I am sure you have seen the emails, but if you haven't, have you ever wondered who painted the streets?
Kurt Wenner is a Master Artist and Master Architect famous for inventing three-dimensional pastel drawings. Also known as: 3D Street Painting, 3D Pavement Art, 3D Chalk Art, or 3D Sidewalk Art, they are a form of anamorphic art. Anamorphism is usually considered a form of Illusion or Trompe loeil, but is really the logical mathematical continuation of Perspective.
Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor whose "last lecture" became an international phenomenon, succumbed in his long battle with cancer today, July 25, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Pausch, 47, was a noted computer scientist before he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but it was his final, inspirational address—now read by more than 6 million people—that made him famous. Pausch also created a book from the speech, which has been translated into 30 languages. When he gave the school's commencement address in May, Pausch already had lived three months longer than doctors had predicted, leading one friend to say he was “beating the Reaper.” “But we don’t beat the Reaper by living longer,” Pausch said. “We beat the Reaper by living well.”
For more, visit www.cmu.edu/randyslecture.
This is the video of his amazing speech. It is one hour and sixteen minutes of the most wonderful wisdom on life, fun, lessons learned and advice. Well worth your time.
Yeah summertime! It is finally here, in full bloom now. Temps in the 80's and 90's everyday. That means............lots of grilling and bar-b-ques. Family and friends getting together. Picnics!
Home-blended wet and dry rubs are an easy way to add some flare to your flame this barbecue season.
Sure, basic salt and pepper tastes delicious - and probably still is the best way to set off a prime porterhouse - but many of your favorite grill items will truly blossom when rubbed down with some extra herbs and spices.
Rubs generally fall into one of two categories: wet and dry.
Dry rubs contain seasonings, usually some blend of coarse salt, black pepper, sugar, and dry herbs and spices. The mixtures are rubbed onto the surface of the meat before grilling.
Wet rubs (also called spice pastes) are more of a hybrid of a dry rub and a marinade. Ingredients are similar to dry rubs, but with added moisture from pureed fresh herbs, fruits or vegetables, juice, vinegar, alcohol and/or oil.
Some wet rubs are applied hours or minutes before grilling, while others are best during the final minutes of cooking to prevent scorching or flares on the grill.
Whether to use a wet or dry rub depends mainly on ingredients available and flavors desired. But there also is a chemistry component. Wet rubs with acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or pineapple juice, that are allowed to marinate can slightly tenderize meat. Dry rubs applied hours before cooking will have more of a curing action.
"Rubs are used for three different purposes," says Steven Raichlen, author of the cookbook "The Barbecue! Bible" and host of public television's "Barbecue University" and "The Primal Grill" programs.
"First, a rub is a seasoning. It adds a layer of flavor. Second, if it's applied for four hours to a day before, (the salt in the rub) partially cures the meat," he says. "Third, it helps with the formation of a crisp crust. That bark on a brisket, that's the result of a rub."
Nearly any American barbecue rub will call for four basic seasonings - salt, black pepper, brown sugar and paprika, generally in equal parts. This alone will make a simple, delicious rub. But there also are easy ways to enhance that.
Expanded all-American: Add celery seed, onion and garlic.
Southwestern: Add cumin, onion powder, garlic, oregano, thyme and cayenne (or other pure chili powder).
Cajun: Add white pepper in place of some of the black, as well as cayenne, thyme, onion, garlic, file powder and ground bay leaf.
BASIC AMERICAN BARBECUE DRY RUB
(Adapted from Steven Raichlen's "Barbecue! Bible: Sauce, Rubs, and Marinades," Workman Publishing, 2000)
This simple dry rub works well on pork, beef or chicken. The meat can be cooked immediately or, for a richer flavor, refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours before grilling.
Start to finish: 5 minutes; Makes about 1 1/4 cups
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk well. Transfer to a jar, cover, and store away from heat and light. The rub will keep for several months.
GRILLED MAHI-MAHI WITH COCOA-CHILI RUB
(From Jim Tarantino, author of "Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes," Ten Speed Press, 2006)
This recipe calls for fillets of mahi-mahi, but it can be just as easily adapted for halibut, swordfish steaks, shrimp, salmon steaks or fillets, chicken breasts or kabobs, beef brisket, pork tenderloin, pork chops, baby back ribs or spare ribs. Grill times and styles vary according to the type of meat.
Start to finish: 20 minutes; Servings: 4
Prepare a grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.
In a spice mill or blender, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, cocoa, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, orange zest, salt and pepper. Grind to form a coarse powder.
Lightly brush both sides of the mahi-mahi with the oil. Sprinkle on the rub and lightly press the blend into the fish. Grill over direct high heat until the fish is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
FRESH TUSCAN ROSEMARY WET RUB
(Adapted from Steven Raichlen's "Barbecue! Bible: Sauce, Rubs, and Marinades," Workman Publishing, 2000)
Fresh Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, parsley, oregano, sage and garlic lend themselves nicely to pureed wet rubs. Wet rubs are best the day they are made.
Spread this Italian-inspired wet rub on pork chops or steaks using a spatula. Or spread it under the skin of a chicken. It also is nice smeared on meat just toward the end of grilling.
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Use a knife to finely chop the herbs and garlic together. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the salt, pepper and oil. Alternately, combine all ingredients but the oil in a food processor. With the processor running, drizzle in the oil.
JAVA BLEND DRY RUB
(Adapted from Jim Tarantino's "Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes," Ten Speed Press, 2006)
If you thought coffee was just for drinking, think again. Both ground coffee and cocoa powder lend a savory depth to most types of meat. Java rubs can vary widely in their ethnic influences. Consider adding cardamom (Middle Eastern), cinnamon (Asian) or chili powder (Southwestern). Chocolate with chilies is a classic Mexican pairing.
This rub is great on chicken breasts, beef brisket, pork tenderloin, pork chops, baby back ribs or spare ribs.
Start to finish: 10 minutes; Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Combine all ingredients in a spice mill or blender and grind to a coarse powder. Store in a clean, airtight container. Store in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
Hi All! Hope everyone had a marvelous and relaxing weekend. I sure did! Muchly needed and muchly appreciated. I don't know if muchly is a word or not. But it is one of my words!
