You know it’s cold outside when The Mighty Turk would rather be curled up in a nice warm bathroom washbasin than outdoors, oppressing squirrels in honor of the winter solstice. We put him out a couple of times, but like a furry boomerang he just kept coming back.
Tonight I’m making a chicken cacciatore for Herself and a couple of pals. It’s a variation I picked up from Emeril back when we lived up in Weirdcliffe and still had TV, and it’s pretty hard to screw up. I do without the wings, which I consider too much trouble to eat, and on occasion I’ve used whole wheat flour and red wine instead of the white stuff, and somehow it almost always turns out edible.
Of course, a true Zappatista would be serving up the Lonesome Electric Turkey for a solstice banquet. But I’ve always been something of a backslider, no matter which faith I happened to be professing at any given time.
Mad Blog Media 
Well lookee at who’s got one of them pedestal sinks and fancy store bought toothpaste. And I thought everyone in CO was a hardy pioneer with an outhouse. I do see you have a mountain lion for a sink warmer. But shouldn’t the shower curtain depict some brave cyclo-cross victory of yours.
I am so impressed that your bathroom is so toasty that the sink is warm enough for Turkish. As a vegetarian, I am underwhelmed by the chicken dish, however, I still like to read about your cooking.
The weather is giving me a sinking feeling. It is 15 degrees outside and headed to zero by morning. Six inches of snow dumped today; 12+ on Friday, preceded by an epic ice storm 10 days ago. I am a flatlander, too, at (only) an elevation of 451 ft.
Ahh yes, a refreshing return to food talk! I’ve enjoyed the journalism gloom and doom, but don’t have any opinions to offer on that subject.
Food on the other hand…I have some things to say.
First is thanks for that puttanesca recipe from the old site- Ive enjoyed it several times and have leftovers to look forward to today. Second, while not always a fan of the Yankee cajun, I will test this one on the wife and see how I do. Third, I should point Patrick and any who will follow to a pork recipe I found on Mr Gore’s invention a while back and have scored rave reviews with-
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Monster-Pork-Chops-with-Tomatillo-and-Green-Apple-Sauce-109529
Yes, the sauce is a must and so is charcoal. So hock your gas grills, get a Weber, a 10lb bag of charcoal, and a cheap bottle of champagne to toast ‘sayonara’ to your own little piece of the ozone layer; because this one is worth it. Oh yeah, and don’t stick regimentally to 4- 1 pound pork chops. As long as you have 4 lbs of pig (give or take), you should be good to go. You’re welcome….