Friends

Colorado was awesome, and freaking freezing. I made it home alive, despite my own premonitions to the contrary. (Though there is nothing like being utterly convinced you are going to die to make you really appreciate the marvels of modern technology.)

Off to Sonora for extended-hours family christmas tomorrow. Then a day of rest and probably gardening, then NYE, and then a few days to recuperate before heading back to work on the 4th. Zomg.

This is a spin on the recipe "Warm Cannellini Beans with Sage" from Greens Restaurant's official cookbook, Fields of Greens. I've spent the last few years reminiscing over Rancho Gordo's giant white lima beans, and once I found the site no longer carried them I've been on a mission to find their replacement.

Total ingredients

14 oz. dried Corona white beans
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs
10 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine (I typically use a chardonnay when a recipe calls for such)
salt and pepper

1st phase

Ingredients

• 14 oz. beans

Directions

Soak beans in cold water for 12 hours. Read a good book.

2nd phase

Ingredients

• Soak'd beans
• 6 C water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sage leaves

Directions

Drain and rinse beans, then pour into a large saucepan with the water. Add bay leaf, thyme, and sage.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered--until tender--for 35-40 minutes.
Of note: be sure that the skins have softened and the beans have opened, but aren't falling apart.
Remove herbs.

Meanwhile, on the cutting board:

• Remaining sage leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion

Chop garlic and sage. I stacked all of the sage leaves atop one another and cut down the center first before chopping perpendicularly to that cut to ensure evenness. Chop onion into 1/2-inch pieces; I strove for 1/2-inch squares, but settled for whatever would make them even.

As a side note, one of my personal OCD struggles is with maintaining consistency when cutting onions. This time around I cut the onion in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thirds of equal angles--this makes it easier to hold the pieces together when cutting perpendicularly. I'm sure other people have more elegant solutions, and I'd like to hear them.

Third phase

Ingredients

• 2 T oil
• chopped onion, garlic, sage
• 1/2 t salt
• a bit of pepper

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet (large enough to accommodate the beans and their broth); then add onions and salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat "until the onion begins to release its juices," then add garlic and sage. Sauté 10 minutes more, then add 1/3 C wine and cook off for a minute or two. Fun fact: the alcohol in wine begins to evaporate at just 173ºF (compared to 212ºF for water).

Fourth phase

Ingredients

• beans & broth
• 1/2 t salt
• another bit of pepper

Directions

Add beans and broth to your onions with salt and pepper, then lower heat and allow to cook for another 20 minutes or so. You can add water if needed, but also feel comfortable cooking your beans a little longer if needed. Sample a bean to test its texture; if its opacity is consistent throughout but also resists some initial pressure, it should be just right.

Add parsley just before serving.

Fifth phase

Ingredients

• 3-5 friends

Directions

Enjoy!

Notes

Of most importance to any dried bean recipe is attentiveness to your soaking and initial cooking time. I've never let beans soak longer than specified, so I'm not sure what that would do, but I have made the mistake of not soaking them long enough. It can add hours to cooking time, and the texture is never as good.

Also, please let me know how I could improve formatting here for clarity.

While everybody else is eating turkey, I will mostly be getting on a plane, which will NOT be cancelled today, honest, even though it's chrimble. I'm leaving Canada for a few days. Still now snow, just a touch of whiteness on the ground. You Europeans have it all (thankfully).

Dear Log,

He couldn't deal with people (or: vice versa), so instead he simply wrote for the player piano.

I'm impressed.  Pitch THAT to Make magazine. That and Zuse's machine.

Also just the sound of his name!

CON LON NAN CAR ROW!
CON LON NAN CAR ROW!
CON LON NAN CAR ROW!

Later:
I've just listened to his Study 3c, 3d, 3e and 37.  They sound like a bee-swarm from hyperspace, but I think that somehow they work.  But granted, I'm someone whose brain has been musically tenderized by The Long Now Chimes.  Pray for me.  And for the bees.

