Obrigado! . . . so many e-mails about my favorite Portuguese sausage, mentioned just briefly in today's column. Some writers claim to have purchased it in Maryland, too.

Kathy Bestany:
My husband and I loved your comments on linguica.  We are originally from Winchester, Massachusetts, but have lived in Columbia, Maryland for almost 30 years.  We still go home for our favorites--fried clams (with the bellies on, please), steamed pisser clams (not littlenecks), boiled lobster, scrod, Wellfleet oysters, codfish cakes, and of course linguica.  
One of our favorite breakfast places is Bonatt's in Harwichport on the Cape.  Originally a bakery famous for its meltaways (like a Portuguese sweet bread), it now serves awesome breakfasts, including linguica as a choice along with sausage, ham and bacon.  Of course, the choice is always linguica--you can get those others anywhere.  If you get to the Cape, try Bonatt's; it beats any Maryland diner by a mile.  In fact, my son, who has eaten meltaways his entire life, sent them as gift packs to his computer clients.
Another great linguica find is Land Ho in Orleans, a pub style restaurant in the middle of the center of Orleans with some of the best seafood and linguica anywhere.  
Let them eat their kielbasa--we New Englanders know what's the best.

J. B. (Bruce) Van Wely:
I discovered linguica during a holiday in White Horse Beach, MA, some twenty years ago. Since then I've sampled it in a number of exotic locations from Hawaii (with eggs over easy and "two scoop rice" for breakfast) to Macau to Newark, NJ. Good stuff! I used to buy it at the Potuguese supermarkets in Newark, but since moving to Baltimore I've found it in a number of markets that cater to Hispanics. Most recently that meant Markets at Highlandtown, 3801 Eastern Avenue, 410-563-7488. Enjoy!

Errol Dutton:
Your segment on linguica brought back pleasant memories and I just want to thank you for the info on its availability in York. My mother was from New Bedford (and still maintains a second home in P'town), so at an early age I was introduced to the Portuguese sausage, and we too stock up on it whenever we go to the Cape. For a few years, my wife had it shipped to me from Fragozo's in New Bedford (my family has always been partial to this brand).
I just wanted to mention to you that in the latter half of the 1990's, the Giant Food Store at Rolling Road (Catonsville) carried Fragozo's linguica for a few months but abandoned it I assume because of slow sales. (Their 90's price was much higher than the $3.49 price at Price Rite you quoted in today's paper.)
Thanks to your article, I think I will plan on visiting Price Rite this weekend and I can kill two birds with one trip: get Linguica and make a stop at another long distance favorite - the Sonic in Lancaster.

Cathy French:
You don't have to travel to York to buy Portuguese sausages.  You can drive to Shoreline Seafood in Gambrills and get it there.  I have been buying it there for many years.  It was originally brought to the area by Mr Lou Mello.  Lou brought it to the meat locker that was across the highway from where Shoreline is located.  On Saturday mornings Lou peddled sausage and a seafood truck came down from New England and sold seafood.  I think that is how Shoreline began.
While you are buying your sausage you can pick up some nice clams and fix a wonderful meal (a cataplan) from a recipe in Time/Life cook books in the Spain and Portugal book. Happy eating.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 6:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

From reader Peg Massey:

"I have become aware, after speaking with two waitresses, one at a major high-end restaurant overlooking the harbor and another at a small neighborhood restaurant-bar, that patrons think these ladies receive a salary from the establishment. Oh yes, the salary is about $3 an hour, and their pay is from their tips and they are required to "tip out" to the bartender & busboy. 

"Yes, I know that some wait staff are not up to snuff but this is rare & not the case in these instances. Examples:

"1. The elderly that come with an Entertainment coupon. It is a nightmare! Picky, picky, picky. The food is never good (even tho they clean their plate) they are demanding, not nice to the waitress & they tip only on the dicounted food & continue to berate the waitress & leave a penny on the table or a dollar for each person at the table. They need to get out of the 40's & 50's. 

"2. At the upscale restaurant, one would think that the clientele would tip minimum of 20% which is acceptable. But to walk-out & not pay at all or  pay $7 on a $240 check is absolutely unacceptable after the waitress was polite, served the food & drinks timely.

"People must understand that being a waitress is not always what it seems. One is a gainfully employed waitress who works for some cash to get over the hump, monthly (her new job is great but she had to take a $400 cut monthly to get into the system with great benefits & the other is trying to save money to go to school). Come on Baltimore, if you can't afford the price of a full meal with tip, stay home. I am a senior, on a limited income. I budget for outings with friends & I always tip 20% or more."

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

This all ties together -- if not neatly, then at least like a bunch of balloons on strings and the strings all notted in your hand. Or something like that.

The film I now most wish to see after not seeing it before the Oscars is "Once," which took best song last night (Falling Slowly). Set in Dublin, this shoe-string-budget film stars Glen Hansard (of the Irish rock band The Frames) and Markéta Irglová as struggling musicians. I knew the song was a winner when I heard it for the first time last night -- and not just because the three nominated songs from "Enchanted" were so lame. Hansard and Irglová's song is a beauty, and the singers were by far the most charming in receiving their awards.

Speaking of Dublin: The Modells were there again last week, promoting their digitial, three-dimensional film, "U23D," and they took dad with them. Art Modell, Baltimore Ravens owner emeritus, got to hang with Bono. Here's photographic proof, via David Modell, with brother John a producer of the film.

So Oscars, Dublin, Bono, Ravens -- yup, it's all strung together here, in the blogosphere.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

A reader explains her support for Barack Obama:

"I have recently come to the Obama camp. I am totally opposed to Hillary Clinton and terrified that she might win. That is sad because I would like to see a woman as President, but not that woman. I am a 60-year old white woman who took offense Tuesday night (Feb. 12) when I kept hearing that Hillary had the votes of white women. From my perspective, that is a totally inaccurate generalization. I have a lot of friends who are white women and none of us have ever been able to stand Hillary!
 
