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Got Grey? Join us @ Megaplex Grey Muzzles Breakfast!
Posted 7 years agoGreetings, fellow furries!!
Wuff is pleased as punch to announce that the Grey Muzzles Breakfast is a "GO" once again at Megaplex convention this year!
You're friendly floofy dragonwuff, Vrghr, and
Vixxyfox will be hosting it this year. It will be held at the hotel's restaurant, starting at 9AM on Sunday morning. The intent is a "meet & greet" to gather and chat in a companionable setting, greet other Grey Muzzles, tell the occasional "war story" of "way back when", and welcome other furs who wish to join the gathering.
The hotel puts on a really lovely buffet breakfast, and Convention Guests were offered a discount for the breakfast buffet last year (and likely still in effect this year), which makes it quite a reasonable price (especially with all the good things offered)!
30+ is normally taken as the threshold for "Grey Muzzle-dom". However, this breakfast is open to all! If you are a guest, friend, or companion of a fellow "Grey one", maybe curious about what those older furs get up to, or would just like to join the older side of the furry spectrum for a delicious breakfast outing, you are welcome to join us!
Please pass the word to your fellow furs and friends!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask Vixxy or Vrghr!
Hope to see you there!
Wuff is pleased as punch to announce that the Grey Muzzles Breakfast is a "GO" once again at Megaplex convention this year!
You're friendly floofy dragonwuff, Vrghr, and
Vixxyfox will be hosting it this year. It will be held at the hotel's restaurant, starting at 9AM on Sunday morning. The intent is a "meet & greet" to gather and chat in a companionable setting, greet other Grey Muzzles, tell the occasional "war story" of "way back when", and welcome other furs who wish to join the gathering. The hotel puts on a really lovely buffet breakfast, and Convention Guests were offered a discount for the breakfast buffet last year (and likely still in effect this year), which makes it quite a reasonable price (especially with all the good things offered)!
30+ is normally taken as the threshold for "Grey Muzzle-dom". However, this breakfast is open to all! If you are a guest, friend, or companion of a fellow "Grey one", maybe curious about what those older furs get up to, or would just like to join the older side of the furry spectrum for a delicious breakfast outing, you are welcome to join us!
Please pass the word to your fellow furs and friends!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask Vixxy or Vrghr!
Hope to see you there!
Megaplex 2018
Posted 7 years agoPSA:
This wuffy is officially registered for Megaplex Convention in 2018!
Hope to see lots of you friendly furs there!!
This wuffy is officially registered for Megaplex Convention in 2018!
Hope to see lots of you friendly furs there!!
Well, Foo!
Posted 7 years agoWuff was in the midst of making another batch of sauces for the Pasta Buffet coming up this Friday, when Vrghr went to the garage to get a few shallots from the bin. But something smelled odd; rather rank.
This is not the smell you want in your abode. A quick look about revealed some dark, sticky trails leading from the stand-up freezer toward the drain.
Vrghr heart sank, and he apprehensively opened the freezer door. The rank aroma got stronger, and a ziptop pack of thawed hamburger plopped to the ground at wuff's feet. Yup, freezer was barely cool inside, and definitely not freezing.
Looks like everything within will be going into the rubbish bin. Luckily, it doesn't smell overly rotten in there yet (that odor is hard to remove). But it's heading that way. Must have just quit a day or so ago. Wuff hasn't been in there for a couple weeks, but it couldn't have been TOO long or Vrghr would have scented it in the house.
In exploring, it looks like there's a big block of ice surrounding the temperature probe. And the compressor and ready light is still running. So perhaps the probe just froze up and couldn't sense that the rest of the freezer was getting warm. Hopefully that means the freezer itself will work again once that probe is thawed out. It's going to be sad enough tossing out hundreds of $$s worth of meat and other goodies. Adding the cost of a new freezer to it would be salt in the wound.
*SIGH*
Well, at least the pasta sauces for the buffet are coming along nicely! Wuff finished off the sausage mushroom after going back to "tweak" it. It has so much meat, mushrooms, and aromatic veggies in it that it was closer to chili flavor than spaghetti sauce. So a big can of tomato paste, tomato sauce, and more diced tomatoes went it. Much better!
Last night, Vrghr finished off the Vodka sauce and the Bacon Chicken Mushroom Alfredo. First time trying a Vodka sauce, and it's quite nice! Reminiscent of a Tomato Bisque, it is light and creamy with a nice vodka undertone for complexity.
But that Alfredo sauce - - *SWOONS* Wuffy has never before created an Alfredo this good! DANG! Wuff even impressed himself! Vrghr not only licked the spoon clean when the sauce was put away, but the wuff licked the pan clean too! *giggles and blushes*
Vrghr doesn't even want to think of the number of calories per spoonful *LAUGHS* But every one of them little devils tastes divine! It started with bacon! (of course!) Then wuff fried up about 3 lbs of cubed chicken thighs in the bacon fat, seasoned strongly with Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.
Once those were done, Vrghr pulled them out and tossed about 2 lbs of diced Portabella mushrooms into the same pan, along with lots of minced garlic and a sprinkle of seasoned salt.
When the mushrooms were ready, a couple tablespoons of flour were added and stirred about to cook to a blond roux. Then came a cup of dry white wine to deglaze and reduce to a couple tablespoons.
After that came a block and a half of cream cheese and about a quart of chicken stock. Once the cheese was completely melted and combined with the stock, wuff added a pint of heavy cream and a half pint of Half & Half, along with garlic and onion powder, white pepper, a bit more salt, and some parsley. And wuff ground about 6 oz of good Parmesan cheese into the mix.
Tasting and adjusting for spices, salt and pepper while it thickened from the added cheese, then the bacon and chicken went back in to combine with the creamy sauce, along with a bit more fresh parsley.
Mmmmmm! Vrghr could probably bottle and sell this stuff! *LAUGHS*
Right now, it is very non-photogenic, being packed in zip bags in the shop fridge waiting the addition of pasta on buffet day. But wuff will get photos of the finished dish then, and be sure to post this recipe (along with the others) up on his gallery!
Till then, have a Great Time out there, and Bon Appetite!
This is not the smell you want in your abode. A quick look about revealed some dark, sticky trails leading from the stand-up freezer toward the drain.
Vrghr heart sank, and he apprehensively opened the freezer door. The rank aroma got stronger, and a ziptop pack of thawed hamburger plopped to the ground at wuff's feet. Yup, freezer was barely cool inside, and definitely not freezing.
Looks like everything within will be going into the rubbish bin. Luckily, it doesn't smell overly rotten in there yet (that odor is hard to remove). But it's heading that way. Must have just quit a day or so ago. Wuff hasn't been in there for a couple weeks, but it couldn't have been TOO long or Vrghr would have scented it in the house.
In exploring, it looks like there's a big block of ice surrounding the temperature probe. And the compressor and ready light is still running. So perhaps the probe just froze up and couldn't sense that the rest of the freezer was getting warm. Hopefully that means the freezer itself will work again once that probe is thawed out. It's going to be sad enough tossing out hundreds of $$s worth of meat and other goodies. Adding the cost of a new freezer to it would be salt in the wound.
*SIGH*
Well, at least the pasta sauces for the buffet are coming along nicely! Wuff finished off the sausage mushroom after going back to "tweak" it. It has so much meat, mushrooms, and aromatic veggies in it that it was closer to chili flavor than spaghetti sauce. So a big can of tomato paste, tomato sauce, and more diced tomatoes went it. Much better!
Last night, Vrghr finished off the Vodka sauce and the Bacon Chicken Mushroom Alfredo. First time trying a Vodka sauce, and it's quite nice! Reminiscent of a Tomato Bisque, it is light and creamy with a nice vodka undertone for complexity.
But that Alfredo sauce - - *SWOONS* Wuffy has never before created an Alfredo this good! DANG! Wuff even impressed himself! Vrghr not only licked the spoon clean when the sauce was put away, but the wuff licked the pan clean too! *giggles and blushes*
Vrghr doesn't even want to think of the number of calories per spoonful *LAUGHS* But every one of them little devils tastes divine! It started with bacon! (of course!) Then wuff fried up about 3 lbs of cubed chicken thighs in the bacon fat, seasoned strongly with Italian seasonings, salt and pepper.
Once those were done, Vrghr pulled them out and tossed about 2 lbs of diced Portabella mushrooms into the same pan, along with lots of minced garlic and a sprinkle of seasoned salt.
When the mushrooms were ready, a couple tablespoons of flour were added and stirred about to cook to a blond roux. Then came a cup of dry white wine to deglaze and reduce to a couple tablespoons.
After that came a block and a half of cream cheese and about a quart of chicken stock. Once the cheese was completely melted and combined with the stock, wuff added a pint of heavy cream and a half pint of Half & Half, along with garlic and onion powder, white pepper, a bit more salt, and some parsley. And wuff ground about 6 oz of good Parmesan cheese into the mix.
Tasting and adjusting for spices, salt and pepper while it thickened from the added cheese, then the bacon and chicken went back in to combine with the creamy sauce, along with a bit more fresh parsley.
Mmmmmm! Vrghr could probably bottle and sell this stuff! *LAUGHS*
Right now, it is very non-photogenic, being packed in zip bags in the shop fridge waiting the addition of pasta on buffet day. But wuff will get photos of the finished dish then, and be sure to post this recipe (along with the others) up on his gallery!
Till then, have a Great Time out there, and Bon Appetite!
Pasta Buffet on the Way!
Posted 7 years agoOne of our most senior employees at work is finally heading off to "civilian life" (he doesn't like to call it "retirement", because, according to him, he's not done working! It will just be at the ranch now.). Of course, you know Vrghr and the rest of the shop here want to throw him a party.
When asked what he'd like, he said "I'll eat anything you cook, and I know it'll be good!". Wuff was certainly honored to hear that. It took a little coaxing, but we finally got him to admit that he'd enjoy some shrimp scampi or similar pasta.
So wuff discussed it with others, and we decided to make it a "Pasta Buffet", with lots of different sauces and pasta shapes.
Well, it's a good thing we did, because a pasta buffet is something that's easy to grow to meet a larger gathering, and MAN! Has this ever grown!
Normally, Vrghr plans on serving anywhere from 8-12, sometimes 15, for these shop gatherings. But this fellow is POPULAR! And he's been working with a LOT of folks in the company, and lots more in the customers. We have people flying in from LA and elsewhere to attend.
The current head count is 35+, and Vrghr is expecting more will be calling in for RSVP this coming week!
So wuff picked up three of those sterno-heated rectangular chafing dishes you see on catering buffets. And grabbed 3 each "third-size" and a couple "half size" pan inserts for them. So all together we can hold 9 different heated servings of 2.5 Qt each or 6 of 4 Qt each (or a combination). Plus we have 2ea triple-2qt electric "buffet slow cookers" (a single appliance that has 3 each 2-quart pots with individual controls). We also have 2 electric skillets, 2 4qt slow cookers, and 2 more 1.5 qt slow cookers. Wuff's pretty sure we're going to have enough serving capacity for everything we're planning! *grin*
So, what (you may ask) is wuffy planning? Here's the menu so far.
PASTA SELECTIONS:
Puttanesca (vegetarian) w/ Penne Rigati pasta
Sweet Italian Sausage & spicy Marinara w/Rotini pasta
Creamy Shrimp & Bay Scallops Scampi w/ Angel Hair pasta
Chicken and Bacon Garlic Alfredo w/ Farfalle (bow tie) pasta
Meatball Marinara w/ Rotini pasta
Garlic Butter Pesto (vegetarian) w/ Penne Rigati pasta
Cheese Tortellini in Vodka Sauce
ALSO:
Caesar Tossed Salad
Garden Salad w/Spinach
Warm Garlic Breadsticks
Toasted Garlic (French loaf) Bread
Mini "party" assorted Cheesecake Squares (warehouse club): NY, Rasperry, and Chocolate Chip
Mini cream puffs (warehouse club)
Assorted Sodas & Drinks, and grated cheese & other condiments
Needless to say, Vrghr is going to be a crazy cookin' wuffy for several days leading up to the event! And more so on the morning of!
