4.26- Crab and Shrimp Boil

Eating crabs by lamp-light
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I went to a crab and shrimp boil & party at a friend's house here in Oriental tonight.

There were no nutcrackers or wooden mallets, so everyone improvised to get the crab meat out. The crab was delicious, and worth the struggle.

The shrimp were much easier to eat, and were also delicious.

The locally-caught (fewer food-miles and much more flavor) crabs (live) and local shrimp (de-headed) came fresh from Endurance Seafood, just across Smith't Creek from Oriental.

Both were cooked up in the same pot by our host, and seasoned with plenty of Old Bay (see pic at right... click to enlarge.)

As you can see, cooking live crabs is a matter of who has the bigger claws.


Yum.

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4.20- Bud

Bud overboard

Yesterday Bill was laid to rest in the waters of the River Neuse near Oriental.

We'll miss you, Bob.

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2.01- Superbowl oysters

Fresh steamed oysters
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Superbowl Sunday... I was invited to a pre-game oyster-bake out near Dawson's Creek today. The event featured two giant burlap sacks full of fresh live oysters, which were eaten after steaming.

Friends, family, relatives, and regular readers will know that I am not a huge seafood fan, to say the least, and oysters are near the bottom of my "edibles" list...

Nonetheless, I did eat a few, and they pretty much tasted like the garlic-butter-worsteshire sauce or horseradish-ketchup-tobasco sauce I dipped them in. I did eat one without sauce, but quickly washed it down with plenty of Pepsi-cola while repeating to myself "I did not just eat a slimy mucous from a shell" over and over again.

The other folks at the pre-game party thoroughly enjoyed the oysters... the host's father told me he had eaten somewhere between 30 and 40 of the bivalve mollusks, the very thought of which made me feel a little green.

As one of my favorite authors, Jonathan Swift, once said "He was a bold man that first ate an oyster."

I struggled with the oysters, but enjoyed the company, the other available edibles and drinkables, and the accompanying pool tournament in the back shed before heading back to Oriental and the local pub for the Superbowl. My favorite part was the guy hitting the Koala.

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01.01- An auspicious beginning...

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The annual "Better than Football" New Year's Regatta fleet heads downwind towards the Adams Creek Marker, as seen under the genoa sail of the "Hirondelle"

Happy New Year!

Sailing is the best way to start any year, of course... I took today's photos from the deck of the Hirondelle, a Pearson 390, during the annual Oriental "Better than Football" regatta.

You might not believe it from the photos showing so many boats in front of us, but the Hirondelle and crew took FIRST PLACE IN THE RACE!!! I will explain about our winning techniques below. Secrets all sailors should learn.

BUT FIRST, some more pics from the race:

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Captain Dave (on left) and two thirds of the crew... First Mate Liz at the helm, well-covered against the fresh breeze, and Cabin Boy Fred (my brother) waiting for orders, while yours truly Boatswain Ben snaps the pic after dropping and securing the main

Here are a couple of shots of the fleet on the down-wind leg towards Adams Creek:

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OK, ready for the secret of how to win when almost the entire fleet is ahead of you??

THE SECRET IS:
Pick a race where the winners are drawn by lots at the post-race meeting!

Best when its cold outside, and hot soup and drinks at M&M's Restaurant accompany the judging:

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12.25- Belgian Beer & Tamalada

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Belgian beers help fuel a late-night "Tamalada"

Today my brother, a couple of friends and I held a small, late-night "tamalada" to assemble holiday tamales.

Masa dough was spread on corn husks, shredded pork or bean and jalapeno filling was added to the center, the husks rolled to cover the filling with dough, and the completed tamales stacked in the steamer and steamed. Here is a neat painting of a tamalada by Carmen Lomas Garza (ours was on a slightly smaller scale.)

The above photo was taken during a break in the assembling, when my brother and I broke out some of the fine Belgian beers we had brought back to Oriental from DC.

Can't get these beers round here... Both beers are from the "Brasserie Dupont" brewery. The one on the left is named "Avec les Bons Voeux," a blonde or trippel, and on the right "Moinette," a brune or dubbel.

Ran out of masa dough (because ran out of pork lard) about 3:00 AM, and finished cooking the last of the tamales at about 5:00 AM. They mostly turned out purty darn good, if you ask me.