"Sad to say, but I must admit I had to take my time and really think about supporting a black man for President. It is a huge step for the US. But I have been watching Obama for a few years now, and in his case, I am totally color blind. In fact, if I was truly color blind, or blind, it wouldn't have taken me this long. I know my father must be turning in his grave (as well as most men from that WWII era) and my mother (age 85) is horrified at the thought of having a black First Lady. But, it's a new day and a new world. I am a bit nervous about it because much of the black population might expect more preferental treatment. And at first I leaned toward him to move away from Hilllary. But now I am completely in his camp. I have been following the Republican race too, but I honestly believe the Republicans don't have a prayer because we are all so sick of George Bush.
 
"Ok, not that you asked for my opinion, but there it is!"

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 5:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

From a recycling-conscious metrosexual from Fells Point, who e-mailed today, following a ski trip:

"Hey, Dan . . .  I just got back from Jackson Hole late last night. There were recycling bins in the restaurant on top of the mountain! In a restaurant. On top of a mountain! Can you believe that? We were so impressed that it sparked a table full of jocks to get into a discussion about recycling. We can't even get a recycling bin in a pizza shop in Baltimore."

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Today's column brings out all the usual suspects with all the usual (yawn) arguments for why the nation and the states can't -- and shouldn't -- further regulate firearms so they do not get in the hands of those who would use them to commit murders and mass killings. (Read comments tagged to the column.)

These folks are unfazed by mass killings - they must not have kids on college campuses, or headed there -- and some even say such killings are too rare to warrant any action. So they make my point -- that we've settled in a place and time where we will abide mass killings and handgun homicides on a regular basis; this kind of violence remains endlessly possible. The extreme gun lovers won't take the slightest baby step toward civil dialogue on the matter, and the political class is too intimidated by the gun lobby to even suggest a national conversation.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

One of our favorite bands, the Hula Monsters, will be playing for a swing dance at McGinty's in Silver Spring this Sunday at 8:30 PM.  The dance is sponsored by Gottaswing and the cover charge is $10.
McGinty's Public House
911 Ellsworth Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I do, too, but what can you do? It's here to stay, apparently, part of the American language. What's the word?  Click here. 

Niki, a singer-songwriter-writer-punk-rock-groupie who lives in Catonsville, has created some wonderful stuff over the years, including songs based on the poetry and prose of Dorothy Parker. She's deep into Green Day now, and has immersed herself in the band and its fans, and she's been chronicling her experiences and travels. It's interesting stuff; this woman always seems to be onto something. "I bonded with this 16-year-old kid over our favorite rock star," she says, refering to a blog post, 'me and molly.'"

Niki wrote a story about a Green Day tour through Europe and it became one of the most linked-to and forwarded stories about the band. It's on her blog.

"Last week I went to see Billie Joe play with his band, Pinhead Gunpowder in L. A., at the Troubador, in a strip mall in Anaheim and then at a kick-ass famous punk club called Gilman Street in Berkley," Niki says. "Plus, I got in touch with Green Day's management and told them about how when I showed up at the concerts people actually recognized me as the one who wrote the story 'that they linked to all their friends.' Pretty weird from being almost invisible to being recognized for something that came out over a year ago, but these were hardcore fans."

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A recent column on jury duty -- my first actual trial in more than 20 years of summonses to the Circuit Court of Baltimore City -- prompted a letter from reader Tom Ryugo about the decriminalization of heroin and cocaine. As you'll see, it's kind of hard to argue with this common-sense take. I've had this discussion with many people, including the former New York cop you runs an organization devoted to decriminalization, and the famous Baltimore attorney Bill Murphy. I can't make up my mind about it. Perhaps I should. . . . My fear is that legalization will lead to more use. I don't think the death penalty is a deterrent to murder, but I think the threat of incarceration and a life of addiction and misery is a deterrent to people who might be tempted to move from reefer to heroin or coke. I dunno. Perhaps I should write more about this and think it through.
Here's what Tom wrote:

The late Milton Friedman once said that as a young man during Prohibition, he regularly had drinks at speakeasies and felt no shame at doing so.  Of course, Friedman had plenty of company.  When then President Herbert Hoover attended a Yankees game, the entire crowd booed and yelled "We want beer!".
Friedman, a stauch advocate of drug legalization, would no doubt have found plenty to compare the War on Drugs with Prohibition.  Plenty of celebrities like Babe Ruth openly flaunted their disregard for the law.  Just as today, Hollywood is full of people who partake in illegal drug use.  Good grief, Amy Winehouse just won a Grammy despite being in and out of rehab.  Meanwhile, millions of Americans experiment with multiple illegal chemicals.  Friedman often pointed out that drugs are a problem because they are illegal - outlawing drugs only makes them more expensive which means it's profitable for criminals to deal them, etc.  It was the same for Al Capone in 1930 as it is for the Bloods and Crips today.

