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As the rest of the country watches Republican infighting for the GOP presidential nomination, Alexandria has become a battleground for Democrats bent on a new direction for the city.
Alexandria's city council, which including the mayor has a 5-2 Democratic majority, doesn't tackle hyper-partisan issues like abortion or gay rights. But the city's political landscape is shifting over municipal issues like development and transportation.
And it's not just the two parties that are divided — the waterfront redevelopment vote split along party lines — but local Democrats as well.
That's why 11 non-incumbent Democrats have declared city council bids, meaning 13 candidates will vie for just six seats in the June primary. One former Democratic politician, Andrew Macdonald, has hinted at challenging Mayor Bill Euille as an Independent.
A new political activist group, Democrats for a Better Alexandria, has sprouted out of discontentment with elected officials. The organization is mostly comprised of card-carrying members of the local Democratic Party.
"There's a growing gulf between the city and the citizens," said Jack Sullivan, DBA's founder and an outspoken opponent of the waterfront redevelopment plan. "The notion is maybe we should look at who's getting on council and improve the quality of governance."
Yet splits among local Democrats have little to do with adhering to party values. Even DBA, a political organization, lists traditionally nonpartisan issues as its major concerns: land use, traffic and transportation, open space, affordable housing, and government transparency, efficiency and civility. DBA will endorse and support candidates based on these issues, Sullivan said.
Democrats have no categorical stance on waterfront redevelopment, for instance, yet they all voted to implement it last month. Republicans Frank Fannon and Alicia Hughes voted against the plan, though its pro-commerce tint was seemingly Republican in character.
So how much does party affiliation matter at the local level?
Alexandria Democratic Committee chairman Dak Hardwick said votes like the waterfront plan are "political, not partisan."
"It has less to with the people voting and more to do with the people speaking," Hardwick said. "Think about the very public opponents of the waterfront and try to assign a party label to each of them. It's impossible to say all Democrats are for it or all Republicans are against it."
The ADC certifies candidates but does not endorse them.
Macdonald, former vice mayor, said he doesn't know what it means to be a Democrat in Alexandria anymore, which is why he'll run as an Independent if he chooses to challenge Euille. It's not a particular party value that upsets him about the administration, it's city council's homogony, he said.
"I think that it needs to be more heterogeneous," Macdonald said. "I just think it's not that good when one party or one group dominates the political system. We've created a power structure that's unfortunately not in sync with the community."
Despite discontentment, Hardwick said there's no real fissure within the local Democratic Party over its values. Indeed he is ecstatic about having a crowded field of Blues running in the primary because competition ensures quality.
"Once the voters make their choice, we're going to step up our game and elect six Democrats to this council," Hardwick said confidently.
The city's municipal elections, formerly held in May, will coincide with the November presidential election for the first time. With voter turnout expected to trump the last council election by more than 50,000, Hardwick may not be far off.


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[From Credit Union Times]
Virtual Reality Comes to Ohio Credit Union
Beam Up the Cash, Scotty
By Missy Baxter
July 24, 2013
The latest technology popping up in credit unions seems almost as futuristic as Star Trek's holodeck.
Imagine having a real-time conversation with a life-size, 3D image of a credit union staffer who can answer questions about everything from car loans to savings rates. Plus, throw in theater-quality sound and eye contact.
That might sound a bit like science fiction, but members at the $194 million MidUSA Credit Union in Middletown, Ohio, will soon be able to tap into telepresence video communication that utilizes 3D technology and real-time video to enable members to engage in virtual meetings with credit union staff in different locations, said James Miles, president/CEO of the 17,900-member MidUSA.
Miles said MidUSA recently inked a deal with Naples, Fl.-based Buffalo Pacific LLC to become the first credit union in the United States to deploy high-definition 3D OmniSuite technology. The manufacturing partner is Plano, Texas-based Telepresence Technologies LLC.
"The real-time 3D video communications experiences transmitted through the OmniSuites are of such quality that they appear to be real life, and they give members the feeling of sitting across the desk from our expert staff," he explained. "With this technology, we will be able to improve the level of service that we have to our members. For example, if a member walks into an office, they want to conduct business right then, rather than scheduling an appointment for later. This technology will allow members in any branch to immediately talk with the MidUSA expert they need."
