About six months ago, I was thinking about the southern staple of Biscuits and Gravy. I thought that it was ridiculous - a buttermilk biscuit that is way too light to resist dissolving in a pool of heavy sausage gravy. I remade the dish into a much lighter, using only the fond from sausage (not a whole pound of sausage). It adds a blonde roux, and then makes a sauce with homemade chicken stock, and it is finished with a bit of half-and-half. It's essentially a cream-of-sausage-fond soup. It was frickin' delicious, rich, and luxurious without being stupid fatty/salty. I'm still working on a bread that can resist the gravy. I am thinking a bread dumpling might be appropriate.
Then in one of my classes, I was tasked with writing up one of my recipes that I had modified. I chose my Sausage Gravy recipe. This sent me down the research rabbit hole and I was surprised - but not surprised - to learn the history of biscuits and gravy.
In the mid-18th century, there was a creation in Appalachia called Sawmill gravy. It was essentially left over sausage fond and tiny bit of leftover oil from the sausage, some flour, and then made into a gravy with one of the few fresh things people had - milk. They used this gravy to soften up biscuits, which was essentially hardtack because leavening agents did not exist yet. It was cheap and used ingredients on hand. In the late 18th century and into the early 19th century, biscuits got softer as leavening agents were discovered and introduced into biscuits. Biscuits and gravy remained like this way for about 200 years.
In 1931, Irma Rombauer wrote her magnum opus - The Joy of Cooking - the world's second most popular cook book. Rombauer edited five different versions of her cookbook. In 1962, she died of old age. Her daughter, Marion Becker - who was an Ohio-based career botanist and teacher - inherited her mother's cookbook business. She spent 13 years continuing to be a botanist, but also editing the sixth edition on the side. The sixth edition included a new section on Southern Food that included a recipe for Sausage Gravy. That cookbook was a smash hit in 1975. Marion died a year later from old age.
Shortly thereafter, Southern culture hit a renaissance in America. There was shows like Andy Griffith, Hee-Haw, and a bunch of other TV shows. Small regional restaurants like Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans exploded in popularity, each copying a version of Marion Becker's Sausage Gravy recipe.
Becker's recipe includes a whole pound of sausage, doesn't drain any fat, adds even more butter, and then thickens it with flour and whole milk. You can see on Bob Evan’s website, that their recipe is nearly the same as Becker's – minus the butter. https://www.bobevansgrocery.com/recipes/sausage-gravy/
Bottom line: Southern Biscuits and Gravy is not a Southern tradition. I am older than that tradition. It is an Ohio botanist's idea of what sausage gravy is and it's stupid.
in other Swedish news, my niece from Sweden and 3 of her friends stayed w/ us for the last few days. things they liked, bagels, lobster rolls, summer strawberries, large suburban homes, rooftop bars in NYC, Central Park, etc.
I am of the view that the AD is actually two very different jobs. There should be one job that knows the business of professional sports- the economics, the markets, the coaches, and the business of running sports. This person can and should share the blame for bad hires. Then there should be the type who kisses hands and shakes babies, drinks white wine with elderly donors, gives Kapp-esque speeches, acts as the face of sports to do the #1 most important job - raise money. This person's job is to be a charismatic salesperson, not be good at directing athletics.
Chancellor Lyons also announced that he will use this period of transition to put in place a new leadership structure. He has appointed current Deputy Athletic Directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O'Neill to be the new co-directors of Cal Athletics.
It's where the Rangers and Royals hold their spring training. Like some of Phoenix's outer suburbs, it is flat as a pancake, a desert, and carved into grid blocks. Half the blocks are still empty, while the other half are new-build residential developments. It's also where TSMC's $65b chip lant is being built.
Man allegedly brought gun to the Salt Lake City "No Kings" protest. A peacekeeper allegedly shot three times at the man with the gun, slightly wounding him. But he missed with one of the shots and killed an innocent bystander. My question is why are there armed "peacekeepers" that aren't police? Shouldn't they be armed with walkie talkies instead?
Man attempts to assassinate MN State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. They were shot 17 times but both survived. Daughter calls 911. Police then go check on MN State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, arriving to witness him killing Ms. Hortman. He fled, but left behind a list of 70 names on a hit list.
Also, right-wing influencers run with a completely fabricated narrative that this guy was a leftist, before concrete information comes out that he was an anti-abortion activist and evangelical Christian and registered Republican. The lie is still circulating, of course.