That's why I say that as grubby and ugly as many drugs are - like the heroin scored by the defendant whose trial you had to judge - it's pointless and counterproductive to outlaw them.  People who want drugs are going to get them just as people who want sex from prostitutes or gambling fixes will find them and people who wanted ethanol 80 years ago managed to acquire it.  The best thing the government can do is set up systems to minimize the damage.
The drug warriors will proclaim that heroin, ecstacy, roofies, etc are different - they're somehow more dangerous either because of overdoses, infections, sexual assaults, etc.  And they're full of it.  How different are they really from the gut-rot like Thunderbird, Wild Iris Rose, and Night Train sold to skid-row drunks at corner stores in the inner cities?  Winos passed out from too much Thunderbird are as dirty and depressing as strung-out junkies.
Besides which, how much does it cost to send people to prison?  Estimates range from $50,000 to $150,000 per year.  Multiplied by hundreds of thousands and we're spending an awful lot of money locking people behind bars.  Which would be fine if they were all murderers, rapists, and armed robbers who hurt other people but drug dealers and users mostly hurt themselves.  Except when they're defending their stashes which wouldn't be worth defending if they weren't illegal and therefore valuable.
---------------
I would also add that I use the same arguments regarding abortion and guns.  Many conservatives want to ban abortions but loosen or eliminate restrictions on gun ownership.  Many liberals want to ban guns but loosen or eliminate restrictions on abortions.  Both sides will claim that a ban that they oppose will be ineffective, dangerous, and a waste of money.  And they're both right.  Banning abortion will only send desperate women and girls to back-alleys and Mexican "clinics."  Sending people to prison over abortion will only take up space that should be for murderers, rapists, and armed robbers.  Likewise, banning guns will only create a market for black market guns--- and staunch gun advocates like Chuck Norris would likely flaunt the law.  Sending gun owners to prison will also only occupy space for murderers, rapists, and armed robbers.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 9:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Here's another warning from the Maryland Association of CPAs, about "refund anticipation loan" scams:

Warning - Refund Anticipation Loans and unqualified tax preparers can
cost you money!

Why give away a portion of your hard-earned income tax refund if you
don't have to? Would you pay an interest rate of 40% up to 700% to get
your refund a few days or weeks early?

The facts about Refund Anticipation Loans from the Maryland Association
of CPAs

As millions of Marylanders begin preparing their tax returns or visiting
their tax preparers, there are some things that you should watch out
for. Don't be mislead by these refund anticipation loans you see
advertised over and over again. You probably can get your refund just as
fast by making sure you electronically file your returns. Here are some
facts you should know about refund anticipation loans and tax preparers:

What is a Refund Anticipation Loan?
It is a loan, NOT a tax refund. An RAL is a high
interest loan against a taxpayer's anticipated income
tax refund. These loans cost you between 40% -
700% annual percentage rate.

What is an "instant refund"?
There is no such thing as an instant refund - this
refers to the Refund Anticipation Loans mentioned
above and will cost you a portion of your total
refund.

Will a Refund Anticipation Loan get me my refund
quicker?
Not really. You may be able to get your refund one week faster
than getting your refund by E-file. But is the cost of
the RAL worth it? Most tax professionals advise to
wait the extra week to get your FULL refund.
What should I ask before getting a RAL?
Ask the tax preparer to explain all of the fees, interest,
and any other charges that will be deducted from
your actual tax refund. Ask them for the amount of
your refund AFTER these fees are deducted from
your refund. Consider using E-file instead!

Top five questions to ask your preparer? from the Maryland Association
of CPAs
1)What is your experience and qualifications? (are you a registered or
licensed professional enrolled agent, tax attorney, or CPA?)

2) Will you provide me with a copy of my completed tax return, receipt
for the charges for preparing the return (including financing charges
associated with a RAL), and return my original documents?

3) Will you provide me with your name, address, and phone number so I
can contact you if there are any questions or problems with my return?

4) Will you be available to represent me before the IRS or Comptroller
if I am audited?

5) Will you be signing my return as a paid preparer (if not, do not use
them!)?

Make sure you are dealing with a qualified preparer - You are
responsible for your taxes!
Before you sign your return, be sure to ask questions
about anything you do not fully understand. Do not be
embarrassed to ask questions. It is important that your
return is filled out accurately. Remember - you are ultimately
responsible for your tax return - erroneous or
fraudulent information will result in back taxes, penalties
and interest.

Financial Literacy - CPAs around the US have began a major campaign to
help individuals manage their money and finances better. Here are some
financial literacy resources to help everyday citizens manage their
money through all of life's events from the Maryland Association of CPAs
and the American Institute of CPAs.

MACPA resources for the public
http://www.macpa.org/Content/16219.aspx

AICPA resources for the public
http://www.360financialliteracy.org/Financial+Guidance+Book

and for a little fun here are two financial literacy clips you might
like:

Our Financial tips from Maryland CPAs video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjiGEd0FXWE

Our (AICPA/MACPA) Feed the Pig campaign with the Ad council
http://www.feedthepig.org/VideoPlayer.aspx?vid=2


Tom Hood, CPA.CITP
CEO & Executive Director
Maryland Association of CPAs
(443) 632-2301
http://www.macpa.org

