Chez Lounge @ Finger Hill

I've been busy...for those about to rock, the boy Jericho.

2007-09-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

Going South Anyone????

2007-01-31T14:42:00.000-05:00

Chez you.....

2007-01-28T19:04:00.000-05:00

Chez Lounge of the Rising Sun

2007-01-24T20:23:00.001-05:00

When the Chez go marchin in.....

2007-01-21T08:27:00.001-05:00

Little Bun, whilst still in the oven

2007-01-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

2006-12-26T08:41:00.001-05:00

2006-12-25T18:35:00.001-05:00

Donovan and Sadie open presents!!

2006-12-23T09:13:00.001-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2006!

2006-12-21T06:59:00.000-05:00

Peace train, anyone?

Go Cat Go
In November 2006, Ya/Atlantic released AN OTHER CUP, Yusuf’s long-anticipated new album, the first collection of modern pop songs in 28 years from this legendary British singer/songwriter. It was received with a flurry of critical acclaim and coincided with the 40th anniversary of Cat Stevens’ first hit record, “I Love My Dog.”

The performance that will air on Morning Becomes Eclectic was recorded on December 19 at an invitation-only event in an intimate performance venue in New York City, hosted by KCRWs Nic Harcourt. The performance and interview will be broadcast on air and will be simulcast online at www.KCRW.com on Thurs., Dec. 21, at 11:15 am Pacific time; click on KCRWLive to listen to the station’s on-air stream. Yusuf’s performance will be available for later listening in the KCRW Archives online.

2006-12-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder?

What happens when you drink Coke?

DRINK UP!

2006-12-08T06:21:00.000-05:00

Like to travel? Wanna know stuff? Your wish has been granted.

CLICK ME

.

2006-11-09T06:49:00.000-05:00

GIZMO?

WOW - TRY THIS!

Gizmo Project Internet Phone
Gizmo Project uses your internet connection (broadband or dial-up) to make calls to other computers. With the click of a mouse, you’re connected to friends, family, and colleagues anywhere on earth. It’s just that simple. You talk clearly. For as long as you want. For free.

And with inexpensive add-ons like Call In and Call Out, you can talk to any telephone–mobile or landline–on the planet. Any phone? Yes.

Download Gizmo Project, and suddenly it all clicks–some calls are better online.
www.gizmoproject.com

2006-10-24T20:29:00.000-04:00

My old reel - a feast for the eyes and ears!

2006-10-24T06:49:00.000-04:00

CORN PIE ! This the season for making warm bowls of toasty goodness.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups water
4 cups fresh corn
2 3/4 cups milk, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
6 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
3 cups biscuit mix
DIRECTIONS
Place potatoes, onion, salt, pepper and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add corn; return to boiling and boil for 2 minutes. Drain. Add 1-3/4 cups milk, green onions and parsley.
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in.x 2-in. baking dish. Top with eggs. Mix biscuit mix and remaining milk until smooth; drop by teaspoonfuls onto corn mixture. Bake at 450 degrees F for 13-15 minutes or until done.

2006-10-20T20:56:00.000-04:00

One day I tried to figure out why no one knows how to do anything anymore. We can’t understand, let alone repair, most of the gadgets we use everyday. We increasingly eat packaged and pre-made food; even organic food often comes wrapped in plastic. We don’t know how to grow tomatoes, can peaches, hem pants, or build fences.

As the last generations of depression-era children or back-to-the-landers take their leave of this world, these skills go with them. When we try to learn from scratch we soon discover that recipes in books don’t tell half the story.

I have never found why this knowledge started slipping away from us, but I did start trying to re-learn some of the basics. I now make my own soap, hand lotion, yogourt, and bread. I am trying to figure out toothpaste, but it is hard to find good information on abrasion damage. I also found a great cheese site, and I can’t wait to try it.

I feel great satisfaction when I make things for myself, and I get a surprising amount of cool points when people discover that I can create things usually only found in plastic tubs at the supermarket.

Of these four, yogourt may be the easiest to reclaim, since it was likely discovered accidentally itself, by Arabic nomads some 8000 years ago.

Good yogourt is alive, and the bacteria that make it have remarkable health benefits. Yogourt is produced by the fermentation of lactose, so many people who are lactose-intolerant can eat it. It is good for the digestion, but also for certain infections, and you find it prescribed on all sorts of alternative medicine websites.

It is usually made by sterilizing milk, then adding a bacterial starter culture from powder or other live yogourt. I am lazy, so I make mine straight from powdered milk, with a can of evaporated milk for an Eastern European flavour. I start my first batch with Yogourmet, available in many Middle Eastern delis. Once I have made my first batch, I use the yogourt itself as a starter, just save the last half-cup to start the next batch. You can also buy live yogourt and use it as your starter, but I like the convenience of having freeze-dried bacteria at my beck and call.