Going to make the pesto (only needs to blanch the basil, warm the butter, and blend all the ingredients up) and the Scampi on morning of the party, since the Pesto tastes best fresh and the Angel Hair and scampi sauce don't "hold" at all well. Puttanesca and Alfredo get done the night before. Vodka sauce either night before of morning of (it's pretty quick). Italian Sausage and Meatballs both get done 2-3 days in advance, as they actually improve with time in the fridge.
These parties are getting closer to "catering business"! *LAUGHS*
This all goes down on the 20th! Wuff is thinking it will be a great adventure! Sure hope Vrghr doesn't mess anything up!
When asked what he'd like, he said "I'll eat anything you cook, and I know it'll be good!". Wuff was certainly honored to hear that. It took a little coaxing, but we finally got him to admit that he'd enjoy some shrimp scampi or similar pasta.
So wuff discussed it with others, and we decided to make it a "Pasta Buffet", with lots of different sauces and pasta shapes.
Well, it's a good thing we did, because a pasta buffet is something that's easy to grow to meet a larger gathering, and MAN! Has this ever grown!
Normally, Vrghr plans on serving anywhere from 8-12, sometimes 15, for these shop gatherings. But this fellow is POPULAR! And he's been working with a LOT of folks in the company, and lots more in the customers. We have people flying in from LA and elsewhere to attend.
The current head count is 35+, and Vrghr is expecting more will be calling in for RSVP this coming week!
So wuff picked up three of those sterno-heated rectangular chafing dishes you see on catering buffets. And grabbed 3 each "third-size" and a couple "half size" pan inserts for them. So all together we can hold 9 different heated servings of 2.5 Qt each or 6 of 4 Qt each (or a combination). Plus we have 2ea triple-2qt electric "buffet slow cookers" (a single appliance that has 3 each 2-quart pots with individual controls). We also have 2 electric skillets, 2 4qt slow cookers, and 2 more 1.5 qt slow cookers. Wuff's pretty sure we're going to have enough serving capacity for everything we're planning! *grin*
So, what (you may ask) is wuffy planning? Here's the menu so far.
PASTA SELECTIONS:
Puttanesca (vegetarian) w/ Penne Rigati pasta
Sweet Italian Sausage & spicy Marinara w/Rotini pasta
Creamy Shrimp & Bay Scallops Scampi w/ Angel Hair pasta
Chicken and Bacon Garlic Alfredo w/ Farfalle (bow tie) pasta
Meatball Marinara w/ Rotini pasta
Garlic Butter Pesto (vegetarian) w/ Penne Rigati pasta
Cheese Tortellini in Vodka Sauce
ALSO:
Caesar Tossed Salad
Garden Salad w/Spinach
Warm Garlic Breadsticks
Toasted Garlic (French loaf) Bread
Mini "party" assorted Cheesecake Squares (warehouse club): NY, Rasperry, and Chocolate Chip
Mini cream puffs (warehouse club)
Assorted Sodas & Drinks, and grated cheese & other condiments
Needless to say, Vrghr is going to be a crazy cookin' wuffy for several days leading up to the event! And more so on the morning of!
Going to make the pesto (only needs to blanch the basil, warm the butter, and blend all the ingredients up) and the Scampi on morning of the party, since the Pesto tastes best fresh and the Angel Hair and scampi sauce don't "hold" at all well. Puttanesca and Alfredo get done the night before. Vodka sauce either night before of morning of (it's pretty quick). Italian Sausage and Meatballs both get done 2-3 days in advance, as they actually improve with time in the fridge.
These parties are getting closer to "catering business"! *LAUGHS*
This all goes down on the 20th! Wuff is thinking it will be a great adventure! Sure hope Vrghr doesn't mess anything up!
Green on the Horizon
Posted 7 years agoWith the fast-approaching St Paddy's Day holiday, wuff is prepping recipes for friends and office-workers alike.
Author hasn't decided yet if he'll be dyed and greened again this year as he was for last ( See here: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/22921737/ ), though he'll certainly have the hat and shirt on again.
But even without "going green" for work, the office folks should be in for a nice treat. Vrghr's going to be whipping up some "Irish Pub Food", consisting of "Bangers" braised in stock and Guinness, "Colcannon" style mashed potatoes with lots of butter & chopped cabbage fried in bacon fat (with the bacon bits mixed in too, of course!), and some robust onion Guinness and brown sugar gravy drizzled atop. Coworkers are bringing in Soda Bread (with some Irish Butter) and desserts to round out the meal.
Ought to be a great lunch! Since this is a new creation for Vrghr, there'll be photos and recipes posted in FA to follow.
Then the following day, on Saturday, wuff will be cooking again for another gathering of friends. These are becoming quite the routine thing, and Vrghr is loving it! Wuff heads out to a local friend's house and "takes over" her kitchen. She invites folks to come share the nom noms, and we have a nice social night of conversation and comestibles.
Not only are these gatherings become a cherished routine - we seem to be doing them every other week now - but they also seem to be growing. Wuff initially started with just feeding the hostess, wuff's roomie, and Vrghr. Then a couple friends were over when wuff arrived, and we fed them too. That was such fun that the hostess started looking for others to invite, and it's taken off from that.
Saturday, Vrghr will be feeding 10 folks on Dublin Coddle. Quite a party from such humble origins. Since Vrghr has already posted this recipe (see here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22924373/ ), don't expect new recipe entries for that. But wuff may try making some traditional Irish Soda Bread ( the simple 'peasant' version, not the 'gussied up' type with Currants and Honey, etc. (as the proponents of the "traditional Irish breads" would call it)) to side with the Coddle. If so, and if it works, that'll have a posting, as will any new creations that might come along with it.
Wuffy wishes all you reading this a fun celebratory day! Whether you celebrate the holiday, or "just because", may you enjoy the day and find a reason to smile! And, if your celebration should include a good meal or a good drink, whether you make it yourself, buy it at a restaurant, or share it with friends, give thanks for the having of it and enjoy the event.
Wuffy will be doing the same! Bon Appetite!
Author hasn't decided yet if he'll be dyed and greened again this year as he was for last ( See here: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/22921737/ ), though he'll certainly have the hat and shirt on again.
But even without "going green" for work, the office folks should be in for a nice treat. Vrghr's going to be whipping up some "Irish Pub Food", consisting of "Bangers" braised in stock and Guinness, "Colcannon" style mashed potatoes with lots of butter & chopped cabbage fried in bacon fat (with the bacon bits mixed in too, of course!), and some robust onion Guinness and brown sugar gravy drizzled atop. Coworkers are bringing in Soda Bread (with some Irish Butter) and desserts to round out the meal.
Ought to be a great lunch! Since this is a new creation for Vrghr, there'll be photos and recipes posted in FA to follow.
Then the following day, on Saturday, wuff will be cooking again for another gathering of friends. These are becoming quite the routine thing, and Vrghr is loving it! Wuff heads out to a local friend's house and "takes over" her kitchen. She invites folks to come share the nom noms, and we have a nice social night of conversation and comestibles.
Not only are these gatherings become a cherished routine - we seem to be doing them every other week now - but they also seem to be growing. Wuff initially started with just feeding the hostess, wuff's roomie, and Vrghr. Then a couple friends were over when wuff arrived, and we fed them too. That was such fun that the hostess started looking for others to invite, and it's taken off from that.
Saturday, Vrghr will be feeding 10 folks on Dublin Coddle. Quite a party from such humble origins. Since Vrghr has already posted this recipe (see here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22924373/ ), don't expect new recipe entries for that. But wuff may try making some traditional Irish Soda Bread ( the simple 'peasant' version, not the 'gussied up' type with Currants and Honey, etc. (as the proponents of the "traditional Irish breads" would call it)) to side with the Coddle. If so, and if it works, that'll have a posting, as will any new creations that might come along with it.
Wuffy wishes all you reading this a fun celebratory day! Whether you celebrate the holiday, or "just because", may you enjoy the day and find a reason to smile! And, if your celebration should include a good meal or a good drink, whether you make it yourself, buy it at a restaurant, or share it with friends, give thanks for the having of it and enjoy the event.
Wuffy will be doing the same! Bon Appetite!
Christmas Feast 2017
Posted 8 years agoWuffy just finished half a day of "prep work" for tomorrow's Christmas Feast! Whew! Tired, but accomplished.
Note to self - next time Vrghr has to deal with Spiny Lobsters, WEAR GLOVES! They're called "Spiny" for a reason! OUCH!
This wuff wanted to get as much of the "can be made ahead of time" items done as wuffy could. This will not only give a nice buffer tomorrow, should something go amiss and take longer than planned. It'll also allow wuff to pop out of the kitchen from time to time, and socialize with the guests! Win Win!
After consulting with the guests for their preferences, this holiday unlike last year's Roast Beast meal, is going to be "Surf and Turf".
There will be sea scallops, seared in garlic butter. Seafood Thermidor, with Lobster (2 types), Shrimp, and Cod in a lovely, thick, complex, and RICH Thermidor sauce, topped with Panko and Parmesan and broiled.
And micro-beef Wellingtons for the "turf": Basically, "Steak Fingers" of ribeye steak that's been sous vide @ 129 degrees (really rare), then pan seared and cut into "fingers". Those will be wrapped in Crescent crust, atop a layer of Mushroom Duxelle, and painted with a bit of mustard. Then we'll deep-fry those to crisp the shell without over-cooking the steak within. A robust and flavorful Beef Jus will accompany those for folks who want to dunk!
Some Stir-Fried shredded Brussels Sprouts, tossed with some chopped pistachios and dried cranberries should be substantial enough to stand up to the rich entrees.
And for starch, we have Potatoes and Yams Pave (Wuff HOPES!). This last one has Vrghr concerned. Basically, you make scalloped potatoes in a terrine. though wuffy is using a combo of Purple Yams, Ruby Yams, and Russet potatoes. Then you press them overnight under weights in the fridge, in hopes that all the layers bind together.
On Feast Day, you remove them from the Terrine, slice into "paving stone" segments, and pan fry them on top and bottom.
Wuffy knows the flavors on these are GREAT! (had some extra potatoes and yams, so cooked them up and mashed them and had a "cook's snack", and they were delish!) However, they seemed rather delicate in their terrine. So Vrghr is worried about being able to extract them using their Parchment wraps, and then hopefully they'll slice nicely and hold together long enough to fry up!
All the prep is done for the terrine, thermidor sauce, seafood (poached and chopped), brussels (shredded and mixed with the right spices and shallots, read for stir-fry), Jus for the beef, Steak fingers, etc. So the "bring it together" ought to be a snap.
With that, Vrghr may attempt an Amuse Bouche - amuse the mouth - appetizer. A "deconstructed" Nigiri sushi! In a serving spoon, wuff will place a thin layer of Soy, Ponzu, Wasabi foam. Top with with a little circle or square of sushi rice. Then some shingled portions of salmon, ahi, and cod. Garnish with some Tamago eggs, shredded Nori, and a crescent of Cucumber. Hopefully will be a fun little thing to get the feast started!
That darn Seafood Thermidor is probably the most complex recipe this wuff has tried to date. Hopefully the finished result will reflect all the effort!
Of course, photos and recipes will follow!
Here's hoping your Christmas Day is as Merry as can be! And may all of your Holiday Season be Joyous and filled with friends, fellowship, and wonderful memories!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all wuff's followers! *HUGS* Wuffy wishes he could have every one of you join in the celebration and partake of the feast!
Note to self - next time Vrghr has to deal with Spiny Lobsters, WEAR GLOVES! They're called "Spiny" for a reason! OUCH!
