Hobo Stew for Two
This one-pot is a classic road meal. The ingredients are available just about anywhere, and are easily transportable. My recipe comes down from a workaday Midwestern past, with a bit of updated West Coast spin. I make no apology for the suggestion of canned or prepared ingredients, as this is classic convenience food meant to be prepared over a small fire of whatever fuel might be available or packed in.

You will need three rocks to prepare your hearth, and a soup pot or a pan, or scrounge up an empty #10-size vegetable can--it being the true, authentic cooking vessel for this simple braised throwback. If you do choose to be or find yourself in the position of cooking your supper in a #10 can, you might want to prepare it first by placing it directly in the coals to burn off the modern miracle of long chain polyethylene film that is applied to the steel of the can to keep it from contact with the food originally stored therein. Lou and my dad didn't have to worry about plastic poisoning in the 1930's. Steel cans used as cooking pots back then were coated on the inside with tin; hopefully free of lead, but--who knows? Be advised: Cooking your food in steel containers scavenged from the trash has always been risky business, but it's a modern time-honored tradition. As long as we are not driven to indulge this little exoticism on a daily basis, a batch or two of Hobo Stew cooked in a can probably won't kill 'ya.

Customarily, this dish is prepared on the outskirts of town. Road-weary travelers would find a little hidey-hole in the bushes alongside the railroad tracks. They would procure their meat, vegetables, loaf of bread, bottle of wine, rolling papers and tobacco at a nearby market, and gather wood from old shipping pallets and packing crates for an unobtrusive little fire. Hobo etiquette requires you don't make a big impact on the neighborhood you're passing through, plus you want to avoid having the Yard Dicks catch wind of your little soirée and come through to bust your chops mid-meal.

These same sensibilities apply today in a campground or at a roadside picnic table with a nice iron Bar-B-Q grill or fire ring. You need to pack your fuel in and pack your trash out. The park ranger will be happy, and you won't nettle the neighbors or burn down the woods with a big roaring campfire. Hobo Stew lends itself to the economic use of resources. Hobo Stew won't break your bank; yes, it's dolphin safe! You can feel good about yourself while preparing and eating your Hobo Stew.

Hobo Stew with a piece of pork shoulder, the way I like to make it, is admittedly a little rough on the hogs, but the beauty of Hobo Stew is that is can be just as easily completely vegetarian, fat-free and organic, depending on what your shopping options are. While Hobo Stew is usually associated with times of little money and reduced expectations, it tastes just as good, maybe better, when you're flush! I can tell you a three-dollar Hobo Stew and a sixty-dollar Pinot Noir is a fantastic (though somewhat extravagant) combination. I prefer a modestly priced Sonoma County Zinfandel. My current favorite is the estate-bottled from Wild Hog Vineyard. It tastes great under the stars with Hobo Stew and a box of soda crackers--a great combination, kind of like John Prine and Bonnie Raitt singing "Angel From Montgomery" . . . all earth and roots.

INGREDIENTS:

a piece of pork, lamb shoulder or beef stew meat; something with a little fat to it, please.
1 Small onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Carrot, in chunks
6 Sun-dried tomato halves
1 can of chicken stock
S alt & pepper
bay leaf or pepperwood leaf
1 Big potato
PREPARATION:

1. Brown a piece of pork or lamb shoulder in your pot, pan or can. Beef stew meat works, too; something with a little fat to it, please.
2. Pour off any excess fat, and sauté:
1 Small onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Carrot, in chunks
6 Sun-dried tomato halves
3. Add and simmer about an hour:
1 Can of chicken stock
And enough water just to keep your meat covered as it cooks, or just water and a splash of wine.
4. Season with salt, pepper and a thumbnail-size piece of bay leaf or pepperwood leaf.
5. Add and simmer about twenty minutes more:
1 Big potato, in chunks

Variations on a Theme
Chicken works, or rabbit, or any combination of small game birds. I must admit, as this Y2K thing nears, I have had my eye on all the fat robins and starlings that stop here where I live in Sonoma County, California. The birds are on their way to winter nesting further south, and they gorge themselves on dry grapes, bugs and windfall apples. Sometimes they get into a load of privet berries that have fermented on the branch, and all that's needed is a basket to collect them up in the wee hours. If the poor things haven't frozen to death, they have such devastating hangovers that a one-way ticket to the stew pot could be considered an act of mercy.

If you prefer a vegetarian Hobo Stew, omit the critter in step one and substitute mushrooms sautéed in a bit of olive oil or dry white wine, skip the chicken stock, increase the sun-dried tomatoes (or use fresh, in season), and cook your potatoes right in with all the rest of your vegetables.

You can substitute a can of drained garbanzo beans for the potatoes, season with a pinch of minced fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, lavender or basil leaves) or curry powder, and serve over couscous.

