I’ve been watching the PBS series, The War, a 6 DVD set, Directed by Ken Burns (http://www.pbs.org/thewar/).   The series covers the entire history of the buildup to and the details of minor and major battles of WW2.  Burns tells the story through the eyes of several soldiers and families from 4 U.S. towns.  These towns include Sacramento, CA, Luverne, MN, Mobile, AL, and Waterbury, CT.  Burn’s perspective  gives certainly a more organic, more rich feel to the story.  The propaganda of the victor is tossed aside to reveal the view of a frightened and tired nation; and the thought of “how did we ever win?”

The reality of the war, the brutality, heartache and hopelessness at times are truly remarkably showcased in Burn’s presentation.  While I certainly don’t delight in such themes, it does bring a certain respect for the times that were before the United States and the Allies at that time.  The sheer magnitude and scope of the war is wholly unfathomable today; the stakes for failure that faced Allied Commanders tantamount to the true end of the world as they knew it; the endless streams of telegrams bearing the names of sons, fathers, brothers who would never return.

One of the main themes in the early parts of the war that is displayed is just how unprepared the country was at that time for any war, not to mention a worldwide conflict.  The army was totally unprepared, our technology dated back to WWI, and not to mention the country was close to bankrupt from the great depression.  We were very close to pressing for surrender early on.  Only by learning from serious defeats and trudging through hard times, rallying as a nation, did we get through the tough times.  You’ve heard them mentioned before, The Greatest Generation.  They answered the call, and truly saved the world.

It makes me wonder what they might call our Generation if put in the same situation.  Would we be called the “What?…. There’s a War? Generation”, too distracted to give a care and clueless about the world they live in.  I sometimes despair when people don’t care about what the President’s doing, or know what’s really going on with the 140,00o troops in Iraq, don’t vote, and let others think for them, while letting their brains rot.  Freedom is a freedom to think, make your own judgments, not to depend on others to do all these for you.

Would we be called the “Great Compromisers” who would give away our freedom or safety just so we don’t have to fight?  Ironically this theme dominated the late 1930′s during Hitlers build up of force and initial attacks.   It was only when attacked that most American’s joined in the idea of fighting.  Would we negotiate with maniacal tyrants, or appease those who would seek to destroy us?

Even considering these,  I come back to thinking in the end, that our generation would probably do alright.  War is about survival and Americans will always know how to survive.  It’s in our blood and as much as our hapless wanna-be-dictators in Washington want to think they do everything for us, we really make this country run, we’re the ones who would save it if truly threatened.

When a nation is truly threatened, the fire to survive within is no national pride, no moral compass driving you, its the quest to kill or be killed.  To die as a nation or rise and support the fight to stay alive.  That’s what the Greatest Generation was faced with and I think if faced with the same, we would respond; but it would take a long time and countless lives to be lost before we would answer the call.  We are far to entrenched in our cocoon of comfort ripe with denial and our narcissist ways to be moved to easily.

I pray that day never comes when we are ripped from our cocoon, and have to answer the call.  To say that will never happen in our lifetimes is probably wishful thinking, but who’s to say.

http://www.pbs.org/thewar/

Ingredients:

• 7 lb roast bone in
• Salt as needed
• Pepper as needed
• ¾ lb mire pox (1pt carrot, 1pt celery, 2pts onion all diced small)
• 1 qt veal stock (I use rehydrated Veal Stock Paste (More than Gourmet) at 1:20 ratio with hot water http://morethangourmet.com/products/veau.htm
  

Started with 7 lb Bone-In Standing Rib Roast.  With a boning knife trim any thick chunks of fat, and trim between and around individual bones.  Be careful to not cut into the main part of the roast.  Retain any trim meat for other uses.

Leave all the marble fat in the meat, but cut off any fat chunks that protrude on the outside.

Season with Kosher salt and black pepper all over, rub into the meat a bit.  Put in on a roasting rack pan.  Preheat oven at 325 degrees and roast for 2 1/2 hrs  or until internal temp is at 130, take out roast & set on counter, temp will raise to 145 (med rare in my case) over about 1/2 hr.

WHILE ROAST is RESTING

Brown mirepox in the roasting pan minus the rack on the stove until browned & pan drippings reduced.   Pour off extra fat.   Add veal stock to de-glaze roasting pan, simmer for a few minutes, season to taste.   Strain liquid and divide in ramekins for individual guests.

This is how mine turned out.   It was AMAZING I have to tell you; totally wowed my guests and fed 8 people quite well.  I encourage you to try it.

I look good...

Anticipation

Thank the Lord for Meat

The custom for me started in 2003 when I had no plans and nor any prospect of anything going on.  On a whim I invited some friends, said something about food, and viola dinner party numero uno.   Roasted Rack of Lamb turned out to be my draw, which turned out to be quite a stretch for one who’s never ventured outside of cooking things one finds in a bag.  Little did I know what a force the prospect of food can be and how widely word spreads of even a modest culinary exploration.

Fast forward to 2008 and once again the platter of parties lays bare; like the cool breeze on a late fall morning  my visions of creating a major achievement tickled my interest.  So a quick question to some friends…”hey, would yall want to cook din.. “YES”  “ok, done”, well I guess that’s settled.

So, what to cook?  I had always wanted to improve on the Lamb Roasting, had not tried that specific dish since the first.   My quest was answered a month prior in a moment of gleaming glory (start 2001 theme here) at in the Fresh Market on a Sunday afternoon…. there it was in all its splendor with only the glass to shield me from its radiance……the 100% Angus Prime Standing Rib Roast (where’s the timpani when you need it!).  After the drool reached the collar of my P-c0at, I regained my composure;  for a moment the butcher winked at me, I looked back with “why the hell you winking at me bro?” and promptly made  my exit.  The challenge had been thrown down the gauntlet set, how would I answer.

BAM! Here’s your answer Huckleberry….

Oh twas so delicious, words don’t exist to express the pleasure of this delight.  Only the language of groanings and sighs as the fork descends with etherial bliss, followed by existential meanderings through the mind… dream melds with real and suddenly asking oneself….how did I arrive in this place?

Oh it will be hard to top this dinner, but some day I hope to.  But of course the food would not be worth a single bite if it weren’t for the people joining me.  No roast in the world can replace the juicy goodness of a friendly conversation, jolly laughter,  and the fellowship that comes with holding wine.  Hence once again I say, Thank you Lord for meat.

The isle of despair and doubts and delays of dreams that might have been. No one keeps him here but the water, no shank awaits in center grass. His isle is made a hell for one and no one else can know.

But the hell is not his prescence here, no hell is that a dip, a dip of the toe to find the water is glass and that home awaits over sea; another could walk home free, but this one’s faith, it will never enter the sea.

However, I at some point I discovered….Jokes are not made they just simply exist, and float around all around.  Like butterflies in a sea of flowers that and land in your lap and quickly fly away.   Surely just like Solomon said nothing is new under the sun, the same ones have been around since the dawn of man.   However, only some can tame such creatures.

You have to wait till one comes along, or create your own to your peril, or to that of your hearers,…. it might not be pretty.  Sure you’ll get the occasional rapid fire heady courtesy laugh, or if you’re lucky a quick detour to another subject and a quick exit avoiding sudden and quick “you’re not funny” label, perhaps you can go write an elevator user manual or something.

Perhaps at your next party you can tell…yeah, he’s a master builder, weaving a taspestry of tight woven hilarity for all to see.  Or another you might say “oh yeah, he’s that guy, a highly intellectual weaver armed with wet glue and pipecleaners, (dude watch the glitter, enough glitter).   Oh that all could weave, but then how will men know unless they are told.