Ham Sandwich Indicted!

John R. Justice, Champion of Prosecutors Apologies, fellow legal eagles and food lovers, for my failure to provide any posts for the last month. My New Year's resolution is to make posting a regular part of my life (along with getting my butt off the couch more often). A recent article in The Prosecutor and a conversation with a fellow law school grad spurred me to give those of you poor, hardworking government and non-profit attorneys some information on the loan repayment programs currently being developed. According to this article , there are two more steps before people like me and my co-workers can start clamoring for funding under the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defedenders Incentive Act : appropriations and regulations. I'll let the article speak for itself: 1. Appropriations. The program must be funded either in the FY 2009 or the FY 2010 spending bill for the Departments of Commerce and Justice and the science related programs because the program will be administe...

So, this past weekend marked the 4th happening of my annual chili cook-off. The parental units were once again kind enough to offer up not only their lovely home, but also sprang for the rental of a giant TV. While Ohio State decimated Northwestern, guests and competitors sampled and judged 8 different--and very creative--chilies. The prizes this year were spices from Penzey's , with the first place winner--a spicy sweet number made with homegrown hot peppers--winning a 4 pack of assorted chili powders and a bottle of wine. Second place was a smokey chipotle chili made with chorizo and London broil, and third place was the "Don't Mess with Texas" chili made with beef shoulder. Yum. And I should note--I'll do a future post of the various entries if I'm able to get the competitors to share them. (I just did my standard Beef and Chocolate Chili from Tyler Florence--It's so delicious, I've not been able to find a way to improve upon it.) A fire in the fire...

I love New York City. It's one of my favorite places in the world, and I always find myself rejuvenated after a trip there. This past weekend was a jam-packed one of catching up with friends, family, and doing my fare share of eating and celebrating Halloween. We had dinner at Supper , on the Lower East Side, and I indulged in a bowl of melt-in-your mouth gnocchi with a tomato cream sauce. Saturday found me waiting for a girlfriend at Greenmarket in Union Square, where I bought some fresh apple cider and a bottle of cherry wine from Eve's Cidery in upstate NY. The Greenmarket's a great place any time during the growing season, but right now, with the harvest, it's downright amazing. As tempted as I was to load up on all sorts of goodies, I refrained, but am of course now regretting not trying to bring home some cheese or a bottle of Eve's Apple Ice Wine. Maybe next time... Below, I'm offering a little food market porn to get your week started off right. :)

So lately, I've been on a bread making kick. It started when I finally got around to trying the no-knead bread recipe from the NYTimes. It's here . And it's good, as long as you plan a little bit ahead. So far, I've tried the original recipe, one with rosemary and thyme, and one with whole wheat flour. The whole wheat flour one was the least, shall we say, delicious, if only because it was really dense. But hey, it's good for cleaning out the system, I'm sure. Last night I tackled pizza dough. I was not quite through the NYTimes Sunday magazine, when I came across the Eat/Memory article they always have near the end. It was for a pizza that the author shared with Picasso (yes, as in Pablo) several years ago. I jumped up, found that I had all sorts of stuff on hand for a pizza and went to town. Several hours later, I realized that I never had finished the magazine...sometimes the ADD really kicks in. Here's my take on the dough they offered and the...

This is already in wide circulation, but I thought I'd post anyway, for a couple of reasons: one, I have been remiss in my blog updates, due to a spike in the juvenile crime rate. Two, anytime I can highlight a judge who writes an opinion that doesn't make me want to stab my eyes out of boredom, I will. And three, I agree with him...the officer had probable cause to stop and search the defendant. To say otherwise, is blind naivete--two dudes in a bad part of town in the super early morning house making a hand-off on a corner really can't be construed as anything but a drug deal. In my (apparently dissenting) opinion, anyways. Roberts' text is here . And for those of you who have no idea what Roberts did, he wrote the first few paragraphs of his dissenting opinon in the style of the typical detective novel. Clever.

Last night I went on a baking/cooking spree and made 2 loaves of zucchini bread and a batch of salsa verde. (Tried and failed to get rid of excess zucchini, did manage to use all the tomatillos.) I used a recipe from Paula Deen as a starting point for the bread. And before I go any further, let me just say that I really do love Paula Deen. She's the Queen of Unabashed Excess, and I think it's wonderful. In a world full of fake butter, stevia, and portion control, she's perfectly content to just add a little extra butter or sugar. (Or butter, and mayonnaise, and cheese...) However, there are some limits. Her zucchini bread recipe called for 3 cups of sugar (3!) to 3.25 cups of flour--that's a pretty intense ratio. I tweaked a couple of other ingredients and came up with the following delicious bread--sweet and spicy, but not cloying, and perfectly moist. (In my humble opinion.) Better Zucchini Bread 3 1/4 c. all purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons ground n...

