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Stacking Stones
​A Creative Craft Blog

From the mind of Jason Kapcala comes an eclectic journal dedicated to the study of creative writing, rock music, tailgating, and other miscellany. The musings, meditations, contemplations, and ruminations expressed here are my own unless otherwise indicated. Please feel free to share your comments, thoughts, and opinions, but do so respectfully and intelligently.
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Kap & Mina's Sunday Afternoon Tailgate: Week 9 (College Football Edition!)

11/8/2015

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It's that time again! Every season, we do a special college football edition of the tailgate. We've done Kap's alma mater (a few times, in fact!). And we've done Mina's alma mater. But we've never done the one school we have in common, the school where we work: our home among the hills, West Virginia University. Until now. . .
This week we're going to make a few tried-and-true West Virginia recipes in preparation for WVU's game against Big 12 Rivals, Texas Tech. So don your Old Gold and Blue, grab your buckskins, and help us cheer the Mountaineers to victory! With any luck, we'll all be singing "Country Roads" at the end of the day.

"LET'S GO, MOUNTAINEERS!"
A WVU Tailgating Experience

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When it comes to West Virginia foods, one dish stands out about the rest: the venerable West Virginia Pepperoni Roll. Originally created in Fairmont, WV, by Italian immigrants as a portable, non-perishable food for taking down into the coal mines, the pepperoni roll has become something of a state icon. Different areas of the state have slightly different thoughts about what should go into a pepperoni roll, so we're going to do a trio of different varieties (two traditional and one not-so-traditional, but still delicious!). We'll start by giving you the recipe we used to make the roll itself, and the follow up with our filling instructions.

- Kap & Mina

PEPPERONI ROLLS THREE WAYS
Traditional • Pepper & Cheese • Buffalo Chicken

There are many different pepperoni roll doughs. We prefer our rolls to be on the sweet side (almost like Hawaiian bread), yeasty, and moist with the greases from the pepperoni bleeding down into the roll as it bakes.
  • 1 c. Warm Milk
  • 2 TBSP Brown Sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp. Dry Yeast (1 package)
  • 2 1/2 c. All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt

Heat the milk and add the brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Combine in a bowl with the flour, yeast, and salt, and mix on low until a soft dough forms. (Add more flour, a little bit at a time, if needed.)

Cover dough and let stand for 10 min.
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Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead to form a smooth ball. Place dough ball in an oil bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at a warm temperature until doubled in size (about 2 hours).

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into quarters. Cut until you have about 20 pieces. Take a piece of dough and push it flat. Fill the middle with your fillings (see below), overlapping pepperoni slightly. Roll the dough up with the fillings inside and pinch each end. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and repeat until you have used up all of your dough.

Next, we will glaze the rolls:
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Pepperoni Roll Glaze
  • 1 TBSP Butter, melted
  • 2 tsp. White Sugar
  • 1 Egg Yolk

Combine the butter, sugar, and egg and brush over the rolls before baking.

Once the rolls are glazed, bake until golden brown, about 15-18 min.
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Traditional Pepperoni

It seems simple: just fill them with pepperoni! But there's actually a lot of debate about this.

Do you use sliced pepperoni or stick? (We prefer sliced).

Do you create multiple little pockets/cavities or just one big one? (We prefer one big one filled with lots of pepperoni.)

Do you eat them hot or cold? (We prefer them cold.)

Do you serve them with marinara sauce or without?

​You decide what is best for you!
Pepper & Cheese

In Parkersburg and some parts of Clarksburg, the preferred fillings for a pepperoni roll include pepperoni, Pepper-Jack cheese, and some sort of pepper (often banana peppers). We used Oliverio's Italian Style Peppers in sauce, produced and bottled right here in Clarksburg, WV.
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Buffalo Chicken

Nothing traditional about this, but we wanted to invent something new. This variety uses canned chicken, homemade Anchor Bar Buffalo Sauce (click for recipe), cheddar cheese, and (of course!) pepperoni. We served these with ranch dressing and some bleu cheese dressing that we doctored up with a tsp. of Kirkwood Winery's Sweet Ramp Wine.
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Another classic West Virginia ingredient is the wild ramp--an incredibly pungent wild onion with a strong garlic-onion flavor. These babies will have you stinking for the rest of the day, but they do lend a unique and authentic flavor to plenty of dishes like cornbread, fried potatoes, even muffins. There are festivals all over West Virginia each year, celebrating this little vegetable, and one amusing story even involves the staff of a small Richwood newspaper mixing ramp juice into the ink as a practical joke, earning them a reprimand from the U.S. Postmaster General. In our case, we mixed a little ramp wine from Kirkwood Winery into a traditional vinaigrette and tossed it with a chop salad made of seasonal WV vegetables.

