Author Archives: markorton

Mr. Wonderful’s Meatloaf – a recipe?

My 11/11/11 note about my metal for cooking up glop brought several queries, including one from Australia, for the recipe for the meatloaf. This caused some glee here in Hudson. Move over Julia Child.

I should fess up that I have rarely used a recipe. My genius is to open the refrigerator door, look in the pantry, wait for inspiration, then make something with what is at hand. Only in my recent ventures into Indian cuisine have I used a cookbook. Even that I gave up when I discovered the wonders of manjulaskitchen.com.

I have a picture of a 2007 version of my meatloaf. I am sure it included the signature Wheateena and oatmeal, canned tomatoes, and ketchup coating. I must have had a lot of onions and green peppers hanging around This one seems less gloppy than many that Jonathan and Andrea would remember. Maybe I got distracted and it was desiccated by a bit too much time in the oven?

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Mystery Truck with Chimney – source of pizza?

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This morning’s jog took me down to the South Bay, then along the Holcim roadway to 3rd St. From there I ran along the back side of LB Furniture to The Basilica. On passing the Basilica, I saw this aluminum step van rigged out with a chimney.

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A well placed rumormonger informs (can a rumor be information?) that this is a wood-fired organic pizza truck. The black soot around the chimney suggests that it must have been fired up and tested out. From the outside, everything seems ready to go excepting the absent front bumper.

Where and when with the pizza??

BTW – watch out for the criminally high speed bumps along the LB Furniture building. I am sure that low riders like my Corolla will loose their oil pans on those things.

An Earlier Medal for Mr. Wonderful

Jonathan pointed out, via Facebook, that I did in fact receive a medal earlier than my recent Ghostly Gallop fete. There was a time when I was famous, infamous more accurately, for my cooking, especially my meatloaf.

I took special pride in making my meatloaf with so many additives that it looked as though the refuse from the grain aisle at the food coop had fallen in the mixing bowl along with a seasoning of hamburger. Oats was always a starting point along with plenty of chopped onions and green peppers. I also regularly added Wheetena, bulgur, even leftover brown rice. I always topped the mixture off with a coating of ketchup. But, even if put two eggs in to give it some structural glue, the meatloaf never actually loafed. It was always gloppy.

At some point, Jonathan thinks the late seventies, I was awarded a family medal. It is now seriously faded, but a medal nevertheless.

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Mr. Wonderful Wins a Medal

A week ago I ran in the Hudson Area Library Ghostly Gallop 5K race here in Hudson. First race in six years. My time of 41 minutes was hardly stellar, though my PB of 33 minutes some ten years ago hardly made me a threat even in the Clydesdale division. I am happy to be running again.

But the big news is that I received a medal! I am so excited. I don’t think I have ever gotten a medal for anything before. Not sure exactly why I am so enthralled. Every participant who finished the race, even the crawlers, received a medal. Still, I am excited.

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October 2011

Saturday – 10/1/2011

Picked up Bruce George, library director applicant, at train station. Drove around Hudson then to library for interview. Two hour discussion. He is reticent (his description), listens well, obviously smart and well spoken.

Took him to lunch at Tanzy’s. Then back to train.

Back to library at 3 to help Tooney get alarm system running.

Book signing for Shelby Lee Adams. Good turn out. Couple came at 3:30 and stayed until 8:15. They picked out two pictures and are choosing a third from earlier snake religion series. Shelby showed them prints he brought and talked at length about them.

Sold thirteen books.

Had Chinese take out. Continue reading →

Ghostly Gallop 2011

Despite an ominous Saturday evening marked by the threat of 12 inches of snow and a declared snow emergency, the 11th Annual Hudson Area Library Ghostly Gallop 5K Race/ Walk got off Sunday morning (10/30/11).
I don’t know who won. I managed 41 minutes (much more than twice the winning time to be sure) and Karen came in at 52 minutes.
The kids had their one mile race too.

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Art Book Fair at MOMA PS 1

Stopped off at the New York Art Book Fair. More overwhelming than last. Don’t these people know that books are so dead. Really last year there were two floors. This year they added on a whole tent in the courtyard. Too many books on politics and art movements that were obscure 40 years ago. Still some good stuff. Karen found a few she felt compelled to buy.
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My nod to Lee Friedlander and countless other rear view mirror afficianadoes.

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Location:Warren St,Hudson,United States

September 16 – 30, 2011

Friday – 9/16/2011

51 degrees this morning. Forecast is for temperatures in the high 40s tonight. Lit pilot light and lubricated the circulation pump. Everything OK.

Sue Chiafullo came by for prep on gallery sitting Saturday. She talks loud and over you. Hard to get a word in.

Still working on blog posting about marketing to old customers. This piece is getting out of control. Got to focus on finishing a junk. Want to use this as a value add to email. MailChimp.

Talked with Matt Almeida. Always dependable. Other clients absent for today.

Saturday – 9/17/2011

Went to NJ for Meredith’s 50th birthday party. Stopped in Summit. Looked at library, had coffee across from train station. Opening of an olive oil shop. Stayed over in Berkeley Heights. Continue reading →

Cod: a biography of the fish that changed the world by Mark Kurlansky

Cod by Mark KurlanskyThis wonderful little book (283 pages including 40 pages of recipes) by Mark Kurlansky is a great introduction to viewing history through a different kind of lens. We are all to used to history as told from the point of view of great men (almost always me) and nation states. Codis about the fish, fishing, processed food, ecology, trade, slavery, rum, fishing technologies, food around the whole of the Atlantic and beyond and more. It is a wonderful example of regional history.

How did the “sacred cod” sculpture end up hanging from the ceiling of the Massachusetts State House? Or, how did salted cod come to be such a prominent part of the cuisines of Spain, Portugal, France and other countries? How did it come that European fishermen competed for access to cod fisheries along the coast of New England and Canada well before the Pilgrims ever arrived? Where did cod fit into the slave trade that brought millions of Africans to the Caribbean, and North and South America?  How did cod come to be almost fished out of existence in the 20th century?

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The Sacred Cod of Massachusetts - MA State House

This book answers these questions and more.

Title: Cod: a biography of the fish that changed the world
Author: Mark Kurlansky
Publisher: Penguin Books, 1997
Reviewer: Mark Orton