Food in Life - A Blog by Jen: Christmas Aliens

Sometimes it is rough writing this blog.....not so much for the lack of recipes or lack of cooking that I do, but more for the inspiration and funny or interesting stories that I use to deliver the recipes. Sometimes it takes me a few days to come up with something and other nights I am hit with my creative muse right in the middle of cooking and am able to write and cook simultaneously.

This week I KNEW I wanted to share with you a cooking adventure and recipe but was on the fence about how to deliver it until I got an email from a dear friend who was unfortunately accosted by aliens this last week and narrowly escaped if only by the grace of my cooking.

I was in possession of 6 whole days off from work this last week and used the first two to make confections galore. You might remember Toffee Claus from last year....she is well and alive and despite the crummy weather, made enough toffee for about 30 gift bags.

Also included were the very well received Almond Florentine Cookies from last year, which I didn't make nearly enough of this year (lesson learned), dark chocolate bark with dried fruits, hazelnuts and sea salt and my new favorite......Peppermint Patties and Dark Sunshine bites.

So without further adieu, the email read as follows:

Hi Jen,

Thank you so much for the holiday sweets. I have a little problem....You won't believe it!

I was on my way home from work last night with my bag of treats (yes, I had sampled). I made a quick stop at the grocery store and when I opened my door an alien was trying to abduct me! When I thought of all the things of value that I had with me, I offered up my most valuable prize which was my treats. He happily took the treats and left me alone! Whew, thanks to you, I am safe....but the real problem lies in the fact that the bag was addressed to "Mike and Heidi" and since Mike is out of town with the boys, until Thursday, he will miss out on the yummy treats! Possibly if you have some extras Mike can have his own bag of yummy treats sometime and we will guard them from the aliens :)

Lots of Love,

Heidi

Seriously???? Even if I was out of treats I would have made more....not only because these are a couple of my favorite people, but also....aliens????? How awesome is that????

So I fixed up a goodie bag for Mike and the kids and handed it off today.....I hope that his daughter saw it home safely because after 20 pounds of sugar, 7 pounds of powdered sugar, 12 pounds of butter, 10 pounds of chocolate, 8 pounds of nuts, 2 pounds of dried fruit, 20 hours of cooking, 10 hours of wrapping and packaging and another 2 days of delivering, Ms. Toffee Claus is done for the season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, I hope that your season is as blessed as mine with wonderful family, fabulous friends and always good food.

Peppermint Patties

From Gourmet Magazine, December 2007

With alternate option for Orange flavored, which I called Dark Sunshine bites

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (less than 1 pound), divided
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

10 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate

Make filling:


Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.

Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, re-roll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.

Temper chocolate and coat filling:

Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.

Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.

Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet (to make decorative ridges on patty, immediately set bottom of fork briefly on top of patty, then lift fork straight up). Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

A few notes/variations:

For the Dark Sunshine Bites I used the zest from 1 orange and substituted Orange Extract

Garnish for the Peppermint Patties for us was crushed Peppermint Sticks

Garnish for the Dark Sunshine bites was bits of Candied Orange Peel

Make sure the filling is well frozen before dipping in the chocolate!

Don't roll any thinner than 1/4 inch, otherwise they tend to droop when you are coating them with chocolate.

Feel free to use small cookie cutters for fun shapes, but avoid shapes that have skinny forms like candy canes or snowflakes as those tend to break easier. Rounds/ornaments were great, trees, bells, light bulbs and even the gingerbread men worked well.....we only lost a few angel wings in the process.

As you get towards the end of the filling, feel free to roll it in to little balls and dip those in chocolate, they are delicious no matter what shape they are in.

Printed by permission. Visit Jen's blog @ http://foodinlife.blogspot.com/

Hop Head Said - A Blog by Curtis: Mission Street: Pale Ale and IPA



I am giving you a twofer this week reviewing two offerings found only at Trader Joe’s: Mission Street Pale Ale and Mission Street India Pale Ale. What makes these beers local? Well, two things make these beers local in my book. First, there are umpteen TJ’s in Ventura County. I know that is a stretch especially since you can find TJ’s all around the country but since you can probably find one within a 30 or 40 minute drive I classify that as local. Secondly and most valid reason is that these beers are contract brewed by Firestone Walker’s breweries just up the 101 in Buellton and Paso Robles.

All of the Trader Joe’s branded beers are contract brewed and I haven’t found one that wasn’t a solid well brewed beer. With brewers like Firestone Walker, Gordan Biersch and Montreal’s Unibroue routinely contributing to TJ’s beer line it isn’t hard understand why that is.

On to the reviews:

Mission St. Pale Ale is a wonderful session beer. A session beer is a beer that is light both in body and ABV and can be enjoyed in moderation with little worry of becoming inebriated. Mission St. Pale Ale poured a golden straw color with a head filled with tight white bubbles that lasted throughout the pint. The first whiff was full of hops and as that dissipated the aroma settled into a mouth watering mix of hops and malt. The beer has a moderate hop bite though not as pronounced as a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. The hops are tamped back by a firm malt backbone but finishes dry. The dry finish and a lingering hop taste do nothing to quench your thirst but don’t worry at 4.6% ABV you can enjoy a few of these before its time to go home.

Back in October I raved about Firestone Walker’s Union Jack as my go to beer (one that I stock and drink when my homebrew is gone) but it has been replaced by Mission Street IPA. The good news for Firestone Walker is that it was replaced by another one of THEIR beers.

Mission St. IPA poured a crystal clear dark straw with an off-white head. The aroma was full of citrus hops though not as pronounced as Union Jack. The beer has a great citrus hop flavor (a mix of grapefruit and tangerine) and the sharp piney bitterness that is rounded off by a solid malt backbone. This is a really good example of an American IPA and while I don’t have the specific IBU for this IPA it is well within the hop guidelines. At 6.1% ABV Mission Street IPA is right in the middle of the ABV range but take care not to enjoy this one too much because it will sneak up on you. All in all this is a great everyday beer and at $5.99 a sixer you can’t afford to miss this beer.

