It is the season for baking and holiday foods. One item that I enjoy making this time of year is a pumpkin custard. I have always enjoyed pumpkin pie, but have thought the store bought or home made pies have been lacking flavor. Also I am not a huge fan of crust. So the last few years I have been making pumpkin custards. A pumpkin custard is basically a pumpkin pie without the crust. I also put in more spices to improve the flavor. In response to several favorable comments on my custard I am offering the recipe:

Pumpkin - pie pumpkins work best, but can variety are an acceptable substitute. Open the pumpkin, clean out the seeds. Cook the pumpkin in a 350-400 degree oven until it becomes soft (just like cooking squash), this will take 30-60 minutes depending on the thickness of the pumpkin. Let the pumpkin cool, then spoon out the pumpkin, avoiding the skin. Cook enough pumpkin to have at least 3 cups.

You will need the following items: Eggs, evaporated milk, molasses, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, clove, ginger (fresh grated is preferred along with powder), and nutmeg. Also custard dishes like the ones below are optimal.
The cooked pumpkin needs to be processed, either by hand, food processor or emulsifier. I have used both of the later and find they work well to make smooth consistency. To 2.5 cups processed pumpkin, add three eggs, 12 oz can evaporated milk, 3 tbs molasses, 3 tbs honey, 2 tbs maple syrup. Mix well here in the processor or with the blender. I usually give the mixture a taste here for sweetness. We both tend to cook with less sweetener, so by all means if you have a sweet tooth feel free to add more of any of the sweetening agents.

Now add the spices. As I mentioned above, I have usually found pumpkin pie to be a bit bland, so I go heavy on the spices. Again here, spice to preference using the basic measurements as a starting point. Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon and one teaspoon nutmeg, clove and ginger. I like to add fresh grated ginger here too, so if you have it on hand, try it out...it really give the custard a kick. I will add 2-3x the spices to my custards, so do not feel shy to try out your own blends to suit your taste.

This recipe will fill 8 of the Anchor custard dishes, maybe with a tad left over. Fill the custard dish right to the top, they generally do not spill over and will settled down a bit after they have cooked and cooled off. Place the custard into a secondary pan which is filled with water. Make sure the pan is deep enough to hold enough water so the custard dishes are surrounded by water to nearly the full height of the dish. This will provide even cooking, just like a cooking a cheesecake! The custards will need to cook approximately 50-60 minutes, at 400 degrees (preheated). The water will take some time to heat up, so keep this in mind. Test the custard with a tooth pick to make sure it has set. Take out of the oven and cool.

The custards are really wonderful when they are still warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. They also are tasty chilled, and will last awhile in the refrigerator. The nice thing about the Anchor custard dishes is they come with plastic covers which allows you to take them to work or give to friends/family.

I am currently working on my third batch of custards today. The pumpkin went in the oven a few minutes ago and I will be mixing up a batch to enjoy this week.

I spent several hours this week exploring Google Wave. There is a lot of excitement about it in certain circles, and what users have access to is a very early preview version of the technology. Google is adding functions and changing the interface as accounts are slowly distributed to people who want to try it.

The jury is out on how useful it might be, but it has the possibility of being the Next Big Thing. Many have written in detail about their experiences with Google Wave, so I won't do that here. If you are interested in learning more about this program, search Google for Google Wave.

I also have a few Google Wave invitations, if you are interested leave a comment below. You have to include your email address to receive an invitation.

Wave Fiction is an interesting and unorthodox use of the tool, synced to audio from Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction.
Warning: the clip above contains adult language and gun violence.

It is Halloween. Traditionally this has been one of my favorite holidays, and today is shaping up to be another enjoyable one. On Thursday night my friend Connie and I made a pact to do an art night every Thursday during the winter, and we started by working on pencil and oil pastel projects. Last night JSP and I were up late watching silly horror movies with some friends in the neighborhood, and this morning I went in to my not-so spooky acupuncturist and had needles placed in some new locations.We are about to go to a few estate sales. Estate sales can be creepy, but dead people have some great stuff. Later tonight I am psyched to attend the Barebones Halloween Extravaganza.

The nerd in me is really pleased recently. I am excited to try out the new Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala operating system, which my friend Don says is excellent. I have recently installed the new Windows 7 (64 bit version) on one of our home computers, and I am using it right now. It is a bit faster than Vista, but so far I am underwhelmed after hearing hype from Microsoft for the past several months. What has the geek in me really excited is that this morning I received an invitation to use Google Wave. For those of you who are not nerds, this might mean nothing. For those of you who are excited about cutting edge technology like me, I am sure you understand my excitement.

