~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
April 12, 2015

★~ Today’s Quote:  “Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prays for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous?” ~ Morgan Freeman

★~ Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day:

It’s a simple equation. Bread + butter + cheese = happiness. The grilled cheese sandwich is one of the most popular and easiest sandwiches of all time — kids love them, undergrads live off of them, and foodies obsess over gourmet versions of them.

Note to El Morno Friend Debbie: These roll-ups might trump peanut butter and Jelly for at least the day!

Grilled Cheese Roll-Ups 

★~ Licorice Day:

The licorice plant, a shrub, is officially a weed. It is about four feet tall with purplish flowers and grows in hot, dry places.

Licorice root is one of the most popular herbs in the world. Its botanical name comes from the Greek words meaning “sweet root.”

The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, and Hindus recognized the natural medicinal qualities of licorice.
Licorice helps relieve the pains that accompany certain types of ulcers, and it is good for the adrenal glands.

Carbenoxolone, a compound derived from licorice root, may help slow the effects of aging on the brain.

Licorice root is a botanical ingredient in modern Chinese medicines used to manage cancers. Current research conducted at Rutgers, the

State University of New Jersey, supports the use of licorice in the treatment of prostate and breast cancer.

In the United States, anise seed is a popular substitute flavoring for licorice. Although the anise seed has an unmistakable licorice flavor, it is not related to the European plant whose roots are the source of true licorice.

The ancient Egyptians used licorice as a pharmaceutical, and it was found in King Tut’s tomb. Julius Caesar is on record as endorsing the benefits of eating licorice…a lot of good it did him.

If you are wondering red licorice is getting the short end of the Twizzler, the hard, cruel fact is that red licorice isn’t really licorice at all, except in name. It’s just a red candy, which can be made with many different flavorings, including strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and cinnamon. The good news is that red licorice does not have a good-for you taste.

★~ Today in History:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/-mZLpDuuf40[/youtube]

♥~ 1799 – Phineas Pratt patented the comb cutting machine — a “machine for making combs.”

♥~ 1934 – Big Wind -The highest-velocity natural wind ever recorded occurred in the morning at the Mount Washington, NH, observatory. Three weather observers, Wendell Stephenson, Alexander McKenzie and Salvatore Pagliuca, observed and recorded the phenomenon in which gusts reached 231 mph—”the strongest natural wind ever recorded on the earth’s surface.”

♥~ 1961 – Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became this first man in space, orbiting the earth aboard Vostok 1. Many consider this to be the event that started the space race between the US and the Soviet Union.

♥~ 1954 – Bill Haley recorded ‘Rock Around The Clock’ at Pythian Temple studios in New York City. Considered by many to be the song that put rock and roll on the map around the world. The song was used over the opening titles for the film ‘Blackboard Jungle’, and went on to be a world-wide No.1 and the biggest selling pop single with sales over 25 million. Written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers, ‘Rock Around The Clock’ was first recorded by Italian-American band Sonny Dae and His Knights.

♥~ 1966 – Tom Jones went into hospital to have his tonsils removed, (there was speculation that he had a nose job).

♥~ 1981 – The first space shuttle, Columbia, carrying astronauts Robert L. Crippen and John W. Young, blasted off from Cape Canaveral, FL, on its first test flight. It was designated STS-1 (space transportation system).

♥~ 1984 – Challenger astronauts made the first satellite repair in orbit by returning a healthy Solar Max satellite to space. The orbiting sun watcher had been circling the Earth for three years with all circuits dead before repairs were made.

♥~ 1989 – Two DJ’s on Los Angeles station KLOS asked what ever happened to David Cassidy’ The singer called the station up and the presenters invited him onto the show. David played three songs live on air and was subsequently signed by a new record label.

★~Born Today:

♥~1916 –  Beverly Cleary  author,: born in McMinnville, Oregon and raised on a farm in nearby Yamhill. She became a children’s librarian in a small town in Washington state, and over the years, she noticed that many of the children complained that they couldn’t find books about children like themselves. It took her awhile to get started, but Cleary eventually decided to write the kind of books those kids were looking for, books about ordinary children living ordinary everyday lives, whose parents struggle to pay the bills and hang onto their jobs. Her first book was Henry Higgins (1950), and it was a huge success. One of the minor characters in that book was a girl named Ramona Quimby, the kind of girl who wipes paint on the neighbor’s cat, draws pictures in library books, and locks her friend’s dog in the bathroom, without ever realizing that she’s bothering anybody. She went on to become the main character of Cleary’s most popular series of books, including Ramona the Pest (1968), Ramona the Brave (1975), and Ramona Forever (1984).

