And the list goes on...

This weekend we encountered a vast collection of self-centered, self-righteous, and utterly disrespectful people.

We shall start at the ball park. Howard and Jan generously took us to the Futures at Fenway game, and we had front row left field pavilion seats (thanks guys, what a view!). During the afternoon, I leaned forward to peer down into left field and survey the drop down to the box seats. Upon leaning back, WHAM! I was kicked in the back on either side of my spine, directly below my shoulder blades. The person behind me had placed her feet on the seat, so that her arches were on the seat back, and the majority of her feet were sticking out into my back! Matt instantly turned to tell this person what for, but she was about 16 years old, so he stopped. Now, people do disrespectful, irresponsible things...but this young woman was flanked by her parents...who said NOTHING. I have back problems already and was in front of them writhing in pain. And they said Nothing. Again, people make mistakes, especially teenagers, and although the girl muttered a barely intelligible "oops sorry", the lack of concern or even notice from her family for the person their daughter so obviously injured most likely explains her ability to be so careless in public to begin with.

And now onto the restaurant. It is strange, two restaurants in a few weeks and two waitresses ARGUED with Jan. This time at Beerworks the waitress got Jan's order wrong, and when the food runner informed the waitress...she came to the table to ARGUE with Jan about what she ordered! Look, I like to be right (anybody who has spent 2 minutes with me knows that), but when I worked as a server, unless the conversation was over whether or not some one was getting more alcohol...I NEVER argued with a customer. It's pointless and rude! Even if you would bet all of your tips that the woman said shrimp, not chicken...you still do not argue with the customer.

Littering. It's awful. So, I'm standing at the bus stop yesterday after church in Marblehead. You would think that perhaps the people living and working in this beautiful, immaculate little town would have some more sense. Apparently not. This woman walks up to the bus stop smoking a cigarette (to give you an an idea of the location of this bus stop, it is directly outside a boutique with dresses priced at my weekly salary!). The woman finishes her cigarette and flicks the butt into the street. There is a city trashcan not three feet away from her. I asked her, as kindly as I could, "would you mind please putting that in the trash can?". She sneered at me, and said that it needed to burn out first, and how I didn't need to tell her. Well, apparently I did, because she left it there, even after it burned out (apparently snuffing a cig on her shoe sole or the concrete sidewalk is a foreign concept to her...). Now, perhaps this woman is out writing on her blog about the mean person who asked her to help save the planet...but really, I'm so tired of people's inability to see beyond their own nose.

Which brings us to the drunk hat-stealing woman and the sausage girl! Matt has a regular Sunday night gig with a trio at a place down near Fanueil Hall. He's making his living. The set-up at this gig is that the trio is at the front of the pub, Matt's back is to tall, floor to ceiling windows, which are open (it's summer, it draws in the crowd walking by). During the second set last night, these women (drunk, and old enough to be Matt's mother) start trying to grab his hat off his head! They actually try to take off with his hat in hand! Matt's trying to play his drums, and simultaneously battling these woman to stop touching him! It's insane.

So the sausage girl is also making her living. But I call into question truly if she is making her living legally as Matt is. Her sausage "stand" is a couple folding tables and a can of sterno. I doubt she has a permit. However, that is not what makes this girl's way into the blog's Got A Gripe? section. Twice now, this girl has used the trunk of Matt's car as a table, with sausage in foil pans strewn around it and other sausage accoutrement. She actually has to be told twice (previously by Matt, last night by me) to NOT put things on other people's property!!!

The mind reels.

On a positive spin, I'm planning a new panino today...stay tuned!

Eye-Opening Breakfast for Dinner

So we love the spicy. And I mean really love the spicy. I toast dried tien tsin peppers in olive for the base of spicy shrimp and pasta. For the spicy chicken sandwich I season pieces of chicken thighs with Northwoods Fire Seasoning Blend, and then mix melted butter with Frank's RedHot Sauce and toss with the cooked chicken. I put crushed red pepper in just about everything from panini to my standard tomato sauce.

When I met Matt, I quickly learned about Huichol and Valentina Muy Picante. On a a family trip to Mexico, Matt and his parents had stocked up on various hot sauces including the Valentina and Huichol. Valentina also makes a regular heat level of their sauce, but the Muy Picante is veritably a more indulgent sauce. The Huichol is a little acidic, without being too bright (Matt especially likes it in our tuna melts). It has a classic vinegar-based tang to it, but is more mellow than the old standby of Tabasco. The Muy Picante has a fruity sweetness with impressive depth of spice and heat.