Miles said MidUSA is in the process of installing OmniSuites in its Kettering and Middletown Plaza branches
The credit union's decision to deploy the innovative technology was based on increasing member demand for convenience and consumer confidence in video technologies such as Skype and Google Hangouts, Miles added. Although video conferences provide some benefits, Miles said, they don't offer members the same type of experience and engagement provided by OmniSuite's cutting-edge technology, which features enhanced audio and video fidelity, compared to typical video conferencing
"The OmniSuite technology provides a member experience that is magical and timely," Miles said. "We think this technology is especially exciting for our members who work with our investment and mortgage experts. This will give MidUSA the ability to better serve our members with the various subject matter experts we have on staff, and remove the obstacles of time and travel."
Miles said MidUSA will begin testing OmniSuite with their investment advisor, and also plans to use the technology to communicate with employees and to educate members.
"This will allow the investment adviser to have less down time than they would if they were driving during the business day between our six offices to meet customers," he said. "We can also use it to conduct mortgage workshops and other educational programs for members."
David Allen, chairman and CEO of Buffalo Pacific, said that selecting MidUSA to launch the state-of-the-art OmniSuite technology was a natural because he is a member of MidUSA and familiar with their operation.
"MidUSA is rightfully excited to be the first credit union in the country to deploy the OmniSuite technology as it has the power to completely rewrite the member experience in branch by providing a virtual "presence" of MidUSA experts, which truly creates boundless relationships," he said. "OmniSuite technology allows credit unions to enhance relationship value and depth while better utilizing staff and location resources. Allen, who is credited on Wikipedia as a pioneer of telepresence technology, said the OmniSuite technology utilizes six registered U.S. patents, and is designed to create personalized relationships between a credit union and its members.
Unlike video conferencing online from a laptop, Allen said, telepresence technology offers many benefits such as virtual full-eye contact and life-sized images with theater quality sound.
"Other technologies are good at showing you the person, but a telepresence allows the person to physically be in the room," he added. "With full-eye contact, trust is developed and soon the member feels as if a routine conversation is occurring right across the desk. It's a member experience like no other and allows the credit union expert to deliver on-demand service."

subset: commoncrawl


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The recently announced plan by state Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, to evaluate SB 221 — the law governing the state's renewable-energy and energy-efficiency mandates — could be an excellent idea. In my view, if citizens and political leadership throughout Ohio were to call for more public policy evaluations, less money would be wasted on inefficient and ineffective policies and programs. Also, levels of trust in government would be higher, and we as corporate and individual citizens would be richer and happier. But public policy evaluations are a good idea if, and only if, they are designed thoughtfully and conducted in a transparent, honest, thorough and impartial way. Best practices for policy evaluation are widely known and taught in graduate programs and courses in public policy throughout the country. They prescribe an explicit, systematic and fact-based approach to the full range of evidence about not only total costs, but total benefits as well as effects on overall efficiency, demand and alternative energy resource provision. For Sen. Seitz's evaluation to follow best practices, it will have to start by making its purpose and objectives clear and direct. It will explicitly stipulate the full range of standards or expectations written into the policy, and against which the evidence will be evaluated. It then will systematically and impartially gather evidence as to whether the relevant outcomes or effects of the policy have met these standards or expectations. The initial compliance year for SB 221's phased-in requirements was 2009, so a full evaluation is somewhat premature. It will take longer than this for firms acting in response to the legislation to formulate new plans, assemble capital, select locations, develop supply chains, build industrial plants, and the like. Only once the complete industrial responses to the enacted law have become fully operational will the full benefits become discernable. Nevertheless, it undoubtedly will be possible to gather a great deal of information and evidence already from similar policies in other states, national statistics, academic research, and consultation with stakeholders. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy's Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) at North Carolina State University can provide a wealth of useful information about the history and effects of similar policies in other states. Also, it will be important to include a thorough review of the growing body of state-of-the-art research about similar policies available in high-quality academic research journals such as Energy Policy, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews and The Electricity Journal. While a responsible evaluation of SB 221 could bring significant potential benefits for Ohioans, were an evaluation done shoddily — or as a political tactic, or in a biased manner designed to help create a façade of legitimacy for the preconceived positions of those with vested interests in maintaining the status quo — it could do a real disservice and possibly cause considerable harm. An irresponsible evaluation of SB 221 could, among other things, have the effect of misleading people who are uneducated or misinformed about the policy, causing them to believe in falsehoods. It could, under the guise of objectivity, effectively prevent the public from knowing the truth about the energy future and circumstances we in Ohio currently face. It could help companies with entrenched interests in the status quo make enormous profits from greedy schemes that disregard the value of public-mindedness, or of the effects on future generations. It could divert time, energy, attention and resources that would otherwise be available for things that are real, such as health care, school funding, and the state budget. And by reinforcing the public's belief that politicians are self-interested and beholden to special interests, it could tend to degenerate and further erode some of the bedrock values upon which our democracy is based. In principle, the idea of evaluating SB 221 is an excellent if possibly somewhat premature one. But at the same time, I encourage everyone involved to inform themselves about best practices for the design and conduct of policy evaluation, to understand the purpose and objectives of the legislation, and to make sure that its evaluation is intelligently designed, impartially conducted and accurately reported at every step along the way.