In other news, life in Northeast Minneapolis is been going well. City elections will be held on November 3 using the new ranked choice, also called instant runoff, voting. I am a big fan of this voting method. I look forward to voting in a new way on Tuesday.

JSP was outside this morning, raking copious mounts of fallen leaves from the back yard. The weather continues to be cool and damp, suggesting that winter weather will be here before the calendar date of December 21. My younger sister and her peeps out in Denver got about a foot of snow this past week, which seems crazy early for voluminous snow.

As some of you may know, there was a March for Equality last weekend in Washington DC. By most accounts it was larger than the teabagger march that happened several weeks ago, but you would never know it considering how little the mainstream media covered it. Despite the lack media coverage, it was well attended and successful. Several men who I consider dear friends attended, and one of them, Bryan Manire, wrote about his experiences at the march. I found his statements moving and asked him if I could share them here. In his words:

To my friends and family,

I just spent 6 days in Washington D.C. visiting many of the monuments and museums; but mainly joining in the National Equality March on Sunday, October 11 with tens of thousands of other supporters of full civil rights for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered people. For me it was an experience of empowerment, exhilaration, inspiration, and hopefulness. I’m still angry about being a 1^st class tax payer and a 2^nd class citizen, but the March and the organizing before and after it gives me more hope that Justice will be achieved, and I learned some organizing strategies that I think will help that goal.

As you probably know there was ONE SINGLE DEMAND - Equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.  The strategy is to develop Congressional District Action Teams in every congressional district - led by local organizers.

Saturday I attended a workshop sponsored by the Courage Campaign which was formed after Prop. 8 passed in California. We were given a shortened version of the brilliant workshop that they have done all across California. I was very impressed by their smart approach – and I got to shake hands with Cleve Jones, one of the main organizers of the March. Part of their objective is training us to find our unique voice and learn to use our personal story as a vehicle for social change. Their website is www.couragecampaign.org .

On Sunday morning, my friend from Eureka, Dominic, and our hosts, David Mo. and Jiff (from MMF) and another friend, Bobette of Hollywood, got onto the subway in Silver Spring, Maryland for the ride to the Capitol. At each stop more and more folks got on who were obviously going to the March – and the excitement built and built. As we exited the subway station, the air was electric – people and banners and signs everywhere – and voices shouting “What do we want? Equal Rights! When do we want ‘em? Yesterday!!!” it was thrilling, and took me back to the huge march in 1993.

We knew that our friend Dale, from MMF, was there also; and thanks to cell phones were able to connect with him – and meet his partner Dale. Seeing them was a great treat.

As we began our march down the streets of D.C., I started noticing how many very young people there were among the marchers – and they were definitely the loudest chanters and most lively marchers. That’s part of what gives me hope. And I got the impression that these young people were not asking for our rights – they’re demanding that we be treated as equal citizens.

It’s always impressive to march past the White House, and the voices became louder and more impassioned it seemed to me. Yes, we have a President who seems to have a heart, but he is still not doing what he could be doing for our rights. If you watched Obama’s speech to the Human Rights Campaign (check it out on you-tube), you heard some great rhetoric, but little actual action.

At the rally itself, on the west side of the Capitol, we heard many speeches; most of which were excellent. Troy Perry (of MCC church) gave the invocation by invoking the Spirit of many who had gone before us – including Harry Hay, and Bayard Rustin among others. It was very moving.

It was emotional: hearing Judy Shephard speak about losing her son Matthew in a violent hate crime, being reminded about the toll that AIDS has taken on the Gay community, hearing stories of oppression and struggles, singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow with the D.C. Gay Men’s Chorus.

It was inspirational and invigorating: hearing Julian Bond affirming the connection between civil rights for Blacks and for Gays, hearing Dustin Lance Black warmly affirming our equality, hearing Urvashi Vaid (Kate Clinton’s wife) so clearly articulate what the struggle is about and what our strategies are, hearing Cleve Jones and David Mixner be so clear and adamant that equality is ours and will be achieved.

It was empowering: the one single demand is brilliant. No more struggle for piecemeal gains; we’re going for full civil rights, and full equality is NOT a religious issue, as the far right was able to frame it in California. As mentioned earlier, there were many, many young people rallying – AND there were many, many apparently heterosexual young couples there to support their friends and family. Most of the speakers also reiterated that a civil rights struggle is not just about one group; it’s about everyone in this country, and I felt like I was seeing and hearing that play out.

It was clarifying: being there helped take my anger and turn it into a system or format that will be more productive to end what one speaker called Gay Apartheid. By the way, David Mixner read a beautifully supportive letter from Bishop Desmond Tutu at the beginning of the March.

