Thursday, January 31, 2008

Mushrooms Italia

Mushrooms ItaliaMy Mushrooms Italia that I cooked for a dinner party. Its mushrooms with the Italian meats coppa, prosciutto and pancetta. And some fresh tarragon.

Take a bunch of mushrooms and place them in large pan [photo] with clarified butter (so they won't burn.) Cook on high heat. It may seem like too much but they'll shrink down. Stir occasionally and soon the mushrooms will exude their liquid [photo]. Keep stirring and keep an eye on the liquid [photo].

In another pan cook shallots and garlic in olive oil on medium heat. After the shallots have softened, add the pancetta, coppa and prosciutto [photo]. Stir occasionally.

When all the liquid has evaporated [photo] from the mushrooms, add a couple of cups of Chianti or other dry red wine. Stir for a few minutes. When the wine has cooked down a little, add the meats [photo]and a dash or so of freshly cut tarragon. Continue cooking until the wine has evaporated. Add a bit more tarragon and you are all set!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Smurfalicious!


Wow, the Smurfs have turned 50! And it's a year long celebration! As part of the celebration a bunch of people in Croatia dressed like Smurfs (video) and ran around. There's even a website dedicated to the celebration. So grab your Smurf handbag, floppy white hat and blue body paint and head over to the University of Bath, for you and I my friend are going Smurfing!

Aglow by the Jesus Lamplight

You too can curl up and read your favorite book next to your own personal Jesus lamp. And it even moves! You can reflect on his agony and think to yourself "you know, that must have really sucked." And then continue on to the next chapter of your romance novel.

From Patently Silly.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Song of the Day

Remember back ... the year was 1994 and a group named Silverchair came from nowhere (well ok, they came from Australia) with their debut album Frogstomp? The hit single "Tomorrow" was a huge success, and they were only 15! Daniel Johns (their lead singer) had long blonde hair and was full of anger.

Flash to the present, and Silverchair is still here making great music. Daniel has short hair and has mellowed out. But he still has an amazing voice. "Straight Lines" is from their latest album, Young Modern, and is the Song of the Day. It's a great song to wake up to, one that will get you out of that bed inspired and raring to go.

"Breathing from a hole in my lung
I had no one
With faces in front of me
Racing through the void in my head
To find traces
Of a good luck academy

Sparks ignite and trade them for thought
About no one
And nothing in particular
Washed the sickened socket and drove
Resent nothing
There's good will inside of me

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line

Something I will never forget
I felt desperate
And stuck to the marrow
Invisible to everyone else
I'm a sex-change
And a damsel with no heroine

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line

I don't need no time to say
There's no changing yesterday
If we keep talking and
I keep walking in straight lines ..."

Additional Info:

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Golden Popovers


Golden Popovers
Originally uploaded by tony:frosty:oeb

Golden popovers fresh from the oven on a Sunday morning. These hollow crispy delights are always a big hit. A little butter and some honey (or jam) and you are set! And yes, I made them. :)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Song of the Day

Update: Added link to Recoil's official video channel at YouTube.

In the beginning there was Depeche Mode. The first fragment was Vince Clark, who went off to form Yazoo and Erasure. The next fragment was Alan Wilder. And he went off to create Recoil.

So after all that, today's song is "Stalker" from Recoil's Unsound Methods. Bits of calls, spoken word, fragmented melodies, whispers, heavy breathing and creepy lyrics surprisingly come together to form this tense and interesting story.

"I can make a perfect picture from a voice
Her serenity oozed into my ear
It didn't take long for her to know me
and I knew it felt good
Pick me up and use me
Pick me up and use me she was saying
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
If I am taken,
you think that you can live again
But you are nothing
You are nothing without me
You know I'm here for you,
right here for you
See I am the punished one
She, she took all the glory
She took everything,
everything I had to give
Sucking it out of me
But I am always gonna be here
because I am the punished one
She took everything,
She took all the glory,
everything I had to give
Sucking it out of me
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
You are nothing
You are nothing without me
If I am taken,
you think that you can live again
But you are nothing
You are nothing without me
Without me, you're nothing"

Additional Info:

A Storm of Many Colors


Chromatic Maelstrom
by *Frostola on deviantART

A storm of many colors is brewing
it gleams and glistens
roiling inside of me
I tried to contain the disturbance
but it surges and overflows
filling the cracks and crevices
all of those spaces
between
I tilt my face upwards
to the heavens
beseechingly
but the only intervention I receive
are cold drops of morning rain
I turn and walk away
searching the face of the hollow strangers
wondering if they can
see the storm
swirling in my eyes
I dare not open my mouth to speak
fearing the furor
that would spill from me ...

I've been feeling grey
with nothing pleasant to say
maybe its time to end the struggle
let the maelstrom have its way
and color my diseased leaden sky

release!
tear down the rotting wood of excuses
wash clean these bandages of apologies
scour away the grime of guilt and shame

spent!
I will stand here glistening of many colors
no blemishes or stains
radiating like a newborn god
but I will have no memory of your name

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Understanding Art for Geeks


Understanding art for geeks #14
Originally uploaded by paulthewineguy
What do you get when you take pieces of classical art and throw in some modern day bits such as icons, screenshots and interfaces?

Why you get art for geeks! Lulz fersure - if you're a geek that is.
(via Slashdot.)

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Backyard Fence: Perch for a Hawk


Backyard Fence Hawk
Originally uploaded by Frostola
I woke up on this cold and rainy morning to find this hawk sitting on my backyard fence. I rubbed my eyes, slowly edged out of the kitchen, then ran to get my camera. I managed to get quite a few shots off.

Since it was overcast and through my kitchen window, the color isn't great. But still what a great surprise!

If you are interested, here are a few additional views.

You Don't Mess With The Zohan

Adam Sandler has a knack for making me laugh until I cry. And this trailer is no different.

"Was that your feet ?!?!!"
"Yes it's the feet. The feet uppercut. Smell it ... smell it ... smell it. Now take it! That's for you."

I know it's silly but oh I'm crying now ...

A New Look

Ok, so what do you think? I started with the No. 565 template and just got finished mucking around with it. I'm not sure if I'm happy with the colors, so I'll probably keep playing around with that.

And of course, yet another Frostyland splash image. I never seem to get tired of making those. ;)

Oh and I added a favicon.

Thanks to Tips for New Bloggers!