Published by permission. Visit Curtis' blog at http://hopheadsaid.wordpress.com/

Debbie Does Music: I thought this would be titled “Being In The Right Place At The Right Time”

But instead, it’s titled “How The Accordion Came Between Me and Butch”.The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood was the setting. As I dodged the rain to get into the venue, I happened to see a musician checking in, who said he was with Butch Walker’s band.

Right Place.

He was also inquiring about getting passes for his friends who were coming to the show. Since the evening was a benefit for LAFD Spark of Love Toy Drive, musicians didn’t get any passes for this show.

Right Time.

I offered up my two extra tickets to the guy. Followed with a “and you can introduce me to Butch”. He agreed, “no problem!”

I was giddy. As I reached into my purse to hand him my business card, he slipped through the door calling over his shoulder “I’ll see you inside”

But…wait…

There were hundreds of people inside. Hundreds. But not my “In”. He was nowhere to be found. Butch wasn’t going on for three hours, he probably wasn’t even there yet, so I relaxed with a drink, my camera and a standing spot close enough to get a few shots of some great talent!

There was Meiko, who looked like a little girl in her candy cane striped tights and pig tails, but sang about what happened when she fantasized about having a hot affair with Santa before killing him, because her manager suggested she write a Christmas song. This girl has spunk. And lungs.

There were the The Weepies, who’s harmonizing is breathtaking, and music makes you want more.

.

And, of course, there was Butch Walker. Whose stage presence makes you dance, and who sang four Christmas songs, including Little Drummer boy and Winter Wonderland. With an accompanying accordion player among the six others on stage. An accordion player who never introduced me to Butch. Oh well.

Right Place

Right Time

Wrong Want.

I’m okay with that. But I don’t trust accordion players anymore. I think that’s only fair.

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Debbie Does Music: Shawn Mullins

As a busy mom, being a hipster is hardly likely. After I get three boys to school, get some exercise in, run errands, do laundry, blah blah blah, there is a good chance I missed anything hip on any given day.

But what that does mean, is when I hear a voice I love, I’m excited, and it’s New To Me Music!! I don’t care if it’s a year old, a decade old, or released today. And if you are busy, you may feel the same way.

We can’t all be cool, and I wear my “Uncool Mommy Blogger” crown proudly.

Today I’m all excited about Shawn Mullins. His new album, well, new to me (it actually came out in October of this year), Light You Up, is FANTASTIC! The album’s namesake song is hot! Serious make out session song (for those young hipsters, anyway). The rest of the album is definitely more of a country feel (he is from Georgia, after all) than the radio hit, but it’s all good. He even has a song titled The Ghost of Johnny Cash (the only country singer I truly have loved). Tinseltown is a keeper, as is California. This is not your daddy’s country music.

As I get excited about New To Me Music, I sometimes wonder “where the HELL have I been??” This is his 18th album, it’s not like he’s a newbie. Oh ya, that’s right, I have three boys, ages 10, 7 and 7, I’ve been in a cloud of non-hipness for a good portion of those years. But, baby, I’m back! DDM is here to let all you mommies and non-hipsters wear your crowns with pride as well.

An added bonus, you can get Shawn Mullins (New To Me) album, Light You Up, for $5 if you get it on Amazon this month. That is a bargain for some truly good music. Give yourself an early Christmas present today, or a late Hanukah present! You will be glad you did.

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Date Night - A Blog by Mari: Dizzy Flashback of San Diego…

Good music is like a religious experience. By “religious” I mean having your lungs crushed by a lyric or note, and feeling like you’re on to something sublime and so rare that you believe only people who shared your soul could have the capacity to understand, and in that shattering moment you feel like you’ve merged with this music, and that the particles in your body are being edited, as though you’ve been teleported through a transpod and come out The Fly on the other end.

When I was in college in San Diego I wanted to meet the man of my dreams during one of these religious experiences, and what better place to find twoo wuv than the place where souls are most open and receptive?

I was taking a Jazz History class and required to attend live jazz shows. In the Gaslamp District of San Diego was this place called Dizzy’s, and one jazzy night I got all gussied up. I put on a cute black dress, tied a red ribbon in my hair, grabbed my favorite coat from the closet and went to Dizzy’s.

When I arrived, I grabbed my coat from the backseat and threw it over my arm, and walked. I could already hear the brass from half a block away, and I thought: this could be the night I meet him, the one. Am I the only girl who does that? Holds that silly feeling that maybe, here (wherever here is), I’ll meet him?

It’s a bit puerile, but fuck it.

Inside Dizzy’s, I felt a slight chill so I pulled on my jacket. I whipped out my little notebook (so that I could write about the concert for my music class) and I listened. I let my soul open so I could feel that slight mingling with the stars in the heavens. Then I got a whiff of cat piss.

My roommate, Bette, had an unusually large-testicle’d cat that she called “Big Poppa.” Big poppa was an outdoor/indoor cat who liked to drain his nut sack into the furry, loose pussys that roamed the block in Normal Heights; it seemed he liked to come home and drain his bladder on my clothing.

I knew something smelled strange, but I didn’t want to admit it was me. I had just walked in and didn’t want to leave. Dammit, I came here to meet my son-of-a-bitch soul mate who, might I add, was taking his sweet-ass time finding me on earth. Where the hell was he, anyway? Africa? I’m right here, pal. Ma’ can’t ring the triangle for eternity. You come and get it, for fuck’s sake or you’re going to be assed out.

I sat in cat-urine stink for one entire song before leaving. I knew that others had probably smelled it, and I knew that if my soul mate smelled Big Poppa’s piss he might avoid me.

I don’t know why, five years later, I’m suddenly reminded of Big Poppa’s bladder issues, but it got me to thinking that perhaps beautiful, live music is one more place to meet the loves of our lives–whether friends or lovers. I guess I must search Ventura for a venue which plays good, live, fresh music.

