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Capsule (Full commentary found immediately below Lead Picture):
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
My memory of Paul: he stood always by my side and fit comfortably in a group of men not typically comfortable with the law.
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Lead Picture (Story below in Thumbnail section)
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Longnose batfish (Ogcocephalus corniger).
Betty Wills (Atsme)
Read more on the blog www.existentialautotrip.com
The blog? A daily three to four-minute excursion into photos and short texts to regale the curious with an ever-changing and diverting view of a world rich in gastronomy, visual art, ideas, chuckles, stories, people, diversions, science, homespun, and enlightenment.
Observing with wit and wisdom, Dom Capossela, an experienced leader, guides his team of contributors and followers through that world, an amusing and edifying conversation to join.
Note that the blog also publishes the "Hey, Dom!" and the "Hey, Dom! How're doin?" series of videos.
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Commentary
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Don’t know why but I woke up thinking about Paul Carr, long ago deceased.
First met Paul while covered with sweat and dirt from working on remodeling the first building I bought, installing Dom’s there, my restaurant.
He being the beat cop, walked in to see what was going on.
Introduced himself, shook hands.
He recognized me, not I, him.
He was patrolling the Charles River in a marked car, stopped, shone his spotlight on a couple making out: me and Toni-Lee, soon to be my wife.
Paul kept coming by during the construction, to hang out, to bring me coffee.
And became a fixture in the restaurant, coming by at night to hang out; maybe get a bite; a drink.
He was one of the gang: Big Daddy, Mike Ponzo, Angelo, Frankie, Frank Daniels (What a character, he.)
While I waited the months it took to apply and receive a wine and beer license, Paul, well-loved by the rank and file officers, just short of being a rep for them, he didn’t want the bother, arranged with the officers in my neighborhood to just walk past while I served at will.
When we were developing a rock and roll business and needed to open after-hours to accommodate the artists who didn’t finish their concerts until midnight, Paul arranged that no officer walked in at four in the morning to bust us up.
He also arranged a discreet, uniformed police presence as protection for the international stars that frequented the place.
And he helped me get a license to carry a gun just before Boston passed a severe standard for such permissions. (Later this would come by to bite me in the ass and land me facing gun possession charges which I only beat because the arresting officers spoke in my favor to the presiding judge known for being a hard-ass on this issue.)
We had a single bone of contention, that lasted a year, when Paul, married with children, took up with a young lady. Although standard among the rock and rollers we serviced, within our core group, all the men were loyally married and his behavior, although ignored, was not countenanced.
My memory of Paul: he stood always by my side and fit comfortably in a group of men not typically comfortable with the law.
Many years ago Paul died young, while jogging.
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A “Hey, Dom!” video.
Each video in this series is a joke that rarely exceeds two minutes.
Publication Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Name: He dares you to shoot
Length: 2.39
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Monday’s Dinner posted on
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
We had slow-roasted turkey today.
Juicy.
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Chuckle of the day:
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
At home alone in my library a book fell on my head.
I only have myshelf to blame.
Heard about the constipated mathematician?
He worked his problem out with a Number Two pencil.
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Contact me at domcapossela@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
This from Howard D, our own gastronome extraordinaire:
Your mention of swordfish and the happy perhaps not so coincidental sale at WFM on wild-caught, sustainable fresh swordfish defined our dinner tonight.
I made it with some long grain brown rice, prepared simply with some olive oil in the saucepan with the rice.
I also steamed some broccoli florets and snap peas in their pods.
To garnish the swordfish, which I prepared in a variant of your method (cast iron skillet, so it’s grilled and oven-roasted, then broiled to finish), I went to what used to be a regular feature of our seafood dinners in the summer.
Fresh made tropical fruit salsa. Easiest thing in the world to make, and always best prepared just ahead of the main course, so it can macerate.
½ bell pepper (preferably red for the color)
small purple onion
Small serrano or jalapeno pepper (or, if not available, just some pickled hot jalapeno and some pickled pepperoncini)
½ to ¾ of a small ripe freestone fresh peach; you can also use a nectarine as long as it still is firm, though ripe (in fact any stone fruit that’s sweet enough and sliceable will do)
1 fresh lime
½ Tbsp EVOO
a few grinds of white peppercorns
pinch of sea salt
slice each of the ingredients (the sliceable ones, but not the lime) as thin as possible: the peppers the long way into strips, and the onion crosswise so the slices will sliver into thin rings; the peach should be sliced as quarters of the fruit (i.e., so you have wafer thin wedge shaped slices); but what’s most important is to slice each as thin as possible
Place all the sliced ingredients in a medium non-reactive bowl, and squeeze all the juice of the lime over all of the ingredients. Add a drizzle of the EVOO over all. Add the ground white pepper and the pinch of sea salt. Toss all very well with two forks. Allow to sit and macerate for at least 15 minutes. A half hour would be even better. But the idea of this salsa is that it’s very fresh. It will get soggy (and lose color) if it’s allowed to sit for too long.
After it’s macerated a decent amount of time, drain using the two forks to transfer the salsa to a non-reactive serving bowl.
Serve with the swordfish. There should be enough for a good helping to cover each person’s portion for a dinner for four.
Web Meister responds: A great menu. We love the details. And the love and care in producing this dinner.
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Today’s Thumbnail
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Bonnie Prince Charlie
Allan Ramsay - nationalgalleries.org
1745 – Bonnie Prince Charlie (pictured) raised the Jacobite standard at Glenfinnan in the Scottish Highlands, beginning the Jacobite rising of 1745.
The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45, "The Year of Charles", was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart.
It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of the British Army was fighting in mainland Europe, and proved to be the last in a series of revolts that began in 1689, with major outbreaks In 1708, 1715 and 1719.
Charles launched the rebellion on 19 August 1745 at Glenfinnan in the Scottish Highlands, capturing Edinburgh and winning the Battle of Prestonpans in September.
At a council in October, the Scots agreed to invade England after Charles assured them of substantial support from English Jacobites and a simultaneous French landing in Southern England.
On that basis, the Jacobite army entered England in early November, reaching Derby on 4 December, where they decided to turn back.
Similar discussions had taken place at Carlisle, Preston and Manchester and many felt they had gone too far already.
The invasion route had been selected to cross areas considered strongly Jacobite but the promised English support failed to materialize; they were now outnumbered and in danger of having their retreat cut off.
The decision was supported by the vast majority but caused an irretrievable split between Charles and his Scots supporters.
Despite victory at Falkirk Muir in January 1746, the Battle of Culloden in April ended the Rebellion and significant backing for the Stuart cause.
Charles escaped to France, but was unable to win support for another attempt, and died in Rome in 1788.
A tip o' the hat (U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, 1924
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Acknowledgements
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Thanks to Howard D for sharing his Swordfish Dinner.
And to the Microsoft team at the Prudential Center for their unflagging availability to help with a constant flow of technological problems.
Always thanks to Wikipedia, the Lead and the Thumbnail sections of the Blog very often shaped from stories taken from that amazing website. They are truly worthy of public support.
Good Morning on this Wednesday, the twenty-first day of August, 2019
A longnose batfish?
Okay. But is it edible?
And now? Gotta go.
Che vuoi? Le pocketbook?
See you soon.
Your love.