This wuff wanted to get as much of the "can be made ahead of time" items done as wuffy could. This will not only give a nice buffer tomorrow, should something go amiss and take longer than planned. It'll also allow wuff to pop out of the kitchen from time to time, and socialize with the guests! Win Win!
After consulting with the guests for their preferences, this holiday unlike last year's Roast Beast meal, is going to be "Surf and Turf".
There will be sea scallops, seared in garlic butter. Seafood Thermidor, with Lobster (2 types), Shrimp, and Cod in a lovely, thick, complex, and RICH Thermidor sauce, topped with Panko and Parmesan and broiled.
And micro-beef Wellingtons for the "turf": Basically, "Steak Fingers" of ribeye steak that's been sous vide @ 129 degrees (really rare), then pan seared and cut into "fingers". Those will be wrapped in Crescent crust, atop a layer of Mushroom Duxelle, and painted with a bit of mustard. Then we'll deep-fry those to crisp the shell without over-cooking the steak within. A robust and flavorful Beef Jus will accompany those for folks who want to dunk!
Some Stir-Fried shredded Brussels Sprouts, tossed with some chopped pistachios and dried cranberries should be substantial enough to stand up to the rich entrees.
And for starch, we have Potatoes and Yams Pave (Wuff HOPES!). This last one has Vrghr concerned. Basically, you make scalloped potatoes in a terrine. though wuffy is using a combo of Purple Yams, Ruby Yams, and Russet potatoes. Then you press them overnight under weights in the fridge, in hopes that all the layers bind together.
On Feast Day, you remove them from the Terrine, slice into "paving stone" segments, and pan fry them on top and bottom.
Wuffy knows the flavors on these are GREAT! (had some extra potatoes and yams, so cooked them up and mashed them and had a "cook's snack", and they were delish!) However, they seemed rather delicate in their terrine. So Vrghr is worried about being able to extract them using their Parchment wraps, and then hopefully they'll slice nicely and hold together long enough to fry up!
All the prep is done for the terrine, thermidor sauce, seafood (poached and chopped), brussels (shredded and mixed with the right spices and shallots, read for stir-fry), Jus for the beef, Steak fingers, etc. So the "bring it together" ought to be a snap.
With that, Vrghr may attempt an Amuse Bouche - amuse the mouth - appetizer. A "deconstructed" Nigiri sushi! In a serving spoon, wuff will place a thin layer of Soy, Ponzu, Wasabi foam. Top with with a little circle or square of sushi rice. Then some shingled portions of salmon, ahi, and cod. Garnish with some Tamago eggs, shredded Nori, and a crescent of Cucumber. Hopefully will be a fun little thing to get the feast started!
That darn Seafood Thermidor is probably the most complex recipe this wuff has tried to date. Hopefully the finished result will reflect all the effort!
Of course, photos and recipes will follow!
Here's hoping your Christmas Day is as Merry as can be! And may all of your Holiday Season be Joyous and filled with friends, fellowship, and wonderful memories!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all wuff's followers! *HUGS* Wuffy wishes he could have every one of you join in the celebration and partake of the feast!
Trickle Down Tax Effect?
Posted 8 years agoVrghr has been hearing a LOT of "dark side" comments regarding the new tax relief plan. About how the CEOs are going to just "hoard" all the profits and use them to only benefit themselves and shareholders. About how there won't be any new investment in America. How the "little folks", employees, customers, etc. are not going to see any of that corporate windfall.
Perhaps there will be some truth to this, as companies take advantage of the new funds to re-position their financial exposure, reduce debt, or improve their dividends to shareholders. And there will certainly be some sleazy corps that do exactly what the worst predictions amount to.
But here's proof that the OTHER side of this coin is equally true: Corporations WILL invest more in America. Employees WILL benefit; not only from potential reductions in their individual tax burden, but from "pass through" in wages and benefits as well.
Wuff's Author works in a "Fortune 5" company. And they JUST sent an email to all employees. Vrghr has edited it to keep from running afoul of corporate email policy, but the lines below are taken verbatim from the message:
"Tax reform provides more investment and special bonus
"To: All U.S. employees
"...Once tax reform is signed into law, we plan to invest an additional $1 billion in the United States in 2018 and pay a special $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 of our U.S. employees — all union-represented, non-management, ... as added recognition for their dedication and hard work. If the President signs the bill before Christmas, employees will receive the bonus over the holidays. ... "
At least in this instance, "trickle down" WORKS! The gamble on corporate investment in America WORKS! Wage and Benefit improvements are REAL!
And, in a competitive business environment, don't for a moment believe that other major corps won't be doing the same thing! Or they'll be at the bottom of the ladder when it comes time to find good, qualified employees willing to work for them. The word will spread, and "me too" will be a thing among other industry.
Just thought wuff's followers could use a little good news to balance some of the bad predictions this holiday season.
Merry Christmas and may your Holiday Season be Joyous!
Perhaps there will be some truth to this, as companies take advantage of the new funds to re-position their financial exposure, reduce debt, or improve their dividends to shareholders. And there will certainly be some sleazy corps that do exactly what the worst predictions amount to.
But here's proof that the OTHER side of this coin is equally true: Corporations WILL invest more in America. Employees WILL benefit; not only from potential reductions in their individual tax burden, but from "pass through" in wages and benefits as well.
Wuff's Author works in a "Fortune 5" company. And they JUST sent an email to all employees. Vrghr has edited it to keep from running afoul of corporate email policy, but the lines below are taken verbatim from the message:
"Tax reform provides more investment and special bonus
"To: All U.S. employees
"...Once tax reform is signed into law, we plan to invest an additional $1 billion in the United States in 2018 and pay a special $1,000 bonus to more than 200,000 of our U.S. employees — all union-represented, non-management, ... as added recognition for their dedication and hard work. If the President signs the bill before Christmas, employees will receive the bonus over the holidays. ... "
At least in this instance, "trickle down" WORKS! The gamble on corporate investment in America WORKS! Wage and Benefit improvements are REAL!
And, in a competitive business environment, don't for a moment believe that other major corps won't be doing the same thing! Or they'll be at the bottom of the ladder when it comes time to find good, qualified employees willing to work for them. The word will spread, and "me too" will be a thing among other industry.
Just thought wuff's followers could use a little good news to balance some of the bad predictions this holiday season.
Merry Christmas and may your Holiday Season be Joyous!
Vrghr's goin' to the birds
Posted 8 years agoWuffy was lucky enough to be able to join his CA family for Thanksgiving this year. Vrghr is already in S. CA (near San Bernardino), and has already started cooking for the folks here.
Wuff bought them an early Christmas Prezzie: A Sous Vide machine. Also got them some industrial cling wrap and a couple packages of "moo glue" (Transglutaminase RM). More on the glue and wrap later. But wuffy wanted to show off the capabilities of Sous Vide, so Vrghr prepared his triple-thick pork chops with hazelnut crust and black currant Jus (recipe here: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/23357300/). Wuff also did some roasted root veggies with Garam Masala and Ancho Pepper (carrots, turnips, yams, rutabagas, parsnips).
The chops were a hit! Tender, juicy all the way through, with a great flavor and lovely crust and sauce. And folks devoured those veggies! Wuffy didn't even manage to get a photo of them, so no separate recipe in FA this time. But the technique is simple. Chop up the selected veg. Toss with a couple tablespoons of good olive oil. Spread out in a sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with Garam Marsala and Ancho chili pepper powder, plus a bit of salt and ground black pepper. Roast at 425 for about 45 minutes, stirring once around the 30 minute mark. Check for tenderness and continue roasting a bit longer if needed.
So, the Sous Vide was a definite hit, and it's going to get a workout getting ready for "turkey day"!
Vrghr is "in charge" of the turkeys for the family gathering. Only going to have a small, intimate group this year: about 30 folks. Normally they host 50-60 for this gathering!!
So wuffy decided to use the sous vide to simplify as much of the "kitchen time" on the feast day as possible. Here's what's happening:
The big 25lb bird was "parted out" into 4 major sections (2 breast+wings sections, and 2 thigh+leg sections). Breast sections were removed from the rib cage. The rest of the carcass (ribs, back, neck, etc) is gently cooking in the pressure cooker to make some lovely stock.
The breasts and thighs were all seasoned and placed into separate zip bags, then returned to the fridge for now. Those will be cooked as follows: Dark meat started at 151 degrees. Cook for about 12 hours (tenderizes things nicely!). Temp reduced to about 131 (dark stays in the tank) and breasts added to cook another 8-14 hours. Everything comes out, gets patted dry and painted with melted butter, then they all take a turn on the grill to get some crisp skin and toasted colors.
That means, cook time on "turkey day" amounts to a few minutes of grilling and ready to serve!
In addition to these, wuff also bought 4 split breasts (bone in) and 6 thighs. 2 of the thighs will get exactly the same treatment as above. The other four have been de-boned, seasoned, and then sprinkled generously with "moo glue". Then a layer of Prosciutto was added, followed with a bit more meat glue, and then a pair of thighs was rolled up in the cling wrap until it was a tight, solid, "turkey roll" (Roulade). The 4 thighs made two rolls, and those are currently in the Sous Vide @ 151 degrees, where they'll stay for about 4-5 hours.
Then a quick chill and off to wait for feast day in the fridge. On feast day, they'll get tossed into the water with the breasts at 131. Sit there until warmed to the middle (about 2 hours), and then they come out and get grilled with the rest.
They'll be sliced into medallions to surround the Hasselback breasts.
Oh yes, forgot to mention that! Those 4 split breasts? They're going to get sliced into serving size thicknesses, but not taken off the bone. Then an extra-moist sausage stuffing will be put between each slice, the whole thing painted with melted butter, and they'll get baked at 375 for about 60-75 minutes, until golden and the inside is 150-ish degrees.
So folks will have their choice of turkey! Some will look traditional (though already parted out). Some with look a bit more exotic (hasselback or roulade). And hopefully all will be lovely, juicy, tasty and tender!
Naturally, these are going to get photographed, so wuffy can post the specific recipes in his Gallery.
Here's hoping all Vrghr's followers can find reasons to be thankful, for both the prior and coming years. And that you all enjoy the holiday, even if you don't celebrate it in your home country. After all, there's never a bad reason to have a feast! *laughs* Just call it a cultural exchange! *grin*
Bon Appetite! And Happy Thanksgiving!
VRGHR
Wuff bought them an early Christmas Prezzie: A Sous Vide machine. Also got them some industrial cling wrap and a couple packages of "moo glue" (Transglutaminase RM). More on the glue and wrap later. But wuffy wanted to show off the capabilities of Sous Vide, so Vrghr prepared his triple-thick pork chops with hazelnut crust and black currant Jus (recipe here: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/23357300/). Wuff also did some roasted root veggies with Garam Masala and Ancho Pepper (carrots, turnips, yams, rutabagas, parsnips).
The chops were a hit! Tender, juicy all the way through, with a great flavor and lovely crust and sauce. And folks devoured those veggies! Wuffy didn't even manage to get a photo of them, so no separate recipe in FA this time. But the technique is simple. Chop up the selected veg. Toss with a couple tablespoons of good olive oil. Spread out in a sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with Garam Marsala and Ancho chili pepper powder, plus a bit of salt and ground black pepper. Roast at 425 for about 45 minutes, stirring once around the 30 minute mark. Check for tenderness and continue roasting a bit longer if needed.
So, the Sous Vide was a definite hit, and it's going to get a workout getting ready for "turkey day"!
Vrghr is "in charge" of the turkeys for the family gathering. Only going to have a small, intimate group this year: about 30 folks. Normally they host 50-60 for this gathering!!
So wuffy decided to use the sous vide to simplify as much of the "kitchen time" on the feast day as possible. Here's what's happening:
The big 25lb bird was "parted out" into 4 major sections (2 breast+wings sections, and 2 thigh+leg sections). Breast sections were removed from the rib cage. The rest of the carcass (ribs, back, neck, etc) is gently cooking in the pressure cooker to make some lovely stock.