Published by permission. Visit Mari's blog at http://www.mari-go-round.com/

Debbie Does Music: The Day the Music Died

There were tributes around the world yesterday. It’s trending on twitter, viral on facebook, and everyone knows WHO John Lennon was (even if they spell it Lenon, but I digress…)

Among some of the tributes, was a live show last night in Ventura, CA where singers/songwriters played Lennon songs. The ustream video is here! Let it play while you work today. Some great talent today, has Lennon to thank yesterday, for inspiration.

There is a lost interview with Lennon, that occurred three days before his untimely death. A portion of it is here, and it will be printed in Rolling Stone Magazine in it’s entirety this Friday.

“What they want is dead heroes, like Sid Vicious and James Dean,” Lennon, then 40, told the magazine of fans and critics who didn’t exactly stay loyal to him during his five-year break from music.

“I’m not interested in being a dead f–king hero…so forget ‘em, forget ‘em.”

Lennon also empathized with another up-and-comer: “God help Bruce Springsteen when they decide he’s no longer God…They’ll turn on him, and I hope he survives it.”

As for his Beatles buddies, Lennon intimated that he would be open to returning to the road with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. However, he saw no need to rush any reunion, putting it to the interviewer that “there’s plenty of time, right?”

“We just might do it. But there will be no smoke bombs, no lipstick, no flashing lights. It just has to be comfy. But we could have a laugh. We’re born-again rockers, and we’re starting over.

“There’s plenty of time, right? Plenty of time.”

There’s that bittersweetness we were talking about.

The topics of conversation only grew in depth and breadth from there (though nine hours of talking will do that to you).

“Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace,” Lennon said at one point. “All you need is love, I believe that. I’m not claiming divinity. I’ve never claimed divinity. I’ve never claimed purity of soul. I’ve never claimed to have the answer to life. I can’t live up to people’s expectations of me, because they are illusory.

“The hardest thing is facing yourself. It’s easier to shout ‘revolution’ and ‘power to the people’ than it is to look at yourself and try and find out what’s real and what isn’t, when you try pull the wool over your own eyes and your own hypocrisy…that’s the hardest one.”

And for all the deep thoughts revealed, there was also plenty of humor…even if it was at the expense of some fans.

“When I was younger, one…I could say ‘when one was younger,’ but maybe they’ll think that’s too ego…you know, I’m not allowed to speak on that level, because that upsets the little turds, right?

“So let’s put it like, when I was younger, I used to think that the world was doing it to me and that the world owes me some thing…When you’re a teeny bopper, that’s what you think. I’m 40 now, I don’t think that anymore, because I found out it doesn’t f–king work. One has to go through that. For the people who even bother to go through that, most assholes just accept what it is anyway and get on with it.”

Many of life’s big questions, eerie in retrospect, also popped up.

“We’re all part of it, there’s no separation in that respect,” Lennon said. “Am I real? What is the illusion I’m living, or am I not living? I deal with it everyday, the layers of the onion.”

“Don’t be afraid to be afraid. Yes, I’m often afraid and I’m not afraid to be afraid, it’s not at all scary. At least when [the world] is all right, let’s enjoy it.”

Lennon also discussed his childhood, and his constant struggle to balance his desire to be tough, citing Marlon Brando and James Dean, and to be the Oscar Wilde-like “sensitive poet.”

“It’s more painful to try and not be yourself in a way,” he said. “People do spend a lot of time trying to be someone else all the time, I think it leads to terrible diseases.

“I come from the macho school of pretense. I was a suburban kid imitating the rockers. But it was a big part of one’s life trying to look tough…I thought that’s what it was, trying to be the tough James Dean all the time. I still drop in to that when I’m insecure.”

Lennon said he later learned how important it was to develop one’s—er, his—weaker side, crediting Yoko Ono with helping him see that.

“That’s what feminism is all about. That’s what Yoko’s taught me. Yoko’s been telling me all the time, it’s all right, it’s all right.

“I was torn between being Marlon Brando and the Oscar Wilde part of me…If you showed the other side, you were dead.”

The overarching theme of the interview—or at least of the pieces that have so far been released—are, oddly enough, about how much control we truly have over life.

“We always have a choice, but how much of it is preordained? It’s very strange sometimes. And that’s a good ending,” he told the interviewer.

Read more:http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b215029_john_lennons_lost_last_interview.html#ixzz17XxvrHNT

I think we all have a favorite Lennon or Beatles song, and I know I have fond memories of listening to my sister’s White album over and over with her. I think I’ll listen today, with the rest of the world. And just maybe, today will be a day of peace. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Hop Head Said - A Blog by Curtis: This and That

I will be doing something a little different for my review this week. I won’t be reviewing any beer but I will be reviewing several beer related items.

The first item I wanted to review this week was a new beer location in Camarillo. Located inside the Village Commons Market the BEER CAVE is a welcome addition to the beer scene in Ventura County. This store gets it right. None of the beer is outside the cooler (at least the good stuff) AND the cooler is dimly lit. This helps to significantly reduce any heat or light damage that can occur when beer is left out on the shelves for even a short period of time. They also have “Cave Coats” for you to wear if you are just browsing and want to or need to linger in the cooler.

Another thing that tells me the folks at Village Commons Market get craft beer is they were just getting ready to put BeerAdvocate rating tags on the beer. How many times have you been in a store where there are Wine Spectator ratings all over the place and then you go to the beer section and you are left to fend for yourself? Keep in mind though; these ratings will only compare beers that are the same stylistically. Last thing, you can tell a lot about a person by the books they leave around the house. When I purchased my sixer of Firestone Walker’s Velvet Merlin I noticed that there were three different beer books on the counter. This tells me that they are interested in beer and it doesn’t take much reading in any of those books to become an authority on any given beer. Who knows, maybe someday they will write a beer blog. If you stop in, mention you heard about them here at HopHeadSaid.

