Food, Inc.

Hello loyal readers, and thank you for checking back in.  Today's post is going to be a change of pace as well as a first for me - I'm going to do a movie review! Please hold your applause until the end.

While at home last Saturday night, Tiffany and I were browsing our Netflix "watch instantly" queue (just about the best thing ever) when we came upon a recommended documentary called Food, Inc.  Having recently watched Super-Size Me, we were in food-doc mode.  The film's description promised to expose the disturbing underbelly of the food industry as well as the detrimental effects that mass-produced chickens, pigs, and cows have had on America's health and economy.  As a cook as well as a person who eats food regularly, this interested me.   I clicked play and off we went. Ninety-four minutes later, I was genuinely disturbed and disgusted.

Side note - I don't really know how to frame this, since I'm covering new literary ground here. Do I recap the movie book report-style or leave the plot uncovered so that the reader can be shocked/surprised as I was?  I'll try to stay somewhere in the middle, just in case the movie isn't available to some of you.

We start things off with a few statistics and an overhead shot of a "corporate" cow farm. It seems that things have changed since the old days, when cows (and chickens, pigs, and so on) were raised in wide open fields, allowed to forage and grow naturally, and only slaughtered when the time came. The obscenely high supply of beef, poultry, and other foodstuffs required by the McDonald's (they seem to keep popping up in these things) and Burger Kings of the world has forced the food supply industry to adopt a factory-style approach to farming. Cows, chickens, and pigs are packed into tiny shacks or fences, fed food engineered to fatten them up at twice the rate nature intended, and processed as quickly, efficiently, and effortlessly as possible.

We go to images of the inside of a typical modern chicken coop.  There are so many chickens crowded into this shed (that's all it is - a tin shed with a few fans) that one can hardly see the ground. The chickens are fed corn - something they'd never, ever eat in the wild - and are fattened at about double the natural rate.  They are engineered to grow larger than normal breasts because folks prefer white meat.  Consequently, most of the chickens shown were so top-heavy they could only walk two or three steps before falling down from exhaustion.  In addition, it turns out that a byproduct of having thousands of chickens enclosed in a small tin shed is the rampant spread of bacterial infection.  These chickens spend their days wading around in one another's filth and excrement, so bacteria has a field day jumping from bird to bird. Naturally, the solution is to pump them full of antibiotics.  The grower informs us that she is completely allergic to antibiotics due to her constant exposure to them Once the chickens have reached their weight limit, trucks arrive during the night to collect them.  The next day, we see the now-empty shed, completely barren save a few dead chickens the collectors left behind. The grower informs us she will probably lose her contract with Tyson because she let cameras in.  A postscript informs us that very thing happened a short time later.

Our next stop is a giant cornfield somewhere in the Midwest.  We are shown rows of corn stretching as far as the eye can see. What an image of Americana. Corn, it seems, has gone from the dinner plate to just about everything we Americans use in just under 100 years. Corn is in most processed food and drinks, gas, plastics, and even medicine.  It seems to be a true miracle crop.  As it turns out, corn also is the main food supply used by meat mass-producers.  There are several good reasons for this. Obviously, when animals are packed into very confined spaces, they can't forage for grass like nature would intend, so they are fed corn in troughs.  Their corny diet has the added benefit of fattening the animals up very quickly. Additionally, we are told that the United States government, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to subsidize farmers who grow corn with taxpayer money.  Several farmers report that they sell corn for far less than it costs to produce, but that they profit thanks to Uncle Sam's checks.  Finally, remember when I mentioned  that McDonald's is the largest purchaser of beef, poultry, and so on in the world? You can imagine that they would want their chicken sandwiches in Des Moines, IA to taste exactly like the ones in Ft. Lauderdale, FL taste.  This is accomplished by feeding the sandwich fodder the same food - corn. So corn, it seems, is king. Naturally, this has several side effects, but I'll only cover one - illegal immigration.  Stay with me here, because this all ties in.

Remember those government subsidies I mentioned before? Well, they make corn incredibly cheap to the final buyer. So cheap, in fact, that (thanks to NAFTA) corn can be exported to Mexico and STILL be sold cheaper than the farmers in Mexico can grow it.  Big deal, right? Well, floods of cheap American corn in the Mexican market created a new problem.  Mexican farmers began to go out of business because they couldn't price match the American corn, and the Mexican economy began stuttering from unemployment.  The meat processing industry swooped in by laying off American workers, sending buses to Mexico, and hiring the now-unemployed Mexican farmers to come work for them.  You would think that this active lawbreaking would be punished...and you'd be right, if by punished you mean law enforcement rounds up a few illegals here and there instead of punishing the company importing them. The level of corruption at work is shocking.

I could go on and on for another three or four paragraphs. The movie covers E. Coli's devastating spread (including a poor mother whose child died after eating an infested fast food burger).  It is clear the fault rests in the hands of the food producers.  We also learn that the entire soybean market is controlled by a single company that uses its power and position to strong-arm farmers into using their genetically altered beans. I could go on and on. Bottom line - Food, Inc. ought to be mandatory viewing for anyone who eats.  Think about it - how much do you know about the origins of the food on your plate?  In the old days, people either grew and raised their own meat and vegetables or bought them from someone they knew and trusted.  Modern eaters have had their eyes covered as two or three big companies have redesigned the food production industry with little or no government regulation. In fact, the government only steps in when the producers screw up on a grand scale.  This isn't acceptable.  We need to be informed as to how our food is produced, from coop to supermarket.  If you can watch this movie and still feel OK about that McChicken sandwich (or even store-bought birds) then more power to you. I can't.  I'm sold on organic now.  And those are five words I never thought I'd say.

BBQ 101

I have a feeling that if I were to get up out of my chair, walk outside, and ask the first 20 people I met what they considered to be the trademark "food of the South," I'd get a fairly wide variety of answers. One might say biscuits and gravy, another fried chicken, and the next fried catfish (we do a fair amount of frying down here). I'd bet, however, that the majority would offer an answer consisting of three ubiquitous letters: BBQ. (Or barbecue? We'll go with BBQ because it's my blog, and it's easier to type.) You know what? I'm with them. I cannot think of a single dish that varies so greatly from state to state, and even from region to region. There is almost nothing about BBQ that isn't reliant on the cook's interpretation. Even the protein itself is up for debate. North Carolinians (and traditionalists) will tell you that the only true BBQ is "whole hog," where the entire pig is smoked and combined before eating. Texans don't even use pork, opting instead for beef brisket. In Kentucky, they use mutton. Sauces bring an even hotter debate. Some say good 'Q needs nothing, others claim it ain't BBQ unless it's sauced. I won't go into a big historical discussion covering all the various nuances of regional BBQ here. If you happen to be interested in that, a great account can be found here. My intention for this entry is to prove that anyone can produce restaurant-quality BBQ in their own backyard with a few simple tools and some know-how.


Before we begin, I think it's important to establish a few ground assumptions. So here goes:

• BBQ ≠ Grilling. BBQ is prepared using indirect heat and smoke. Grilled foods are cooked quickly over direct heat. BBQ'ing requires more time, attention, and skill than does grilling. Please don't confuse the two.
• BBQ = pork. Regional nuances aside, pig meat is the generally accepted protein of choice when BBQing. Here's why: the very tradition of BBQing came from poverty. Poorer southerners (typically slaves) couldn't afford beef, so the readily available pig was their best option. Along the way, some of them figured out that if the fattier parts of the pig (the shoulder specifically) were cooked over low heat for an extended period of time they transformed from tough and sinewy to tender and juicy. Modern BBQ was born.

