A Little of This and That

Today’s Writing 101 assignment is as follows:

Pick up the nearest book and flip to page 29. What’s the first word that jumps off the page? Use this word as your springboard for inspiration. If you need a boost, Google the word and see what images appear, and then go from there. 

I look around where I’m sitting and the nearest book is the Wegmans Menu magazine.  I flip it to page 29 and it’s a recipe for Low Country Shrimp Boil. The first word that pops out is andouille.  It’s a good word, and I have no idea what it means. As suggested, I Google it, and apparently it’s a pork sausage originating from France.  The calorie count per serving of this recipe is 650.  And so I’m thinking to myself, this recipe is not quick, it is not low cal, but it does have lots of vegetables.  I’m not sure I would make this recipe. Do I do a post based on the word andouille? Wait!!  I don’t even speak French! Next!

The next book I find is Bobby’s library book The House of Hades.  What the hell is going to be on page 29 of this book? Get it? Hades…what the hell??  Nevermind.. back to the story. First of all, anyone 16 and younger reading this, the library is a building with lots of books.  And by books I mean a “written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers.” Occasionally, I force those living with me to actually walk through the doors of such a building. They are amazed to know that books did not originate on a screen.

To page 29 I go.  The first word to jump out at me is polecat. Again, not a clue, so I Google it.

Cute right? What the hell am I going to do with this? I can’t make a post out of this cute little weasel like creature.  I’m sure he smells. Anyway, I read down a little further on the Google page.  Urban dictionary? OH YES!!  Polecat has an urban dictionary meaning, as follows: A man who finds fat women more attractive than thin women.  What the friggin what?  I. Can’t. Touch. That.

Here’s the recipe from Wegmans.

Low Country Shrimp Boil

• 4              Stalks celery, chopped
• 4 C          Chopped Onions
• 6              Cloves peeled garlic
• 7 Tbsp   Old Bay Seasoning
• 5 Tbsp   Salt
• 10-12     Sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 bags (1.5lbs each) Baby Red potatoes, unpeeled
• 12 ears   Corn, shucked and cut in half
• 4lbs         Easy-peel shrimp, uncooked and thawed
• 2 pkgs (12 oz each) fully cooked andouille pork sausage cut in 2-inch lengths
• Melted butter

1.  Remove steamer insert from 16-qt stockpot. Set aside.  Combine celery, onion, and garlic in cooker, fill with 14 quarts of water.  Add Old Bay seasoning and 5 Tbsps salt.
2. Heat to boiling on med-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, 30-40 minutes. Add parsley; simmer 5 min.
3. Place potatoes in steamer insert; lower carefully into hot broth.  Cook 15 minutes, until almost tender.  Add corn; cook 5 minutes.  Add shrimp and andouille; cook 3-4 min until shrimp are pink.  Remove from heat.
4. Carefully lift steamer insert from cooker; spoon vegetables, shrimp, and andouille into large deep tray or bowl.  Sprinkle lightly with Old Bay.  Strain broth; serve broth and butter as accompaniments to shrimp boil.