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Time again to consider CSA -- that stands for Community-Supported Agriculture. You
invest some bucks in a local farmer's growing season and share the harvest.
   A note arrived from a neighbor yesterday reminding us about One Straw Farm in White Hall, northern Baltimore County. One Straw's Web site says it is the largest organic vegetable farm in Maryland. It has supplied Baltimore restaurants, retail stores and farmer's markets with
produce for years.
   In the One Straw CSA program, you pay the farming family $475 now, in
advance of spring planting, in exchange for produce as it becomes available
during the 2007 growing season. One Straw delivers enough produce for each
subscriber to feed a family of four between the first week of June and
Thanksgiving. That's 24 weeks, at about $20 a week. You have to pick the
produce up at certain locations. The produce, of course, varies with the
season.
   "They could be beets, lettuce, potatoes, strawberries, a watermelon --
whatever is ripe for picking -- enough to feed a family of four its vegetables
for a week," says One Straw's Web site. "We've tested this with our family and
you'll have plenty of vegetables all week and maybe some leftover to freeze
for the winter."
   And then there's the idea of supporting local agriculture.
   "This is an economical way to enjoy the same produce you would normally pay
retail for," says the neighbor's note, "and you will help support one of our
local farmers, [who] has committed to farming organically."
   One Straw already delivers to about 10 CSA sites. With 10 or more families
in our neighborhood joining up, One Straw will be making a weekly delivery to
a nearby church. "And for every 10 shares I drop
at the church, an extra one will be left for the church to use for an outreach
project," reports Joan Norman, who runs the farm with her husband, Drew.
   CSA is not an American idea; it reportedly originated in Japan, Sweden and
Germany, and arrived here in the mid-1980s.
   In CSA, farmers have income long before harvest, and their customers share
in their risks.
   "In return," says the USDA Web site, "they receive shares in the farm's
bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from
reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production."
   I like the sounds of this, and I've been doing the math: We pay $20 a week
easily at the local supermarket for produce and canned or frozen vegetables.
   Most of us are stuck with that. We don't have time for gardening on our
own. The fact that One Straw is an organic farm, and certified so by the Maryland
Department of Agriculture, makes this deal even more appealing, although
paying $475 up front carries some risk.
   There's no money-back guarantee if a crop fails.
   Then again, because One Straw grows a variety of vegetables and fruit,
chances are there will be something available every week -- if not tomatoes,
then maybe string beans.
   I like the sound of this.
   It's too bad we didn't think of it sooner -- back when all those small
family farms were dying off or selling out to developers.
   Imagine each post-World War II housing tract in the suburbs of Baltimore
with its own CSA, an organic farmer set up to serve all the families in all
those cul-de-sacs: fresh produce and healthier diets for the local residents,
the local residents directly connected to the farmer, the farmer serving his
surrounding community, keeping chemicals out of the soil and providing his
heirs with a livelihood for generations.
   Maybe one day, instead of building another golf course or strip mall, we'll
put farms where the farms used to be

Here is a note from Joan Norman who runs the farm...

2008 Prices:  No price change this year!!!!!

$475 if paid by March 1,2008
$525 if paid by June 1, 2008

Family-owned farms are in danger of being swallowed into a food system that does not support them, even though these farms are the base of the whole system. Our description of our CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between farmer and consumer. Farmer or consumer are no longer subject to the whims of the larger food system where prices fluctuate, farmers can be paid less than what it costs us to grow the crop, government subsidizes a loosing system, consumers have no knowledge of the path or safety of the food sitting on their table.

Words like organic, locally grown, food miles, carbon footprint are spoken everywhere. I can't tell you how many people start a conversation with have you read: The Omnivores Dilemma; or Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?
It seems that everyone is reading and wanting to know the path of their food sitting on their table. Here is where I will add a fact that surprised one of my own sisters, (I won't tell you which one).

Organic food is the only food that is required by law, to be traced from your table, back to the farm where it originated, in what field and what day it was picked.

Conventionally grown food has no requirements to give you that information. It could be from Florida, California, or Maryland. Local was a term used in the produce industry to mean east of the Mississippi, Florida to Maine. Now the term local is changing.
Local will be followed with a mile term, 200-mile radius or 100-mile radius. We try to keep our CSA within a 50-mile radius.

Last year was not perfect or without a few growing pains. There were some crop failures; i.e., strawberries and Brussels sprouts. (We are working on those problems for this year.) The strawberries are closer to the house and have a deer repellent as well
as electricity surrounding them. We will also cover them this spring to be sure early budding isn't damaged by late freezes. The Brussels sprouts had harlequin beetle damage. They were a problem for many organic growers last year. I think Chinese Weeder
Geese are the answer. (Stay tuned to see if I get to try them. Drew won't know I wanted to try these until he proof reads this letter to you.)

In September, we had our tomatoes canned by a processor. This was to 'stall our harvest.'  The tomatoes were processed into #10 cans, their only size can. I have not found a processor who can do the 1-pound can on the East Coast. These cans are our
tomatoes crushed, nothing else-no water or salt. We still do not have the labels finished but are selling them without labels. A #10 can is restaurant size, and they sell for $6 / can. They are being used by:  Atwater's, Dogwood Restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen and Goucher College's food service - Bon Appetite. Retail sale of these cans of crushed tomatoes is available at Mill Valley Garden Center.

This year's new crops will include spaghetti squash. It was supposed to get planted last year and we forgot. That is where we are so far, if you have any questions please contact us. I am speaking at several drop sites this year to explain the CSA to interested
people. There will be a listing on the website of times and places. There is a membership form attached.

Joan
One Straw Farm
www.onestrawfarm.com

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 7:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Check out this report from the BBC -- and hope Big Oil doesn't manage to find a way to kill this idea.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A political junkie who corresponds with me notes progress in yesterday's primary vote: "I was pleased to see Obama win Baltimore County (and Harford County; he barely won there).   I think it says a lot about where we are as a state.  I have to look at the precinct numbers more closely, but I'd say that Baltimore County is ready --and may soon elect its first black county executive."

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I made this Saturday for my son and his teammates, and they inhaled 12 pounds of it, then went out and burned it off. Carbs, protein and -- what can I tell you? -- animal fats. There ought to be a law against a dish like this, but there's not -- not yet anyway -- so if you are looking for a plate of comfort food on a cold winter's night and have all the ingredients, give it a whirl. You can go to the fitness center or take the dog for a walk tomorrow.

This piece, published seven years ago, comes with three recipes, one of a priest who actually condones such a sinful indulgence.