Ok, we've laid the foundation. Here are a few tools you will need:

• A grill. Most American backyards/porches are equipped with a grill of some kind, be it gas or charcoal. I used a Weber "kettle" for my BBQ, and this walkthrough will reflect that. It is possible to BBQ using a propane grill as well. Instead of using charcoal, just use your burner as the heat source.
• Wood. The deep smoky flavor of good BBQ is a product of the type of wood used by the cook. Traditional pork applications use hickory, but fruit woods such as apple are common as well. I chose hickory. Most hardware stores will sell you a big bag of wood chips for around 6 bucks. I used both wood chunks and chips so that I had good smoke throughout the cooking process. If you have access to natural wood, use it, but be careful to check for mold, mildew, or other potentially nasty spots on your wood. Also, stay away from pine and other sappy woods, as they will leave a bitter flavor on the meat and make your diners think you smoked your pork using an old dresser. I just play it safe and buy my wood from the store.
• A thermometer. The most indispensable item in a BBQer's toolkit is an accurate thermometer. Heat control is vital - too much heat and you're grilling, which will make a fatty pork shoulder chewy and tough. Too little and you're in the "danger zone" and running the risk of bacterial infection. The sweet spot for BBQing is between 200 and 250. You won't know you're there unless your grill is equipped with a thermometer, preferably one located at or around the cooking position. You'll also need a meat thermometer to check for doneness. This one isn't quite as vital, but if you're a perfectionist (like me) knowing when you hit 190 degrees will tell you exactly when your pork is done. Spend the 15 bucks and get a good, reliable digital instant-read thermometer.

As always, we begin in the grocery store. You'll want to pick up a cut from the shoulder, and it should be labeled as "pork shoulder" or "Boston Butt." No, I don't know why a shoulder cut is called a "butt." Figure on each diner eating 1/2lb of meat - a 10lb butt can feed 15-20. See why this is so popular with low income brackets? At home, take your pork out of the wrapper and pat it down with your rub of choice. I'll post the one I used at the bottom, but a store-bought rub will work as well. Just spend a little extra and get one with some pedigree, like Rendezvous. Be generous with the rub. Cover as much of the meat as possible, and pat (not rub, ironically) it onto the meat. Wrap everything in plastic wrap and stash it back in the fridge. This should be done at least 24 hours before cooking.


Home-cooked BBQ is not a last-second endeavor. You will need to allow yourself around 8-10 hours of cooking time. Chill out - this doesn't mean you'll be standing over the flame poking at the meat for that long. Fatty cuts (like our pork) need to cook for an extended amount of time so that the collagen and fats can break down properly. Fill a chimney starter about 3/4 of the way with charcoal, light up, and give the coals about 15 minutes to get warm. They should all have a gray, ashy coating on them. Next, set up your grill for 2-zone indirect cooking. Bank the coals to one side of the grill, place your wood of choice directly on the coals, and put a metal container (a small bread pan is perfect) with a couple of cups of water in it on the other side of the grill. The water, called a drip pan, will help to modulate the heat, making it easier to keep from overcooking the meat. Lid up, open the vent 1/4 of the way, and let the heat settle in around 225-250. Don't put the meat on until your grill is at the proper temperature.


Once the correct temperature rolls around, place the pork directly over the drip pan. Lid up, and walk away. Go mow the lawn, clean some dishes, or read. Resist the urge to lift the lid every ten minutes and poke things. As long as you start with the right temperature, checking the heat once per hour is plenty. If the it drops to around 200, add another prepared coal or two. If the smoke runs out, toss another wood chunk on the fire. Keep the heat between 200-250 and things will be just fine. As noted before, this is a long process. The pork needs to be smoked for at least four hours to develop good smoky flavor and bark (the dark exterior part that BBQ lovers crave.) After that, you can remove it from the grill, wrap it in foil, and finish it off in a 250 degree oven. Internal doneness will depend on how you plan to prepare your 'Q. It'll be sliceable at around 170 degrees, but let it get to around 190 and you'll have pork fit for pulling. Once you hit 190, move your pork from the oven to a cooler, close the lid, and let it rest for an hour or until dinnertime. Don't worry, it'll stay warm for hours in there. When you're ready to serve, pull the meat using two upside down forks with the tines opposite each other. Serve on a bun (Wonder Bread brand is perfect) topped with homemade coleslaw and BBQ sauce. Finally, sit back and absorb the adulation of your diners as they rave about your pitmaster-quality 'Q. Seriously, this is one of those dishes that really impresses people when it's done right.


See below for the rub recipe I used, as well as recipes for slaw and bbq sauce.


"Memphis Dust" Rub

• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons rosemary powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Experiment with added ingredients to expand the flavor (chili powder, ground mustard, etc.)


"Sweet Heat" BBQ sauce

• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 strips smoked bacon
• 5-7 sprigs thyme
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 chipotle pepper with adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp powdered mustard
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 cups bottled BBQ sauce

Heat oil over medium in a large saucepan or medium pot. While oil is warming, wrap the bacon strips around the thyme sprigs and secure with kitchen twine. Place the bacon-thyme bundle into the oil and cook until bacon renders. Add the onion and garlic and cook until browned. Add remaining ingredients except for bottled BBQ sauce, bring to a simmer, and allow to cook for an hour. Remove bay leaf and bacon-twine bundle and move sauce to a blender. Add bottled BBQ sauce and puree until smooth. Run sauce through a sieve to remove any remaining chunks. Bottle and sell for $6.00 each.


Delicious Coleslaw

• 1 bag coleslaw mix
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp Memphis Dust
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
• 2-3 tbsp sugar, to taste

Combine all ingredients except sugar and coleslaw mix in a large bowl with a whisk. Add sugar until coleslaw base is sweet enough for you. Toss in coleslaw mix, adding more mayonnaise to increase creaminess. Chill before serving.

Bring on the weekend!

 A redundant title? I suppose so, but I'm carrying around a greater-than-usual anticipation for the coming weekend.  I guess it's a combination of a big Hogs game and a frustrating work week mixed with the prospect of a delicious pulled pork sandwich that has me worked up. Yes, I am smoking a pork butt to feed everyone watching the game with us. Yes, it will take 8-10 hours and I'll lose sleep Friday night in the process. Yes, it's worth it.  I'll come back afterwards with a blog detailing the whole process.  Taking something from 8lb hunk of pork meat to tender, smoky goodness is an engaging but really (and I mean REALLY) rewarding process. If only my wife could share in the fun with me.  Unfortunately, she's on weekend rotation.  People need pills on Saturday and Sunday too, I suppose.

