My New Car Buying Experience

I am a fairly frugal person with few excesses, save such tech items as smartphones, iPad, iPod, computers and camera; it’s a big reason why I drove my last car 8 plus years. I want to stretch my dollar as far as it can go, as most people do.

When I bought that 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac (in 2003) though, I wasn’t quite of that mindset. The vehicle, after all the add-ons, was over $31,000 when it was all said and done. That vehicle was the most extravagant that I’ve ever owned; all power, satellite radio, leather seats, security system, the works. And it was faithful too. It was never in the shop for mechanical issues, other than the two times that I was rear-ended at stoplights by inattentive teens.

But despite all of that it had begun to show its age at 142,000 miles; its tires needed replacing, the transmission had begun to slip at speeds above 75 miles per hour, and various rattles and squeaks were evident throughout the cabin. I was also getting much less than Ford’s rated 18 miles per gallon; a weekly fill up during the recent height of gas prices cost me $72, and that didn’t last the entire week. But the main question was whether I should throw $3700 into new tires and transmission repairs, or use that money as a down payment on a new vehicle. I had enjoyed four years of blissful car note free existence up until that time, after financing the truck 66 months (I had paid it off about a year early by making extra payments). I knew what I had to do, but what type of replacement was definitely a top question in my mind to settle.

I am a band/choir director in a smallish school district. I had needed the truck to haul equipment over the years, but my place of employment has also grown over these same years. I now had at my disposal a department truck to carry all of the stuff I needed the truck for initially, so there went my overriding need for a pick-up truck.

I have never been a sedan fan, so the obvious answer to me was a crossover. Let me state that I have been a Ford person for many years, owning – trouble free I might add – a 1997 Ford Ranger and a 2001 Ford Escape prior to purchasing the Sport Trac. Prior to that, I had owned a 1985 Nissan Stanza wagon (good car), and a 1987 Hyundai Excel and a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina. Those last two cars were dogs.

Since I had owned an Escape in the last decade I was eager to see what the all-new 2013 revision had brought to the car. This was where my odyssey began. My wife, who drives a company Ford Fusion hybrid, had picked up the car at Holmes-Tuttle Ford here in Tucson about ten months back. She had a great review of one of the sales staff, Scott Patty, who was especially helpful. He happened to be the internet sales manager there. In her experience dealerships are not very accommodating to pharma drug reps who have ordered replacement cars through their company’s fleet websites. The dealerships don’t make much money on these sales so they usually don’t spend much time with the reps either on the test drive or the delivery of the vehicle. But her salesperson did and she remembered him when I announced that I was ready to buy a new car.

I called Scott in November and set up a test drive appointment for the Ford Escape. He quickly remembered my wife and had a car ready for me when I arrived. The new Escape has been totally remade from its earlier version, with all new engines, sheet metal and technology. I was initially interested in the top of the line Titanium version of this SUV, which comes with Ford’s 2.0 liter Ecoboost engine, and a convenience package the includes an automatic rear lift gate (pass your foot under the rear bumper), all power leather front seats, keyless entry with exterior touchpad, and MyFord Touch/Sync. There is an amazing amount of new auto technology in this car, but not without some problems. The Ecoboost engine, especially the 1.6 liter, has been subject to recalls, and the MyFord Touch system has been finicky.

The car I drove was in perfect condition and I had no problem with the touch screen technology (which includes a backup camera, voice commands and navigation). I was bothered by two issues though; the windshield had a tunnel effect that I was not overly pleased with, and the front seats were very hard. Ultimately, the price would be the main source of my displeasure, however. With all of these amenities the price of the car is over $34,000 list. It’s a steep price.

I kept all this in mind as I saved money for the down payment. In mid-December I was ready and returned with my wife to test drive again the car and start negotiations. She drove it and was displeased with the seats, the handling and the price, all legitimate concerns. Additionally, we were not pleased with the dealership’s offer of only $2500 for my trade. We needed more and they did come up $500. But it was still not enough.

The main problem was the cost of the car, which was too high for the money I wanted to put down ($3000) with my trade. I wanted to keep monthly payments around $550 and no more than 48 months. That was not going to happen with an Escape Titanium. Other models in this series were not as appealing and I felt were still overpriced. I also did not want that troublesome 1.6 liter engine, which at last account was subject to four recalls in 2012 for fires and other issues.

We went at this for three hours and we would not budge; there was no way that we were going to go down this road again without a car equipped the way we wanted, so we finally walked out. Scott was great in this whole process. I have no ill words to say about the salesmanship or professionalism that he exhibited. Both were top notch. We just could not agree on a price and terms.

I had also been watching reviews on line of the Mazda CX-5, a new model from the tires up. Mazda had been a longtime partner of Ford, and had in fact re-badged the former Ford Escape as the Mazda Tribute. Mazda though stated that its new CX-5 shared no components with any Ford products. My blood was up, so I visited the Mazda dealership (all in the Holmes-Tuttle/Jim Click companies) a few days later and drove the car.

I came away very impressed with the handling and the controls; while it came with a touch screen and backup camera (which I wanted), the package was simpler and easy to use on the go. Hands free telephone and voice commands were standard, as well as keyless entry, power driver seats and blind spot warning system. Seats were a high quality cloth in the mid-level model that I was interested in (Touring), and they were prepared to cut me a teacher’s deal of $1500 off the sticker price, which was $27,500 and change). There were no rebates offered at the time I bought.

The car only comes with a 2.0 liter 155 horsepower four, mated to either a six-speed manual or 6-speed automatic (which can be shifted manually). Most car magazines have not been extremely happy with the power, but Mazda calls this engine SkyActive, meaning that weight has been shed as a concept from the ground up to make this engine quick enough and fuel efficient, at 26-31 mph in an even mix of driving.

My wife had been worn out by the negotiations with Ford earlier in the week, so she told me to handle it on my own. We did have a lively text-conversation through this negotiation, but essentially she said stay with our original requirements, if I could. My trade still brought me only $2500 but they threw in a Sirius/XM radio and installation at cost ($140), allowing me to buy this add-on in cash rather than financing, so I finally said yes with her blessings.

I took delivery on December 15th and have been nothing but pleased with the CX-5 since. It is not overly powerful, yet it is quick. If I need the transmission to shift faster I can always throw it into manual and it scoots. Above all I am most pleased with the gas mileage, a main reason for ditching my old Ford. I’m getting 30.4 mph on regular at this writing. I’ve only had to fill up once since buying the car. I can’t beat that with a stick.

