Hazy, Lazy and HOT

Spent most of the past week out of the online loop. Let's just say the South Fork of the Shenandoah, a tent, short hikes, and cookin' over a campfire were more of a priority than the internet, politics, or other manmade distractions. Quiet reading time too - currently it is Shadow Country, a sprawling, detailed, and engaging portrait of Edgar Watson and the wild country of southwest Florida islands some 100 years ago. Continuing with more of the same today, which promises to be the first of several hot ones, that will feel even hotter since we're haven't been acclimated by many 90° days this summer.

Hits on the campfire/grill culinary scene included beer butt chicken and and an easy peach cobbler in the dutch oven. I'll leave it to you to explore beer butt chicken recipes that stroke your taste buds, but if you like moist bird on the grill, it is the way to go. Oh, many of the recipes say to "pour out 1/2 a can of beer and discard." I'd never be so wasteful!

You can find a bunch of cobbler recipes - one of the easiest and tastiest things to make in a dutch oven. I kind of made one up using ingredients from several different recipes:

• 2 30 oz. cans peaches
• 1/3 cup tapioca
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• cinnamon
• 3/4 can Sprite or 7 Up
• butter

Place oven on about 15 briquettes or coals. Dump peaches with syrup in dutch oven and stir in tapioca. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir soda into cake mix along with cinnamon to taste. Top with 5-6 small pats of butter. Put top on and spread 10 briquettes or coals evenly across top. Bake about 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Remember to clean the oven properly - no soap - dry well, lightly oil, and store with lid slightly ajar in a dry place. For stubborn baked on sugars of the cobbler, put several cups of water (never put cold water in hot oven) in oven with coals above and below and allow to steam for 20-30 minutes.

About the only news I've followed this week, perhaps because I talked with a participant, were the mobs that are trying to shout down discussion of health reform and energy legislation, such as the one Congressman Periello conducted one this week. The fellow I talked to seemed nice enough until he brought those topics came up. Then he went red hot like bacon grease poured on a campfire. Many of his arguments were just plain wrong and meant to enflame - for example, old folks will be put to death like in dictatorships.

He let slip a few things that made it clear this, like the tea parties, is more of a top-down manipulation of people's frustrations and emotions than it is any grassroots movement. In his words were anger at the economy (but no blame for Bush) and more than one hint of vile racism. Guess that's some of what the estimated $150 million the drug companies are spending in opposition will buy. Helped by GOP orchestration with an assist by Fox News. Aided and abetted by pandering narcissists like Sarah Palin.

Like that bacon grease on the fire, I predict this fellow and the current "movement" will flame out. But, as with a campfire, there will be heat long hidden by the ash, ready to reignite when the GOP and their allies toss more grease laced with lies on it. The politics of polarization and hate - I fear it will be a while before those embers finally die. Keep the water pail handy. In the meantime, back to the cool waters of the river.