2/21/2020
(Above: Water inlet and drain holes have both been added to the workshop container. We also stubbed-in with the water line.)
Active Summary: This day began with the morningly regimen of calisthenics, writing, and a very frigid ride around the beef pasture with Padre. Afterward, I returned to Jacobhouse, wrote a tad more, and then called the chef and part-owner of La Cuisine of Ocala to see if I should still bring in some samples of Master Blend ground beef. He gave the ‘okay’ and the morning’s main event commenced (more in commentary).
After returning from that journey, I stopped by Oldhouse to add a few spices / additional ingredients to the soup base* that Padre had started on the stove. A visit with that same Padre was ensued by a quick and very chilly vegetable harvest for the lunch salad.
(6:36 PM Update:) After a lunch of soup and salad, I returned to Jacobhouse where I initiated the process of buying a new phone and getting connected to Visible. I will not be able to have the new phone or service till next week, but it is finally happening, and if it all works well, I will be saving myself at least 100 dollars a month**. Phone shenanigans were followed by my exiting Jacobhouse and braving the cold outdoors to participate in a couple cattle-related activities before piping into Madre’s workshop (with Padre’s aid).
TIL: Last night I learned that caviar – at least the sort produced in Italy – is taken from sturgeons. Regrettably, the fish is slain in the process (but it is also often eaten, so that’s good). One of the interesting interesting facts about caviar farming, though, is that some companies grow different breeds. These breeds mature to reproduce at ages varying between 2 – 20 years. This means that some fish are grown for 20 years before being harvested once. Perhaps this is why some caviar costs $5,938 per kilogram.
Commentary: Today I visited the immaculate kitchen of one of my favorite restaurants, La Cuisine of Ocala. Its friendly tenants were busily preparing for a Friday lunch crowd. Soups and stews were simmering, vegetables were being chopped, sliced, and diced, ham or lamb was being washed and trimmed, bread was being toasted, and to go with the savory combination of scents was something different – something new and incredibly delicious-smelling – emanating from a char-broiler over on the kitchen’s left side***. The two words with which I would describe the whole experience would be: surreal and inspiring.
In spite of all this activity, executive chef Patrice, and head chef Chad, welcomed me inside and were more than willing to discuss the prospect of using Master Blend Beef in some of their recipes. Both seemed especially pleased at the thought of offering beef that is born and raised less than 20-25 minutes away from their restaurant. No matter what comes of the meeting, though, I’ll forever have that memory of being and experiencing where the magic happens.
Final Note: Tomorrow I intend to do more plumbing in Madre’s workshop. I may also install the instant water heater.
*The soup base appeared to include beef bones, potato, onion, zucchini, chicken broth, water, and perhaps a little bit of pepper/balsamic vinegar. I proceeded to add some fresh diced garlic, dried thyme, salt, some smoked coconut sugar, and coconut cream. Before serving, we also added some pan-seared ground beef chunks, Padre-made dumplings, and a little bit of Merlot deglaze.
**Presently, my combination of phone and internet is costing me $120 (phone 75 because I kept my expensive plan for use in Europe and $45.00 for my internet landline). Visible will cost $40 and cover both, and with the addition of others, I could get that rate to $25.00 per month.
***There was a brief mention of Master Blend beef experiments occurring in that char-broiler later on in the day.