friday flames and fives
Nothing much to report here — until I bother to unload the scads of recent pictures, that is. Tomorrow is Cary’s Lazy Daze, which is basically an excuse for K and I to go rummage around at a Craft Fair for hours and hours and have fair food for lunch. Mmmmmm. Starts at 9 a.m., ends at 5 p.m., totally worth your time if you like that sort of thing.
Tonight we experimented with the grill. B had given me a set of cedar planks for smokin’. Which… fucking rock. Here’s how it goes:
- Soak plank in water for at least an hour or two. Overnight if you have time. The instructions said at least two hours, but we were impatient and only soaked one and a few minutes more, and nothing caught on fire.
- Prep the grill while the board soaks. Debone and marinate the salmon (leave the skin on) about 45 minutes before the fire is ready.
- Once fire is ready and board is soaked, put the board on the grill. Not on the coals. On the grill. Close the lid and wait until it starts to blister/darken on the bottom and put off fragrant smoke. Try not to eat the board, because (a) it is hot and (b) it’s a piece of wood. It just smells yummy.
- Once the board is smokin’ put the marinated fish — skin side down — on the plank. Arrange marinaded veggies or mushrooms or whatever else you want to grill around it. Or on the board next to it. Whatever. Close the grill and leave it that way for anywhere from five to 25 minutes. Depending on the heat, the thickness of the fish, etc. It took about 20 minutes for a thick 1 lb fillet with a pretty low temp fire.
- The fish is done when it flakes with a fork and has a darker, crusty, smoked-looking exterior. Also when the juices sort of thicken and get opaque. Besides, if it’s a good cut of fish, a little underdone won’t kill you.
- Serve fish on the plank (because you won’t really get a chance to take it off before it is devoured). Remember to save a bit for the kitty.
The planks can apparently be re-used until they pretty much disintegrate. I tell you, I won’t be cooking much of anything without a chunk of wood under it. It’s unbelieveable how fantastic that fish was.
Now with full belly, on to navel contemplation.
Last Friday’s five
- What if any instrument do you play?
No instruments, sorry. Pretty tone-deaf.
- If you could choose to play an instrument what would it be?
The piano. I always wanted to be able to play the piano.
- If you were in a band, what would your band’s name be?
Mmmmm… no idea. Someone else would have to think of a band name. There’s got to be a band name generator on the web somewhere.
- What type of music would your band play?
I’m such a dork we’d be a Cure cover band. A bad Cure cover band. But at least I would know the words.
- Would you continue to be good for years to come, or would you and your band end up in Branson playing for bus loads of elderly?
We’d totally be booed offstage. We’d never even make it to Branson.
This Friday’s five
- List five people and a song that reminds you of them or that you think best describes them (list the person’s name, the song title, and the song’s artist).
Rainbow connection (Jim Henson) reminds me of both Jim Henson (RIP you amazing motherfucker) and my dad. Who isn’t dead—he’s just awesome.
I’m too sexy (Right Said Fred) reminds me of this guy I knew in high school. Who used to strut poolside in his Speedo and swim cap while singing it. That’s one mental image you never can quite erase.
anything from Fields of Gold (Sting) reminds me of this guy. Who had it stuck in his CD player. So it was the only music that played. Whenever one might need… music. You know. What? It was memorable, ok? I’m grasping at straws here.
Trust (The Cure) reminds me of the first time I ever saw Robert Smith live.
All Cats Are Grey (The Cure) reminds me of my cat. It’s how she got her name and a tune I played constantly when she was young.
- What would your life’s soundtrack be?
All the albums by the Cure, in chronological order, played back to back. That would about cover it.
- Which would you prefer: to live somewhere that is hot or to live somewhere that is cold year-round? Why?
Cold. I live in the South. And it SUCKS. If I lived somewhere cold, I’d just have to knit more sweaters. I love knitting. And sweaters.
- Suppose you had twins, a boy and a girl. What names would you give and why?
Well, first of all, I’d hope this would be a joint decision. Between me and my husband. Otherwise the twin’s grandma might have a cow. But I guess if hubby was all “you pick,” I’d come up with something that went with their last name and wasn’t dorky or preppy. Something meaningful. Charlie like my grandpa or Tom like my dad. Or Elijah or Elias, which I’ve always liked. Girls names are harder. My mom and her mom share the same name, so for consistancy’s sake I might go with Rosemary. Or Rose. As in Eleanor Rose. It appears I like names that begin with ‘E.’
- What’s a quote/lyric that describes you right now?
“She flies outside this cage
Singing girl-mad words
I keep her dark thoughts deep inside
As black as stone
As mad as birds”