Arkansas has quite the challenge ahead of them this weekend, as the #1-ranked Crimson Tide of Alabama roll (no pun intended) into Fayetteville for a 2:30pm showdown. If  you live in Little Rock and make a habit of listening to drive-time sports call-in shows as I do, you've no doubt heard outlandish predictions of 20 point victories for Arkansas. If the Razorbacks lose, these very fans will turn and call back in after the game and demand the immediate firing of the entire coaching staff, the AD, and the janitor.  Athletic schizophrenia, I suppose.  Fortunately, I am capable of keeping a clear head throughout all this senseless chatter. Arkansas will have to play at the very highest level they can to beat the Tide. Alabama has a two-tiered rushing attack (similar to the McFadden-Jones tandem we had a few years ago) and a coach who is second to none. They also have a stellar defense. The Hogs' offense has proven it can score, but hasn't proven it can run the ball for a first down with consistency.  The O will will have to score early, protect Ryan Mallett, and control the clock so that UA's defense has a chance to rest. In the SEC, it's commonly said that winning on the road requires you to be 10 points better than the home team. Are the Tide 10 points better than the Hogs? I lean toward "yes." They haven't lost a game since 2008, they're well-coached, and they don't take a Saturday off. Last year, Arkansas got bruised, bloodied, and beaten pretty badly in Tuscaloosa. I expect this game will be closer than that, but Alabama still has the edge until the Hogs (or anyone else) take it from them. I'm predicting Alabama wins in a close one, 41-38. Here's hoping I'm wrong.

We are in the first portion of an interesting topic at the Oliver life group.  Patrick Mead of Rochester Church of Christ in Rochester, MI, did a series a few years back entitled "God at War." We are going through this study and discussing things that don't get mentioned in church as much as they probably should. Here are a few questions that have been discussed so far:

• If God is good and all-powerful, why is there evil in the world?
• Why do bad things happen to good/innocent people?
•  Is God in total control, and is everything a part of his plan?
• How much power do Satan and his demons/angels have on earth?

A lot of our discussion has challenged our assumptions and notions about God.  Fortunately, we have a group that is hungry to learn and understands that taking on and considering challenging topics is a vital step in spiritual growth. We are moving away from the "milk" of God and towards the "meat," and it's very exciting.  I wholeheartedly recommend Patrick's lessons, which can be found here as well as on iTunes.

My "war against the flesh" continues. It seems that my flesh is no longer all that motivated to stay in shape and exercise. This always happens around this time of year for some reason or another. Sadly, it usually coincides with increased food consumption, especially during holidays and weekends. The spirit is willing, but the body is lazy.  I'm not buying new pants, so I guess I'll just gut it out. Stay well, everyone, and check back in Monday or so for the BBQ report.

A Grind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

As promised, I'm back with a new post (working pants must be on this week...ha).   I really hope this one catches on, you know. It's going to seem ridiculous to some of you for me to suggest that you should go to the trouble of buying, cutting, and grinding your own meat.  After all, isn't it just easier to reach for the "tube o' beef?"  Look....supermarkets have sold the burger lovers across this land sub par product for long enough. Trust me - the difference between the texture, flavor, and mouth-feel of a freshly ground burger and one constructed from prepackaged mystery meat is night and day. Besides, it's really easy to do yourself.

Before I explain the home grinding process, allow me to explain my disdain for the aforementioned tube o' beef. Obviously, the texture is junk because the meat has been squeezed and mashed together for...well, who knows how long. There's more, though. That tube, especially when labeled as "ground beef" or "hamburger meat,"  is just about as structurally diverse as a hot dog. By definition, ground beef can contain cuts from all parts of the cow.  Butchers generally accomplish this by grinding up all the trimmings that are left over at the end of the day from all the cutting they do. There could be some rib bones in there for all you know. Ground chuck, another common burger grind, is made up of one type of cut (the chuck/shoulder) but still consists of trimmings from various cows.  Better, but not perfect. Why?  You see, most of that prepackaged stuff comes from a big slaughterhouse, where countless cows are brought to meet their end. Where there are lots of cows, there's the potential for E.coli. And since we know that ground beef/chuck/whatever consists of leftover cuts from multiple bovines, your chances of winning the bacterial lottery are much greater with the tube than they are with a single cut. To combat this, we've been told that we need to cook our burgers to hockey puck consistency to make double dog sure the bacterial baddies are fried. See where I'm going with this?  If you buy a single cut and grind it yourself, you can cook the burger to whatever level of doneness you prefer. Medium rare burgers become as safe as a medium rare tenderloin when the grinding is done safely at home. Now...let's get down to grinding!

The process begins at the grocery store, where you should be careful to choose the correct cut for the job.  The safest bet is a 50/50 blend of a chuck cut, commonly labeled as "English Roast" or chuck steak, and sirloin steak. Once home, make sure your meat is thoroughly chilled. You can control the amount of fat in your finished grind by trimming your cuts. Once trimmed, cut the meat into 1/2-inch cubes and place 8-10 of them at a time into your food processor. Season with salt and pepper and put the spurs to it.

Pulse the processor blade 10 times, one second per pulse. The finished product should come out looking like this:

Technically, it's chopped beef.  This is a good thing, though.....you'll discover that when you bite into the finished product.  Now this beef is obviously not limited to burger-making...you could chose to make meatballs, meatloaf, or even steak tartare, if you're so inclined. I made burgers, so that's what we're going with here.

Softly form the meat into 5-oz. patties.  Try not to smash them too much...that would ruin the texture your food processor created. A gentle toss back and forth between your hands will form a nice ball that looks something like this:

Once weighed, gently flatten the balls into patties and lightly salt both sides. Make them thinner than you want the end product to be, because they'll plump up during cooking. If you don't need/want to use all of your ground beef, do what the butcher does - wrap it in parchment paper, tape, and freeze until it's needed. Easy, huh?  From here, you can cook the burgers however you'd like. I prefer the tender juiciness of a medium burger, cooked to around 160 degrees. Top it with teriyaki, cheddar cheese, and a slice of grilled pineapple, and you have the Hawaiian, a burger I enjoyed several times while on honeymoon.

Doesn't that look delicious? Wait till the first bite hits your tongue...the texture is amazing. And the juiciness will blow you away. Now you know how the steakhouses do it - just make sure and have plenty of napkins on hand!

BBQ and tree limbs

For several years now, I have battled the constant nuisance of overgrown trees in my backyard. Specifically, I have battled the 4 metric tons of leaves dropped by said trees. This year, spurred on by a fear of another year of back-breaking yard cleanup, I finally decided to do something about it. After a few calls to some very good friends, I had a team ready to trim, saw, and prune the veritable forest that had accumulated out back. We worked for 7 hours at cutting, trimming, dragging, trimming some more, and raking nature's bounty.  Our work paid off, and I now have a neatly trimmed treeline out back and three giant piles of limbs out front. I hope the Maumelle sanitation department is feeling kind when they pass my place.

As a reward for their hard work, I prepared dinner for my friends.  We started with an appetizer of grilled brats and sliced cheddar cheese. Dinner included homemade bourbon baked beans, corn with garlic butter, and BBQ pork sandwiches. The pork was smoked for 7 hours over low heat and was tender with a wonderfully smoky flavor. Complimenting the sandwiches were slaw and homemade BBQ sauce. For dessert, we had skillet peach cobbler and homemade vanilla ice cream. I think I put more time into the meal than the tree trimming!  If  you ask me, though, a good meal is always worth the time and effort.  Everyone left with full stomachs and compliments galore. I can't speak for the others, but I didn't get hungry again until around 3pm the next day. Thanks to my brother Matt, Matt Collar, big Clay, and Andrew for all their help. Special thanks to my lovely and patient wife for putting up with our noise as well.

