pork roast with roasted red pepper sandwich

It's sweet.

I intended to stop here and eat this as crispy pork chips but the pork is too tough. The fat needs to be rendered. Too chewy and not a pleasant experience. 

Change of plan. The pork needs to braise to tenderize. Its coating will now thicken a broth.

There are two whole red bell peppers in the little jar.

Sire, your sandwich roll is ready.

Bring it!

jalapeño bacon cheese cornbread, cast iron bread pan

I've got my cornbread act down.

And this cast iron bread pan, does it make all the difference in the world?

No, the cast iron pan does not make all the difference in the world.

It makes some difference in the world.

And that's something.

Southern cooks swear by cast iron.

And Southern cooks know what they're talking about.

It is everything all at once. Even though you know what goes into it the cornbread surprises you anyway. 

It is the cake version of polenta.

And the corn version of risotto.

It is the solid version of grits. 

And flavorful version of porridge.

The savory version of banana bread

The Mexican version of zucchini bread.

Southern cooks will reject this cornbread as inauthentic cornbread. Too sweet. Too cake-like. Too light. Insufficiently dry. And way too interesting. 

Why are you doing cornbread again? 

Getting my act down.

It's hot. And the next bite is creamy cheese that alleviates the heat while adding a tiny crunch here and there of undissolved corn from having milled the popcorn right here. Resolving those bits left in the mouth as they masticate and dissolve except for one tiny disconcerting chunk of something in there like jerky that is chewed and the flavor of bacon explodes through the mouth by biting that one tiny particle eradicating every other flavor preceding it and demanding a hunt for another of those.  Eating a piece even unbuttered delivers intriguing and pleasant sensations in the mouth in series and you simply cannot get enough of the intrigue. When the slice is gone you are right back on it with another slice so the flavor sensations in combination can continue until your stomach cannot hold any more. It's quite filling.

What a bummer. Now you have to wait and recover to hit it again. 

And it's not just me thinking all this either. This is not my usual braggadocio. Not my customary 12% exaggeration for dramatic effect. No! This is people telling me so, and this is me unable to resist it. 

Recommended. Also, these same ingredients needn't be in bread form. The same thing as polenta side will win judge's approval. As risotto or as polenta it will compete for attention with the main course. This happened before. Do you see, two things like this on a plate with a main course is the same thing as having three main courses on a plate at the same time vying for attention in a cage match. A plate match. A cacophony of disorienting flavors. And this is not always good. But that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it.   

porterhouse steak, chipotle corn on cob

If you salt a steak before grilling it then the salt will pull moisture from the inside of the steak to the surface of the steak where it burns off. 

If you allow enough time then a couple things happen. The natural chemical process is for the pressure of water to equalize between inside and outside the cell walls. When moisture is drawn to the surface and combined with the salt then both water pressure and salt concentration equalize between the surface and the insides of cells. The salt moisture is dragged back inside. Salt passing through cells denatures the cell walls and opens the passageways wider, fixing them, and facilitating water pressure and salt concentration between cell walls. After time water and salt and spices transfer more readily. The steak cells are altered to behave as a sponge that holds in its own moisture when grilled. 

This dry brining is a function of time.

How much time? 

A few hours.

My lips, tongue, palate, gums, teeth, throat, esophagus, nasal passage, tonsils, uvula, oropharynx, epiglotis, nose, philtrum, trachea, pharynx, my cheeks, are all vibrating at high frequency from gustatory capsaicin stimulation. It's quite extraordinary. 

You wouldn't like it.

You'd be all, "When's it gonna stop? When's it gonna stop?" Then boom the whole vibration thing vanishes and you're eager to repeat the experience.

sweet potato casserole

You're not sending it out of the kitchen like that. 

Mind your own biz wax, Brian, this is ARTS!

Ginger, orange, butter.

Brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and finally for more depth, vanilla or bourbon. 

Topping

oatmeal

flour

pecans

brown sugar

butter

Topping done, set aside.

Mixture cool enough to add egg. This time separately. Eggs will lighten the mixture. Egg whites separated and whipped will lighten the mixture even more but neither is necessary. It's okay. The result will be heavier without egg.

I failed to photograph a bowl of pecans and raisins. The mixture below in the glass bread pan is loaded with pecans and raisins, but they are not showing. The pecans inside are whole. And if I had dried cranberries then I'd use them. For red dots and for zing.