On Saturday I gave a talk at the West Berkeley Public Library entitled "When Berkeley was Finntown." My daughters attended and feted with me dinner afterwards so my Farther's Day celebration was a day early although older daughter made me a blueberry cobbler yesterday and younger daughter sent me a hilarious E-Card.
Subdued. We don't celebrate Hallmark holidays on the day. We choose always plan another day and do something on that day. We are holding a joint mothers and fathers day this upcoming Sunday. I got her custom shortbread cookies printed with our kid's name on it, a custom card from Etsy, a nice smelling candle, and a Berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods
1. Ballerina - like a lot of later John Wick entries, great fight choreography and general aesthetics, pretty light on a story/characters that I would actually care about. John Wick 4 was better.
2. The Phoenician Scheme - I'm just a mark for him as I love almost all Wes Anderson stuff, but . . . I loved it.
I was allowed to sleep in. We later had a get-together and dinner with the boys at the younger one's place. I also got an acknowledgement on Instagram from my newish daughter-in-law. I only say newish because she and the older son celebrated their 1st anniversary on June 8.
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE
The world's first rollercoast was the Switchback Railway, going just over 6 mph on Coney Island. Hang on to your knickerbockers, boys.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switchback_Railway
FOOD HISTORY
About six months ago, I was thinking about the southern staple of Biscuits and Gravy. I thought that it was ridiculous - a buttermilk biscuit that is way too light to resist dissolving in a pool of heavy sausage gravy. I remade the dish into a much lighter, using only the fond from sausage (not a whole pound of sausage). It adds a blonde roux, and then makes a sauce with homemade chicken stock, and it is finished with a bit of half-and-half. It's essentially a cream-of-sausage-fond soup. It was frickin' delicious, rich, and luxurious without being stupid fatty/salty. I'm still working on a bread that can resist the gravy. I am thinking a bread dumpling might be appropriate.
Then in one of my classes, I was tasked with writing up one of my recipes that I had modified. I chose my Sausage Gravy recipe. This sent me down the research rabbit hole and I was surprised - but not surprised - to learn the history of biscuits and gravy.
In the mid-18th century, there was a creation in Appalachia called Sawmill gravy. It was essentially left over sausage fond and tiny bit of leftover oil from the sausage, some flour, and then made into a gravy with one of the few fresh things people had - milk. They used this gravy to soften up biscuits, which was essentially hardtack because leavening agents did not exist yet. It was cheap and used ingredients on hand. In the late 18th century and into the early 19th century, biscuits got softer as leavening agents were discovered and introduced into biscuits. Biscuits and gravy remained like this way for about 200 years.
In 1931, Irma Rombauer wrote her magnum opus - The Joy of Cooking - the world's second most popular cook book. Rombauer edited five different versions of her cookbook. In 1962, she died of old age. Her daughter, Marion Becker - who was an Ohio-based career botanist and teacher - inherited her mother's cookbook business. She spent 13 years continuing to be a botanist, but also editing the sixth edition on the side. The sixth edition included a new section on Southern Food that included a recipe for Sausage Gravy. That cookbook was a smash hit in 1975. Marion died a year later from old age.
Shortly thereafter, Southern culture hit a renaissance in America. There was shows like Andy Griffith, Hee-Haw, and a bunch of other TV shows. Small regional restaurants like Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans exploded in popularity, each copying a version of Marion Becker's Sausage Gravy recipe.
Becker's recipe includes a whole pound of sausage, doesn't drain any fat, adds even more butter, and then thickens it with flour and whole milk. You can see on Bob Evan’s website, that their recipe is nearly the same as Becker's – minus the butter. https://www.bobevansgrocery.com/recipes/sausage-gravy/
Bottom line: Southern Biscuits and Gravy is not a Southern tradition. I am older than that tradition. It is an Ohio botanist's idea of what sausage gravy is and it's stupid.
love biscuits and gravy in all its variations. i had some last week at a cute breakfast cafe in North Conway NH.
I do too. Cheap and simple, but does the job and tastes good too.
PRO
Giants trade for Rafael Devers. Giants appear to have won this trade.
Sweden's Armondo Duplantis clears 6.28m, breaking the pole vault world record for his 12th time
in other Swedish news, my niece from Sweden and 3 of her friends stayed w/ us for the last few days. things they liked, bagels, lobster rolls, summer strawberries, large suburban homes, rooftop bars in NYC, Central Park, etc.
Mets lose 3 straight to Rays. i havent watched much since we have been bisy w/ guests.
