"Something About Harry" by Gene Weingarten

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Gene Weingarten's article in today's Washington Post, a tribute to his dog Harry and to the virtues of older dogs, is a fine piece of writing. Special note to dog lovers: have tissues at hand.

Bread Baking Revolution Continues

The world of home baking buzzed two years ago when Mark Bittman wrote a story in the New York Times about Jim Lahey's easy method of baking large, crusty loaves of bread at home. Here is the link to the original story, and a follow-up, from 2006. This method produces a great loaf that anyone can make. It is easy, does not require special baking equipment, and is absolutely worth the minimal effort it requires.

There is one issue with this method. It requires the baker to plan ahead because the dough must rest for 12 to 18 hours. This long rest is what Mr. Bittman seeks to avoid in his new variation on no-knead bread. This new method calls for a 4 1/2 hour rest.

Will this produce great bread, as the original method does? Only time will tell. But it is Sunday, and I am willing to give it a try.

Mushrooms slowly work on this tree stump.

McCain/Palin Lie to the American People During Their Campaign. Won't They Lie Again if Elected to Serve?

According to the Huffington Post, President Clinton was on the campaign trail for Sen. Obama, and doing a fine job. This improvement is noted.

Revised: Food, Drink and Two Recommended Readings

Due to the mysterious technical elements associated with blogs, Wednesday's post on Heirloom, by Tim Stark, and Population 485, by Michael Perry, became hopelessly scrambled this morning. I don't know why this happened and, at the moment, my intellectual curiosity on the matter is at zero. Accordingly, and under the operating principle of "forward forever, backward never", that post won't be recreated in full.

Briefly, in Heirloom author Tim Stark recounts his experiences in transforming from a New York consultant into a tomato farmer. Stark returned home to "his mother's backyard", fallow farmland in Eckerton, Pennsylvania, to grow heirloom varieties of tomatoes. His successful venture resulted in his 'ugly' tomatoes being served in the fanciest restaurants in New York City.

Similarly, in Population 485, author Michael Perry returns home to New Auburn, Wisconsin, to find success and personal happiness. In Perry's excellent book, he describes returning to the small town he grew-up in and reintegrating with the community by joining the fire and rescue squad. Population 485 and Heirloom share a similar feeling, with both authors adjusting to a return to their childhood homes to find happiness as an adult. Perry's book is particularly well-written.

With tomatoes on my mind and cooler temperatures on the way, Wednesday seemed like a good time to make soup. It still is.

Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pennsylvania in the Electoral Mix

From Politico: McCain camp says that to win the election, it must win either Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Pennsylvania.

Up-Date: The Wall Street Journal reports that McCain is a "serious contender" in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New Hampshire.

What Does Sarah Palin Read?

How hard is it to name, at a minimum, the leading newspaper in Alaska? What conclusions about Governor Palin can reasonably be drawn from the interview?