snack away! #7 - free market snackin'.

we at the pursuit cast put on a regular podcast about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. we're neither republican, nor democrat - we just try to do the right thing. we started it because we felt like no one in the regular media expressed a sane viewpoint about politics and philosophy and continue it as a way to get our thoughts out there. we're trying to make friends with like-minded people, not initiate conflict with people who don't feel the same way. so far, it's been successful. if you care to listen and have an open mind - we'd love to have you check out an episode or two. it gives us a chance to share a bit of ourselves outside of our day jobs.

we (frank and mike) over at pursuitcast.com work very hard at our day jobs. that's plural - jobs - we are involved directly in the operations, or oversight, of several companies each. in addition, we both have board seats at a cloud computing and IT cost reduction service and an agronomy project aimed at developing stable economies in places where currency is neither accessible nor viable (names withheld to protect the innocent). we're working out some details in nigeria, india and vietnam as you read this. our work is very fulfilling. however, this pace leaves very little opportunity for leisure time. we're pretty much all grind, all the time.

after you've given us a listen, it's pretty clear that we're those unapologetic free market types...sometimes shockingly so to the innocent bystander. backyard barbecues, should we ever get the chance to attend them, can turn into an episode of family feud pretty quickly. i guess that's part of the reason behind the podcast, so that we may avoid sharing our politics in polite company and just refer them to our link to subscribe. we're real outcasts in that, being of a free market persuasion, we feel that we are justly entitled the fruits of our labor, and that taxes are an intrusion into our liberty. the tax rate is way too high. this, coupled with our schedule, precludes us from doing something we both consider essential to our happiness...drinkin' and snackin'.

it is a common misconception that we free market types only drink essence of bunny rabbit and snack on the delicate and tasty souls of lost and exploited children. however, nothing could be further from the truth. we're real capitalists with morals and values rooted in the golden rule, although we hear that the souls of children are a delicacy at some institutions on wall street. when we're not out on the grind, we like to kick back and have some good conversation over a drink and snack, so without any more jibber-jabber - here's what it's like to snack pursuit cast style...

snack away! #7 - free market snackin'.
guest bloggers: frank speiser/mike perrone (the pursuit cast), new york, ny

snacks: shake shack cheeseburger / nobu next door california roll
drinks: dun bheagan 26-year-old scotch / 1938 macallan / tesseron lot 53
cigars: montecristo D LE 2005 / padron 1964 anniversario series



the pre-game - we don't get this kind of downtime very often, so we're not going to crack open a pabst blue ribbon and crush the empty and comically recyclable can on our chests. actually, mike may do that, but it'd be on someone else's chest, and somehow he'd get away with it. normally, we prefer to transition from sharply-focused capitalists to relaxed family men via the consumption of a good scotch whisky. again, we don't get a lot of time for this, so we're not talking some urine-esque johnny walker red nonsense.

we're going to kick things off with a dun bheagan 26-year-old scotch. it's got a welcoming, nutty and caramel-like flavor that makes you almost forget that someone proposed a bill that would further limit the amount hard work and savings you can pass on to your children...yet again. we drink this either straight or with two ice cubes depending on the weather. it's about this time in the process that we'll probably start talking about some of the funny things our kids do and what we hope to teach them some day. we're now among friends and life is good...then we'll have another, because we can.

the main event - after we've managed to take the edge off, we're in full snack mode. brace yourself.

we're all for job creation, so we're not going to get something off-the-shelf. we're going to hire a courier and each grab a single cheeseburger from the shake shack - and not that johnny-come-lately shake shack uptown in manhattan on 77th and columbus. we're keeping it real with the madison park original. we're also picking up a california roll from nobu next door on franklin and hudson. of course, we tip extra if the food gets back to us at the right temperature. we're going to pair that up with a 1938 macallan that was bottled in 1973. this might give pause to all those connoisseurs out there that think thar be a travesty to drink a scotch from 1938 with a cheeseburger and a sushi roll, and we concede it is irregular. however, it's also time and money we earned so we highly recommend that you kiss our asses.