The second item is a beer review site called Pintley.com. This weekend I was listening to a podcast interview with them on The Brewing Network so I decided to see what they were all about. Pintly is way more than a review site, it is a recommendation site. Think of it as the Pandora for beer drinkers. Here is how you get started, sign up (it’s free) spend one minute (literally that is all it takes) to rate 20 beers they pick. From there they will make recommendations to you based on the beers you liked. The more beers you rate the better the recommendations for you will be. It is a great way for newbie craft beer drinkers to get beer recommendations when they are out and about. I would set up the account from your computer first (a little more convenient) but then they have apps for your favorite phone so you can take it with you anywhere. You can also set up wish lists (remember GOOD beer makes GREAT gifts) and share your beer reviews with friends. My user name is hopheadsaid become my friend and see what my top choices are.

Lastly, it is time for the celebration/holiday/winter warmer seasonal beers. Some of the best flavorful and malty beers of the year come to life in the winter months. This is the time of year when many breweries will spice up their regulars or brew special batches of higher alcohol beers to keep you warm on a long winter’s night. Here are a few suggestions:

- - -

Crisp Medium Body:

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Full Sail Wassail

New Belgium Brewing 2 Below

Pyramid Snow Cap

Red Hook Winterhook

Summit Brewing Winter Ale

Full Bodied Sippers:

Full Sail Old Boardhead

Kulmbacher Eisbock

Wychwood Brewery Bah Humbug!

De Ranke Pere Noel

Avery The Czar

Great Divide Old Ruffian

Great Divide Yeti (oak aged)

Sierra Nevada Big Foot Barleywine

- - -

Happy Holidays.

Published by permission. Visit Curtis' blog at http://hopheadsaid.wordpress.com/

Debbie Does Music: To Tubeify or Not To Tubeify?

The modern day Napster? Maybe. Too good to be true? Probably. Playing with it now? Definitely. Tubeify is the menaje trios of Last.fm, Billboard and Youtube. Brought to you by Tomas Isdal, a University of Washington PhD student.

Basically, the gist of Tubeify is to turn youtube into a jukebox of sorts with an easy to use interface. But Youtube alone can’t get you the cool factor of the Time Traveler feature. This allows you to search any given time period since 1964, the interface uses Billboards top 100 of each said period, and pops out video selections for you to peruse while you experience sight and sound from your time selection.

I immediately went to my high school graduation year. Can you guess what that was? Here is a snapshot of it:

So I sat and took a listen/watch down memory lane. I’ve never actually experienced some of these songs in video form, since the greatness of Youtube came long, LONG after those days for me. Sigh.

This is the sort of thing that can get you lost for a few hours, so don’t take it lightly. But do take advantage. I have a feeling the Big Brother “Label” won’t be liking how the music is being shared for free.

You do need an invitation to get onto Tubeify. Get it here, and go and play for the day, or night. Or all day and night. It makes music fun! Click on the “request invitation” and add your email. You’ll get an email from Tubeify in just a few minutes and get started. Be warned, you may not want to stop.

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Hop Head Said - A Blog by Curtis: Big Island Imperial Pale Ale- 2010 Bourbon Barrel Aged

Before I get started with the review I want to talk about the term imperial. You will find the term imperial used in many styles and what this really means is that one or more of the beers attributes is out of the accepted style guidelines. More bitterness and/or more malt and/or more alcohol, do you get the picture? The most common beer styles that use this label are IPA’s and Stouts.

Imperial IPA (also known as Double IPA or DIPA) i probably my favorite beer style. These are BIG beers. They have BIG hop aromas and high IBU’s. Hops are used to balance the BIG malt base in these beers. The malt base in these beers also produces a lot of sugar that is then converted to alcohol and so these beers have BIG ABV’s. Any one of these BIG’s can be too much on their own so it is up to the brewmaster to find that sweet spot and create one BIG balanced beer.

Big Island Imperial Pale Ale just wasn’t big enough for the brewers at Island Brewing Co. No siree. They decided they should take one of their biggest beers and make it a little more complex by aging it in bourbon barrels. As a point of clarification, sometimes there is a small amount of bourbon left over in the barrels that can affect the flavor of the beer. However, the bourbon flavor and aroma usually comes from the beer’s direct contact with the bourbon barrel’s “marinated” wood. The flavor and aroma imparted in the beer are influenced by the age of the barrels (how many batches have been conditioned in it) and the amount of time the beer spends in the barrels. At any rate my reaction to this beer is something that can best be explained in this quote from the movie THE CHRISTMAS STORY when Ralphie is helping his dad change a tire. Only I said this when I took my first drink…

“ Oooh fuuudge!”
“Only I didn’t say “Fudge.” I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the “F-dash-dash-dash” word!

This is one big and tasty beer but let me start with the nitty gritty. This is a small special release (I had bottle 236 of 275) aged in bourbon barrels which takes up a lot of space and energy for conditioning and thus demands a premium price. A 650ml bottle or “bomber” costs $25. Don’t let that price scare you away after all you aren’t going to be drinking this beer every day after work. However, this is a great special occasion beer. Also this beer is so big (taste and alcohol) that you will want to share it with one or two friends. Please don’t sit down and drink this all by yourself, it is NOT a Bud Light and you are not at a kegger.

True to Imperial IPA’s it poured deep dark amber with a small lacy head (alcohol can inhibit the proteins needed to form a thick dense head) and the aroma screamed “I’ve been aged in a bourbon barrel”. There might have been hops there but they were certainly overpowered by the bourbon. The beer was malty and smooth with a warming alcohol sensation. The malt was quickly replaced by a hop bitterness that was then quickly replaced by bourbon. By the end of my glass (I shared the bomber with one other person) the beer started to get a little over the top. That is an incredible statement for me and those that know me can attest to that but it is true. I think if I had shared it with one other person and enjoyed an 8-10 oz pour instead of 12-14 oz pour I wouldn’t have hit the wall with this beer. My suggestion for you is to enjoy this BIG beer in small pours and enjoy it you will.