As far as room and comfort is concerned, I find it as roomy as my old truck up front, though I wish the arm rest was just a little be higher and longer. I can still get a tissue box, sunglasses, keys, pens and miscellaneous items in there. There is also a USB port, aux jack and DC power port in the storage bin, all nice to have.

Rear seating is about average for this class; there is more leg room than the Escape, but other SUV’s do boast slightly more. I don’t carry many passengers, so it doesn’t matter much to me. The rear seats fold flat for carrying cargo without much trouble.

Most of the materials up front are high quality and soft touch, though there are a few hard surfaces. I really wanted leather seats, but the cloth in my new car is very excellent quality and should hold up. Leather seats in Arizona are a mixed blessing. They look great, but they are also very painful after sitting in the 100 degree heat and sun a full day in the summer. Interior temps can reach 130 degrees. Try sitting on leather with shorts on after your car has been outside all day in those conditions!

I had the option of buying a car with a moon roof, but those have never appealed for me. Besides they tend to rob a bit of headroom. What I am missing most is a rearview mirror with auto dimming feature, as well as ambient lighting in the foot wells at night, as my old vehicle was equipped with, and a cargo cover. It’s no big deal though, because I can add them as accessories very easily during the coming months, and I will.

The bottom line here is that I paid less and at a lower rate and term for this vehicle than my Ford Explorer Sport Trac 9 years ago. I’ll conclude by saying that my buying experience was protracted, yet ultimately far less stressful than what I expected. You can get mostly what you want if you resolve to hold out and not give in to the ‘falling in love” syndrome that many car buyers do. If you do, you’ll be taken. Most professional car sales people are truly trying to help, even if they are looking out for their best interests. Shop around for the best rates (as we did) and stick to your guns!

A Lighter, Healthier Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo

I absolutely love shrimp gumbo, but it doesn’t love my waistline because of the heavy oil and flour based roux that is the basis of the dish. I mean without the roux, what do you have? You have soup, of course. But what can be done to simulate the silky texture of that roux without all of its heaviness?

If you are a purist when it comes to Gumbo, probably nothing can be done. But without feeling guilty about it (and paying the price with a scale going in the wrong direction) I wanted to taste something approaching this great food without worrying and fretting, so I tried this take recently. Note that there is no sausage in my version. Smoked pork sausage would add too much fat, and to me smoked turkey sausage only adds bulk, but not much flavor, so I left it out. You may of course use these meats as an option. In Weight Watchers point values, my version is only 6 quality points, so it’s a win for me.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cooked, roasted skinless chicken breast, medium dice
4 oz. raw shrimp shelled and deveined (or other shellfish if you have it)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, low sodium
½ cup tomato paste, low sodium
1 cup chicken stock, low sodium
1 cup water, divided
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup okra, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ chop fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. your favorite Creole spice
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp. Liquid Smoke
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce (optional)
Dash salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS

In a medium heavy pot, heat the oil over medium high heat, until it begins to shimmer. Pour in the chopped vegetables, except the parsley and sauté until the onions are clear. Season this layer with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and stir for an additional minute, then add the canned tomatoes, chicken stock and half the water. Now add in the cooked chicken and make slurry with the remaining water and cornstarch, pouring it into the pot and stirring. Season with the creole spices, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce if desired, reduce heat and simmer until mixture begins to thicken. At the end toss in the shrimp and chopped parsley, stir and turn off heat,letting it rest covered for 10 minutes. Serve immediately afterward.

The dish can be served over brown rice, but that will add calories without necessarily enhancing taste. It’s hearty and filling as is, and won't throw your diet all out of whack. Give it a try!

Weight Watchers Update

Boy, I'm so behind here in updates! Thus far, I am about 15 pounds on the good side after seven weeks of following the Weight Watchers For Men system. Honestly, I don't know how I have lost this weight because I have not been working out as I should, and I have eaten what I want. But the scale does not lie. What I am doing is following my daily points very closely (and being honest about it).

That is the key, because if you can accurately account for what you eat (and it's simple if you login daily online) it becomes easy to manage what you are eating. I'm also making use of many of the recipes on the site and posting a few of my own and sharing as well.

The secret to all of this is simply portion control! Measure your portions and stick to it. We overeat as a society as if it's a virtue; indeed we believe that restaurants that serve oversize portions are good values, and patronize them enthusiastically. I've nothing against a dining good value for my hard earned dollar, but I'm also realizing that what may be good for my wallet may not be so good for my belly, and as an extension, my health and well-being.

So what do you do when eating out at Claim Jumpers or Cheesecake Factory, for example? Look for menu items that are not fried, or if you must, don't feel compelled to eat every thing on your plate. Some of those servings are really three or four meals in one. Ask for that doggie bag and take home a portion!

Alcohol consumption is hidden calories that we don't often consider. Two glasses of wine, innocuous to say the least, can equal a whole meal in calories. Add a beer or two and dessert and your meal is now equal to several days worth of calories. Our problem is that we don't think of the cost as we consume the calories, then regret them later when those clothes we just bought suddenly are too tight.

Using the Weight Watchers system, I have become acutely aware of what I'm eating. Really, I don't feel starved or deprived at all. I'm eating what I want, mindful of the fat, carb and cholesterol content, and feeling quite satisfied. A big test was the Thanksgiving holiday, an opportunity to throw caution to the wind, as most of us do. I came out of this long weekend by losing a pound and a half, and I ate my fair share, not feeling deprived at all.

I'm not delusional in thinking I'm there. There is a long way to go in order to meet my long term targets and I know it. But now I have a system and a way to cope with the setbacks along the way. I'm confident that I will meet those targets and maintain afterward!

Italian Lentil and Rosemary Soup

I've managed to lose about 10 pounds in the past month on WeightWatchers for Men, mostly by portion control, cutting out chips, fatty foods and amending recipes we use normally to reduce the fat and salt content. I have a long way to go but I am feeling good in my goal of taking off two to three pounds per week, with recipes such as the one below that I created and converted to WeightWatchers Quality Points. It's easy to make and very satisfying to the palate. It was dinner this evening!