the tint of fruit and spices is exceptional in the 1938 macallan - especially to two guys who don't swill some half-dewars/half-water concoction at 5:45 p.m. every day. it's a real treat. the apple notes in the macallan (and you really can taste 'em) make for a nice compliment to the burger (apples and burgers go great together) and the spiciness allows you to rotate in a bite of nobu's sushi roll to cleanse the palate. try it, and then don't tell us about it later.

right about now, we're probably talking about how nancy pelosi looks like skeletor, or how "conservative" talk show host mark levin sounds like that angry guy in the grocery store yelling at canned goods. everything seems funnier after three to four glasses of great scotch. we're also glad to remind someone that we employed craftsmen in the culinary and whisky industries--not some mass-production sweatshop--and that we've done our part to lower the price for the next marginal customer who wants to order the same snack by making it easier for the proprietors of these fine establishments to expand, should they choose to do so.

the post game - you should know that when we're snacking (or doing anything), we're not going to half-ass it. you don't just snack and run...not on our watch...so what we're going to do is wrap this thing up with a cigar and a cognac. if you didn't know what you were doing, you might go with the tesseron lot 29 cognac (bottled in 1929). that lot is for suckers. 1929 was the year of the sucker (YOTS) until 2008 came along. the real deal is the tesseron lot 53 (bottled in 1953). the candy complexion and dark fruits of the flavors offer enough depth to compliment the cigars we're sparking up to finish this off.

this next part is where mike and frank differ. we're not going to have the same cigar. that assumption is just impolite...we're not communists, after all. mike's going with the montecristo D LE 2005 for its even draw and the fact that it finishes well. they are mild, creamy cigars that don't pull any surprises on you. frank, on the other hand, is going to get contra with it and go with the padron 1964 anniversario series, live and direct from nicaragua. these are little more potent, but one of these still fits well with the tesseron 53 and the cocoa flavors that kick in after the halfway point are kick-ass, to use the technical term. the flavors shift and morph as you get through the cigar. it's a great way to end the snack session and remind us of why we work so hard at trying to provide real, measurable value. hank rearden's not walking through that door, people.

oh yeah, another thing - neither one of us is going to smoke a cuban cigar. they're overrated flavor-wise and the construction has since been replicated by master cigar makers at both padron and montecristo. besides, the castros can bite us; that semi-colon is for you - fidel.

the conclusion - it's great to know that there are people who take so much pride in their trade and we're happy to buy their unique products. the drinks, snacks and cigar we've chosen come from the work of people who sought to make a unique and different mark on life. their self-determination led them to be able to offer such a unique taste experience that we're willing to spend our money (and thus our own time) to go out of our way and get their products. instead of common, commodity state-issued rations of alcohol and meals, the market provides a way for us to earn some discretionary income and then spend that on some unique products that only the talents of specific people with dedication and drive can bring to the market. we also employed someone who is likely getting a start in this country in picking these products up for us and if they did a good job, we're happy to be able to tip even more. it's a start, but we know that it's just a stepping stone.

if we had just a 1% reduction in our tax burden, we might snack like this once a week. maybe with more claim to our own income we would see more competition for great scotch and burgers and bring the prices down for everyone. sounds like an idea for a future podcast, and with that we're back to work. thanks to mr. pyro for having us on. keep snacking, brother.

frank & mike are big fans of the free market. please catch them on the pursuit cast by subscribing via itunes at: http://tinyurl.com/pursuitcast or visiting podcast.com: http://podcast.com/show/139477/The-Pursuit-Cast/.

nosh nook #43 - wednesday, may 13, 2009

when ‘local’ makes it big (link)
05.12.09 - the ny times - by kim severson

if there's one thing that big business likes doing, it's co-opting stuff. as long as you can be one of the first to cash in on the latest trend, even if it's with a mediocre facsimile, you're golden, much like a pair of arches. take the grunge look. that is so not cool any more. the fashion industry wore that out quicklike. on a related note, for every nirvana, there were ten candleboxes. anyway, now, since we americans are so fickle, buying organic foods has moved out of the spotlight & being a locavore (buying locally) has stepped in to become the hip new food trend. it doesn't hurt that the word "locavore" sounds wolflike or at the very least, something with fangs. the big food corporations are already lining up to cash in.

