Much appreciated brother!
--- In [email protected], "mainstream20016" <mainstream20016@...>
wrote:
>
> A cornucopia of pleasure.
> Bravo!
> -Mainstream
>
> --- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltablues@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I'm gunna talk Summer. Steamy hot, makes every fragrant thing rise
> > into your nose like Jesus's mom ascending into heaven, Summer.
> >
> > It started yesterday when I stuck my nose into a box of white Virgina
> > peaches at a farmer's market. The smell was intoxicating as every
> > perfectly ripe fruit rose up and greeted me with the perfume of
> > Summer. For me trips to this market are church. It is a communion
> > with the season and nothing smells as good as the things in a
> > farmer's market in the steamy season. I'm a fan of all the seasons
> > and each has its foodie charms. But for take-your-clothes-off and pour a
> > pitcher of lemonade mixed with ice tea all over your body
> > (here you will have to put in the type of body you would like to
> > see this drink streaming down)naked sensual joy, nothing beats
> > Summer. It's the heat baby.
> >
> > I have my Summer rituals. I plant a container garden of herbs with 12
> > kinds of Basil from all over the world. (Yeah, I'm bragging here.)
> > I go out and grab a handful of whatever I touch first when I cook in
> > the Summer. This is key because I am an heirloom tomato fanatic.
> > Thwarted by a lack of enough sun to grow my own, I fork over a
> > percentage of my income each week to stay stocked up. I found this olive
> > oil with a harvest date on it in Whole Foods, Prima something
> > which costs as much as a bottle of good bourbon. It is worth it
> > because when you pour it on the sliced tomatoes it also rises up to
> > meet your nose. The fresher the better with white wines and olive
> > oil. That's how I roll. Then I shower the tomato slices with
> > too much basil. I say too much because I am not subtle about this. I
> > am basil rich and I revel in it. Salt, pepper and here comes the
> > airplane into the hanger. That is a magical combination that only
> > comes together at this time of year. You can't do it in the Winter.
> > That green basil substitute they grow in greenhouses can't hold a
> > candle to the sharp flavor of the tiny leaves on my Greek Basil. And
> > if you had to ask about the tomatoes you wouldn't have read
> > this far.
> >
> > I associate eggplant with this season. I layer them with perorino and
> > mozzarella with vadalia onions and slices of stale bread that the
> > Tuscans use as an ingredient in lots of dishes. Sometimes I sacrifice
> > some tomatoes and of course shower each layer with olive oil and
> > fresh marjoram, oregano and basil. (Again not subtle, I want to taste
> > them!) I might pour a can of crushed tomatoes over the top before
> > topping it all with cheese. Bake it hot 400 to brown the edges in a
> > glass pan. I want to see brown when I open the oven 30-40
> > minutes later. Let it set a bit and then carve away and let it wash
> > over the plate because waiting didn't set it up as you hoped, it is
> > one glorious mess. You can throw it on top of pasta if you want. Top
> > with the best olive oil you can find Mario Battali style and some
> > more fresh basil leaves and inhale. I mean breath baby, this is
> > Summer so fill your lungs.
> >
> > I bought two kinds of corn, one white delicate and sweet and one
> > mixed white and yellow on each cob which is not as sweet but has a
> > butteriness to it. I eat one of each alternating bites. Each has been
> > blessed with olive oil and salt and fresh ground pepper. I know the
> > purists eat it with nothing and some people eat it with butter, which
> > I love too. But I usually stock fantastic Irish butters in the Winter when
> > I am craving heavier food so I don't have butter around in the Summer too
> > often. I do have lard that I rendered myself but I would
> > never be so indulgent to...oh man I am putting my lard butter on an
> > ear tonight. It comes from special pigs who live in the woods and
> > have a great life and one bad day, just like the rest of us. Only
> > theirs is accomplished by a pro and we will have to make do with whatever
> > random crap comes our way to snuff out our life.
> >
> > (Uncomfortable pause having alienated the vegetarians as well as
> > people who prefer their food porn without a dash of existential death
> > reality check vinaigrette. Sorry.)
