Pittsburgh, PA

I went up to Pittsburgh for a conference. Had a real good time, in my own way.

Friday night, crossing the river heading into downtown Pittsburgh.

On Friday evening I went to see the Bob Mintzer Big Band, one of the great big bands in all the land. They rocked the joint! Pure heavy metal (saxophones, trombones and trumpets)

All the sax players could double, either on flute or clarinet.

Tacos al pastor. Just about perfect. From Mendoza Express, a little joint on the corner, run by folks from Acapulco.

My hotel room had a fridge. This is the champagne of beers.

The lovely view from my hotel in Greentree (a few miles from downtown).

Franco Harris, making that miracle catch against the Raiders almost 40 years ago. I've never been anyplace as football crazy as Pittsburgh.

My ride home

Carolina Paella, step-by-step

Paella, let's see how we get here.

Let's get started.

On the left, the chicken for the stock. On the right, the pieces that will be in the dish.

I'll add this to the stock.


My stock is going!





I like to use a mixture of extra virgin olive oil (for the taste) and peanut oil (to raise the smoke point)





This chicken is done on the outside. It will finish cooking in the rice later.

Adding a little white wine to the stock

I put the shrimp in for just a few seconds, to absorb flavor, not so much to cook. I'll now let it marinade in white wine.

Onions and garlic. Basic to any good cooking.

The chicken left over from making stock. I can make enchiladas with this, or chicken salad.

Some red and green pepper, some onion, some garlic, some chickenparts ... what?

I rinsed the rice, a little more than two cups, probably (I didn't measure!)



Okra, would not be an ingredient in Valencia ... but we're in Carolina, son!



Azafrán, Saffron, gives paella its yellow color, and a certain flavor.





Paella, on the stove

Friday Night at JJ's (Sept. 2, 2011)

The 4-tet in action

Mr. T, blowin'

Papa Joe, holding the bottom down.

His left hand is a blur.



I've got my eyes closed. Thanks to those guys for letting me sit in.

Tyler listens intently. I rest my horn on my ample belly.

David Amram live in the Village

I think he was playing Ellington's Canadian anthem, "Take the Train, eh?"

David Amram and band. The bongo player (solid, by the way) is an organic farmer by profession.

Like Rahsaan Roland Kirk, dude can play two instruments simultaneously.

I think he talked as much as he played. But he was a fascinating speaker, reminiscing about Kerouac, Mingus, Eugene Ormandy and Native American Music, tirades against electronic music, sermons about creativity ... What a guy!

All photos by the spousal unit and the issue.

Wetzel Lake Clay Trail

On my wordy-word site a short time back, I reminisced about the clay trail out at Wetzel Lake. I wondered if kids still walked it today, 35 years after I used to do it. I remember once or twice even fishing there with my dad in his little row boat during his retirement. That would have been the early 90s. The lake level was still high at that time. Well, on my recent trip to Mancelona, along with my sister, I went to investigate the state of the clay trail. It turns out that the lake levels are so low these days that it is well above the lake level.

My sister on my late dad's clumsy cruiser. Bless her heart for riding it all the way out to Wetzel and back.

This is the clay trail that we used to walk in water up to our titties.



End of the trail. Kind of cool. I don't know if the ruts are new, due to water run off. My vague recollection is that around this part the ruts were there, albeit in waist-deep water.

Gumbo

Lots of vegetables in the refrigerator. Hmm. How about a gumbo?

I've got my roux going: one part olive oil, two parts flower. This one needs to linger longer on the heat.

Andouille, from Warren Wilson farms

Some parsley, some cabbage, some homemade Cajun vegetable stock, some onions ... I'm not seeing the garlic, the green pepper, the white wine!

Once the roux is brown to your satisfaction, you add the onions, the garlic, and the green pepper. Once the onions are cooked some, you add your vegetables .. like this delicious okra. Also a cup of white wine!

Served with a tomato salad and rice ... that's nice.