Need more Hop Head Said? You can find extra beer info, drinking tips, old reviews and geeky brew nonsense on my blog. http://hopheadsaid.wordpress.com/

Published by permission. Visit Curtis' blog at http://hopheadsaid.wordpress.com/

Date Night - A Blog by Mari: Too Much in Chumash?

A man that I’m sort-of dating invited me on a mini vacation for a weekend of eating, drinking and… gambling.

If you take the 101 North out of Ventura to Santa Barbara, and then drive toward Solvang on Highway 154 you will eventually arrive at Chumash.

We hit a little bit of traffic, but arrived at the casino late Friday night and spent the evening on slots, while slamming Jack and Cokes and losing our money.

The next day, Saturday, we walked around the resort, and enjoyed a lovely dinner. During the dinner I jokingly said, “We should get plastered tonight, and then find different people to hook up with, take them back to our hotel and hump them in front of each other.”

Let me slow the locomotive so you can hop aboard. In case you don’t know me: if my suggestion sounds crazy, 99% of the time it’s probably just a joke. Personally, the thought of finding a random-swinger couple and slamming nasties in a foursome kinda makes me want to yak.

What I didn’t realize at this point was that my He Pal silently took me seriously.

After dinner, we went out to the casino and started our downward slip-and-slide on booze, plinky-plink sounds, and bright flashing lights.

Moreover, we continued to get progressively shit-face wasted.

We found a small bank of machines and a fantastic cocktail waitress, and began to play some slots. Then, an old man who looked like Eric Clapton in the 70′s sat between us at the machines.

I walked away to go to the restroom and told my date, “Hey, I’ll be right back.”

When I returned, my He Friend was gone.

The old dude tipped his ball cap and said, “Your buddy said he’d be right back, and that he was just going to pee pee with his wee wee.”

Yep. That sounded like my Guy.

Then 70′s Clapton man started talking at me, “Listen, don’t ever compromise yourself.”

I didn’t know what to make of this little gold nugget he was passing my way, so I said, “That’s great advice.”

“No, I said don’t ever compromise yourself,” he said, and it felt forceful this time. He told me that he was married for 20 years and she died two years ago, and that he’ll never find another. He said I could find love anywhere, with anyone, and that men come and they go. That I didn’t have to fall for the first guy that came along, and he repeated his mantra, that I should never compromise myself.

“I’m not compromising,” I said, not quite sure why I was continuing the conversation. I turned to the cocktail waitress and grabbed my Bud Light.

“Why are you drinking Bud Light?” 70′s Clapton asked.

“Because I like the taste.”

“Stand up.”

I stood.

“Mmm… you are hot. You don’t need to be drinking Bud Light.”

This guy had Date Night Blog written all over him. “Dude, I can’t drink Budweiser. It tastes like urine.”

“You need to be drinking Michelob.”

“Would you prefer I melted margarine and just drank that from the plastic tub?”

We were quiet for a few minutes. I was sucking down my beer, waiting for my co-pilot to get back from his leak.

Then 70′s Clapton started telling me about his new girlfriend. He said, “I tell her every day that she’ll never live up to what I lost 2 years ago.”

I nearly spit up. “You tell her? Jesus! How do you think that makes her feel?”

He swatted my comment away, “I don’t care! She needs to know!”

“That’s hurtful.”

I started looking for my dude, but that dude was no where to be seen.

“Forget about him,” Clapton said.

“No, I need to find out where he is.”

“You are fine as hell. Let me buy you a drink.”

At this point, I guzzled the remainder of my beer and went on a hunt. After 10 minutes of frustration, I finally found my weekend HeMan leaning one cocky arm against a machine and himself into an older blond lady who was laughing at some joke he’d just smeared all over her like a cheap latex condom.

I punched his shoulder and said, “I’d like to leave.”

I didn’t wait for him because I didn’t want to have a discussion in the middle of a casino. I didn’t want to be that couple. I turned around and walked toward the exit. He followed me out the door, calling my name.

I told my man friend that I was pissed because he left me talking to the old geezer so he could hit on chicks. And why was he doing that when we came together, as a team?

He replied, through the slur and stink of Jack Daniels: “We had an agreement.”

“What agreement?”

“You said you wanted to make out with other people tonight and get nasty, and I’m just fulfilling my half of the deal.”

I almost shit my pants. “What? I was kidding!”

He replied, “I don’t know when you’re kidding. Half the time you seem like you’re serious.”

“Also,” I added, “What kind of crap were you telling that old man at the bar when I was gone? He was telling me not to compromise myself and that there are tons of better guys out there? Did you say something rude about me?”

“What? I would never say a bad thing about you.”

Bad idea, Mari. Man friend went from aloof, to incredibly pissed and ready to beat up 70′s Eric Clapton.

I felt like I was in the Navy again, holding off some dude full of testosterone and trying to prevent a fight between sailors. At the same time, a couple of guys walked out the double glass doors to have a smoke as my male locomotive tried to choo-choo through me.

“Get ready to bail me out of jail,” He said. “I’m going to teach that old fuck a lesson!”

“Ask these guys if that sounds reasonable!” I said, trying to diffuse a situation I feel I caused. I leaned with all my weight, like a barricade.

“Okay,” He said, or slurred. He went to the two guys and said, “Hey, guys… man to man. Can I get your opinion on something?”

The heavy-set bald guy with tattoos running up the length of both arms said, “Sure.”

“So my friend here was telling me that this old man was hitting on her and telling her she shouldn’t compromise herself. What would you do? Would you kick his ass?”

The big bald guy blinked at my date and said, “I’d let it go, man. I mean, it’s not worth it. She’s obviously not upset.”

“Thanks,” my dude said. “You’re a good guy.”

I then took Hefriend aside and set the matter straight: there was no agreement and I was kidding. There is no single cell in the structure of my entire body that ever wants to tandem another couple and have a swinger party. And didn’t he know me? After all this time? That I’m not the freaky type who wants to see the person I’m with making out/having sex with another person?

