10E2168: The Half-Life of Khakis

Bruv has a great theory about the "half life" of khakis. They might start out suitable for a summer wedding, then get relegated to the office in the fall, then to yard work once you spill one too many coffees, then finally next summer you cut 'em off at the knees - literally. This year instead of rocking treasure island shorts I paid cold hard cash to have them hemmed. Great job. Topper, the man fixed the wallet-ripped-backpocket with some of the extra fabric. Bingo. New life! #feelthebreeze

my brother's 75 mile run -update

By the time I wake up tomorrow (5am EST, 10am GMT) my brother Alex and his running mate (Dave) will have been running around the Isle Of Wight (off the southern coast of England) for over 5 hours, with 11 more hours to go. Partially off road. They will have also raised over $1000 for the Anthony Nolan Trust. Further reading.

Dave's wife has devised a homemade flapjack recipe that they swear by AKA go faster bars. Also she happens to be tougher than these 2 guys... so don't tell her I gave away the recipe...

ENERGY FLAPJACK
3 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats
1 1/2 Cups dried milk
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup honey (or maple syrup)
10 small scoops protein powder (can use vanilla - or just add more milk powder)
2 large egg whites and one whole egg (or just 2 complete)
1 1/4 cup fruit juice (I use cranberry)
2 Cups raisins/chopped fruit/nuts/seeds (anything you fancy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Line a tray with waxed paper and preheat oven to 200.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Spread onto the tray and cook for 15 mins or until brown.
Cool well before turning out.
Keeps for up to 2 weeks in air tight container.

Good luck guys...

turtlenecks

Plaid shirt and turtleneck. Lived in turtlenecks... we all did. Man those cookies must have been good. Scan of an old polaroid, circa 1979, Vermont. Sis, me, bruv.

gazpacho mary

Wish I liked tomato juice. These or regular bloodys always look so damn tasty. Gazpacho Mary; sis and bruv creation. You don't need me to spell out the recipe? Bloody Mary, your choice of herbs/pepper, with a gazpacho float. Nice crunch on top. Check out the other alternative; Bullshots.

hammer to a fly -crockett & jones

Bit of an eye opener here from my bruv. Met him at the airport thursday and clocked his head to toe; canvas blazer -check, hand dyed denim woven by moonlight -check, non-wrinkle shirt -yawn. Jaw dropping pinpoint brougues...Crockett & Jones. Not quite sure how to define this Edgware model of shoe from C&J (no doubt the askandy crowd could nail it from 50 yards) but they look damn good. Good enought to get you upgraded on a transatlantic flight even if you are wearing jeans apparently... basterd. Won't divulge the cost but the shoes trees cost more than my E&R's. I guess if you roll with the City banker crowd and want to shut their traps this is one way to do it. Well played brother.

bookshelf -the debt to pleasure

It has been called a "wickedly funny ode to food", "deliciously insidious" and "a whole-earth monologue that lectures on subjects from pancakes to poison peaches". The Debt to Pleasure, written by John Lancaster features dry-as-a-bone informative wit for foodies. More than just that though, a bit of a mystery too, won't say more. Great wordplay. Bruv' put me onto this one and I read it once a year. Little taster below, almost the full text at Google Books.

the end of the line -where have all the fish gone?

The End of the Line by Charles Clover. Tipped off to this by my brother. Bruv' might not immediately strike you as the conservation type ("the sushi buffets in Kuwait are the best!") so when he says "this book changed how I eat seafood" I listen. There is a related movie coming out, as below.




Village Voice interview with Charles Clover; May 1st 2009.

Alternatively you can read Cod which focuses strictly on cod and it's currency-like place in history, as well as its worldwide decimation. Can you imagine the scenes in Gloucester etc where you could at one time (1800's) practically walk across the backs of mammoth cod to get to shore... awesome.

tip -white horse

The brother put me onto this. White Horse is a bit of a dark horse (horrible phrasing) in the good/breakfast whisky department. Contains 40 percent malts including Talisker. White Horse gets its distinctive taste from the Lagavulin content. Nae bad...and very *ahem* economical as well.

halloween

Making the effort...good one brother.

scarpa

Weather turning so time for these monsters to get dusted off. Hiking boots from Scarpa. I thought this was somehow linked to Scarpa Flow, but no. SCARPA is Societ Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima (meaning Associated Shoe Manufacturing Company of the Asolo mountain area). Bday present from last year, thx brother.

drinks

Bullshots.
1 and 1/2 oz vodka
3 oz chilled beef bouillon
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash salt/pepper
Ripped sprig of celery or parsley
Rim glass w/ celery salt or Mrs. Dash if you like that kind of thing.




Martini w homegrown pickle slices.
Do you add vermouth... or just look over at the bottle?
If you have some cornichons or funky pickles slices like Moon Brine those are a nice twist...no pun intended.
Ice cubes only in there cause i'm getting old...warming the ice cubes etc.




Pfister Mister.
1/2 a maple grading glass of syrup.
Fill the rest of the glass w JD.