We’ll play some games, eat some food (and cake!), and celebrate my birth. Who could ask for more? Details to follow.

I have stuff to make lasagna.

What would you like to bring? I have red sauce and am considering lasagna.

BL has asked what he should bring to the party.

I suppose some of the things that would be nice would be salad, crusty bread (no plastic bags!), brie, red wine, fruit, various nibbles.

Just talk to each other so we don’t end up with seven pounds of brie and no bread.  I don’t smear myself in brie any more.  Dark days.

This morning, after my walk, the shredding begins!

Thanks to each of you who came around to wish me a happy birthday.  I genuinely appreciate your visits.

World renowned ex-pat Harry O is making his Prague-to-Seattle visit and would like to talk with you over some backyard bbq comestibles.

Of course you should bring your musical instrument.

I have a gaggle of dogs and buns.  Let others know if you plan to bring anything.

There will be a grill available.  Let me know if you have any questions.

I made baked beans.

I have what I need to make lasagna for Saturday.

In the end I made both lasagna and some cast iron pan pizza, as well as some smoked salmon spread and black rice pudding.  Good times!

Jimmy got old. Probably died. But maybe he’ll be propped up (Bernie style) at the grill.

Bring bbq stuff. Hopefully the weather won’t be crap. Never can tell with Spring in Seattle.  Dress in layers.

I plan to make ribs, potato salad, and something I can’t remember at the moment. Maybe it was cheesy rice? It’ll come to me.

Ah, it was salmon goat cheese dip. That’s the third thing. Have to save cheesy rice for another time.

Ask me all your questions.

I have one of those fancy whipping cream dispensers.  It requires a CO2 cartridge though.  Bring a cartridge if you want to dispense.

Turnout was amazing! Thanks everyone! So much fun and nibbles.

I will be making a pork loin roll and some chicken liver mousse and some apple sauce.  Delicious!

Table-top games likely.

More information to follow.

Still need to get some groceries before the weekend but I have obtained most of what I need.  I’ll be preparing the mousse and the apple sauce a day ahead (on Friday) because it makes sense.  Let me if you would like to bring something or what you are bringing!

Brine (pork):  chicken stock, salt, pomegranate molasses, apple cider vinegar, bay leaves, white pepper, lemon.

Pork rolled and vacuum sealed.

Apple sauce is ready.

Mousse is prepared (cooked) and ready for whipping.

Well, that’s a pretty clean house.

Pork loin rolls are in the sous vide!

How about a little fire?!

Jimmy Gets Older Every Year
Jimmy Gets Older Every Year

Thanks, everybody!  I had a good birthday party.  I have a good collection of pals!

“Jimmy, don’t ever get old.” So sayeth me grandmother.

I didn’t do an invite-all on this so let me know if anyone is feeling neglected. I’ll add them too!

It’s again my birthday. Let’s eat tacos!

Lamb tacos!

Zina is making tortillas! Would you like to participate in food or drink? Let me know.

I have prepared some food stuff:

Lamb tacos with:
Salsa
Vanilla-honey yogurt (also goat cheese available)
Cabbage
Onions and peppers

Thanks, everyone! Really a great time.

Sous Vide Lamb Taco Night

Annual birthday celebrations for myself and Cecilie (and any other Marchies).

I’m doing something with a pork loin.  It involves slow heat.  Turns out my oven seems to keep consistent down to about 125f.  We’ll see how I do.  Something something pomegranate.

You bringin’ sumpin?

Ok.  I split the loin lengthwise, poured in some pomegranate and cane molasses, dashed it with salt and smoked paprika, and trussed it up.  I’ll leave it like that in the fridge over night and put it in the oven around ten or eleven in the morning.  I’m guessing eight hours at 150f should be about right?

Folks are asking me about bringing things.  I am making pork loin (very slowly).  I have crackers and sliced cheese.  I have pistachios.  I have two growlers of beer and a bottle of prosecco.  Tom Shehan is bringing ice and Harry O is in charge of cake.  Oh, and Treasa is getting some pie.  I guess don’t bring any of those things.  Bring something different.  Or just bring yourself.

I realize I haven’t been my usual enthusiastic intrusive self about my upcoming birthday party.  I apologize.  Come and I’ll talk about how awesome it will be.

This little piggie is in the oven.  Brought his friends (dried and crushed mushrooms) for company.  And a bunch of wine.  For swimming.  The mushrooms are swimming.  Not the pig.  Otherwise I would have started this with “this little piggie went swimming”.  The pig is more like the lifeguard.  A lifeguard fascinated by watching his mushroom friends drown in wine.  Pigs make real dick lifeguards.