He seemed reluctant, but eventually agreed.

Then, like a puppy with broken legs, one of the sweetest guys in the world (when he’s sober, of course) followed me down the hallway, slamming into walls and slumping against the elevator doors; up to our 5th floor room.

Inside, he stripped his clothes so fast that it came off like a one-piece suit. He did a ballerina twirl and landed on the bed, face down in the sheets, and his bare-white ass up and facing me.

Goodnight, Moon.

Published by permission. Visit Mari's blog at http://www.mari-go-round.com/

Debbie Does Music: Local Singer/Songwriter Showcase

This past Saturday night I had the opportunity to watch and photograph some amazing young talent in my area. Although this was a local setting, it could have happened just about anywhere. Unsigned young talent, acoustic setting, a panel of expert judges and a room full of family, friends, some professional musicians and singers, all there to witness the finale of a competition that started in July.

And there was some great new talent. There were young pups with guitar in hand and some with accompaniment thanks to talented friends and family. I’m going to showcase a few here because I really truly enjoyed their efforts. If you would like to see any of the artists from that night, check out the ustream video in it’s entirety from Zoey’s Cafe.

The winner of the Showcase was Mimi Gilbert, an 18 year old from Ojai, CA. I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from Mimi as she begins this journey in the music world. I hope she sticks with it, it’s a tough road.

Something I’ve been noticing, and it rang true at the finale as well, is a phenomenon I think that’s been going on over the past few years with singer/songwriters. Rather than it being a category of musicians (someone who writes their own music and sings it), it has become a genre of sorts. It’s as if singer/songwriter is a synonym with folk/acoustic/alternative. Throw in indie and you have yourself a genre for sure. I’m in no way saying this is a bad thing, for I really love a good folk/indie/singer/songwriter. Some of my favorite talent fits perfectly into that genre.

However, I think, like most trends, it’s going to get old. Fast. And then what? What about singer/songwriters that can’t sing like Jack Johnson or Norah Jones? Are they still considered singer/songwriters? Or do they have their own category? Alt fusion, perhaps? It’s almost an epidemic. Except epidemics are usually featured in the news as scare tactics. This only gets scary when the untalented step on stage. I’ve noticed that even then, though, folks seem to go along with the spirit of the singer/songwriter and chalk up off-key and out of tune to alternative. Go figure. Maybe it’s something I am missing the boat on. But I’ve heard enough good (and bad) artists to know the difference, I think.

Although I liked nearly all the performers on Saturday, there was only one that stuck out, almost as if he was shouting “I’m not like the others!” and really, his passion, near anger at times, really WAS different. Elijah Behar would fit my Alt Fusion category, I’m sure of it. He technically is a singer/songwriter, but not the genre as much as the category. I spoke with Eli to learn a little more about what makes him go outside the box of the “singer/songwriter” genre.

“I’m very connected to what I’m singing. I may come across as angry, but it’s only what I’m feeling about the song. I actually felt really connected to the audience once on stage.” Behar said he knew from the beginning he wouldn’t win the competition, he was too far outside the “box” to be the favorite, but with this being only his second live acoustic performance (he’s the front man for the band Marquee from Ventura, since 2008, so he’s had band performance experience), I thought he did exactly what he should have done. He represented Eli. Not a genre.

I get that it’s hard to define yourself when you start something new. Influences come from everywhere. Heck, I deal with that as a writer (and a mom!) it’s not easy being true to yourself when it’s so easy to see what others are doing, and compare yourself to them. I say kudos to all the singers/songwriters, whether they are in the category or the genre, as long as they are doing it for the right reasons.

Printed by permission. Visit Debbie's blog @ http://www.exurbmagazine.com/

Date Night - A Blog by Mari: Peace & Riot: Richard Riehle

My friend Damion Stephens is directing a movie called Peace and Riot, filmed on location in downtown Ventura and parts of Ojai. I got roped into the role of “Assistant to the Director” because I’m a nosy asshole and I’m always up in Damion’s grill.

On set, Dames calls me his Girl Friday because I assist with everything. Almost everything.

Hey, I’m not gonna shine any knobs around here if you get my drift.

I have met, and spent a reasonable amount of time with each actor and have memories to last a lifetime. For example: Don’t ever sing the theme from The Wonder Years to Ben Savage and jokingly say, “Oops. Wrong brother.”

You will swiftly be put in your place.

Richard Riehle joined the cast and crew last week for the Honkey Tonk Bar scene, downtown at Zoey’s, a swanky little bar and eatery off Santa Clara.

Richard has a crazy resume of TV and film credits, and he has one of those memorable faces that everyone recognizes.

I’ll prove it to you:

See? Bet you know him from somewhere, right?

In Peace & Riot, he plays Raymond, an ex-Marine gone cupid. His character talks tough and tries to help our Scott (Ben Savage) fall in love.

Off screen, Richard has a thick horseshoe mustache, is soft spoken, but pretty spunky if you get him going.

The first Saturday morning in Ojai, at Rancho Grande (a 220 working horse ranch), he joined us in the chow hall for breakfast, wearing brown and red flannel, one side untucked, and a pair of blue jeans. He wore a pair of blue-framed glasses, and was reading from a several-times folded piece of paper he had pulled from his shirt pocket.

On that piece of paper were all of his lines, hand-written, from Damion’s script. It was his personal cheat sheet.

During breakfast, Ken, the caretaker of the property, said, “Richard, I know I’ve seen you in a lot of movies… Could you name a few for me?”

“Well, most people usually recognize me from a movie I did a few years ago that was really popular called Office Space,” he said, “But I was also in a Lethal Weapon 4, a TV remake of that movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Glory…”

He had me at Glory.

Sure, he went on to talk about hanging out with Mel Gibson on set, and how fun Mel was, and how unfortunate Mel’s current troubles are, but when he started talking about Glory, I was like a 2nd grader listening to Shel Silverstein poems for the very first time. Little embarrassing hearts were floating out of my eyes.