Prep: about 30 minutes
Cook Time: One Hour
Points Value Per Serving (1-1/2 cups, each or 8 servings total): 4

Ingredients

1 cup cooked lentils (in 4 cups lightly salted water, about 30 minutes or until soft)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 strips diced bacon (optional)
1 small uncooked onion(s), minced
1 cup celery, minced
1 cup carrot, minced
1 cup red bell pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp rosemary, minced or crushed if dried
1 tsp bay leaf, 2 leaves
14 oz canned stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
dash salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Optional Italian season spice mix, favorite
1 tsp olive oil
1 quart of vegetable stock, low sodium

Directions

Pre-cook the lentils in a medium sauce pan with about 4 cups of water for 30 minutes, or until the lentils become soft. Drain and set aside. In a large stock pot over medium heat saute the diced bacon in the olive oil until rendered and pour in the minced vegetables. Cook until the onions are clear. Add the lentils and stir to incorporate.

Now pour in the stock, tomatos and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for one hour. Extract the bay leaves and serve with a green salad drizzled lightly with olive oil and balasamic vinegar.

Working Through Weight and Health Concerns

I’ve had fair to middling success as a person who diets once a year or so, usually when that belt cinch starts running out of holes. I do watch what I eat and drink, mostly, but my main culprit is low metabolism. It has always been that way; I’m as energetic as I need to be at work, but once I hit that garage door button coming home I can feel everything draining away. All I want to do is to relax, put my feet up and watch the news or sports.

And it has gotten worse as I have grown older. It is a lament I think most middle age people have to deal with on a daily basis. Along with that loss of energy, we often have aches and pains from arthritis and damaged joints to contend with as well. That makes some types of high-impact exercise a thing to avoid. With me it is knee, shoulder and lower back pains that are of concern. If I ignore them they all have a way of reminding me that they have not gone away! I’ve of course talked to my doctors about this in my yearly exams. There have been some good (and one not so good) remedies that have been prescribed. I’ll talk about the latest shortly.

My blood panels always come back within very good boundaries, so low testosterone levels, which are currently a popular culprit, cannot be looked at; my T levels are normal for my age. One doctor put me on Phentermine a few years back for three months. These pills are “uppers”. They actually work by jacking up your metabolism. Good luck though if you want to sleep at all at night. I really did lose 45 pounds in those ninety days, but it all came right back when I came off the pills because my body’s metabolism normalized. I was very happy to finish the course too, despite the weight gain, because the medicine made me feel like a caged tiger all day long. I felt like I was drinking a cup of coffee every thirty minutes all day long. It also caused mild heart palpitations. The palpitations were harmless in my case, but also very, very scary. Scratch that method of weight loss!

I’ve always been involved in a fitness program or one type or another. When I was younger I lifted weights. I still enjoy working with weights, but have to be mindful of damaging my shoulders again. Rotator cuff surgery recovery is no laughing matter. I have changed over to fitness bands of late. They can work muscles even more effectively. Damage to joints and tendons using weights most often comes not in the lift, but in the recovery after the lift. Using a good set of bands eliminates the recovery move stress.

Knowing all of this, I spoke at my last check up to my doctor again and this time we are taking a different approach. Because soreness in my lower back really bothers me in workouts, she decided to take a proactive approach and prescribed eight sessions of physical therapy. She also endorsed WeightWatchers for Men as a way to change and manage my lifestyle and to get feedback and encouragement from people like me all over the country. I was hesitant at first, because I thought it was about buying all of this bland, tasteless food and having it delivered to my door.

It turned out it wasn’t like that at all; I could follow thousands of their recipes online each week or incorporate my own into the program. That appealed to me, since anyone who follows this blog knows how much we love to cook. The WeightWatchers system assigns points to foods and offers many suggestions for meals throughout the day. It’s also available as a mobile app, so it is easy to make notes of foods you eat throughout the day.

The first road to health for me is taking care of my back pain. The physical therapy sessions have been very good. Stretching and exercises tailored to recruit other back muscles have really helped and of late there have been days in which I have no back pain at all. That I love. It has also inspired me, along with encouragement from WeightWatchers, to return to a daily program of exercise.

I’m back into using my bands, light weights, recumbent bike and treadmill. We have all of that equipment at home already (Linda stays very fit using it daily), so there was nothing for me to buy. The stretching and PT exercises don’t even call for equipment, so there is really no excuse, now that I have a strategy for dealing with my lower back issues.

My first week on the plan has paid off; I lost five pounds without really altering much at all in my dietary regimen. We generally don’t each much fried foods, stay away from fast foods and other fatty foods, and do incorporate fruits and vegetables in our meals. Alcohol we have always kept limited, but the program does not eliminate it completely. I’ll have to keep you updated as I go through the initial 13-week course, but so far it is working and I feel much better already!

A New Hobby For Me!

I admit it, I am a tech geek! But the problem with that for me is that I half understand the concepts, just start to get used to equipment and then something new comes out. I get frustrated easily. Take music editing, for example. I am a musician and educator, so it would seem quite natural for me to be involved with recording studio principles. Yes, I have some audio equipment, and have had some minor successes, but it seems as if the technology constantly changes and there is always a new gizmo to own, whether it programs, computers, hardware ... you get my drift. It also gets very expensive very quickly.

I also have always enjoyed photography, but have had so little time for it with work and my other interests, which include of course includes writing and blogging. Recently I decided to upgrade my old camera with a new Nikon DSLR and also to take a few online classes. It's a whole new world to me; that world is so full of sights that we take for granted or never even notice. With this new hobby i have found myself taking far more interest in the environment around me; plants, wildlife, clouds, rock formations and lighting effects.

I'm learning how to adjust aperture and shutter settings to bring the spectacular out of the mundane. Here for example is an inexpensive water fountain on my wife's desk. It's just a collection of plastic tube with a few rocks and water highlighted by an LED light kit. Open up the aperture and slow down the shutter speed and textures you never imagined come into play:

As I get better I will be posting more pictures that I have composed here and on Facebook. It's a fun avocation and while it too can be pricey (some of those telephoto lenses can cost $1200 or more), you can easily build a nice portfolio with about a $700 initial investment. Brand loyalty I'm not in to. Canon makes great cameras as well (plus a few others). You don't have to spend a fortune either. Classes? Man, here is so much free stuff on the internet that I don't know if it is possible to absorb it all. Grab a camera and start experimenting!

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms

This dish is a combination of several recipes that I have run across over time. Sunday we were fretting over what to make for Sunday dinner and of course fried chicken comes to mind as a traditional kind of meal. So we decided to take a different angle on this dish and braise it with onions and mushrooms.

