Mojitoriffic

Our first house had a giant patch of mint that flourished from April – November. It was great for a few things. Tea was one of them. But better than that, were Mojitos and Mint Juleps.

When we moved into our current house, we immediately planted mint (along with many other herbs). I noticed last night that the mint is already growing pretty strong. And since there were limes in the fruit basket and it was 80+ degrees, tonight was a Mojito night!

Recipe

1. Start by cutting a lime into smallish pieces (I usually cut into eight equal pieces).
2. Add half of the limes, a few sprigs of mint, and a pinch of sugar to a highball glass and muddle (i.e. smash it all up in the bottom of the glass).
3. Add:
1. 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup (see below)*
2. 2 oz. White Rum
4. Stir the mixture around a little, add lots of ice, and top off with club soda to taste.
5. Garnish with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.
6. Enjoy.

Mint Simple Syrup – Combine and cup of sugar and a cup of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and toss in a few sprigs of mint. Allow to cool.

*Traditional mojito recipes call for all sugar rather than simple syrup. I started doing the simple syrup version when making mojitos for groups, and I haven't looked back. The sugar makes a difference in breaking down the mint and lime, so that's why I add the pinch.

Legen(waitforit)Dairy! Pt. 1

The weather is warm. It's staying light later at night. It's time for ice cream! Or more accurately, soft serve or frozen custard. Of all the HoCo soft serve options, I prefer Soft Stuff in Ellicott City. It might be that I've been going there since I was in high school. Maybe it's the anticipation that builds as you stand in the long line on their deck on a hot and humid Maryland summer night. I can't answer this. I can say that I LOVE a regular sized swirl cone with sprinkles! And for some odd reason, I only get sprinkles at Soft Stuff.

These days, we make it to Soft Stuff maybe 2-3 times per summer. The Rita's at the KC Village Center is (for better or for worse) our go to soft serve place. The ice cream is my least favorite, but they are walking distance from my house so I at least burn a few of the extra calories getting to and from... And the girls love Rita's. And the kiddie serving is big enough that we can get an spare cup and they can split it.

And last year, Meadows came onto the scene at the Hickory Ridge Village Center. We didn't make it there often, but the few times I was there, I loved it. 1. They frequently had coconut custard (I'm crazy for anything coconut). 2. They have an espresso machine - custard afogato - yum!

I certainly prefer Meadows to Rita's. But I'm glad it's not in my neighborhood. If so, I'd be pretty fat(ter). It would be like if In-N-Out Burger came to the East Coast. Things would get ugly quick.

And that's my 1-2-3 of HoCo soft serve. hocofood@@@

Facci, again

The P90 family and in-laws went to Facci last night. As always, it was great experience (or as good as an experience can be when dining out with small children).  The food and service were great (and you can’t beat the whole half-price appetizers from 3:00-7:00 deal).

We got their early (5:00ish) because the kids demand to eat early and start to meltdown by 7:00. We tried to get a table outside but they said they were not seating outside. Oddly, 30 minutes in to our meal we noticed lots of people being seated outside. Who knows? It’s not worth losing sleep over. The girls behaved (for the most part) during dinner and we only had to take one “walk.” Two of my favorite things about Facci - 1. They are very accommodating to families, and 2. There is a Dunkin Donuts a few doors down where I can take the girls, buy a few munchkins, and buy an additional 20-30 minutes of good behavior (a lifetime for a 2 and 4 year-old).

I love the way the half-price appetizers encourage an Italian take on tapas. With seven adults, we split four or five appetizers and get to experience many great flavors. My favorites continue to be the meatballs, shrimp gondola, and the calamari (always crispy and light, never greasy).

For pizzas, the Bianca Neve (white pizza / ricotta / fresh mozzarella / fresh tomatoes /
arugula / prosciutto / shaved Parmigiano), Savarese (our margherita with housemade mini-meatballs / smoked mozzarella / caramelized onions / pine nuts / gorgonzola), and Campagna (baked egg / gorgonzola cheese / fresh mozzarella /imported pancetta) are out of this world. On a side note, the egg on the Campagna has changed the way I do pizza at home.

For entrees, the Pappardelle Bolognese is really good and the girls (and me) are crazy for the Gnocchi Sorrentina. I haven’t yet made it to the chicken, veal, or seafood sections of the menu.