Did you know.....homemade vanilla ice cream is worlds better if real vanilla pods are used? Slice the pod open and scrape the beans out into your milk mixture before scalding. Place the pod into the milk along with the beans to infuse the milk with some serious vanilla flavor. Real vanilla isn't cheap, but there's no denying its superiority over extract.

Dinner is going to be a cabinet cleanout affair tonight. I have an English roast in the fridge that would probably make some nice burgers. Yes, an English roast. It's from the chuck, so all it needs is a quick chop and grind.  What, you've never ground your own burger meat? Check back tomorrow....I'll show how easy it is to grind meat at home.  This is one task that's really worth the effort.

Just Maui'ed, Hawaii recap, more

As all things do, my life as a single (in the government's eyes, anyways) man has come to an end. On July 24th, 2010, I had the great honor of marrying my best friend, favorite person, and soul mate as we exchanged vows in Kaui, HI, in a beautiful beachside ceremony. It was a breathtaking setting made even better by the presence of 19 of our friends and family.  I'll never forget the first glimpse I caught of my bride coming over the hill to meet me. Fellas, if that moment doesn't take your breath away, you might need to call the whole thing off. Here are a few pictures of our ceremony:

Mom with the groom and groomsmen

Rev. James Panui and the Hawaiian duet

The bride and her father walk the aisle. Stunning.

Tiffany places the traditional groom's lei over my shoulders. 

We exchange rings. Mine didn't fit at first...wrong hand!

Best kiss of my life!

Mr. and Mrs. Summitt are presented!

We held the reception at Duke's Kauai, located in the ornate and Greek temple-like Kauai Marriott resort. After a wedding night in Kauai, we took a short flight to the island of Maui for our honeymoon. There, we experienced everything from luaus to mountain climbs to scenic oceanside drives.  Snorkeling was fantastic - the fish were incredibly colorful and vivid.  And the food....well, a guy can just forget about counting calories when in Hawaii. I had melt-in-your-mouth ahi tuna rolls, chowed down on a juicy teriyaki burger (topped with pineapple), and discovered the sugary miracle known as coconut syrup. Hawaii is a foodie's dream come true.  I feel very lucky to have been able to spend 11 days in paradise with my wife. What a way to start a lifetime together!  Needless to say, if you've never been....go!  It's worth the money, I promise. Skip Christmas or something. I posted about 300 pictures of our adventures on my Flickr page, with more to come.   

As all good things do, our honeymoon eventually ended and we had to come back to Reality, Arkansas, USA.  I found that reality hits particularly hard when one feels the first blast of humid 100-degree Arkansas heat after basking in tropical climes for a week and a half. Ouch. Such is life, I suppose. We now begin the arduous process of combining our things and figuring out where to squeeze everything in. I feel a garage sale coming on.  

For those of you wondering about Exit Strategy, we're alive and kicking! My bandmates kindly endured a bit of a layoff during the last few months so their guitar player could go get married, but things will be shifting into high gear soon. Follow us on Facebook for show updates and news. 

Political insanity continued in my absence. Mr. Obama seems to be getting more and more desparate as the days go by. Apparently our president stopped in for a chat with the *ahem* ladies of The View. Can he be serious?  Is this an attempt to reach the common American or something? I suppose at the least he added some much needed estrogen to the broadcast that day. 

That's all for today.  I'll come back later this week with some more thoughts and maybe a food tip or two.  Aloha!

Showers, smart fiancé, more grilling, brine that bird!

I'd like to start this post with congratulations for my lovely fiancé, who just found out she passed her NAPLEX exam and is now a licensed pharmacist. It is a goal she has been working towards for the last 8 years. Congratulations, baby! I love you and I am very, very proud.

We had a very nice wedding shower in Benton at Northside Church of Christ last Sunday. Lots of gifts were brought and the ladies there did a great job.  This was my first wedding shower, which I suppose is the way it's supposed to be for guys. We've got two more shower/receptions scheduled following the wedding. One will be at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ on Saturday, September 11th, and the other will be at 7th and Mueller Church of Christ on Sunday, September 19th. We both hope that all our friends and family can make it out to celebrate our marriage with us at one of these events. FYI - the bride and groom are registered at Belk, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Kohl's, and Wal-Mart.

Did you know central Arkansas is one of the most naturally beautiful spots in our country?  Recent visits to Petit Jean Mountain, Pinnacle Mountain, and the Buffalo River have convinced me that there aren't many places in middle America that can compete with Arkansas' natural glory.  Head over to my Flickr page to see pictures from some of these visits.

One of our aforementioned shower gifts was a very nice Char-Broil grill given to us by Tiffany's parents Paul and Debra Parris.  Seeing as I have been grilling with a rusty old two-burner gas grill (purchased for $40 at a yard sale) for the past year, I was extra excited about this one. I've used it twice since getting it put together Monday evening (an adventure in itself).  What a difference good equipment makes! Consider last night's dinner: BBQ-spiced chicken breast (seen above).

Whenever I cook chicken (or pork, for that matter), I always begin with a brine. A brine is basically a saltwater solution that increases the juiciness of meats by osmosis. Basically, the salt in the brine moves back and forth between the water and the cells of the meat, taking moisture with it. While the salt continues to move in and out of the meat, the moisture is trapped in, resulting in a succulent and juicy cooked product. This process does take a bit of extra effort but trust me, it's worth it. Meats should be brined for at least an hour and up to overnight. Be sure to rinse your meat well after removing it from the brining solution.

The key to perfectly grilled chicken (regardless of the cut) is to incorporate dual-zone cooking. This concept is sound for both charcoal and propane grilling applications. The chicken should receive a quick sear on either side over high heat (roughly 4-5 min per side) before being transferred to lower heat to finish cooking. For gas grills, this is simple. Just set one burner to high heat and another to low, and you're done. If charcoal is your fuel of choice, bank the coals to either side of the grill so that there is a gap in the middle. Place a disposable pan filled 1/3 of the way up with water between the two mounds of coals, and you're ready to go. Cook the meat over the cooler section of the grill until the juices run clear and/or the meat hits an internal temperature of 160 degrees.  As always, allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it.

BBQ-Spiced Grilled Chicken w/Blueberry-Strawberry salad 


Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 2lbs split chicken breasts, skin on
• BBQ spice rub of choice
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce of choice, warmed 
• 4 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• canola oil

For the salad:

• 1 pint strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 50/50 spring salad mix
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

To make the brine, combine water, brown sugar, and salt in a pot over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until dissolved. Allow brine to cool completely and pour into a large ziptop bag. Place chicken into bag with brine, making sure chicken is completely covered. Store in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Put all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl and toss to combine. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Preheat grill, using dual zone setup described above. Remove chicken from fridge, pour out brine, and discard bag. Thoroughly rinse chicken and pat dry. Coat chicken with canola oil and generously top chicken with BBQ rub ( I use the Neely's recipe with a little added red pepper and garlic powder) and kosher salt. Be sure to rub spices into chicken. Place chicken, skin side down, onto high heat section of the grill and cook for about 5 minutes or until skin is crisp and dark grill lines appear. Flip chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. After both sides are seared, move chicken to the cooler section of the grill and cook until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, turning occasionally. Once the internal temperature hits 160 degrees, brush BBQ sauce onto both sides of chicken and remove to a cooling rack Allow chicken to set before removing. Serve with remaining BBQ sauce on the side alongside the salad topped with vinaigrette of choice.  The end result should look something like this:

mmmm.....

