February 28, 2006, was Mardi Gras. It had been a stellar weekend and I posted three times that day: A Cinza das Horas, Demander la Charité, and Lundi Gras (this was originally posted February 27).
This evening I almost turned into a pot roast because one of my tires blew out on a busy bridge over the Mississippi River, as I was driving uphill in heavy traffic at 60 miles per hour. It was very dangerous and most harrowing, although I will say that it afforded me the otherwise unavailable opportunity of contemplating beautiful nighttime views of Baton Rouge while standing in the middle of this shoulderless bridge.
Fortunately I had made a real pot roast. To do it, I first drizzled the meat on all sides with olive oil and placed it in a cast iron pot. I doused it with a half cup of good cooking vinegar. I added a large can of tomatoes, a small onion, finely chopped, and a half a head of garlic, peeled. I simmered it quietly for a long time — at least three hours.
As the meat got closer to done, I added one Anaheim chile and three carrots, sliced lengthwise, three leeks, thinly sliced, four medium sized red and yellow potatoes, halved, two yellow crookneck squashes, thinly sliced, and one bunch of parsley, finely chopped.
I corrected the seasoning and removed the pot from the fire. I added one bunch of spinach and covered the pot, so that the spinach wilted. I stirred it gently and served with additional olive oil and balsamic vinegar as condiments.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Zero! I hope you are all right, and am glad you compensated for your troubles by eating meat during Lent. It seems a hugely appropriate and delicious transgression!
Yum! Your pot roast sounds like a French and cajun-influenced sauerbraten.
I’m sorry to hear about your tire blowout, and I’m very glad you lost nothing more than your tire and some time.
HOLA y’all and MERCI – yes, I’m fine, came out of shock. It just could have been much worse. Sauerbraten, yes, the vinegar. Vinegar, though, is an underused item. I learned how to cook with it in Denmark where they don’t overdo it as they do (in my opinion) in the former Eastern bloc.
How scary! I hope you had AAA and did not have to stand on the road too long.
Hola J – yes, the full version was really scary, much more dangerous than any prior adventures (e.g. last summer’s bus accident in Peru). Louisiana Motorist Assistance arrived fast, however.
I’m glad you came out of that OK.
And it appears that you cook the way I do!
We should have a cooking party with Momo … I’ve got a new tire now and it turns out I didn’t even destroy my rim (amazing)!
Your bridge experience is my nightmare everytime I drive over it. Ack! I’m glad you survived, and could enjoy the view.
It’s those industrial trucks. The tire guy said the tire blew out because it was cut by something that fell off a truck.