The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It is Sunday morning and the Curmudgeon is doing what we should all do on a Sunday morning, namely relaxing and resting. After all, doesn't the Bible tell us that that is why Sunday was created in the first place. Now if you listened to Mrs. Curmudgeon, she would tell you that the Curmudgeon has rested enough during the rest of the week and so should be doing something of a constructive nature on a Sunday morning.

So in a half hearted attempt to blunt the inevitable criticism of my sloth like inactivity I decided that my posting hiatus should come to an end. Now in all fairness it should be known that I have written several posts which are currently sitting in the "draft bin" of my blog. The reason they have been relegated to the dust bin of blogs is that I have ADD. My ADD is undiagnosed but is as real as any other case I have seen of this condition. The result is that I often sit down to write on a subject and find myself about an hour later with several pages of ramblings which have little if anything to do with the topic I set out to address but which certainly give insight into the workings of a dangerous mind.

With that in mind I will try to remain on point for (most of) this posting. So for your pleasure, I have three Goods, one Bad (sadly, I must say) and one Ugly to talk about. Let's take them in reverse order so as to end on a positive note.


The ugly is Governor Blagojevich. I guess that line in and of itself could be enough to make the point but today's news really highlighted how ugly this guy can be. I believe that the Governor should be given his day in court and afforded the opportunity to defend himself as innocent until proven guilty. But one has to admit that the recordings of the Governor give rise to the notion that, as Ricky Ricarrdo would say, "Rod, you got some "splainin to do." But today, the Governor is quoted as saying that he felt like Nelson Mandella and Dr. Martin Luther King when he was being led away in handcuffs. The "ugly" delusion, that somehow his profanity laced diatribes and seeming attempts at extortion rise to the level of the crusades to end apartheid or civil rights violations, truly makes it seem that we are being led, in this state, by a mentally unbalanced person. Stay tuned though, as the Governor heads to the "View" tomorrow (because, we are told he thinks Whoopi Goldberg will be sympathetic to his plight) so I am sure more wacky statements are yet to come.

The bad, I am sad to say, is Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. The Curmudgeon plunked down $19.50 on Friday for two tickets to what is Clint's last on screen appearance. Now I wanted to like this movie, as Clint ranks right up there with John Wayne as one of America's most iconic screen actors. The story is about how a crusty old Korean war vet. Comes to terms with his emotional demons created by the atrocities of war and in doing so helps out a young Hmong boy and his family looking to escape gang influences in the racially changing neighborhood. Sounds like the makings of a great story and for the most part it is, aside from the heavy handed Christ allegory at the end. The problem with the film lies in the acting. The film is populated unbelievable actors, who make you feel as if you are watching a student film rather than a big budget Hollywood production. A case in point is Christopher Carley, who plays the 27 year old parish priest charged by Clint's dying wife to get him ti "confession" and look after him when she is gone, which she is as the movie commences. Mr. Carley's performance is amateurish and unbelievable, and as such drags down the story. The same is true with others cast in the film. On a 5 star scale this gets between 1 and a half and two. It is worth a rental when it comes out on DVD.

Now for the good. The Curmudgeon likes jazz. Usually I like it best when my daughter is singing it, but when she is not available I fall back on others, such as Miles Davis, whose "Best Of" album I am listening to as I write this. I would highly recommend this album. That said however, if I were going to the proverbial desert island and allowed only one jazz CD, it would The Nat King Cole Trio's Complete After Midnight Sessions. This is a fantastic album that is many layered, such that with each listening you find something new that you haven't heard before. One reviewer on Amazon captured it perfectly when he wrote, "The vocals are not an excuse for the musicians to jam. Instead, each of the solos, including Nat's piano offerings, augments and complements the distinctive vocal interpretations. Even when in the background, the instrumental voices of Sweets Edison, Stuff Smith, Willie Smith, and Juan Tizol are so unmistakably personal that no further showcasing of their contributions is required. The rhythmic support of John Collins (gtr), Charlie Harris (bass), and Lee Young (drums--Lester's brother) is the model of efficiency and empathy. In short, this is an exemplary session--extemporaneous jazz that is as tight as an arranged, orchestrated session yet as free-flowing as a spontaneous one.
Not the least of the album's attributes is the song selection--17 altogether, 5 of which were not included on the original LP. It's a perfect mix of old and new, sentimental and sophisticated. Just listen to Nat's easy assurance on the up-tempo "I Know That You Know" followed by his equally masterful delivery of the relatively esoteric ballad "Blame It On My Youth," capped by a medium-tempo version of the timeless "When I Grow Too Old to Dream." Then ask yourself who else could pull off such a trinity of tunes so triumphantly--and he does it for 14 remaining songs! This album is a tour de force for Nat but, even more importantly, it's collaborative music-making of the highest order."

In my mind, there is nothing better than sitting in front of a fire, listening to this album and enjoying a glass of the next "Good" on my list.

I am not a hard liquor drinker as a rule, beer and wine are what the Cur likes most. But, there is one exception to this, Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum! I have read reviews that tout the virtues of Cruzan Single Barrel when mixed with Coke or other rum staples, but in my mind to mix this magical elixer with anything, except perhaps a cube of ice or two, would be a travesty. I discovered this while touring the distillery on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands This rich caramel colored drink has all the complexity and nuance of a good single malt scotch or a V.S.O.P. cognac. It definitely tastes of the charred oak barrels in which it was stored, but that is subtle and blended well with the tastes of vanilla and other spices. At $22-$35 per bottle it is not cheap but it is well worth the few extra dollars. It should be consumed (according to me) in a snifter or whiskey tasting glass so that you can appreciate the nose along with the mellow taste.

So get a bottle, light the fireplace, put on some good jazz and enjoy!

The final Good, is a recipe that was uncovered by Mrs. Curmudgeon and my son. And I must say kudos to them for the discovery. It came from the Pioneer Woman's Cooking website (I will post a link to this in a day or so). We made this on Saturday and it was delicious. An easy to make weekend treat that will please almost anyone, except that weird Vegan lady who lives down the block - but the heck with her anyway.


Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2lb slab bacon, uncut and well chilled for easy slicing
Cracked black pepper
Lemon Pepper
4 slices of pepper jack cheese 1/8" thick
4 buns
Condiments of choice, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, etc.


Directions
Cut your slab bacon in thick strips and then cut each strip in half. Sprinkle each side of the bacon with the cracked black pepper (use as much as you are comfortable with, I use about 3 shakes per side) and press into bacon with your fingers. Fry the bacon to your desired level of crispness. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Pound the chicken breasts to a relatively equal level of thickness, between 1/4 and 3/8". Sprinkle the chicken with a little lemon pepper and fry in 2Tbls of leftover bacon grease, about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. During the last minute of cooking cover each piece of chicken with several slices of the bacon and a slice of cheese. Cover and continue to cook for another minute, until the cheese melts.

Toast your buns and lay the halves on a plate and dress with your favorite condiments. Place a chicken breast on top and serve open faced. Here is the Pioneer Woman's version. Note she served hers closed faced and she used American cheese. We like ours spicy, hence the cheese change but you can do it anyway that you like.





Bon Apitite!