Saturday, May 31, 2014

take the Key West bypass



When authentic key lime juice is driven to the Bronx from the Florida Keys, it is time to make a pie, right?


Afterall, Key Lime pie is light and citrusy and with tons of vitamin C, so it’s gotta be good for you, right?


wrong.
It’s a concoction of ingredients found in a cardiologists nightmare. Separate 6 eggs.


“We shouldn’t make one.”, I thought. So we made two.


For one pie add two cans of sweetened condensed milk to six yolks.

Blend the two together.

This pie dates back to about the same time as our ClockTower, mid 1880’s, when fishermen and pirates in the Keys lived on ships with no refrigeration.


With access to eggs and canned milk and key lime juice,
 a pie was the natural result.

Add 1/2cup of the juice for one pie. The acid reacts with and thickens the eggs. 


We zested supermarket limes to add color and more flavor.



The crust is just graham cracker crumbs and a stick of melted butter.



Press the mix into the pie plate and bake for 15 minutes at 350〫to set it firm and sweet and crusty.


Now fill the graham shell or just pack the batter directly into your aorta.


While its baking for 10 minutes, still at about 350〫...


...whip the egg whites until they firm and peak.



Take the hot pies out, spread the whites...

...sprinkle with more zest and return to the oven for 5 or 10 minutes more until the peaks are browned off nicely.


That’s it. 
Just chill to very cold in the fridge.
flickr

Caribbean pirates died off from heart disease.


I’m sure of it.

Friday, May 30, 2014

zoom and board



So what happens to a surfboard?

When you carry it around on two wheels?

And things don’t go so well?


Chop it up and make a chair!


Surfs up!

Or sit down.

Brook Park

Either way, have a great weekend!

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

free news is corruption’s best friend



Thomas Jefferson once said, “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

It wasn’t print media to which he was referring.


It was the right of the people to know truth, so voting is based upon fact and representation is grounded in reality.


But revealing inner government takes investigative reporting, and man-hours are paid for in cash.


Since our nation’s founding, newspapers have played a central role in sustaining a well-informed public and keeping a healthy democracy. 


But internet aggregators have taught our culture not to pay.


Government has no problem with this.


Generations hence will understand why not.



bananarama




The word “descarga” translates literally as unloading, and Cholo Records has been unloading on our hood for almost 30 years.



Arriving from Puerto Rico as a young boy, Cholo decided early that he wanted to keep the music of his youth alive here in the Bronx.


Cholo Records boasts the most comprehensive collection of descarga--- Carribean/Cuban dance music--- in the south Bronx.



The Cesta All Stars were playing on the shop speakers when we arrived.




To keep things affordable he’s had to move around a bit.

 511-B east 148th is his third location, but all have been within a block or two of each other.



In addition to a broad collection of historic recordings, Cholo offers souvenirs, musical instruments and the best of current Puerto Rican music.


He has a few real collectors items, too.



z