Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Sunday Afternoon Roast Chicken

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When I was a wee lad visiting grandparents on the Texas Coast, now and again on a Saturday afternoon Ma-Ma (pronounced maw-maw) would walk down the block in Bay City to the corner grocery, replete with wooden floors and swinging screen doors out front that always banged shut behind us, and buy a fresh chicken or two from the cooler in the back.

She and the shop owner would chat about whose farm it came from and how fresh it was; she’d always insist on poking, prodding, and even sniffing the bird to ensure it met her standards. It would be wrapped in white butcher paper that was torn off a roll that seemed to my child eyes to be bigger than me, and then handed over the counter like a treasure.

We’d walk back to the house, she’d liberally salt and pepper it, rub it with a cut garlic clove, then place it in the fridge “to season” overnight, before roasting the next day in a hot oven for what seemed like forever but was just about an hour every time.

We’d fight over the crispy skin and wings, and gobbled with delight whatever piece we were granted at the table later. Damn, that was good.

Roasting chickens at home isn’t rocket science, though we home cooks sometimes try to make it insanely more complicated than it need be; quite frankly none of us really need to deviate from Ma-Ma’s recipe from now over 50 years ago to make great roast chicken at home.

There are a few tips and tricks you need to keep in mind however.

One, you need to track down the best damn bird you can find. Your Sunday Afternoon Roast Chicken deserves more than the tired, mass-produced bird frozen in the poultry bin at your big box grocer; find a farmers market, coop, local farmer, or other vendor who sells real, pasture or yard raised chickens who’ve eaten more than just grain day in and day out (chickens are omnivores you know…). I guarantee that bird will taste more chicken-y that any you’ll find (ever) at the big box.

Drier birds (before roasting) make for crispier skin, so grab your roaster the day before, pat it dry, season to your liking, and throw it in the fridge to let those seasonings work their magic and the skin the dry a bit. I like to truss mine at this point to make the cook even easier.

By the way, you’ll read a ton of recipes that suggest adding vegetables, a bit of stock, or even herbs to the pan when roasting; my chicken mentor thinks that’s a mistake – anything that adds moisture makes for less crispy skin given the steam that’s produced during the cook.

And while a case might be made for a slow cook followed by a blast of heat at the end to crisp up skin, most of the chefs that I pestered for their chicken roasting thoughts suggested just firing the oven to 425 and roasting away (roughly an hour for a 4 pounder) until the meat around the thigh / leg joint is 175-176. Ma-Ma did it that way, and most of us are looking to make the best damn food we can as efficiently (and simply) as possible.

Ma-Ma was always careful to save the rendered chicken fat – you should as well, it’s delicious, and making a pot of homemade stock with the picked bones is child’s play simple.

4-5 pound chicken, see note above about finding the best bird
Great salt
Fresh ground pepper
Spices of your choice

The day before you plan to roast this prime poultry, pat it dry, season it at minimum with salt and pepper, place it on a plate and throw it in the fridge uncovered. Leave it alone, you’re wanting the seasonings to work their slow magic and the skin to begin to dry out (the drier the better for crispy skin).

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425, and slide the bird in on a baking tray for roughly an hour.

Start checking (or use a continuous read, ovenproof thermometer) at about 50 minutes; we’re looking for the temperature at the leg/thigh junction to be about 176 when the bird comes out.

I like to let the bird rest for 10-15 minutes before carving, longer if I’m going to pick the meat for chicken salad, sandwiches, or other recipes, and make damn sure you save both the chicken fat that renders off as well as the bones for stock.

Enjoy.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Older Bolder Links, Reads, Podcasts, Recipes, and More 16 September 2020

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An Eclectic Reading List for the Week: COVID-19, Schooling, American Sports, Farting and More

Has the COVID debacle revealed a stunning productivity conundrum?

Does COVID-19 hit men over 60 harder? The lay story and a deeper look at the data.

Irony of the week: Are statins linked to lower COVID-19 mortality?

Persistent lung damage appears to improve gradually post COVID-19. (Free Medscape account required)

How Mark Sisson would change school.

Opinion: American sports are letting down America.

The health benefits of farting.

Scientists claim to discover the area of the brain that controls sexual desire in men. (And you can’t claim it’s everything between the ears.)

Interesting read on emotional agility.

Podcasts of the Week

How to talk to your kids (or grandkids) about sex and pornography.

Mark Sisson and Tom Bilyeu on living awesome.

Food, Glorious Food

Summer Berry and Ginger Frogurt Bark

Spicy Thai Chicken Zoodles

Digital Detox: An Interesting Anecdotal Story

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A few weeks back I shared that my lovely wife and I were about to undertake a local move here in our little burg north of the DFW metroplex.