Glory was critically acclaimed. Oscar winner for best supporting actor (Denzel Washington), Best Cinematography, Best sound, and Golden Globe winner of Best Performance (Denzel), Best Director (Edward Zwick),

Starring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Denzel Washington. I like to think that I was 2 degrees of separation from Sarah Jessica Parker.

As he was speaking, my heart swelled up and my eyes sprung leaks. You see, Glory–for me–is one of the most amazing and touching and brutal and grotesque (especially because we’re talking about human nature) movies I’ve ever seen.

I must have sounded like quite the pussy when I said, “I cry every single time I watch that movie, I’m getting teary eyed just listening…”

I think that’s what it is about celebrity that can make us completely oblivious to one but stricken down by another– a real good spotting tickles me so much.

I’ve never been around any kind of movie set–

Unless you count that time I was on The Price is Right, but forget about that. I never made it to contestant’s row, and my friend Rena and I spent every commercial break pretending to choke each other, very exaggeratedly, with hopes that we’d get our 5 seconds of fame.

–so being a noob on this set, I couldn’t tell you what is par for the course, and what’s completely wrong. But I can say that watching Richard made me nervous. Watching him perform is always fun because you never know what he’s going to do next with his character, Raymond. He’s an expert ad-libber–his ad-libbing has even caught Ben Savage off guard and made the entire crew burst into laughter. During filming, I was inside the cabin and peeking out at the actors during scenes and I spotted Richard between the apple trees, waiting for his cue. He was talking to himself and making hand gestures as though someone else was there. The reality was that he was rehearsing lines to himself.His professionalism makes me not want to fuck up. Like when your dad sees you walking the stage at graduation… the last thing you want to do is trip on the steps and bust your ass on stage.

At dinner that Saturday night, Alan, our Director of Photography, said, “That guy’s a fucking star.”

Opinions are like assholes, Alan. That’s what my dad always says. Anyway, Alan, our assholes are twinsies.. because I totally agree.

Published by permission. Visit Mari's blog at http://www.mari-go-round.com/

Debbie Does Music: The Beatles are finally on iTunes!

I’m sure you’ve heard Apple’s big news this morning! After 10 years of iTunes, Apple and The Beatles have come to an agreement. You can finally download all your favorite fab four records digitally through iTunes.

Why, you ask, did it take so long? “For years, the big impediment was a long-running legal dispute between Apple and Apple Corp., the record label the Beatles owned. Soon after Jobs and Steve Wozniak launched Apple Computer in the mid-1970s, Apple Corp. sued its namesake, charging trademark infringement. But the companies settled their differences in 2007, with Apple gaining ownership of the “apple” name, logo and related trademarks, some of which it licensed back to Apple Corps.” according to an article this morning in the Mercury News.

In 2008, Apple succeeded in bringing all of Radiohead’s releases to iTunes after heavy negotiations as well. Prior to June of 2008, Radiohead would not agree to “unbundle” albums for individual song sales.

I think this is a win-win. I’ve been wanting to add The Beatles to my digital library for a very long time. Now to decide which album to get first…any suggestions?

Food in Life - A Blog by Jen: Bits and Pieces

I love little bites....hors d' oeuvres, appetizers and canapes, tapas and mezze and even petit fours when I am craving sweets. Nothing pleases me more than a meal made up of bunches of fun little bites where I can taste all manner of things in one meal without overeating. I also love going out to dinner with people who like to share too. Ordering four different starters, salads and entrees and then passing them around to taste pleases me to no end. Stingy diners...don't bother going out with me, I am a sharer. :)

So when asked to bring something to a friends house for dinner, I went with the appetizer course and pretty much went a little crazy in the kitchen creating a mezze platter.

Bacon wrapped dates stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese....sweet and hot cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto & jack cheese....garlic and oven dried tomato sauteed mushrooms....homemade hummus with oven dried tomatoes and artichoke pesto dip with smoked potato chips.

So many good little bites that it's hard to know where to start. So I will start with the bacon since it is my favorite food group. :)

The first couple recipes can be made for 2 people or 200 people, just make as many as you need. The dips make about 2 cups each....and you can make as many of the potatoes as you want.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Gorgonzola

The bacon wrapped dates are a favorite of mine, we make them at work and everyone goes nuts over the sweet/salty/savory combination. They are heavy though and I recommend only eating one or two to save your rear end from resembling the Goodyear blimp. For every slice of bacon, you'll need 2 dates and about a teaspoon of bleu cheese. Cut the slice of bacon in half and par cook it in a pan (slowly)until it is soft. Slice the dates lengthwise and take the pit out, keeping the date intact. Stuff a slice of bleu or Gorgonzola cheese in there and smash the date shut. Wrap the bacon around it and secure with a toothpick. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

Cherry Peppers Stuffed with Cheese & Prosciutto

You can go a couple different routes on the cherry peppers...You can buy the Mezzeta brand from any old grocery store and they are a little more spicy/savory, this time I tried the brand from Trader Joe's and they are more of a spicy/sweet with the spicy kicking in at the very end. Either way they are delicious! Cut a small chunk of cheese and wrap it with a skinny slice of prosciutto and stuff it in the pepper. My mom likes to use Asiago or a saltier cheese, I happened to have Jack in the house so that's what got used! It is also nice to stuff a little sage leaf in there as well...adds an earthiness that is a great counterpart to the sharper flavors of the pepper & cheese.

Garlic & Oven Dried Tomato Sauteed Mushrooms

I used 1 container of mushrooms for this recipe, about 8 oz. Press 3 large cloves of garlic in to a pan with 1 T olive oil and saute over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add about 2 T white wine (glug glug) and 2 T minced oven or sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (if using dried, reconstitute them in hot water and pat dry before mincing). Add 1 tsp thyme and salt to taste. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through.