CRAZY FOR CARBONARA

Maybe all Italian food qualifies as comfort food -- the good stuff that
warms the spirit as it nourishes the body -- so you'll probably think I'm as
nutty as pinoli to stand up and declare Spaghetti alla Carbonara the ultimate
Italian comfort food.
   What, you ask, are you crazy? Are you trying to start something? How can
there be such a designation in such a crowded field? There are all those
wonderful dishes your mama -- or somebody's mama -- used to make: pizza,
minestrone, spaghetti and meatballs, pasta fagioli, polenta and lasagna. They
all could compete for the heavyweight title of Ultimate Italian Comfort Food.
They all warm the soul and fatten the thighs.
    But I've investigated this metaphysical realm thoroughly -- Italian food
and the soul, especially the food part -- and that's my conclusion: Once
you've experienced Spaghetti alla Carbonara, it's hard to find as much comfort
in anything else.
   Carbonara is a rich dish made from simple ingredients -- eggs, butter
and/or olive oil, cheese, bacon -- and, once these elements become entangled
with hot pasta, they touch the deep senses and take the chill out of my bones.
When I inhale a freshly cooked carbonara, I feel as though I've returned to
some steamy-warm, ancestral kitchen on a little farm in the Roman countryside.
   OK, maybe you don't buy the channeling bit. I agree: It's a little too
loopy, in the Shirley MacLaine sense. So let me run this past you: Maybe I
take comfort from this dish because it blends a staple of my Italian ancestors
-- spaghetti -- with a staple of America -- bacon and eggs. In fact, it could
be the Ultimate Italian-American Dish.
   I'm not the first to proffer this concept. In 1983, Calvin Trillin, author
of "Third Helpings" and "Alice, Let's Eat," felt such passion for Spaghetti
alla Carbonara that he crusaded to have it replace turkey as the national dish
on Thanksgiving Day.
   Consider what some historians accept as the origin of carbonara: In the
waning days of World War II, American soldiers in Rome made nice with local
families, gave them fresh eggs and bacon and asked them to prepare meals. The
locals added the pasta and grated cheese, thereby either inventing a dish or
reviving one that previously had had little exposure among Americans.
   Others believe the dish is much older than that, cooked on open fires by
charcoal makers, thus its name. I've also heard the theory that crispy,
carbon-black bacon is what gives the dish its flavor and name.
   Whatever its origins -- some say it is unmistakably Roman, others say it
originated in the Lazio region -- Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a wonderful
treat for a winter lunch or supper. It offers a welcome break from the
tiresome tomato sauces that coat most other popular Italian dishes. It's just
not the usual Ragu.
   But, I know: It sounds evil, not comforting. My God, bacon and eggs with
parmigiano and pasta?
   Yes, and maybe a little butter.
   And maybe a little cream!
   And some use olive oil. I've heard it called an "Italian heart attack on a
plate." To some, it's Spaghetti Alla Cholesterola! The Ultimate Italian Guilt
Trip.
   But come on, now. Tutto in moderazione. All in moderation.
   Spaghetti alla Carbonara is not weekly, even monthly, fare in my house. I
have been blessed with the limit-setting instinct. I know that a steady diet
of this stuff would put me in the cardiac unit at Hopkins, and eventually I'd
be doomed to a diet of Subway sandwiches, like that former big-pants man
Jared.
   So, I make carbonara about twice a year -- about as often as I once
purchased prime lump to make crab cakes.
   There's a reason for the crab-cake segue.
   Two-and-a-half years ago, when I became convinced that the fishery was in
trouble, I decided to boycott Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. I haven't eaten
Maryland or Virginia crab meat since the summer of 1998.
   When I renewed my boycott last year in my column on The Sun's Maryland news
page, I suggested that readers treat themselves to something grand -- a guilty
pleasure -- in lieu of a crab dish. So, instead of crab cakes, I now make
Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
   Reader mail poured in from carbonara fanciers across the Baltimore
metropolitan region. All agreed with my praise for the dish and its comforting
qualities. But there was little agreement on the method of preparation and
fair divergence on ingredients. So one evening this winter, I had a "Big
Night" at my house. I turned my pots, pans and gas burners over to three
people with varying but solid cooking skills and mutual affection for the
Ultimate Italian Comfort Food.
   The Rev. Joseph Bonadio, of St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church on
Harford Road, claimed to know how to make a formidable carbonara based on his
dining experiences in a Rome restaurant. He makes his with pancetta (cured
belly of pork) purchased from Mastellone Deli and Wine Shop in Northeast
Baltimore, and mixes it in a pot.
   Elia Mannetta, an old friend and former short-order chef from Little Italy,
first made the dish for me 25 years ago, and he's seen it prepared many times
in households in Big Italy. He makes it with American smoked bacon and mixes
it in a large skillet.
   Donna Crivello, the talented Donna in Donna's coffee bars as well as a
teacher of Italian cuisine (Wednesday night classes at the Gallery at
Harborplace), also agreed to take part in Big Night Carbonara. She makes her
Spag-Carb with prosciutto and mixes it in a big pasta bowl.
   Their recipes are below. Pay particular attention to the methodology,
because Father Joe, Elia and Donna each showed our guests a different way to
prepare the dish. Each had a creamy texture.
   Personally, I prefer a drier, more granular finish to the dish. That's why
I always follow Elia's method, but with an important variation prescribed by
Elizabeth David in her classic, "Italian Food." I pour the beaten eggs into
the hot skillet just seconds before adding the spaghetti. I remove the skillet
from the heat and toss the mixture, adding the cheese. The eggs and cheese
cling nicely to the hot noodles, and the finish is anything but creamy. I
serve the carbonara right off the stove.
   There's a trick to getting the eggs and cheese to cook on and cling to the
noodles.
   But you can do it. Keep trying. The more you try, the more Spaghetti alla
Carbonara you make. The more you make, the more you eat. And what a comforting
concept that is.

