tomorrow, i’m on the hunt for a calabaza. a calabaza is a cuban pumpkin that resembles a butternaut squash. it’s needed for tomorrow evening’s menu, which will also feature garlic-citrus cuban steaks with orange onion salsa, cuban rice, and mojitos. 
tonight we had frozen pre-marinated chicken breasts with canned corn and canned green beans … … … … … … … … … … i’m sorry, did i doze off? anyway, time for me to grab the culinary reigns around here again. canned green beans are prison food. if i ever assemble a rap sheet and wake up in the pokey, okay, but until then, no more canned green beans for this white man. plus, for some reason my dad has it in his head that he wants to try a mojito. my father ain’t a big drinker. doesn’t let his hair down too often, although he’s getting better. and since i’m always one for a night of festive drinking, i’m pairing his wish with a meal including, you know, good food. cuban style. calabaza = yes. canned green beans = prison food.
luckily, there is the best grocery store on earth in the dallas area (and you know you’re losing your edge when you cite a grocery store as a major highlight of a town. the thrill is gone people … pass the calabaza.) the place is called central market and it’s like a less pretentious whole foods attached to a massive farmer’s market. they have everything … things i’ve never seen. last time i was in there i counted over 15 melons. lost count there were so many god damn melons. sure, everybody knows cantalopue, honeydew, watermelon, whatever. pedestrian fare. try hami melon. stacked to the ceiling. have you ever had hami melon? i never had either. it’s fucking delicious. the difference between a hami melon and a honeydew is like the difference between a beefsteak tomato and the kind you get at ralphs that give you salmonella. central market kicks ass up and down.
so i’m cooking tomorrow. and pretty soon i’ll be goin’ down south for good. i can smell it. i’ve started thinking of some home improvements i’m going to make when i get down there. getting exciting.
ps – go see batman. last movie i saw that was that good, in that way, was the departed. batman blew me away. i wasn’t expecting batman to blow me away, but batman fucking blew me away. go see batman go go go.
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8 responses so far ↓
Man, all this talk about food is making me hungry. Hey Kev, I found your Natural Light. Went hiking up in Tujunga yesterday and the place was littered with tallboy cans of Natural Light. That’s right, not only can you still get Natural Light but now you can get a 24 pack of Tallboys.
good to know. if i need to buy booze for any of my students, i know what to buy them. the next question i, do they still make purple passion? remember that stuff in the two liter bottles that tasted like kool aid and has some god awful alcohol in it? the ladies liked that stuff in decatur.
Liked it? They loved it. On a Friday evening in high school, I used to get a ride to the viking lounge and throw down the collection on 3 cases of natty light and 3 2liters of purple passion. That was partying like a rock star. I’m getting Mary Ann drunk on that PP tonight if they still make it. There is no way in hell you will catch me drinking Natural though.
By the way, I took Josh to see dark night last night. That movie was bad-ass. I’ve been thinking about it all day. I figured it would be OK, but really it was amazing. It was everything a batman movie should be. Josh might have been permanently scarred. Joker and Two-face were right out of the comic books. Brilliant.
i think i rode out there with you a few times. i definitely drank natty light in your presence.
poor josh … that thing was scary and, really, it was not even a superhero movie. more like a gangster epic. i wanna see it again.
purple passion had everclear in it. at least that’s what we were always told.
i believe it … i’ve seen it damn near kill some 80 lb fourteen year olds.
Go see Hancock. Graet flick.
Had some Tecate’s with Tim O’gara yesterday. Salt and Lime and dont forget to crack into the far side of the can top with a can opener, goes down easier that way.
Sean
this cracking the other side for venting is new to me. i must try this … you wouldn’t think that you could improve something so perfect, but bob dylan went electric, so that’s proof enough for me …
when’s your record going to be in my hands so i can book a few shows down here?