Fatboy Challenge: Juicing(?)

I really should never let old friends meet my wife.  When I do crap like this happens.  When Coop and I ended our Fat Boy Summer Road Trip a couple of weeks ago it gave my lovely wife a chance to get to know him.  That led to him talking about healthy living, the polar opposite of the Fat Boy lifestyle.  He encouraged her to watch a documentary made by a man named Joe Cross entitled "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead".

In the movie he details his incredible weight loss achieved by going on a juice only diet.  The success of the film caused him to write a book of recipes, sign a deal with a juicer manufacturing company, and exploit his success.  Suddenly my darling wife wants me to order her a juicer, and a new series for Fat Boy Heaven is born.​

Over the next week I will compare two popular juice based cleansing diets, the "Reboot with Joe" made famous by Joe Cross, and The BluePrint Juice Cleanse, ​a very popular brand of pre-made cold pressed juices that sell for a huge amount ($7-11/each) and whose recipes have been widely copied and published via the web as a result.

Each plan is a three day cleanse, and we will compare taste, variety, cost of ingredients, and weight loss/health changes to determine which plan works out best for me and proves most time and cost effective.​

All of this for just 3 days of juice?  This is more vegetables and fruit than I ate last year!

First up starting tomorrow will be a DIY version of the BluePrint Renovation Cleanse, their most varied and flavorful package intended for those of us new to Juicing.​

BluePrint has an iOS app to help you track your cleanse

Drink of the Week: Kentucky Mule

The Moscow Mule, served in copper mugs has been making a loud revival at bars nationwide.  A blend of Vodka and Ginger Ale over muddled lime and mint leaves, it is a tasty beverage.  Since I hate vodka, I decided to create the Kentucky Mule.  Essentially the same drink, but with bourbon rather than vodka.  Super simple and amazingly flavorful, this will be a go to drink for quite a while.

Kentucky Mule

1/8 Lime

3 mint leaves

2 oz Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Ginger Beer

Ice

Instructions:

1. Place lime slice and mint leaves in glass and muddle
2. Add ice
3. Add bourbon
4. Fill glass with ginger beer and enjoy.

Fat Boy Summer Road Trip 2014 Part 2: On the Road Day 8

We woke up after far too little sleep in Nashville this morning with another long day of driving planned, but wanted to see a couple things in the daylight before we left town.  We went by and snapped a picture of the Nashville skyline in the morning sun and a picture of LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans.  Our final stop was to the Nashville Farmers Market to grab a fresh lunch before hitting the road for Joplin, MO to hug an old friend and have dinner with her.

The Nashville Farmers Market is huge, with five buildings in total.  Two "Farm Sheds" contain stalls for local farmers to sell fresh produce and feature everything from turnip greens to fresh peaches and heirloom tomatoes.  In the middle is the Food Court, an enclosed building that is home to several permanent restaurants, an international foods market, and quite a few temporary food booths selling everything from handmade pastries and gelato to traditional Indian and Jamaican foods. 

The final two structures are the "Flea Market", featuring booths from dozens of different vendors.   Here you can find all kinds of thins from clothing to household goods and designer fragrances.

In the Food Court we decided on a crepe from Music City Crepes. They intrigued me with hot savory crepes filled with meat and cheese.  I had mine with ground beef, cheddar cheese, olives, onions, and fresh spinach.  It was a nice refreshing yet substantial meal to hold us through the 600 mile drive planned for the day. 

 From Nashville we headed out on our long drive to the Southwest corner of Missouri.  Crossing the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and the Ozark mountains. 

Our route took us to one of the biggest river joinings in the world.  In the span of two miles Route 51 took us across the Ohio River from Kentucky into Illinois, then across the Mississippi River from Illinois into Missouri just a mile north of the point where these two mighty rivers join.  You are in Illinois so briefly that the only indication is a sign saying you are on the Lincoln historical trail just before you leave while crossing the Mississippi.

The Ohio River looking from Kentucky to Illinois

Bridge over the Ohio River on Rt. 51 North of Wycliffe, KY

Bridge over the Mississippi River on Rt. 51 just south of Cairo, IL

A large storm was moving in as we were crossing Missouri.  It went from bright daylight to dark in less than 15 minutes.

By the time we got to our destination in Joplin, MO the storm had passed and the sun was back.

We checked into the Holiday Inn in Joplin and then met up with Katie, a good friend who lives just west of Joplin for dinner at the Steak n Shake before calling it a night.  It was a long drive but worth it to have a few hours catching up with an old friend and having a meal together before heading to bed for Sunday's journey.

Harley Davidson announces LiveWire, it's first electric bike

Harley Davidson on Thursday announced it's first electric cruiser, dubbed the LiveWire. According to Harley, the LiveWire's AC Induction motor makes 74bhp and 52lb-ft of torque. That's enough to give it a 0-60 time of less than four seconds, but only a disappointing 92mph top speed. Even less encouraging is the range, which stands at just 53 miles. No other specs are available at this time.