I spent the night at my parent's house last night, and am sitting at their computer looking out at the front lawn/street, writing this post. 10 minutes ago, I saw my neighbor's cat, Scooter, run by with a baby bunny in his jaws. "Oh, there's natural instincts at work, " I thought. 5 minutes later, I saw the baby bunny run back in front of my house, making a bee line for the relative shelter of my car tires, followed closely by Scooter. "Wow! Baby bunny made it out alive, well done!" I decided to push the pendulum of natural balance in favor of baby bunny so went outside to shoo Scooter away from my car, and his cornered quarry. "Run baby bunny!" I cried. After carrying Scooter back towards his house (he turned around and came right back behind me), I checked on baby bunny. Still crouched by the tire, and oh, had a nasty wound on his hind leg. I gave baby bunny a little poke. "Go baby bunny, go!" Baby bunny just sat there, nose t...

I know everyone else is doing it, but here's another set of rules for tomorrow's VP debate. You can thank me on Friday morning, when you can't remember any of the drivel that was spouted the night before. Also, it looks like we'll be playing at Barley's on High St.---come on down and join! The Vice Presidential Debate Drinking Game (brought to you by Cliff, Ethan, myself, and of course, the internet): Take a drink if : Palin touches her glasses and/or becomes more “adorable” Palin says “hockey mom,” “Russia,” “9/11,” or “maverick” Palin just rephrases the question she’s asked in an attempt to make it an answer. (Two if she uses the moderator’s name repeatedly) Biden mentions taking the train to work or questions Palin’s experience. Biden makes a historically inaccurate reference. Biden makes a condescending reference or gives a condescending look. Either of the candidates says anything folksy. Two drinks if it's the actual word "folks." Either of the...

So, I got on the horn on Monday and emailed Mr. Kenneth Goldsmith, Legislative Counsel for the American Bar Association. I inquired about the next steps in the process for the APA/PD loan repayment program, and he explained that the next step would be adoption of regulations (ie: how one would apply, how the funding would be disseminated around the country, etc.), as well as actually GETTING the funding. Apparently, this bill authorizes the funding, but does not provide for it. Scrounging up the millions of dollars needed is the next major challenge. Mr. Goldsmith also wanted to point out that much of this is due to the hard work of Senator Richard Durbin (IL), who has been fighting for this bill for several years. The ABA is working with Senator Durbin's office as well as the National Association of District Attorneys' in collecting questions, comments, and insight as to how the final program should look as it gets sent over to the Department of Justice. To that end, he encou...

On August 15, President Bush signed into law the Higher Education Opportunity Act, part of which includes the John R. Justice Prosecutor and Public Defender Loan Repayment Program. (The official text of which is here .) Basically, the attorney general will be responsible for paying up to $10,000 a year for those individuals willing to offer three years of service as a prosecutor or public defender. The total amount available is capped at $60,000, meaning you can "re-up" for another three year stint after your first three years are completed. This is GREAT news. The government finally realized that making $50K or less a year makes it damn near impossible to pay off your law school loans AND not live in your parent's basement. (And yes, I know several responsible, intelligent prosecutors and P.Ds who can't afford to move out of mom and dad's house.) They've also come to the brilliant understanding that if you actually pay your prosecutors, ADAs, an PDs, they mi...

Capping off a weekend of pure gluttony, the family and I grilled out at the parent's house on Labor Day. Burgers from Whole Foods were the main dish, a few sides, and a pie rounded out the meal. First, dessert. Being the end of summer, strawberry seemed appropriate--easy, fresh, and seasonal. Most everyone would agree that it requires little to no talent to create a strawberry pie. You are correct. Store bought graham cracker crust? Check. Strawberries cut into halves or quarters? Check. That red goop you buy in a plastic tub? Check. Woah....hold on there. Don't get me wrong, I grew up on that goop. It's good stuff. But you can do better. Try using a good strawberry preserve--or, if you're feeling crazy, raspberry or red currant--in place of the red goop. You gain a lot more flavor, and you lose a lot of preservatives and Red Food Dye #5. Everyone wins. And hell, if you're going to do that, why don't you just buy a pint of heavy whipping cream, a couple tablespo...

Stadium snack food-- What could be better than that? Pizza, hot dogs, beer! I'm here for the junk, Not the Caesar chicken wrap. Why'd dad bring me this?

It's not everyday that your friends decide to host a spur-of-the-moment pig roast. Fortunately for me, the Coopers are some of the most spontaneous and ambitious folks I know, and thought nothing of throwing a pig roast together in all of 6 days. I missed much of the pre-roasting prep, but got the details upon arrival at the party. Brian and Patty (the Coopers) have a friend who was able to provide the pig roasting tools seen above--namely, a bunch of concrete blocks, and a custom made grill grate (essentially, a giant pig panini press). They found a 120 lb pig at a farm in Utica, Ohio, where it was cleaned, gutted, and butterflied for them, and they brought it home in a baby pool full of ice. (The baby pool is no longer kosher.) They seasoned it all over (inside and out) with a dry rub from Penzy's , sandwiched it between the grilling grates, and then waited (about 8 hours). They obtained their pig-roasting advice from Three Guys from Miami . I showed up around 5pm, just as th...