Guest Blogger
Sure, let's re-evaluate Ohio's green energy law -- as long as we do it right


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Puzzle Categories
Download a FREE Solution for your puzzles!
Knockdown Dice Tower - Elemental Earth
Object | Tumbles the dice for you and stops them from scattering. |
Brand | Blue Panther LLC |
Type | Game Accessories |
Dimensions | 3 in x 3 in x 6 in / 8 cm x 8 cm x 15 cm |
Packaging | Plastic Bag |
Read reviews, and write your own!
Product Info
Featuring "elemental" artwork.
The tower stands 3x3x6 inches (approx 8x8x15cm) and has a "boot" extension of 2 inches (approx 5 cm) where the dice are corraled by an external baffle.
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Knockdown Dice Tower includes three internal baffles to ensure that your die rolls are truly random. Portable, quick, sturdy, cheap, customizable - the perfect dice tower for all gamers.
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Cheesy Amazing Mexi-Rice
Caramelized cheese.
Oh, you want to know more? I found this recipe on Pinterest and the 'caramelized cheese' part pretty much sold me right away. If you're thinking "what exactly is caramelized cheese?" then you are in for a treat! You know when you make a grilled cheese sandwich and some of the cheese leaks out of the bread and sizzles on the pan, forming a salty, smoky, crusty piece of bonus cheese deliciousness? That is caramelized cheese, and it's amazing.
This rice is going to knock your socks off because it is literally coated in caramelized cheese. You get some of that smoky, cheesy flavor in every bite. I know I'm dwelling on the cheese, but there's lots of other great stuff in there too. Tomatoes, green peppers, black beans, olives, corn and chicken round this dish out and give it hearty Mexican flavors. The cheese is what sets this rice apart though. It does take some time for the cheese to caramelize (about 40-45 minutes total), but since you are absolutely not allowed to stir it more often than once every 5 minutes, you can do other things at the same time. The only problem is that you'll be able to smell it and it smells incredible. I can't believe I made it 45 minutes without diving face first into the pan.
I added chicken breast and black beans to make it heartier because I wanted to eat it as a main course, but if you'd prefer to serve it as a side dish or make it vegetarian it would be just as delicious without the chicken. If you serve it as a side dish you can simply halve the nutrition information and make fourteen ½ cup servings. To view your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, click here!
I frequently look forward to eating my leftovers, but I think I felt extra excitement about these. It's all in the cheese.
Cheesy Amazing Mexi-Rice
- 4 cup cooked brown rice, I cooked mine the day before to save on prep time – recommended!
- 6 oz (about 1 ½ cup) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced small
- 1 (14.5 oz can) petite diced tomatoes in their juices
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, I used frozen right out of the freezer
- 1 (2.25 oz can) of sliced black olives, minced
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (I used a rotisserie breast) – *omit if making this vegetarian*
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- In a large (really large) bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix together with a large spoon until thoroughly combined.
- Bring a large nonstick sauté pan (what I used) or cast iron skillet (do not use a stainless steel pan) over medium heat and add the rice mixture, spreading it out across the bottom of the pan. Let it sit and cook that way in five minute intervals, stirring in between. Do not stir more frequently than every five minutes – you are waiting for the cheese to caramelize before scraping it off the bottom of the pan! Scrape the cheese off the bottom and stir it in every five minutes for 35-45 minutes (I did the full 45).
8 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com) slightly adapted from The Kitchn


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One of the big commercial traditions for American sports champions is the trip to Disney World for the winner of the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player award. LB Malcolm Smith, the Seahawks unlikely winner, was the first defensive player to win the award since Disney began the tradition with the Super Bowl in 1987.
He was flown from New Jersey to Orlando Monday and was part of a parade honoring him after his nine tackles, fumble recovery, pass defense, special-teams tackle and 69-yard interception return in the second quarter that put the Seahawks ahead 22-0 as part of the 43-8 dismantling of the Denver Broncos.
As part of the tradition, Smith did the spontaneous video on the MetLife Stadium field with an exuberant appreciation of the trip. The theme song, "When You Wish Upon a Star," was sung by by Idina Menzel, star of the movie "Frozen." Menzel recorded the vocal track in New York City Jan. 26 and it was paired with the orchestral track recorded the previous week at London's famed Abbey Road Studios.