    Father Joe's Spaghetti alla Carbonara
   Serves 4 to 6
   olive oil for frying
   1/2 pound pancetta, sliced at the deli like bacon, then cut into small
slivers
   3 eggs (see note)
   1/2 cup half-and-half
   1/4 pound butter
   1 pound spaghetti
   2/3 cup grated Romano cheese
   freshly ground pepper
   Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and fry the pancetta until the fat
becomes transparent. Drain the pancetta on a paper towel. Beat the eggs and
half-and-half together in a bowl. Melt the butter in a microwave. Cook the
spaghetti in salted water, according to package directions. As soon as it is
ready, drain into a colander and return it to the same pot. Add the butter,
pancetta and eggs mixture, stirring constantly with wooden spoons so the eggs
cook on the hot noodles. Add the Romano and pepper to taste. Serve
immediately, with chilled Fontana Candida Frascati wine.
   Note: Eggs should be fresh; no cracked shells.

   Donna's Spaghetti alla Carbonara
   Serves 4 to 6
   olive oil for frying
   1/4 pound thinly sliced Parma prosciutto
   1 pound perciatelli (long, hollow pasta, thicker than spaghetti)
   salt for cooking perciatelli
   4 eggs (see note)
   2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated by your significant
other
   freshly ground black pepper to taste
   2 tablespoons chopped parsley
   In a skillet, heat a little olive oil and fry the prosciutti until it
becomes slightly crispy. Remove it to a platter covered with a paper towel.
Cook the perciatelli (about 10 minutes) in salted water. Make sure you have
enough water in the pot. "Pasta likes to swim," Crivello says.
   In a warm crockery bowl large enough to handle the cooked pasta, beat the
eggs, add the grated cheese and a liberal grinding of black pepper. Drain the
pasta and pour it into the bowl. Add the prosciutto.
   With tongs toss the eggs, cheese and pasta, coating the strands well.
Sprinkle in the parsley. Serve at once, with an Orvieto or a Vernaccia di San
Gimignano.
   Note: Eggs should be fresh; no cracked shells.

   Elia's Spaghetti alla Carbonara
   Serves 4
   1/2 pound bacon, cut into small chunks (see note)
   1 pound spaghetti
   4 eggs (see note)
   freshly grated black pepper to taste
   1/2 cup Romano cheese, freshly grated
   2 tablespoons chopped parsley
   In the largest skillet you can find, fry the bacon pieces until crispy.
Turn off the fire. Spoon away some of the grease, but save most of it. Push
the bacon to one side and tilt the skillet slightly so the bacon does not sit
in the grease.
   Cook the spaghetti in the usual way. Beat the eggs in a bowl, season with
freshly grated black pepper, and set aside. When the spaghetti is almost
ready, tell all your guests to grab a plate and a fork. "People have to be
disciplined," Elia says. "They have to be ready to eat this dish as soon as
it's ready."
   Reheat the grease and bacon pieces for a minute or so, then reduce the
heat. Drain the pasta in a colander and immediately pour the pasta into the
hot skillet. Shut off the burner or remove the skillet from the heat.
   Add the eggs to the pasta and toss all ingredients madly. Add the cheese,
another liberal dash of black pepper and the parsley. Serve at once, with a
good Chianti Classico.
   Note: Ham can be substituted for the bacon, and sauteed in butter and olive
oil. The vegetarian version of this - no bacon, but plenty of butter, cheese
and eggs - is also delicious. Eggs should be fresh; no cracked shells.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Anybody else receiving regular "IRS Notification" letters by e-mail lately? These are official-looking form letters, and they caught my eye. (I don't usually open this stuff up.) I forwarded them the other day to my favorite accountant, Myron Asher, in Owings Mills, and he declared it scam and provided a hot-off-the-press warning doc from the Maryland Association of CPAs. Click on the pdf to read the alerts about "advance payment checks."

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I was at the new ice rink in Reisterstown Sunday afternoon, and two police hockey teams -- one from Baltimore, one from D.C. -- were playing a game and raising funds for Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. I'm pretty sure No. 21, playing forward, was the Baltimore commish, Fred Bealfeld. Not bad for an old hoser. (There was once a cop-firefighter team around here called Guns N' Hoses.)

By the way, hoser i Canadian for loser. You can look it up.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 8:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Baltimore County has not had an ice rink since the good ole days at The Orchard, off Joppa Road. That's a good 30 years, maybe more. All ice rinks are in the city -- Patterson Park, Mount Pleasant, Northwest -- and there's one in Harford County, the twin-sheet Ice World. (The city's great Rash Field rink has been gone three years now, and it's a shame the city has not replaced it. I once asked Martin O'Malley about it when he was mayor, but he didn't seem to have a handle on the issue, didn't seem to care.)

Finally, Baltimore County built a new rink; it's in Reisterstown and it opened over the weekend, with public skating, hockey games and charity chuck-a-puck. (That's a game of chance where entrants buy a numbered hockey puck for $5 and take a shot at chucking it onto the ice surface; the puck that lands closest to the faceoff dot wins.)

The Reistsrstown Sportsplex is impressive -- with an indoor soccer field under the same roof -- but it's a bit out of the way, up 795 at Route 140, near the Tom Mitchell driving range. Not exactly central to Baltimore County and metro Baltimore, but certainly in a growth area between Owings Mills and Westminster. Hockey freaks will go anywhere for ice. Larry Lichtenauer, a hockey dad who lives in Glyndon/Reisterstown (on the Boring side) says: "My son thinks the ice is a bit rough to skate on. The scoreboard is the smallest I have ever seen. It looks boring and drab inside. There is a lack of bleachers. Add it all up, and it is the most beautiful ice rink I have ever seen. I am still pinching myself."

Good luck to all involved in running the new place.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 7:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In an e-mail to Mayor Dixon and other city leaders, a Baltimore history teacher, Robert T. Jackson, tells a depressing and disturbing tale:

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

First and foremost let me say that I think that you all try to do a great job in actually helping the City of Baltimore and that I have the utmost respect for each and every one of you.  I wish that the content of my letter was that of a positive one.

