Utterly Useless Knowledge

In honor of my birthday today, here's some gastronomic eye candy for you to peruse. Better close your office door, though.....possibly NSFW for some of you. Just some random stuff from the backyard over the past year that didn't make it to the blog in any other form. Oh, and a pic of my first attempt at authentic championship Texas chili (no beans!). Welcome back to the blog. You've been missed.

"SPAM? Are you freaking kidding me, Dixon? I'd rather suck quarters out of an old man's ass!" * Yeah, I hear ya. Well, you're wrong, my friends. Consider this your permission slip to not only purchase a can (or four) of the tasty, beautifully pressed loaf of hog parts unknown, but delight in the consumption of it, MSG and God-know's-what else, be damned. I re-discovered this American delicacy on a pilgrimage to the SPAM Museum in Austin, MN back in 2003. My college roommate Mickey & I were returning to Des Moines from attending a wedding in Wisconsin, and saw the signs as we made our way west down Interstate 90 in southeast Minnesota. We determined instantly that this was a must-see. From then on, I vowed that I would never again frown upon the regular (yet in moderation, of course) consumption of this feigned food. It was a typical weeknight, with no real plan in place for a quick dinner. A scan of the cupboards can usually yield some sort of "Iron ...

Scotch Eggs Appetizer, with Bangers & Mash The Royal Mile, Downtown, Des Moines Celebrating the finish of the Dam-to-Dam 20k that morning. 5.30.09

Although I'm not in line for the family restaurant empire (nor am I even sure I'm related to this particular lineage of Dixon's), I can confidently say that my name proudly adorns a true culinary road food classic in Kansas City , my gastronomic home away from home. Located merely blocks from Kaufmann Stadium, the fellas and I decided early on that this was going to be our post-game meal last week. The only thing that I had heard about the place was that their version of chili is quite a bit different from what most everyone is used to. The only other place that I've heard of chili that is this unique is Cincinatti Chili, wich has a bit of a sweetness to go with the normally savory, tomatoey dish, and tends to be poured over plates of spaghetti. Whils bearing no resemblance to Cincy, Dixon's Chili is no less original. Here's the run-down on how it all comes together. First, every component of Dixon's chili is prepared separately. Only when you order do the ...

Huevos Rancheros, and a Big Ass Pancake The Brown Burro, Fairplay, CO 2.14.08

You really want to know? You're probably not as prepared for the answer as you think you are. Let's listen in on a typical guy conversation. Sure, the setting isn't quite a slice of everyday life, but the story definitely is. Here's Baseball Hall-of-Famer, and one of my childhood heroes, George Brett, just making small talk with a couple of buddies. This....is what guys talk about. Note: If you're not fond of colorful (i.e. FOUL) language, you may want to skip this. At the very least, put your headphones on.

Sometimes the weather is such that all you want to do is stay inside, point and laugh at your neighbor who is outside shoveling snow, and make some good food that fills you up and warms the cockles. I learned to love cooking when I was growing up from my mom, and the go-to guide for such dishes has been my mom's cookbook, a collection of some of my favorite recipes that mom would make growing up. She made this book for Lisa and gave it to her as a gift at her wedding shower. It's been used more than any other cookbook I have. So as a long, cold weekend at home loomed, I sat down and made up a list of 3-4 meals that I could make & chew on for the weekend, and then for lunches the rest of the week. Kicking it off for a Saturday lunch watching basketball was one of my all-time favorites, Zuccini Casserole. People probably don't go out of their way to buy up this particular vegetable, but it's been a staple in my family for as long as I can remember, whether it was a gi...