Don't leave a voicemail, seriously.

This is very cool. It's awesome they provide no link, though. Oh, BBC website, never change. Here is the actual database. I just read Agincourt by Bernard Cornwall, and now I'm pondering how historical novels (of a certain stripe) will change with this kind of easily accessible research tool.

So, story of the day:

My aunt and I got this duck a bit ago and stuck it in the freezer. The intention was that we would pull it out and have it as a treat when we had determined we deserved it. That day has arrived. The last week has been two levels up from armageddon, so we determined that TONIGHT we would have our goddamned roasted duck. She took it out to thaw yesterday. So I go down there to get the duck and I'm thinking "hm, this doesn't seem all that thawed out, but it's been more than 24 hours..." I toss it in the sink and strip off the cellophane and THE DUCK STARES BACK AT ME!

I am not going to lie. I screamed and tossed the offending carcass away from me in a violent motion. This roused attention and I was soundly mocked.

Me: Are YOU going to touch the head-on duck?
Relative 1: NOOOOOOOOO!
Relative 2: [runs from room before I can explore that further]
Me: [calls aunt]

Between castigating me for being a sissy (which I am) and informing me that Julia Child is rolling in her grave (that began when the Food Network went on the air) my aunt lopped off the head and feet of the duck (I did save the neck and feet for stock, I might be a sissy, but let's not waste stuff) only to discover the duck was FULLY intact. That means it hasn't been dressed inside.

This is what you get for not reading labels, people. It says RIGHT ON THE LABEL "non-eviscerated whole duck." Did either of us read that? Hell fucking no.

What I am mostly annoyed over is that the recipe I was going to use instructed cooking the duck for five hours and now I'm going to have to wait to cook it until tomorrow, I guess.

NO DUCK FOR ME TODAY!

Oh well. Here is the lecture series I'm listening to now: The History of American Religion The files aren't labeled per lecture so you have to just fly blind on what the lectures are about.

I've accrued a bunch of new people since Star Trek happened to me. If you didn't know it, I'm a bit of a foodie. Mostly that takes the form of being a superlatively picky eater (I'm really a horror show, don't go out to eat with me, but if I recommend a restaurant, it's been well-vetted, my friends!) and cooking for myself as I can do it better at home anyway (that sounds jerky, and it is, but it's also mostly true).

So, here is a link for anyone who doesn't have it to Bittman's
101 Simple Summer Meals because that's where this started today, with me not being very organized. I was thinking of making something from that tonight since my duck situation is fucked to hell and back, but I think I'm probably just going to eat tomatoes. Oh, and Bittman's 101 Salads, from the corn aficionado below.

And here are some recipes: ( Fried corn (the reason for the post), fish with tomato sauce, zucchini frittata (kind of), and arugula and tomato salad )