A big green egg now sits on our back deck. It bills itself as the "world's best smoker (and grill)." An egg-shaped ceramic cooker, it's Asian in origin...China...Japan...it seems to have burst forth from that corner of the world 3,000 years ago as a clay cooker. Today we Americans have thickened it, made it ceramic, constructed it in Mexico, added some "space age materials" and put in a metal grill and a thermometer. We have also boosted the price apparently, because it costs roughly as much as a used truck in Mexico.

The thermometer inside quickly ramps up to 500 to 600 degrees, which is enough to rapidly dry out any meats that have the misfortune to fall in it. Bucky has vowed that it will not best him, but he might have to call in the buddies to stand around it and chant. With Skeeter on her free-range diet, it looks to be another expensive weekend. Wish us well. And our best wishes to you for a sumptuous year ahead.

Just last night, a wheel of Maytag Blue Cheese arrived in the post. And was enjoyed immediately. What a thoughtful, wonderful present from my father and stepmother, both of whom have much more serious things to deal with right now than presents for their kids. Thanks, folks. Food is love.

For months, we've kept a half-wary, half-anticipatory eye on our local seafood market/crabhouse. The aptly-named Hunter's Seafood occasionally puts the emphasis on their first name and features...um....the harvest of the trap. Last weekend, we stopped in to see a paper sign inside: 

• Muskrat #3
• Coon #8
• Beaver #14

Froglegs and turtle were also #5. Coon was crossed out.

Turns out the #-sign was a sort of mental shorthand for saying that they were that much per pound. Understandable. Fresh beaver is expensive. Anyway, there's a new "Skeeter's Corner" in the offing. We'll be having a lesson in muskrat early next week. Stay tuned.