I Love Rap – You May Not Know Edition

My friend Dave has started a blog called I Love Rap which I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in rap music.

Now I love rap as well and I know a lot of random stuff that the average fan probably misses. I may not know as much as Dave though. He’s the ultimate crate-digger – in all genres, not just rap – and uncovers hidden gems all over the place. And thankfully he’s not a snob at all about it. I’ve been browsing The Tipping Point recently and, using the terminology of that book, I could label Dave a Maven of rap music.

But enough about Dave. This blog is about me me me. And while I’m not trying to start a rap blog I have been wanting to put a few songs out there for a while. And I didn’t get this idea from Dave. Serious. Here’s the timestamp to prove it:

 

The reason it took me so long to get this up here was work and the fact that I have to convert the mp3s to .doc files to get past WordPress upload limitations (you need a premium account to upload mp3s). Without further ado, here are hip hop artists and songs you might not have heard. The purpose is for you to explore further.

MC Solaar – Prose Combat (Prose Combat)

This blog isn’t called LE BLOG for nothing. French hip hop has many high points and Solaar is the best. Prose Combat – the song and the album too – is a wonderful example of throwback hip hop with jazzy beats and effortless flow. It was made in 1994 after all.

Blackalicious – It’s Going Down featuring Lateef the Truth Speaker and Keke Wyatt (Blazing Arrow)

Blackalicious might be most famous in indie circles for that lyrical exercise Alphabet Aerobics. But Blazing Arrow is a delightful album and shows Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel (the producer) have much more to offer. Kind of a J5 feel. I just looked up the credits to the song. It was co-produced by Hi-Tek. Vocals by Keke Wyatt, whose career, according to Wikipedia, “experienced a temporary halt in 2002, however, after she allegedly stabbed her road manager-husband.”

Hieroglyphics – Oakland Blackouts (Third Eye Vision)

Most people know Del tha Funkee Homosapien – he was on Gorillaz I think. And some people may know the uber-classic Hiero cut “You Never Knew.” But this “supergroup” from the West Coast is no one-hit wonder and has a bunch of solid cuts on their album. “Oakland Blackouts” is my favorite and features Opie and Del.

OC – Hypocrite (Jewelz)

I don’t know much about OC. I think he was part of the DITC. But I’ve had this album for a long time and originally picked it up cause every track is produced by DJ Premier. Honestly, OC is not a very good rapper and his lyrics are pretty standard but sometimes you just need someone to get out of the way of Premier’s beat. I mean, if Guru can’t ruin his beats, is there anyone who can? I chose this song because it’s such a different beat – it reminds me of Blade Runner for some reason. The album has some good joints and features Big L and Organized Konfusion.

A.D.O.R. – Let it All Hang Out (The Concrete)

I can’t remember how I learned about this guy but it was pretty recent. I think the album was recorded in 1994 but only recently released. This song screams Pete Rock because he produced it. Classic Pete Rock. Other tracks on the album include production by Clark Kent and Diamond D.

Jedi Mind Tricks -Trinity featuring Louis Logic and L-Fudge (Violent By Design)

I really dig this group. I love the beats. The flow, the style and the lyrics are over the top. A lot of people have problems with rap because of the lyrics. I could care less. It’s not like I’m supporting the views of rappers. I just don’t care what they say. Clever lyrics and good stories can add to a cut and dumb lyrics can take away but at the end of the day it’s the beat and how the rapper uses the beat that makes the song. Anyway, that’s just a long way of saying that these guys have some of the most hateful lyrics I’ve ever heard. It’s almost comical and I would think it was a joke if it wasn’t a common motif through all their songs and albums. If you care.