If I were to change anything about Facci, I’d mix up the beers that are available on tap. At this point, I’m done with Stella and about done with Sam Adams.

Also, the expansion should be complete by the end of May.

hocofood@@@

(Fuzz) Face the Truth

Tonefactor Huckleberry V1

Tonefactor / Mojo Hand Hucklerberry Review

Fuzz! You know, that hairy, gnarly, creamy, magic goodness that a few transistors, resistors, and capacitors can slather all over your guitar signal? I love that fuzz! I’ve spent the last few years seeking out the perfect fuzz pedal and I’ve played a lot of them. But for close to nine months now, my go to fuzz has been the Tonefactor Huckleberry. From what I’ve been able to dig up, the Huckleberry is a Fuzz Face circuit with the addition of a Big Muff tone stack. It’s also a hybrid fuzz – meaning it uses one germanium and one silicon transistor. What this all adds up to is a versatile little fuzz that can cover a lot of ground.

I’m playing mainly a mix of humbuckers and P90s these days so keep that in mind while you read my descriptions. Although, because I play mostly Reverends, I have the bass contour control which allows me to roll off some bass and make my humbuckers a little more fuzz-friendly.

The Huckleberry is my go to fuzz for live use now. It’s the first thing in my chain. I tried it before and after my (buffered) Hot Cake and it certainly sounds best with an un-buffered connection. Coming after the buffer, it sounded thinner and didn’t respond nearly as well to rolling off the guitars volume. That said, the sound coming after the buffer could be great for recording. That’s just my reminder that you shouldn’t be afraid to try your pedals in different (unorthodox) orders.

Back to live use, the Huckleberry cuts through amazingly well (something not every fuzz can do). No, it doesn’t sound exactly like a fuzz face, a muff, or a tone bender. But it can get pretty damn close to those first two. And the folks that come to see my band, aren’t the type to say “he totally should have used a Mk II Tonebender for that part!”

So try a Huckleberry. Tonefactor offers a great return policy, but my guess is you won’t be using it. For $150, you simply can’t go wrong.

For more fuzz reading, RG Keen has a great article on the Technology of the Fuzz Face. If you are into fuzz, you should check it out. It’s pretty technical, but should help to understand how such a simple circuit is so magical. Tonefactor Huckleberry review

Ten Songs for a Sunroof Day

It’s nice out. And while risking life (well sneezing and itchy eyes) I drove to work with the sunroof open. And while my commute is generally only three songs long, here are ten songs that are great for a sunroof day. What are you listening to as you drive around with the windows down?

1. Here Comes the Sun Again – M. Ward
2. Asleep on a Sunbeam – Belle and Sebastian
3. He’s Gone – the Grateful Dead
4. Walcott – Vampire Weekend
5. Don’t Look Back – She & Him
6. Take it Easy – Jackson Browne (far superior to the Eagles version, but the P90 family has a pretty low threshold for Don Henley tolerance)
7. Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues – Eels (just ignore the irony in the song)
8. Sausalito – Conor Oberst
9. Blue Sky – The Allman Brothers
10. Texarkana – REM

What do you like to listen on a day like today? 

Fare (not so well) Michael's Pub Pt. II

A few weeks ago, I discussed why I will not miss Michael's Pub. I also covered what I'm looking for in a new tenant/s.

Now I'm getting more specific. There seems to be some speculation that Kimco already has another tenant lined up and that's why they were unwilling to let Michael's downsize. Time will tell. If that's not the case, it seems like they will need to sub-divide the space.

I also read earlier this week that Mother's is looking for a HoCo location. I'd be ok with that.

Other "dream restaurants" include:

1. Lebanese Taverna
2. Dogfish Ale House
3. An actual brew pub
4. A sushi place

What would you like to see in the space once occupied by Michael's?

hocofood@@@

Cell(ar) Outs

I think I’ve posted before about how my beer tastes have changed over the years from dark and malty to pale and hoppy. Well, the same thing that happens every year has happened again. Warmer weather is rolling around and I still have a stock of dark, high ABV beers that seemed like a good idea when I bought them.

Luckily, Draft Magazine has come to my rescue with article on cellaring beer. Read away. So, rather than binge on dark beers, it looks like I’m clearing out a space in a basement corner to let these bottles age gracefully.

And as Poison once said “…lock the cellar door and baby, talk dirty to me.” You can sing the riff to yourself.

And yes, as a nine year-old, I really liked this song.