Smith had a hero's welcome parade at Magic Kingdom park down Main Street, U.S.A., and found numerous Twelves celebrating the win.
This latest commercial is the 47th of a series that began in 1987 following Super Bowl XXI, which featured he first "I'm Going to Disney World" commercial with New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms. It was regarded as a groundbreaking TV commercial — a produced national ad involving a current event, airing on major networks within hours of its conclusion.
The Disney promotion includes an exclusive deal for Washington State residents – a free night and room upgrade at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort hotel when booking two nights. For more information, 1-800-227-1500 or visit http://swandolphin.com/offers/


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This course aims to serve as an education platform on Chinese medicine (CM) for the general public. Our primary goal is to empower healthcare choices by promoting awareness and practical application on CM diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, as well as regulation on CM services and herbal products using international examples.
In the first part of this course, learners will develop skills in applying basic theory of Chinese medicine (CM) for understanding health and illnesses, and be able to compare and contrast views from Chinese and western medicine perspectives. In the second part, learners will be able to diagnose their own CM body constitution, and to apply appropriate CM self-care practice including food therapy, acupressure, Baduanjin and meditation. Learners will also be able to identify commonly used Chinese herbs, and to describe the core principle of acupuncture.
Specific competencies include:
1. State the basic theory of Chinese medicine and compare it with the principle of western medicine.
2. Apply the diagnostic approach of Chinese medicine and describe one's body constitution.
3. Describe the core principle of Chinese herbs and acupuncture, and to understand their role in promoting health and wellness.
4. Develop self-care plan according to body constitution, using the practice of food therapy, acupressure, and Baduanjin.
Price: Enroll For Free!
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Everyday Chinese Medicine – The Chinese University of Hong Kong
TUN Helps Students!
Copyright, 2024 – TUN, Inc


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Nothing beats a simple melted butter topping for that first slice of bread when it is fresh from the oven! After that fresh bread euphoria wears off though, it is time to get down to using the bread a little more creatively and I already had a few ideas for my load of (Grimbergen Dubbel) beer bread . I had come across the idea of a beer bread caramelized onion grilled cheese sandwich on Honest Fare a while ago and I immediately knew that it would be a winner. You really can't go wrong with combining sweet, slowly caramelized onions with melted cheese and wrapping it all up in light, crispy and buttery bread. If that bread just happens to be a beer bread then that grilled cheese sandwich is just over the top good! This sandwiches flavours are rounded off with a hit of Worcestershire sauce that is added to the onions and some mustard for a bit of tang. I did change one thing and that was to use a yeast based beer bread rather than a quick bread as I figured that it would hold together better when used in a sandwich. All of the flavours in this sandwich certainly work well together and the final result is one tasty sandwich! My dilemma now is, do I enjoy a few more of these sandwiches or try some new ones?
Beer Bread Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (a vegetarian one for vegetarian)
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme (chopped)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
- 2 slices beer bread
- 1 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat.
- Add the onions and saute until the onions are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the water and cook until the onions caramelize and turn golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. Make sure to stir continuously to ensure that the onions do not burn.
- Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
- Assemble sandwich and grill over medium-low heat until the cheese has melted and the sandwich turns golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.


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Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Scallops and Arugula with Lentils and Butter Beans - Great Recipe, Horrible Soundtrack
This very delicious Scallops and Arugula with Lentils and Butter Bean recipe video features a soundtrack called "watercolor." At first listen, I thought it was a nice light tune to match with this savory spring dish. But, now that the clip is finished, and I've listened to it a few times, I realize that my scallops are accompanied by bad elevator music. So, please forgive me, and I'm sorry about all those dentist office waiting rooms this will remind you of.
In the clip I mention something called the "Maillard effect." It's the actual reaction that most cooks incorrectly call "caramelization." I could explain it to you in my own words, or simply copy and paste from Wikipedia…guess which one this is:
"The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring heat. Like caramelization, it is a form of non-enzymatic browning. In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds in turn break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction."
I hope that clears things up. Enjoy!
1 pound scallops
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp paprika
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic
1 lemon
12 oz jar butter bean (or any large cooked bean)
1 1/2 cup cooked lentils
1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
2 large handfuls baby arugula
34 comments:
Terrific blog! The videos really help to see things like how hot the pan is, and how the dish is supposed to look throughout the process. My question is about cooking the scallops. When I saute scallops I always get a ton of liquid in the pan, preventing that nice "carmelization." I use frozen scallops, thaw in the frig overnight, wash and dry the scallops, but they still ooze water. What is the trick to prevent this?