Middle Virginia

I had occasion to drive into some random parts of Virginia a couple of months ago. My destination was Lake Rawlings and I started out from Norfolk. I did a round trip past Emporia on my way there and took the Petersburg road on the return leg. Initially, I wasn’t too thrilled about a two hour trip at oh-dark-thirty but there’s something immensely peaceful and gratifying about driving along empty backroads in the countryside on a chilly morning. About half an hour or so away from Rawlings, I stumbled across this little gem of a post office that seems a relic from a bygone age:

The road back wasn’t as pretty. Not only was there more traffic… peanut country doesn’t exactly make for beautiful vistas. Thankfully, I stumbled across a great BBQ joint on the way. Cowlings in Waverly, VA.

They have a wonderful chopped pork sandwich. So good I demolished one with great relish and got another to go.

Making Yogurt

I love yogurt. I don’t mean fruit-on-the-bottom cups or that Activia junk that fixes your colon. I mean good old-fashioned plain yogurt. I eat a lot of it and I buy a lot of it. And I’m an idiot for it. There’s no reason to buy yogurt except once because it’s incredibly easy to make. In fact, I don’t even know the right way to do it and it still comes out right every time. Here’s what you need:

- Yogurt

- Milk

You need a spoonful of yogurt as a starter to turn the milk into yogurt. I heat a quart of milk – you can play around with amount of milk but I always use whole milk because it tastes so good – in a big pot until it gets a little warm. My mom told me that the best way to measure when to take it off to heat is to stick your pinkie finger in there and if it’s almost hot it’s ready. While that doesn’t sound very scientific in practice it works. Then you can let it cool down or, if you’re like me, forget to let it cool down. It doesn’t matter. Mix a heaping spoonful (a soup spoon) of yogurt with some of the milk in a bowl. Then add the rest of the milk. Cover with some foil or plastic wrap, put a towel around it (I don’t know why) and stick it in the oven. Leave overnight. Or if you’re like me, forget about it the next morning and take it out after 24 hours. It doesn’t matter. Then put it in the fridge until chilled and enjoy.

The yogurt comes out creamy but not that thick. It’s not runny either but it’s not going to be as thick as what you might get in the grocery. Don’t worry – this is the way yogurt is supposed to be.

Some tips: If the oven is a little warm it helps the yogurt. I try to make yogurt when I’ve used the oven earlier in the evening. The yogurt will be of the same general quality and taste as the starter. If you use Dannon you’ll get Dannon-like yogurt so use a yogurt you like. For the yogurt in these pictures, I used that trendy Greek strained brand that’s all the rage. The quality of the milk is pretty important too – obviously. And use the yogurt you make as the starter for the next batch.

Now… what to do with all that yogurt? Well… usually I just eat it cause I love plain yogurt. But if you’ve been brainwashed into thinking plain yogurt can’t be good – blend it together with some fruit. Add it to some granola – preferably home-made because it’s so much better that way. Make ayran – Turkish yogurt drink. That’s about 1 part yogurt to 1.5 parts water and salt to taste. Make lassi by using mango juice instead of water (and salt). Add chopped cucumber, dill and a bit of water to make a summer soup (drizzle with olive oil and top with an ice cube). Lose the water and add garlic to make a sauce. Marinate chicken breasts with yogurt and garam masala. Strain the yogurt with cheesecloth or a coffee filter and use it like spreadable cheese. Use your imagination.

Yogurt is great.

Winning isn’t Everything

I stumbled across this interesting list of the greatest football/soccer teams in history. I think it was conceived a few years ago and I don’t know who actually came up with it but it was published in a magazine so it’s fun to discuss. The most fascinating aspect of the list is how many teams never won anything. Come up with a list of the top 10 football, baseball or basketball teams in history and tell me if any of them were ever lovable losers. Granted football/soccer is different – national teams have something to play for only once every two years (World Cup every four, continental tournament every four). Still, it’s a great measure of the sport that teams are remembered for how the play and the memories they create as much as for their results.