We’ve moved a few times during our marriage, almost all long distance moves, and I’ll readily agree with those who have opined over the years that local moves are just as much of a pain in the ass as long distance moves, maybe even more so as you’re tempted to cut corners packing and protecting your goods in transit.

Due to a mixup with our new internet service provider’s scheduling division, we were without home-based, ready access to the online world for nearly a week, which in reality, provided a delightful escape from the onslaught of daily news that we (apparently reflexly) tend to peek at more than we should, as well as from the temptation of easily accessible (and often subpar) entertainment that now and again elbows into an evening.

Despite the disruption of the move, and the physical grind therein, we both found ourselves less distracted and sleeping more restfully with much less digital input during the evenings in particular, and we noted a progressively lessening impulse to “check the latest email or news” on our phones during the day.

There’s been a bevy of information written about doing a digital detox now and again, and I’ve put that topic on the short list to delve into a little deeper in the upcoming weeks.

As I’ve shared before – turn off your damn TV, put your phone down, and get outside on these delightful fall evenings before winter comes a’knockin’.

More to come.

A Break for Moving Week

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We’re taking a break around our camp (and home, and office) this next week to complete a move; we’ll be back on our normal schedule and routine starting the week of the 7th.

My lovely wife and I, and our now adult kids as well, have a fair bit of experience moving; most of our moves in fact have been long distance with several involving a literal traverse of the country. Granted, all but one of those was actually done via professional movers, but the life disruption is pretty much the same whether you’re doing it yourself or not.

This move is a much, much shorter one – across our little town on the outskirts of the DFW metroplex, and we’re in full agreement this morning with those who have proffered over the years that a local move is probably harder than a long-distance move, given the temptation to skimp on packing, yet the demands of safely transporting goods from point A to point B are just about the same as a long distance run.

There’s an interesting story behind our move that I’ll share a few weeks down the road, and very shortly we’ll be producing some cooking videos as well.

Everybody have a kickass week and don’t forget to have some fun.

The Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Summer Berry and Ginger Frogurt Bark

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To no one’s surprise, given that we’re in the “dog days” of summer here in North Texas, it’s been hot as hades most days around our camp, prompting sunrise workouts, zealous hydration, and even a change in our normal summer menu rotation of late.

One of the treats or snacks we’ve been reaching for lately (you could even officially call this one a dessert too) has been this ridiculously simple Summer Berry and Ginger Frogurt Bark. Granted, this isn’t a novel concept, and you’ve no doubt seen something similar before.

For those of you who include full fat dairy in your weekly routine, it’s a great way to find some naturally sweet relief from summer’s pounding heat. We’ve tried it with all sorts of fresh summer fruit, though we keep coming back to this strawberry, blueberry, and ginger – yep, ginger – combination.

Strawberries and blueberries are at their prime these days, and somewhat surprisingly both fruits hold up very well to the (relatively) short window of time they spend in the freezer. The real surprise is how well the fresh ginger pairs with the blueberries – it’s amazing – though my lovely wife doesn’t so much care for it with the strawberries.

You can of course use any fruit that suits you here, though you’ll want to make sure you use fresh fruits and not frozen to finish your frogurt bark, and we like this topped with several tablespoons of unsweetened coconut flakes too (I was out when this batch came together).

This is a great project to do with kids (or grandkids) – the skills required amount to stirring, spreading, and sprinkling chopped fruit around, and whenever we serve this to families with kids (of all ages) it vanishes in a heartbeat.

3 cups unflavored/plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2-4 tbsp honey, maple syrup, your choice of sweetener (optional)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Small pinch of good salt
1/2 to 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced thin
1/2 to 1 cup fresh blueberries
1-2 inches fresh ginger, peeled, chopped small (see note)

Optional
Other fruits of course
3-4 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Line a full sized (home full sized, it’s actually a half sheet in the restaurant world) baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Stir together the yogurt, sweetener of choice if using, and vanilla until well combined, then spread evenly over the parchment paper (you’re shooting for about 1/4-inch thick layer here).

Spread the fruit artfully atop the yogurt base; note that in the example I’ve imaged here, we chose to only add the ginger to the blueberries – ginger and blueberries play really well together. Sprinkle with the coconut flakes if using, the slide into the freezer for at least 3 hours until the yogurt is tight and firm.

Slice or break into pieces and serve promptly; will store in an airtight container or bag for up the 3 months so they say, ours never lasts more than a day or two.

Enjoy.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Older Bolder Links, Reads, Podcasts, Recipes, and More 26 August 2020

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Top of the Fold This Week: Short Power Walks, the Power of Honey, Low Carb / High Fat for Mature Folks, and More

A daily 7-minute power walk cuts the risk of early death by 30%?