Oven Dried Tomato Hummus

Hummus is one of those things that you can tweak 7 ways from Sunday in terms of flavor...your base recipe is 1 can of drained garbanzo beans, some garlic (can be raw, smoked or roasted), a squeeze of lemon juice and enough olive oil to get it to the texture you want. Just throw your ingredients in the food processor and turn it on....add goodies like oven or sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil or reconstituted-use less olive oil in the main part of the recipe if using ones in OO), drained artichokes, basil or ready made pesto. Season it to taste with salt and serve with pita crisps, crackers or fresh veggies.

Artichoke Pesto Dip
OK....this recipe stemmed from a new book Mama got me and I tweaked it just a bit and OMG did it turn out good...Seriously a keeper!

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained

3 cloves smoked garlic

2 T Pesto (from the nice lady @ Ojai Farmers Market)

1 T Olive Oil

2 oz Goats cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Blend everything in the food processor until smooth. Serve with smoked potato chips.

Yep...I said smoked potato chips.

I have told you before that one of the best gadgets I own is my cooktop smoker and I ain't lyin'. My Mom has done smoked potatoes before as a side dish, but they are thick cut, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside...I was looking for something that would serve as a vessel for my fabulous artichoke dip. And these little guys fit the bill perfectly.

So I sliced the little Dutch Yellow potatoes thin...like you would if you were doing scalloped potatoes. I tossed them with a little olive oil and a couple good shakes of kosher salt. Then I smoked them on low/med for 20 minutes with maple wood chips. Take them out and lay them on a sheet pan and bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350.

These were so good that I did it again for dinner with my parents on Monday, I am pretty sure my Pops ate about half of them in 2.5 seconds standing over the counter so that counts as a winner in my book.

Printed by permission. Visit Jen's blog @ http://foodinlife.blogspot.com/

Hop Head Said - A Blog by Curtis: Island Brewing: Pumpkin Cask Conditioning Ale

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Island Brewing’s taproom in Carpinteria. To get to this gem tucked away in an industrial complex you will walk along a narrow path between the building and the train tracks from Linden St. You will pass several business doors (none of them serve beer) and a lonely alley. You may start to lose hope, and you may start to feel like you aren’t ever going to get a beer but just keep moving forward you are indeed on the right path. You’ll round a corner and there it will be, most likely filled with many others who have made the same trip and are enjoying their reward.

The unassuming location, happy people all around and the late afternoon sun will make for a great tasting experience. Sit inside next to the window if you are chilly or on the front patio and watch the sun set over Carpenteria City Beach while you enjoy your beer. The only downside (for lack of better words) to this location is the train that occasionally goes speeding by. However, one could argue that the train may also be the thing that makes this place so special. The noise and the momentary obstruction of a sunset is just a small reminder that life could certainly be worse so enjoy the little things like beer. Also, the tap room seemed to be a family friendly place which is important for fellow mommas and pappas who want to enjoy a beer after a day at the beach. There were little ones all around having fun, eating their delivery or carryout while grown-ups enjoyed their beer and set a good example for responsible alcohol consumption.

This week I will be reviewing one of Island Brewing’s cask conditioned ales but before I get into the review I do want to take a few moments to explain cask conditioned ales. Long ago before stainless steel kegs, before the wide mouth freezer changing logo specially lined aluminum cans and even before bottles there was the wood cask or firkin. Partially fermented beer was stored in these casks, moved in these casks and served from these casks when the beer had completed fermentation. Traditionally these casks were kept in the cellar (45 to 55 degrees) and served from a tap in the bar. The beer is generally pulled up from the cask by beer engine (small hand pump) and poured into your glass.

Today, these casks are usually stainless steel which is much easier to clean and hand pumps are still used but the beer can also be “pushed” with a very low pressure of CO2. Because a cask conditioned ale is all natural (no pasteurization, no preservatives, no filtering) and stored at a warmer temp the beer continues to mature, theoretically allowing the same beer to change over time. However, cask ales should be consumed quickly to avoid any “off” flavors or aromas that can develop from overactive yeast or oxidation. Lastly, because these beers are served warmer and they are not force carbonated there is not as much CO2 in solution so these beers appear to be “flat” to many and especially Budmiloors drinkers. The lower carbonation level allows the subtle complexities of the malt in these beers to be experienced.

The beer reviewed in this entry is Island Brewing’s Pumpkin Cask Conditioned Ale. Whenever I see a cask conditioned ale I always give it a try, even when it has Pumpkin in the title. My trepidation with fruit or spiced beers is that I want a beer not a slice of pie or berry jam or even a vanilla bean. Too many times when there is fruit or spice mentioned in the name of a beer then you can expect the beer to be, say, a liquefied piece of pumpkin pie first with some carbonation. This beer from Island Brewing is NOT that! Pumpkin Cask Conditioned Ale is a beer first although it does need a shorter name. My beer was poured with a small white head that left a wonderful lacy pattern on the glass. It was an opaque (remember it was unfiltered and so there are all kinds of goodies and good for yous suspended in this beer) straw colored ale. There was just a hint of pumpkin in the aroma covering up an even more distant hop aroma. I discovered on my initial drink a warm (comparatively), smooth and malty beer. Exhaling after the drink a light pumpkin vapor (not pumpkin pie spice) followed that persisted throughout the beer to remind me that there was something special in this beer. I would order this beer again.

Now, it’s time for me to come clean. I wasn’t always a fan of cask conditioned beers. It took awhile and some persistence but mostly because I think we have been so brainwashed that beer should be COLD and FIZZY by bikini clad ladies that it is/may be hard to enjoy a cask conditioned ale right away. However, this would be a good introductory cask beer for anyone. It is full of malty goodness and low to medium body so it won’t fill you up. If you don’t care for cask ales at first I encourage you to continue trying them when you can and hopefully you will be begin to appreciate if not enjoy this special beer style.

Published by permission. Visit Curtis' blog at http://hopheadsaid.wordpress.com/