Beer Garden: Presidente

It's taco night here at Casa JJ. Not upscale tacos with pickled red onions and radishes on the side (sorry Rick Bayless, but I've been at work all day). But tacos like we had when I was a kid: grated sharp cheddar, sour cream, guac, homemade salsa, shredded lettuce and seasoned ground beef (if all those people that call me a food snob could see me now). We have both flour and corn tortillas. I heat them in the microwave instead of frying them in oil . Why the big deal about tacos? This was my birthday meal when I was a kid (no it's not my birthday today) and I remember the oil and taco seasoning running down my arms - great fun! Tacos and pecan pie - what a mix... it was what I wanted every year, now that sounds kinda ick. 

Now when I make tacos, I want a light beer that's refreshing so I go for something from a hot country and this time, it's Presidente from the Dominican Republic.
Thoughts: This is a nice pils with a clean finish and little aftertaste with 5% alcohol, it's pretty tame stuff, perfect when it's hot out (currently 90.5 degrees and 60% humidity and rising - and it's 7:00pm in the evening - ugh). Good beer decision. 
Six Pack Score: 4.5 bottles

SoS - Save our Shores - Abita rocks!

Okay, beer drinking public, do the right thing and support Abita - because they are supporting the gulf coast during the current oil slick nightmare. If you're not a beer drinker (what's up w/that?) you can still do the right thing and purchase a t-shirt  or magnet for the cause. It's not pretty down here and it's going to take years to get this right. But we love the gulf coast and will work our asses off to get things straight. I have started with local tourism and beer drinking - two things I'm actually quite good at... amazingly.

Georgette Heyer - A Guilty Pleasure? Really?

I read the NPR article on Georgette Heyer as a guilty pleasure read and was disappointed. Just because the novels have some degree of romance, usually quite small and in the last few chapters, shouldn't relegate the books to some trashy novel  (smut book as my friend Amy used to call them). The amount of historical detail is amazing and the descriptions so vivid and the characters so specific and well played that I find the books hard to put down. In fact, I just finished yet another one this weekend (it was a rainy lazy Sunday after all). Review forthcoming.
As I have said before my only fault with Jane Austen is the limited material, but finding Georgette Heyer has given me so much more to think about. While Miss Austen is a little spare in here details (what did Elizabeth Bennett look like - we have some idea, but not lots), Miss Heyer is effusive in her descriptions of everyone and everything - from the cravat a certain gentleman wears (and what that means) to the acres of satin used to create a certain lady's ball gown and the look of the pair of matched grays that pull the curricle. Sure there is romance, but often also war and dueling - all described so accurately, you think you might be there - or that Heyer could travel back in time.

That said, let's party the month of August away with Laurel Ann and friends over at Austenprose. Bring on more Ms. Heyer!