Sam Adams Brown Ale.

I picked up this and a Black Lager from some leftovers from a catered event a few nights ago. Sam Adams is pretty respectable for being a domestic, mass-marketed beer. (I've decided Sam Adams is now my tap beer when eating out when more interesting options are unavailable.) One thing I've always like about Sam Adams is the sheer number of varieties and their consistency.

The Brown Ale was good and nutty without being too filling. It actually reminded me of a nut brown beer from a brewery local to Nashville that was quite good. Until I figure how to get more of that, the Brown Ale will suffice.

As a side note, I always wondered why Doritos changed their flagship flavors from the clearly comparatively superior "Nacho Cheesier" and "Cooler Ranch" to less competitive sounding names, "Nacho Cheese" and "Cool Ranch", respectively. I had the Nacho Cheese a few weeks ago since the local Wal-mart decided to stop carrying the Smokin' Cheddar BBQ, which was by far one of the more superior flavors of chips on the market today. Meh, Nacho Cheese is still just Nacho Cheese. Cool Ranch, on the other hand, is actually different. Doritos must have revamped their formulas because they seem to be lighter and crispier; the flavor is noticeably punchier, not exactly saltier, but more intense without being as heavy as it used to be. Are they better than Cooler Ranch? Well...maybe. Also, "Garden Salsa" Sun Chips are fantastic. They don't really taste like garden salsa but they taste like something good.

Epiphany Grenache Rose 2006.

To be honest, I don't really know what to look for in non-reds. It's palatable but it doesn't carry as much character. Definitely not a standalone. I might want to try cooking with a little bit of it, but it seems like it's too respectable to be used as cooking wine. Eh.

It's no PS.

Pork Quesadillas. Mini.

I had some braised pork defrosting in the fridge for enchiladas this week, and I got a little hungry. Yet another win for corn tortillas over flour tortillas. These are the taco sized ones that you would get at a restaurant (basically normal-sized ones). I bought a big bag (96 count, I think) awhile ago because I like to buy in large sizes and bulk and I thought it would help in portion control better than the giant burrito sized flour tortillas (I used to use two of those compared to usually just three of the corn variety.). They also taste better and are sturdier.

As you can see, I also finally got around to cleaning and re-seasoning my cast iron since I had some carnitas when I first braised this pork. Interestingly, I think the last time I used the skillet was for carnitas as well. Those few months of burnt, greasy food must have helped the seasoning along since it's better than I remember.

A little bit of shredded cheese and shredded pork, done.

The quesadillas are out of focus in this, but it makes the jalapeños look delicious.

Tuna Casserole.

The semester is winding down so I'm trying to consume my consumables. I had way more cans of tuna than I needed so I'd been looking for some way to use them more quickly than mixing a can in a plate of spaghetti every now and then.

• 3 cans of tuna in water
• 1 can creme of chicken
• 1 cup milk
• Half a package of egg noodles, cooked
• A few handfuls of shredded cheese
• Topped with crushed crackers

I had been wanting to make something like that Tuna Helper tetrazzini so I ended up with this. Freezes well too.

Peltier Station Petite Sirah 2005.

When I took my first sip of this, I said, "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN."

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN.

Now that that's out of the way, this only reinforces my growing love for petite sirah. This came from a woot 3-pack and, GD, I wish I had gone in for three instead of one. Characteristically thick and rich, this must be the dark chocolate of wines. It didn't seem as tannic as the Pedroncelli and didn't seem to have as much complexity but was still mild and plummy.

...

I should have gone in for three, argggggh.

Beware.

Baby carrots in liquid (as opposed to gravy) do not freeze well. At all.

Cottage Pie.

A redo on my previous make. This time with baby carrots, corn, onion, and some leftover mushrooms. I only had 3/4 lb. of ground beef for the 9x13 pan which turned out to be a bit skimpy but everything else was in good proportion. Nothing particular interesting about this one other than the fact that it reminded me of those KFC bowls but much healthier.