The breasts and thighs were all seasoned and placed into separate zip bags, then returned to the fridge for now. Those will be cooked as follows: Dark meat started at 151 degrees. Cook for about 12 hours (tenderizes things nicely!). Temp reduced to about 131 (dark stays in the tank) and breasts added to cook another 8-14 hours. Everything comes out, gets patted dry and painted with melted butter, then they all take a turn on the grill to get some crisp skin and toasted colors.
That means, cook time on "turkey day" amounts to a few minutes of grilling and ready to serve!
In addition to these, wuff also bought 4 split breasts (bone in) and 6 thighs. 2 of the thighs will get exactly the same treatment as above. The other four have been de-boned, seasoned, and then sprinkled generously with "moo glue". Then a layer of Prosciutto was added, followed with a bit more meat glue, and then a pair of thighs was rolled up in the cling wrap until it was a tight, solid, "turkey roll" (Roulade). The 4 thighs made two rolls, and those are currently in the Sous Vide @ 151 degrees, where they'll stay for about 4-5 hours.
Then a quick chill and off to wait for feast day in the fridge. On feast day, they'll get tossed into the water with the breasts at 131. Sit there until warmed to the middle (about 2 hours), and then they come out and get grilled with the rest.
They'll be sliced into medallions to surround the Hasselback breasts.
Oh yes, forgot to mention that! Those 4 split breasts? They're going to get sliced into serving size thicknesses, but not taken off the bone. Then an extra-moist sausage stuffing will be put between each slice, the whole thing painted with melted butter, and they'll get baked at 375 for about 60-75 minutes, until golden and the inside is 150-ish degrees.
So folks will have their choice of turkey! Some will look traditional (though already parted out). Some with look a bit more exotic (hasselback or roulade). And hopefully all will be lovely, juicy, tasty and tender!
Naturally, these are going to get photographed, so wuffy can post the specific recipes in his Gallery.
Here's hoping all Vrghr's followers can find reasons to be thankful, for both the prior and coming years. And that you all enjoy the holiday, even if you don't celebrate it in your home country. After all, there's never a bad reason to have a feast! *laughs* Just call it a cultural exchange! *grin*
Bon Appetite! And Happy Thanksgiving!
VRGHR
Boston Dynamics turns it up to 11
Posted 8 years agoPardon Vrghr while he goes and picks his jaw up off the floor!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRj34o4hN4I
Oh. My. Dog! Are you KIDDING me? How amazing is this?
Consider the implications for persons with disabilities or amputees!
(Also, hang around at the end for the "blooper real" *snicker*)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRj34o4hN4I
Oh. My. Dog! Are you KIDDING me? How amazing is this?
Consider the implications for persons with disabilities or amputees!
(Also, hang around at the end for the "blooper real" *snicker*)
Wuff been tagged! Return of the Planet of the Potluck Meme
Posted 8 years ago(Also posted here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:53764864 Check there too, for others who have been tagged!)
Started by
16weeks the original rules are found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8496605/
Vrghr's been tagged!
Tough question! So many things wuff enjoys at a pot luck! Hmm.... lets go with Asian-inspired goodies this time!
1) Vrghr's Asian-Inspired Pasta Salad w/5-Spice Chicken & Peanut Sauce. This is one of the first forays into kitchen experiments and Asian flavors that wuff could call a complete success! A sauce full of complex flavors, with a touch of heat and rich peanut base. Wuffy served this at a Further Confusion picnic several years ago, when Vrghr was visiting San Jose friends while the picnic happened. Folks there claimed they'd "pay good money for the recipe!" *LAUGHS* Unfortunately, wuff hasn't got a photo of the results, so hasn't posted the recipe here on FA yet. BUT- - - It WILL happen!
2) Tom Kha Gai soup. A great complement to the noodles, and Vrghr loves the combination of curry flavors, rich coconut milk, and tasty chicken. A really superb soup in Vrghr's mind, and one wuff needs to practice a bit more on and create his own personal variation for posting here.
3) Shrimp Toasts. What's not to love? A thick coating of delicious shrimp paste, deep fried onto crispy crunchy toast points! YUM! And a nice crisp textural component to pair against the soup and thick, tasty noodles.
4) Almond Flan w/Mango sauce. More of a Asian Fusion idea than Asian traditional. Almond and mango flavors are used in many dishes, and Vrghr loves the rich, creamy, dense pudding of a Flan. So why not see if wuff can bring it all together? And alternative would be a sweet sesame caramel sauce instead of the mango. Creating this one should be a lot of fun!
So, there are Vrghr's four contributions for the pot luck!
Lets see, several furs wuff would have picked have already been tagged, but there's still plenty of good cooks to go!
Vrghr tags:
Bear_and_Tiger_noms and 
yelleena
Bon Appetite!
Started by
16weeks the original rules are found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8496605/Vrghr's been tagged!
Tough question! So many things wuff enjoys at a pot luck! Hmm.... lets go with Asian-inspired goodies this time!
1) Vrghr's Asian-Inspired Pasta Salad w/5-Spice Chicken & Peanut Sauce. This is one of the first forays into kitchen experiments and Asian flavors that wuff could call a complete success! A sauce full of complex flavors, with a touch of heat and rich peanut base. Wuffy served this at a Further Confusion picnic several years ago, when Vrghr was visiting San Jose friends while the picnic happened. Folks there claimed they'd "pay good money for the recipe!" *LAUGHS* Unfortunately, wuff hasn't got a photo of the results, so hasn't posted the recipe here on FA yet. BUT- - - It WILL happen!
2) Tom Kha Gai soup. A great complement to the noodles, and Vrghr loves the combination of curry flavors, rich coconut milk, and tasty chicken. A really superb soup in Vrghr's mind, and one wuff needs to practice a bit more on and create his own personal variation for posting here.
3) Shrimp Toasts. What's not to love? A thick coating of delicious shrimp paste, deep fried onto crispy crunchy toast points! YUM! And a nice crisp textural component to pair against the soup and thick, tasty noodles.
4) Almond Flan w/Mango sauce. More of a Asian Fusion idea than Asian traditional. Almond and mango flavors are used in many dishes, and Vrghr loves the rich, creamy, dense pudding of a Flan. So why not see if wuff can bring it all together? And alternative would be a sweet sesame caramel sauce instead of the mango. Creating this one should be a lot of fun!
So, there are Vrghr's four contributions for the pot luck!
Lets see, several furs wuff would have picked have already been tagged, but there's still plenty of good cooks to go!
Vrghr tags:
Bear_and_Tiger_noms and 
yelleenaBon Appetite!
Special Day
Posted 8 years agoIn just a few hours it'll be midnight here at wuffy's home den. When the clock strikes, a rather special event in wuff's life will occur - his Author will round that big glowing orb in the center of our galaxy for his 60th circumnavigation!
Rabbi Tom put it more picturesquely and succinctly here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/25124638/
Wow! It's hard to believe! 60 Years! All those furs out there just getting started in the fandom. Wuff has heard some of them saying how awful it is, the world is ending! Oh no, they'll be 24 next! Or 28! Or (shudders) THIRTY!!!! Why, that's almost dead! Their life is all but over! *snickers*
Ah, if they only knew! Maybe they won't quite have all the energy they did at 18. Maybe that last flight of steps will need a bit more endurance. But the patience, wisdom, and experience gained will FAR outweigh the loss of a second or two in a 440, or a pause on the 4th story before heading up the next 3 flights.
And lets NOT get started on that silly notion that everyone over 30 ought to just hang up their ears and tail, and go "be sensible" somewhere else and leave the fandom to the youngsters that deserve it. HA! Who do they think organizes those big conventions?
Vrghr supposes now that his Author is cresting the hill at 60, maybe it IS time he settled down, grew up, became an adult and gave up the childish notions of talking animals, cooking wolves, and the occasional dragon sighting on the front lawn. (http://www.furaffinity.net/full/21592648/ )
. . .
NAW!!! Who is wuffy trying to fool!? Imagination is what keeps us young at heart!
Growing old may be mandatory, but growing up is optional!
Or, as this wuff's tag line for the last 30 years has said it:
"We grow not old, so long as we continue to chase our dreams!"
So here's to a larger crop of grey hair in the wuff's pelt, and on Authors head (those that remain) and beard! And for staying young at heart through fantasy, fun, whimsy and the wonder of imagination! And if those dreams be clad in fur and populated with talking animals, so be it!
Disney changed the world with a talking mouse. And wuff submits that our world would be a much colder and sadder place without it. There are surely worse dreams for an old man, than that.
Stay furry! And keep chasing your dreams!
Rabbi Tom put it more picturesquely and succinctly here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/25124638/
Wow! It's hard to believe! 60 Years! All those furs out there just getting started in the fandom. Wuff has heard some of them saying how awful it is, the world is ending! Oh no, they'll be 24 next! Or 28! Or (shudders) THIRTY!!!! Why, that's almost dead! Their life is all but over! *snickers*
Ah, if they only knew! Maybe they won't quite have all the energy they did at 18. Maybe that last flight of steps will need a bit more endurance. But the patience, wisdom, and experience gained will FAR outweigh the loss of a second or two in a 440, or a pause on the 4th story before heading up the next 3 flights.
And lets NOT get started on that silly notion that everyone over 30 ought to just hang up their ears and tail, and go "be sensible" somewhere else and leave the fandom to the youngsters that deserve it. HA! Who do they think organizes those big conventions?
Vrghr supposes now that his Author is cresting the hill at 60, maybe it IS time he settled down, grew up, became an adult and gave up the childish notions of talking animals, cooking wolves, and the occasional dragon sighting on the front lawn. (http://www.furaffinity.net/full/21592648/ )
. . .
NAW!!! Who is wuffy trying to fool!? Imagination is what keeps us young at heart!
Growing old may be mandatory, but growing up is optional!
Or, as this wuff's tag line for the last 30 years has said it:
"We grow not old, so long as we continue to chase our dreams!"
So here's to a larger crop of grey hair in the wuff's pelt, and on Authors head (those that remain) and beard! And for staying young at heart through fantasy, fun, whimsy and the wonder of imagination! And if those dreams be clad in fur and populated with talking animals, so be it!
Disney changed the world with a talking mouse. And wuff submits that our world would be a much colder and sadder place without it. There are surely worse dreams for an old man, than that.
Stay furry! And keep chasing your dreams!
Megaplex Meme
Posted 8 years agoFirst time wuffy has done one of these. But, why not?
Convention attending: Megaplex 2017
Days staying:
1-13 Aug
Who are you rooming with?
talonsaurn We will be off-site at a local AirBNB, just south of the Disney complex
Where will you be?
Wandering about the halls, and attending panels. Probably not the dances.
How is the best way to find you?
Look for the old, shaggy fellow sporting badges with Vrghr's picture (FA gallery has most of the images you'll see). Or a black hat w/grey wolf ears, and a white wolf backpack
What do you look like?
5' 11", 290lbs, shaggy grey beard & collar-length graying hair ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22921737/ but shorter hair)
What is your gender?
Guy
How old are you?
Not as old as dirt, but wuff participated in the beta test! (Will hit 60 in a few months! Woot!)
How tall are you?
5' 11"
Can I talk to you?
Sure! But be careful not to mention food or cooking, or wuff will talk your ears off!
Can I hug and/or snuggle you?
Hugs are fine! Probably not enough time for snuggles.
Are you nice?
Wuff thinks so!
Are you fursuiting?
Nope
If I see you, how should I get your attention?
"Hiya, Vrghr" (like Burger with a "V") works. So do waves and smiles, sending up flares, firing up a grill, or frying bacon
Can we hang out?
Sure, if you want to hit the panels/events wuff is attending. Or perhaps drop by wuff's rental place for some Vrghr-prepared snacks, nom noms, and DVDs/Blu-Rays. Wuff could likely be convinced to do an outing to some interesting local eateries too, during "slack times" at the con.