CAL
Pete Thamel reports that Jim Knowlton is "retiring"
https://x.com/petethamel/status/1934584266127790097
I am of the view that the AD is actually two very different jobs. There should be one job that knows the business of professional sports- the economics, the markets, the coaches, and the business of running sports. This person can and should share the blame for bad hires. Then there should be the type who kisses hands and shakes babies, drinks white wine with elderly donors, gives Kapp-esque speeches, acts as the face of sports to do the #1 most important job - raise money. This person's job is to be a charismatic salesperson, not be good at directing athletics.
"Our long school-wide nightmare is over."
Paraphrasing a quote connected to a different "retirement" dated August 9, 1974.
Wilcox to report to Rivera, per Thamel.
https://x.com/PeteThamel/status/1934625696162206121
Donors pretty much got everything they wanted here.
https://calbears.com/news/2025/6/16/athletics-news-jim-knowlton-announces-retirement.aspx
Chancellor Lyons also announced that he will use this period of transition to put in place a new leadership structure. He has appointed current Deputy Athletic Directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O'Neill to be the new co-directors of Cal Athletics.
Please Oski, let this be true.
Go Bears!!!
SURPRISE
Dexter (S7/E12)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tWHvQQMkLE
, Arizona
It's where the Rangers and Royals hold their spring training. Like some of Phoenix's outer suburbs, it is flat as a pancake, a desert, and carved into grid blocks. Half the blocks are still empty, while the other half are new-build residential developments. It's also where TSMC's $65b chip lant is being built.
POLITICS
Man allegedly brought gun to the Salt Lake City "No Kings" protest. A peacekeeper allegedly shot three times at the man with the gun, slightly wounding him. But he missed with one of the shots and killed an innocent bystander. My question is why are there armed "peacekeepers" that aren't police? Shouldn't they be armed with walkie talkies instead?
https://ktul.com/news/nation-world/peaceful-protester-killed-by-gunfire-during-no-kings-day-demonstration-in-salt-lake-city
Sign up for the Grift Plan.
https://variety.com/2025/biz/news/trump-mobile-wireless-phone-service-launch-1236431690/
Trump holds his birthday military parade. It is poorly attended.
So far the thing that has saved us from Trump authoritarianism is that Trump himself is so bad at it.
Man attempts to assassinate MN State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. They were shot 17 times but both survived. Daughter calls 911. Police then go check on MN State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, arriving to witness him killing Ms. Hortman. He fled, but left behind a list of 70 names on a hit list.
https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-8ce70a94c9eb90688baaa1a71faef6cc
Also, right-wing influencers run with a completely fabricated narrative that this guy was a leftist, before concrete information comes out that he was an anti-abortion activist and evangelical Christian and registered Republican. The lie is still circulating, of course.
Horrifying.
DBD AV CLUB
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Texas apparently wins the Directors Cup on the final sporting event and the final race - a track race. Stanford slips to second.
how was your Father's Day?
On Saturday I gave a talk at the West Berkeley Public Library entitled "When Berkeley was Finntown." My daughters attended and feted with me dinner afterwards so my Farther's Day celebration was a day early although older daughter made me a blueberry cobbler yesterday and younger daughter sent me a hilarious E-Card.
Subdued. We don't celebrate Hallmark holidays on the day. We choose always plan another day and do something on that day. We are holding a joint mothers and fathers day this upcoming Sunday. I got her custom shortbread cookies printed with our kid's name on it, a custom card from Etsy, a nice smelling candle, and a Berry Chantilly cake from Whole Foods
Actually had a nice BBQ to celebrate recent b-day and fathers day on Saturday evening. Actual fathers' day was mostly working, and some CWS baseball.
A rare chance to catch two movies at the cinema:
1. Ballerina - like a lot of later John Wick entries, great fight choreography and general aesthetics, pretty light on a story/characters that I would actually care about. John Wick 4 was better.
2. The Phoenician Scheme - I'm just a mark for him as I love almost all Wes Anderson stuff, but . . . I loved it.
Phoenician Scheme is high on my list. i loved the recent one, Asteroid City.
Very nice.
I was allowed to sleep in. We later had a get-together and dinner with the boys at the younger one's place. I also got an acknowledgement on Instagram from my newish daughter-in-law. I only say newish because she and the older son celebrated their 1st anniversary on June 8.
had a nice excursion to CT. art fair, strawberry festival w/ homemade strawberry shortcake and then a nice seafood dinner by the beach.
it is the one time of year i go to church!
https://mcc-ucc.org/strawberry-festival.html
no kids around, but we have a niece from Sweden visiting for a few days.
Product quality should always matter.