Thanks and keep the videos coming!
Kris - May 7, 2008 at 3:35 PM
- Chef John said...
thanks! the trick is a very hot dry pan, and dry scallops with oil on them.
- May 7, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Chef John,
Yes, as always, a nice, informative video. I do have question though.
I don't recall hearing you mention "portions" in any of your recipes - and pardon me if I'm mistaken. But it would be nice if you could advise us as to the amount of people that is supposed to be fed with the result of such a recipe.
I thank you. - May 7, 2008 at 6:58 PM
- Chef John said...
well it depends. Since I always give an amount like 1 pound scallops, it could be 4 - 4oz small portions, or 2 larger 8oz ones. I guess I can try to give amounts. But they would just be suggestions.
- May 7, 2008 at 7:34 PM
Not so crazy about scallops, but I love elevator music!
Your video recipes R-O-C-K! - May 7, 2008 at 10:35 PM
- Chef John said...
Thanks, but dont you mean my video recipes E-L-A-V-A-T-O-R?
- May 7, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Chef, this is my favorite cooking video site by far. Nicely done.
Whenever I read about the Maillard reaction, I think of an instructor I had in culinary school who spent an entire semester talking about the Mallard (quack, quack) effect. - May 8, 2008 at 2:19 AM
- Chef John said...
thanks! lol
- May 8, 2008 at 2:39 AM
Great video. Seeing is believing. Love to try it out on my family. I wonder what is the calorie count on it
- May 8, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Hey Chef,
The last time you did a scallop recipe there was a bunch of talk about the actual searing of the scallops. And this one has produced another question from someone. It's no coincidence that I need to ask about it too.
I have a high end, non-stick frying pan. Whenever I attempt scallops (which isn't often) the scallops hit the pan and turn black within seconds, producing smoke, and sticks, rips, etc.
So here is the real question :
On you last scallop video you didn't mention to toss them in oil as you have in this one. You've also mentioned in one of your above responses "the trick is a very hot dry pan, and dry scallops with oil on them." Your last scallop video had you cook them with bacon grease, so that eliminates the "dry pan" part. And the "dry scallops with oil" part has me confused.
I've run your comments by my HAL 9000 super computer, but since receiving these seemingly conflicting orders all it wants to do is shut down all life support systems on the space station...
Scott - Boston - May 8, 2008 at 10:57 AM
- Chef John said...
Calories? You're asking the wrong chef. It's very healthy, soulful food that's full of flavor (and fiber) so to me the calories are irrelevant. Thanks!
- May 8, 2008 at 11:08 AM
To Kris:
Frozen and often fresh scallops too have been injected with a water based compound to prolong their shelf life and to make them lily white. You can squeeze and squeeze the liquid out all you want but you'll never achieve the desired effect. You must buy fresh scallops and then ask the fish monger if they are dry scallops (they know the difference). The fresh dry sea scallops will come in a range of hues and that's a desired quality for the demanding cook. They will usually have a small membrane that needs to be peeled away or sliced off, if you don't do that it's ok but you'll get a gritty quality occasionally that's not good to the palate. Amazingly enough, I've been to better restaurants that don't know this. I don't bother to rinse them either before cooking, if you see a speck of sand just knock it off with your finger. I might try this dish tomorrow, lucky here in that it's scallop heaven, aside from the cost. - May 8, 2008 at 11:19 AM
- Chef John said...
I always toss my scallops in oil and cook them in a hot, dry pan. Accept when I don't.
Sometimes when I have already cooked in the pan like the bacon, I will just use the standard oil in pan, then scallops system.
Your problem doesn't seem to have anything to do with this oil issue. Above and beyond any debilitating lack of cooking skills, it sounds like your pan is simply too hot.
Scallops do brown very quickly. I'm no Alton Brown, but if they are turning black within seconds then the pan is too hot.
I would sacrifice a pound of those delicious Boston scallops, and do some test in a non-smoking pan.
Hope this helps! - May 8, 2008 at 11:19 AM
- Chef John said...
Bill, great info, but you don't need to always find fresh scallops to get ones that don't have any injected brine. The ones that Trader Joe's sell for example, are just unprocessed wild scallops, and when thawed and dried thoroughly, work great. Thanks!
- May 8, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Great vid and recipe! And I don't know what you were concerned about because I thought music was nice as well and fit the recipe. Thanks Chef!
- May 8, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Will do. I was going to test this weekend.
Thanks for all the info!
