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June 21, 2006
petit jury duty
I made it to my jury duty appointment today. Thankfully I am not going to jail. Being in the Moultrie Courthouse building was a generally unpleasant experience from the get-go. While waiting in line to go through entryway security, a very drunk man was behind me cursing loudly, reeking of hard liquor. I suppose he was showing up for jury duty like me. After that I smelled several other people who reeked of booze. Perhaps they were onto something, as later I realized they were probably on the right track. I thought it would be wise to take a trip to the bathroom before I had to wait for Eternity, but in the men's room someone was apparently giving birth to a rotten beached pilot whale, the smell was so bad. Following obscure directions, we were led to wait in a room with 100 other people whose personal potential to serve was wasted for over an hour. Temperatures in the room were kept at a minimum 90-degrees Farenheit to ensure maximum torment.
As I waited in the Torment Room, the woman to my left was getting some really good sleep. I was kind of jealous of her ability to escape our shared conscious reality and wanted to join her to escape our purgatory. But to my right was Miss Krinkles, whose bag of nuts was the crinkliest bag in the world. And she only ate one nut at a time. Her mouth was open as she smacked away at each nut.
Finally, we were shown a 'how to' jury video, after which a list of us were called out into the hallway. I did not know if we were meant to serve or go home. Fortunately, we were not to serve that day, and I'm good for another two years or so.
After that I had a nice lunch from one of those downtown buffet places, and included beets with my cottage cheese. I really like beets. I think I'm going to make a cold beet summer soup of some kind this weekend. Anyone have any suggestions?
Posted by jimbo at June 21, 2006 2:13 PM
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Comments
I don't have a beet soup recipe (I've been wanting to get a soup cookbook forever), but I do have my first jury summons EVER (39 here) a week from today, so it's good to get a little background before showing up. I've been told to bring a big book to pass the time.
And to be helpful, here is a list of beet soup recipes.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/779/0.shtml
Posted by: Howard at June 21, 2006 3:34 PM
What...You didn't get to hang out in the Jurors' Lounge? "The Jurors' Lounge has televisions, vending machines, and telephones. As a courtesy, a business center equipped with carrels, modem access for 7 laptop computers, a facsimile, and copier is also available." (http://www.dccourts.gov/dccourts/superior/special_ops/jurors.jsp)
I am SOOOO looking forward to fulfilling my civic duty next week now.
Posted by: Tim at June 21, 2006 5:13 PM
HA! At least I was able to wait in the far more up-scale Prettyman Federal Courthouse. The criminals being processed through the building are fewer, so they draw less of an audience. Of course, I got stuck on a 12 week trial at the end of which I didn't even get to deliberate. Probably didn't miss much: the remaining jurypersons only took 3 days to convict all 5 defendants on approximately 150 counts.
Speaking of family in the jury pool, I have my suspicions about the prosecutor on the case. Would it be in poor taste to telephone her over at justice and ask?
Posted by: Boo Augustus at June 21, 2006 5:17 PM
Your cold borscht brings all the Ashkenazi to the yard.
Posted by: chrisafer at June 21, 2006 5:38 PM
Made this recipe once for guests (I'm not that into beets). It was delicious and now I am. At least as a soup. Give it a try.
2 c. beets (canned or cooked & peeled)
1/2 c. carrots, peeled & cut
1 1/2 c. beef bouillon or broth
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. fresh dill weed
1 tbsp. sour cream per serving (opt.)
Cook vegetables through in bouillon. Add vinegar. Puree in blender in small batches for fine consistency. Top soup with 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon fresh dill weed. Serve hot or chilled.
Posted by: rodger at June 21, 2006 6:55 PM
YAY BEETS!!!!! I just inhaled a can of them last night. Beets are just awesome....lol...
Posted by: Jeff at June 21, 2006 9:00 PM
your cold borscht with a swirl of sour cream make the Ashkenazim dance.
Posted by: timothy at June 21, 2006 9:49 PM
I should ammend: Cold borscht with sour cream could make the Ashkenazim dance, If it were really good cold borscht. I have no knowledge of jimbo borscht, but I imagine it would certainly be above the standard. :-)
Posted by: timothy at June 21, 2006 9:51 PM
As a man of (mostly) Russian heritage, I know and savor the crimson-staining love that is the beet.
My favorite beet/summer soup is made by roasting red beets with garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. The roasing process really intensifies the sugars within the beet. After roasting, peel and puree.
Add sour cream and/or nonfat yogurt to thin out the soup, and to add a layer of tanginess. Garnish with rustic toast points and some lemon zest.
Note: The soup is a brilliant pink not unlike Pepto-Bismol. Be advised, though it tastes muthafucking heavenly.
S!
Posted by: Sean. Spelled the Right Way. at June 21, 2006 10:43 PM
COLD BEET AND CELERY SOUP
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 pounds beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar plus additional to taste
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
ice water for thinning soup
sour cream, seasoned with bottled horseradish, and minced fresh chives for garnish
In a heavy saucepan cook onion and celery in oil with sugar and salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened and add beets, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and broth. Simmer mixture, covered, 35 to 40 minutes, or until beets are very tender.
In a blender purée mixture in batches until very smooth, transferring as puréed to a bowl. Chill soup, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
Thin soup with ice water and season with additional vinegar and salt and pepper.
Garnish soup with sour cream and chives.
Makes about 7 cups.
Epicurious.com has a recipe with ratings for every food in your kitchen. There are usually user reviews to tweak each recipe.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/12488
Posted by: Mike at June 22, 2006 9:51 AM
the lady with the nuts is right though you do put nuts in your mouth one at a time...but of course im not talking about the kind she was sucking on LOL
Posted by: Kevin at June 22, 2006 11:53 AM
See. I told you they wouldn't arrest you. *wink*
Sorry to hear about your friend.
*bear hug*
Posted by: moby at June 26, 2006 8:36 PM