Ingredients

2 chicken breast halves, butterflied
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp milk
1 small onion, diced
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 oz. vodka
2 tsp paprika
1/4 stick of butter (about 2 tbsps.)
tsp of olive oil
chopped parsley sprigs
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Beat the eggs and milk together until mixed well in a shallow dish, season with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of paprika. On a plate or shallow tray mix the flour and remaining paprika, salt and pepper together. Heat a large cast iron skillet and melt the butter with the olive oil. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and coat with flour on both sides. Shake off the excess and fry in the skillet for 3-4 minutes a side.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a rack or paper towel to drain. Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet and saute lightly until the onions are clear. I also like to season the vegetables at this time with salt and pepper, too. While the vegetables are cooking combine the chicken stock, vodka and lemon juice with the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved in a bowl. Add the chicken back into the skillet and pour the stock and vodka mixture over the top. Reduce heat and cover for about 30 minutes.

This dish goes great with a rice variety, green vegetable or salad and a glass of Chardonnay!

Protecting the Precious Gift of Hearing

I'm a high school music teacher and musician; my hearing is not only a gift, but a vital part of my job. Hearing loss for me is a serious matter (as it should be for anyone) that not only would affect my lifestyle, but my livelihood.

For years I have worked in high volume environments; band and orchestra rehearsals and concerts, jazz band sessions, and teaching wind and percussion players on all instruments. There was a study a few years back that found the noise level of a marching band in an enclosed room was the equivalent of a 747 jet engine. No one would subject their ears to a jet engine unless they had to as part of their job, yet as a teacher and performer I have done that for years unwittingly.

Yes, I have used earplugs. There are some decent ones on the market, yet most are uncomfortable and I have found that they actually block sounds that I need to hear. And some don't block enough sound. Unfortunately I have therefore worn them indifferently, using them only as an afterthought. The toll on my hearing has been measurable.

About two months ago I noticed static white noise in both my ears, which grew louder as my environment became softer. This noise is full-time and constant. I self-diagnosed Tinnitus after doing online research, becoming dismayed at the prospect of cure (there is none, in reality). Armed with this background information I sought the medical advise of a doctor, and I was administered a comprehensive hearing exam very recently.

The Tinnitus in my ears is caused by the loss of signal between my ears and my brain. I have about a 35% loss of hearing in one ear in the low frequencies and 25% in the other in the high frequencies. I find that I sometimes miss the beginnings and or ends of conversations, when our voices naturally tail off in volume. I'll soon be fitted with a hearing aid to hopefully correct this deficit.

I am actually amazed at the new technology that is available to correct hearing now. Gone are those clunky devices that look like you are growing a third ear in the back of your head! In their place are sleek digital devices that filter, amplify and enhance the hearing experience. Many are even Blue Tooth enabled, opening connectivity possibilities with all sorts of other devices, including phones, pads and audio players.

With these new features of course comes cost, which is considerable, and most health insurances don't automatically cover them. Price range is anywhere from $1100 to $4000. depending on the make, features and how it is worn. The bottom line for everyone is simply this; we are subject in our everyday lives to so much noise pollution - loud TV's, sound systems, car stereos and personal audio devices. Everyone needs to become aware of the potential damage that could be done to our ears, and to make sure they get annual hearing checks. I didn't do this and so now I have to deal with the added expense of buying a hearing aid and hope that I don't suffer any significant additional hearing loss. Lesson learned.

Mexicali Pork Chops

I found a really good recipe on Allrecipes.com the other day and was thinking about it this weekend, when my better half, reading my mind, came home from the store with four pork cutlets. The recipe looked good but looked fairly bland for our tastes, so I notched up the heat and spice a little with the Anaheim peppers, chipotle powder and cumin (highlighted ingredient list), turning it into something indeed very tasty. Of course the dish will be fine with just the salt and pepper if you are not fond of those spices. I didn't have any today, but a finishing the dish with a few sprigs of cilantro would also be wonderful!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Hatch or Anaheim chili, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 1 cup whole kernel corn
• ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 4 thick cut butterflied pork chops
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, Anaheim pepper, and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and corn and continue to sauté for 5 more minutes. Pour this mixture into a 9x9 inch baking dish.

3. Melt the remaining butter or margarine in the same skillet over medium heat. Season and add the pork chops and sauté for 2 minutes per side, then place the chops in the baking dish over the vegetable mixture and cover with aluminum foil.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes, or until internal pork temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Camp Chili

I’ve posted chili recipes before, but this one, excerpted from a website selling cast iron cookware, was a little different because it did not make use of tomato sauce, beans or green peppers. It’s meant to be prepared in a cast iron Dutch oven out of doors, but heck folks, it was just too hot and humid for that today, so I used an electric cooktop and a hard anodized aluminum pot rather than cast iron. The result was still phenomenal. Oh and I used ground beef, as called for as an option.

“Chili is great for parties-whether it’s cool outside or not. You can always freeze leftovers in various sized bags to pop in a microwave oven for a quick meal. Coarsely chopping your own steak makes a heartier chili; you can always substitute hamburger meat.

Ingredients

7 to 8 pounds round steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound thick-sliced bacon, chopped
4 cups diced onions
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cloves garlic, crushed
4 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
8 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
4 cups beef stock

Preparation Directions

1. Brown bacon in large cast iron dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions before bacon is done and continue browning until onions are soft. Dip bacon and onions out.

2. Dredge meat in flour, salt and pepper. Place in Dutch oven, stirring continuously until beef is browned. Return cooked bacon and onions to pan; add garlic. Stir and brown 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add ground cumin, paprika, peppers, tomatoes, beef stock and enough water to cover completely. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer from 2 ½ hours or until tender, stirring occasionally, adding a little water as needed.”

Excerpted from BBB, Biscuits & Beans by Bill Cauble and Cliff Teinart – bright sky press

Mars Science Laboratory

At 10:31 PDT on August 5th the latest unmanned rover, Curiosity, will land in Gale Crater on Mars after a nine-month voyage to the Red Planet. Following a harrowing, complicated seven minute ride to the surface (Google the NASA video "Seven Minutes of Hell", Curiosity will join a family of other rovers that are investigating Mars for the possibility of life on the planet, past and present. What makes Gale, a crater more than ninety miles across and has a central peak three miles high, interesting is that there are vast areas within the crater in which it appears that sub-layers have been exposed by wind and probably water at some time. This vehicle, the size of a car, is a hardy device that is hoped will be successful in traversing and some rugged and chaotic terrain while carrying out many scientific experiments and procedures.

