Schmaltz

HAPPY NEW YEAR. The person who invited me to dinner tonight back on Sunday has been out-of-pocket for three days now.  I bought chicken instead.  I baked the breasts, wings, and everything else except for the four leg quarters.  The leg quarters I cooked with fresh onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, along with sea salt, pepper, etc. Once the quarters were cooked I cooled them enough to debone the meat and added it back to the stock.  I added cold water to shock the liquid, and then used frozen bread to soak up the schmaltz.  "Schmaltz is rendered chicken or goose fat used for frying or as a spread on bread in German, Austrian, Polish, and, by historical extension, Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine." Once cleaned this way there is still some schmaltz, but just enough to really make the drop dumplings taste wonderful.  Good comfort food for a day which was cold enough for me to make it a nero day.  I did some walking down at the river, however, no mileage really either.  I thought about the trail today and days that might/will be cold and the only way for me to keep warm will be to keep walking. I also thought about the lava fields in Washington state on the PCT, and its heat and lack of water.  I also thought about the need of mine to have some coffee daily on the trail as a morale boost and using the coffee press which comes with the JetBoil stove.  Hopefully, QuikTrip will eventually sponsor me with at least coffee; meanwhile, I at least dream a small dream towards the large dream's fruition.  It is going from late to really late so I bid you good-night.

Happy New Year.  Remember, Peace; It’s all good.  Hans