The sun is shining which everyone around here seems very happy about. I heard it was a pretty cold winter down here - a couple days there was some traffic paralyzing snow that practically shut down the whole town. I thought it was cold when I was here for that year, but I guess it was worse. Now, I'm happy for the mellow weather - it's a little humid, like Austin was, but still pretty nice.
Last night I was able to cook which I hadn't done for this trip yet - besides some broccoli as a side dish in Austin one night. I made some pan-fried salmon, some Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes - which all came out like I had wanted them too. Cooking puts something in my mind at ease and it's something that I really forward to doing. I'm a fairly simple cook - nothing too elaborate - basic seasonings: sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper - those are my mainstays - and I feel like I do a pretty good job. I feel confident in cooking beef (steaks, burgers, and tri-tip - working on my brisket), chicken and fish - certain vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Then there's pizza and I love spending the time to make homemade pizza - because it's so much better than delivery and better than most places - if I say so myself.
This evening I'm going to get the grill going and cook some chicken that I started marinating yesterday. Also I have some red and yellow bell peppers that will also go on the grill. Then lastly maybe some mashed sweet potatoes - I haven't decided yet. It's funny coming to the South because there is a difference between barbecuing and grilling and people will correct you and tell you what's right.
Barbecuing is is a process of slow cooking - using wood preferably - and then cooking tough cuts of meat like brisket or pork ribs for hours until the heat breaks the meat down and makes it easily edible (that's an oversimplified explanation I know but all that I can recall off the top of my head). Grilling is where you're cooking things quickly over a hot fire - like burgers, chicken, tri-tip, vegetables - that kind of thing. I'm definitely better at grilling, mostly because it takes time to BBQ - minimum 7 hours or so and it's been hard to plan that. Also, I don't have the right set up. I need a good Weber grill.
On Thursday I head up to St. Louis to get ready for a show on Saturday at the Way Out Club with my cousin Mike and his band the Homewreckers. I like St. Louis and I feel like I know the town well. I have a bunch of family on my mom's side in the area - and we lived close by across the river in Alton, Illinois for a few years when I was growing up. It was nice having so much family around - there was always someone to play with. So it'll be good to get back there and then in a couple more weeks I'll be heading back to play two more shows. But before those there will be a lot more happening.
So for now I think that's it - it's about time to get cooking
yours truly,
Jeremiah
my buddy Nando
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