I wish I had a legitimate case of writer’s block. I don’t. I have been writing madly since I sat down this morning. I just can’t do anything with it. Thankfully, Marlow came to the rescue. I need to get back to compiling the cook-book.

The topics de jour on which I did not want to think too hard wandered far afield. They included Big Jim Hill and the Sherman Anti-trust Act; the contraction of the Italian Economy; the world leaders who will be no-shows at the Climate Summit; Foreign Policy Follies; aggressive and monstrous crimes conducted in the interest of religion.

You know the issues- and there are a lot of them. They frankly make me weary. I saw a nice piece by Roger Cohen in the OpEd section of the Times yesterday he called “The Great Unraveling.” I still read the Times, though I think the paper has come on hard times ethically, and the First Rough Draft of History has become way too ideological for my tastes.

But I think that Cohen has a clear and unblinking view of what is going on in the wide world. It is coming apart.

I am not going to attempt to dissect the manifold problems- that is tiresome, and we have been down that road before. If you get a chance, take a look at the original article and see what you think.

I would be interested in hearing what you think.

Speaking from a personal perspective, there is not a great deal the ordinary citizen can do. I mean, we are not of the Oligarchy or the new secular Clerisy that imposes their will on us.

Of course we can vote, and I do so with religious fervor. It just isn’t going to do much good against the forces that are in motion. There are so many things that are plainly wrong and plainly evil that must be stopped, but the watchdogs have been silenced and the cops are part of the problem.

We are supposed to ignore what is happening right in front of our eyes. There are new taboos that must never be mentioned. We are told never to give offense, even when what we see is obvious and transparent nonsense. The social fabric is tearing at the seams.

That leads one to the inescapable conclusion that we are going to have to take care of ourselves. I have made the prudent preparations I can. Beyond that, I am at a loss for what else I might do. We have talked extensively about the fact that it is probably beyond time to abandon this outpost in Washington- that is on the menu.

The question is where to go? The farm is a start, I suppose, but there is the matter of the winter to come..

I guess we will go from there and see what the rest of life has in store, and whether the whole thing really does unravel. Oh hell, it is. I think we all know that. The question really is just “when.” What I wouldn’t give to have the answer to that one.

In the meantime, Marlow came to the rescue this morning with a superb recipe for
“Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Wild Mushrooms, Andouille and Natural Pan Gravy”

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 people

•4 6-8 oz. Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless – ugh!) (recommend use one big one with skin for two people)
• 1¼ cup Andouille Sausage (or any other good quality smoked sausage), diced small (one spicy one for two people)
• 1½ cup Assorted Wild Mushrooms (Shitakes, Portobello, Oyster, Crimini, etc.), thinly sliced (recommend use baby buttons, if wild one not available)
•½ cup Chicken Stock or Broth (1/4 cup for two people)
• 2 tbsp. Chopped Parsley
• 2 tbsp. Chopped Green Onion (green parts only) (recommend use half a small sweet onion chopped)
• 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme (try ½ tsp thyme powder)
• 1 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Garlic (try 1 tsp for two people)
• Salt, Pepper, Cayenne
• 2 tbsp. Room Temperature Unsalted Butter
•½ cup All Purpose Flour
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil

Method:
Some say “Preheat oven to 475°” (way too hot; try 400° for 30 minutes of cooking). In a large sauté pan, heat half of the olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and cayenne on both sides, dredge in flour and shake off excess. When oil is hot sear the chicken breasts on both sides.

When sufficiently browned, remove from pan, place in a baking dish and put in the oven to finish. Wipe out pan and then add the rest of the olive oil. Add diced Andouille. When fat starts to render, add mushrooms.

When mushrooms start to crisp (about 4-5 minutes), add green onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove fully cooked chicken breasts from baking dish. Place on serving plate.

Place Andouille/Mushroom mixture on top on chicken breasts. In the same pan, deglaze with chicken stock, add thyme sprigs and reduce by ¾.

Take stock/thyme mixture off heat, whisk in the room temperature butter, correct seasoning with salt and pepper, add parsley, stir and then pour over chicken.

Marlow says: “It was a piece of cake to prepare, and last night’s entree was a surprise of spicy tastes balanced by the Pinot Gris’s light fruitiness – a stark contrast to what is going on in the Imperial City and across the world.”

I think, on the whole, Marlow’s approach is the right way to deal with the unraveling of the West.

Copyright 2014 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303