Another handy twist is to skip the potatoes and pick up a log of pre-made polenta at the grocery. Slice and grill your polenta and serve the stew over it, or cut in cubes and heat right in the stew at the last minute. Season with fresh basil leaves or a bit of rosemary, and dress with pocketknife shavings of a good aged sheep's milk cheese.

Last, but not least, Hobo Stew is great with fish, clams, mussels and or crab. Forget step one; pick up a fennel bulb to add to your vegetable sauté, omit the chicken stock (or not), and stew your vegetables until just tender in a small amount of water. When the vegetables are near to ready, add your seafood, a splash of wine, cover and cook just until your shells have opened and the fish is cooked through. Serve over couscous or with a good crusty loaf of bread for dipping in the broth.

Servings: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Recipe from: Unknown

http://www.yourmom.com/

We are nearing the 6000th visitor to evjen.ca! As per usual the 6000th visitor will be promised a T-Shirt, which I will someday get around to making.. :)

I'm leaving the counter visible this time, so if you are the 6000th visitor, send me an email brent@evjen.ca and let me know exactly what time you were on! Then I can confirm wether it was you!

Good luck!

Guard against arrogance. For anyone in a leading position, this is a matter of principle and an important condition for maintaining unity. Even those who have made no serious mistakes and have achieved very great success in their work should not be arrogant.

-Mao Tse Tung
Quotations from Mao Tse Tung

http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

Don't spend your time longing for places you can not go and miss the happiness of where you are.

Right Down The Line - Gerry Rafferty (1977)


Intro (Guitar Solo):
Dm C Am F (x3)
C G Am->G->F


Dm C
You know I need your love

Am F
You've got that hold over me

Dm C
Long as I got your love

Am F
You know that I'll never leave

Dm C
When I wanted you to shape my life

Am F
I had no doubt in my mind

C
And it's been you

G
Woman

Am G F
Right down the line

I know how much I lean on you
Only you can see
The changes that I've been through
Have left a mark on me
You've been as constant as a northern star
The brightest light that shines
It's been you
Woman
Right down the line

Chorus:

D Bm G
I just want to say this is my way

E A F
Of telling you everything I could never

Dm
Say before

Bm G
Yeah this is my way

E A F
Of telling you that every day I'm loving you

Dm
so much more...

C
...'Cause you believed in me
Through my darkest night
Put something better inside of me
You brought me into the light
Threw away all those crazy dreams
I put them all behind
And it was you
Woman
Right down the line

(Guitar Solo)
Dm C Am F (x3)
C G Am->G->F

If I should doubt myself
If I'm losing ground
I won't turn to someone else
They'd only let me down
When I wanted you to shape my life
I had no doubt in my mind
And it's been you
Woman
Right down the line


D Bm G
Oooh ooohhh..Woooh... etc. (chorus chords x2 till fade out)

Beautiful

Christina Aguilera

Every day is so wonderful
And suddenly, it's hard to breathe
Now and then, I get insecure
From all the fame, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends, you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone
Is that the way it is?

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down
So don't you bring me down today...

No matter what we do
(no matter what we do)
No matter what we say
(no matter what we say)
We're the song inside the tune
Full of beautiful mistakes

And everywhere we go
(and everywhere we go)
The sun will always shine
(sun will always shine)
But tomorrow we might awake
On the other side

'Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down
So, don't you bring me down today

Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today

You, Yakoo, maker and creator of the devil.

Swine merchant, your time is near at hand.

Fuck with me and your time will be now.

Your presence here affects the mind of my people like a fever.

You, Yakoo, are the bearer of Nine thousand Nine hundred and Ninety Nine diseases

Evil, corrupt pork chop eating brain ...

Fool me once, shame on you.


Fool me again, and I will FUCK YOU UP!




Consider yourself warned. You know who you are.

SLIP SLIDING AWAY

Chorus:
C Am
Slip sliding away, slip sliding away
C G F G C
You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away


Am C
Whoah and I know a man, he came from my hometown
F Fm
He wore his passion for his woman like a thorny crown
C Am
He said Dolores, I live in fear
C G F G C
My love for you's so overpowering, I'm afraid that I will disappear

chorus

I know a woman, (who) became a wife
These are the very words she uses to describe her life
She said a good day ain't got no rain
She said a bad day is when I lie in the bed
And I think of things that might have been

chorus

And I know a father who had a son
He longed to tell him all the reasons for the things he'd done
He came a long way just to explain
He kissed his boy as he lay sleeping
Then he turned around and he headed home again

chorus

Whoah God only knows, God makes his plan
The information's unavailable to the mortal man
We're workin' our jobs, collect our pay
Believe we're gliding down the highway, when in fact we're slip sliding away

chorus repeats 2x

My Life these days:

Study, work, study, study, work, study, study, work... repeat until infinity.