Happy Winter Festivities!

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12.21- Tamales

Holiday spread at Capt. Ray's

Capt. Ray held a holiday party at his home in "The village," the old part of Oriental, this evening.

Today's picture features my own contribution, San Antonio style tamales.

I lived in S.A. for twenty years, and tamales are an integral part of the season there.

Last year, my first Christmas in Oriental, I went without tamales. I had gotten used to purchasing tamales at some of S.A.'s many tamale houses during the holidays, and there is nowhere to buy them in down-east North Carolina, so this year I decided to make some myself.

I have made about five dozen so far... I plan on making about 12 dozen or more before Dec. 25. Pictured above are some from my second trial batch.

My only previous tamale-making experience has been at a couple of tamaladas when there were six or more women supervising, all of whom had years and decades of tamale-making experience.

Even though I had no Abuelas to show me the way this time (and no tamale stores) I decided to try and make some on my own...

Good consumer reviews so far, albeit from Yankee and down-east N.C. gringos, for what that is worth. So far only two folks have pulled the "Gerald Ford" - trying to eat the tamale without first removing the corn husk.

Besides liking this second batch myself (first batch of two dozen, not so much) I was also pleased at very enthusiastic reviews from a Southwest expatriate gringa from Arizona.

She was all smiles at having ANY tamales for Christmas season, and to boot said mine were quite delicious... Very much appreciated compliment from one of the few folks around here who are familiar with the Norteno/border region style of tamale.

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12.13- Spirit of Christmas & Luminaries, Part Three

Luminaries along Hodges Street at the close of Oriental's Spirit of Christmas celebration
(Click on image or here for full size)

This year's Oriental Spirit of Christmas celebration concluded today with a host of activities that included the Spirit of Christmas street parade and the post-parade luminary-illuminated streets.

FOR MANY MORE PICTURES OF SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES AND LUMINARIES,
SEE MY POST FOR TODAY AT "THE DINGHY DOCK"

12.12- Spirit of Christmas Boat Parade

A sailboat decorated with lighted forestay and backstay follows a lighted power boat in the Spirit of Christmas nighttime Boat Parade

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After sunset today, a fleet of lighted and decorated boats paraded from Whittaker Creek to Oriental Marker No. 3 and back, as spectators watched from Lou-Mac Park and the South Avenue waterfront.

It was a bit difficult to capture the boats on camera as they passed about a half-mile away out in the Neuse River, but I like how the above time exposure shot shows the motion of the boat in the squiggly trails left by each of its many lights hanging along the forestay and backstay(check out the full size version to see the squigglies) They remind me of a seismograph output, or the medical monitors on the hibernation pods in "2001 Space Odyssey."

I have for the past few days been indulging in not quite sticking to the "Photo" (singular) part of the "City Daily Photo" concept, and I was tempted to do so again today...

But I must really stop that: that is why I have another blogsite, after all.

So, you can see more photos of tonight's Boat Parade, decorated boats, caroling crowd, and lighting of the "Spirit of Christmas Star" at my other blog, "The Dinghy Dock.""

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12.11- Luminary assembly, Part Two

A few of the 3000+ fully assembled luminaries lining the floors of the Town Hall

Volunteers this afternoon assembled the 3000+ luminaries that will line Oriental streets for the Spirit of Christmas Parade coming up on Saturday.

I was not able to get pictures of the assembly in progress today, but all afternoon volunteers filled little plastic bags with sand from a 4 ton pile, placed the sandbags in the pre-folded luminary bags, and inserted the pre-lighted candles. (See Luminary Assembly, Part One in second prior post below, or click here)

Below you can see the meeting room at Town Hall filled with the assembled luminaries (undergoing final inspection by three young volunteers who helped make them)... The bags also overflowed into the Town Hall garage:

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12.09- Luminary assembly, Part One

Candles for luminaries are "pre-lighted" on the lawn of the Toucan Bar in preparation for the "Spirit of Christmas" parade

Oriental's annual "Spirit of Christmas" parade is coming up on December 13. That means it's time to assemble the 3000 luminaries (little paper bag lanterns) that will line Oriental's streets for the parade.


