Soak Your Ribs in Whiskey

While I'm feeling much improved, there is still a small area still healing on my tongue. Unlike before however, it is not keeping me from eating anything out of the ordinary. Why just yesterday, I ate a bagel. Now that may not seem too extraordinary but the bagel is one of humankind's chewiest and toughest breads. Eating and chomping on a toasted bagel requires the sort of tongue acrobatics best left to politicians and other social deviants. That was the first significant piece of bread that I've eaten in almost 3 weeks. This morning I ate another bagel and baked a loaf of bread. Not just any old bread, for after 3 weeks without it, one craves a savory, satisfying kind of bread.

Eating a toasted bagel requires the sort of tongue acrobatics best left to politicians and other social deviants.

I diced some olives and mixed them with a sun-dried tomato tapenade, and concocted a sun-dried tomato and olive loaf. At first I was a little worried as straight from the oven it smelled a little like ketchup. Yet it tastes fantastic and easily bests the sort of $4 "artisan" bread found anywhere in the City (of course, I can make this boast because I will have eaten the loaf before anyone would have a chance to make a comparison).

I've also been back to work for the last week or so. I'm working on something top-secret for Research In Motion. It's not that "top-secret" really, but it is easier than describing the work and
adds an air of importance and mystery which is often lacking when designing a Web site for someone (this contract is happily NOT a Web site). I've had my fill of Web work recently. I could go into detail but I'm afraid the tedium of it would immediately force your brain to jump ship from your head and hitchhike to somewhere more interesting - Oshawa or Foxtrap. I did recently get paid for a couple of things. Did I mention, I did some "voice-over" work? For a friend of mine in Seattle. She works at a publisher (actually, they refer to themselves as "book producers") and they make books and toys that include audio effects. In particular, they are making a door hanger, which, when the door is opened, sounds an alarm saying, "Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!" The robotic drone is actually my voice, recorded and altered on some simple software. It was a bit of fun to do - even if the neighbours, who could no doubt hear me, thought that our home had been comprised in some way. The recording is scarcely 3 seconds long so playing it would be pointless, but I'm sure you've all heard me yell at some point, "Intruder Alert!!" so you can probably imagine what it sounds like.

Angela continues to be busy. The York/Sheridan Gradshow is on this week at a Distillery District gallery so she's been busy with that. I'll crash the Industry Gala tonight with a friend while Angela is on hand to be cornered by concerned parents. Gala? Sounds like Miami Sound Machine will be playing or there will be a tribute to somebody important. I'm sure there will be wine, if not cheese (I heard through the rumour mill, not far from the Fermenting Mill - sorry, Distillery District joke - that one of the show sponsors was Parmalat, the cheese and dairy concern), so I'm pretty sure there will be cheese. Note to self: bring mints. Angela has also been busy finishing up her grading and reviewing a Masters candidate's thesis - some kind of info-graphic electoral map of Canada or something. So as usual we're busy and in various shades of Healthfulness .

I almost forgot to mention... last Sunday, whilst poor Angie was spending a long day at the gallery space for the show, I was marinating my ribs in Whiskey. That's right. Short ribs, marinating in a bbq sauce and whiskey. Ok, well, we were out of true bbq sauce so I improvised with some ketchup/chili paste/garlic/Cayenne pepper etc. and the key ingredient - liquor. I let that sit for a couple of hours then added the other key ingredient, heat + time. That slo-lo technique is the way to go, my brothers. 275° F for about 2 hours, lid on the pot to keep all them juices in. Now, in the words of Carl Weathers, you got yourself a stew on, friend. It was hard to believe that this was $2.50 worth of meat. It was "fallin' off the bone" good! I think I have now freed myself from the sticky bonds of Phil's Original BBQ. Sure it took 4 hours, but it was worth it.