I have always been fascinated by space; I can recall the later Mercury manned flights (Scott Carpenter and Gordon Cooper) and nearly all of the Gemini program flights. I followed all of the Apollo missions and the later unmanned flights to Mars and beyond. As a kid I would look up at the stars at night and wonder who was doing the same thing around all those countless stars. So with that said you know where to find me on Sunday night - online and viewing the video NASA will stream. I for one wish that "Seven Minutes of Hell" turns into a joyous celebration when Curiosity sends back that much awaited signal - "I'm OK!", or whatever the signal is that NASA is expecting!

An Open Letter to Jalapeno Peppers

Dear jalapeno pepper, what has happened to your spice? There was a time when you were the pepper of choice for the adventurous in all of us; the mere thought of a bite on a ring of your fire would send us crashing through the refrigerator for a glass of milk to quench your rage.

You were the star of so many great Mexican and Tex Mex dishes too; tacos, chili, burgers, salads, salsa, chips, for the more conventional, to ice cream for the more unconventional of us. It was all enough to get us reaching from our Tums to be sure! But sadly, you seem to have lost your touch, your ability to terrify. More often than not a bite out of you these days hardly has enough sting to remind us that you are a jalapeno and not the ubiquitous green pepper.

So who do we turn to now in order to satisfy our cravings for heat? Serrano peppers are the easy choice, but they don’t seem to quite have your flavor, despite packing a little more wallop. Of course you have cousins in Hatch peppers, Anchos and the like too. There are all kinds of Asian peppers too that can easily surpass the heat index requirement, if not the taste. And the same can be said for the Scotch Bonnet pepper; but again it’s heat without your flavor.

So what shall we do? I suppose the best bet, until you come to your senses and start showing your true nature, is to mix you with Serranos, to get their punch and your distinct flavor. Is that a deal?

*** UPDATE ***

Vegetable Chili

I wanted a variation of our favorite beef chili, a little lighter and without a trace of animal product. I came up with this simple recipe that tastes so good! The only thing that I would add (and did) would be cold beer and cheesy biscuits!





Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped (you can seed them, but I leave them in)
2 zucchinis, quartered, skin on
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
1 tablespoon cumin
11/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 bottle of beer
2 cups vegetable stock
2 14 oz cans low sodium beans, any variety
2 14 oz cans crushed tomatoes, low sodium
dash and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and saute until the onions are clear. Salt and pepper. Pour in the broth, beans, crushed tomatoes, and beer. Add the spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese and piping hot biscuits.

Health Care Debate is No Debate When It Hits Home

With the Supreme Court decision due this week on "ObamaCare" everyone has an opinion as to whether the law will stand, be modified, gutted or overturned. And because it's a presidential election year it's a hot button. My goal here is not to enter the argument, because nothing that I say will change anyone's mind one way or another. And I have no desire to do thst. You'll have your own opinion, just like I have mine.

I simply wish to relay a recent anecdotal personal experience which convinces me that provisions of the law are working for my family in a way that we could not have foreseen just a week ago. The story involves my son, a young man of 25 who, like many young people today, is gainfully, but under employed in a retail job while working toward his dream of becoming a recording/film industry sound engineer. That career involves specialized training that is very time consuming and expensive, but it's where he wants to be in his life in five years. Of course we support that goal and have done what we can as parents to see that he reaches his goal.

He's been laid off from time to time in this economic environment and we have had no problem with him moving back home as he saves for the education that he will need. Because of the new law we were able to extend our own healthcare coverage to include him to age 26, even through he is no longer a dependent. We never thought that he would need that insurance because he's healthy and young - until last week.

We noticed a swelling under his right temple about three weeks ago that became pronounced and appeared to involve his eye. We urged him to have this checked out at Urgent Care, which he did last Thursday night after work. He was hospitalized immediately because of high blood pressure, which he never knew he had, and the alarming appearance of this swelling. MRI and CT Scan imaging revealed a tumor which is very likely a sarcoma of some type under the temporalis muscle and involving his skull. To date we are awaiting a pathology report based upon a biopsy to determine the next steps, which obviously must involve surgical removal of the mass and follow-up treatments for the surgery and hypertension.

My point in relating this story is that my son was not under any healthcare coverage because he could not afford it - until "ObamaCare" enabled us to include him on our policy. That extension is valid until he turns 26 in October. The cost of this current hospitalization, and required surgery will be well over $100K by the time he is restored to full health. Since our state has changed its laws on public health care, he would have been either denied any medical services or placed into a debt situation that would have changed forever his career plans.

People can say what they want, but our family is grateful that the law allowed us to do what we could to help. People are often against things politically until it impacts them or their families positively or negatively. I am certainly not one who likes the ideas of mandates, more taxes, or government regulations, but some things are just too important to ignore and leave to the status quo. If you are in a position to write $100,000 health checks at a pop like some politicians are that's great. We are not in that tax bracket.

***Update***

So the Affordable Care Act is now the law of the land. Let the spin on both sides of the issue begin, and my are they spinning! After a time all of this becomes white noise to me because the talking heads have their talking points, few of which have anything to do with the real world and what affects me and my family.

What I know is that we have already benefited from provisions of ACA and at least for the next few months will continue to do so, until our son turns age 26 in October. Until then he is covered under our insurance and will have his medical situation handled under that policy. As a side-note he has been diagnosed with a form of Valley Fever; we are extremely relieved that this lesion is now considered an inflammation and not a tumor. Any damage caused by the inflammation will heal with the administration of the proper medication.

There are some six million young people, college students to young working adults, who are positively impacted by this provision. I won't argue the "tax" implications of this law because the politicians will do that. We will always be taxed in this country. That's the price of freedom. If taxes were levied fairly we wouldn't be having these arguments. And as far as big government is concerned we all complain about it - until we truly need big government.

The Loss of the Art of Dialogue

We have lost the ability to communicate with one another in public and private in a meaningful way. We don’t really talk to one another much at all anymore – we talk at each other, often in the non-verbal, cryptic digital-speak of cell phones, tablets and small personal laptops used in social media.

Such practice seems to have allowed us to speak in deprecating terms of other people (‘dissing”) as easily as blowing one’s nose – because it is all so impersonal. Labels such as “bitch, ‘hoe’” and other distasteful and profane epitaphs, once heard only in a rare heated argument now are common place and have entered everyday vernacular.