♥~ 1930 – John Landy Australian runner: set mile record of 3:57.9 a month after Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile

♥~ 1932 – Tiny Tim (aka Darry Dover, Larry Love) (Herbert Khaury) ukulele playing, falsetto singer: Tiptoe Through the Tulips, Sonny Boy; film: You Are What You Eat, TV: Laugh In; died Nov 30, 1996

♥~ 1946 – Ed O’Neill actor: Modern Family, Married……with Children, Little Giants, Wayne’s World, Deliverance, Dragnet [2003]

♥~ 1947 – Tom Clancy author: Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games; baseball exec: co-owner: Baltimore Orioles

♥~ 1947 – David Letterman TV host & comedian: Late Night with David Letterman, Late Show with David Letterman; TV mogul: owner of Worldwide Pants Incorporated

♥~ 1949 – Scott Turow author: Presumed Innocent, The Burden of Proof

♥~ 1950 – David Cassidy actor: The Partridge Family, Spirit of ’76, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; singer: Cherish, I Think I Love You; son of actors: Jack Cassidy, Evelyn Ward

♥~ 1956 – Andy Garcia actor: When a Man Loves a Woman, A Show of Force, The Godfather: Part 3, The Untouchables, Blue Skies Again

♥~ 1957 – Vince Gill Grammy Award-winning singer: When Love Finds You [1994], I Still Believe in You [1992], When I Call Your Name [1990]

★~ Secrets for the perfect grilled cheese 

Spencer Rubin, founder and managing partner of Melt Shop, a New York City-based mini empire of grilled cheese eateries, shares his secrets on making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. (For the record, Rubin gives his mom full credit for his own grilled cheese-making skills.)

♥~ “The perfect grilled cheese is golden brown, crunchy to the touch, and has a little bit of cheese that is nearly burnt on the side because it spilled out over the edges from cooking directly on the skillet,” Rubin says. “The cheese pulls away from you after your first, second, and third bite. It’s savory, salty, and I always like a little bit of acid from a tomato to cut through the richness of the cheese.”

♥~ Butter isn’t your only option but it’s probably your best option. “I like salted butter, but people talk about using mayo and margarine all the time,” says Rubin of what to put in your pan. “Salted butter drives the best results, if you ask me.”

♥~ “Quality bread is key,” Rubin says. “Too soft and it doesn’t develop the right crust; too hard and it’s like eating a crouton. Ideally you want day-old sourdough. Sourdough is key because the air pockets that develop while proofing help add to the texture. You want day-old bread because it has firmed up a bit, giving it a better crunch after toasting.”

♥~“Obviously good cheese is the key to a great grilled cheese,” Rubin says. “But the best thing about grilled cheese is you can never really go wrong. Whether it’s a 5-year aged cheddar, cave-aged Gruyere, or Kraft singles, they’re all delicious in their own ways.” As for which cheeses melt best? Rubin says that semi-soft varieties like Muenster and Havarti are the way to go.

♥~ You don’t have to break out the fine china to fancy up your sandwich. Let the butter and/or bread do all work. If you want to take your sandwich to a more sophisticated culinary level, Rubin recommends using “truffle butter, herb butter, or garlic bread with garlic and Parmigiano.”

♥~Tomatoes and bacon are tried and true add-ons. For an unexpected combination, Rubin recommends throwing in some jams and sweets. “I always love salty and sweet combinations,” he says. “My favorite sandwich on our menu is the Maple Bacon with aged cheddar, brick spread, Applewood smoked bacon, and maple syrup. The combination is insane.”

♥~Though for some diners a grilled cheese sandwich is an entire meal in itself, there’s no reason not to indulge in a side dish. Melt Shop is well known for its menu of tater tots, but lighter sides work, too. “I like a nice side salad with my grilled cheese,” Rubin says. “It’s nice to get a little green in your meal and a good vinaigrette always helps brighten things up.”

#

Tails are wagging at camp. It’s spring break! So I am going to make this brief and wish you a Super Sunday and get a move on. BUT I am going to break for lunch and have a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon.

Odd Loves Company,