Two of the top three did not win a title. There was no tournament in 1953 but the Hungary team lost – controversially – in the World Cup final the next year. Holland in 1974 were also losing finalists and in 1978 as well. The fantastic Brazil of 1982 didn’t even make the semi-finals. Even the early 1990s Barcelona side – winners of five straight La Liga titles (I believe) and a European Cup – were humbled 4-0 in another European Cup final (by the number four team in the list, Milan). The #16 team – Denmark 1986 – were bounced in the second round of the World Cup and that very fine team were semi-finalists two years before in the European championships.

The list is as follows. I got it here: http://www.worldsoccer.com/greatest/teams.php .

1 Brazil 1970
2 Hungary 1953
3 Holland 1974
4 Milan 1989-90
5 Brazil 1958
6 Real Madrid 1956-60
7 Brazil 1982
8 Barcelona 1991-94
9 Italy 1934-38
10 France 1998- 2000

11 River Plate late 1940s
12 Ajax 1971-73
13 Bayern Munich 1974-76
14 Celtic 1967
15 France 1984
16 Denmark 1986
17 Real Madrid 1998
18 Totttenham 1961
19 Liverpool 1977
20 Manchester United 2000

I don’t have too many complaints about it. The Ajax and Bayern sides of the 70s seem a little low. A slight British bias might be in effect for 11-20 but to be fair I don’t know much about those Celtic and Tottenham sides. German fans might be a little peeved that their national team – three times winner of the World Cup, four times runners up – don’t show in the list but it would be hard to pick any of those teams. And while the 1999 United side won the treble there were other teams that decade – European champions Ajax and Juventus come to mind – that were arguably better. But that’s what lists are for…

Movies – Summer 2009

Here’s a recap of the films I’ve watched in the past couple of months.

Scent of a Woman – Part of the Al Pacino’s transition from acting to shouting. It’s a happy medium in this film.
Milk – Fairly interesting biopic. I know it’s about Harvey Milk but they really downplayed the mayor getting shot at the end.
The International - Feels like it takes place in an alternate universe. Awful.
Defiance – James Bond as a Jewish resistance fighter. Straddles the thin line between pedestrian and entertaining.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – I barely watched half of this. Definitely should have been a straight-to-DVD release.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil – I really dislike John Cusack as an actor. I think it’s the way he dresses.
Point Break – I didn’t expect much but it was much more entertaining than I expected. Keanu delivers again.
Basic Instinct – Sharon Stone and her amazing body.
Enemy of the State – I’ve always loved this movie. Just a solid thriller with a lot of random semi-famous people in it. Apparently the guy who did this – Tony Scott – is the younger brother of Ridley Scott.
Dragonlance – Laughably bad animated movie. I read these books when I was a kid but I’m not sure why I kept watching this.
Casino Royale – Stands up pretty well to rewatching.
Bourne Identity – The Bourne movies are the standard when it comes to action movies in the past decade.
Bourne Supremacy – Typically considered the weakest of the trilogy but it’s like the ribeye to the filet and strip steak of the other two.
Vali – Decent Turkish movie about a governor trying to protect his region from an evil multinational corporation. I doubt there’s an English translation out there. Don’t worry. You’re not missing much.

Ahmeds and Mohameds oh my

There’s a legend that says George Foreman named all of his children George. Who knows if it’s true and I don’t feel like looking it up. But if it’s true a dark nightmare lies in the simple parental process of identifying an individual. Who comes running when you say George?

The manager of the Egyptian national football team has a similar problem as the great boxer/entrepreneur. He manages a squad of 22 where two names are shared by fourteen players. It is one thing to juggle all of them in practices and kickarounds but divulging instructions during the course of a game must be a task impossible.

In Egypt’s final game in the Confederations Cup, the African champions were walloped by three goals to none by the United States. Their named squad of 22 players had nine Ahmeds and five Mohameds. Seven of the 14 were in the starting 11 and two further Ahmeds joined the game as substitutes – although an Ahmed gave way for each new one. They were also missing their top player Mohamed Zidan (which may explain their lack of goals if not the result) so there was a tantalizing potential for 15 Ahmeds and Mohameds in the team! If nothing else, we can safely conclude Ahmed and Mohamed are the two most popular names in Egypt.