​- Kap & Mina

WEST VIRGINIA CHOP SALAD
with Ramp Wine Vinaigrette

  • Lettuce Greens (your choice), chopped
  • 1 Golden Delicious Apple (WV state apple), chopped
  • 1 can of Red Beets, rinsed and chopped
  • 1 Carrot, shredded
  • 1 small Zucchini, chopped
  • 1 Red Onion, chopped
  • 2-3 ribs of Celery, chopped
  • Dried Cherries, to taste
  • Black Walnuts, chopped, to taste
  • Chives, chopped, to taste
  • Fresh Black Pepper, to taste

Mix well and toss with dressing.
Ramp Dressing:
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 2 tsp. Kirkwood Winery Sweet Ramp Wine
  • 2 tsp. White Vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
  • Black Pepper, to taste
  • 6 TBSP Olive Oil

Mix well and serve.
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WVU's famed PRT (Personal Rapid Transit)

An Important Message from Kap & Mina

As our Readers can confirm, we've been known to enjoy a cocktail or two around here, but we recognize that alcoholism is a serious problem across college campuses--one that is too often dismissed as "kids sowing wild oats." We need a serious culture change when it comes to college drinking and underage drinking. 

We hope that you'll join us by adopting our simple philosophy about alcohol consumption: It's more fun when it's done safely.

It's not fun to have regrets--to throw up or pass out or make yourself ill; to see your friends get hurt.

It's not fun to be scared--to forget where you were, what you did, or how you got home. 

It's not fun to be embarrassed--to behave in ways that undermine the capable person you are.

And it's not fun to pound cheap, foul-tasting booze when you can enjoy a drink that actually tastes good.

When we drink, we pace ourselves carefully. Kap is more than twice Mina's size--we keep that in mind. Kap drinks slowly so that Mina won't subconsciously try to match his pace. When he gets up for a refill, he makes sure that he's not topping off Mina's glasses too full or too often as the afternoon wears on. In return, Mina always makes sure that Kap is stone-cold sober before asking him to drive her home. Together, we look out for each other, and the end result is that we have a great time.
​

Choose quality over quantity in all things--your drinks, your friends, and your experiences. And, if you're of legal drinking age, please enjoy our West Virginia-inspired cocktails responsibly. 

- Kap & Mina

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This drink is loosely based off a cocktail available at a local roadhouse here in Morgantown, Schmitt's Saloon, which is owned by my favorite WVU football player of all time, "The Runaway Beer Truck" Owen Schmitt. The big difference in this recipe is that I used Moonshine and Honey Syrup (made from 100% West Virginia Honey), and I garnished it with some mint from my garden.

​- Kap

DOWN THE HOLLER

  • 2 oz. Heston Farms Buckwheat Moonshine
  • 3/4 oz. Chambord
  • 1 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Honey Syrup
  • 7-Up or Sprite, to top
  • Mint, for garnish
  • Lemon Slice , for garnish

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine Moonshine, Chambord, Lemon Juice, and Simple Syrup. Shake well and strain into a mason jar filled with ice. Top off with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Note: Honey Syrup is made the same way as simple syrup (1 part honey to 1 part water). Bring it to a boil and stir until dissolved, then store after cooling.
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Loyal readers might remember that our favorite drink last season was unanimous: The Lemon Drop! Here we tried to remake it here with a special West Virginia flare by using a spirit that this great state is known for: moonshine. Instead of wandering through the mountains looking for an unguarded still, we used Heston Farms/Pinchgut Hollow's legal, pasteurized version. I have grown to love moonshine in my five-plus years here in West Virginia, and so this drink could easily become a favorite for me, combining two of my favorite mixed drinks and spirits.