It goes without saying that civility in our politics has lost its way too. Our political discourse is now marked by a scorched earth, winner-take-all mentality. We can no longer disagree without disrespecting or even destroying divergent thought. Just this week the president was in the Rose Garden announcing a major policy change on immigration. He had barely begun to make his statement when a reporter rudely interrupted him, evidently intent on preventing the president from finishing his remarks.

Whether you agree with Mr. Obama’s politics or not is not the point. The reporter had an obligation, based on common courtesy, to let the president finish his statement before getting his hand up for questions from the press pool. And that is only if the president was willing to take questions. Recall also the State of the Union address when the president was heckled by Rep. Joe Wilson. There is no excuse for this behavior, yet it is rampant in common culture, and thus it is permitted.

Obligation, I say? Absolutely; civil people listen to what others say first, and when appropriate or invited they respond. This is called interpersonal dialogue. My contention is the digital age takes away this dimension. Social media promotes talking at people and cultural-political topics but it never permits the in-depth emotional tie-in that an old fashioned personal conversation holds. We text people as much as we actually call them, and this is lamentable situation.

Civility and expressions of courtesy work hand in hand. How often have you heard the response “no problem” (NP in text-speak) to your “thank you” in stores and restaurants. What happened to “you are welcome?” You were not intentionally making a “problem” for the employee by patronizing the business. You were expressing appreciation for good service. “No problem” is irrelevant and does not communicate a proper response, yet I hear it all the time.

This might seem a specious argument to some but it does bother me. I fear that we are also being increasingly non-verbal in our personal lives. The saddest scenario that I can think of is an image of two people sitting on a sofa next to each other texting one another. It seems ludicrous to think of something like that but it happens all the time. It’s no wonder why relationships founder so frequently – we just don’t take the time out to talk to each other anymore, and when we do it’s often ugly, rude and impersonal. What do you think?

It's Summer Time - Let's Barbecue!!

Yep, it's that time of year when most people think of cookouts and barbecue. I saw a statistic recently that 71% of all households have some type of grill to prepare barbecue, and half of those use their grills all year long. We don't do it as much, but then we have been working hard at cutting down on our meat consumption anyway. Still, 'tis the season, so here I re-post my most favorite sauce of all - Mutha Sauce. It beats that stuff in the glass (or plastic) jars everyday, and twice on Sunday!

"Mutha" Sauce

This sauce requires a lot of ingredients and can be served chunky style or you can puree it and make it smooth should you desire, but it just might be the only BBQ sauce that you will use this summer! It will make about six or seven cups. It is rich! You can reduce or eliminate the oil if you are looking to reduce your fat intake (I usually cut the oil back to a tablespoon).

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced green pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
pinch kosher salt
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 can (28 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tbsp Liquid Smoke

In a large saucepan, pour in the oil. Set over medium high heat. Toss in the onions, green peppers and jalapeno and give them a stir. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until soft, but do not burn. Add the garlic and cook one minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the Liquid Smoke. Bring to a boil, then lower heat so the sauce simmers. Simmer for 10 minutes. Swirl in the Liquid Smoke and let the sauce cool. It will be chunky at this point. If you desire a smooth sauce, run the sauce in batches through a blender. Pour into glass Mason jars or other glass container and cover tightly. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 6-7 cups of excellent sauce. It also makes great gifts and will keep for weeks!

Chicken Chili!

We love those supermarket rotisserie chickens; so much flavor and so many uses for the meat. But sometimes when we buy one and strip off the chicken from the bone we find that there is just too much chicken for one or two dishes. It’s great for soups, salads casseroles and the like, and still there is leftover meat. What to do with it?

We had that situation this week and came with a quick chicken chili that turned out awesome – flavorful, spicy, filling, yet not very heavy in terms of oil. It’s simple and tasty. Here’s what we did:

Chicken Chili

2-3 cups roasted chicken, stripped from the bone and cut into bite-sized pieces (chicken skin discarded)
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ cup diced yellow onions
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers
3 cloves garlic, minced
Sprig of cilantro, chopped
2 cups chicken stock (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in water)
1-14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2-14 oz. cans of white beans, drained
1 cup white wine
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp. salt (if using bouillon, cut this to ½ tsp.
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
Sour cream

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and toss in all of the chopped vegetables except the garlic and cilantro. Sauté until the onions are clear, then add the garlic and cook another minute. Pour in the diced chicken and mix gently, so as not to shred the already cooked chicken.

When the chicken is heated through (about 3 – 4 minutes) add all of the wet ingredients, stirring to incorporate. Next, season with the dry ingredients and continue stirring, testing for salt and spice level. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Finish with the chopped cilantro and serve in a bowl with a tortilla chip and a dollop of sour cream!

Oh and just to be a little naughty we served this with cheddar biscuits! That recipe is on this blog.

Part II of My School Year Reflections 2011-12

In November we opened our Winter Arts Concert with this performance from our middle school choir, their first public performance in over 5 years, which was the last time that there was a vocal program at SMS. I had originally given this medley to the choir just to sight-read and challenge them a little, since it really is a high school pops piece. Darn it if they didn't fall in love with the music straight away! So there was no choice but to use it in their fall concert:



I wish we could bottle all of this energy and save it for when they are older and lethargic in school!

Annual School Year Reflections 2011-12

I am so far behind in updates here, but I have good reasons: I was busy teaching! Indeed it was a good year, though filled with uncertainty and new experiences. There are always lots of things to gripe about in the workplace, and for certain in public education, but I won't use these pages to do that, because I'd only be repeating what is being said all over the media about funding, test scores, student achievement, job security ..... the list goes on.

Rather, I'd like to celebrate my students' achievements this year in my small musical world - and they were many. Our challenges were also many; in my high school vocal music program we lost one of our best senior choir classes in spring 2011 to graduation. These kids were motivated and will be destined for greatness. Many enrolled in collegiate music studies and had fine years as freshmen. So I knew that my vocalists had a hard act to follow. In addition, our jazz program also suffered key losses of high quality all-state type students due to graduation and the new, younger students enrolled I felt had a big challenge ahead of them. I felt that over all this would be a rebuilding year, and once in which I might just be rebuilding for the new high school on our district, since some of my remaining students would be transferring there in the fall of 2012-13.

