Another fine morning here at Cafe Jack.
Can I get you a good cup of hot cocoa made with Hershey's cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and some honey? Trying to steer away from the instant stuff. Too much filler and high fructose corn syrup and not enough real chocolate flavor. On the plus side it is instant. The homemade takes 10 minutes or so to whip up. Gives one time to practice breathing, slow down and think a little while we make it.
Trying to get away from the artificial coffee creamers too. Sorry if you liked them, but those trans fats or partially hydrogenated oils just aren't good for you. I'll get you some real cream and milk, half and half...and real sugar. Let's stick to something people have been drinking for a long time, rather than that stuff that's a molecule removed from plastic.
Maybe we should ban trans fats altogether here at the Cafe. I gotta eat those two bags of Oreos in the cupboard first though.
There's a couple of head lines on MSN today that may be interesting.
One asks "Low Carb Diets Bad For Your Stomach?".
I'm not sure I'll have to think about it.
Okay, I'm done.
Yes. Eating nothing but meat probably puts a bit of a strain on the old digestive system unless you happen to be a tiger. As a long time omnivore I think it's better to try and mix in some fruit, veggies, grass - whatever you like.
On the other hand maybe low carb diets aren't so bad for your stomach if a bad stomach is defined as a big stomach. I've heard people lose weight on that plan. It's just so hard to stick to anything that doesn't include at least a little of everything you love.
There must be something to low-carb. Why else would we have C2?
The other headline asks, "Work Less - Land a Promotion?" It has a couple of points but I find the basic premise that people want to get promoted flawed. The secondary premise that people don't like to work hard is on shaky ground too.
I remember one time I asked a manager on the fast track if anyone ever refused a promotion to a higher level of management (or into management). He couldn't (or wouldn't) consider the idea that anyone would not want to be a manager at all, or work their way to the highest level of management they could. Most of us like to work. Most of us like people who work. Most of us like to joke around about delegating, supervising and what not.
It was interesting in the Navy to see the old saying in action, "Chief's run the Navy." A Chief is an enlisted man or woman in the Navy; equivalent to an experienced worker in civilian life that works and has taken on supervisory type/mentoring roles for new people.
I know a guy who was a Navy pilot but when they assigned him to a base couldn't live with the idea that he (as a newly commissioned officer) was supposed to be "in charge" of experienced enlisted people (Chief's and other petty officers). To me there's integrity, honesty, and common-sense in that view.
My dog Baily was a great supervisor. Liked to watch and have his nose right in whatever people were doing.
E.B. White wrote about his dog being a supervisor in a great old book (with a weird name) called One Man's Meat. I highly recommend picking that book up if you like farming, getting away from the city and everyday troubles..that kind of thing.
Thank goodness we have work that is meaningful and allows us to make a difference. By we I mean taxi drivers, nurses, construction workers, mechanics, doctors, teachers, convenience store clerks, grocery store cashiers, fish market workers, flaggers, espresso stand workers, ministers, insurance salesman, disc jockeys, programmers...rodeo clowns.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The real reason I started writing this morning was to think about being hospitable.
I was thinking how nice it feels to be at someones home and have them insist you eat (a lot). That feeling of abundance is good. The Native Americans did that with their potlatch. It's a good idea - that there's enough for everybody.
It's no fun when people try to maintain some strict portion control and you feel like you can't take what you want. My philosophy is cook more than enough. You can always eat it later.
Put's a damper on a potluck or anywhere food is available and because of a shortage of food you have people sniping about who took the good stuff. We had a pizza lunch one time and people were talking about who had how many slices...it wasn't even good pizza.
Sometimes with technical types you get the "let's figure out the tip to the last cent and divide the bill 29 times to make sure no one over or under pays. What the hey...buy the lunch, buy everybody in the place a drink. Give the waitress a big tip and a hug. A kiss. Surprise somebody. Be foolish.
A friend of mine once told me, "If I have money I'll pay...if you have money you can pay. I know it will all work out in the end."
-----------------------------------------------------
When I was a younger lad I had a chance to stay with a family with a nice mom of Italian descent. Not in Italy...in Montana. I still remember how she asked me if I could eat anymore breakfast? She was cooking for a whole bunch of her family but she was so hospitable. So friendly, nice and funny. Very sad to think of how things change. I'm glad I got to go to her home. We fished for a fish in the cow watering tank, caught toads..ran around in the hills. Those were the days my friend.
--------------------------------------------------------
A few years ago Betsy and I met and got to be friends with an Iraqi refuge family. We were at their house and Faliha served us scrambled eggs and tomato and eggplant; no silverware. It was fun to eat those eggs with my hands, kind of messy. When we were done she asked if we would like some Halloween? That was her word for candy.
One time Betsy was over and they offered her the eye of a sheep. That was the best part. Or maybe it was the brain or some of the wool (I forget stuff).
We just found out they had a girl after something like 13 boys in a row. I hope that family does great here in America. They hated Saddam and a couple of the boys are serving in the U.S. Army now.
----------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday my co-workers brought in some home grown pear-apples and grapes, Vietnamese candy and tapioca flour cookies. It was all tasty and.....hospitable. Nice.
I've gotten some good zucchini, cukes and tomatoes from people this summer too. Thank you gardeners.
------------------------------------------------
I want to figure out how to make pate. Nothing fancy something good. Maybe we'll call it chopped liver here at Jack's.
Love liver...braunswager sandwiches with mustard, maybe onion or fried liver and onions with a lot of ketchup. Just roll the liver in flour/salt/pepper, brown it, add sliced onions and cook til done.
This guy mentions a Liver Lover named Johnson in Tough Ancestors by Charley Reese
There's some interesting comments in the review section over at AmazonThe Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson
A friend was telling me about making pate out of chicken livers. It sounded yummy. I want to play with that. Plus chicken livers are good if you are on a budget...and the iron will be good for your blood.
--------------------------------------------------------
I'm off to go peel some potatoes in back now. Call me if you need anything.
Here's a little article about 1992: Dan Quayle and the 'potatoe' kid you might find interesting. I have a chink in my brain so every time I write potato or potatoes, I have to think of Dan Quayle. Poor guy. He got a bad rap. I'd hate to have all my gaffs put on display to make me look bad. I do more goofy stuff every day than old Dan got credit for in his whole political career.
-------------------------------------------------------
See you soon.
