> > > There was a run on grain alcohol; people are making hand sanitizer out of it.
> > Oh, poop. I was hoping they were doing something useful with it.
> Internal sanitation.  

I wonder what that has done to the relative
prices of denatured vs. good-natured ethanol.

> > I was not thrilled by Big Y on either price or
> > quality of merchandise.
> I generally send people to Highland Park Market or an IGA affiliate  or
> maybe Stu Leonard's for really high quality service and merch.  The third one
> is known for their bakery and dairy stuff.

I think Clean Dave showed me Stu Leonard's, but
I don't remember anything about it.

> > Yeah, one does wonder. Maybe they have advance
> > information that chicken will be implicated as a
> > cofactor in S2 infection.
> I don't think birds can get the bug ... and they had ground beef for
> $2/pound a week later. I have a hunch it was stuff headed into small businesses or
> employee cafeterias that was diverted into the retail arena. 

An entire possibility. One wonders why they can't
do that with the monster rolls of TP as well. It's
generally not so nice, and the squares are borderline
too small, but whatever does the job, you know.

> > > The Iranians might do something like this deliberately; it doesn't smell
> > > like something the Russians would do except by mistake. North Korea would try
> > > it but they'd botch it.
> > The Iranians would botch it too. Of course, if the
> > not-quite-so-paranoid hypothesis is true, and there
> > was a deliberate component, that might explain that.
> Getting your own people sick would count as a botch, or just the cost of
> doing business.  

One thing that is becoming clear clear is that
the virologists in whatever country aren't sure
what they're doing.

> > > The otters are next!
> > They're cute, but they're essentially weasels.
> > They might fit in in Washington.
> And they could swim right up the Potomac.  

Watermelon gazpacho
categories: Virginia, starter, vegan
Serves: 8 to 10

1 md seedless red watermelon, peeled, chopped
2 md tomatoes, cored, chopped
1 English cucumber,  peeled, chopped
1/2 sm jalapeno, seeded, chopped
1/2 sm red onion,  peeled, chopped
lemon juice to taste
lime juice to taste
h - garnish
high quality extra virgin olive oil
1 sm cantaloupe
1 c picked herb leaves (mint, tarragon and basil)
cracked black pepper

Cut the cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds. 
Using a melon baller, scoop the entire cantaloupe 
into balls and set aside in the refrigerator for 
garnishing the soup later. 

In a blender, puree the watermelon, cucumber, 
tomato, jalapeno, and onion. Transfer the puree 
to a large bowl or pitcher and season with lemon 
and lime juice. Chill the soup in a large ice 
bath before serving. When ready to serve, divide 
soup among 8 to 10 bowls. Garnish each bowl with 
a few cantaloupe balls, a sprinkling of herbs, a 
drizzle of olive oil, and a twist of cracked black 
peppercorns.

Chef's note: a fun way to present this soup would 
be to serve it in the hollowed out melon resting 
on a bed of crushed ice. And the perfect beverage 
pairing would be either cava, a Spanish sparkling 
wine or super chilled Tito's vodka mixed with club 
soda.

Chris Edwards, Patowmack Farm

> > > > It was a woman who invented that particular pecularity.
> > > Ewwww - probably hates bourbon or wants to keep her kids out of it.
> > Hah. It was that Lenell person.
> I take it you don't favor her.

Not massively, from what I've seen, but Weller
seems to have been impressed.