Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes With Roast Garlic and Goat Cheese

I was listening to The Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio, and Stuart McLean and company were in PEI.  One thing PEI is known for in Canada is Potatoes, so another PEI son Chef Michael Smith, was a guest and made the Official Vinyl Cafe dish, Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes.   Yummy, but I decided to kick them up a notch.

• 2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 1 Stick Butter
• 5 Cloves Roasted Garlic 
• 4 Oz Goat's Milk Cheese
• Salt & Pepper To Taste
• Splash of Cream
• Couple of Green Onions Minced for garnish.

I prefer the butteriness of Yukon Gold Potatoes, but you can use any good waxy potato.  While the Potatoes are boiling, you can brown the butter and roast the garlic.  Mix everything together and mash, adjust the salt and pepper to your preference. If things are a little thick or no smooth enough (your preference) add a splash of cream.  I add the whites of the green onions into the potatoes and top with the greens as a garnish.  The Michael Smith Recipe has a splash of nutmeg as well, but I wasn't feeling that so I didn't add it (this time). 

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G

Word Du Jour.... Mondegreen.

A couple months back, I was doing one of my regular weekend drives, and I caught an episode of Randy's Vinyl Tap on CBC radio. Great show, hosted by Randy Bachman, where he is providing his insights and commentaries on assorted music past and present.  The topic of the specific show was Mondegreens.  A Mondegreen is lyrics of  a song that we mishear. There were a lot of funny ones, listen to podcast.

If you want a couple hours of good music and great musical insight you should also just listen to the program. 

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Acedia, A Long Lost Word.

A couple weeks back I was listening to Words at Large on CBC Radio it was but the subject of acedia came up.  Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life By Kathleen Norris was the book under discussion.  The author brought up an interesting point, she talked about the Deadly Thoughts instead of Deadly Sins, and acedia fell into the category of deadly thoughts.  Was very interesting and the podcast is worth listening to.


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G.

Cars

Often when I'm bombing around the back roads, looking for some inspiration for a photo, I often end up listening to CBC Radio. Yesterday on DNTO, they were talking about cars and lifestyle.  That in itself wasn't a big deal, but one of the guests, I'll have to go back and listen to the podcast to recall her name.  She used cars as a key to unlock memories for seniors, or even writing.  It made me Ponder.

Old Brown Pontiac

This was the first car of my parents I remember.  I vividly remember my parents putting down a piece of plywood in the backseat making it a bed for my little bro and I.  We would bounce and play on the plywood, and then it made the seat deep enough that we could both lie down. Made cross country trips, or trips to the Drive-In possible.

Mickey Mouse Truck

Old 53 Chev Truck with a set of lights on the roof that made it look like it had  mouse ears.  Riding in the box on trips to the dump, or the lumber yard.  This old baby blue guy with 3 in the tree, starter peddle on the floor, no seat belts, brought no end of amusement.  I recall one trip, returning home from hockey practice, I was still in full kit.  My jersey hooked on to the door handle, my dad hit a bump and whoooosh, out I went.  My hockey equipment took the brunt of the road rash, but I still have a little scar on my wrist where the gloves didn't fully protect me. 

I also recall an adventure where dad ran into the lumber yard. My brother and I managed to pop it out of gear, and had to steer it to saftey approximately half a block down the road.  Dad freaked.  But the best to me was riding in the box.  Damn uptight insurance people and government taking away my fun. 

Brown, Simulated Wood, Ford Station Wagon

This replaced the old Pontiac, my bro and I were getting bigger.  Bouncing from the back seat to our toys in the very ample back of the station wagon.  This was the Vacation Vehicle or the special occasion vehicle.  4 Door, bench seats and the back ment there was lots of room for adults and kids. 

My biggest memory from the wagon was the first trip through the Okanogan, the main fruit growing region in Western Canada.  My little bro and I had gorged ourselves on fresh fruit.  It was hot.  The roads are very curvy and in the mountains.  Lots of opportunity to be car sick.  I don't recall for how long, but my little bro and I spent a number of miles hanging our heads out the back of the wagon puking our guts out. We actually peeled the paint off the back bumper, we had puked so much. Mostly cherries, but I think there were some apricots and peaches in the mix.  Then at one of the orchards, someones dog licking all the vomit off the back bumper.  Good times.


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G

Road to Mars

Even though I bought in for my trip to ecuador, I finally sat down and read Eric Idle's Road to Mars I quiet enjoyed it and it wasn't at all what I was expecting. I orginally heard excerpts from the book on CBC Radio Between the Covers. I bought it, thought I might have read it durring my various airport stops, and flights, but nope. So, after sitting on my to read pile for too long I finally did. I do recomend it, but you'll probably have to get it off your favorite online book seller.


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