[tyler s]

I was going to write about this yesterday, but unfortunately things compounded and I wasn't able to get anything up on here. I stopped into the Waffle Shop near over on 10th St (great place, so good it actually inspired a great breakfasts in DC post coming soon). I wound up ordering this item on the menu called "scrapple." The breakfast came out to the counter, and the scrapple wasn't as I'd imagined it. I don't know why I was ignorant as to what scrapple was; it was never a common item in the coffee shops and breakfast stops I'd frequented as a kid. Regardless, it came out with my waffle and eggs, and I devoured the whole thing.

Later that day, in a break from work, I payed a visit to my friend Wikipedia out of morbid curiosity.

Scrapple is a savory mush in which cornmeal and flour, often buckwheat flour, are simmered with pork scraps and trimmings, then formed into a loaf. Small scraps of meat left over from butchering, too small to be used or sold elsewhere, were made into scrapple to avoid waste, a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition.

So, there you go...this stuff is supposedly perfect for Amish people. Nutritious (arguably) and delicious (I'd say so). Scrapple is like the Tom Waits of food. Just in case any of you feel like making this spicy meat mush for yourselves, here's a recipe from 'Lynne's Country Kitchen.' It makes 3-4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound pork pudding meat OR loose sausage
1 quart water, or pork broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
1-1/2 cups cornmeal
1/4 cup buckwheat flour

Butchering yielded rich meat scraps, too flavorful to give to the animals or simply throw away.  Scrapple, however, was not invented in Pennsylvania.  It most likely came with settlers from the lower Rhine area of Germany to Philadelphia.  So it was in this country that the Amish learned to make the dish.

Two ingredients distinguish the dish - buckwheat and corn- meal (a New World addition), which act as extenders and provide a distinctive flavor.

Stir pudding meat or loose sausage into 1 quart rapidly boiling water or pork broth. When the mixture reaches the boiling point slowly add the cornmeal and buckwheat flour.  Stir constantly until thickened.  Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.

Pour into two 1-lb. loaf pans.  Cool thoroughly then refrigerate.

When scrapple is set, cut in 3/8 to 1/2 inch slices and fry in hot, greased skillet.  When slices are browned and crusty, turn and brown on other side.  Serve hot with ketchup, syrup or apple butter.

 

AWESOME RANDOM ESOTERIC FACT:

When Conan "the Man" O'Brien was in school at Harvard, he lent a drumkit that wasn't getting much use to his roommate Damon Krukowski. Within a couple of years Damon was playing with Naomi Yang and Dean Wareham in Galaxie "On Fire" 500. That makes them more awesome than they already were, I hereby declare.

God damn. Anyway, here is something alternately hilarious and depressing if those 1994 chart-toppers Ace of Base didn't regale you with their lyrics from last week. These are actual lines lifted from a fan chatroom with Michael Bolton.

Freckles: how's the weather out there
Rokke: lol
Michael: And Joe Pesci who has screaming fans from kids who saw Home Alone.
Deb: You're beating Kenny's team...that must be gratifying
kml: the 19th hole is always the best
Johnny: what a great movie
PilarSpain: lol
mrslisa: your concert in atlantic city was super
Pooky: Michael you have a great loving heart and that is what makes you great
Michael: Also fans of Goodfellows.  
Michelle_Wood: The golf channel had great coverage of your group Wednesday
Anna entered the room.
KD_in_NC: Have a few for me
Michael: He's fun to play with. Funny guy!
Moderator: ok the one on one starts now