Reading Back

Diana is on my case about getting together a Janitor College book, willing to help me get it published, so I spent most of the day reading back over my work. The Janitor College stuff is pretty funny. The frogs would make a good book. The weather, the food. I'd been hesitant about pulling out a specific book, because I felt it wouldn't accurately reflect what I was doing with the Ridge Posts. Not sure I care about that anymore. The source is available, you can read it in context, if you want to. A food book would be fun. A book about The Wittgenstein Plumber, or my own personal rant on class distinction. Mind Camp. Too hot to think, even the short walk to the truck, 100 yards, causes riverlets of sweat to run down my back. My belt is wet and ringing with salt pools. I had forgotten that, the way a work belt gets wet. Retreat inside, turn on the AC. The routine, roll a couple of smokes (I stay one cigaret ahead, so there's always one for a phone call), get a short drink on ice and let the ice melt. My old and frail parents call, they sound like brittle newsprint, and, afterwards, I can't get them off of my mind. What would MFK Fisher do? I had picked up, from the remaindered bin, one of those bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin steaks, partially frozen it, and cut it into four medallions. I want to make an onion jam, to go on top. To perfectly caramelize a large red onion should take almost an hour. I use a 10 inch cast iron skillet to do this, equal parts butter and olive oil, then I transfer it to a much smaller pan, add some ginger, some tamarind paste, a little brown sugar, and reduce it. It's sinful. I only make it a couple of times a year. Indulgence is one thing. Just saying. While it's reducing I cook a sweet potato, and dust the beef medallions with the current rub. I sear them quickly, in a very hot pan, pour the pan juices over and top with the onion jam, bust open the sweet potato and fill it with sour cream. This is so good the Gods themselves look over my shoulder.