Dear Log,

Amazon's brilliant AI has produced this analysis my of RTF book:

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):

help compiler,   case maker,   neque decemviralis potestas ultra biennium,   character style definition,   tempus sumebantur,   principio reges habuere,   large print giveth,   character chart,   font table,   rtf file,   character formatting,   context string,   formatting commands,   nonbreaking space

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs):

Incidental Features,   Times New Roman,   Monotype Corsiva,   Document Structure,   Character Character,   Default Paragraph Font,   Reference Tables Table,   Urbem Romam,   Code Page,   Annalium Romae,   Courier New,   Style Name,   Pompei Crassique,   Classic Arts Showcase,   Rich Text Format,   Digital Cable Channels,   Mothership Connection,   Overview of Simple,   Windows Help Files,   Navajo Made Easier,   Irvy Goosen,   Inches Twips Points Centimeters

Etch-a-Sketch doesn't involve much hill climbing. GPS-a-Sketch in San Francisco does, however:


Merry Christmas from me and whatever_art to you!

*
In other news: not going anywhere for Christmas. Staying in San Francisco, hosting a 10 person orphan dinner. But then going to the Caribbean on a 7 night cruise over New Year's with parents, Sierra, my brother Cole and his girlfriend. Should be fun. :)

Dear Log,

It has been revealed to me that furriners may not get it.

So, I'm sitting in the airport at San Jose, waiting for my flight to board. Free wifi, sponsored by Google, and yet the only place there is to plug in laptops is in this perverse little nook by the bathrooms. All of us technology people are camped here on our butts with lappies plugged in.

I haven't flown since 2004, and am more than a little nervous. Forget meeting his parents, I'm scared to death about making it there intact. Woo.

Will try to remember to update when we get there.

Holiday debuggery

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Photos of the week

We're back with more dazzling pictures from around the world. Congrats to marlenemcc, who has been awarded a virtual blue ribbon as the winner of our fourth photo contest. We hope you'll click over to LJ_Photophile poll and tell us your picks in pics!

For more fantastic user content, we'll meet you under the cut. ( Read more... )

Curtains

Thanks, again, for reading. Here's wishing you the very merriest of holidays. We'll see you next year!

Dear Log,

ALLS I WANT FOR XMAS

IS A NEW FRONT-BRAIN

A NEW FRONT-BRAIN

A NEW FRONT-BRAIN

Some minor things have happened.

I had an appointment with a chiropractor, which set me on an even keel and stopped me overbalancing and walking into door frames.

I trained for 4 hours tonight: 2 hours cycling and 2 fencing. I'm really pleased with myself, as I could only do 20 minutes a year and a half ago.

Standing on the weighing scales on one leg does not make me lighter, much as I might wish it.

I have clocked up a lot of air miles and expect to see Blighty sometime later next year.

If the kosher shelves in Vancouver's supermarkets are to be believed, jews subsist on matzos and candle wax. The image of jews sitting around the table gnawing on yahrzeit candles is now hilariously stuck in my head. I'm just waiting for the "We've never had it so good!"

Dear Log,

I tells ya, the end of χοιακ always sneaks up on me!

Best wishes for a happy 1725 A. M., everyone!

(Yes, I know, θοογτ 1st was three months ago. But it's never too late to get those Coptic New Year's resolutions going!)

Dear Log,

As Tivo, against my wishes, briefly shows me news of the USA Senate kerfuffle about votes on health care, there is this quote in my mind...

"Once the minority of House and Senate are comfortable in their minority status, they will have no problem socializing with [the majority party].  Any farmer will tell you that certain animals run around and are unpleasant, but when they've been fixed, then they are happy and sedate.  They are contented and cheerful.  They don't go around peeing on the furniture and such."

