Friday, September 30, 2011

Honesty and Transparency

These qualities are not just valuable in good government. You should drive with Intention, not Abandon. It is important to think ahead and, for instance, be in the correct lane well before impending turns. If you don't know what you are going to do before you do it, no one else is going to be able to anticipate it either.

Be sure to signal your intentions as well. Some drivers purposely obscure their intentions by not signaling. If you catch someone doing this, give them a wide berth because they will put you in danger with complete disregard.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

I Brake for Imbeciles



When the car in front of you has obvious signs of rear end damage or repair, give them a little EXTRA space as they have probably already stopped unexpectedly in front of some other driver.

Some Like It Hot




I love food that has a kick to it. When you open my refrigerator, it looks a bit like you opened the encyclopedia to "Peppers and Hot Sauces" One of the best flavors in my compelling arsenal of spices is the "Big Devil" Spicy Blend from Pollen Ranch. It's sort of unfair to single out just one of the great spice blends from Pollen Ranch, because there are so many good ones, but Big Devil is my absolute favorite. The taste is quite robust without ever masking the underlying taste of the food you put it on. I love it on Eggs, Meat, Fish... Almost any kind of protein. If you like food that tastes great, you'll like Pollen Ranch. Check out their site and review the broad array of things they sell. You'll also find great recipes on the site.

Pollen Ranch Big Devil HOT Fennel Spice Blend

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Speidie and Rib Pit, Binghamton, NY

Those who know me know that my mealtime motto is "Never eat anyplace with more than 4 stores." I have a few other axioms that guide my choices. Another is "Buy food made from food, not chemicals." and the every popular "Eat indigenous whenever you can."

The Speidie and Rib Pit rates a perfect score by all three benchmarks. The food is fresh, fabulous, real food. You can buy lots of different fare at the restaurant, including Burgers and fries, cold subs, and a variety of fried appetizers, but their signature dish is the Speidie, a delicacy regional to NY's Southern Tier. Little chunks of pork or chicken marinated in a special sauce/spice blend that I find irresistible. With different breads, cheeses, and toppings, they serve a couple of dozen kinds which you can further customize at the counter. My personal favorite addon is their FHP (Fried Hot Peppers). Not for the timid, they add a robust heat to any sandwich.

The Front Street location suffered some water damage in the recent floods down there and they are still remodeling, open for takeout only while they complete the renovation. I could not recommend them more highly, if you are passing by Exit 6 of Route 81, you owe it to yourself to check them out! If you can't get there in person, you can buy their proprietary marinade and spice blends thru the mail.

http://www.spiedieandribpit.com/


Binghamton

1268 Upper Front Street map
Binghamton, NY  13901
Phone: (607) 722-7628

Vestal

3908 Vestal Parkway East map
Vestal, NY  13850
Phone: (607) 729-2679