I am a teacher at Mervo Senior High School.  This past Friday I went home, picked up my 3-year-old son and came back to watch the Mervo vs. Lake Clifton (my Alma Mata) basketball game.  Upon coming to the gym there was a police officer at the door.  This officer was yelling at a female student who was leaving the gym area.  She asked him, “Why are you talking to me like that?”  His reply, “Because I am tired of being at this door!” 

So I walk in and the second police officer, who I assume was in charge (he had corporal stripes) said that I could not come in.  I then told him that I am a teacher here, and students that where leaving were saying hello to me.  He then told me that I could not come in without my ID (which I leave in my classroom).  The teacher who was taking tickets had told him that, 'Mr. Jackson is a teacher, let him in.' 

Now this officer, who was about two feet from me, started yelling, 'I said, if he does not have his ID he is not coming in!'

First and foremost teachers do not need ID’s to come to events and they are never turned away.  Secondly, the teacher who was in charge of taking tickets told him that I was a teacher.  Thirdly, there was no reason for him to raise his voice at me, or the aforementioned student.

"I left because I did not want to make a scene in front of my son, who asked me later, 'Why was the policeman mean to us?'

"I thought long and hard about this all weekend. I spend the better part of most of my days interacting with students that look just like me, and on more than one occasion I have defended the Baltimore City Police Department (for it is part of my job to help produce productive citizens, and my students see the police as the enemy). 

"But what really disturbed me, other than my son’s question, was the fact that this morning the teacher that was taking tickets, told me that those same two policemen let in two teachers after me without question or showing any identification. (Mind you, the other two teachers were white).

"Now, before everyone starts jumping to conclusions, let me elaborate a few details.  First, I am a black man.  When I came back to the game, I was dressed pretty casual -- jeans, sweater, and Nike boots.  Second, the two police officers were black, too; student at the door, black; teacher taking tickets, black.

" know quite a few officers, good guys, and I know some that are [bad]. This is what I believe happened:

"The police officers were pissed off that they had to work the game (high school kids can be a handful, trust me I know).  Then,when they looked at me,all they saw was another black man who they felt they could disrespect.  Never mind that this black guy has a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins and is currently pursuing his doctorate. 

"I fully understand why young black kids see the police as the enemy.  For some ungodly reason we are lesser citizens, being judged as to how we are dressed (I am quite sure that, if I would have had on my typical work clothes, I would not have had a problem).  These policemen (I still believe the majority of them have good intentions, and we have two excellent ones who work at my school) really need to understand that they are here to protect and serve, not belittle and disrespect. 

"While we have some of the most ignorant, unprofessional people serving as protectors of the law, there will continue to be a lot of problems in black communities until the respect is mutual.  Also, if doing a certain assignment that is a part of your job irritates you that much, then you need to get in a new line of work! 

"Needless to say that I am frankly very disappointed and I will now really consider my defense of the police department more critically."

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

A WYPR-FM listener who tuned into the station this morning to hear a conversation about Marc Steiner's sacking writes:

"That was the last time I will listen to WYPR and it was only to hear Marc again. It is clear what the people want and they want Marc Steiner back. It is a sad day when internal politics and egos such as Tony Brandon get in the way. Marc Steiner's show was top quality, fair, passionate and above what other local and national shows offer. WYPR and Tony is has forgotten what public radio is about. Marc nailed my definition of what public radio is. Frankly all the new programs have been adding have turned me off - they are superficial and cheesy and meaningless. Marc talked about what was important to me as a resident of Maryland and a citizen of the country. His program was NOT 'Baltimore-Centric' and when he did talk about Baltimore it was always a voice that was much needed. No else addressed issues that were important to me. Besides it was what made WYPR unique. I might as well listen to other 'national' NPR stations now.

"Both my husband and I are in your 30-40 demographic range and WYPR has just lost another two listeners that have been with you back when it was WJHU. And I tell you that Marc Steiner was a huge reason why we listened. We will no longer support this station financially either. The fact that Tony offered $50K to shut Marc up disgusts me and to think that this is they way he is using our money is outrageous. Marc is too talented to go way - I am confident that his listeners will support him and follow his where ever he goes. It is certainly a sad sad commentary on management - just like when "decision makers' let go Louis Rukeiser, Bob Edwards, Bill Moyers, etc. they just don't understand what good work is. Marc to me is certainly of the caliber of these people I respect.

"Disappointed, outraged and now very disallusioned Former Listener"

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

My mail is overwhelmingly in support of Marc Steiner and WYPR-FM listeners are critical of the station management for dumping Steiner and canceling his eponymous talk show. Here's another letter questioning the motives for Steiner's sacking. See other comments on earlier blog posts:

"I remember when Marc told me JHU was dumping the station and that he
was going to pursue funding to save the station. I was involved only
on the periphery as he set out to find backing. I remember a year
after he accomplished founding WYPR he started having problems with
the board and Tony. It's been a long time since I heard him say this,
but he was saying some of the main underwriters of the station were
fairly conservative and not very fond of his point of view, which is
reflected in the shows he tends to do. Over the years I saw he was
getting slowly edged out of influence over the station. I haven't
spoken to Marc since this news broke but I assume this is the final
fruit of that friction over the years.

"I know he's a bit of a scatte brain and that can be difficult to
work with, but he's brilliant and colorful. I think his progressive
sidelining is reflected in the station's drift toward blandness."