But- big reveal!  That was from 2006, which was all backwardsy compared to now, and the quote was from Republican Grover Norquist, explaining that "Democrats must accept the finality of their powerlessness".  He also explained: "We are trying to change the tones in the state capitals— and turn them toward bitter nastiness and partisanship. Bipartisanship is another name for date rape."

Well then.

Dear Dumb Dongs,

Right now, go give $35 to Oxfam.  You know you just spent at least twice that, just in the past week, just on shipping fees on that crap you bought off the net for Ixmas.  (Poppers.)

Recent comments on my Facebook page about "Lady" by the Little River Band and "Lady" by Kenny Rogers got me thinking about songs with "Lady" in the name. Here are all the "Lady" songs from my iTunes at work.

• "Be My Lady", Jefferson Starship from Winds of Change
• "Chicken Wire Lady", The Blues Magoos from Kaliedescope Compendium - The Best Of The Blues Magoos
• "Disco Lady", Johnnie Taylor from Super Hits
• "Dragon Lady", Blue Öyster Cult from The Revolution By Night
• "Fading Lady Light", Jefferson Starship from Freedom at Point Zero
• "Highway Lady", UFO from Live At the Roundhouse 1976
• "Highway Lady", UFO from No Heavy Petting
• "Highway Lady", UFO from On With The Action - Live 1976
• "Just Be My Lady", Graham Central Station from Greatest Hits
• "Lady", Little River Band from Greatest Hits
• "Lady", Kenny Rogers from Greatest Hits
• "Lady", Styx from Best Of Styx
• "Lady Blue", George Benson from Best Of George Benson
• "Lady Cab Driver", Prince from 1999
• "Lady Double Dealer", Deep Purple from Stormbringer
• "Lady Evil", Black Sabbath from Heaven And Hell
• "Lady In Pink", The Backyardigans from Born To Play
• "The Lady Is a Tramp", Tony Bennett from Viva Las Vegas!
• "The Lady Is a Tramp", Ella Fitzgerald from The Songbooks
• "The Lady Is a Tramp", Frank Sinatra from Gold Frank Sinatra
• "Lady Love Me (One More Time)", George Benson from Best Of George Benson
• "Lady Luck", The Brian Setzer Orchestra from The Brian Setzer Orchestra
• "Lady Madonna", The Beatles from Past Masters, Vol. 2
• "Lady Steps", Tar from Clincher
• "Lady Strange", Def Leppard from High 'N' Dry
• "Lay, Lady, Lay", Bob Dylan from Greatest Hits Vol. 2
• "Luck Be a Lady", Frank Sinatra from Nothing But The Best
• "Mississippi Lady", Jim Croce from Down The Highway
• "My Little Lady", Bloodstone from The Very Best Of Bloodstone
• "My Mother Was a Lady", Johnny Cash from Personal File
• "Oh, Lady Be Good", Ella Fitzgerald from The Songbooks
• "Our Lady", Deep Purple from Who Do We Think We Are
• "Our Lady ('99 Remix Version)", Deep Purple from Who Do We Think We Are
• "Railroad Lady", Willie Nelson from Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)
• "She's No Lady", Lyle Lovett from Live In Texas
• "Sophisticated Lady", REO Speedwagon from The Essential REO Speedwagon
• "South City Midnight Lady", The Doobie Brothers from Best Of The Doobies
• "Sweet Lady", Queen from A Night At The Opera
• "Sweet Lady Love", Mason Proffit from Come & Gone
• "Sweet Lady Luck", Whitesnake from Greatest Hits
• "(You're a) Foxy Lady", Graham Central Station from Greatest Hits

Dear Log,

▽ ☆ ★ ☆ ～ ♪ ■ ● ❖ 「 」 『 』 《 》 〈 〉 【 】 〖 〗 〘 〙 〚 〛 。 ， 、 ： ？ ！

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You can view more awesome user content after the jump!

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Curtains

Thanks, again, for joining us. Until next time, stay snug!