Grillapalooza, one month and counting, and more!

Greetings, everyone! I hope that in the midst of this brutally hot weather you all are staying cool and hydrated. I had the opportunity to ride along with a few of our service technicians at work this week, and I now have a much greater appreciation for my air-conditioned office.  Mom is coming to visit tonight, and we plan to hike to the waterfall at Petit Jean mountain Saturday morning.  An ominous forecast of scattered thunderstorms threatens our plans, but hopefully it'll hold off.  I'll be sure to take and post pictures, as that hike will take us through some beautiful scenery.

Thursday marked the one-month point in the countdown to our Hawaii wedding. Excitement is in the air, and we are (hopefully) paid up, planned up, and ready to go. I still need to buy some books for the flight, which is long enough to require the showing of two movies.  Fortunately, the fiancé and I landed window seats so we won't be wedged between any large and/or smelly people.  I hope that everyone got an invitation to our reception, to be held in September at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ. It's going to have an island theme.  We'll have our wedding video playing, pictures on display, and appetizers and cake for everyone. It's going to be fun, so we hope everyone can make it!

Am I the only one who prefers the wailing buzz of vuvuzelas to the countless political ads currently running on TV and radio? Do people really make voting decisions based on thirty seconds of finger-pointing and fact-stretching? Stop the pain, please. 

It's been grill week at the Summitt house. I don't think I even ate a supper that wasn't cooked over an open flame. I love using the grill because

1. food cooked over an open flame tastes great and, 
2. my kitchen stays clean.

Marinated and grilled chicken, grilled pizza (oh yeah), and BBQ chicken kebabs all passed through my kitchen this week. The kebabs were excellent.  Onions, peppers, marinated chicken, and pineapple were skewered and grilled to perfection, then given a brush of hot BBQ sauce right before being removed from the grill. They're delicious and healthy to boot. Try them and be amazed. 

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 3 bell peppers ( I used red, orange, and yellow)
• 1 large red onion
• 1 pineapple, diced (instructions here)
• 1 jar marinade of choice 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Cavendar's Greek seasoning
• 1 cup BBQ sauce of choice, warmed
• salt and pepper
• canola oil 
• skewers

If you're using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in cold water for at least 1 hour.  Cut chicken breasts into large chunks, place into zip-top plastic bag, and cover with marinade. Store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably 2. Cut peppers and onions into large chunks, place in a bowl, and add Cavendar's and olive oil. Toss to coat and set aside. Cut pineapple and dice into large chunks. Remove chicken from bag, shake off excess marinade, and place into a metal bowl. Preheat grill to medium-high. Assemble kebabs by sliding food onto skewer, beginning and ending with pieces of onion. I assembled mine in the following order - onion, pepper, pepper, chicken, pineapple. You should be able to get three pieces of chicken on each skewer. Give kebabs a sprinke of salt and pepper followed by a thin coat of canola oil.  Place kebabs on the grill and cook for five minutes. Turn and cook for 4-5 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. You might have to rotate some kebabs a third time to catch uncooked surfaces. Just before removing, lightly brush kebabs with warm BBQ sauce. Remove from grill and allow food to sit for 5 minutes before eating. 

Memorial Day, Grilling, Oil, and the Media

Greetings from Little Rock, everyone. Here's hoping you all have fun activities planned for the upcoming extended weekend. I, along with several friends, will embark on a three day long float trip down the Buffalo River. This will be an exciting venture for me, as I have never been much of an outdoorsman.  However, I have girded my loins (whatever that means) with plenty of bug spray and sunscreen, and I shall battle the elements with great fervor.  I'll probably be the designated cook for the trip, so I've been tossing around some ideas for simple (yet flavorful) meals I can make using campground equipment and utensils. We'll be fishing, so seafood could be on the menu.  Cheese-stuffed brats and burgers would be doable as well.  

Memorial Day is the traditional start of the fabled "grilling season," a time when men everywhere rise from their La-Z-Boys, grab big bags of charcoal, pounds of meat, and a gimmicky apron and give their poor wives a break from cooking by firing up the grill.  Now I could be wrong, but I believe God intended all meats to be cooked over an open flame.  Quality grilled meals offer unbeatable flavor, texture, and an overall dining experience that can't be replicated in the kitchen.  Poorly grilled meals, however, have the texture and flavor of rawhide.  In light of this, allow me to offer a few tips to all the backyard chefs out there:

1. Heat control is everything. Too much heat and you'll be eating charcoal for dinner. Too little, and your food won't be done till next month. A grill thermometer is ideal for measuring temperature, but if you don't have one, use your hand.  Hold your hand, palm side down, over the top grate of the grill and count how long you can keep it there until it's too hot to stand. Two seconds means you've got "high" heat, 3-4 seconds is "medium-high," 4-5 seconds equates to "medium," and six or longer equals "low." Most grilled meats will be cooked over medium or medium high heat, so react accordingly. 
2. Beware of over-seasoning.  I'm a salt-and-pepper guy, so this might be a matter of personal taste.  It bugs me to no end when fine cuts of meat are subjected to 300 different seasonings, marinades, and other outside influences. You might as well eat the trimmings if you're going to cover the meat's flavor like that.  I prefer my meat (especially burgers) pre-seasoned with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and MAYBE a bit of garlic powder.  There are exceptions of course, but don't go overboard.  Let the meat speak for itself. 
3. Burger Rules - due to their popularity, I'm going to give burgers get their own little sub-section of rules.
1. Flip once. Cook the burgers over medium-high heat, four minutes per side and only flip them one time. That's all.  There's no need to rotate your poor patties into submission. You'll only release the juices inside the burger, and that's not a good thing (no matter what George Foreman says).
2. Don't mash. This is a cardinal, no-exceptions-allowed rule of burgering. Please, please, PLEASE don't mash the burgers while they're cooking. You will be left with dry, cotton-mouth-inducing lumps of meat. Yes, I know that every diner scene ever filmed contains a burger cook whose sole purpose is to squash the meat to produce that pretty 'sizzling' sound. Well, that sizzling sound is made by escaping fat.  Fat smashed out of the meat cannot flavor it when it's in your mouth.   So, you ask, how do I keep the patties from balling up while they're cooking?  Simple - when you are forming your patties, flatten them out and stick your thumb in the very middle, leaving an indention.  This indention will expand back out while you're cooking. By the time the burgers are done, the patty should be in roughly the same shape it was when you formed it - nice and flat. They'll be juicy and delicious as well. 
3. Melt the cheese. We've all had a fast food burger that was hastily thrown together without giving the cheese time to melt. Not good. Be sure to let the cheese get nice and gooey before pulling from the grill. I like to top my burgers with cheese about a minute after I flip them. This gives the cheese just enough time to melt nicely.  Freshly shredded cheese will always melt more cleanly than sliced cheese will, so use it if you have access. 
4. Let it set. Resist the temptation to dive directly into your cooked meat as soon as it comes off the grill. Instead, pull the meat off the grill, lightly cover it with aluminum foil and allow the meat to set for five minutes.  This gives all those flavorful juices you've worked so hard to keep inside the meat time to redistribute and settle down.  If you cut right in as soon as the meat comes off the grill, they're just going to spill out all over your plate. The meat will still be plenty hot in five minutes, so be patient. Use the time to throw together a nice salad or put ice in the glasses.  