Can I commission you?
Only if you want a new recipe developed!
What can't we talk about?
Probably want to avoid politics - wuff's conservative, and that is in pretty short supply in the fandom. Otherwise, be polite, consider your surroundings, and don't "squick the norms" around us.
Can we talk about other things?
Wuffy is happy to chat about almost anything!
Can I get you something to eat?
Vrghr is more likely to offer YOU that! But wuff is rarely one to refuse food or snacks.
Can I get you something to drink?
Non-alcoholic, please.
What can I give you?
Your smiles and good thought are plenty. Wuff doesn't have a huge amount of space in his luggage, but will have a sketch book along. Be advised that wuff will have little snack bags of the "infamous dog-bones of doom!" (there's a story there) with him, and will hand those out to unsuspecting furs around him! If you give Vrghr something, you'll certainly get one of those in return!
What shouldn't I give you?
Nothing illegal! Wuff's Author works for the feds! Please don't endanger Author's job!
Can I take your picture?
If you REALLY want to. But Vrghr will not be held responsible for damaged lenses or melted imagers.
Attending any events?
Several. Wuff's still going over schedules.
- Grey Muzzles Breakfast and Thursday Prompt panel are sure things though!
Vrghr hopes to see a few of you (or more) there!
Convention attending: Megaplex 2017
Days staying:
1-13 Aug
Who are you rooming with?
talonsaurn We will be off-site at a local AirBNB, just south of the Disney complexWhere will you be?
Wandering about the halls, and attending panels. Probably not the dances.
How is the best way to find you?
Look for the old, shaggy fellow sporting badges with Vrghr's picture (FA gallery has most of the images you'll see). Or a black hat w/grey wolf ears, and a white wolf backpack
What do you look like?
5' 11", 290lbs, shaggy grey beard & collar-length graying hair ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/22921737/ but shorter hair)
What is your gender?
Guy
How old are you?
Not as old as dirt, but wuff participated in the beta test! (Will hit 60 in a few months! Woot!)
How tall are you?
5' 11"
Can I talk to you?
Sure! But be careful not to mention food or cooking, or wuff will talk your ears off!
Can I hug and/or snuggle you?
Hugs are fine! Probably not enough time for snuggles.
Are you nice?
Wuff thinks so!
Are you fursuiting?
Nope
If I see you, how should I get your attention?
"Hiya, Vrghr" (like Burger with a "V") works. So do waves and smiles, sending up flares, firing up a grill, or frying bacon
Can we hang out?
Sure, if you want to hit the panels/events wuff is attending. Or perhaps drop by wuff's rental place for some Vrghr-prepared snacks, nom noms, and DVDs/Blu-Rays. Wuff could likely be convinced to do an outing to some interesting local eateries too, during "slack times" at the con.
Can I commission you?
Only if you want a new recipe developed!
What can't we talk about?
Probably want to avoid politics - wuff's conservative, and that is in pretty short supply in the fandom. Otherwise, be polite, consider your surroundings, and don't "squick the norms" around us.
Can we talk about other things?
Wuffy is happy to chat about almost anything!
Can I get you something to eat?
Vrghr is more likely to offer YOU that! But wuff is rarely one to refuse food or snacks.
Can I get you something to drink?
Non-alcoholic, please.
What can I give you?
Your smiles and good thought are plenty. Wuff doesn't have a huge amount of space in his luggage, but will have a sketch book along. Be advised that wuff will have little snack bags of the "infamous dog-bones of doom!" (there's a story there) with him, and will hand those out to unsuspecting furs around him! If you give Vrghr something, you'll certainly get one of those in return!
What shouldn't I give you?
Nothing illegal! Wuff's Author works for the feds! Please don't endanger Author's job!
Can I take your picture?
If you REALLY want to. But Vrghr will not be held responsible for damaged lenses or melted imagers.
Attending any events?
Several. Wuff's still going over schedules.
- Grey Muzzles Breakfast and Thursday Prompt panel are sure things though!
Vrghr hopes to see a few of you (or more) there!
Reunion Roundup
Posted 8 years agoWuff is back from New Smyrna Beach FL, and the Family Reunion his Author's clan held there.
What a great time! Saw folks that hadn't been seen in over 20 years. In fact, it was just about 23 years since the whole group had last been together as one. We rented several rooms in a condo directly on the beach, housing 5-6 folks per room. And spent pretty close to a full week there, ending up just after the Independence Day holidays.
Lots to see and do, and lots of time just relaxing on the seaward balcony or playing in the sand, too. We visited and escaped from an Escape Room (Murder 101). Hit Flagler Tavern for some fresh seafood and other goodies, and The Garlic for some great Italian. Went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios, strolled across the bridge on the Indian River to watch for dolphins and enjoy the sunset.
Then there were the Fireworks on the Beach. Seems like half of FL showed up to set off mortars and fountains and sparklers and things. Author's family was right in the middle of it. Like a fireworks "theater in the round"! Wow! What a show!!
Generally had a smashing good time!
Many of the family were aware of the "Cookin' Wuff", and proclaimed Author as the "Honorary Chef" for the crew. Author's wuffy avatar rose to the challenge of cooking multiple meals for nearly 30 folks! (crew varied between 24 and 28 people every day. That poor condo-kitchen had likely never seen a production like that! Wuff frequently used up every pot (none were large enough to hold all of some of the sauces or items needed for a group that big) and had to adapt to get things done. Occasionally pressed other family "inlaws and outlaws" into service as Sous Chefs to help complete and assemble things. *grins*
Only one new recipe to post here on FA (the Shrimp and Avocado Appetizers, found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/24098357/ ). The rest were items this wuff has posted before, including that wonderful Vegetarian Lasagna ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21130999/ ) and assorted Foil Packs ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16491971/ http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17211474/ http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17211604/ ).
The packs for this time were ground beef, onion, and potato, and Kielbasa, onion, potato, and pepper. Dessert packs were graham cracker, banana, mini-marshmallows, and chocolate chips. 30 of those banana ones, and 16 each of the others.
Wuffy also made blueberry pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, vegetarian scrambles, and cheese scrambles for breakfasts. There was even a "clean out the fridge" veggie mixture with carrots, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, white wine, and celery used as a side dish for a burger and hotdog cookout on the final days.
The ol' wuffy was a cookin' fool, but loved every moment of it. And the crew loved all the goodies! Wuff is busy compiling all the recipes to mail out to everyone, per their request.
The wonderful time ended all too soon, and Vrghr is back at work in Colorado. But wuff is happily looking forward to traveling back to Florida in just a few short weeks, to attend Megaplex and then to stay a bit and visit all the Disney parks with talonsaurn .
Wuff found a lovely AirBNB place with a wonderful Gourmet Kitchen for that trip. So the "Cookin' Wuff" will be at it once again, for furs who want to drop by and try some of Vrghr's creations, as well as Talon and himself.
But probably won't be feeding a herd like the last one next month! *laughs*
Author is going to have to do another Reunion again soon, certainly sooner than another 23 years!
What a great time! Saw folks that hadn't been seen in over 20 years. In fact, it was just about 23 years since the whole group had last been together as one. We rented several rooms in a condo directly on the beach, housing 5-6 folks per room. And spent pretty close to a full week there, ending up just after the Independence Day holidays.
Lots to see and do, and lots of time just relaxing on the seaward balcony or playing in the sand, too. We visited and escaped from an Escape Room (Murder 101). Hit Flagler Tavern for some fresh seafood and other goodies, and The Garlic for some great Italian. Went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios, strolled across the bridge on the Indian River to watch for dolphins and enjoy the sunset.
Then there were the Fireworks on the Beach. Seems like half of FL showed up to set off mortars and fountains and sparklers and things. Author's family was right in the middle of it. Like a fireworks "theater in the round"! Wow! What a show!!
Generally had a smashing good time!
Many of the family were aware of the "Cookin' Wuff", and proclaimed Author as the "Honorary Chef" for the crew. Author's wuffy avatar rose to the challenge of cooking multiple meals for nearly 30 folks! (crew varied between 24 and 28 people every day. That poor condo-kitchen had likely never seen a production like that! Wuff frequently used up every pot (none were large enough to hold all of some of the sauces or items needed for a group that big) and had to adapt to get things done. Occasionally pressed other family "inlaws and outlaws" into service as Sous Chefs to help complete and assemble things. *grins*
Only one new recipe to post here on FA (the Shrimp and Avocado Appetizers, found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/24098357/ ). The rest were items this wuff has posted before, including that wonderful Vegetarian Lasagna ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21130999/ ) and assorted Foil Packs ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16491971/ http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17211474/ http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17211604/ ).
The packs for this time were ground beef, onion, and potato, and Kielbasa, onion, potato, and pepper. Dessert packs were graham cracker, banana, mini-marshmallows, and chocolate chips. 30 of those banana ones, and 16 each of the others.
Wuffy also made blueberry pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, vegetarian scrambles, and cheese scrambles for breakfasts. There was even a "clean out the fridge" veggie mixture with carrots, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, white wine, and celery used as a side dish for a burger and hotdog cookout on the final days.
The ol' wuffy was a cookin' fool, but loved every moment of it. And the crew loved all the goodies! Wuff is busy compiling all the recipes to mail out to everyone, per their request.
The wonderful time ended all too soon, and Vrghr is back at work in Colorado. But wuff is happily looking forward to traveling back to Florida in just a few short weeks, to attend Megaplex and then to stay a bit and visit all the Disney parks with
talonsaurn .Wuff found a lovely AirBNB place with a wonderful Gourmet Kitchen for that trip. So the "Cookin' Wuff" will be at it once again, for furs who want to drop by and try some of Vrghr's creations, as well as Talon and himself.
But probably won't be feeding a herd like the last one next month! *laughs*
Author is going to have to do another Reunion again soon, certainly sooner than another 23 years!
May Breakfast - what May Wuffy make?
Posted 8 years agoAnother Office Party is rapidly approaching! Actually, there are two party events on wuff's calendar this month; the Office Birthday Celebration, and a very good friend's "Memorial Day Hot Dog Social".
The latter is an annual event that Vrghr has been attending for many years now. Wuff developed his "real" Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce (found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16070645/ ) for the first of these. It was such a huge hit, that wuff has been supplying it to each one ever since! *grins* Ahh! Such a meaty treat! A really taste of Summer Fun!
Immediately following that weekend, the shop will be doing a celebration of all the birthdays for that month. The birthday folks asked for something sweet for breakfast, and wuffy is happy to oblige.
Wuff is considering something inspired by "Pigs in a blanket": normally created with Sausages rolled up in pancakes and drizzled with maple syrup. A nice, traditional and tasty dish! And definitely sweet.
But - what if wuffy could put his own twist on this? Say, perhaps, using a nice fluffy, eggy batter? And enrobing chunks of pre-cooked breakfast sausage or meaty pre-cooked maple-glazed lardons of bacon in it? Then deep frying them until toasty and light and golden?
Wuff could serve these little breakfast poofs lightly dusted with powdered sugar, and supply several "dipping options" such as maple, strawberry, blueberry, Nutella syrups, etc., to dunk them in! That should definitely meet the 'sweet breakfast' requirement!
Wuff was considering a variation on the Pate A Choux dough, for the covering. That ought to be pretty interesting, if wuff can get it to work!
*rubs his paws together* Looks like wuffy has some experimenting to do!
Hope everyone is enjoying the changing of the seasons, and looking forward to Spring and Summer cookouts and festivities!
Take care, be well, and be happy!
VRGHR
The latter is an annual event that Vrghr has been attending for many years now. Wuff developed his "real" Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce (found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/16070645/ ) for the first of these. It was such a huge hit, that wuff has been supplying it to each one ever since! *grins* Ahh! Such a meaty treat! A really taste of Summer Fun!
Immediately following that weekend, the shop will be doing a celebration of all the birthdays for that month. The birthday folks asked for something sweet for breakfast, and wuffy is happy to oblige.
