Bon Mardi Gras!

In the spirit of Carnival, we Mardi Gras before we Mecredi Des Cendres.

A new Version of Smothered Pork Shoulder Blades

I made up a version of Pork Shoulder Blades the other day. Great stuff. Seasoned pork with cajun spice and let sit over night. Browned hard the next day in sizzling oil. Removed when sufficiently browned--almost blackened. Then added a little more oil and some of the crispy cracklin from shoulder blade to pan, scraped up brown bits and threw in 5 sliced onions, 5 whole cloves garlic. Let cook until soft and liquid released. Added a can of corn and some fresh spinach for color. More cajun spice and pepper. Then added pork back to pan and let cook through and soak up juices. That's it. All under $7. You provide the wine.

Poem for Father Richard John Neuhaus

First Thoughts: On Hearing that Fr. Richard John Neuhaus Passed Away


Wretched I crossed the street at glory point
to find the pavement steaming hot
barefeet, bare soul, stinking with original sin
in the zero gravity of noon

It’s not easy being catholic most days
but at least you wrote the rules straight
cut down rhetoric with a flaming sword
showed us sin was ordinary as a goodnight kiss

And now you’re gone and I’ll keep walking
hoping some sad priest stops by offers a sign
at least I’ll have your words for a time
and they’ll get me by for now.