For the most part, I really love my job. My co-workers are fantastic, I'm rarely lacking for excitement, and I get to handle drugs and guns on a semi-regular basis. Sometimes, however, the failures of the system, the idiocy or cruelty of juvenile delinquents and the tragedy of poor parenting makes me want to do something drastic. Thankfully, the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy offers an outlet for those frustrations. This past Wednesday I volunteered as a person in crisis for OPOTA's Hostage Negotiation Training. My job was to be a person in a hostage situation and allow the trainees to use the skills they'd learned in the previous days to "talk me down." It was awesome, exhausting, and surprisingly therapeutic . I was given a brief sketch of my character, then allowed to elaborate at will. For two 45 minute periods, I paced up and down on a catwalk, muttering, screaming, and hysterical, while threatening to throw myself and/or my 6 month old baby over ...

Watch out, folks--this post is a rant. I encourage responses. It has come to my attention* that the Catholic Church, in all of its omniscient power (cue celestial hoards of angels), has sent down a new set of regulations for responses during mass. Thanks to the guys pictured above, Catholics in English speaking countries are now facing a more 'elevated' series of responses and phrases, set to be phased in over the next several years. For the record, I'm a born and raised Catholic, and still try to make it to mass on a semi- ish -regular basis. While I think I could be considered faithful, I'm not sure you could call me completely dedicated. I have however, been reciting the same things for the past 20-odd years of my life, and, as I think most Catholics will agree, there's a lot of comfort/satisfaction in that. There's a security in being so familiar with the language of the Mass that I don't need to look at the church missal, and can rattle off any r...

Rice Krispie Treats. Simple, delicious, and easy to throw together at 9:30 at night before the next day's office party. Rice Krispie Treats have been a dessert staple of my family for years. They were one of the earliest things I can remember helping my mom to make, and as my sister and I got older, we had a revelation--you can sub in other cereals of your choosing ("Rice Krispie DOESN'T have a monopoly on these treats!"). My sister's genius contribution was Berry Berry Kix. Tossed with melted butter and marshmallows, Berry Berry Kix turned your average bake sale snack into a fruity taste sensation tempered by those little puffy balls of Kix goodness. (Nothing so overwhelming as using all Fruity Pebbles. Blech.) It also didn't hurt that our breakfast cereal choices as children were limited--Berry Berry Kix were about as "sugary" as my mom allowed. Necessity is truly the mother of invention. Being a "more is better" kind of girl, wh...

My job allows me to come in contact with juvenile delinquents. For the most part, their transgressions are relatively minor (curfew, petty theft), but every now and then I'll end up with an aggravated robbery or felonious assault. With a whole year of experience under my belt, I'm offering some free legal advice. (Usefulness, however, may be questionable.) Go ahead, take it. It's all yours. 1) If you're planning on selling fake drugs, make sure the person to whom you're selling that bag of oregano isn't carrying a loaded handgun. 2) Kohl's has a more sophisticated surveillance system than you would think. They will catch you trying to steal that J.Lo t-shirt. 3) Not having enough "outfits" is, surprisingly, not an acceptable excuse for truanting school. 4) Pick your victims carefully. Facing 8 years in juvenile detention in exchange for getting some free sandwiches from Jimmy John's is not a good deal. 5) Don't leave your cell phone in ...

Cincinnati. Home to lots of fun things. The Reds. Northern Kentucky. Chili wars (Skyline? Gold Star?). Ikea and Jungle Jims. Goetta. Goetta? If you're like me (and everyone else not from Cincy) you have no idea what that is. It's food (pronounced get-a). More specifically, breakfast meat. Even more specifically, it's German sausage that's mixed with steel-cut oats. This breakfast meat is so popular, there's a Fest built around it every year in Cincy (well, technically, Newport, but you know what I mean. And yes, it's called GoettaFest.) I had the privilege of attending GoettaFest this year, and it was an eye-opening experience. Goetta is not unlike tofu in it's flexible culinary nature. You can enjoy goetta hogies, goetta "cheesesteaks," goetta dogs, goetta fritters, goetta tacos, goetta brownies...well, you "goetta" the idea. (Sorry, I had to.) While at G-Fest, I tried the original version (pork), and my Goetta-eating parter-in-breakfast...

So, joining the ranks of masses who feel like they have something relevant (or not) to say, I've started a blog. Some housekeeping issues first: 1) What the hell is with the blog name? --To give credit where credit's due: former New York State chief judge Sol Wachtler was complaining that district attorneys could get Grand Juries to "indict a ham sandwich," suggesting that the average grand jury was easily influenced by DAs. For my part, my interests include (amongst other things) food and the law. Judge Wachtler's quote combines both of these concepts nicely. Thank you, Your Honor.** 2)Other things that might be a topic of conversation: --Columbus--my hometown, in all it's up-and-coming Midwestern glory. --The art world--while my PhD in art history isn't going to happen anytime soon, I do still like to keep an eye on things. --Shameless plugs for places/things that I like or recommend. I know I have no critical credentials, but hell, I'm open minded a...