For your perusing pleasure, here is a full list of the Ahmeds and Mohameds.
——————
Ahmed Fathi (started)
Ahmed Faraq (started)
Mohamed Aboutrika (started)
Mohamed Shawky (started)
Ahmed al Muhamadi (started)
Ahmed Eid (started)
Ahmed Abdelghany (started)
—————–
Ahmed Hassan (substitute – mistakenly identified as Hassan Ahmed on some reports)
Ahmed Saidi (substitue)
—————–
Mohamed Sobhy (unused substitute)
Ahmed Kairy (unused substitute)
Mohamed Homos (unused substitute)
Ahmed Raouf (unused substitute)
Mohamed Abougrisha (unused substitute)

How the Turkish Super Lig was Won

In case you haven’t heard, Besiktas are champions of the Turkcell Super Lig this year. You probably haven’t heard unless you have some Turkish blood in you because, well, 1. The Turkish league isn’t that high profile, especially in the English-speaking world and 2. Besiktas don’t make as many headlines as Fenerbahce or Galatasaray do internationally. No worry for fans of the team with the black and white stripes as the club won its first title in six years and the first of beleagured chairman Yildirim Demiroren’s tenure. The league success was coupled with a triumph in the Turkish Cup to make this a great double for a team with perhaps the most passionate fans in Turkey.

The league was still in doubt on the final day with three teams theoretically in with a shout though only Sivasspor had a realistic chance of overhauling Besiktas. Besiktas played away to relegation-threatened Denizlispor and won a potentially tricky game rather comfortably despite conceding a late goal to make it 2-1. Sivas had a difficult match away to Galatasaray who needed a win to guarantee a berth in the Europa League next year. A win for Sivas and a loss for Besiktas would have meant a spectacular title celebration in small Sivas but the exact opposite occurred as Sivas lost in an entertaining game. In fact, the top six all stayed in the same places as Fenerbahce beat Trabzonspor with a last-second goal to condemn the Black Sea side to third (a win by Trabzon would have seen them into the Champions League) and retain Fenerbahce’s advantage in fourth place over rivals Galatasaray due to goal difference. Bursaspor in sixth place were denied extracurricular activities in the upcoming season despite being the best side (in terms of points) in the last 15 games.

Add the scrum at the bottom for the last relegation spot and you have a fascinating end to the season. Konyaspor went down despite finishing level on points with Genclerbirligi and Denizlispor and having a better goal difference. But the deciding a three-way tie requires looking at the matches among those teams and unfortunately for the city of the whirling dervishes they had poor results against the wrong teams this season. Konyaspor joins Hacettepespor and Kocaelispor, both of whom had known their destiny for several weeks, in the Bank Asya 1. Lig next year. Diyarbakirspor will join the Super Lig to give south-eastern Turkey some representation. Manisaspor (champions of the 1.Lig) and Kasimpasaspor accompany them.

As for Besiktas, it’s no secret why they won. They simply had the best manager. I personally thought it was a poor and classless move to bring in Mustafa Denizli early in the season to replace Ertugrul Saglam (who later masterminded Bursaspor’s incredible late-season push). The early results showed little change in fortune but a terrific 2009 earned Besiktas the league and allowed Denizli to add an incredible accomplishment to his CV: he has now managed Besiktas, Fenerbahce AND Galatasaray to titles in his career. He brought in a couple of new players in the transfer period and began to mold his own squad. Fabian Ernst was perhaps the key to the equation as the German, sacked at Schalke, had a great half-season and lent solidity to the spine of the team. And honestly, though Besiktas never played that well, they earned the results and that’s how they won the title.

