I am the bridge.
I am the flow.
I am your Grandmother.


Christmas day, 2011


This from the NY Times this morning:

Sectarian violence and political turmoil in Iraq escalated within days of the United States military's withdrawal, but officials said in interviews that President Obama had no intention of sending troops back into the country, even if it devolved into civil war.

Mr. Obama, his aides said, is adamant that the United States will not send troops back to Iraq. At Fort Bragg, N.C., on Dec. 14, he told returning troops that he had left Iraq in the hands of the Iraqi people, and in private conversations at the White House, he has told aides that the United States gave Iraqis an opportunity; what they do with that opportunity is up to them.

Do you sometimes feel that you are living in some kind of time warp in which reality plays an insignificant part? Iraqis were given an opportunity? Their country is attacked in a manner to shock and awe, a million people are killed, several millions flee the country, museums holding their 2000 year old culture's artifacts, stolen, destroyed, the Sunnis, Kurds, and Shia are pitted against each other in a deliberate attempt to destroy political cohesion, there is no electricity 80% of the time, no gas to speak of, all of their resources have been taken from them. A golden opportunity, let's see what they make of it!

What is really scary is that Obama believes what he has said. What's more, many, many people also believe this. Imperialism was a great ride going up, but coming down from Fantasy Island looks to be rough going.

Reality will have to be faced, actualities acknowledged. In the country of USA! USA!, this is not something an insulated people do well. Christmas has now become a battleground with pepper spray a taser guns. Folks are not adjusting to the new paradigm.

It's best not to indulge in "media news" on Christmas morning. Instead I give you a piece of my Christmas reality, my best French recipe for roast chicken, which I will prepare after I write this post.

A 3 to 4 lb. chicken, room temperature
Salt, fresh ground pepper
2 lemons, scrubbed, dried & quartered lengthwise
A bunch of fresh thyme, or if not use dried
2 tbsp. butter, softened
6 onions, halved but not peeled

Preheat oven to 425.
Season chicken cavity with salt & pepper. Place the lemons and thyme in the cavity. Rub the skin with the butter. Season all over with salt & pepper.

Place onions cut side down in roasting pan, putting roasting rack over onions.

Place chicken on its side on the roasting rack. Pour a half cup of water into bottom of pan to help create a rich and pleasing sauce later (you might have to add more as needed.) Place in the center of the oven and roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken to the other side, and roast for 20 minutes more. Turn the chicken breast side up and roast for 20 minutes more, for a total of 1 hour's roasting time. By this time the chicken should be a deep golden color.

Reduce the heat to 375; turn the chicken breast side down, at an angle if at all possible, with the head end down and the tail up in the air (I place a little bowl under breast.) This heightens the flavor by allowing the juices to flow down to the breast meat. Roast until the juices run clear, about 25, 30 minutes more.

Once out of the oven, let the chicken rest 10 to 12 minutes in its tail in the air position. Then remove the lemon wedges from cavity and arrange them on the platter interspersed with the halved onions, deglaze the sauce and you're in business. The lemon wedges are served with the meat to squeeze over it. Enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

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Current favorite this past month has been Occupy Gracie