Interesting claims that honey is better treatment for coughs and colds than antibx. Here’s the study the article is referencing.

Low carb / high fat diets don’t just work in the young. Here’s the study the article is referencing.

Nifty human study review: IF paired with resistance training maintains lean body mass and helps burn fat.

Interesting read: Remote Work Nationalism.

Interesting COVID-19 Roundup from the Week

There’s been a lot of talk (in some circles) of late about T-Cell immunity in COVID-19; here’s a nice lay review, and the research article it’s based on.

Impressive evidence that IV NAC blocks the inflammatory COVID-19 cascade.

Interesting suggestion that breast milk protects against COVID-19 infection and viral replication.

Podcasts of the Week: Two Worth Your Time

Hugh Jackman on Best Decisions, Daily Routines, The 85% Rule, Favorite Exercises, Mind Training, and Much More.

Q&A time with Brad Kearns is always interesting.

Food, Glorious Food

Sous Vide: Not Just the Hunter’s Best Friend

How caffeine changed the world.

Spicy strawberry avocado salsa – maybe the best salsa recipe we’ve ever posted.

In Praise of Sunrise Workouts

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While I get it that not everyone is at their very best in the early morning, I do suggest to most clients (and anyone else in my circle who’ll listen) that they try a cycle of early morning workouts (if their schedules allow it) at some point during the year.

Here in North Texas during the long, toasty summer rising early to get a workout in before the heat of the day really gets cooking is a no-brainer. We’ve just come through a stretch of days where the highs were running from 100 to 105 or better with the heat index on the worst days north of 110. On those hottest days the morning temps in the low 80s feel pretty damned good.

There’s a city park with a decent network of trails not far from home that’s been my early walking target for much of the summer; the little community in which we live is expanding the park, so there’s been construction ongoing all spring and summer, making the early outings even more enjoyable before the dust and diesel exhaust start flying.

As construction has changed the landscape of the park lately, there’s a parking lot I’ve been looping through right about the time the sun cracks the horizon the past few weeks, and the sun peeking over the horizon has been a great distraction, and timing tool, on these late summer mornings.

Shake up the routine and include some sunrise time before the cooler temps of fall sneak up on us in the next few months.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Spicy Avocado Strawberry Salsa

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Now and again we stumble upon a flavor combination that just works.

It’s usually something that’s more simple than complicated, and often ends up being a riff on some food item that we’ve enjoyed for years and just decided to tweak a bit to see what happens.

Like many of you, we’ve enjoyed our share of fresh fruit salsa over the years. The food pairing that first comes to mind relates to our love of grilled fish tacos, and fish tacos scream for a great, spicy as hell, luscious fruit salsa, along with a mouth-puckering, vinegar-based slaw.

Hailing from Texas, peach salsas tend to dominate the fruit salsa landscape in these parts, but time spend in Western Washington back in the day taught us the potential of fruit salsas based on many other tasty fruits, including juicy summer strawberries.

There are lot of great strawberry salsa recipes floating around out there, though a few weeks ago I started playing around with adding avocado (diced) to a couple of different fruit salsa preps. After a number of tasty but texturally weak attempts, it became overtly clear that a barely ripe, pretty damned firm avocado was needed here, to maintain shape and preserve texture in the salsa mixture but still bring a strong avocado flavor statement to the table.

Adding avocado also calls for more heat (use your pepper of choice, but we like a combination of serrano and jalapeño here) and a bit more lime juice than you might have used before.

My lovely wife fought me for the last spoon of this recipe a few days back (dammit, I’m not kidding about that), and insisted this was the best danged fruit salsa she’d ever imagined.

Hot damn, that’s pretty high praise around our camp. Try this one while summer’s best strawberries are in…

Zest and juice from 2 medium or one large lime
1-2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1/4 tsp (or to taste) good salt

2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled, diced
1/2 large firm avocado, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 medium jalapeño (or serrano) peppers, stemmed, seeded, diced
2/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Optional
Grind or two of fresh ground pepper
Sprinkle of good paprika
Pinch of minced fresh garlic or granulated garlic

Get started by zesting at least one lime and juicing both; combine the honey or maple syrup and salt with the lime juice and set aside.

Now hull and dice the strawberries, dice the onion and jalapeño, and chop the cilantro. Stir all three into the lime juice, coating the strawberries well. Now prep the avocado and stir into the mixture, again coating the ingredients thoroughly with the lime juice.

Add any or all of the optional ingredients, adjust for salt and lime juice, and throw in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to let the flavors meld a bit. Stir once more before serving.

Enjoy, and be prepared to explain why you didn’t make a bigger batch.