I personally would rather see something closer to a big cruiser in styling that this bike that looks to be modeled more after the Sportster 883 in size and style. A bigger bike would have room for more batteries, and hopefully more range. I will also be interested to see if they take advantage of Tesla's recent move to open source their patent portfolio to make changes to the charging and battery system.

What do you guys think, does this bike stand a chance coming from HD?

Via Gizmodo

The Fat Boy Summer Road Trip 2014 Part 2: On the Road Day 7

With yesterday's delays we had some miles to make up today, but had a night in Nashville waiting as our reward for making the push.

We saw some beautiful scenery crossing the Smoky Mountains as we crossed Virginia, and driving through them in Tennessee as we logged almost 900 miles.  We stopped in Bristol, VA/TN for a later lunch and found ourselves at Burger Bar, a downtown Bristol fixture since 1942 with a big sign advertising Bristol's Best Burger.  We were greated by friendly staff and a 1940s style diner that I'm sure looks very much like it did the day it opened.

I had a pretty basic bacon and cheddar burger made extraordinary by the hand formed fresh beef patty, high-grade bacon, and perfect seasoning.  When I eat at this type of diner I try the burger the way it is served before I add condiments, and for a burger to be "Fat Boy Approved" it has to stand on its own.  This burger did with no problem at all.   The beef perfectly cooked, juicy without grease running all over, high quality toppings, and a great bun that held up without being too crusty.

After completing our meal we found out that Joe Deel, one of the owners was there and when our waitress handed him the card I left with the check he came out to talk with me for a few minutes.  What I wish I had known before I ordered is that much of what they serve every day isn't on the menu.  Regulars know to ask what they have fresh when they sit at the counter, and it has been known to range from fresh organic produce to venison.  If I make it back I'll be sure to ask Joe what he wants to cook me instead of even looking at the menu.  This is hometown hospitality and tradition done right, and Bristol's Famous Burger Bar is earning a permanent place in Fat Boy Heaven as a result.  Whether you are in town for races at the Bristol Motor Speedway, or traveling through to learn more about Bristol's role in country music history make sure you stop in and see the Deel's and tell them the Fat Boy sent you. 

As we left Bristol a torrential thunder storm hit out of nowhere, not an uncommon occurance this high in the Smoky Mountains.  Visibility was so bad that traffic on the Interstate literally pulled over to wait it out or crept aong with 4-way flashers helping fellow travelers see them on the road.  It passed almost as quickly, and we made the trip the rest of the way into Nashville without issue.

We checked into our hotel and quickly changed out of our travel clothes to go out and explore Nashville.  Coop had never been here, and was blown away when we got down to Broadway, where the majority of the honky tanks in town sit side by side in a three block stretch near the Ryman Auditorium and the Nashville Convention Center.  After walking the strip we decided nothing special was going on anywhere else, so we might as well hit the oldest of the bars. On Broadway, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.  The place was packed and we waited on line for about 20 minutes before getting inside.  Once there we got drinks at the bar from the friendly and efficient staff and found a spot to stand and enjoy the performance of Anthony Orion and the Goodfellows.

Broadway in Nashville on a Summer Friday night is something you have to experience to believe

The Ryman, known far and wide as "The Church of Country Music"

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge was crowded beyond belief to see Anthony Orio and the Goodfellows

It was a great night at an amazing bar, and even after a long day on the road we couldn't pry ourselves away until last call.  Now we can't wait to get back to Nashville with more time to explore. 

The Fat Boy Summer Road Trip 2014 Part 2: On the Road Day 6

My view for 4 hours while waiting for Coop to finish getting his Jeep inspected for shipping.

Today started of OK, then got bogged down for hours before a great finish.  We got moving this morning, checked out of our hotel in Towson, MD and planned to get to the Port of Baltimore around 1300 for Coop's appointment to ship his Jeep before a six hour drive to Raleigh, NC.  Unfortunately, what we hoped was going to be a quick process dropping off the Jeep ended up keeping us there until after 1800, making getting to the Raleigh area and Ft. Bragg impossible.

what it did do was have us ending the night just south of Richmond, VA after a great meal and evenin catching up with an old friend for Coop and meeting a new friend for me when we met Art at Honey Whyte's. 

When Art found out we were coming through late hetold us he had just the place for us to get the best burger in Richmond, and he was underselling what we found.

Located on Historic Tobacco Row in the Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond, VA Honey Whyte's boldly proclaims on assign out front "best burger", and they back it up convincingly.  The only entrees on the menu are burgers.  They have turkey burgers for the healthy eaters and even a black bean patty for the vegetarians in the crowd but what they really do is beef.  You start by choosing either a 1/4 pound or 1/2 pound patty and then the type of burger.

Fried pickles, the perfect appetizer

We started with an order of fried pickles, and they were perfect.  Thickly battered and evenly coated, they were crispy and delicious.  Back home fried pickles often are cooked at too low a tempature and end up a soggy mess, it's good to be in The South again.

Honey Whyte's "1/2lb Heart Attack" stands by itself, no sides needed!

