Author: magicfishbones

Food, travel, study and family. A way of life.
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Terroir And Smoke: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 And Smoked Catfish Étouffée With Readings From Sir Albert Howard, Aldo Leopold and Eliot Coleman.

Islay.  The name conjures salt water-spray off the North Atlantic, peat bogs rich with all that decays, limestone, spring water, geese and thrushes.  And whisky.  Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg on the southeast shore of the island.  Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila to the northeast.  Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte around Loch Indaal in the middle of … Continue reading Terroir And Smoke: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 And Smoked Catfish Étouffée With Readings From Sir Albert Howard, Aldo Leopold and Eliot Coleman.

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Bluefin Tuna to Palm Oil: Sustainability is the Word: Three Books And A Blog.

I’m almost through reading Carl Safina’s seminal text Song for the Blue Ocean, which surveys the state of Bluefin Tuna in the Northeast of the United States, salmon in the Northwest, and coral reefs in the Pacific.  More than fifteen years ago Safina’s voice artfully, evocatively raised an alarm about the real thought that needs … Continue reading Bluefin Tuna to Palm Oil: Sustainability is the Word: Three Books And A Blog.

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Gastronomic Dreams: From Brillat-Savarin to Jorge Luis Borges With A Number Of Stops Along The Way.

A dog barks, the Lute Suites of Sylvius Leopold Weiss drift through an open window, and I pour a Stone Brewery Russian Imperial Stout and light an Alec Bradley American Sun Grown cigar. I’m sitting on my back patio in the evening, contemplating the life of the gastronome.  Actually, this could also be the opening … Continue reading Gastronomic Dreams: From Brillat-Savarin to Jorge Luis Borges With A Number Of Stops Along The Way.

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New Handcrafted Pappy Van Winkle Gift Set Ultimate Bourbon Lover’s Dream

If any one was wondering what to buy me for my birthday, here it is. I’m worth it. And considering how my happiness would spread to family and friends, this is a gift for all of us. Continue reading New Handcrafted Pappy Van Winkle Gift Set Ultimate Bourbon Lover’s Dream

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The Puritan Mark Bittman

I’m reblogging this defense of “pure” pleasure out of understanding but also disagreement. The full value of aesthetics is how it works with ethics to create a deep, pleasureful experience of the world. I choose shellfish from the Gulf Coast not only because of taste, but also out of an ethical concern for sustainable fishing. … Continue reading The Puritan Mark Bittman

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Caipirinha, the Girl From Ipanema, And World Cup 2014!

We’re preparing for Brazil vs.Germany and I’m drinking a caipirinha as we cook a Moqueca.  Why moqueca?  It’s a signature dish from Bahia!  Here’s where we are so far. I’ve halved, quartered several limes and added a spoonful of brown sugar. Also, the Rolling Stones on brown sugar. Next step, mottle. Add ice, cachaca, and … Continue reading Caipirinha, the Girl From Ipanema, And World Cup 2014!

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Savoir-Vivre: Some Thoughts On Culture In A Bowl

This afternoon I’m drinking a Wasatch Devastator Double Bock (creamy, malty, yeasty and bananany) as I simmer diced onion and bacon (Revival Farms) in charred leftover bits of sirloin (Augustus Ranch). Grounded in the kitchen?  Dwelling and being.  I stir the pan and think through rural America, national parks, salmon on the Columbia River, returning … Continue reading Savoir-Vivre: Some Thoughts On Culture In A Bowl