The Amazin' Mets are on a winning streak. It's World Cup time, when bars in New York City have Beer Breakfast crowds at 8:00 a.m. who have gathered to watch the world's most popular sport. There's at least one enclave in the city of every country playing, which makes it even more exciting.
For the second year in a row, the Granite State Mensans garnered numerous nominations in the Publications Recognition Program (PRP). This is a national forum wherein print and online publications are judged in various categories. Momentum, New Hampshire Mensa's newsletter edited by Claire Natola, was nominated in the Calendar, Mensa Recognition and Outstanding Newsletter (Medium Group) Print categories. This publication also had PRP Print Contribution nominations for Fiction - John McGondel's "No Dolphins on Fridays" and Non-Fiction: Mensa - Claire Natola's "7 Things I Learned at My First AG".
Our Ocean State Mensans also collected a nomination for Print Contribution, Non-Fiction: Essay. Congratulations go to Paula Grey of Rhode Island Mensa for her article "Making the Magic" which appeared in the M'Ocean newsletter where she is the editor. Best wishes to everyone for further glory at the awards ceremony in Orlando!
Speaking of recognising talent, my group, Greater New York Mensa, had its annual Talent Show. Who knew we had a national competitive eater champion in our midst? One of our members has won prizes for hot dogs (and buns), matzo balls, and baked beans consumption, to name just a few. His demonstration was literally show stopping. Another member, an excellent a cappella singer, is in the process of recording a CD of Mensa singers, including herself, which hopefully will be available at the World Gathering.
Summertime means outdoor cooking and that means (at least to someone with Jamaican ancestry) Jerk Season. Jerk chicken, fish, tempeh, pork - you name it, it can be jerked. The word is supposedly from from the word "ch?arki" (the question mark is part of the word), a Peruvian Quecha word. The Spanish transliterated that to "charqui" which meant jerked, or dried meat, which in English became "jerk," the origin of the word "jerky".
The technique of jerking was originated by the Maroons, Jamaican slaves that escaped from the British during the 1655 invasion. They seasoned their meat with local herbs, spices and the incendiary Scotch bonnet peppers, then cooked it until dry, which preserved it in the tropical humidity. There are three key seasonings: Scotch bonnet peppers, ground Jamaican pimento (allspice), and thyme (leaves or ground).
Jerk Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, or pulverise with mortar and pestle.Sauce keeps indefinitely when refrigerated.
- Rub meat with the sauce. If using a pork shoulder, score the fat and rub in. With chicken, be sure to rub under skin and in cavities. Can also be used with firm-fleshed fish, like bluefish or grouper. For tempeh or firm tofu, prick with fork so seasonings are absorbed.
- Marinate overnight in cool place.
- Grill over a low charcoal (if possible) fire until done: pink inside, dark outside.
*As with all hot peppers, wear rubber gloves when handling and wash all preparation surfaces when finished.