A discovery worse than Spam.

Yes, I didn't think it could be done either. I always like corned beef and hash since I tried it at Fayzees in La Crosse. So, I decided to try a can of it. I picked up a can of Flavorite, the bargain brand that makes everything imaginable. They're my favorite brand of everything, they're really cheap and my stomach can't tell the difference. Anyway, I followed the directions on the can by frying it on the stove for a few minutes. First of all, it came out of the can like Thanksgiving cranberry jelly, a solid loaf complete with the can impressions. Second of all, it smelled like canned dog food. I put some salt and pepper on it to make it edible, but I didn't quite work. I could only muster enough strength to force down a single taste. Oh well, we all have to learn lessons in life, you're just fortunate to learn it from me and not from Flavorite. I'm off to the SERF now to get buff. These guns don't just happen on their own you know.

Lazy Days of Summer

Hello everybody. Well so far summer has been pretty uneventful. I've been working in my lab still, and still searching for that second job that I will be able to keep during the school year. I'm still looking to get a phlebotomist position in the hospital. I hope all the cousins that made the voyage to Vegas had a good time. Too bad my uncertain employment situation and lack of any money prevented me from coming. I'll definetly make the trek up to the cities this summer to visit everyone. Maybe in two weeks or so. Although I'm not a big soccer fan (football for all the hip people out there), I've been following the world cup. Germany is hosting this year and they made a good showing their first game beating Costa Rica 4-2. The US was hopeful for a good run, but they got spanked 0-3 by the Czech Republic in their opening match. Oh well, we still have American Football, Basketball, and Baseball. I can't imagine how mixing soccer hooligans and German beer can be going very well. Ahh, wish I could be there to see it. Also enjoy the wiener dog. I think it's been proven that daily doses of cute puppy pictures reduces the risk of heart disease, or maybe that was red wine. Anyway it was one of the two.

The Start of Summer

My last final was Friday, so my summer vacation started Saturday morning. Friday night I went out to eat with a fellow classmate after the test. I have two new food experiences to relay to you all. We went to Wandos, known for their fish bowl cocktails and nightly fish fries. I had my first experience with batter fried walleye. I little peppier than cod I'd have to say, but very delicious. I also had the Smithwick's Irish Ale there. This too was very pleasing to the pallet. A lot darker than I imagined, but I guess that's to be expected coming from Guinness. I've just been sitting around the apartment to kick off the first few days of summer. I went into the lab to work yesterday, and I'm going back in an hour or so to snip some more mice tails. It really puts a nice spin on the day. Looking forward to all that summer has to offer. Camping trips to the state parks. My first legal drinking age visit to Mayfest in Mount Carroll Illinois. And hopefully my first legal gambling age visit to Las Vegas. This should prove to be a nice summer. See you all soon.

Mifflin St.

Sorry for the long hiatus from blog updating. The end of the semester has been a busy one. As you can see, last Saturday was the Mifflin St. block party where they estimate 20 - 25 thousand people descend upon our little street for one last end of the year hurrah. A few beverages are consumed, and a great time is had by all. Uhhh, maybe not all. This year was quite a Mifflin St. party for me. I actually didn't have a drop of alcohol on this day. I know what you are all thinking. "Jason, you are such a responsible boy. It's good to see you can have a fun time without feeling the need to drink." I actually started to celebrate on Mifflin Eve. To make a long story short, I let my youthful exuberance get the best of me, and I spent some time with my dear friend the trash can that night. Thus, the next day my stomach and head weren't ready for the hair of the dog. So I made a quick lap down the street to take in the atmosphere and returned to our humble abode for some brats on the grill. Finals start this week, and my first one is actually on Sunday. After that I plan on staying here in Madison to work in the lab I've been in this year, plus get a second job. I've applied for a phlebotomist position at Meriter Hospital a few blocks down the road. It's from 4:30-8:30 am, so it should be an interesting time. Other than that I don't have much more to say. Except to say that my latest blog update request came from my favorite cousins. Jill, Beth, and Sara have requested my next beer review be of Smithwick Irish Ale. I'm fairly sure this is the correct one. It's an Irish Ale made by Guinness. It seems to be a cult favorite of those who have tried it. I've actually already tracked it down at the Brocach Irish Pub on the capital square. My incredible detective skills revealed that the the picture on the home page shows that the tap to the far right is Smithwicks. From now on, I encourage active participation by my blog readers, and additional suggestions for beer tastings are also welcome, especially if you're buying.

Beer and Cupcake pairing part two

Last time I reviewed the delicious pairing of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer with a chocolate cupcake. I've decided to continue the opposites attract theory. This week we have a dark German wheat beer Erdinger Hefe-Weizen Dunkel paired with Betty Crocker funfetti cupcakes and vanilla frosting. I actually had most of the sprinkles removed from the batter before mixing, using a noodle strainer as a sieve. I felt that the sprinkles would cheapen the high quality beer in the pairing. Overall, this pairing didn't speak to me as much as the previous one. I think the beer was great, but it was a very smooth mellow flavorful beer. While on the other hand, the cupcake was overpoweringly sweet, even without a majority of the sprinkles. So the sugar rush from the cupcake ruined the savory flavors of the beer. I would think that this beer would also be nice with a chocolate cupcake. Thus, from this experiment we can conclude that it is not scientific law that the cupcake and beer must be opposite in color. Check back later for more beer and cupcake pairing advice.