YOGOURT

One can evaporated milk
Three cups skim milk powder
Water, 110 degree Fahrenheit, enough to fill up two litre jar
Yogourmet (one sheet, two sachets), or half a cup of live yogurt

I fiddled with my oven until I found a spot on the dial that maintains a pot of water at 110 degrees F. Too hot the bacteria die, too cool and nothing happens. I also leave the oven light on. This may be superstition, or a valid stabilizing heat source, I’m not sure

Mix all the ingredients together in the jar and top up with warm water (I use a Braun stick blender)

Put the bucket of warm yogurt mixture into a big pot full of 110 degree water (your pasta pot or whatever). This provides a temperature buffer, so neither heating nor cooling happens too fast.

Put the pot in the warm oven on the lowest rack. I usually put a couple of cookie sheets underneath, one upside down, so there is a little air pocket to keep the oven element from radiating directly on the pot. This may be overkill, but I am paranoid and I don’t want to toast the bottom of my yogourt. (another yogourt how-to site suggests putting the water bath and yogourt into a camping cooler to maintain the heat. That seems very smart, if you have a big cooler).

Let the proto-yogourt sit for the next 4-6 hours, checking the temperature periodically, and fine tuning the heat. The yogourt firms up as it cools, so don’t worry if it is somewhat sloppy when you take it out.

Refrigerate and enjoy. You can mix in a little (home-made) jam for that fruit on the bottom experience, or check out how to make a cheese spread from your yogourt.

The bacteria theoretically wear out after about 10 batches, but this has yet to happen to me. If I go away for a week or more and the yogourt has been sitting too long, I often just start from Yogoumet again.

The process seems fussy at first, but you will quickly figure out your own method, and then it only takes ten minutes to mix up two litres of yogourt. The hardest part is finding five hours to kill at home. It is great for homework and laundry nights. You can also save your water bath to flush a toilet or water some plants.

2006-10-16T06:30:00.000-04:00

MAKE WINE - NOT WAR!

Recently, we went to Geronimo and Michelles farm out in rural Missouri. Drank lots of wine, made lots of wine. It'll be ready in a few years, stop by for a glass. You might even find a penny from 1910.

2006-10-04T06:36:00.000-04:00

I had a very special day at work yesterday. Everyone should love what they do. My advice for today!

2006-10-03T06:56:00.000-04:00

Places I've been so far. Not so impressive when you look at it this way.

create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide

2006-09-30T01:31:00.000-04:00

Stony

2006-09-14T21:26:00.000-04:00

My friend.

I recently read about my old friend Vasilis on another friends blog. http://theglobaltrip.blogspot.com/2006/09/legend-of-vasillis.html -- I thought if you stopped by, you should see him as he was in 1997. Enjoy.

2006-09-12T22:28:00.000-04:00

Why?

Can't we all just get along? Why does it all have to be us and them, you and me, we and un-we. It's just no fun if everyone wants to fight. Have we learned nothing in 10 thousand years?

2006-09-07T12:59:00.000-04:00

Lost Luggage

Oh sure travel is fun, often beating a day behind the desk. But then there are the times when you get in late, you sat in a bad seat. A kid cried, the wine was bad AND expensive. Topping it off... "Your luggage didn't make it on your flight". Great. The good news, it showed up this morning. The bad news, it seems to have been run over and all my stuff was crushed. Ruined. Clothes fine, but toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, you know... my stuff too. Ahh the aroma. The red eye should be a blast!

2006-09-05T23:37:00.000-04:00

So a travlin I will go. Ends of the earth for my craft. More on that in another post. The day started off just like most, with a train ride into the city. Grand Central Terminal is the crossroads of the planet, although that is what "they" call Times Square. I call Times Square the armpit of the city. Perhaps the butt crack of the tri-state area? Maybe just the jock itch of the high school prom. All I can say is the carpets are really dirty.

2006-09-04T18:40:00.000-04:00

Ok, so Ima getting the hang of paying attention to my adoring public. I don't have a lot to say, except I hope this weekend was fruitful for you. Fruitful weekends are more fun than the dried up dusty kind. This picture was actually taken last year, but as it is unpublished, I thought it would work for today - a similar day. Oh yeah, Steve Irwin, the "Crocodile Hunter" died today from a shot to the heart by a Stingray's spiny tail - often called "the pussycat of sea", death by Stingray is very rare (Only 3 documented in Australia - 17 or so worldwide - EVER). Ironic for this old chap to check out at the hands, er, tail of a pretty inocuous animal. CRIKEY!

2006-08-28T10:13:00.000-04:00

This morning caught me with the urge to drive north. I have C.S. in mind for a stop in a favorite little shop that specializes in rusty things. If I am successful you will see it here.

2006-08-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

It seemed appropriate to start this little wiki with something I've been carrying around in my back pocket for quite some time. Enjoy it, but don't get too close.