Scott - Boston - May 8, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Just noticed in your response to my question, you'd said "Above and beyond any debilitating lack of cooking skills..."
I didn't catch that at first. Nice one. It's like being insulted by Don Rickles. A real honor!
Thanks for the laughs as well as the food.
Scott - Boston - May 8, 2008 at 1:37 PM
- Chef John said...
Thanks! Don and I do share a similar hair style.
- May 8, 2008 at 1:44 PM
- kellypea said...
Love scallops and white beans regardless of the music. And to avoid the "boiling" you refer to, I dry ours between towels for a good while to dry them before searing in a skillet with olive oil. This really looks like a great recipe. You do such a nice job with the videos!
And I don't know how well you know Scott from Boston up there, but he's completely hilarious! - May 8, 2008 at 4:27 PM
- Chef John said...
Thanks! ...and yes he is.
- May 8, 2008 at 4:29 PM
- Steffen P said...
No video availible for Denmark once again.. :(
Seems to be every new youtube video.. - May 8, 2008 at 5:01 PM
- Chef John said...
Works for me, here in the US. Time is write the Minister of Information
- May 8, 2008 at 6:58 PM
- hkfreak said...
Why do you take off the foot AFTER tossing? I know, it may be tougher to get off, but the stirring process acts as sort of a tenderizer. Why not just stir for a few seconds before taking it off? (Maybe a bit of olive oil, though)
- May 8, 2008 at 8:41 PM
- Chef John said...
"...the stirring process acts as sort of a tenderizer..."
that's a new one. i must have missed that class. - May 8, 2008 at 8:49 PM
I don't know there Chef, I could see some juices coming out of the scallops when you cooked them, I'll maintain that any scallop that's frozen will have at least some small amount of water in it. I like a "mixed grill" of seafood and will put some dry sea scallops, shrimps, some not so flaky fish like Mahi, and some squid in a mixing bowl and toss them with olive oil (just a tiny bit more than it takes to coat everything), sea salt, fresh ground pepper, old bay, and Italian seasoning. In the meantime, I'm heating a cast iron skillet on medium high heat (electric stove though)for 10 minutes till it's smoking hot (open your windows!!!). I then set a timer for 6 minutes, in goes the fish and scallops for two minutes on each side, remove to platter, toss the shrimp in and keep tossing them around the skillet for 1 1/2 minutes, remove to platter, toss in the squid and cook for 15 to 20 seconds, platter. I get perfectly cooked seafood every time but you have to like "blackened seafood". I never wash my skillet but wipe it out with olive oil till the black is gone.
For my girlfriend and I, scallops are a big part of our diet, we probably eat them twice a week (prepared different ways though which is why I look forward to any scallop recipe you put up and we will try this one tonight). We're also going to try your beet dish which I'm really looking forward to.
We like the squiggly part of the squid more so than the tube part. If you cook them like I mentioned above, you'll get a really cool looking spider effect that's both tender and with a bit of a crunch, absolutely delicious and squid have about the same healthful benefits as fish.
Sorry for the long posting but cooking seafood is a passion.
I wish we had a Trader Joe's nearby. - May 9, 2008 at 7:55 AM
Mmmmm. Looks great, and I just love a dairy-free recipe. Many thanks for your creative ideas and your blog!
- May 9, 2008 at 8:25 AM
- Chef John said...
Yes, of course a little water comes out when using the thawed variety. I just meant they were not soaked in a brine, like sea scallops are, to infuse extra water into the meat.
My choices here for scallops are frozen, wild, unprocessed ones from TJ's, or fresh, sea scallops that are processed in preservative brine and have tons of water in them.
BTW, your mixed grill sounds great! - May 9, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Alright!!! this dish is great, the lemon and arugula go together well. Aside from 6 large dry scallops we added a piece of pollack and I thought the fish absorbed the flavors a bit better than the scallops, will make this again.
- May 10, 2008 at 8:11 AM
- Chef John said...
Sounds great. I don't see pollack around here very often. Except, of course, in the fake crab.
- May 10, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Pollack has been in our waters in abundance since last November, I went deepsea fishing in early December and caught 125 lbs of it, I figured it was the first time ever I got my money's worth (aside from the enjoyment aspect) of fish. But, lol, the next day at our supermarket it was going for $2 a lb so, once again, I lost a few bucks. Scallops are running from $12 - $14 here.
- May 10, 2008 at 2:00 PM
The last word on scallops :
My girlfriend loves loves loves scallops, but swore off making them at home about 3 months ago, after years and years of not being able to figure "the secret." In my above comments I must admit I tried to paraphrase her problem (according to her "poorly").