Interestingly, Besiktas played poorly against the rest of the top five. Seven points (and one win) in eight games is a terrible return and if you add sixth-placed Bursa they earned only nine points in ten games. It’s difficult to read into this but I think it shows a relative lack of quality in the squad (as evidenced by their inability to win against other good teams) as well as a terrific coaching job (as evidenced by the fact the team were motivated to play hard and beat the ’small’ clubs). One and half years removed from a humiliating 8-0 loss to Liverpool (although they had beaten them 2-1 the week before) Besiktas will need a facelift to compete in the Champions League next year. Denizli has already demanded a raise and the power to enact that facelift and surely Besiktas will fare better with him in charge than anyone else at the moment.

If the league were the top five teams

Joining them in the Champions League (at least in the qualifying stages) will be tenacious Sivasspor. While it may be difficult to swallow the lack of a title this year, it was still a tremendous season. The team seemed on the verge of imploding when manager Bulent Uygun did everything but physically attack a referee at the end of a game about ten weeks back. In the finest tradition of Turkish football, he followed it up with a scathing and unwarranted rant during the post-game interviews and every pundit thought that his team would lose the plot just as their manager had. But Sivas kept grinding out results and the Champions League is their reward. Imagine the excitement if they actually make the group stages. Even if they get drawn against the fourth place team of one of the top leagues, it is not beyond their reach. Sivas are virutally unbeatable at home (13 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss this year) and few teams would relish a trip to the foothills of Anatolia.

Trabzon, Fener and Galatasaray will have to content themselves with the bloated experiment known as the Europa League. It’s no secret why Trabzon failed to reach greater heights. Zero wins against the top five teams and a truly pathetic five points from eight games. Ersun Yanal has been shown the door and it’s difficult to see them improving next year despite some exciting talent in the Brazilian Alanzinho and youngster Baris Memis. Still, like Sivas, third place cannot be seen as too great a disappointment for such a thin squad and they were close to the top for much of the season.

Meanwhile, Luis Aragones has been shown the door at Fenerbahce. He achieved the exact opposite results as Mustafa Denizli. A single loss (at Sivas) led to 17 points in eight games against the top five including a double over Besiktas. However, awful results against the rest of the league and a loss to that same Besiktas team in the Cup final saw him meet his doom. Dani Guiza, tipped by many as the most disappointing player of the season, hit late-season form which may see him leave Fenerbahce for the right price. Aragones is not the first high-profile manager too last a single season in Turkey and he won’t be the last. The board have brought back Christoph Daum, architect of recent Fener success, in an attempt to right the ship.

As bad a season as Fener had, Galatasaray had it worse. It’s confusing how this squad squandered so much talent – even with its many injuries. There was a distinct lack of concentration under both Michael Skibbe and his eventual replacement Bulent Korkmaz. At no time during the season did the team put together the type of display expected of their squad. The high point of the season was a last-minute victory against Bordeaux (who were without Gourcuff) in the UEFA Cup but the only reason they needed a last-minute performance was because they squandered a 3-1 lead at home. A 4-1 defeat away to Fenerbahce and a 5-2 loss at home to mighty Kocaelispor were only two of the many lowlights. Next season should see them stronger although there may be concerns if Arda Turan, Servet Cetin and Mehmet Topal decide to try their hand in other European leagues. Frank Rijkaard has been brought in to lend some profile and hopefully some management nous but the construction of their new stadium is taking place at exactly the wrong economic time.

And so a fascinating Turkish domestic season had drawn to a close. The national team disappointed after a magical run in Euro 2008 and the clubs disappointed even more on the European stage. Still, the league this year had an additional sparkle with the type of deep competition that few leagues see in the modern age. Fifteen years ago, Turkish football had the quality of provincial kickabouts but since then the national team has reached the semifinals of two major tournaments, Galatasaray has won the UEFA Cup and Fenerbahce has reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League. While disappointing on face level, seasons like this show deep promise for the future. More clubs are developing more quality and it is sooner than later that Turkish clubs will be consistent and lasting impact in international competition.

