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all joking aside, lets talk about tofu

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Tofu is worshiped by vegetarians, vegans and others not too worried about its estrogen enhancing properties. Tofu is billed as a meat substitute when prepared properly, but I don’t think I’ll ever hear anyone from down under saying to ‘throw another on the barbee!” or a confused hunter announcing that he’s ‘gonna hunt some reclusive snipe or tofurkey!”

However, when flavored with a sweet and tangy sauce and diced into a salad … it makes a nice diversion… especially when you are on a diet… as I am now. The key to preparation is to find a very firm grade of tofu and extract part of the moisture through a low bake or pressure method ( a step-by-step process is given by clicking on a link below)  and then re-immerse the tofu in your favorite marinade! Some folks like a Chinese or Thai marinade… some even use a thinned barbecue sauce. Make the sauce as  you like it… this is roughly how I make it…

  • soy sauce
  • olive oil
  • brown sugar ( or grab some Agave syrup from your bar)
  • splash of vinegar and a little lemon

Here are some ideas:

tofu marinades

step-by-step directions

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I am reminded that meat would also taste rather bland ( some say like aluminum) without the process of searing ( which converts the surface to sugar) and the blood content… so tofu really needs an infusion to have wider appeal.

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now thats a bottle opener

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There are bottle openers and there are bottle openers. One type of opener I have admired is a simple 50 caliber shell turned into one. Simple, convenient and always raises a smile or opens someones eye. Some folks actually ask me if it is dangerous or will explode? I have to remind myself that I live near a university where ignorance abounds.

Here are a couple of places to buy such a great opener:

AMAZON.COM

NRA

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Last night, I attended a  Friends of the NRA  fundraising event in Paso Robles. There were a fair few folks who happened to drop by for a tri-tip, bbq’d chicken or ribs dinner. I didn’t win or successfully bid on anything this year, but I did walk away with a couple of bottle openers… which pleased me. Fun times!

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the travels of mark twain

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Often overlooked are the books that famous authors write of their personal travels around the world. In truth, I find that they give me great insight into the person well beyond their popular novels.

One of my favorites is Darwin’s “Journal” which logs the great explorer and artist ( did you know that?) as he traveled around the world on the Beagle. Mark Twain’s books entitled ‘Following the Equator’ (volume 2 – 1899) is a great read… that I often have to reread a section to insure he wasn’t pulling my leg. For example, he discusses the works of Jane Austin seemingly with high praise until you realize that he really doesn’t like her work.

Mark Twain was quite a hunter killing more than a dozen tigers while in India. BTW, tigers are quite a pest as they hide in overhanging trees and scoop up the locals as they pass by in their boats. I am sure that Twain viewed this as a ‘public service’. He was not without a sense of humor with his readers as well; he had the publisher print an authentic looking signature at the front of every book attesting to its authenticity. Sadly, some folks cut these out and sell them as the originals on the net.

In any event, this is a fun series to have and to read.

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it was safer in the old west

People had been entering the Santa Maria (California) Gun show since 8am... it was 10am and we were have way back in the line!
People had been entering  the Santa Maria (California) Gun show  since 8am… it was 10am and we were half way back in the line!

I was looking for a little ammunition and I was a bit curious as to what — if any- rifles would be available at the Gun show this year. The truth is that they had a wide assortment, a lot of old ‘collectable’ pieces and some new hunting rifles and shotguns… even a few pistols from the 1860’s were on display. If you are familiar with a ‘Broom handle’ gun from the turn of the 1900’s (made better known by the last Sherlock Holmes movie)… there were even a few of these. Prices overall were high, but understandable given the high demand.

Contrary to what you might see at elbow throwing Costco or at Target’s grab bag… people at the gun show were polite, courteous and respectful and open to conversation. This stirred a question in my mind… Were these just good people or did the fact that various guns were hanging about keep them well mannered? Pardner, it was probably a little of both.

So, I decided to do a little scanning of history and it seems that the most violent and dangerous places on earth were the cities where existing prohibitions against self defense made life difficult for the common person. This encouraged opportunistic groups of men to prey on the unarmed. After a time folks looked for ways to even the odds, firearms were called an ‘equalizer” a way one person could defend themselves from multiple or stronger  assailants. Women today are the biggest growing group purchasing handguns… one little lady can make a mess out of a few men attempting to do dastardly things to her person!

I also ran across a quote by Mark Twain that raised a smile:

“I have carried a revolver; lots of us do, but they are the most innocent things in the world.” — Mark Twain

It doesn’t take a genius to see where the most dangerous places in America exist; they are where firearms are most restricted.

The most violent areas in America are those with the most firearm restrictions! (Yellow and black)
The most violent areas in America are those with the most firearm restrictions! (Yellow and black) New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Oakland are just a few of the deadly metro areas offering safe havens to criminals and the criminally insane.

So, was it really safer in the old west? I think so… when the bad guys have to worry about whether or not you are armed… bad things just don’t happen as much. So, if we are trying to make American’s ‘safer’, then the past can give us a suggestion… I mean we are trying to make people safer, aren’t we?

 

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230 calorie lunch

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Dieting is something we all do after indulging… And this past season was a time of great get togethers… And with family and friends we all tend to celebrate… Maybe a wee to much.

In any event, there comes a time to take off the Santa suit… And the time for me is now. So for lunch, I pack the following… And truth be known, I crumble the crackers and tuna salad over a diet salad!

It isn’t quite “Emeril”… But that will come later… After the weight comes off!