For Mother's Day I took all of the scallop talk from this recipe as well as your last scallop recipe and went to work.
Tossing the scallops in oil (I added just a bit of butter, too) is THE ONLY WAY TO GO! Hence, the "too too hot pan" became a non-issue and I presented her with the best homemade scallops she'd ever had!
To tell you how good they were, Henry Winkler was two blocks away signing books at a bookstore and we didn't go. Yep, true story. We just sat and ate scallops. Meeting the Fonz be damned!
The scallops were that good.
Thanks again Chef,
Scott - Boston - May 13, 2008 at 2:22 AM
- Chef John said...
Now, that's a compliment! I feel like I just jumped a shark.
- May 13, 2008 at 2:26 AM
- Unknown said...
This was so delicious and simple. Oh, and healthy.
I'm trying to watch my carbs (good vs "bad") so was looking at scallops and steamed vegetables for dinner and thinking how hungry I was going to be afterwards, then I found your recipe. Perfect. I made the full recipe for the lentils and beans, then added scallops for two, so I have leftovers for lunch too. Added some steamed bok choy and asparagus and it was perfect.
I'll be back looking for more. Thanks! - March 6, 2014 at 11:15 PM
- Jesse A. B. said...
The opening had me prepped for some PBS cooking show—"the joy of cooking food wishes with chef john" some happy clouds got nothing on happy scallops.
- November 4, 2014 at 11:46 PM


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The fall-out from moving forward with the WordPress blog (transition details here), affected a lot of the previous TypePad and sub-domain mini-sites. To summarize, the previous TypePad Main Blog is now archived under a sub-domain, while a lot of the other sub-domain mini-blogs are dead and gone [wherever necessarily, their function will be folded into the main blog]. Details below, first the Old Main blog, and next the sub-domain Mini blogs.
Old TypePad Blog is now an Archive Sub-Domain Blog
The previous good old gray-green TypePad blog now has its own sub-domain, you can get to it at http://blog1.1001noisycameras.com/ – this is the same thing we did when we moved from Blogspot to Typepad a few years ago. The TypePad blog is now preserved as an Archive, it will not be updated with new content.
IMPORTANT: Many of the internal links at the old TypePad blog over there won't work initially. Over time some will be sorted out, but there are over 10,000 posts and pages over there. There is a workaround to get to them, right below…
IMPORTANT: if you have bookmarked any individual blog-posts from the old TypePad blog or you are following a link to them that doesn't work, replace the "www" in the url with "blog1". If it doesn't have a "www", add "blog1".
This won't work: http://1001noisycameras.com/new-digital-cameras-in-2012.html
This won't work: http://1001noisycameras.com/new-digital-cameras-in-2012.html
Change it to: http://blog1.1001noisycameras.com/new-digital-cameras-in-2012.html (bold added for emphasis)
GONE / DEAD: Reviews Stream & Stock Status
Also part of the rebooting, two of the previous sub-domain mini-sites are gone.
The Stock Status mini-site (instock.1001noisycameras.com) is gone, dead. If stock status trackers are needed, they will be included here in the main blog.
Also gone/dead is the Camera Reviews stream (reviews.1001noisycameras.com). We are decidedly going away from 24×7 newsy timeline type of blogs and content. So this was an equal parts technical and creative decision.
More of the sub-domain blogs will get "processed" in the next few days. They will be added here when they disappear.


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What could go wrong?
"Researchers at the University of Tokyo have strapped a moth into a robotic exoskeleton, with the moth successfully controlling the robot to reach a specific location inside a wind tunnel," writes ExtremeTech.
We immediately thought of Mothra.
But there is, apparently, a reason for this research.
"Fortunately, the Japanese researchers aren't actually trying to construct a moth master race," ExtremeTech says. "In reality, it's all about the moth's antennae and sensory-motor system. The researchers are trying to improve the performance of autonomous robots that are tasked with tracking the source of chemical leaks and spills. 'Most chemical sensors, such as semiconductor sensors, have a slow recovery time and are not able to detect the temporal dynamics of odors as insects do,' says Noriyasu Ando, the lead author of the research. 'Our results will be an important indication for the selection of sensors and models when we apply the insect sensory-motor system to artificial systems.' "
Of course, Mothra was once a hero. So maybe no one except Godzilla should be worried.
The scientists' paper — "Odour-tracking capability of a silkmoth driving a mobile robot with turning bias and time delay" — is posted here.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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"It's great that I'm on the main card and more people will get to see me. I fight for myself but it's great to have followers, because the more people who are backing me the better I'm going to fight."
