Text 2069, 168 rader
Skriven 2013-07-01 08:05:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av NANCY BACKUS
Ärende: weather or not 801
==========================
 ML> it's supposed to be 125 tomorrow, 126 Saturday. 
 NB> Insane temps... and, I heard, threatening to break a century-old
 NB> record...  :) 

They got a break, and on Friday and Saturday the official
high was a mere 122.

 ML> Of course, back home it's been over 80 (which has never before
 ML> happened in June).
 ML> Here in central Mass., it's been oppressively warm, now
 ML> temperate but oppressively humid.
 NB> Right at the summer solstice, we got a few days that might as well
 NB> have been from the middle of the August dog days... so warm and humid
 NB> at night there was no point in opening windows to cool off from the

The basement room, which never got above about 75 during all
this, even with the dehumidifier going, was my hangout these
last couple weeks. I'd open the doors upstairs to give the
critters some relief, but if there's no breeze, that doesn't
help a whole lot.

 NB> exceedingly hot days...  But now it's cool again... rainy, but not
 NB> oppressively humid, thankfully.  :)

During the worst of it, we got up only into the early-mid 90s,
but the humidity didn't get much below 80 for this whole
stretch. I'm just hoping that at Janis's the weather is okay.

=
 
 ML> What is it like to be psychotic? Only he who is psychotic knows.
 NB> Indeed.   Within reason... 

Without reason, too.

 ML> What is it like to be running? Only he who is running knows.
 NB> (ru-u-u-u-un-ning nose)  [g]

Ha, figured someone would catch that.

 NB>> nor likely to cause trouble between 1 and 4...
 ML> Well, back in my day ... ;)
 NB> Ok, I take it back...  (G)

One of my greatest moments of glory ever was running full tilt
through the closed Fraport wheeling Lilli in a luggage trolley
past customs officials and cops with machine guns, both of us
howling with laughter. That was only about 5 years ago, under
the influence of absinthe.

 ML> And thinking of spending $89++ that I didn't have budgeted to
 ML> stay at a Doubletree (a lower-class kind of Hilton) on July 3
 NB> (We've got one of those in Henrietta, so I recognize that)

Turns out that I ought to go back to the house anyway -
e-mails from the kid, and he has major testing on the 3rd,
so I might have to talk him down.

 ML> to avoid returning to the house. I'd throw myself on the mercy
 ML> of the Shipps, but I get in town pretty late, and it's 10 min
 ML> to the Doubletree and at least an hour to Columbia.
 NB> They're night owls... maybe they could just meet you at the airport...
 NB> can't blame you for a bit of avoidance there...

There was that thought, but I have to be back at the airport
on the 4th in any case, kid or no kid.

 NB> We were supposed to be getting scads of heavy rain, all weekend. 
 NB> Yesterday it held off until later afternoon, and then we only got
 NB> regular rain, not terribly heavy... we had some rain overnight, but by
 NB> midday, things were pretty much dried out, and now the sun is shining,
 NB> and has been for most of the last few hours... ;)

Lucky you. No dry-out here. Bob and Deb came back, and it was
suggested we have drinks out on the porch, but as soon as I
got out there the mosquitoes swarmed me. I have witnesses.
We went right back inside.

 On the basis of the
 NB> forecast, Richard did the church mowing on Thursday so it would look
 NB> halfway decent for Sunday.  Looks like it could have been done today,
 NB> after all.  :)
 
And if one had waited until Saturday, guess what would have
happened. You can't fool Murphy.

Shrimp etouffee
cat: cajun, celebrity, stews and soups, main
servings: 10 to 12

6 Tb unsalted butter
1/2 c all-purpose flour
4 c chopped onions
2 c chopped green bell peppers
2 c chopped celery
2 Tb minced garlic
14.5 oz cn diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 ts salt
1/2 ts cayenne pepper
2 Tb Essence, recipe follows
1 qt shrimp stock
3 lb md shrimp (21 to 25 count), peeled and deveined
1/4 c chopped parsley leaves
Steamed white rice, for serving
1/2 c thinly sliced green onion tops, for garnish
h - shrimp stock
1 lb (about 1 qt) shrimp shells and heads
1 c coarsely chopped yellow onions
1/2 c coarsely chopped celery
1/2 c coarsely chopped carrots
3 smashed garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 ts black peppercorns
1 ts dried thyme
2 ts salt
h - Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning
h - also referred to as Bayou Blast
2 1/2 Tb paprika
2 Tb salt
2 Tb garlic powder
1 Tb black pepper
1 Tb onion powder
1 Tb cayenne pepper
1 Tb dried oregano
1 Tb dried thyme

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the flour and stir continuously to make a roux. Stir
the roux until the color of peanut butter, 5 to 7 min.
Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic to the
roux, and cook, stirring often, for 10 min. Add the
tomatoes and season with the bay leaves, salt, cayenne,
and 1 Tb Essence. Cook the tomatoes 2 to 3 min and then
whisk in the shrimp stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
Cook the etouffee, stirring occasionally, for 45 min.
Season the shrimp with 1 Tb Essence and add them to the
pot, stirring to evenly distribute. Cook the shrimp
until done, 5 to 7 min. Add the chopped parsley to the
pot and stir to combine.

Serve immediately over steamed white rice and garnish
with sliced green onion tops.

For stock.

Place the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander
and rinse under cold running water for several minutes.

Combine the shrimp shells and remaining ingredients in a
6-qt stockpot, add 4 qt water, and bring to a boil over
high heat. Skim to remove any foam that rises to the
surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer,
uncovered, for 45 min, skimming occasionally.

Remove the stock from the heat and strain through a
fine-mesh sieve into a clean container; let cool
completely. Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 days or
freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.

For Essence. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Source: Emeril
___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
 * Origin: Fidonet Since 1991 Join Us: www.DocsPlace.org (1:123/140)