Here's some images from wandering around the neighborhood with
neighbor Bob and his new dog Ella. Many trees fell down, taking power
out for nearly 10 hours. The emergency crews were busy on my street.

I'm making chili today.

• Samual Smith Oatmeal Stout 
• Kidney Beans 
• White Kidney Beans 
• Beef 
• Chipotle peppers 
• Jalapeno peppers 
• Spice mixutre of chili powder, cumin
• Beef broth
• Onions
• Garlic
• Red peppers

I'm expecting it to be delicious.

Enjoy the photos of the process.

A couple weekends ago Amanda and I drove up to Vermont to visit her grandma.  I took the following couple photos to try and capture the fall foliage.  It wasn't very good, so I tweaked in software.  Also tested out the new NIK HDR software, which isn't bad.

A couple weeks ago, my neighbor made a stew and put it inside a baked pumpkin.  Some people inquired to the recipe.  Download the PDF file for the recipe of Carbonada a la Criolla.  It's a delicious Argentinean stew.  (The full recipe is embedded below.)

As a bonus, and because of the time of year, he served it in a pumpkin.

Here's some extra tips from him on cooking the pumpkin, etc...:

"The only suggestion is that before you brown the meat, you should blot it dry with paper towels.  That way it browns better and faster.  And really brown it. 

I cooked the pumpkin by cutting the top off, scooping out the seeds and stringy stuff, rubbing the outside with oil, sprinkling the inside with salt and pepper and putting it in a preheated 375 oven for about 45 minutes.  You test it by piercing the outside with a thin bladed knife.  If it slides in easily, the pumpkin is done.  As I said the other night, it's kind of a guessing game.  You actually take it out when it's almost done and let the heat inside finish cooking it or else it will collapse in on itself. 

I separated the seeds from the stringy stuff, salted them and roasted them at 325 for about 7 minutes, tossed them with a spatula and roasted them for another 7 minutes of so.  They should be turning brown when done.

Also, you can take the left over pumpkin flesh, add honey and a little salt and roast it.  It's delicious."

1)  Amanda's home-made pumpkin frozen yorgurt in celebration of Halloween
2)  Frozen yorgurt is topped with toasted and spiced pecans
3)  A triangle of Taza Salt & Pepper chocoloate
4)  Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Tawny Port

Pinch Me.

Amanda stopped in a Vermont-based pottery store and discovered the Hunan Steamer.   It's a healthy way of cooking that dates way back in time to some location in China.  This particular Hunan steamer  was locally made in Vermont by some potterers.  

Cyclocross season is in full swing.  Last night was the first muddy cross race of the season: The Night Weasels Cometh.  All races up to this point have been dry, grassy, and uneventful.  It feels like CX season now with the wet and cold.