I love ya honey, but could you stand over there ... please????

We were all worried how we'd smell after the appetizer at Buca di Beppo last Thursday. I can't imagine 12 cloves of garlic per day. I'm a big fan of garlic, but on my best day I haven't used more than 6 cloves at one time. It's gotta be love if you hang around a person after 12 cloves per day. Either that or the sense of smell is gone. If I eat 3 cloves per day, do I get a quarter of the benefit??? Here's the report:

One new study on the potential benefits of garlic shows just how complex things can get and how important dosage is.

Various research has shown garlic to be good for the heart. It lowers total cholesterol levels, for one thing, and it makes blood less likely to clot. The new experiment, done on rats, finds that garlic's effects on cholesterol depend on dosage.

Shela Gorinstein of the Hebrew University and colleagues fed rats garlic doses that ranged from 500 milligrams to 1,000 per kilogram of body weight. Only the 500-milligram dose lowered cholesterol and affected blood clotting.

The researchers stress that the study cannot be applied to humans. But they note that the dose they're talking about would translate into a whopping 12 cloves of garlic per day for a 150-pound person. Break out the breath mints.

The results will be detailed in the June 14 issue of the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry. And yes, more work needs to be done.

It's Martini Time

Dr. Dave passed this recipe along to post since technology was not his friend today. I always encourage using you favorite drinks as part of your marinades. One for the marinade, one for me ... two for the marinade, one, two for me.

I must say, this is the first time I've ever heard of a Martini paste or Martini mop. I am so happy that it turned out well on the first try!!!

Martini Leg of Lamb

I got this recipe from Cheryl and Bill Jamison’s book Smoke and Spice, and tried it on Mothers Day. It was with some trepidation, because it’s scary to try a new recipe on a $35 piece of meat. Everything turned out very nicely. We had a tasty, moist and tender leg of lamb dinner.

Martini Paste
½ Medium Onion, Chopped
10 Garlic Cloves
Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
3 Tblsp Gin
2 Tsp Kosher Salt
¼ Cup Olive Oil

5-6 Pound Leg of Lamb.

Martini Mop
1 Cup Gin
1 Cup Beef Stock
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Tblsp Olive Oil

Prepare the Martini Paste the night before you plan to cook. Put the onion, garlic, lemon gin and salt into a food processor and puree. Continue running the food processor and add the oil until a thin paste forms.

Spread the paste over the lamb. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.

Soak wood chips in water overnight if possible. I used 90 % Maple wood chips with about 10% Hickory wood chips.

The next day, remove the lamb from the refrigerator and set out for about 30 minutes. Prepare the smoker bringing the temperature to 200°F - 220°F. Add the chips to the smoke box and place the lamb on a middle rack in the smoker.

Mix the Martini Mop ingredients together with 2/3 cup of water in a saucepan and warm the mixture over low heat.

I smoked the lamb for 6 hours, basting the meat with the Martini Mop every 30 minutes. The internal temperature of the lamb was 155°F because my family likes meat medium well done. For medium rare meat, the internal temperature should be 145°F.

Remove the lamb from the smoker and let sit for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Happy Mother's Day

Let's give credit where credit is due! Cooking for me started with my Mom. I worked my way up the ladder from an early age. Shucking corn, sitting on the front porch snapping the ends off of green beans and peeling turnips in the kitchen. The patience I gained from my early food prep work is still in use today. At least now I can have a beer or nice glass of wine while I'm doing it.

There are not many greater joys in my life than the time I get to spend with my mother in the kitchen. We've produced some great meals together chatting the entire time!!

Thank you dear Mother for being there and cheering me on in my efforts for The Good Life. I love ya dearly!!!

Relays Golf - Dr. Dave's Recipe for Staying Warm

Dr. Dave's BM Tonic

Each year the Saucy Joe's crowd and friends gather in Des Moines, Iowa for the Drake Relays. The Dr. has been joining this group for the Greater Relays Open Golf Tournament held on what is normally a cold, rainy Friday morning at Grandview Golf Course. A few years ago, noting the hung over condition of his fellow participants from the year before, he brought along a few jugs of bloody marys. They were well received that year. Dr. Dave's BM Tonic was born.

This year, we had the Five Sullivan Brothers (actually three brothers and two nephews) headlining the cast at the G.R.O.G.T. The course management let 8 of us tee off on the back nine on a typical(for Relays) rainy day. It was fortunate that the he had made 11 quarts of Dr. Dave's BM Tonic, because the Dr. had decided to drive in on the night before to enjoy the Thursday night activities which consisted of excellent conversation (more brilliant as the night went on) and excellent beer. After staying up until 3AM and arriving for an 8:30 AM tee time on a cold, rainy day, a medicinal dose of the Tonic was just right. Here's the recipe for:

DR. DAVE'S BM TONIC

This recipe is best started on the Tuesday evening before Relays.

Place an 8 qt. sauce pan on the stove and turn the heating element to Low

Add the following ingredients while stirring slowly:

Worcestershire Sauce 30 fl. oz.
Tabasco Sauce 1 tsp.
Celery Seeds 1 tsp.
Celery Salt 1 tsp.
White Pepper 1 tsp.
Cayenne Pepper 2 tsp.
Chili Pepper 2 tsp.
Black Pepper 2 tsp.
Tone’s Beef Base (or equivalent) 2 tsp.
Raw Horseradish 3 Tblsp.
Habanera Sauce 1 Tblsp.
V-8 Juice 138 fl. oz.
Lime Juice 4 fl. Oz.

Simmer on low for 3 hours.

Refrigerate overnight.

Add the following ingredient the next morning:

Vodka of choice 22 fl. oz.
(the cheaper, the better for Relays)

Makes 220 fl. oz.

Sample, gasp, bottle up, label and return to refrigerator for proper aging. Turn and bump once every 12 hours for affect.

Serve on a blustery, hung over day as early as necessary. Good for 1 stroke per nine holes.

I can't say enough about the wonderful folks who make up the Relays Crew. They know how to have fun in a big way, and they don't mind including a few outsiders in their fun! Thanks again guys and gals!