Car Troubles

This morning when I merged onto the highway I heard a massive THUNK. The family truckster hasn’t been running the smoothest at times lately, so I slowed down to 35 to assess if I needed to pull over. No light on the dash, no further thunking, so I went the speed limit to work. When I got off the off ramp, another massive thunk. I’m thinking there is something wrong with the tranny. I’m only a mile from my parking spot so I figure I can get there, but then, another massive THUNK! I pulled over, and as soon as I put it in park, I realized the problem. I opened the door and took the can of Coke off the roof that was rolling in the luggage rack. I put it there this morning while opening the car door. What a relief it wasn’t the car.

The culprit. Of course it says "mom" on it.
The culprit. Of course it says “mom” on it.

I Am A Meaty Sauce

My friend Chris sent me this great email:

Are you interested in learning about your Ancestors’ life?
Here is a short story about our city of Naples. We hope you will enjoy reading it.

Proverb in dialect: Vide Napule e po’ muore (Vedi Napoli e poi muori)
See Naples and then die

There are legends that tell the story of the city of Naples and many others who tell a story of the origin of almost everything else. Even the Neapolitan meat sauce called Ragu’ or RRau’ (dialect) has one: It was the end of the 1300s in Naples and the Compagnia dei Bianchi (Brotherhood of the Whites – established for the purpose of helping the poor against tyranny and starvation) used to walk around the city preaching “Peace and Forgiveness”.

At that time the “Palace of the Emperor” (the building is still standing on Via Tribunali and was home to Charles, Emperor of Constantinople and of Maria Di Valois daughter of King Carlo D’Angio’) was inhabited by an aristocrat, unkind and merciless to many. If the preaching of the Brotherhood convinced almost all the population to make peace with their enemies, only the man living in the “Palace of the Emperor” bearing ancient and vicious grudges refused to follow the preaching. Not even his 3-month old son was able to convince him after he miraculously spoke three times the words: Peace and Forgiveness”. The aristocrat continued to be blinded by anger and revenge until one day his wife tried to soften him by cooking some pasta, maccheroni. The Holy Providence filled the dish with a sauce full of blood. It was then that the stubborn man finally decided to make peace with his enemies and become part of the Brotherhood. His wife reacted to this miraculous behavior by cooking the pasta, which magically turned red again. That mysterious sauce was so good and tasty that he decided to call it “Rau‘” like his son.

The Recipe of Napolitano Ragu’:

This traditional tomato and meat sauce takes a long time to prepare, needing between 3 and 5 hours of very gentle cooking. If you are using a piece of leg, tie the meat into a roll. Use a terracotta casserole if available. Place the diced bacon fat and lard in the casserole, heat and when it starts melting place the meat inside. Cover with water and cook at moderate heat covered with a lid. When all the water has evaporated, pour a glass of good red wine on and let it evaporate on low heat. Turn the meat occasionally so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan, adding the extra wine. When it has all evaporated add the tomato sauce and cook for another half hour. Add 2 glasses of water and cook on low heat with the lid on until the sauce is thick and dark. Remove the meat, which can be used apart. If it has broken up completely as in the case of spare ribs, use it as the sauce for spaghetti.

Ingredients
50 g bacon fat, diced
3 tbsp lard
500 g veal or pork leg or spare ribs
2 glasses good red wine
500 g tomato sauce
Salt

Deep Throat Revealed!

The Daily show did some in depth reporting on the hot political news of the week, the identity of Deep Throat. Link

Christmas Presents Found

I found what I’m going to get all of you for Christmas. A subscription to Modern Drunkard Magazine. The goal of this magazine is to “return drinking to the glorious Rat Pack/Jackie Gleason Era. How do we plan to pull it off? First we unite the International Drunkard Tribe. Then we crush our enemies. Then we take over. Then we celebrate with a never ending series of victory keggers and self-congratulatory cocktail parties.” Expect your first issue the first of January.?