kim severson really breaks it down quite well for the ny times in her story. yesterday, the NYSE had five potato farmers ring the bell in lockstep with a lays (frito lay/pepsi) marketing campaign aimed at promoting the localness of their potato chips. basically, they're airing spots in each of the five farmers' home states, explaining how they grow potatoes there & lays makes potato chips there, so it's local. then the ads go national soon after, promoting the idea to the entire country. apparently frito-lay has a "sustainability program" also...how quaint. hunts (conagra) has also jumped on board, promoting the proximity of their tomato farms to their cali processing plants. if they can promote that to local consumers, there's a good chance they'll buy, since they have a clear picture of the distribution chain.  it's all about how you spin it.

i am all for locally grown food, co-ops getting veggies & whatnot from local farms...our little socialist colonies. i've seen king corn & i'm hip to the evils of the huge, guvment sponsored, commodity crop farms. i'm assuming that guvment money has something to do with pepsi wanting to merge with frito-lay in the first place. hell, i'd get in bed for what's probably trickling down to them.

the spread of the locavore mentality isn't all evil. as severson explains, in central cali, there's a "grow & buy local" initiative, which is taking part of a county grant & urging farmers to replace commodity crops with grocery crops, which can fill local needs & farm stands. trickle-down!  she spoke with the director of guv relations for the virginia farm bureau, who said, "if promoting local agriculture will help america to become food independent, that’s what we want."  i agree.  as a non-practicing locavore, other than the freshness of my foods, shifting dependence to local sources is the main reason i have for wishing i bought entirely locally.  all i can say is, hopefully there's a potato farmer in my state so i can get me some local lays real soon.

nosh nook #42 - tuesday, may 12, 2009

slob ripper gets a personal trainer (link)
05.11.09 - the sun - by jamie pyatt

back in may of 1981, peter sutcliffe, better known as "the yorkshire ripper," was sentenced to life in prison for the killings of thirteen women in yorkshire county, in north england. the judge advised that sutcliffe should serve at least thirty years before being considered for parole. while parole may never happen, he's going to be turning 65 soon & that thirty year date is coming up soon. back in january, doctors declared him fit to leave prison. apparently he's not as fit as he should be.

as jamie pyatt reports for that bastion of high-brow journalism, the sun, doctors have also "ordered (sutcliffe) to lose four stone." that's fifty-six pounds in american! currently, he weighs 19 stone (266 lbs) because of "his favourite snacks — including burgers, chips, pasta, chocolate and biscuits." he's going to get healthy food instead & if he doesn't lose the weight, he can't leave the prison infirmary.

since he refuses to go to the gym, they've even brought in a personal trainer for him, to do some "upper body work." the exercise & healthier diet are probably for the best, since the dude has diabetes.  i'm assuming there are some out there who might be thinking, "why don't they just let him die?"  as one who doesn't believe in an eye for an eye, i think taking away his snacks & keeping him alive's the best way to go...that way he can die alone & snackless in prison.

nosh nook #41 - monday, may 11, 2009

a snacker's guide to bangkok street food (link)
05.10.09 - the washington post - by nick malgieri

one night in bangkok and the world's your oyster. the bars are temples but the pearls ain't free. you'll find a god in every golden cloister and if you're lucky then the god's a she. i can feel an angel sliding up to me. --murray head

bangkok's known for a lot of things, some savory, some not so savory. the rumor is that given its location in thailand, you can get all sorts of really authentic thai food there, especially in their plentiful markets, which are filled with food vendors hawking a wide array of dishes & snacks.  frankly, i don't see myself making it to bangkok any time soon to verify such claims, so i'm relying on the good graces of the washington post to do so.

nick melgieri recently visited bangkok's markets for the post.  he notes that "thais are inveterate snackers," who fully embrace food-on-the-go.  as a result, you can find vendors everywhere--on sidewalks, off the main streets and right outside their own homes--selling tasty treats.  unlike street vendors here in nyc, whose kebabs are pretty much guaranteed to be cooked in a fine layer of general street dust, "bangkok offers a very sanitary street-food experience."  as one who avoids the nyc street vendors because i'm convinced i'm going to get some sort of food virus, sanitary conditions are a major plus.

while there, melgieri made a trip to bangkok's chinatown--one of the best areas in the city for street food.  with american photographer austin bush at his side, he visited a range of places with crazy-sounding names like "mangkorn khao" and "phat thai ok."  other languages are funny!  at these places, they sampled a handful of dishes filled with noodles & seafood, apparently all prepared by colorful chefs with quaint quirks.  they can prepare their food from high above a pair of stilts for all i care.  as long as they serve pad thai, it's all good in the hood.