As the 2010 holiday season kicks off, UFC welterweight Johny Hendricks (9-0) has a lot to be thankful for. His daughter Abry turned one in November, and a move to Arlington, Texas to train full time with Marc Laimon at Cobra Kai Jiu Jitsu has been a positive all around.
"The family is doing great," says Hendricks. "Since we moved to Texas it's been easier on them. My wife Christina and daughter get to see my parents and her parents at least once a month. I've actually been training better since we moved."
And that's a good thing. Hendricks faces Rick Story (11-3) at The Ultimate Fighter Finale on December 4th live on Spike TV. Story's won his last four fights, TKO'ing Dustin Hazelett on the same UFC 117 show where Hendricks finished a game Charlie Brenneman 40 seconds into the second round. Fans should expect fireworks when these two meet.
"He's the same type of fighter as me; he wants to go out banging and standing up," said Hendricks. "When you look at his style and mine it's going to be whoever can win the standup battle. He does like to bang, likes to get people up against the fence, take them down and do some ground and pound. I'm just the opposite. If the takedown is there naturally I'll take it, but I'm not looking for it. I'm looking to finish the fight."
Hendricks is undefeated in his professional fight career, but he says he learned a long time ago not to rest on his laurels. It was the 2009 NCAA national wrestling championship tournament and Johny was 56-0 going into the finals match with Iowa's Mark Perry. Perry upset the two time national champion by a score of 4-3.
"Like I always say, anyone can be beat at anytime. Back then, I got to the stage where I thought I couldn't be beat. I couldn't be beat, and then it happened," says Hendricks. "And that's when I took a step back and said don't worry about records or rankings. You have one goal and in wrestling that's to be the national champion. I fell one match short of that my senior year, but, the fight game I'm zero-zero every fight, until I hit the spot I want to hit. And that's to be the UFC champion. That's my whole goal. But honestly each fight I'm fighting to stay in the UFC. That's the way I look at, 'if I lose this match I might get cut,' so I go in there every time fighting for my life."
Hendricks says had he won that match with Perry he would have likely gone on to wrestle in the Olympics, and he may have skipped MMA altogether.
"I had a lot of opportunities to do other things, but I would probably be a wrestling coach somewhere," he says.
For Johny Hendricks, God had other plans.
"After that match I prayed about it, and asked 'what do You want me to do?' And then my manager called me and said 'do you want to try fighting,' and all of a sudden it was like 'boom,' I'm in the fight game and I love it. MMA for me is what I was made to do. When I step in the cage I get to release my true inner self, because whenever I'm in there I feel like I can be a warrior and someone who loves doing something that a lot of people don't. I didn't think that I would like it as much as I have been."
Hendricks enjoys fighting so much he's actually known as "The Happy Beard Guy" after running around the Octagon in Philadelphia smiling ear-to-ear after knocking out Amir Sadollah at UFC 101. The beard has become a conversation piece for the Oklahoma born and bred fighter, and it's easier for fans to notice him.
"It's great that I'm on the main card and more people will get to see me," he said. "I fight for myself but it's great to have followers, because the more people who are backing me the better I'm going to fight."
As for the beard, he says Laimon's to blame.
"The reason I started the beard, I was letting it grow and I didn't want to shave," he said. "It was before the Alex Serdyukov fight in the WEC. And Marc asked me why did you let it grow so long, and I said whenever I look at myself I feel like crap. I look like crap. And I know I'm preparing for something, you know what I mean? And after that fight I shaved it off and Marc was like, 'why'd you shave it off? You should have left it.' I shaved it because I did what I had to do. Win or lose it had to come off because I knew that I could finally relax. But from here on out, I'll always have the beard when it comes to fighting, just because Marc didn't want me to shave it off."
Hendricks says his weight cut has gone better than ever this time around, and he says he's eating right for the first time in his career.
"You don't put low octane gas in a Ferrari," he said. "You've put the best fuel in that car. So that's the way I'm looking at my body now. I'm putting in the good fuel and it helps me train better, helps me heal faster so I can get back to training."
When Hendricks steps into the Octagon on December 4th, he knows he's going to have his work cut out for him, but he also knows to be the best, he's got to be beat the best.
"It's a good matchup for both of us. We're both coming up. We're both talented. We're both going to go out there and put on a good show and whoever wins the fight is one step closer to his goal. For me that's to be the UFC champion. That's my whole goal. It doesn't matter who is in front of me, I just know that I have to keep getting better and get one step closer to my goal and whoever they throw in front of me, I have to overcome."