With all this wind we have been having, it has brought many thoughts to mind, one being Mark Twain’s reference to Carson City’s wind, the “Washoe Zephyr,” in his novel “Roughing It.”
“(F)or it was two o'clock, now, and according to custom the daily ‘Washoe Zephyr’ set in; a soaring dust-drift about the size of the United States set up edgewise came with it, and the capital of Nevada Territory disappeared from view. Still, there were sights to be seen which were not wholly uninteresting to newcomers; for the vast dust-cloud was thickly freckled with things strange to the upper air – things living and dead, that flitted hither and thither, going and coming, appearing and disappearing among the rolling billows of dust – hats, chickens, and parasols sailing in the remote heavens; blankets, tin signs, sage-brush, and shingles a shade lower; door-mats and buffalo-robes lower still; shovels and coal-scuttles on the next grade; glass doors, cats, and little children on the next; disrupted lumber yards, light buggies, and wheelbarrows on the next; and down only thirty or forty feet above ground was a scurrying storm of emigrating roofs and vacant lots.
“It was something to see that much. I could have seen more, if I could have kept the dust out of my eyes.
“But, seriously, a Washoe wind is by no means a trifling matter. It blows flimsy houses down, lifts shingle roofs occasionally, rolls up tin ones like sheet music, now and then blows a stagecoach over and spills the passengers; and tradition says the reason there are so many bald people there is, that the wind blows the hair off their heads while they are looking skyward after their hats. Carson streets seldom look inactive on summer afternoons, because there are so many citizens skipping around their escaping hats, like chambermaids trying to head off a spider.”
Sound familiar? I guess the wind isn’t such a new thing here. That being said, it certainly is not my favorite thing and has been a topic of conversation amongst my customers for weeks now. The only positive I take away from a light wind in the summer, is that you smell what your neighbors are grilling. That sweet, smoky smell of sugary barbecue sauce, hotdogs, sausages, burgers or your neighbors new pellet grill smoking briskets or pork butts for hours… mmmm.
In previous articles I have recommended briskets and tri tip to smoke or grill, along with steaks and chicken. And now I suggest a favorite summer side dish – baked beans or, as I like to refer to it, “Whistle Berry Stew.” Homemade baked beans is a labor of love but well worth it, so rustle up some of these “whistle berries” and let’s give this Carson City wind a little competition.
Enjoy!
1 lb. dry Navy Beans
3 tbsp Yellow Mustard
2 yellow Onions diced small
1 tbsp granulated Garlic
6 pcs smoked Bacon- thick sliced chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 can Tomato puree
2 tbsp Tomato paste
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
½ cup Molasses
½ cup Brown Sugar
2 cups Beef Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 325. In an oven-safe casserole dish, start by browning the 1/2 inch pieces of bacon until crisp, then remove and set aside. Add diced onions to the same dish, and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, stirring often to create nice, evenly caramelized onions. After the onions have caramelized, add the rest of the ingredients including the crisp bacon. Stir together and then add salt and pepper to taste. Add a lid and bake in your oven for about 3 ½ hours at 325 degrees. Perfect complement to your favorite barbecue this summer.
David Theiss owns Butler Gourmet meats, serving Carson City for over 49 years.
