Gas Pains

Tom grew up in Milwaukee, bartended in Wauwatosa in the '70s and moved here in 1984.

Commentary, observations and musings about the outdoors, life in general and maybe Tosa politics and personalities will be the order of the day. He savors a lively debate as much as terrific cooking.

Deer Camp Dispatch - Out Comes the Jägermeister

Friends, Hunt'n, Terrific Cooking

More rain this morning - precisely at shooting time.  But not as cold.

Hunting activity seems to have picked-up with more shooting in the distance and from neighboring woodlots.

Sid spied a massive eight point buck this morning - strolling around like he owned the joint and probably aware that he was safe during this weekend's antlerless-only hunt.

Sometimes I think the deer read the regulations.

It's a soup sort of day - dank and damp - so there was homemade soup and buttermilk biscuits for breakfast.

Mennonite, Sid and Lawyer left for home today so it's down to me and Braumeister.  A shorthanded crew.

Per usual the afternoon turned nice - a balmy 53 degrees.  With the exception of distant gunfire it was still and quiet.

I'm sitting in my tree with my thoughts when all of a sudden I am strafed by a couple of robins.  Followed by several more.  And immediately followed by a steady stampede of hundreds of robins - all heading east.  And then it was all over.  The eruption of the State bird was over as soon as it started.  I've never seen anything like it before in my life. 

The still and quiet returns.  I'm soaking-up the way the low light is enhancing the bright yellow leaves of a distant stand of poplar.

At quarter to six I'm jarred from my reverie by the snort of a deer.

Raising my rifle I'm trying to ascertain from where the sound came when the crack of Braumeister's rifle breaks the stillness.

A nice doe is down.

He's off to town now to register it.  When he returns we'll hang his prize in the machine shed to cool.

I  know it sounds screwy - but most deer camps have some screwy traditions.  I'll haul the bottle of Jägermeister from the fridge in the garage and he and I will toss-back a shot.  Then the bottle will be returned and not come back out until the next blood is spilled.

Chorizo Corn Chowder

Courtesy of Chef Andy Mueller

This is a hearty cream soup that can be thrown together quickly or made in advance for serving later.

Have ready:

1 1/2 pounds of chorizo - about one package - cooked, cooled and  diced into large chunks

In a large stockpot, bring to a boil a couple of large cans of low-sodium chicken stock.

Add to the pot:

1 medium onion, diced

4 stalks of celery, diced

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced

Simmer until the potatoes are tender but not mushy

Add to the pot:

Reserved chorizo

3 cups of whole kernel corn (from last year's garden)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1t nutmeg

1t brown sugar

1t fresh cracked pepper

Bring to a simmer and thicken with cornstarch stirred into cold water.  Thicken to suit your personal taste for thickness. Add fresh chopped parsley for garnish and serve. 

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