The Muy Picante has a starring role in what we call "weekend breakfast". Weekend breakfast is sunny side up eggs cooked in a honey-chipotle compound butter I make up, with Italian bread toast and bacon. A top the eggs go freshly ground black pepper, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and a liberal lacing of Valentina Muy Picante. We ran out of the Muy Picante months ago, and have been getting by with the regular Valentina. On today's farmers market excursion, we popped into a Mexican grocery downtown and grabbed their only two bottles of Valentina Muy Picante for $1.50 per 12 ounce bottle. Although it is neither the weekend, nor is it morning, we were compelled tonight to enjoy weekend breakfast for dinner and savor the Muy Picante.

The Doorman and The Waiter

Today I attended the UU Musicians Network Conference Professional Development Day at the Park Plaza Hotel. Before I get to the doorman and the waiter, I must note that Rev. Mark Belletini is a top notch presenter and I learned a great deal today about UU history, UU hymnody, and my own faith; it was wonderful and worth every penny.

Now, the doorman.
One would expect nothing but class and courtesy from any employee of the Park Plaza in Boston...agreed? Agreed. Then why, did the doorman blatantly and obviously stare at my chest when he opened the door for me. How did I notice this you ask? Because I turned to make eye contact with him and say thank you...but he was too busy bending his neck and staring at my chest! I was not wearing anything considered slutty, and even if I were...this is the Park Plaza!, shouldn't their employees be above this type of behavior??!!?? Now I presume people watching must be a past time of doormen...but one would hope the voyeuristic tendencies of people watchers would become finely tuned enough to do so in a subtle, unnoticeable method.

And the waiter...
Some fabulous gentlemen from the conference and I went Maggione Restaurant for lunch. This is a touristy/business place for lunch with a straight ahead Italian-American menu. I had a B+ sausage sandwich. The service was swift (we felt that we waited a little bit too long for our food, but I think our stomachs believed that and truly it wasn't that long), and the waiter was professional and perceptive (at first). However, upon departing, the waiter inquired as to where people were from. One of gentlemen with us is from the Chicago area. The waiter all of a sudden launched into the fact that Obama is from Chicago (um, yeah, so are the White Sox), and can you believe that guy, and how he's not voting for him, etc. Who asked him??!!?? This is completely out of line. Wait staff should NEVER discuss politics with patrons unless asked a direct question, and still then should be discreet and non-committal. If I wasn't so tired tonight...I'd be making a phone call to that restaurant's manager.

First Beer and Panino Pairing

This evening I paired our Saison with a wonderful new Panino.

Italian Bread (1/2 inch thick slices), Fresh Mozzarella (1/4 inch thick slices), Brae Burn Apple (peeled, cored and sliced thinly), Beer-melized onions (onions caramelized in Saison), lots of freshly ground black pepper, a slight drizzle of Bariani Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a little salt.

Place the apple slices between the onions and the mozzarella so that they stay a little crispy. Butter outside of bread. Press and enjoy.

The only change I will make next time is to toss the apple slices in either a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to give a little extra tang.

Summer Saison

We have Saison on tap!! This is the first Saison that Matt has brewed (and in effect, the first that I have). After July's Red IPA and Kolsch, we have a wonderful late summer beer to enjoy as we watch the Red Sox come back to life with the assistance of Jason Bay.

A Saison is a Belgian Farmhouse ale. Traditional characteristics are an orange hue ranging from pale to dark, dry, but with a lot of fruit and a nice acidic pucker. A distinct yeast strain is used, one that lends a spiciness to the beer, along with the Noble hops. A commercially available Saison that I like is produced by Ommegang.

Matt was a little worried about it fermenting down all the way (a problem we had with our most recent Kolsch which made it a little cloying), but the addition of a good amount of sugar to the boil to give the yeast something to eat in fermentation seems to have given us the beer we were aiming for.

Upon tasting, I initially smelled notes of melon and apple, Matt pointed out the banana and clove, and I concur. There is a warm spice overtone, but thanks to the dryness of the beer, I am not overpowered by sweetness or spice. The finish is dry with a slightly acidic profile.

We also achieved classic Belgian Lacing which is when the head of the beer shows strong retention throughout the consumption of the beer.