There were other challenges for me as well. I accepted 6/5 time status because our middle school principal had a strong desire to start a choral program at her school, after a five plus year absence. None of the seven other teachers in our district wanted to take on this assignment, so I volunteered; the program was going to feed into my high school choir anyway, so why not? There were problems, of course. Since there was only one period that it could be offered, the class was huge (50 plus students), and grades 6-8 were lumped together. And the added work load and loss of a prep period was staggering, until I was able to manage it by starting my day at 5:30 am each day. I had a zero period class too, so I went from 7:15-3:00 daily, with break for lunch and short 20 minute respite before traveling over to the middle school campus at the end of the day. I never really valued prep periods that much until I no longer had one!

Because of this workload, I was fairly intense all year long. My students responded in kind, and so many great things transpired, including a successful re-launch of the SMS choir, a great mid-winter vocal show, a back-to-back Heritage Festival trip to Anaheim (I have never done back-to-back trips out of state before over two years), and rapid maturity of my jazz ensemble. Those students in particular were phenomenal. The expected weakness of the rhythm section turned into a strength, with two enormously talented seniors stepping up on guitar and bass.

The good news began with an early winter concert on November 18th, before Thanksgiving. My middle school group went crazy over a 15-minute Mamma Mia/Abba tribute that we had started working on in the fall, but we had no place for them to perform it except on our high school concert. It went over great with the high school audience and I was so happy for these young students, most of whom had never performed in public before. They capped off their year with a fine performance at the middle school's spring concert. The kids had matured so much since that November showing, musically, physically and emotionally. It is so rewarding to see kids grow so rapidly. It wasn't an easy year dealing with such a large class of first year middle school choir students, but by the end we were getting across what was essential for musical growth. Such a fine collection of great young voices! And so energetic too!

My high school choir seniors had requested a return trip to Anaheim in the spring for our advanced group, called Chorale. The balance of this group was a problem, with not enough quality male voices enrolled; there was no way they would achieve anything near the sound I felt they could achieve with out using some singers from our Mixed Choir, a lesser experienced class that met at a different time of day. It was that group which made the greatest strides.

Once both classes understood that only be working together would they get the results that everybody wanted, things went much better. Students did the work at home, stayed after school, worked in sectionals, and even organized rehearsals at home with kids who lived nearby to get the job done. The first indicator or things to come was our Broadway Revue show, "A Night to Remember", staged on February 3rd. Turnout was great, and I think we were all amazed at how smooth the show really went. Our seniors really took charge and our underclassmen were willing to be led. The end result was a great show. The box office was nice too; this was the catalyst for the funding needed to get back to Heritage in May 2012. A tune-up at the Eastern Arizona College Large Ensemble Festival yielded great results in April and confirmed that we were on the right track. We were pleased with the results in Anaheim, though I felt that they had sung better in the warm-up. Still a silver award in their category (30 other choirs) was not a bad showing!

Our jazz students had a year to remember too, performing well at its winter concert, a paid performance at the local Jazz For Fun event in Green Valley, the Chandler-Gilbert CC Jazz Festival, the ABODA Area Jazz Festival (in which it qualified for State), and the State Jazz Festival, earning a high score there. But it saved its best performance I thought for The Spring Arts Concert in our auditorium, bringing the house down.

I had thought that this band would have to settle for playing grade 2-3 charts this year, because I anticipated this to be a developing year. But I found quickly that this band loved and needed to be challenged. Consequently I was able to use much more difficult materiel, including some Mingus charts. They did a wonderful job on these numbers, and proved to be very teachable with respect to the specific jazz styled that were presented with each new chart. They did all that I could ask of them, despite being short-handed all year long in the trumpet section.

Here are some sounds and sights in video highlights that were posted on Youtube throughout the year:

Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza

Pizza in Chicago is an experience unto itself. Forget the bread-like pan pizzas that you can get from the chain pizza purveyors; only real Chicago-style pizza cuts it here!

So what is it? First there is the semantics; Chicago Pizza is either deep dish or stuffed pizza, based upon the Chicago restaurant you are visiting. At it's essence, deep-dish pizza is dough pulled up into a high-sided round pan, over olive oil and and cornmeal. The secret is that the dough, once pulled up the sides of the pan, is parbaked to give the dough greater spring. Then and only then are the toppings added, beginning with the cheese - healthy slices of mozzarella usually to cover the whole bottom of the pie. And now what is added is the tomato sauce, sausage, pepperoni, extra cheeses or veggies. Otherwise, you end up with a soggy pizza. Indeed the dough is almost fried in the oil and cornmeal coating, resulting in a crunch but thick crust. I think the crust is almost as good as the pie itself.

Stuffed pizza differs in that a second layer of dough is added to the pizza after the cheeses and toppings have been layered on. The second dough layer is then covered with tomato sauce and whatever else you have ordered. In the photo at the left you see a deep dish pizza from Uno's. The photo on the right is a stuffed pizza from Giordano's.

In either case, you end up with a savory, thick and gooey pizza that you must eat with a fork and knife. Brooklyn style roll-up pizza? Fugettabboutit! If you see anybody rolling the pizza up (and if you can, well you have a mouth way too big and worthy of a Guinness Record), forgive them, for they know not what they do!

When in Chicago, most people gravitate to Uno's or Due's (sister restaurants) downtown, Giordano's, Lou Malnati's. Gino's East, Edwardo's or Connie's Pizza, but wherever you go, you will be assured of a taste experience that is so Chicago - big, bold and brassy! And for you misplaced Chicagoans needing that fix, Giordano's and Lou Malnati's will even ship overnight via Fedex - for a hefty price of course. But better still, AJ's here is Tucson carries a Gino's East Deep Dish Pizza right in their frozen pizza section:



Whatever choice you make, including vacationing in the Windy City, Bon Appetit!

Shrimp In Paper

Yesterday I was looking for something to do with some shrimp that we had in the freezer for quite some time and remembered a recipe that I saw on Emeril Lagasse's new Fresh Food Fast television show a few weeks ago. It uses simple ingredients and we always have these things on hand in the vegetable crisper and in pantry, so the decision was easy. It’s easy, Asian inspired and goes great with a nice, light rice pilaf and a crisp white wine. It turned out great!

Ingredients (per serving)

1 tsp canola oil

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup julienned carrots

1 small shallot, peeled and chopped

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

freshly ground black pepper

6 (16 to 20 count) shrimp, shelled, deveined

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Brush an 18 inch long sheet of parchment paper with the canola oil. Working on half the the paper, layer the broccoli, carrots, shallots and the the shrimp on the paper and drizzle with the sou sauce, sesame oil and pepper. Fold the parchment paper over until the ends meet and then fold the edges together repeatedly, 4 or 5 times, creasing it with each fold to make an airtight seal.