Wuff is considering something inspired by "Pigs in a blanket": normally created with Sausages rolled up in pancakes and drizzled with maple syrup. A nice, traditional and tasty dish! And definitely sweet.
But - what if wuffy could put his own twist on this? Say, perhaps, using a nice fluffy, eggy batter? And enrobing chunks of pre-cooked breakfast sausage or meaty pre-cooked maple-glazed lardons of bacon in it? Then deep frying them until toasty and light and golden?
Wuff could serve these little breakfast poofs lightly dusted with powdered sugar, and supply several "dipping options" such as maple, strawberry, blueberry, Nutella syrups, etc., to dunk them in! That should definitely meet the 'sweet breakfast' requirement!
Wuff was considering a variation on the Pate A Choux dough, for the covering. That ought to be pretty interesting, if wuff can get it to work!
*rubs his paws together* Looks like wuffy has some experimenting to do!
Hope everyone is enjoying the changing of the seasons, and looking forward to Spring and Summer cookouts and festivities!
Take care, be well, and be happy!
VRGHR
Party on the Horizon!
Posted 8 years agoWe have TWO occasions to party at the shop this coming month (April): 1 of our folks is having a Birthday, and there is an Easter holiday in the month!
So, time for wuff to get creative at work's little kitchen area again! Vrghr wants to do something a little elegant for the special holiday, and still be fun and healthy (we have a "Nutrition Challenge" this month that wuff is in charge of, so need to keep that in mind too!).
Easter is typically known for ether Ham or Lamb as meal ideas. Vrghr doesn't want to dupe the Ham, as many folks will be cooking that at home, and Lamb is a wee bit pricey for wuffy to feature as a free meal for a dozen-ish folks. But - Ham is Pork, and Pork is really inexpensive at the moment, and SO versatile!
So wuff is going to try out a nut-encrusted Chop as the featured Entrée, with sweet potatoes as a side idea, and a lovely green salad with spinach, feta, raspberries, nuts, and some red onion. A nice Black Current Jus or Gastrique to drizzle over the nut-crusted chop ought to tie everything together, with the fruit in the salad and on the pork.
There are a couple challenges for Vrghr to overcome here. First, we have no ovens worthy of the name. So searing a chop and then finishing it in the oven isn't going to be possible. Normally, wuff could just pan-fry it to completion, but a nut coating, no matter the type, doesn't take well to a long frying session. The oils and delicate nature of the nuts means you're very likely to get a burnt coating before they chops are cooked to the middle.
So, wuff is going to start the chops Sous Vide! Brine the chops first at home. Then, a bit of thyme, salt, pepper, butter, and such, maybe some granulated garlic and a bit of Black Currant jam in the sealed air-tight bags with the pork. Immerse at ~134 degrees for about an hour or so. That'll bring the pork to a bit under-done but VERY juicy in the middle, ready to take on a little more heat in the fry pan. This also means Vrghr can use a lovely double-thick chop and still be successful, and at the same time create an impressive presentation with an extra-thick plated chop!
Remove and pat dry the chops, and then add the crushed nut (Macadamia? Pecan? Pistachio?) coating and sear that to crispy quality in our electric skillets. Reserve the liquid from the pouches and use that to flavor the Jus or Gastrique. Side it with, perhaps, some diced curried sweet potatoes w/some onion and raisins. And that green salad.
This ought to be a very nice and somewhat elegant creation for folks to enjoy, at a reasonably low cost (thanks to things like pork and sweet-potatoes), and "healthy" enough to qualify as a "good meal" for our Nutrition-focused dining this month.
What 'cha think? Wuff going to be able to pull this off? Think the curried sweet potatoes plus raisins are a good match for the side? Any comments, questions, critiques?
*grin* Or you just trying not to short out the keyboard by drooling on it? *giggles*
Bon Appetite! And may your next month be Merry!!
VRGHR
So, time for wuff to get creative at work's little kitchen area again! Vrghr wants to do something a little elegant for the special holiday, and still be fun and healthy (we have a "Nutrition Challenge" this month that wuff is in charge of, so need to keep that in mind too!).
Easter is typically known for ether Ham or Lamb as meal ideas. Vrghr doesn't want to dupe the Ham, as many folks will be cooking that at home, and Lamb is a wee bit pricey for wuffy to feature as a free meal for a dozen-ish folks. But - Ham is Pork, and Pork is really inexpensive at the moment, and SO versatile!
So wuff is going to try out a nut-encrusted Chop as the featured Entrée, with sweet potatoes as a side idea, and a lovely green salad with spinach, feta, raspberries, nuts, and some red onion. A nice Black Current Jus or Gastrique to drizzle over the nut-crusted chop ought to tie everything together, with the fruit in the salad and on the pork.
There are a couple challenges for Vrghr to overcome here. First, we have no ovens worthy of the name. So searing a chop and then finishing it in the oven isn't going to be possible. Normally, wuff could just pan-fry it to completion, but a nut coating, no matter the type, doesn't take well to a long frying session. The oils and delicate nature of the nuts means you're very likely to get a burnt coating before they chops are cooked to the middle.
So, wuff is going to start the chops Sous Vide! Brine the chops first at home. Then, a bit of thyme, salt, pepper, butter, and such, maybe some granulated garlic and a bit of Black Currant jam in the sealed air-tight bags with the pork. Immerse at ~134 degrees for about an hour or so. That'll bring the pork to a bit under-done but VERY juicy in the middle, ready to take on a little more heat in the fry pan. This also means Vrghr can use a lovely double-thick chop and still be successful, and at the same time create an impressive presentation with an extra-thick plated chop!
Remove and pat dry the chops, and then add the crushed nut (Macadamia? Pecan? Pistachio?) coating and sear that to crispy quality in our electric skillets. Reserve the liquid from the pouches and use that to flavor the Jus or Gastrique. Side it with, perhaps, some diced curried sweet potatoes w/some onion and raisins. And that green salad.
This ought to be a very nice and somewhat elegant creation for folks to enjoy, at a reasonably low cost (thanks to things like pork and sweet-potatoes), and "healthy" enough to qualify as a "good meal" for our Nutrition-focused dining this month.
What 'cha think? Wuff going to be able to pull this off? Think the curried sweet potatoes plus raisins are a good match for the side? Any comments, questions, critiques?
*grin* Or you just trying not to short out the keyboard by drooling on it? *giggles*
Bon Appetite! And may your next month be Merry!!
VRGHR
Committed (Megaplex)
Posted 8 years agoNo, Vrghr isn't getting hauled away by the nice young men in their clean white coats, and they coming to take me a... *ahem* Sorry....
Nope, wuff just wanted to say that he's committed to attending Megaplex again this year, down in Orlando. The convention hotel is already booked up, and they didn't have "kitchen rooms" anyway. So wuffy is trying out "AirBNB" this year.
Found a really SPECTACULAR looking room, reasonably close to the convention, and nearly buried in the midst of the Disney parks complex. This is the one wuff has booked: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/14127208
In among all the other selling points, it has a LOVELY kitchen! And you KNOW Vrghr is going to put that to good use! Hopefully wuff will be able to find a fur or few who would enjoy dropping by for a wuff-cooked meal while down there.
Following the convention, Talon and Vrghr are going to go invade the Disney parks. Disney is having a military celebration year in 2017, and wuff's Author, as a retired AF dude, can take advantage of that. 5-day park tickets are at a huge discount, so wuff and pal are going to go a wee bit crazy and try to hit ALL the Disney stuff.
Vrghr is SO looking forward to this!
And also hoping and looking forward to meeting up with even more of his furry friends from FA while down there! If you happen to be in the Orlando area the first weeks of August, or will be attending Megaplex 2017, give wuffy and shout, and perhaps we can put something together!
Laters!
Nope, wuff just wanted to say that he's committed to attending Megaplex again this year, down in Orlando. The convention hotel is already booked up, and they didn't have "kitchen rooms" anyway. So wuffy is trying out "AirBNB" this year.
Found a really SPECTACULAR looking room, reasonably close to the convention, and nearly buried in the midst of the Disney parks complex. This is the one wuff has booked: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/14127208
In among all the other selling points, it has a LOVELY kitchen! And you KNOW Vrghr is going to put that to good use! Hopefully wuff will be able to find a fur or few who would enjoy dropping by for a wuff-cooked meal while down there.
Following the convention, Talon and Vrghr are going to go invade the Disney parks. Disney is having a military celebration year in 2017, and wuff's Author, as a retired AF dude, can take advantage of that. 5-day park tickets are at a huge discount, so wuff and pal are going to go a wee bit crazy and try to hit ALL the Disney stuff.
Vrghr is SO looking forward to this!
And also hoping and looking forward to meeting up with even more of his furry friends from FA while down there! If you happen to be in the Orlando area the first weeks of August, or will be attending Megaplex 2017, give wuffy and shout, and perhaps we can put something together!
Laters!
Committed (Megaplex)
Posted 8 years agoCoddling the wuffy
Posted 8 years agoNobody having birthdays or such at the office this month, so we can't use those as an excuse to have a celebration at work. Luckily, March has the St. Patrick's Day holiday! So there will be celebrations at work after all!
Vrghr decided to give the shop folks a choice of potential "Irish-themed" goodies:
1) Corned Beef and Colcannon (buttery mashed potatoes with Kale or Cabbage)
2) Cottage Pie (like a Shepherd’s Pie except using ground beef instead of lamb)
3) Irish Stew (Beef stew with Guinness) with Soda Bread
4) Dublin Coddle (layered casserole/stew dish with sausage, bacon, potatoes, onion, barley, etc.)
5) Pasties (Something akin to a savory "hot pocket" with pork, onion, potatoes etc. in individual “hand meal” pastry shells)
It looks like the Dublin Coddle is winning out, though the Corned Beef and Colcannon is a close second. Everything got at least one vote though (some folks voted for more than one choice).
So it looks like Vrghr will be Coddling his co-workers on the 17th! *grin*
For those new to the term, a Dublin Coddle is basically a casserole or stew (depending on who you ask) featuring sausages, bacon, potatoes, onions, broth, and sometimes carrots and cream. Wuffy is busy prowling through the forests of the Internet, searching out recipes and variations and checking out how different places and folks make their own special versions. Looks like this is going to be a very nice "comfort" dish when wuffy gets done with it!
Stay tuned for photos and recipes of the result! And in the mean time, don't forget to the wearin' of the green to keep from getting a pinch! *grin*
Bon Appetite!
Vrghr decided to give the shop folks a choice of potential "Irish-themed" goodies:
1) Corned Beef and Colcannon (buttery mashed potatoes with Kale or Cabbage)
2) Cottage Pie (like a Shepherd’s Pie except using ground beef instead of lamb)
3) Irish Stew (Beef stew with Guinness) with Soda Bread
4) Dublin Coddle (layered casserole/stew dish with sausage, bacon, potatoes, onion, barley, etc.)
5) Pasties (Something akin to a savory "hot pocket" with pork, onion, potatoes etc. in individual “hand meal” pastry shells)
It looks like the Dublin Coddle is winning out, though the Corned Beef and Colcannon is a close second. Everything got at least one vote though (some folks voted for more than one choice).
So it looks like Vrghr will be Coddling his co-workers on the 17th! *grin*
For those new to the term, a Dublin Coddle is basically a casserole or stew (depending on who you ask) featuring sausages, bacon, potatoes, onions, broth, and sometimes carrots and cream. Wuffy is busy prowling through the forests of the Internet, searching out recipes and variations and checking out how different places and folks make their own special versions. Looks like this is going to be a very nice "comfort" dish when wuffy gets done with it!
Stay tuned for photos and recipes of the result! And in the mean time, don't forget to the wearin' of the green to keep from getting a pinch! *grin*
Bon Appetite!
January Shop Birthday Breakfast coming up
Posted 9 years agoWuffy chatted with our shop manager today, and we put together the Shop Birthday Breakfast event for January. First "Vrghr Foods" office event of 2017.