Wow, that was a bit long-winded.  Grilling is great fun and will always produce delicious food as long as the cook is skilled. Hopefully these tips will help.  I'll be back later this week with an easy burger recipe. 


Is it just me, or is anyone else fed up with the media's treatment of the BP oil spill?  Give me a break, guys. I suppose that, in this day and time, I should expect everything to be politicized.  The American public has been trained (brainwashed?) to automatically take a partisan side on every single news item or event that comes down the pipe.  Media types latch onto this and treat every story as though it were a cut-and-dry conflict with good guys and bad guys.  This is simply not the case, especially with this disaster. Is it a big deal? Absolutely.  The ecosystems of the Gulf coast are fragile enough as they are, and it will likely take years for them to recover from the oil spill. But at some point, we all have to accept this ordeal for what it really is - a worst-case scenario come to life. There is not a "bad guy" in this situation.  BP has smarter people than  you and I working around the clock on a solution.  They've called in all the help they can from rival oil companies as well.  They are not "dragging their feet" or slacking around while billions of gallons of oil spew into the gulf. It takes time, resources, and luck to plug a hole that is 5,000 feet under water. The saddest part for me is that our president was so quick to jump on the BP-bashing bandwagon.  I have heard the Obama administration tell us that they would "keep a boot to the throat" of BP until this situation was resolved.  Is that kind of imagery really necessary?  Why not tell us that they will "curb stomp BP into submission" or ""hold a gun to BP's head" until they fix the leak?  It's political posturing and finger-pointing, and it makes me sick. Sadly, in today's political climate, it's become necessary. 


Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone....take a little time to remember the guys and gals who died so we could have the day off work.  Be safe!

Lemon-Blueberry Bread

Time for a throwback recipe blog!  I made some lemon-blueberry bread for small group last night. It was wonderful.  Each bite was full of bright, summery flavors and just the right amount of citrus-y tang.  I made some white chocolate-cranberry oatmeal cookies as well, but that recipe stays between me and mom.  Here's the recipe for the bread:

Lemon-Blueberry Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cu AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter, softened
• 3/4 cu sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cu evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest ( 2-3 medium lemons)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Cu fresh blueberries
• Lemon Glaze
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cu sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Weigh out 1 1/2 cups flour (6.75 oz) and sift into a small bowl with salt and baking powder. In an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, allowing each egg mix completely before adding the next. Add lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix well. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, starting and ending with flour. Toss blueberries in flour, dust off, and fold into batter.  Butter and flour an 8.5x 4.5 in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature reaches 195 degrees, about 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Set bread, still in pan, on a cooling rack to cool. Combine ingredients for lemon glaze in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.  Poke multiple holes in the top of the bread with a toothpick or skewer and pour warm lemon glaze over bread. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, turn out bread onto cooling rack, and allow to cool completely. Serve as is, or topped with warm blueberry syrup.

Not to change the mood or anything, but I honestly wonder about this world sometimes. Last night at small group, we talked a bit about a girl who was attacked and nearly kidnapped at random. A man knocked on her door, claiming to have found a dog and asking if she could identify it. She opened the door and he attacked her, breaking her jaw and causing various other injuries. He handcuffed and, after rummaging through her apartment, dragged her to his car, threatening to kill her if she screamed. She did anyways, alerting the neighbors.  Her attacker dropped her and fled. Fortunately, this creep was apprehended and is in police custody.  I really can't fathom the kind of evil that must exist in a man's head to make him want to carry out this kind of attack. I wrote a couple of weeks ago that the enemy is strong in this world. Events like this remind me how strong the enemy really is. And honestly, I have trouble understanding why God allows these kinds of things to happen. There has to be a line somewhere, right?  This man was caught, but how many escape to harm again?  Our world honestly seems to be degrading to a historic moral low, and I wonder how long God's justice will be contained for this kind of evil. This is a tough subject for me. Am I the only one?

The Man Who Saved the World

If I walked up to a hundred different people and asked them to identify Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov, I'd probably get a hundred different quizzical looks followed by a hundred different versions of "I dunno." And if I'm being honest, my reaction to the same question would have been identical until a week ago. Mr. Arkhipov's story seems to have been largely lost to history. That's too bad.  Truth is, were it not for the bold actions of this anonymous Russian, there's a very good chance that none of us would be here today.

Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov was born, best we can tell, on January 30, 1926.  He grew up in a time filled with more political and social unrest than most of us could imagine. The Bolshevik party had overthrown the royal family nine years earlier, and the newly formed Soviet Union was fast becoming a world power. Tensions were simmering with Japan in the east and Germany in the west. Arkhipov, like many Russian youths, aspired to fight for his country and enrolled in naval school.  He served in the war against Japan as a minesweeper and moved up through the ranks, reaching the rank of deputy commander (second-in-command) of a rather infamous Soviet sub, the Hotel class K-19 (Google if you're curious).  After the K-19 incident, Arkhipov was transferred to the Foxtrot class submarine B-59 (also nuclear equipped).

Allow me to set the stage at this point:  The year is now 1962.  The Cold War is at its frigid height, and relations between the United States and the Soviet Union are at all-time lows. Cuba's government has recently been overthrown by a Communist regime, and the Russians have outfitted the island with nuclear missiles capable of striking any place in North America.  America's failure in the recent Bay of Pigs invasion has emboldened the Russians even further.  Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev has no respect for John F. Kennedy, considering him to be, in his own words, "too young, intellectual, not prepared well for decision making in crisis situations ... too intelligent and too weak."  Operations have already commenced on both sides in preparation for war. Two American U-2 recon planes have been shot down over Cuba and Siberia, and American and Russian fighters have engaged in various skirmishes. To make a long situation short, both countries are armed to the teeth with enough nuclear power to resurrect the Stone Age, and both have itchy trigger fingers.

Amidst all this, on October 17, 1962, eleven American destroyers and an aircraft carrier corner the previously mentioned Soviet submarine B-59 off the coast of Cuba.  The American ships, unaware of the nature of the B-59's cargo, surrounded her and began dropping practice depth charges in an attempt to make her surface.   Unfortunately, the crew of the B-59 didn't know this.  They only knew that explosions were going off all around them.  Temperatures on board the B-59 rose to above 120 degrees, alarms sounded, and panic ensued.  Captain Valentin Grigorievitch Savitsky assumed that war had begun and gave the order to prepare return fire - with nuclear-tipped weapons.

Now, despite what Cold War propagandists from this country might have you believe, the Russians were actually capable of reason and restraint.  Since firing a nuclear missile was kind of a big deal, doing so required the unanimous approval of the three highest ranking officials onboard the sub.  And so, a meeting was held. As we know, Captain Savitsky was ready to fire. The political officer, Ivan Semonovich Maslennikov, gave his approval as well.  All that was needed was the approval of the deputy commander - Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov. Arkhipov's actions in this situation are so unbelievable, so incredible, that one would be hard-pressed to attribute them to anything other than the hand of God himself. Vasili Arkhipov, the third-in-command, defied his superiors and refused to approve the launch of nuclear weapons. He pointed out to his superiors that the conditions for nuclear strike, a rupture of the sub's hull, had not yet occurred . Instead, he insisted that they surface the sub and wait for further orders from Moscow.  After a lengthy argument, Arkhipov was able to calm his superiors and the sub surfaced without attacking.

