  

I do recall the Mission style giant burritos but I mainly ate them in Berkeley.  What I remember about the Mission District is all the Latino drag queen prostitutes and how it felt dangerous walking around even during the day, in mini skirts and black boots because the Central American immigrants who mistook us for little whores instead of the goofy drunk punks that we were. 

 

I made a little magic of my own with this Slow roasted Whole Jerk Chicken - stuffed with garlic and low and slowed - succulent awesomeness!  Tasted like it was made in a pit. 

If You're Ever in a Jam, Here I Am

I've gushed and gushed but now here I go, gushing some more. I love, love, love my pizza stone. It's my little buddy in the kitchen.

When I don't know what to make but just want something nutritious but lots of flavor, I throw it all on my pizza stone and wait 20 minutes for amazing.

The same way I'm sure I man feels about his grill if you're lucky enough to live where you have a slice of yard. Here in the city though, you have to be creative. My pizza stone roasts, grills, chars and gives my foods that rustic tastes that you normally could not accomplish indoors. It's like the power booster for my little barbie oven to achieve the heat it normally can not accomplish.

Chicken sausage with asparagus, potatoes, onions and tomatoes over mixed greens. The sweetness and juiciness of those roasted tomatoes is heaven on earth. Eating fresh produce roasted at its peak with nothing but its true flavor, a little salt takes you to church so to speak. Amen!