Place the pouch on a baking sheet and place on the center rack of ghe oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pouches (if multiple servings prepared) are puffed up. Remove from the pan and open carefully. There were will a considerable amount of hot steam escaping. Serve immediately.

Re-Discovering Beethoven

I have always loved the music of Beethoven; its power, energy, and level of sophistication amaze and mesmerize me. No matter how many times I hear it there is always something new to discover in a re-hearing of the 3rd Symphony for example, or some new perspective to be gained from the string quartets that one had not heard before.

Great music should be this way; each new hearing of a work should enable an active listener to pull back a new musical layer, or view the entire work from an entirely new angle. It is said that Beethoven probably conceived his works as a 3D structure. Indeed, in some of his writings on his music he talked of the breadth and depth of his compositions, which would suggest this three dimensional perspective.

I am currently in a re-discovery phase, which I go through from time to time. I was thinking on this idea of three-dimensional thinking, and have been re-reading Thayer’s Life of Beethoven. Concurrent with that I have given some thought to Beethoven’s third period, in which his music became far more introspective, personal and contrapuntal. Beethoven by then was almost completely deaf and seemingly more accepting of the situation (as opposed to the anguished time in his early thirties when he lived in fear of society discovering his deafness), had turned to the music of Handel and Bach for sources of inspiration as he completely revised his compositional style.

What set Beethoven aside from his great predecessors Haydn and Mozart was his utter unwillingness to repeat himself. It was as if he approached every new composition with the question “What have I done in this genre before and how can I make it fundamentally different?” That philosophy indeed did result in distinctive works that are very different from each other in many ways. Take a look at the 9 symphonies. Each exists in its own world, and is as individual as can be. Haydn and Mozart, who wrote 140 plus symphonies between them, achieved such symphonic individuality only in their very last symphonies.

So back to this thought of viewing Beethoven’s music as a three dimensional object. I was listening to his Grosse Fuge, Op 133 the other day. This work is truly one of the most perplexing of his late period, not at all understood by his contemporaries and probably still enigmatic to listeners even today. I’ve heard it several times, recognizing the musical language Beethoven employed was a direct link to the Romantic era and beyond, yet I’ve not fully appreciated all of those musical layers I mentioned earlier.

The work is abtract, dense and a challenge even to modern performers. One must have wondered what musicians of the day thought about performing it. Donald Grout, in his History of Western Music, points to the first section of this work, along with a section of the finale of the 9th Symphony and portions of the Missa Solemnis, all representative works from this last period, which require almost a “miracle” for them to “sound” in performance.

Someone recently produced a computer driven animation of the Grosse Fuge and posted it on Youtube. As I watched the animation while listening to the music I realized how cool this treatment really was, because I could see as well as hear just how complex and yet sublime Beethoven’s late style was. It’s a shame the posting does not credit the outstanding performers or the recording used. Some of the commentary is from contemporaries of the composer:

Glimpses Of The Past

A few years ago a retired photographer in Green Valley, Arizona presented me with some black and white professional photos that he had taken of several jazz greats in the 1950's when they were at the height of their fame. Among the legends were shots Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Gene Krupa and Nat King Cole among others. Here are a few reproductions of the great work of Mr. Joseph Perillo:

Teacher Pride

I always seem to have the most motivated students in my vocal ensemble classes. They work hard, take great pride in their performances and are generally excellent self-starters. Take this week, for example. We developed a concept for a show featuring music from screen and stage mostly from the 1970's forward called "Showtime! - Memories Past and Present". Naturally we had to include music from Grease, the Disney shows, Rent and Glee.

So what did they do? After I taught them the basic music styles and concepts to make the performances valid, as well as the parts, the students went about designing their own dances and staging for the big medleys and basically ran their own rehearsals, including some at students' homes, on weekends. They also produced the show, working on their own costumes, props, and lighting designs.

All of this we incorporated into several after school rehearsals, with one student (who chiefly designed the choreography) serving as director. I envisioned this to be a student run project from the beginning and it worked very well. To be sure, there were a few spots that were under-rehearsed, but that is part and parcel with a school program in which time is at a premium. We were also dealing with the fact that their were two classes involved, and finding rehearsal time together was a real challenge with after school work schedules and sports practices. Still, they got it done, and raised a little cash too! So yes, I am very proud of them this Monday after!

What's next? Spring concert season begins, so I'll pick up the baton and start rehearsing madrigals with my vocalists. Fun!

Great Fried Chicken Recipe

Fried chicken is an all-time favorite of American cuisine and a staple of Southern cooking. Naturally it’s not diet food by its very nature, but if you can relegate a meal like this to special occasion dining only, than no harm, no foul (or should I say fowl?)

We have prepared fried chicken many times many times for our family, with varying degrees of success. Some of the batters have been good, some dry and some flavorless. So, as part of our never ending hunt for improved cooking experiences, we have looked all over for good fried chicken recipes and happened to stumble upon this one day on America’s Test Kitchen, a PBS cooking show. Yeah, it’s rich, but oh it's a keeper for us!

Here is the recipe as presented on the show, an episode entitled Southern Fare Revisited and on the show website:

A whole 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, can be used instead of chicken parts. Skinless chicken pieces are also an acceptable substitute, but the meat will come out slightly drier. A Dutch oven with a 11 inch diameter can be used in place of the straight-sided sauté frier.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Table salt
Dash hot sauce
3 teaspoons of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings or a mix, with breasts cut in half), trimmed off excess fat
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Whisk 1 cup of buttermilk, teaspoon of salt, hot sauce, t teaspoon of black pepper. ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and a pinch of cayenne in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour up to overnight.

2. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 2 teaspoons of black pepper, ¾ teaspoon of paprika, and remaining cayenne together in a large bowl. Add the remaining ¼ cup of buttermilk to the flour mixture and combine with fingers until small clumps form. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, pressing the mixture onto the chicken to form a thick, even coating. Place the dredged chicken on a large plate, skin side up.

3. Heat oil in an 11-inch diameter straight-sided sauté pan over medium heat to 375 degrees. Carefully place chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken and continue to cook the other side until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 160 degrees for breasts and 175 degrees for legs and thighs, 15 to 20 minutes. Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces, so remove them from the rack as they reach the correct temperature. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.