 --EM

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Here's more reader comment on the Marc Steiner firing, and make sure you check out the feedback on my earlier post on this subject:

Mark Steiner is the reason, the only reason, I listen to and support WYPR.
-- Helen Dale
------------------------
I wanted to thank you for your Random Rodricks column
on Marc Steiner's firing.  I am a faithful WYPR
listener but lately (due to my job) only in the
mornings and evenings.  I used to listen to Marc
midday and enjoyed his Maryland politics discussions
that he did in the morning NPR news broadcasts.  I
have a theory on what happened to him other than what
others are saying.  During the morning spot he does
with Frasier Smith he sort of got into it with Smith
about the power rate increase and who was to blame.
Marc took the position that Constellation and other
power producers got over on the Maryland consumers
Frasier adamantly  defended them to the point where
there was real tension between them.  That sort of
exchange was not at all typical of the usual public
radio content.  Anyway my first thought after hearing
that was I wonder how much Constellation has
contributed to the station over the years and is that
going to get Marc in hot water?  Then I thought he was
the founder of the station and help call the shots so
no problem right? Guess I was wrong.  Here's to hoping
he lands on his feet.
-- Frank in Essex
--------------------------
What was really creepy and Stalinesque was the elimination of any reference to Marc’s show on the website. No matter the date searched you see two programs inserted into the slots where Marc’s show was: Day to Day, and Tell Me More. Programs I’ve never heard of in all my time listening to WYPR.  That WYPR now sees it’s mission as statewide is part of the larger media trend in this country towards merging markets which results less and less community coverage. Thanks for your distinctive voice on the local scene. I hope a buyout isn’t in your near future.
-- Bryce Butler
---------------------------
OK,  My paranoid delisusion is that there are two basic forms of media in America,  the objective press and the right-wing press.  The latter has no commitment to anything but advancing the right-wing agenda of their masters, such as Rupert Murdoch, and Joe Coors.  The right-wing press brands the objective media as "biased" for reporting the facts and gets their slanted opinions reported on as if they were actually  factual.  The global warming "debate" is the most egregious recent example. . . . The right-wing has long been critical of NPR for not slanting things their way and has led the effort to disembowel Public Radio.  Marc is as even-handed and fair as they come, so he had to go in favor of some more inflamatory right winger who may be subsidized by some billionaire afraid that the truth about his exploitation of the poor and middle-class will be honestly reported.  I suspect that a little digging would uncover a letter writing campaign against Marc spawned by a right-wing organization.  They get both Marc and possibley kill WYPR too.   Great for them.
-- Anonymous

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The dumping of Marc Steiner as host of the midday show at WYPR-FM -- a public-radio station that very likely would not exist were it not for him -- is sad and infuriating. Steiner was blessed with the brains, heart, pipes and civic interest for a great talk-show host, and he had a long run of good work. Instead of fixing whatever ailed the show, the station management decided to dump the host. They underestimate Steiner's support among loyal listeners -- even those who don't listen as much as they used to.

"I think it’s bad for the station," said a colleague in an e-mail this morning. "Marc was the public face when they started. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that without him there wouldn’t be a WYPR no matter what the station’s mouthpiece says. Whatever happened, and we’ll never know, there are going to be a lot of pissed-off donors. For all I know the WYPR bosses had him in the office telling him their complaints every day. But the public didn’t know what was going on and I’ll bet the next time a pledge card comes in the mail people will think twice. I will. I’m the guy who was a diehard Exxon customer who hasn’t bought a drop since the Valdez."

"I acknowledge that Steiner's show was often more good for you than good," said another friend who loves radio as much as I do, "but he was a valuable and, in my mind at least, essential part of the local radio landscape."

In recent years -- and I don't know to what to attribute this, Steiner or management, or my own fickleness when it comes to radio -- the midday offerings had become inconsistent, or not local enough, or too predictable. (If you look at the archive of Steiner's show lineups, what I just said, at least on paper, can't be accurate. Certainly the topics and guests sound in the main interesting and even downright provocative.) Steiner's role seemed to have been diminished in some way. I'm not sure why that is -- or if it is even accurate. It's an impression. But, whatever the cause, this inconsistency -- and the airing of pre-recorded programming on Fridays, and some of it not even local -- led me to become an impatient listener. And apparently others had the same issues.

We have the station's board president, a PR woman, saying Steiner's "ratings" had dropped. I can't be the only person who read about Steiner's dumping in The Sun and got confused over the words "ratings" and "public radio" in the same sentence. Public radio is supposed to be immune from the pressures that influence commercial broadcasting.

But I can't say I'm totally distressed to hear someone in public radio mention ratings. It's a way of saying, "We want more listeners."

And is that so wrong? Especially in a presidential election year. Ratings at such a station should be going up in 2008, not down.

I have never understood why people who work in public radio seem determined to appeal only to the informed 2 percent of Listener Land. Why be so dry and humorless? Why be so dull? Why so often so esoteric? Why not have a laugh once in a while, for God's sake? I don't know who wrote the rule  -- talk radio on NPR stations must not be considered entertainment.

What's the point of public-interest radio if the public isn't listening?

WYPR has this problem. But I don't see how this problem gets licked without an engaged and energetic Marc Steiner in the mix.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (31)
        

One of the most talented artists ever to appear on my old TV show, Rodricks For Breakast (WMAR-TV2, 1995-2000, RIP) was Vince Junior, and I'm very happy -- and not surprised -- to see him getting exposure in USA Today as a great school teacher.
The Vince Junior we met 10 years ago in Baltimore was a singer-songwriter and a mean guitar player, as well as a public school teacher here. He had a CD at the time (recorded at Birdfeeder in Baltimore, with some help from Big Blow and the Bushwackers) called "Better Than a Wheel," dedicated to Vince "Senior" Floriani, identified as the artist's "first music teacher."
At the time, Vince Junior looked like Frank Zappa some, sounded like Leonard Cohen, with
inspirations from Tom Waits and Leo Kottke, though it was evident from his first disc that he'd been working quite hard to develop a unique style. His guitar, a good ol' National resonator, gave the songs a Southern swampy edge; they could have been tracks for a Jim Jarmusch film. Since then, he's been deeply into music for children. Good goin' Junior! Congrats from Crab Towne.

Posted by Dan Rodricks at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)