Stop for a moment and consider the magnitude of Arkhipov's actions.  This man single-handedly prevented a full-scale nuclear war.  Had Arkhipov agreed with his superiors and authorized the launch, the United States would have retaliated with a far greater return strike.  The Soviets would have then responded with more nuclear force, and tens of millions of Americans and Russians would have needlessly died.  Anything that survived the initial explosions would have probably died off due to radiation.  Yet, in the face of incredible adversity and stress, Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov kept a level head.  He literally saved the world. Thankfully, the United States and Russia quickly realized the potential disaster that had been averted and acted accordingly. The Russians removed their nukes from Cuba (ending the Cuban Missile Crisis), and the United States took down nuclear missles they had stationed in Turkey (we weren't innocent either).  

The intensity and drama of the Cold War era is long gone now.   Russia and the United States are on much better terms, and nuclear weaponry is down considerably from its height in the 60s and 70s.  We survived the Cold War unscathed.  Politicians, presidents, and premiers deserve some of the credit.  But perhaps the most credit of all is due to a man who defied fear, his superiors, and his peers and kept his cool under pressure.  Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov stood between us and nuclear war. I'm glad he didn't move.

Finally Friday

Ah, Friday.  The work week is at an end, and your humble author plans to reward himself with two days of relative inactivity.  Rain is predicted, so I can't do yardwork, and Tiffany will be out dress shopping all day Saturday.  This will be the perfect time to reacquaint myself with my old friend, the couch.  I do have a few plans.  Supper club is tonight, and Joey is hosting in his freshly (and I mean freshly - he's probably working on it right now) updated kitchen. For those who are unfamiliar with the supper club concept, it's basically a dinner party with a culinary theme. Mediterranean fare will be served tonight. I've already prepared batches of roasted garlic hummus and taziki. I'll also do Greek burgers (lamb and pork seasoned with dill, mint, salt, pepper, coriander, and cumin) stuffed with Feta cheese and served crostini-style with sauteed onions. I can't wait to see what everyone else brings....it should be interesting!  

The wedding is fast approaching, and I am awfully excited about it!  Our plans are coming together quickly as well.  Travel has been booked, and we spoke with the wedding planner Wednesday night. We have reserved a beautiful garden overlooking the ocean as the setting for our nuptials.  Everyone will be staying at Kauai Beach Resort on lovely (you guessed it) Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. God has made many incredible things, but I don't know that many of them are much more breathtaking than the little chain of islands he plopped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  Note to all our guests:  if you haven't contacted Bob and Midge at Destination Weddings to book your travel, please do ASAP.  Flight prices will steadily climb as we get closer to the departure date, so it is definitely in your best interests to lock them down now. Their contact information is on the Save the Date email you received.  I hope everyone will do themselves a favor and stay a few extra days.  The resort is very affordable, so there isn't much of a cost difference between staying 3 days and vacationing for a week.  And really, how often will you find yourself in Hawaii? 

I'd like to reiterate that I really appreciate the feedback everyone has been giving me for my recent posts.  It has all been positive so far, but if you disagree with me please post that as well.  I will always write what I feel here, but I would love to hear differing opinions....many times, that's how I learn.  The worst kind of feedback is no feedback at all. 

My good friend Bill Oliver always writes thought-provoking Facebook status updates (in ALL CAPS for some reason).  I guess he has a calendar full of them or something (ha). Anyhow, here's today's post:

DON'T GO WHERE THERE IS A PATH, GO WHERE THERE IS NO PATH AND LEAVE A TRAIL!

See what large letters he uses as he types with his own hand!  This is great advice that is often ignored in favor of sticking with the status quo. Pioneers, spiritual and otherwise, are few and far between these days. After all, one must accept the fact that blazing a new trail will always involve cutting down a few old trees.  Thanks for reading, everybody!

Work it out

Last night's dinner: chili-rubbed salmon steaks with mango-strawberry salsa. I can wholeheartedly recommend Kroger's whole frozen side of salmon. 

I'd like to thank everyone who left positive feedback for my last blog.  It was certainly from the heart, and it is reassuring to know that I'm not the only one thinking about those types of things.  

As I said before, this blog will serve as a repository for various topics of interest to me. Much like a box of chocolates, readers, I think you'll find that you'll never know what you might come across on my site. Some posts will be long, some short, but I aim to make all of them interesting. I hope you'll bookmark this site.  The link is www.joebsummitt.blogspot.com.  Now, let us move on to today's food for thought.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling...Phillipians 2:12

This particular section of scripture has intrigued me recently. What does it mean?  It certainly conjures up a righteous image, usually one of a desperate Christian on his knees, calling out to God in confusion and despair. Is this what Paul is talking about?  And if so, is this image still applicable today?  Should we be in constant turmoil and fear regarding the state of our souls? 

These are uncomfortable questions for me, mostly because I don't know the answer to them. This is a concept that, unfortunately, I've not studied or given much thought to until recently.  After some consideration and study, I feel that I've made some inroads on this topic.   I've found it helpful to examine the context of Paul's instructions.  Paul writes to the church in Phillipi some years after he founded it on his second missionary journey. It seems that the brothers and sisters in Phillipi, though they have grown, are experiencing the same problems that their fellow Christians in Corinth were dealing with.  False teachers, jealousy, and divisions have sprung up in the young church and pandemonium seems to be the order of the day.  Sounds familiar, doesn't it?  Remember, there was no written New Testament in this time. There were no commentaries, blogs, or Harding-educated preachers, either. All these churches usually had to go on were the principles Paul left them with, concepts from the old law, and the testimony of various folks who had heard Paul or other apostles speak elsewhere. You can imagine, then, that misinformation would be quite easy to come by. False teachers were likely everywhere, as were saboteurs determined to destroy the Christian faith by any means necessary.  Had I been there, I too would have been awfully confused about who to listen to.  Given this context, Paul's instructions are easier to understand. He is warning the Corinthians to take anything they hear with a grain of salt and prayerfully compare them to the inspired teachings Paul and the apostles have given them. In other words, accept nothing and question everything.

So then, this command was certainly applicable to those living in the tumultuous environment of the first century church.  Is it still applicable today?  We certainly live in more informed times.  I am no more than 30 seconds away from a Bible at any given moment. Countless opinions, commentaries, and thoughts are available for reference and study. We certainly have the advantage over the first century church in that regard. In my experience, however, this wealth of information has been both a blessing and a curse. It's certainly wonderful to be able to access scripture so easily, but I am afraid that it has reduced the urgency within the modern Christian to engage in more intensive personal study and meditation.  We really need to revisit this concept more than we do.  I'm convinced that there are a great deal of Christians who walk around daily carrying a faith that isn't their own.  It might be mom and dad's faith, or the preacher's faith, or even the Church of Christs' faith, but it isn't theirs. This bothers me because a Christian in this state is extremely vulnerable, especially when confronted with an educated mind from the other side.  If you don't believe me, watch this video starring the honorable Senator Mark Pryor and Bill Maher, a noted (and well-educated) atheist.