This is going to be both an easy, and a challenging one: Omelets!
We're bringing in a variety of fillings, and wuff will be manning a series of induction hobs and cranking out the servings "made to order", from selections of the following:
- Cheese (grated cheddar mix and Havarti)
- Mushrooms (sauteed Crimini (brown button))
- Spinach
- Tomato
- Onion
- Avocado
- Ham
Wuffy might make some hollandaise sauce too
Easy, because there's no lengthy prep, fancy sauces, exotic techniques, etc., required. Challenging, because an egg is a relatively unforgiving thing. Just ask Gordon Ramsey about how many chefs fail to even prepare a scrambled egg to his satisfaction.
Vrghr prefers his omelets tender, light and fluffy, with no hint of browned egg on the surface. But it has to be set all the way to the interior with no runny parts. Not leathery or tough.
Making an omelet isn't that difficult, but making a really good one that wuff is happy to serve his office folks - that can be tricky! Of course, Vrghr knows that his crew will eat them anyway, as long as they're hot, fresh, with good ingredients and reasonably properly prepared. But given the simple qualities of an omelet, wuffy wants to go beyond "Just okay" to "perfect".
We'll see how Vrghr makes out. One thing's for sure, wuff will definitely be a more experienced 'short order' cook when Monday the 16th is done. *chuckles* Even if its just for a dozen hungry folks.
Bon Appetite!
This is going to be both an easy, and a challenging one: Omelets!
We're bringing in a variety of fillings, and wuff will be manning a series of induction hobs and cranking out the servings "made to order", from selections of the following:
- Cheese (grated cheddar mix and Havarti)
- Mushrooms (sauteed Crimini (brown button))
- Spinach
- Tomato
- Onion
- Avocado
- Ham
Wuffy might make some hollandaise sauce too
Easy, because there's no lengthy prep, fancy sauces, exotic techniques, etc., required. Challenging, because an egg is a relatively unforgiving thing. Just ask Gordon Ramsey about how many chefs fail to even prepare a scrambled egg to his satisfaction.
Vrghr prefers his omelets tender, light and fluffy, with no hint of browned egg on the surface. But it has to be set all the way to the interior with no runny parts. Not leathery or tough.
Making an omelet isn't that difficult, but making a really good one that wuff is happy to serve his office folks - that can be tricky! Of course, Vrghr knows that his crew will eat them anyway, as long as they're hot, fresh, with good ingredients and reasonably properly prepared. But given the simple qualities of an omelet, wuffy wants to go beyond "Just okay" to "perfect".
We'll see how Vrghr makes out. One thing's for sure, wuff will definitely be a more experienced 'short order' cook when Monday the 16th is done. *chuckles* Even if its just for a dozen hungry folks.
Bon Appetite!
Welcoming 2017 with the first Feast of the New Year
Posted 9 years agoWuffy was happy to be able to join friends at their house and cook them the traditional New Year's Day feast of wuffy's father, and grandfather before that. This was the day Dad took over the kitchen from "the women folk" of the house, and made the family meal. Always the same, as his father had done before him.
Vrghr is proud to be able to carry on this tradition today. And to introduce new folks to the family traditions of his Author. Wuff tends to make minor tweaks to the ingredients, as Vrghr continues to "perfect" the flavors. But the basic offering is always the same.
The menu was:
A seared pork blade roast, sprinkled with Montreal Seasoning, surrounded by pork spare ribs, immersed in sauerkraut and apples with Marsala and Port wine, a bit of garlic, and some brown sugar. Slow roasted after searing, in a 275 degree oven, for hours, until the temp hits about 165. Vrghr's "Best Fluffy Dumplings". Mashed potatoes, done Sous Vide with heavy Cream and Irish Butter this year, and a touch of garlic and seasoned salt. And wuff's "special" Black-eyed Peas, with garlic, bacon, and onions in a ham broth.
No pictures or recipes this year, as wuffy has already posted those from the prior year's productions.
We had a lovely time nibbling on shrimp and smoked salmon, and bean dips prior to the meal. And were all too full to indulge in the selection of pound cakes for dessert. Lovely, happy conversation, and a fun romp through Youtube to illustrate Vrghr's tastes in "odd" music, including an introduction to They Might Be Giants for one of the guests. (She was rather amused and surprised.). And an introduction to "Home Free", a fantastic A Capella group on par with Pentatonix for quality singing.
So, the first feast of the New Year a success, wuff packed the guests off with lots of leftovers to let them enjoy the meal again and again, in the following week. Then wuff rambled (waddled) back to his den, for a bit of a surprise.
See, wuff had done the majority of the cooking at home, and transported it to the host's house, to make prep and cleanup easier there. But upon opening the door to wuff's den on the return, Vrghr was slammed right in the nose by the commingled aromas of all those highly aromatic dishes! They'd scented wuff's home in a sensuous reminder of the way his family's house had smelled when father cooked these dishes. The seared pork, sharp and full scent of sauerkraut, earthy potatoes, fragrant bacon, pungent garlic...
The aromas brought with them such strong memories of the family time together, of years long passed, that wuff had to pause and wipe his running eyes for a time. Truly a wonderful reminder of the blessings of time long gone, and the hopes for similar blessings of the new year to come.
One unexpected side effect - the scents were so strong and lingered so long, that wuff woke up from a sound sleep at 3AM, craving another plate of pork and 'kraut! *LAUGHS* Guess the "diet" resolution is going to have to wait a few days! *LAUGHS again*
May your New Year's find all of you creating wonderful new memories, looking forward with hope and joy, and showered with Blessings of your own!
Happy New Year!
from your fluffy friendly Dragonwolf,
VRGHR
Vrghr is proud to be able to carry on this tradition today. And to introduce new folks to the family traditions of his Author. Wuff tends to make minor tweaks to the ingredients, as Vrghr continues to "perfect" the flavors. But the basic offering is always the same.
The menu was:
A seared pork blade roast, sprinkled with Montreal Seasoning, surrounded by pork spare ribs, immersed in sauerkraut and apples with Marsala and Port wine, a bit of garlic, and some brown sugar. Slow roasted after searing, in a 275 degree oven, for hours, until the temp hits about 165. Vrghr's "Best Fluffy Dumplings". Mashed potatoes, done Sous Vide with heavy Cream and Irish Butter this year, and a touch of garlic and seasoned salt. And wuff's "special" Black-eyed Peas, with garlic, bacon, and onions in a ham broth.
No pictures or recipes this year, as wuffy has already posted those from the prior year's productions.
We had a lovely time nibbling on shrimp and smoked salmon, and bean dips prior to the meal. And were all too full to indulge in the selection of pound cakes for dessert. Lovely, happy conversation, and a fun romp through Youtube to illustrate Vrghr's tastes in "odd" music, including an introduction to They Might Be Giants for one of the guests. (She was rather amused and surprised.). And an introduction to "Home Free", a fantastic A Capella group on par with Pentatonix for quality singing.
So, the first feast of the New Year a success, wuff packed the guests off with lots of leftovers to let them enjoy the meal again and again, in the following week. Then wuff rambled (waddled) back to his den, for a bit of a surprise.
See, wuff had done the majority of the cooking at home, and transported it to the host's house, to make prep and cleanup easier there. But upon opening the door to wuff's den on the return, Vrghr was slammed right in the nose by the commingled aromas of all those highly aromatic dishes! They'd scented wuff's home in a sensuous reminder of the way his family's house had smelled when father cooked these dishes. The seared pork, sharp and full scent of sauerkraut, earthy potatoes, fragrant bacon, pungent garlic...
The aromas brought with them such strong memories of the family time together, of years long passed, that wuff had to pause and wipe his running eyes for a time. Truly a wonderful reminder of the blessings of time long gone, and the hopes for similar blessings of the new year to come.
One unexpected side effect - the scents were so strong and lingered so long, that wuff woke up from a sound sleep at 3AM, craving another plate of pork and 'kraut! *LAUGHS* Guess the "diet" resolution is going to have to wait a few days! *LAUGHS again*
May your New Year's find all of you creating wonderful new memories, looking forward with hope and joy, and showered with Blessings of your own!
Happy New Year!
from your fluffy friendly Dragonwolf,
VRGHR
Merry Merry - just one day late
Posted 9 years agoVrghr was out of his den all day yesterday, ferrying goodies and cooking gear over to a friend's house to create a Christmas Feast for wuff and friends. (Which went off Very well too, thank you!)
But wuff still wanted to wish all his fans, friends, and followers a very Merry Christmas, or the happiest of what every holiday you might celebrate! Here's hoping your day was festive, fun, and full of good times and good eats!
Thank you again for watching this silly ol' wuffy, and being such wonderful furry friends!
*FLOOFY WUFFY HUGS TO ALL*
See you all in the new year!
Oh, and for those who were watching for the Christmas Feast recipes and results, those will be hitting gallery shortly! *grins*
But wuff still wanted to wish all his fans, friends, and followers a very Merry Christmas, or the happiest of what every holiday you might celebrate! Here's hoping your day was festive, fun, and full of good times and good eats!
Thank you again for watching this silly ol' wuffy, and being such wonderful furry friends!
*FLOOFY WUFFY HUGS TO ALL*
See you all in the new year!
Oh, and for those who were watching for the Christmas Feast recipes and results, those will be hitting gallery shortly! *grins*
Another Feast - Christmas 2016
Posted 9 years ago'Tis the season to be Feasting! *grins*
Wuffy has been putting together bits of the upcoming Christmas Feast already. The "Star Attraction" has been gently cooking in a Sous Vide water bath at 131 degrees, for about the last 60 hours.
As some may recall from years past ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/18678745/ ), Vrghr does Beef for the Christmas feast, because wuffy discovered that Turkey for both Thanksgiving and Christmas meals was a bit too repetitive.
This year, instead of wuff's traditional roast as seen in the link above, Vrghr has decided to to individual "ersatz" Beef Wellingtons. The "ersatz" is because a traditional Wellington is made with Fillet Mignon (loin). Wuff is using the unexpected selection of Chuck Steak instead.
Now, Chuck is known for being a bit tough unless it is slow cooked, stewed, etc. It certainly isn't on par with Fillet if prepared in the same fashion. However, it also brings a lovely wealth of hearty, deep beef flavors. So, how do you gain that luscious flavor while avoiding a tough to chew steak?
Sous Vide! Preparing the meat in the controlled water bath of a sous vide allows you to bring it to a perfect medium rare, and keep it there until the proteins and fibers begin to break down, rending the tough chains into tender, juicy most "un-chuck" like morsels. But the flavors remain sealed in! Of course, this also means you've got to plan ahead, as it takes a minimum of two days of slow heating to begin to accomplish this.
So, wuff took two each 3-pound chuck roasts. Seared them in a smoking hot cast iron pan. Seasoned the result and bagged them with some butter, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon. And into the water they went.
That was late Tuesday evening, and they just came out this afternoon. They're currently chilling, still in the sealed bags. Later, they'll be portioned out into individual segments, slathered with a mushroom duxelles wrapped with prosciutto, and wrapped in turn in puff pastry. These will return to the fridge, to be baked for the Feast on Christmas and served with a red wine, shallot, garlic, mushroom, and beef juice reduction sauce.
These will be sided with creamy scalloped potatoes with a hint of bleu cheese, and oven roasted Brussels sprouts with a balsamic reduction.
Vrghr will also be preparing some caramelized onion and cheddar crescent rolls to go with the meal.
Dessert will be poached pears in a bed of Mascarpone cheese & cardamom cream. Because wuff's guests are nearly all non-drinkers, Vrghr prepared a poaching liquid from a combination of raspberries, blackberris, a bit of Port wine, some cider vinegar, and apple juice, to take the place of the red wine commonly used for poaching.
The poaching liquid will be reduced to a syrup for drizzling over the pears, along with some crushed ginger cookies for garnish.
