November « 2005 « amarbledesk.com

This is for Columbus folks only. Columbus “Ohio” as we call it here. Everyone else ignore, which should be easy since everyone ignores Columbus anyway.

According to ThisWeek newspapers.

Best Sushi: Haiku/Otani
Best BBQ: City BBQ/Hoggy’s
Best Breakfast: First Watch/Bob Evans
Best Pizza: Donato’s/Rotolo’s
Best Eye-talian: Bravo/Olive Garden
Best Chinois: PF Chang’s/China Dynasty
Best Indian: Indian Oven/Taj Palace
Best Mejicano: El Vaquero/Don Pablo’s
Best Greek: Tria/Anna’s
Best Diner: Cap City Diner/Starliner Diner
Best Sandwiches: wg Grinders/Jersey Mike’s
Best Soups: Panera/Max & Erma’s
Best Burgers: Max & Erma’s/Thurman Cafe
Best Ice Cream: Graeter’s/Cold Stone Creamery

I really disagree with some of the above. The list often seems to be “most popular” or “most Americanized”. But it may be useful for thinking up new dining ideas and avoiding the same old grind.

Oral Vitamin D for Kidney Patients

27 Nov 2005 23:31 EST

Abbot Labs: Zemplar. Oral form approved for Stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease/ESRD. Previous injectable version was for dialysis patients only. Looks like it is specific for secondary hyperparathyroidism.

http://www.abbottrenalcare.com/002zemplar.html: “Rapidly suppresses PTH with no significant difference in the incidence of hyperphosphatemia or hypercalcemia.”

This may be a good ticket even for very long-term post-transplant calcium/vitamin D metabolism problems.

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Eco: Is He Worth It?

27 Nov 2005 23:21 EST

I have to admin I kind of like Eco. I’ve read Baudolino (OK) and Foucault’s Pendulum (loved it; really a very good book and intellectually stimulating).

Eco’s latest is The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana (by Umberto Eco, translated by Geoffrey Brock). Reviewed in WSJ, not favorably. Set in 1991 during 1st Gulf War; any book written by a European intellectual set during any Gulf War puts me off right away. I just know he won’t be able to resist anti-American digs and caricatures.

I haven’t yet read The Name of the Rose. Should I?

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The Soul: An Update!

27 Nov 2005 23:18 EST

In the WSJ recently (I forget the date and lost the clipping) an article in their Friday journal religion section discussing the soul, and the evolution of that concept over time. As an atypical atheist who nevertheless does believe in the soul, this piqued my interest. One book they mentioned was The Beauty of the Infinite by David B Hart, Eastern Orthodox theologian. The reviews on Amazon are sparse but uniformly positive.

The subject brings to mind one thesis of Thomas Aquinas: Building on the Aristotelian concept that “the immortal soul is the form of the body”, he defines the vegetative, sensitive, and rational souls. I’ll be honest, I don’t personally believe those are differences of type so much as degree; and I agree more with the Averroists that the sou can inform the body but probably can (even must) exist separately from it.

The article also brings up Gregory of Nyssa (4th Century), who said the soul is a living mirror in which all things shine; and Maximus the Confessor (7th Century): the soul is the boundary between material and spirtual reality. I’m not familiar with their work and need to look into it.

cf. Descartes.

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Turkey accompaniment

25 Nov 2005 21:29 EST

I tried this, billed as the “World’s Best Cornbread Dressing” for Thanksgiving this year. Five stars on the taste: bourbon and bacon, yummy! But it was a bit too crumbly; two stars on the texture. I prefer my stuffing/dressing more breadlike.

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Roast Turkey and vegetable chili

24 Nov 2005 20:39 EST

Thanksgiving-style chili made from roasted turkey and vegetables. The perfect snack food while watching the Lions lose!

Ingredients

Roast turkey (not ground)
Olive oil
Roasted corn on the cob
Roasted bell peppers
Roasted onion
Fresh celery
Fresh red jalapeños
Lots of garlic
Ground cumin
Mexene chili powder (half a jar!)
Dried oregano
Ground cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Kosher salt
Fresh carrot
Bay leaf
2 lg cans stewed tomatoes
2 sm cans Ro-tel tomatoes & chilis
1 can red or kidney beans

Roast the turkey in the oven like you would for Thanksgiving. This chili uses ½ of a turkey breast. Let cool, then chop roughly. Reserve the bones and make turkey broth for later by boiling the bones with some carrot, celery, and bay leaf.

Coat the vegetables for roasting (corn, peppers, and onion) in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes at 400°. Chop the veggies and cut the kernels from the cobs.

In large stock pot, heat olive oil. Sautée garlic, celery, jalapeños along with the roasted peppers and onions. Add the chopped turkey. Now add a LOT of chili powder as well as cumin, cayenne, oregano. Sautée until the chili powder begins to cook. All at once add the stewed tomatoes, Ro-tel tomatoes, and turkey broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add corn kernels. Salt and pepper to taste. After a few hours of cooking, add the beans. Simmer for at least 12 hours. Serve with croutons and American beer.

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i won! well, honorable mention anyway.

17 Nov 2005 19:33 EST

I am so ashamed. Aquaman liked it, though.

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amarbledesk.com

Miscellany: Sites and Blogs per the WSJ

Best Restaurants in CMH 2005

Oral Vitamin D for Kidney Patients

Eco: Is He Worth It?

The Soul: An Update!

Turkey accompaniment

Roast Turkey and vegetable chili

Ingredients

i won! well, honorable mention anyway.

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