At a grade school in Victoria a teacher was talking with her students about football. She told the students that she was a BC Lions fan. She then asked her students to raise their hands if they, too, were Lions fans. Everyone in the class raised their hand, except Little Johnny. The teacher looked at Little Johnny with surprise and said, "Little Johnny, why didn't you raise your hand?"



"Because I'm not a Lions fan," he replied.



The teacher, still shocked, asked, "Well, if you are not a BC fan, then who are you a fan of?"



"I am a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan, and proud of it," Little Johnny replied.



The teacher could not believe her ears.



"Little Johnny, why are you a Roughriders fan?"



"Because my Mom is a Roughriders fan and my Dad is a Roughriders fan, so that makes me a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan too!" explained Little Johnny.



"Well," said the teacher in an obviously annoyed tone, "that is no reason for you to be a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. You don't have to be just like your parents all of the time. Why, what if your Mom was a moron and your Dad was a moron, what would you be then?"



"Then," Little Johnny smiled, "We'd be BC Lions fans."

Beer Frisbee Rules

Playing Equipment: 1 frisbee, 4 empty beer bottles

# Of Players: 2, 4, or 6 in teams of 2.

The Setup: Take 2 bottles to either end of a 15m (15 paces will work)
straight court. Stack the bottles one on top of the other (may take some
practice but you will get the hang of it). There is a line drawn
perpendicular to the length of the court at the position of the bottles
called the 'plane of the bottles' or more simply the plane. You cannot
cross this plane while throwing or catching the frisbee. The hog line is a
variable beast, it is as far as you can stretch while keeping one foot
behind the plane of the bottles. One player from each team stands at either
end of the court and of course, all players must have a drink in their hand
while playing. Play can be stopped for refills. Flip the frisbee to see
which team starts first.

Side 1 Side 2

| |
A1 | 15 meters | A2
B1 8----------------------------------------8 B2
C1 | | C2
| |
plane plane

Object Of The Game: To make the other team drink 3 beer before they make
you drink three beer.

Play: You alternate throwing the frisbee at the beer bottles. If team A
wins the flip then they go first. Team B will throw second and third, and
team A fourth - A1-B2-B1-A2. If you are playing with three teams, the shot
sequence would go A1-B2-C1-C2-B1-A2. If you miss the bottles play goes on.
If you hit the bottles the other team drinks the amount corresponding to
the following Game Shot chart. The teammate of whomever knocked the bottles
over must set the bottles back up (need something to do while the other
team drinks).

Game Shots: (I [Spaceman] have witnessed all of these shots be made)
1/4 knock both bottles over
1/2 knock top bottle off, leave bottom bottle standing
3/4 just tick the bottles without knocking them over
1 knock bottom bottle out and get top bottle to stand on ground
1 1/4 knock top bottle off and have it stand back up on the ground
1 1/2 knock top bottle off, leave frisbee touching bottom bottle
1 3/4 knock bottles over and have the frisbee completely cover a bottle
2 frisbee still touching bottles with both bottles still standing
2 1/4 knock both bottles over and have the frisbee lay on top of bottle (no
part of frisbee may touch the ground)
2 1/2 knock top bottle off and get it to stand touching the bottom bottle
2 3/4 knock bottles over and have one bottle lay on top of the frisbee (no
part of bottle may touch the ground)
3 knock bottom bottle out, get top bottle to stand on frisbee - GAME!

Another important rule is that you cannot pre drink. Drinks are taken only
when owed (this doesn't mean you can't drink sociably while the game is in
progress). There are a few penalties to keep in mind:

Infraction Penalty
Step across the plane while throwing throw does not count
throw when either player does not have a drink in his/her hand throw does
not count
break a bottle drink 1/4 beer
frisbee doesn't cross hog line drink 1/4 beer
knock over own bottles while throwing drink 1/4 beer

Full Contact: If you find the regular game too easy you can always spice it
up by making it full contact. This is a twist to the regular game,
everything is the same except that once the frisbee is thrown and crosses
the plane of the target bottles, the thrower's partner can try to redirect
the frisbee into the bottles anyway possible (hands, feet, head, etc). The
opposing team can do whatever they want to try to prevent this (tackle,
lift, throw opposition). Remember the frisbee has to cross the plane of the
target bottles before it can be redirected. Also remember, that if you
knock down the bottles with your body whilst jostling, whoever knocked the
bottles over has to pay the 1/4 beer penalty.

I had the weirdest thing happen to me... I was speaking to a Jazz agent in
YYF, and she said to me "DECS isn't working" .. I knew EXACTLY what she
meant... Do you? ( She meant to say OPS isn't working )

Give me a shout out if you know what she was talking about!

B