How long has it been since you questioned your faith? I am convinced that this is a vital step in the process of spiritual growth. It's also one that I believe we don't go nearly far enough with.  The enemy is strong, and their arguments make a lot of sense when using conventional wisdom.  We know this is the case. So then, why is it that most of us know absolutely nothing about atheism?  Why do we know nothing about Islam?  Never in the history of war has one side been less prepared to fight an enemy than many of us are today.  It seems that we are very content to stay within our own comfort zone.  We like to hear lessons and scripture that are familiar and light on toe-stepping, and we avoid listening to or reading anything that contradicts our set of beliefs.  We've become La-Z-Boy Christians. Why?  I'm not entirely sure, but I am confident that this is not a Biblical concept. Consider this....if you were suddenly accosted by a smooth talking, educated atheist and asked why you follow Christ, would you have an honest and educated response ready? 

This week's dare is simple - determine your basic, foundational set of beliefs. List out those things that you believe are absolute truth about God and Christianity. Identify them, then read something that contradicts them completely.  Learn what the enemy believes and why he believes it. Challenge your faith. I'll give you a good place to start - http://www.atheists.org/.

I am not afraid to ask anyone who loves God to do this, because I believe that He will bless anyone who is earnestly seeking Him with truth. I've read books by atheists before, including one called "God is not Great" by a man who was formerly a Christian. It was incredibly challenging, but I cannot tell you how beneficial it was for me. I was forced to spiritually start over in several ways, and it grew my faith considerably.   Understand this: there is no wrong in questioning God. We see men do this time after time in the Bible, and God never punishes them for it. Instead, He provides answers and understanding.  We must get ourselves in the habit of this kind of intense spiritual exercise.  If we don't, we're going to be beaten badly when wrestling with the enemy.

And now, for something completely different...

Well, after a brief resurgence, my little blog seems to have gone back into hibernation. I think that the "food" theme hamstrung me a little bit because, while I enjoy cooking, I was a bit too lazy (and hungry) to take pictures and prep blog posts before enjoying the fruits of my culinary labor. Since I enjoy blogging, I think I'm going to try out a format change. This blog will now serve as a repository for the thoughts and feelings I have on a lot of subjects and events as well as a forum to post events and things I enjoy. The food content isn't going away, it'll just be part of the meal instead of the whole course (+1 for food analogy!).So here goes...

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This, friends and neighbors, may well be the most beautiful verse in the Bible. It is a simple, yet poignant end to a portion of a letter Paul penned to the church in Corinth.  Taken on its own, chapter 13 of I Corinthians an incredible and elegant piece of work. When read in context, it becomes something much more. Let's set the stage.

Paul has received word that the church he planted in Corinth is, frankly, a mess.  Outside influences and differences in opinion had reduced the young church's gatherings to chaos and disorder.  It's easy to see why. Corinth served as a major economic hub of the Roman empire as well as the location for the temple of Aphrodite, the Roman goddess of love and sexuality.  Debauchery, sexual promiscuity, and greed were commonplace and accepted in that culture. Needless to say, it would take a good bit of reeducation to teach the new Christians there the principles God wanted them to live by. Also consider that there were likely a few Jewish Christians in attendance who, despite being freed from the old law, still held on to some of the old traditions and procedures they had grown up with. This environment, coupled with a lack of mature leadership and small amount of available information, resulted in some serious divisions and infighting. Brothers were suing brothers, men lived and slept with their stepmothers, chaos ensued during worship, and the Lord's Supper had become a banquet for the rich.  Paul certainly had an uphill climb in front of him. The amazing thing to me is how he goes about correcting them. 

Consider Paul's first words: 

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

Wait, what? He's thanking God for this group of ne'er-do-wells? Surely the Corinthian church thought the same thing when they read his letter. We know there were various warring factions among them, and there's nothing warring factions like more than to hear they were correct and the other side wasn't. So imagine their initial disappointment when Paul doesn't go down that road. In fact, he kind of heads in the other direction.  His next statement is a simple plea to them:

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into^[b] the name of Paul? 

Paul seems to be less than concerned with the arguments they are having and more worried about the consequences of these arguments - division. And this is not a kitchen/no kitchen dispute. They were divided over who to follow! Serious stuff, to say the least. So I find it very interesting that Paul briefly reminds them that they were baptized into Christ, then moves on. I believe that Paul understands the consequences that these divisions would carry, and begs the brothers to avoid them at all costs. If you look at the current landscape of the church, you can see why he was so concerned. Christendom, in its current form, has more sects, denominations, walks, and so on than one could count, none of which seem to be willing to work together on anything.  I don't know much, but I'm fairly certain that this not what Christ envisioned when he prayed that "they all be one."  We have allowed our differences to create the very divisions that Christ and the apostles worked so hard to prevent.  What happened?  The short of it is, we have missed the point.

But wait, some say, these divisions were necessary!  True, many divisions are born of a desire to be doctrinally correct and faithful, and that is certainly an honorable quest.  But consider again the Corinthians. I have never seen or heard of a group of Christians who were more doctrinally torn than these brothers were. I, as most of you know, grew up in the Church of Christ.  I have seen churches split over everything from buildings to small group implementation to worship style, and everything in between. I was encouraged to fortify myself to "defend the faith."  That's great, except to me "defending the faith" meant going to war with Baptists, Methodists, or anyone else who might disagree with my background on any point. We battled over the Lord's Supper, instrumental music, the role of women, and other things of that nature. But not once did I ever encounter any brother or sister who told me they followed someone other than Christ. It seems my battles were a bit petty in comparison. And yet, Paul instructs these warring brothers to unite.  How in the world can people with such deep differences remain one?  Love.  Paul is 100% clear about one thing - love for your brother/sister in Christ trumps everything. It trumps spiritual gifts, hope, wisdom, and faith. Yes, even faith. Now think about this - our love for one another is to be so great that even the biggest, most colossal and seemingly insurmountable doctrinal divide won't overcome it. What does this mean? 

I hope that nobody is offended by what I am about to say. It is not my intent to discredit or attack anyone, but this has been heavy on my heart recently. Brothers and sisters, we have failed.  Thanks to our inability to love one another, we have splintered off into countless groups, warring against each other while weakening our effectiveness in the fight against the real enemy.  We meet exclusively with people who see things the way we do, hold seminars and write books and pamphlets that reinforce our set of ideals, and lash out at those who don't see eye to eye with us. We have taken preferences and made them into law. We have adopted an alarmingly legalistic view of a law that was intended to do away with legalism.  In our fervor to reproduce the processes and procedures of the early church, we have completely lost sight of their greatest trait - they were united in love.  They were more concerned with taking care of each other and excitedly telling friends and family about the amazing power of Christ in their lives than they were debating the pros and cons of having a song during the Lord's Supper. Love reigned in the first century church. Some time after that, it stopped.  One day, I fear, God is going to demand to know how and why this happened, and we're going to have to explain it. 

So then, what do we do? Am I advocating a free-for-all meeting of all walks where anything goes? Of course not.  We are humans with preferences, and it would not be feasible or possible for all of us to meet together.   Unity does not require that we all meet in the same building. It does require that we work together as one. Our love for brothers and sisters in Christ - Christians, regardless of what the church sign says - must outweigh all other things.  This encompasses any disagreement on any subject I might have with another brother or sister with no exceptions.  Imagine the power and influence God's people would wield if we spoke as one body in love. A cord with three strands, as they say, is not easily broken. Love one another, folks. And do yourselves a favor - open that Bible up and objectively relearn your faith. Work it out yourself with "fear and trembling."  Figure out where the line between truth and preferences is, and learn to understand and accept that freedom in Christ begins where preferences do. Love one another, as Christ has loved you.