Notorious

I haven’t been getting any value out of my Netflix account thanks to this movie and Milk. Both movies I feel like I should watch so I don’t send them back but I kept holding off on them so long that I wondered why they were in my queue in the first place. As I was watching this movie, I glanced over the production credits for Born to Die, which really is, despite all the hype, a fantastic album. I’d never looked at the credits before and was mildly surprised to see that some guy named Easy Mo Bee produced half the tracks. I’m a big hip hop fan but I don’t know all the producers like I should and I’d definitely never heard of this guy. Then I tried placing him in the film and I couldn’t figure him out. A quick search revealed that he’s not in the movie. What the hell? Surely a guy who produced Biggie’s first single and half his classic album should be in the biopic. Apparently, Puffy has some sort of beef with him and that’s just stupid.

So you can’t take this movie seriously as a biopic because of bull like that and as entertainment it’s only as good as the songs. The main guy does a pretty good job of rapping but really I would have preferred a solid, independent documentary with the original tracks as the soundtrack. The other thing that’s weird is that the music is by Danny Elfman. Huh? Pretty cool effects on the end credits though.

Barcelona beats United

This is the way it was supposed to happen. The ultimate justification of the way football should be played. The most exciting and breath-taking team crowned as champions of a continent. For both the casual fans who gorge themselves on youtube highlights and the elitist purists, the right team won. For the good of the game, the right team won. The triumph of good over, well, not really evil but the triumph of good nevertheless.

Barcelona’s victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final didn’t have the same good versus evil overtones as their semifinal clash with Chelsea but surely everyone outside of Manchester and Madrid were pulling for the Catalan aesthetes. Beyond the first ten minutes, Barcelona dominated the game and ensured the Champions League winner was truly the best of the continent. This wasn’t a back-to-the-walls situation for United but it may have been more dispiriting and embarrassing than even that. Barcelona displayed a type of class that made United look like they didn’t belong in the game. Excepting the opening stages when he looked monstrously unstoppable, Cristiano Ronaldo did almost nothing save commit a few fouls. He didn’t even have much chance to display his patented pout. Wayne Rooney was rendered completely anonymous and second-half substitute Carlos Tevez, described often as an insatiable bulldog, was toothless.

United were theoretically in the game until Barcelona’s second but any objective observer could see it would take a miracle for United to score. The disappointment of United’s attack was compounded when you consider the makeshift Barcelona defense. Sylvinho – in his first Champions League final at a tender 35 years of age – deputized at left-back for the suspended Eric Abidal. Carlos Puyol, a regular centre-back, played as a right full-back and was one of the stars of the game as he shut down United’s left flank and ventured dangerously forward several times. In the center, Gerard Pique – surely fourth choice at the beginning of the season – partnered Yaya Toure, a central midfielder. United finished with Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov on the field but perhaps what they were missing was a battering ram type of striker. The type of striker like Didier Drogba who disconcerted Barcelona so much more often than United’s foursome.

The major story going into the game was the Ronaldo versus Messi debate. I belong to the school who thinks the title of ‘Best Player in the World’ should belong to a midfielder not an attacker but it was a legitime topic of argument. Surely, Messi will win the plaudits this year after a lovely goal for the winning team but I would contend neither is the best player on their team. Wayne Rooney is the man who makes United tick and Barcelona’s strings are pulled by Xavi and Iniesta. For all the praise that’s showered on this duo – Xavi was selected player of the game – it’s not nearly enough. They form the spine of the European champions in both club and country competition. In retrospect, it’s laughable that anyone would think Michael Carrick, Anderson and Ryan Giggs could hold their own against them. Perhaps, as has been suggested, the inclusion of Darren Fletcher and his brand of steel could have made a difference but surely that would have just pushed Xavi and Iniesta to another level.

And that’s the most astonishing aspect of this game. For all the greatness of this United team, it looked like Barcelona could have gone several gears higher if necessary. Their style may not actually have higher gears – after all, we didn’t see any against Chelsea – but their passing and their movement looked almost languid and effortless at times. It looked like they were taking a stroll in the park and United could have been a West Brom or a Racing Santander for all anyone cared. It is utterly shocking that the Premier League champions were unable to win the ball back from their opponents when they were chasing the game. The early goal helped but the Barcelona victory seemed as routine as a scrimmage against their B team. There was no doubt who was superior in this match.