​- Mina

MOONSHINE LEMON DROP

  • 2 oz. Heston Farms Buckwheat Moonshine
  • 1 oz. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
  • 1 oz. Honey Syrup
  • Lemon, sliced for garnish
  • Moonshine Marinated Cherries (recipe below)

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine moonshine, lemon juice, triple sec, and honey syrup. Shake well and strain into a small mason jar or rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and marinated cherries.

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Moonshine Marinated Cherries
  • 6-12 Maraschino Cherries
  • 1/8 c. Maraschino Liquor
  • 1/8 c. Moonshine

Soak the cherries in a 50/50 mixture of maraschino liquor and moonshine for at least 24 hours.

MID-SEASON REPORT CARD

We've passed the midway point of the season now, so it's time for us to take a look at the comings and goings of the NFL and reflect on a few of the season's early storylines.
​

Biggest Surprise

Cincinnati Bengals

This category is all about overachievers--those teams and players who exceeded our expectations. For me, it's all about the Bengals. Andy Dalton is playing at a level I honestly didn't think he was capable of, and so the undefeated Bengals are my biggest surprise at this point in the season.
​
- Kap
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Arizona Cardinals

Despite the fact that the Chris Johnson story is on a 24/7 loop (see Kap's comments on the left below about that) I have been delighted by watching the Cardinals this season. They are first in the NFC West at the moment, and each game that we have gotten to watch here in West Virginia has been incredibly watch-able, and engrossing. I've been liking the defense, and the offense that the Cards' are putting up. Even with some team injuries, I'm excited to tune in each Sunday for the whole show.  

​- Mina

Biggest Letdown

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Kansas City Chiefs

There are a lot of teams who fit this category in what has turned out to be a season of haves and have nots. The two most obvious choices are the Ravens and the Lions, two teams who are playing in the league's basement right now. You could also throw the Bills into the mix here after their much hyped hiring of Rex Ryan (seriously, when are people going to stop pretending he's a good head coach?) That said, my biggest letdown is the Kansas City Chiefs. Under the guidance of Coach Andy Reid, they looked like a franchise on the rise, but Jamaal Charles's injury has shown just how important he is to the team (and just how one-dimensional they are without him).

​- Kap
Baltimore Ravens

I picked the Ravens earlier in August as the team to watch go all the way. (Maybe it was out of some misplaced loyalty to the state that I grew up in?) Suffice it to say, I've been really disappointed.  Add to that, the fact that Steve Smith is out for the season with a torn Achilles, and I don't have very much hope for Baltimore in the coming weeks.  

- Mina
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Biggest Annoyance

The Chris Johnson Shooting

Every season has its story lines, and one of the more obnoxious stories of this season has been Chris Johnson's return to action after being shot in a drive-by shooting (in which the driver of the vehicle, Dreekius Johnson was killed). Chris Johnson was, at the time, leaning forward to check his cell phone.

What's annoying about this story is the cavalier way NFL broadcasters bring it up every time Johnson gets a carry:

- "And Johnson crosses the thirty-five for a first down. You know, Ron, he was involved in a drive-by shooting this off-season and fortunately he was leaning forward at the time to look at his cell phone so some other guy caught the bullet instead."
- "Very lucky, Ron. Very lucky."

- "Johnson is hit at the goal line and we're waiting on a signal . . . touch down! I think he got across with that second effort leaning forward, just like when he was in that car leaning forward and almost got shot."
- "That's becoming his go-to move this season, Stan."

- "And Palmer is lucky that pass wasn't picked, Ron."
- "Not as lucky as you-know-who though."
- "Exactly. As we head into the two-minute warning, here's a good shot of Carson Palmer on the phone with the offensive coordinator after that three and out. From the way he's leaning forward there with the phone in his hand, it almost reminds you of Chris Johnson, does it not, Stan?"

- "That's a huge hit on a defenseless receiver, Stan, and it should draw a penalty."
- "That's nothing, Ron, Chris Johnson got shot. He was LEANING FORWARD AT THE TIME. Seriously."