The signature burger at Honey Whyte's is the 1/2 pound Heart Attack.  A 1/2 pound fresh beef patty between two grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches.  Presentation was simple, a giant burger in the center of a clean white plate with a knife stuck in the center.  No sides like fries to detract from the mountainous burger.  The individual sandwiches were grilled crispy and perfectly browned, and the beef was one of the best burgers I've ever eaten.  This goes in my top 5 list along with burgers like The Boncat Bite's Green Chile Burger in Sante Fe, NM and the Hot Brown Burger from Wallace Station in Versailles, KY.

The cross section of the 1/2lb Heart Attack shows off the bacon and cheese in those great sandwiches it uses as buns

It was great to meet Art and a great chance for he and Coop to catch up, but it was also an amazing burger experience.  Serendipity to be sure on this Fat Boy Summer Road Trip.

Coop and Art at the end of the night as we headed out to find our hotel.

The Fat Boy Summer Road Trip 2014 - Day 2

Breakfast is the one meal with little chance for variety on board a train.  I started my morning just outside of Shelby, MT with pancakes and pork sausage.  The pancakes were cooked through and not undercooked as sometimes can be the case with quick prepared breakfasts, and the sausage while obviously coming from under a heat lamp was still juicy and flavorful.  

Service was quick and easy as you would expect in a small space with many passengers to feed quickly.  A good breakfast and great start to the day.

Today's Lunch Market special was a stir fry chicken but had way more sauce than I consider normal for a stir fry.

Very spicy, with big chunks of peppers and broccoli.  Served over a rice pilaf.  I should have gone with something else, as this was not a good meal.

Service was slow.  Painfully slow, and even more so given how quick it normally is.  A couple who was seated at my table after I had ordered my drink was finished with lunch and ordering dessert by the time my entree arrived.  Hopefully it was an anomaly and service will be up to par for the rest of the trip.

Dinner I decided on the Catch of the Day, which was catfish tonight.  It could have been seasoned better, and while others said it was great mine was a little muddy.  The seasoning is just personal preference and the muddiness is dumb luck with catfish.  I should have had the steak I guess.  Dinner was served with a rice pilaf and green beans, both of which were great.  In all a good but not great day dining aboard the Empire builder.  The service anomaly from lunch thankfully proved itself just that, and dinner was a great time once again meeting new people and harassing the staff.

For my whiskey selection tonight I opened the first of two interesting new whiskeys made from already brewed and DRINKABLE beer.  

Tonight's selection is Pine Barrens Single Malt, distilled from a single malted traditional barley wine by the folks at Long Island Spirits in Baiting Hollow, NY.  They start by brewing from scratch a traditional English Style Barley Wine Ale and then double pot distill the conditioned Ale.

The result is very aromatic, with hints of nutmeg and allspice on the nose.  The first taste gives Pine Barrens it's name, as the very floral note has a pine tar hint that quickly faded to cinnamon and nutmeg giving it a very smooth and sweet finish.  The sharp floral notes make this feel almost more like a cordial or digestif than a whiskey, but from ingredients to process a whiskey it is.  A very nice taste that goes perfect after a meal.

The Fat Boy Summer Road Trip 2014 - Day 1

Day one of the trip had me leaving Portland behind on the train via Amtrak's Empire Builder on route to Chicago where I will have a wait before changing trains.  I love train travel, and have since I discovered it in college.

Crossing the Columbia River Draw Bridge

The train leaving Portland crosses the Columbia river into Vancouver, WA before heading East up the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side of the river.  There are some great views on this section of the trip, and the first afternoon and evening is one of the most scenic on Amtrak's route.

The Bistro Box served for dinner out of Portland was ok, but needed a little help.

Leaving Portland the Empire builder has a viewing car with a cafe downstairs but no dining car, so dinner the first night was a boxed affair.  The choices available were limited to shrimp or beef, so I selected the Burgandy Beef Tri-tip.  The beef was flavorful and tender, cooked a little farther towards well than I would prefer but when trying to serve a variety of people and keep under refrigeration that is often the case.  The fruit was fresh and tasty, not over ripe as sometimes can be the case with this type of meal, and the dessert was creamy and delightful.  The only thing that didn't really work for me was the veggie selection.  A mushroom and broccoli combination that might have been good warm was decidedly not when served cold and tossed in some type of vinaigrette.

After dinner I decided to open the bottle of Teeling Irish Whiskey the folks at Caskers sent me to review for a first tasting.  Made in Dublin since 1782 The Teeling hasn't been available in the United States since the revolution.  With whiskey making such a resurgence in the Americas they decided to begin export in January of this year.

This is a smooth whiskey for a type normally known as a shot not for sipping.  As a shot it was so smooth with great sweetness and depth on the finish that I decided to try it on the rocks as well.  Over ice it loses what little bite it had on the nose and leaves the sweet aromas derived from its rum cask finish.  The sweet malts hit the palate first, followed by a little spice before a slightly fruity finish.

 In all a very nice close to my first night aboard my favorite train.