The Naked Scientist

...is currently my favorite podcast. If you are a pop science geek and want to know more about everything, then you will do a geeky happy dance every time you listen.

Happy Birthday Ivor Novello!

While watching Robert Altman's Gosford Park last night, for the twelfth(?) time, I finally decided to find out who Ivor Novello really was. Boy am I ignorant! He was one of the leading men of twenties and thirties films, and a prolific and popular songwriter who still has an award given in his name today. Coincidentally, his birthday is today.

Happy 116th, Ivor!

The Passion of Joan of Arc

A French silent film released in 1928, La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc is Carl Dreyer's supposedly lost masterpiece. The original negative burned, but a well preserved copy was discovered in 1985 and restored. While it is a silent film, there is the option of viewing the DVD with Richard Einhorn’s stunning "Voices of Light" musical soundtrack, which I would recommend.

The film itself is shot almost exclusively in close-ups with an almost photographer's obsession for composition in what the director has described as documentary style film. All of the dialogue is taken from the original transcript of her trial. It appears to me to push the envelope of early film making with it's extraordinary camera angles and it's distillation of the emotional anguish that Joan must have felt. It is admittedly highly stylized, but that is what I enjoyed the most about it. It was as though I were watching a Giotto painting or Man Ray photograph come to life.

Cooking with Beer!

Is it the weather? I don't know.

After recovering from being ill for a week I started to supplement my evening meal with a small glass of porter, a conceit from my current obsession with the early 19th century. Apparently, in addition to being a tasty beverage, porter was prescribed as a physic to people recovering from ailments, as it is generally high in vitamins (for a beer) and also has an abundance of calories. Well, after purchasing a delicious artisan brew of 22oz. and drinking only 8oz., what was I supposed to do with the rest?! I let it sit in the fridge for two days before hitting on the idea of adding it to a beef chili I was making.

Brilliant!
It added a certain sweet richness that enhanced the stew and paired well with the ubiquitous cinnamon and cumin I add to all my chili "recipes" (ie. potions)

A few days later, I used the remaining 8ish oz. to marinate a pork roast that needed to be cooked. After browning the pork and placing it in the crock pot on low, I sauteed leeks, fresh garlic and ginger, and added all with the porter and a little tamari to the pot. Eight hours later--hey presto! A scrumptious and uniquely flavored slow roasted pork loin.

Tonight:
A recipe I have not tried but wanted to for ages. Chocolate Calypso Beans. Magic ingredient (besides the chocolate, of course)? BEER! The verdict is not in yet, as the beans are still simmering, but it smells amazing and there was about 4 oz. of beer that couldn't be used in the recipe! Yum!

--OK, the verdict is ridiculously delicious! Sweet and smooth, with a pleasant burn in the ears. How I wish I had tortillas right now!

Monkey.

Nana Lori and Grandpa Rich

Mom and Richard visited for a short while in early Dec to meet Bella. She couldn't keep still and was super drooly after having just cut her first two teeth.

Of course, Bella loved having Nana and Grandpa visit, and learned all kinds of new things:




Thanks, Nana!

Christmas at Doe Bay

It was snowing and a little below freezing when we showed up the Doe Bay on Orcas Island on Christmas eve. We were the only guests there until later on Christmas Day! A little woodstove, candles, a hot tub, and a small library can certainly keep one happy! The cabin was smaller than our living room and did not have running water, but it was crisp and beautiful outside and there is a great view from the tubs.


The food:
On Christmas eve, I made an Irish Stout Stew that I think I found originally on Heidi's blog, but then from the Bitten Word.

Christmas day: JD fried eggs and bacon in the cast iron and later a Cornish game hen for dinner. The cast iron was a godsend--beautifully cooked everything without burning over the open flame.

Boxing day: squash risotto with sausage. We had our fill of meat this trip! Everything was rich and warming!




We read a Terry Prachett novel aloud (great fun!), and our own books silently. The only thing we missed was our cribbage board, and maybe some of the vegetables that were forgotten in the fridge.