Ain't it a ripoff when anticipation is greater than reality

My all-time favorite thing to eat is Kentucky Fried Chicken, Original recipe, if you please. Not the emasculated version when the corporate eggheads decided to change the name to KFC. Chicken fried in oil or even lard, seasoned well, crispy skin...heaven in a mouthful.

Alarmists have persuaded me not to give way to temptation, to avoid the oil, cholesterol, plaque inducing artery cloggers we know as Kentuck Fried Chicken. Instead of eating it once a month, I now eat it maybe twice a year...accompanied by mashed potatoes and fake gravy, and coleslaw.

Last week Friday was the second day of the year to have Fried Chicken, Original recipe of course. I bought the 8 piece meal deal with mashed potatoes and mushed corn on the cob. I don't like drumsticks...my husband loves them. Like Jack Sprat, we share the treasured pieces...drumsticks for him, thighs for me.

Corn on the cob, already cold from the take out ride from Hilo to Glenwood. That piece of corn must have been around since last week...totally mushed out and absolutely flavorless. Strike One!!

A dip into the mashed potatoes with fake gravy...Right texture but I have my tastebuds standing on end with the chemical aftertaste of fake gravy and thickener. Strike Two!!!

Onward to the best part of the meal. I peel off the skin and leave it on the side to savor later. The thigh meat is stripped out. It is cooked through yet still tender and moist...unlike the petrified chicken at Safeway and Sack N Save. Good so far!! After the bones have been stripped of chicken, I eye the skin on my plate. So bad for the health but so delicious. My saliva glands are pumping out some major waterworks.

I take a bite. Hmmm crunchy....Good so far...until my tastebuds tell me that the skin is oversalted. Bleaghhh. Ruined my twice a year experience!!! Strike Three!!!! It will take me at least six months to recover from the devastation of my glorified anticipation. Will I remember my disappointment or will the visions of crispy wings and thighs overcome the flawed memory and urge me to plunk down money for more Kentucky Fried chicken? Only time will tell!!

November Aphorism

Don't grumble that your lawn needs mowing when neighbors are crying for rain.

October Aphorism

Never fear change. It may be better than what you have now.

Is vegetarianism the answer?

Am reading Ruth Ozeki's book, My Year of Meats, and learned about DES which was given to chickens and cattle to speed growth but resulted in very harmful effects for the people who ate the animals. E-I-U!! I am just wondering if vegetarianism is the answer to safe foods.

As ranchers, we support beef protein in the diet of people. Of course, our cattle are grass fed without any hormones. They are raised in a low stress environment and the cattle adore my husband and show their devotion by calling to him and following him around. News of steroid use in cattle is the reason I stopped eating calf's liver. Again, greedy farmers trying to make money fast. But what rancher using ethical and safe cattle production practices is making money? The current going price for weanoff is 67 cents a pound. Checking the price of beef in the supermarkets I know that someone is making a killing $$$wise, but it sure ain't the ranchers.

I think that people need to go back to the old fashion method of bartering so that ranchers can trade their beef with farmers for vegetables, fishermen for seafood. This way, we know who the growers are and can insure food safety. Much aloha goes along with the trading and this way we can keep eating beef, and have our vegetables and seafood at the same time.

We are omnivores for a reason. Moderation in all things.

Is Vegetarianism the Answer

Am reading Ruth Ozeki's book, My Year of Meats, and learned about DES which was given to chickens and cattle to speed growth but resulted in very harmful effects for the people who are the animals. E-I-U!! I am just wondering if vegetarianism is the answer to safe foods.

As ranchers, we support beef protein in the diet of people. Of course, our cattle are grass fed without any hormones. They are raised in a low stress environment and the cattle adore my husband and show their devotion by calling to him and following him around. News of steroid use in cattle is the reason I stopped eating calf's liver. Again, greedy farmers trying to make money fast. But what rancher doing what is ethically and safely raising beef cattle is making money. The current going price for weanoff is 67 cents a pound. Checking the price of beef in the supermarkets I know that someone is making a killing $$$wise, but it sure ain't the ranchers.

Food for thought...A word

Hesed....lovingkindness!!

Keep that thought in your mind for the month of September. Not just loving. Not just kindness....but lovingkindness!

Food for thought...A word

Hesed....lovingkindness!!

Keep that thought in your mind for the month of September. Not just loving. Not just kindness....but lovingkindness!