The nice thing is, 90% of this can all be baked at the same time (just putting the dishes into the over at different intervals) on Christmas day: the Beef, Scalloped potato casserole, sprouts, and rolls. The pears are poaching right now in the sous vide. And the cream base is already in the Siphon.
Wuff just needs to heat the various sauces to drizzle over the selections as the rest bakes, and WOOT! Feast in a flash! Leaving plenty of time to socialize and open presents!
May you all have a most Merry holiday season, no matter what you celebrate! And may your New Year be abundantly full of Joy, Health, and Wealth! *floofy wuffy hugs to all*
Vrghr will leave you with this little gem wuffy found in a lovely novel by Ilona Andrews, "One Fell Sweep" (Innkeeper Chronicles Book 3). This if from "Orro", a 7 foot hedgehog, and Red Cleaver master of the culinary arts:
The Kitchen Code:
- Rise early to be at your station early.
- Keep your knives sharp. Never touch other chef’s knives.
- Keep yourself, your station, and your food clean.
- Never let a dish out of your kitchen without tasting it.
- Know your ingredients. Respect the creatures on your prep table; honor their lives.
- Know your diners. Cook to the tastes of those who dine, not your own.
- Never serve a dish that harms your diners’ health or soul.
- Never settle for second best.
- Never stop learning.
Sounds like pretty good advice to this wuffy, even if you aren't a giant hedgehog! *grins*
VRGHR
Wuffy has been putting together bits of the upcoming Christmas Feast already. The "Star Attraction" has been gently cooking in a Sous Vide water bath at 131 degrees, for about the last 60 hours.
As some may recall from years past ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/18678745/ ), Vrghr does Beef for the Christmas feast, because wuffy discovered that Turkey for both Thanksgiving and Christmas meals was a bit too repetitive.
This year, instead of wuff's traditional roast as seen in the link above, Vrghr has decided to to individual "ersatz" Beef Wellingtons. The "ersatz" is because a traditional Wellington is made with Fillet Mignon (loin). Wuff is using the unexpected selection of Chuck Steak instead.
Now, Chuck is known for being a bit tough unless it is slow cooked, stewed, etc. It certainly isn't on par with Fillet if prepared in the same fashion. However, it also brings a lovely wealth of hearty, deep beef flavors. So, how do you gain that luscious flavor while avoiding a tough to chew steak?
Sous Vide! Preparing the meat in the controlled water bath of a sous vide allows you to bring it to a perfect medium rare, and keep it there until the proteins and fibers begin to break down, rending the tough chains into tender, juicy most "un-chuck" like morsels. But the flavors remain sealed in! Of course, this also means you've got to plan ahead, as it takes a minimum of two days of slow heating to begin to accomplish this.
So, wuff took two each 3-pound chuck roasts. Seared them in a smoking hot cast iron pan. Seasoned the result and bagged them with some butter, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon. And into the water they went.
That was late Tuesday evening, and they just came out this afternoon. They're currently chilling, still in the sealed bags. Later, they'll be portioned out into individual segments, slathered with a mushroom duxelles wrapped with prosciutto, and wrapped in turn in puff pastry. These will return to the fridge, to be baked for the Feast on Christmas and served with a red wine, shallot, garlic, mushroom, and beef juice reduction sauce.
These will be sided with creamy scalloped potatoes with a hint of bleu cheese, and oven roasted Brussels sprouts with a balsamic reduction.
Vrghr will also be preparing some caramelized onion and cheddar crescent rolls to go with the meal.
Dessert will be poached pears in a bed of Mascarpone cheese & cardamom cream. Because wuff's guests are nearly all non-drinkers, Vrghr prepared a poaching liquid from a combination of raspberries, blackberris, a bit of Port wine, some cider vinegar, and apple juice, to take the place of the red wine commonly used for poaching.
The poaching liquid will be reduced to a syrup for drizzling over the pears, along with some crushed ginger cookies for garnish.
The nice thing is, 90% of this can all be baked at the same time (just putting the dishes into the over at different intervals) on Christmas day: the Beef, Scalloped potato casserole, sprouts, and rolls. The pears are poaching right now in the sous vide. And the cream base is already in the Siphon.
Wuff just needs to heat the various sauces to drizzle over the selections as the rest bakes, and WOOT! Feast in a flash! Leaving plenty of time to socialize and open presents!
May you all have a most Merry holiday season, no matter what you celebrate! And may your New Year be abundantly full of Joy, Health, and Wealth! *floofy wuffy hugs to all*
Vrghr will leave you with this little gem wuffy found in a lovely novel by Ilona Andrews, "One Fell Sweep" (Innkeeper Chronicles Book 3). This if from "Orro", a 7 foot hedgehog, and Red Cleaver master of the culinary arts:
The Kitchen Code:
- Rise early to be at your station early.
- Keep your knives sharp. Never touch other chef’s knives.
- Keep yourself, your station, and your food clean.
- Never let a dish out of your kitchen without tasting it.
- Know your ingredients. Respect the creatures on your prep table; honor their lives.
- Know your diners. Cook to the tastes of those who dine, not your own.
- Never serve a dish that harms your diners’ health or soul.
- Never settle for second best.
- Never stop learning.
Sounds like pretty good advice to this wuffy, even if you aren't a giant hedgehog! *grins*
VRGHR
Party Prep and Chicken Chili
Posted 9 years agoWuffy's puttering around his den tonight, getting ready for the annual office party and gift exchange tomorrow at work. We normally do this as a pot-luck, with everyone bringing in a dish or two. But this year, our manager's manager actually sprang for some party funds for our unit. First time that has EVER happened here!
So we're going to cater in the primary goodies, and bring some side dishes ourselves to round things out and stretch the budget a bit.
Funny thing was, our office manager and others came to wuffy the day we found out about the party funds, and asked if Vrghr was okay with them catering the main course! Because it would mean that wuffy didn't get to cook the meal for everyone!
WOW! Wuff was shocked, and then honored, that they were both so considerate, and liked this wuff's cooking so much that they'd consider spending those funds in other ways for the party, just to have wuff's foods for them! Gotta say, wuff got a bit choked up! *smiles shyly*
So, we came up with a way to do both - - the party will start in the afternoon, so that we can leave work without guilt when it's over. But to keep folks from "starving" until then, Vrghr is going to cook everyone a light breakfast to start the day off.
So wuff is planning on making some Eggnog French Toast "sticks", with a selection of either maple syrup or "spiked" nog-syrup, and some creamy, tender, soft scrambled eggs with tarragon. That ought to hold everyone until 1PM when the rest of the goodies will start rolling in and the party and exchange can get under way. Needless to say, Vrghr will bring his camera and photo the "Breckie", for posting Eggnog Toast recipe.
And speaking of recipes, a co-worker introduced Vrghr to this amazingly YUMMY "Green Chilies Chicken Chili". This is a very VERY simple "Dump and go" crockpot recipe. Wuff didn't get a photo, so will post the recipe here. It is just TOO good not to share with Vrghr's friendly followers!
Green Chilies Chicken Chili - Ultra Simple 4 Ingredient Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Jar Green Chili Salsa, Medium Spice (505, Trader Joe's, Hatch Green Chili, etc.)
1 block (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 cans (5-8oz) Chicken Breast
2 cans (15 oz) White (navy) beans
Directions
Dump everything into a crock pot and cook on high for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated.
This is rich, creamy, and Fantastic, with just enough heat to let you know it's Chili and not soup. You can, of course, spice it up with some hot sauce, or cut that heat by using mild salsa.
Make sure you use good salsa, because much of the flavor comes from that. We used 505 Southwestern style, and it was TREMENDOUS!
So, until we meet again, may your hearts be warmed by the spirit of the season! *HUGS*
Vrghr
So we're going to cater in the primary goodies, and bring some side dishes ourselves to round things out and stretch the budget a bit.
Funny thing was, our office manager and others came to wuffy the day we found out about the party funds, and asked if Vrghr was okay with them catering the main course! Because it would mean that wuffy didn't get to cook the meal for everyone!
WOW! Wuff was shocked, and then honored, that they were both so considerate, and liked this wuff's cooking so much that they'd consider spending those funds in other ways for the party, just to have wuff's foods for them! Gotta say, wuff got a bit choked up! *smiles shyly*
So, we came up with a way to do both - - the party will start in the afternoon, so that we can leave work without guilt when it's over. But to keep folks from "starving" until then, Vrghr is going to cook everyone a light breakfast to start the day off.
So wuff is planning on making some Eggnog French Toast "sticks", with a selection of either maple syrup or "spiked" nog-syrup, and some creamy, tender, soft scrambled eggs with tarragon. That ought to hold everyone until 1PM when the rest of the goodies will start rolling in and the party and exchange can get under way. Needless to say, Vrghr will bring his camera and photo the "Breckie", for posting Eggnog Toast recipe.
And speaking of recipes, a co-worker introduced Vrghr to this amazingly YUMMY "Green Chilies Chicken Chili". This is a very VERY simple "Dump and go" crockpot recipe. Wuff didn't get a photo, so will post the recipe here. It is just TOO good not to share with Vrghr's friendly followers!
Green Chilies Chicken Chili - Ultra Simple 4 Ingredient Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Jar Green Chili Salsa, Medium Spice (505, Trader Joe's, Hatch Green Chili, etc.)
1 block (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 cans (5-8oz) Chicken Breast
2 cans (15 oz) White (navy) beans
Directions
Dump everything into a crock pot and cook on high for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated.
This is rich, creamy, and Fantastic, with just enough heat to let you know it's Chili and not soup. You can, of course, spice it up with some hot sauce, or cut that heat by using mild salsa.
Make sure you use good salsa, because much of the flavor comes from that. We used 505 Southwestern style, and it was TREMENDOUS!
So, until we meet again, may your hearts be warmed by the spirit of the season! *HUGS*
Vrghr
Interesting Furry Article
Posted 9 years agoVrghr's phone just suggested that wuffy check out this article (Phones are getting scary-smart, aren't they?). Vrghr found it entertaining and informative. Perhaps some of wuff's followers will find it likewise!
Enjoy!
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitch.....-you-1.3885048
Enjoy!
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitch.....-you-1.3885048
4X4 Meme - Vrghr Results
Posted 9 years ago yelleena started this cute little meme, and picked your humble wuffy to answer the questions below. Vrghr normally doesn′t do these, especially some of the very detailed and personal ones. But these questions look innocent enough, and also like an lot of fun. Also, Yelleena is a nice friend, and wuffy appreciates the tag. Finally, as 
vixyyfox said, it′s kinda silly. And sometimes silly is good!.Four names I go by
1. Vargr
2. Vrghr
3. Vrghr Dragonwolf
4. Wuffy
Four places I have lived
1. New Bethlehem, PA
2. San Jose, CA
3. Howard AFB, Panama, Canal Zone.
4. Colorado Springs, CO
Four things I love to watch on t.v.
1. Food Channel (Diners, Drive Ins, & Dives; Good Eats; Chopped; Beat Bobby Flay; Iron Chef; etc.)
2. NCIS (the original, with Gibbs)
3. Fox News
4. Old SciFi channel series (Stargate, Eureka, etc., back when they actually showed sci fi before they became ″Syfy″).
Four places I have visited:
1. Luxor & Valley of the Kings, Egypt
2. Edzell & Loch Ness, Scottland
3. Panama Canal, Panama
4. Misawa, Japan
Four things I love to eat (only FOUR?!? But, but, but... so MANY good things!)
1. Prime Rib
2. Sushi & Sashimi
3. BACON!
4. Spaghetti
Four Favorite fruits
1. Pears
2. Strawberries
3. Blueberries
4. Bananas
Four Favorite Vegetables
1. Potatoes
2. Aparagus
3. Corn
4. Peas
Four favorite drinks:
1. Milk
2. Tea
3. Diet Dr Pepper
4. Hot Chocolate