Check out the following websites:
www.equalityacrossamerica.org

www.nationalequalitymarch.com

www.standingonthesideoflove.org

WISHING US ALL PEACE, JOY and the COURAGE and STAMINA to ACT for HUMAN RIGHTS for ALL PEOPLE!

With Love,
Bryan Manire


Some of the signs we saw at the March:

Do I get to vote on your marriage next?

Everyone has a Gay uncle!

I’ve been to my brother’s second wedding. When can he come to my first?

End the harm from religious-based bigotry and prejudice

We hold these truths to be really frickin obvious

Love – it’s not just for procreation anymore

(under a picture of two men) 40 years of commitment, 0 years of marriage, is this equality and justice in America?

Love does not discriminate

Let’s have a summit Mr. President, I’ll bring the beer

"Fierce advocate?”  You lie!!!!

Jesus had two daddies, and someday so will my kids!!!

Our ancestors march with us (with a picture of Walt Whitman)

Acceptance means nothing without rights

Love will conquer hate

You can reach Bryan Manire via email at bmanire@cox.net . You may also leave comments on this web site.

It is 1:00 pm and I am already home and satisfied with a bellyful of noodles and sweet peppers left over from yesterday's dinner.

The surgery went quickly without any problems. My doctors and nurses were the epitome of efficient and professional health care providers. I woke up without any pain, my left arm wrapped in a large Ace bandage.

After a quick phone call at about 11:50 am, JSP arrived to pick me up at about 12:15 pm and whisked me home. He then went back to work for the afternoon.

I am snug at home listening to the Current and back on the Internet. The snow continues to fall outside, and I think I am going to go upstairs and take a nap soon.

P.S. There was no octopus in the special kit, just polystyrene and cooling packs.

This is my first time blogging on my iPod Touch.

OK,a little background on my present moment. I am sitting in a medical gown in a small brightly lit room at Abbot hospital just south of downtown Minneapolis. I arrived here this morning before 7:00 am. I am all gowned up with some sort of hairnet on too.

I sit patiently,grateful for the iPod that lets me listen to Armin van Buren (dance music) and surf the web. Years ago waiting for hours in the hospital would have been unbearably boring. Today however I am chilling out, dancing in my hospital bed and writing to you, my readers. Sometimes technology is undeniably cool.

So in a few minutes the nurse will return and plant an IV in my arm. Then will come the anesthesiologist. Finally my surgeon, Dr E. Will come in and draw on my arm with a sharpie, marking the area for incision. Shortly after that I will be rendered unconscious and the removal of the tumor in my arm will commence.

What a fun morning I have to look forward to.

The kit has arrived. It is safely tucked in the refrigerator. I'll be looking after it until Monday morning.

"What kit?" you ask.

Why the special box kit that will be used to transport the tumor they are slicing out of my arm during my Monday morning surgery and sending to the clinical trial in California. That kit.

The special kit is mysterious. It must be kept refrigerated at all times. I have neither opened the cardboard shipping box that the kit is packed in, nor have I laid eyes on the contents, yet. I fantasize about the special kit and what is inside.

Opening the kit I see some sort of cold incubation apparatus that is designed to keep the cancer alive outside the hospitable environment of my body. I close my eyes and see a sort of purplish translucent octopus host creature inside that will cuddle and embrace the tumor, keeping it at just the right temperature during it's voyage to California on a Fed Ex airplane. The octopus creature will cuddle and protect the freshly removed tumor, and will purr to the tumor, "its alright, we are just taking a short trip. Daddy will keep you safe."

The octopus creature will release the tumor only once the doctors in California have entered a cryptic password into the armored metallic Fed Ex box. This box will then transform into a dainty but dangerous robot named "Shadow Dancer".

The octopus creature, now exposed to the air, will release it's grasp of the tumor and open it's tendrils to the doctors, who greedily remove the tumor. The octopus creature is swiftly swept off the table and into a polystyrene cooler, which is taken directly to the nearest high end sushi restaurant in Newport Beach, where it is promptly processed into Tako Sushi. It is served to one of the Real Housewives of Orange County who is dining there with her pool boy.

Back at the hospital the clinical trial doctors mercilessly use scalpels to process the still living tumor into various samples; Some are genetically analyzed, some are placed in a cryogenic tissue bank, and others begin cell lines that will be treated with retroviruses and dark matter to eventually become a powerful vaccine.

Months from now, I will get an injection of this vaccine, made partially from my own cancer. My body will writhe in momentary agony and my veins will pulsate with the metabolic magic of this vaccine as it enters my body, changing me forever.

Moments later, I become Spiderman.

At least this is what I hope will happen.