End of hiatus.
After having been away for some time I am now back feeling even more tired and confused than when I left. How does it always seem to work out that way? You get a few days "off" (if there is such a thing), and you start to plan about how you're going to take advantage of the time away by trying to take a break and get your mind straightened out just a little. But does that actually ever happen? Nope...or at least almost nope. I think my first mistake is to hope or expect that the break I am going to take will be one that allows me to get back on track somehow. This is misguided optimism because it puts pressure on you to "produce" some kind of verifiable and lasting benefit from your time "off" before you even have a chance to start. I think a more level-headed approach for me from now on would be to expect a rough time, and then if anything good happens along the way, it will seem like an unexpected bonus.
One good thing that did happen was that I had an opportunity to return to America for a little while, where the sun still shines and the tempurature gets above 50 degrees. But I mourn the lack of nutritional sustenance which I find lacking from an abnormally long seperation from my friends at the regional Sonic franchises that I am wont to frequent while spending time and miles in "The 4". I find myself becoming rather partial to their wonderful selection of breakfast sandwiches, particulary the sausage, egg, and cheese version. Follow one of those up with the desert beverage of your choice such as a root beer float, or malt, and you have a memorable dining experience that those wheezing hacks at The Four Seasons can't even begin to understand.
One point of disatisfaction that is becoming increasingly frustrating over the past several years for me has been the inability to find places that can make truly impressive malts. In my book, anybody with a blender can make a shake, that's no big deal. But it takes considerable skill and commitment to produce a genuinely fine malt, such as the kind that used to be widely available across the middle section of our great land. Nowadays, however, such is not the case. When you find a place that still even offers malts on their menu, there is no guarantee that it will live up to the name. Some of the younger employees in the places I go to now are barely aware (if at all) that there is a distinct and substantial difference between a malt and a garden variety shake. So, my suggestion when considering a place to stop at for a good malt includes some of the following:
1. Avoid chain restaurants, generally speaking. The Sonics are usually OK, and some of the smaller town Dairy Queens are probably going to treat you right, but other than that, its a real gamble.
2. Look for a place that has some older employees, especially if they happen to be the owners who are working there. As an example, I think of a little place I go to down on 65 Highway in Lincoln, Mo. Anytime you can find someone running the show who used to root for the Kansas City A's, you're probably in good hands.
3. Don't be afraid to try some of the more exotic flavors beyond the choc/vanilla/strawberry domain. I have had an excellent peanut butter malt, as well as an amazing coffee malt, all as the result of being willing to take a chance and live it up just a little. Still, I have to say, if you can find a well made vanilla malt, then perhaps you should stock up for a rainy day by having not only the vanilla, but also another malt in a less traditinal flavor, such as the peanut butter or coffee. If you do this, I suggest going with the smallest sizes available to make sure they both can fit in, especially with a meal.
4. Don't order the large size. I say this because malts are melting even as we drink them and by the time you get half way through a large, most of what's left is not in premium malt drinking condition, thereby reducing the pleasure of the malt experience. Hence, my above suggestion also applies in this case. Order one medium or small size; drink it at your customary pace. Then, order another of the same size or smaller, and this will provide, in my opinion, the maximum level of satisfaction in relation to your malt drinking experience.
Just a few of my recent thoughts and observations my friends. I wish you well.
Christos Anesti ! Christ is risen!
be good.
After having been away for some time I am now back feeling even more tired and confused than when I left. How does it always seem to work out that way? You get a few days "off" (if there is such a thing), and you start to plan about how you're going to take advantage of the time away by trying to take a break and get your mind straightened out just a little. But does that actually ever happen? Nope...or at least almost nope. I think my first mistake is to hope or expect that the break I am going to take will be one that allows me to get back on track somehow. This is misguided optimism because it puts pressure on you to "produce" some kind of verifiable and lasting benefit from your time "off" before you even have a chance to start. I think a more level-headed approach for me from now on would be to expect a rough time, and then if anything good happens along the way, it will seem like an unexpected bonus.
One good thing that did happen was that I had an opportunity to return to America for a little while, where the sun still shines and the tempurature gets above 50 degrees. But I mourn the lack of nutritional sustenance which I find lacking from an abnormally long seperation from my friends at the regional Sonic franchises that I am wont to frequent while spending time and miles in "The 4". I find myself becoming rather partial to their wonderful selection of breakfast sandwiches, particulary the sausage, egg, and cheese version. Follow one of those up with the desert beverage of your choice such as a root beer float, or malt, and you have a memorable dining experience that those wheezing hacks at The Four Seasons can't even begin to understand.
One point of disatisfaction that is becoming increasingly frustrating over the past several years for me has been the inability to find places that can make truly impressive malts. In my book, anybody with a blender can make a shake, that's no big deal. But it takes considerable skill and commitment to produce a genuinely fine malt, such as the kind that used to be widely available across the middle section of our great land. Nowadays, however, such is not the case. When you find a place that still even offers malts on their menu, there is no guarantee that it will live up to the name. Some of the younger employees in the places I go to now are barely aware (if at all) that there is a distinct and substantial difference between a malt and a garden variety shake. So, my suggestion when considering a place to stop at for a good malt includes some of the following:
1. Avoid chain restaurants, generally speaking. The Sonics are usually OK, and some of the smaller town Dairy Queens are probably going to treat you right, but other than that, its a real gamble.
2. Look for a place that has some older employees, especially if they happen to be the owners who are working there. As an example, I think of a little place I go to down on 65 Highway in Lincoln, Mo. Anytime you can find someone running the show who used to root for the Kansas City A's, you're probably in good hands.
3. Don't be afraid to try some of the more exotic flavors beyond the choc/vanilla/strawberry domain. I have had an excellent peanut butter malt, as well as an amazing coffee malt, all as the result of being willing to take a chance and live it up just a little. Still, I have to say, if you can find a well made vanilla malt, then perhaps you should stock up for a rainy day by having not only the vanilla, but also another malt in a less traditinal flavor, such as the peanut butter or coffee. If you do this, I suggest going with the smallest sizes available to make sure they both can fit in, especially with a meal.
4. Don't order the large size. I say this because malts are melting even as we drink them and by the time you get half way through a large, most of what's left is not in premium malt drinking condition, thereby reducing the pleasure of the malt experience. Hence, my above suggestion also applies in this case. Order one medium or small size; drink it at your customary pace. Then, order another of the same size or smaller, and this will provide, in my opinion, the maximum level of satisfaction in relation to your malt drinking experience.
Just a few of my recent thoughts and observations my friends. I wish you well.
Christos Anesti ! Christ is risen!
be good.
posted by mwc at 9:53 AM
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