March of the Birthday Penguins (or What’s with this Weather Anyway?)

Fun party, everyone. Thanks to all who came and to those who brought food and presents. The cake was terrific. Can’t wait to play this new game and use my salt brick. More good times ahead.

More later.

Do tell what you are bringing so we can start drooling early.

I created this event for Tom and I to coordinate our beer drinking this coming weekend.  We will invite a couple more humans and settle on an exact time and date shortly.

Seriously, where did I get a bottle of this?

I have a bottle of this as well.

Looks like we should have good (read:  good for Seattle) weather here at Peavine Alley.  Grilling is a solid and I have a bunch of sausages.  Don’t anyone else bring sausages; we don’t want this to turn into a sausage fest.  Looking forward to seeing you all.  Fun times are ahead.

Yay for today!

A Few Beer Nerds Gather to Sip and Sup

What a great evening.  Thank you all for making it so.  You are all my number ones.

Jackson Reinhardt’s action name is Ozone Turbo Kelly!

The non-human elements which gathered like so much rabble.

Bring your favorite potluck item (if that’s in your skill-set).

Rules for the party:

1. Be cool.
2. Don’t let Jackson Reinhardt (aka the cat) leave the house.
3. Have fun.
4. Do not put frilly underthings on your skull.
5. Eat (potluck, duh).
6. Remember:  PrinCecilie Wilhelm is mostly correct.

Probably something about cake.  Or ice cream.  Jackson Reinhardt FUCKING LOVES ice cream.

I’m thinking making a pork roll with hazelnuts and marmalade or something.  Rice beneath it.  I don’t know. Something like that.

Ah, what a birthday month it’s been thus far.  So tired… Anyway, Friday is swift approaching and there were questions.  Well, one that’s really important:  Should I bring an instrument?  I have never held any prohibitions against musical instruments.  Bring it!  That is all.

I’m heading out to get a pork loin.  Then I have to cut it into a roll.  Should be interesting. (Thanks to Elizabeth Klein for the instructionals.)

Less than 24 hours.  Do you know where your roasting pan is?

Cutting a pork loin into a flat roll shape is not as easy as they make it look in those videos, Elizabeth Klein.  They fucking lied to us!  Now, where’s that meat hammer? …

Rolls rolled after some initial thinness troubles.  Thank you, meat hammer.  New band name?

Another question I’ve been getting is about this potluck thing.  If you can’t bring food (whatever the reason:  time, skills, moral objections), that’s fine.  Can you bring beer or wine?  Sure.  Welcome additions.  Can you just show up and eat the food?  Sure.  See rule number five.

Rules for the party:

1. Be cool.
2. Don’t let Jackson Reinhardt (aka the cat) leave the house.
3. Have fun.
4. Do not put frilly underthings on your skull.
5. Eat (potluck, duh).
6. Remember: PrinCecilie Wilhelm is mostly correct.

Rolls rolled after some initial thinness troubles.  Thank you, meat hammer.  New band name?

A maze ing.

Gala Adventurous Grandannual Birthday Shindig (No Shovels Required)

Thanks to all who came and to those who made it only in spirit (Dan Glasser gets credit on both accounts by sending half his genetic material).  Nothing broken and little spilled (just that mishap when Cassandra Braget was showing me how to deflect a beer-attacker like a ninja).  We love you all and it was great to see everyone celebrating our birthdays.

As you may know several years ago Cecilie and I were caught in an accidental burst of plasma radiation which (shockingly) did not kill us but rather reversed our biological clocks and gave us super powers.  If I’ve done the math correctly we will be, this year, in our mid-twenties.  And we can shoot lasers from our eyes.

If you come to our party we will laser etch your name into a grain of rice for you.

Bring some stuff but I will probably have some stuff too.  Like I will probably have a little beer and some popcorn in my mondo-fucking popcorn machine.  I’ll probably have some other stuff too, but leave comments if you are curious about bringing anything.

And no, Harry, you cannot bring your dancing bear.  That didn’t work out well last time and it took forever to get all the honey out of the acoustic ceiling tiles.

JC & CW Have a Birthday Party and Invite Some Friends

Oh, man; I’m excited.  I’m so excited I took tomorrow off so I can pre-recuperate (it’s real so there).

Here are some things I know are coming:

Cake (couple different)
Beer (2 growlers from Georgetown, one from Chuck’s)
Cured meat (selection)
Cheese (selection)
Strawberries
Chips (one bag)
Crackers or Bread (Harry?)