Parade Elf Lori Wagoner supervised the process, which this year took place at the Toucan Bar on the grounds of Oriental Marina & Inn.

The first step in the assembly process was to fold 3000 bags and "pre-light" 3000 candles.

The candles were each lit and allowed to burn a few minutes before being blown out and put back in their boxes.

This makes it easier to light the thousands of candles once they are in their bags and in place along the streets.

While the candle lighting took place out on the lawn, other volunteers folded the bags on the deck and inside the Toucan bar.

Parade Elf Lori Wagoner displays the "Bag Folding 101" instructional poster
(Click on picture or here for full size)

Folding the tops of the bags down provides some structural rigidity to the luminaries. The army of volunteer bag folders enjoyed some beverages and fun company during the arduous task:

The next steps will be performed another day... filling little sandbags, placing the sandbags in the paper bags, placing the candles in the bags, and lining up the finished luminaries for delivery.

You can follow the whole process right here over the next few days.

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12.06- Village music (Skywatch Friday is prior post, below)

A band plays in Oriental's old village, next to the Fulcher Seafood Market store on the corner of Hodges Street and South Water Street

I wish I knew the name of this band... I think it was "Hot Buttered" something or other...

They were a vast improvement over the usual "wedding bands" that play around here (you know... everyone's favorite 50's, 60's, etc. pop tunes, from "Ride Sally Ride" to "Sweet Home Alabama")

I guess these guys might be called a "jam-band," whatever that means. The songs, instruments, lyrics and arrangements were far from the usual rock'n'roll standards bands that play the wedding receptions and Tiki Bar throughout the spring and summer.

This is the first live outdoor music since the contentious "noise ordinance" Town Board meeting of earlier in the week (See post of Dec. 2, below)

No word yet on any complaints. I sure had none for this band.

[12/09 Update: today's Pamlico News weekly newspaper reports complaints were made... the paper reports three different complaints, but doesn't make clear whether they all came from the same source or from different homes]

In any case, no rioting in the streets... just good music, a warm fire, and dozens of Christmas trees on the corner lot.

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9.20- "Celestial Nights" concert

Dave Collins & The Celestial Nights Singers perform at the Old Theater in Oriental
(click on picture or here to view full size)

Local troubadour Dave Collins, accompanied by the "Celestial Singers," performed last night in Oriental's historical theater on Broad Street on Friday and Saturday nights.

Dave Collins arrived in Oriental earlier this summer, and has become a popular draw as a one-man show with regular gigs at "Scoots" and the Tiki Bar at Oriental Marina & Inn.

Dave pulled together a group of other talented local singers and musicians for this weekend's show, "Celestial Nights," which proved to be a hot ticket in town, filling the theater both nights.

In addition to Dave on vocals, guitar, piano, keyboard, fiddle, flute and sitar, the show featured:

• Mellissa Stowe, vocals & percussion
• Lynn Speas, vocals & percussion
• Care Gerdeman, vocals & percussion
• Shelly Engelhardt, congas & chimes, and
• Leanna Shae Collins (Dave's daughter), flute, vocals & percussion

The first half of the show featured Dave's original compositions featured on his first CD and an upcoming CD, while the second half consisted of classic covers.

You can see a bunch of my other pictures from the show on today's posting at my other blog, "The Dinghy Dock."

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8.10- Watermelon Rinds

Fay and John Bond hosted their annual watermelon feast today... They have been doing this for decades, offering free watermelon to all comers.

I got there a little after the crowd, as evidenced by the half-trailer-full of rinds, napkins and forks. I soon added my own contribution.

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7.05- Croaker Festival Fireworks

"Croakerfest," held in Oriental on the first weekend in July, brought fireworks to Smith Creek and the NC 55 bridge. This picture is taken from a Dock B of Oriental Harbor Marina.

Yesterday evening (July 4), as I was leaving my reading spot under the Mimosa Tree next to the Dinghy Dock, I was approached by half a dozen Oriental visitors asking me where they should go to watch the fireworks, only to be disappointed to learn that in Oriental, fireworks are scheduled for Croakerfest, and only fall on July 4 if that happens to be the first Saturday of July.

Hopefully they all decided to stay in town another night to see tonight's display.

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