#91 - artsy fartsy.

when i was but a wee lad, i used to spend many vacations with my mom's parents in westboro, mass, located on the east edge of worcester county. of my childhood stories, one of the ones that i enjoy telling the most is about how one summer, while staying with them, i decided that i was going to draw a series of pictures of fruits in crayon on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. the lemon, red grapes, the apple, the grapefruit--they were all there. when i completed the series, i cut them out & delivered them to all their neighbors. the result: my art was exhibited on the fridges of a one block radius of westboro for weeks.

since then, other than writing, my artistic output & inspiration comes in sporadic spurts. in college & the few years after, when i was still using my film degree, i churned out five scripts for feature films, all currently in various stages of re-draft. back in 2003-04, spurred by a layoff & a sizable severance package, i took a few months off & crudely home-recorded three albums & a couple of eps/singles under the currently-retired moniker "wunderkind." during that time, i also assembled a series of three twenty page or so pamphlets, all labeled "government issued book," covering topics such as "how to be a good patriot," "how to be a rockstar" and "the pigeon initiative." through the years, there have also been a few times when i dabbled in pastel drawings or fancied myself a painter...totally artsy.

there's this one canvas i've had sitting on my floor for months, painted with one solid color as a background but otherwise bare. i've been staring at it for some time, not knowing what to do with it until friday night, when i was feeling inspired & was staying in after a week that included a few positive events & some actual social activity, some of it with interesting artist types. i'm happy with the results so far & will probably finish it up this weekend.  since it's my habit of eventually giving away all my finished super-awesome paintings (hey, hang this crazy thing on your wall!), i'm assuming it'll end up in someone's abode, on their wall or in their closet sometime soon...unless i get fickle between now & then.

i suppose these artistic spurts come from this part of me, the part that's bored with what's out there artistically & is trying to fill that void by creating something of my own.  it's the same part that enjoys taking photos at weird angles & then running them through fifty photoshop filters to see what happens.  par example, i took this one on friday night on a run to the bodega...



totally artsy.

#91 - artsy fartsy.
snack: deep river snacks asian sweet & spicy potato chips
drink: tanner's jack fine ale


while i was painting, every time i stepped back from the canvas to assess my progress & give myself a pat on the back, i munched from a bag of deep river snacks asian sweet & spicy potato chips. deep river snacks, based out of old lyme (disease), connecticut, uses all natural ingredients in their products and embraces the kettle chip, which i'm all for. coming from a state whose population is approx 3% asian, i'm impressed that they were able to get the flavor right...actually, maybe "right" isn't the right word.

by "right," i mean that they've created a flavor that's pretty much the same thing as the kettle chips' spicy thai flavor, with a blend of spices that doesn't remind me of anything specifically asian, but is damn tasty regardless.  unfortunately, i only bought a 1.5 oz bag, as that's the only size they had at the cafe i found myself purchasing snacks in after leaving a wednesday night roof deck concert performance/gathering in williamsburg...that's right! williamsburg, brooklyn!  i'm so damn hip...and totally artsy.

since painting & drinking go together like jackson pollock & a bottle of whiskey or scotch or gin or vodka or wine, i'm having a tanner's jack fine ale with these feisty asian chips. tanner's is made by greene king brewery, the same u.k. gents who make old speckled hen ale & a ton of other brands, a number of which were acquired through a series of takeovers that has made them the u.k.'s largest british-owned brewery.

the flavor leaves something to be desired.  i purchased it at a reputable establishment with a beer selection that turns over rather quickly, so i'm going to assume that the slightly bitter/slightly skunky taste is what they're going for flavorwise.  it's like a good newcastle gone bad...must be one of those "acquired tastes," like something by lars von trier...bitter & meant to be experienced, not enjoyed, probably just misunderstood.