Barcelona denied United the opportunity to be the first repeat European champions since 1990 – before even the inception of the Champions League. The future of this team is bright and they will surely challenge in Europe for several years with these players. There are very few holes although the depth of the squad could be shored up. Barca were lucky this year as none of their top players suffered important injuries but there are younger players like Bojan, Caceres and Brusquets, who was preferred over Keita and put in a very accomplished performance, ready to make the team better. And surely you can expect a club like Barcelona to make a splash or two in the transfer market.

Meanwhile, United have some decisions to make. Many of their supporters will consider it a wildly succesful season despite the disappointment of the final in Rome. A World Club Cup and a Carling Cup are nice trophies to hang alongside their 18th league title, tying bitter rivals Liverpool for most in English history. They too have a number of youngsters who look ready to make the leap but questions remain. Right back has been a concern all year although Rafael da Silva and the return of Wes Brown may be enough to fill that void. The major issue is at the top of the field. For all their attacking options, it has been United’s defense that has brought their success this season. Berbatov has been a colossal disappointment and the future of Tevez is in doubt. It will be fascinating to see how United retool and frightening to think how much better they can become.

So this was a final against the two best teams in Europe who will undoubtedly improve next year. The game was never edge-of-the-seat exciting but the sheer quality of Barcelona was enough to please the most cynical of neutrals. There are some games you will never forget. The Liverpool-Milan clash in Istanbul is a prime example. Then there are some teams you will never forget. Teams that mark their place in history like lions in the wild. Teams that people will write about in books decades from now. Teams that make the sport wonderful to watch. Barcelona this year was one of those teams.

Do it Yourself Food

I’m a big fan of food. I cook most of my meals so I get a lot of opportunity to experiment and expand my repertoire. Lately, I’ve been on a kick making food that I would usually get prepared from the store. It turns out that making a lot of prepared foodstuffs is actually pretty easy. Add the decreased cost (in the long run) and the ability to control the ingredients and do-it-yourself food becomes an obvious choice. Here’s a list of great and easy foods to make yourself that I’ve made recently.

Note: I’m not including yogurt on this list even though home-made yogurt is delicious. It’s just that I haven’t made it recently. Other easy and tasty home-made foodstuffs I haven’t made recently include jam and mayonnaise.

1. Pancakes – I was down in Charlottesville a few weeks back and stayed with my friends E____ and B____. They made some amazing breakfast one morning, punctuated with scratch pancakes. I got the recipe and dominated a later breakfast at home cause they’re so easy to make. Just google pancake recipes and you’ll see how easy it is – goodbye Bisquick!

2. Pickles – Well, this one was a bit of a failure because I ended up making bread and butter pickles… which I really don’t like. But it was so easy to make (just boil some vinegar and water and spices then pour over some cukes) that I’ll be making the salty kind of pickles soon enough. By the way… who wins in a throwdown between salt and sugar? I’ll put my money on salt but sugar has been really sneaky lately.

3. Honey Roasted Almonds – Alright, so this isn’t something I get too often but I noticed I had a lot of almonds lying around so I whipped together a quick and tasty snack. These are real addictive and not too good for you because of all the sugar involved.

4. Granola – Is granola the king of homemade food? I love the stuff. And the granola I make at home is so much better than any granola I’ve ever bought. It’s so simple too: Combine oats and nuts and whatever else with brown sugar, maple syrup and oil and bake for a bit. I find almonds to be a must in any granola but you can add whatever you want. My favorite combo so far has been almonds, hazelnuts, banana chips and coconut. I got knocked at work the other day because I was eating granola for breakfast and this retired sergeant major was wolfing down biscuits with sausage gravy and a whole bunch of other stuff… but damn I bet they’d all be singing a different tune if they’da had my granola.