> >
> > There are zukes and yellow squash including those funny ones that
> > look like flying saucers and are firmer, have you seen them? You can
> > put them in with the eggplant. But the money shot is the melons. Of
> > course I am referring to lady's breasts pushing against the
> > gauze-like fabric of Summer dresses...wait...sorry, I actually mean
> > melons this time. Cantaloup that you can smell right through
> > their patterned skin and of course the only fruit accused of being
> > racist, watermelons. I prefer them with seeds because I am a snob and
> > that goes against the yuppie trend for convenient everything. Plus my
> > farmer's market owner claims they are sweeter cuz when you mess with
> > genetics you get what you ask for and if you ask for no pits
> > sometimes the sweet gene goes too. This is complete bullshit of
> > course since I have had plenty of sweet seedless ones but I have to
> > maintain my specialness somehow and if it isn't because I am growing
> > in enlightenment then it has boiled down to watermelon preference.
> > (Oh how the mighty have fallen!) Sitting on my balcony surrounded by
> > my containers of herbs digging into a big slice of melon is Summer
> > mass for me.
> >
> > So where you might ask is that edgy touch in this piece, the one that
> > stands up and says "Curtis is a bluesman and a dangerous guy"?
> > Alcohol to the rescue! Let's have a little drinky-poo shall we?
> >
> > My Summer drink is the Brazilian national cocktail the Caipirnha. As usual
> > I have strong opinions. The alcohol is not rum, it is a special
> > distillate from sugar cane,not molasses, called cachaca and is a
> > clear liquor, in violation of my usual policy that if it hasn't been in a
> > barrel long enough to turn brown, I'm not throwing it down. It
> > has a character unlike any clear spirit that I am not a good enough
> > writer to describe. I just found one that actually does spend
> > 3 glorious months in XO cognac casks called Leblon and it is the
> > bomb. It just softens the sharpness a little. Any cachaca is good but
> > this is great.
> >
> > Let's get to work. You make a simple syrup (one to one) using a
> > natural cane sugar with all its brown wonderfulness intact. You cut
> > limes and squeeze out the juice then sprinkle sugar on the skins in a
> > cup and muddle it with a wooden muddler, which is a wooden cylinder
> > for crushing things in drinks. (If you don't have one yet use the
> > human thigh bone left over from your last voodoo ritual.)
> > This scrapes the skin and releases the oils into the drink. Mix it
> > till it tastes right, sour-sweet with a kick, you will know when you
> > get it right. You will know. Then if you have it, grab some leaves
> > from two kinds of mint and muddle that in. I know this is the Mohito
> > direction but take my word for it, what it lacks in authenticity it
> > makes up for in sparkling minty vegetative bliss. Fresh mint makes
> > it. Throw a few sprigs of peppermint on top so when you get to the
> > bottom of your glass you can eat the leaves with the last few
> > drops at the bottom.
> >
> > So to leave it on a high note I will add two final instructions. This
> > drink is your first drink of the evening but no matter how much you
> > want a second, switch to your usual drink of choice for the rest of
> > the evening. Do NOT spend an evening drinking sugary drinks if you
> > are over the age of 22 and not a cast member of the Jersey Shore.
> > Make your first a heavy pour and savor it all, but do not listen to
> > the devil in your head saying, "wow that was so great, a second
> > will be better!" It wont. Pour yourself a bourbon or grab a beer or wine
> > next. If I was manufacturing Curtis's Caipirnha glasses I would
> > etch on the sides:
> >
> > "Enjoy your last Caipirnha of the night. You only get one so sip it then
> > zip it."
> >
> > Secondly, if you are drinking this with someone you would like to see naked
> > drenched in lemonade/ice tea mixture, you must kiss. Start with
> > a warm mouth closed lip hug that lasts long enough for them to get the
> > message that this is not your last. Alternating sips continue
> > kissing while enjoying the combination of sweet, sour, mint, lime
> > oil,cachaca kick and the warmth of someone you love or has negotiated
> > a certain amount of time with you over the Internet. (Backpage.com
> > still takes those listing since Craigslist wimped out) But even
> > better if it is someone you love, off the meter, who you want to
> > share the essence of Summer with, who is looking forward to a plate of
> > sliced tomatoes covered in basil leaves, some sweet corn on the cob,
> > and the eggplant casserole bubbling in the oven after you finish this
> > drink together.
> >
> > You will melt together.
> >
> > It's the heat baby.
> >
>