- "Chris Johnson has been a real success story this season, and if you're the Arizona Cardinals, you have to feel like the glass is half full with this guy."
- "I'll tell you one guy who doesn't see the glass as half full, Ron, the poor schmoe who was driving the car when Chris Johnson got shot." 

It's tone deaf. It's relentless. And it's ultimately one of the most obnoxious phenomenon of this NFL season.

​- Kap
FanDual/Draft Kings Commercials

This is not news to any NFL fans, but oh my gosh, I am losing my mind with these freakin' commercials. It's every single minute! It's every single break! I am not making this up either. The ads are are ceaseless, they are idiotic, and they make me want to throw something at the television.  

- Mina
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Can the Eagles crawl out of the basement (and off Kap's list of biggest disappointments) in the second half of the season? Time will tell. . . .

Biggest Impact

Josh Norman, CB

There are a number of players doing big things this season--Rob Gronkowski and Julio Jones both come to mind. So does Atlanta's Devonta Freeman and St. Louis's Todd Gurley. You could even make the argument that Peyton Manning has had an unusual impact on his team this year, finding ways to win even though he's had a wet noodle for an arm most weeks. But I think largely unheralded Josh Norman (and the rest of the Panthers defense) is one of the big reasons that team is undefeated right now. Norman leads the league in interceptions and has stood out for blanketing some of the best receivers in the NFL. And to think, most of us had no idea who this guy was before the season started.

- Kap
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Rob Gronkowski, TE

GGGGRRROOONNNKKKKKKKK! The Gronk is king, here.  I mean I have a love/hate relationship with the Patriots, don't get me wrong, but I can't deny how well Gronkowski is playing this season, and how the Patriots-machine has made him a critical cog in its wheels. And you should look at him during a sexy photo-shoot with kittens (because then I won't be so ashamed at how much I've looked at it). 

​- Mina

Super Bowl Pics Revisited

Green Bay Packers (6-1)
Indianapolis Colts (3-5)

At the start of the season, I picked the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts to face off in the Super Bowl. The Pack look great right now with Aaron Rodgers under center, and are probably the only pick we made with a realistic chance of making it to the big game. The Colts are going to win their weak division, but they are a team with a lot of issues right now, and despite their big free agency acquisitions, they've taken a big step back since last season.

From the NFC, I'm sticking with the Pack. From the AFC, the dominant team right now is the New England Patriots, much as I hate to say it.

​- Kap 
Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
Baltimore Ravens (2-6)


I don't want to talk about the Ravens, guys. I can't. I'll just get upset.  But you already knew that from what you read above. However, I am still enough of a good caffeine addict, and enough of a fan of beautiful blue and green uniforms to make me a sucker for the Seattle Seahawks. 

I'll keep my NFC pick, is all I'm saying, but for the AFC, I know now that I should have gone with my gut, and picked the Broncos.  They're a really strong team, whatever happens to Manning, and I wouldn't mind another Super Bowl match-up like we had in 2014! 

​- Mina

PREDICTION

Win vs. Cowboys!

Normally, at this point in the season, this would be a tough call. But with Tony Romo still sidelined and the team slowly imploding from the inside, I think the Eagles have the upper hand going into Dallas. You've got Joseph Randle ditching the team and getting cut after being demoted from starting running back (because he was arrested for allegedly shoplifting cologne and underwear  . . . wait, what?). You've got out-of-control scumbag James Hardy fighting with coaches on the sideline (which is better than his former pass-time as a convicted woman beater, I guess). You've got perpetual headcase Dez Bryant flipping out on reporters. And coach Jason Garrett is impotent to do anything about it because team owner/Crypt Keeper body double/botox enthusiast Jerry Jones continues to publicly endorse these players and their idiotic behavior. It's a circus in Dallas, and the $1.15 billion dollar house that Jerry built is rapidly falling down around them. They may win this week or not--either way, it doesn't change the fact that the organization is in shambles.


Kap's Season Record: 3-4
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Team owner Jerry Jones watching last year's game in Big D.

Tune in next week for our Kwik-E-Mart Challenge!


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All recipes listed above come from our own imaginations unless otherwise indicated. If you try one of these recipes in your own kitchen, leave a comment below and tell us how it goes. And, of course, share your modifications, enhancements, improvements, etc.
​

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