A Trip Down Memory Lane: The 2003 Virtual Steak Fry
by Linda Thieman
One year
ago this week, while Senator Harkin was having a wet and muddy steak
fry in an Indianola balloon field, a group of Dean bloggers gathered
together on Blog for America. We attended what came to be known
as the Virtual Steak Fry. Some watched the coverage of the actual
Steak Fry on C-Span, while others listened over the Internet. But
all of us blogged, having a silly old time and making fun of most of the
presidential candidates. (OK, I’ll fess up – I organized the
thing and I’ve never lived it down, either.)
Here’s how it came about:
Just
a few days ago, late last Friday night and long into the wee hours of
Saturday morning, a group of happy Dean supporters were busy blogging
away to their hearts' content. Senator Tom Harkin's upcoming Steak Fry
in Iowa was all the rage. It's an annual big-name draw in which anyone
can participate. Not only do you get a delicious, juicy steak
(chopped meat?) – you get to rub elbows with the likes of
former President Bill Clinton and the current roster of Democratic
candidates for president.
So,
that night on the Blog for America, the still-sleepless Deaniacs came
up with a great idear: Why not have a simultaneous Virtual Steak Fry on
the blog for those who cannot attend in person? Later Saturday morning,
when I tuned into the blog, I volunteered to host the Virtual Steak
Fry.
I placed
a few phone calls to Iowans for Dean and HQ in Vermont, and everyone
was quite pleased to help put the Virtual Steak Fry together for us.
Everyone
is welcome to drop into the blog at this time for the first-ever,
officially-planned blog meeting – or as Clare Gannon with Iowans For
Dean put it: “Bringing Meet Up back to the Internet!”
Clare
has arranged to blog with us right from the site of Senator Harkin's
Actual Steak Fry. (Did I mention the Dean staffers are now referring to
us as “Virtual Steak Fryers?” Mm hmm. But, you already knew this
campaign was a lot of fun!)
Of
course, you will not be getting one of those juicy Iowa steaks (sic) at the
Virtual Steak Fry like those who attend Senator Harkin's Steak Fry
will. However, as part of the Virtual Steak Fry, we will be compiling
the Virtual Steak Fry Dean Bloggers' Barbeque Recipe and Howard Dean
Haiku Booklet (because I couldn't think of an even longer name that was
suitable). We raised about $1,800 for Gov. Dean on that little project.
To download your own personal copy of the Virtual Steak Fry Dean Bloggers' Barbeque Recipe and Howard Dean Haiku Booklet, click here.
It’s in PDF format, and takes 13 pieces of paper to print out, front
and back. (Then you fold it half and make a little booklet.
I suggest using 24 lb. bond.)
Virtual Steak Fry Winning Recipe
Since
the good Governor hates waste, this recipe might appeal to him. Two
summers past, a fabulous backyard fruit crop was ruined by the worst
hailstorm in years. I didn't have the heart to throw out the battered
nectarines that still clung to the trees. Miraculously, they ripened.
Each one looked like Rocky after the fight; they weren't the fruit to
put in a lunch box or offer to guests. But a sale on salmon and a
little risk taking yielded, pun intended:
Salmon in Stoned Fruit
For each pound of salmon:
1 cup cubed nectarines
2 T Tamari
2 T crystallized ginger
1. Soak ginger in soy sauce until softened. If necessary, add a tablespoon or more water
2. Place fruit, Tamari and ginger in the blender and blend until smooth.
3. Cover salmon with mixture and refrigerate overnight.
4. In aluminum foil or a covered pan, grill on low heat until done. This is about 25 minutes for a 5 lb. fillet on our grill.
Nectarines need not be battered by hail for this to work!
Contributing blogger: nance in nm, Winning Recipe
Virtual Steak Fry Winning Haiku
Old pols, faced with spring,
Hack at branches of new hope. . .
But hope grows too fast.
by Kathy from West Texas
Blog For Iowa 