Old Ironmaker

Tamma Kwa, Bear Creek Cottages or The Waltonian Inn. All good outfitters. There was a day you had to book a year ahead to get a hut for January 1st at these places. I don't know about now. If you want to experience a real adventure book an over night hut Huzz. Knowing you Huzz and how much you love fishin' you will be fishing all night long from the comfort of the dinning room table. We did it more than a few times. Nothing like playing cards and someone yells "fish on!" at 3 in the morning.

It would be interesting to know how much e-coli are in those lakes/ponds with all them Cows grazing, you can see them in the photo. I don't think I would be keeping any for the table regardless. If they are indeed small lakes that aren't restocked I don't think it would take too long to fish them out. Designating them catch and release only would be prudent in my mind because I know some will keep everything they catch.

Too political for me to comment. I will shut up and stay shut up. But I agree some are upset to say the least.

Thanks guys. Today I simply did the loin aka backstrap whole in a pan on high with a bit of sea salt, pepper in EVO (extra virgin olive oil) then once it had a good crust on it gave it a splash of red wine to get any crusty bits from the pan, left it in the pan covered on a lower heat for a while until the wine was pretty well gone. Sauteed some brown mushrooms in the same pan while the meat rested. Let it rest for 5 minutes and sliced it in 1" medallions. There was a bit of sauce in the pan. Laid 2 pieces on a small bed of Yukon Gold mashed taters and drizzled the sauce over it. It was nice and tender and medium rare. It was great for me but drier than I would like, the wife took 1 bite and said not for her. More for me!! The next one I do I am going to cook it in some pork fat and play with some spices, probably Montreal Steak Spice. I use that as my house spice, it goes with all meats and even chicken. It sure isn't on my diabetic diet but a few meals every few years won't kill me. A tip I was given by my sis in law for doing sliced shrooms in the pan is to give them a small splash of low sodium Soya Sauce when they are almost done. Never salt mushrooms until after they are done, draws out too much water, with the Soya no salt needed, ground pepper is OK. I slice mushrooms no thinner than 5/8ths to a 1/2". I find thinner they loose far too much moisture and shrink. If you are using that finely ground pepper that comes pre ground go out and buy a pepper mill and grind whole black pepper. While you are at it buy a second mill for sea salt. President's Choice sells Mediterranean Sea Salt and Whole Pepper cloves in it's own grinder.

Shag, thanks for the drawing. But it doesn't answer the question. That drawing calls the entire upper back the loin. There can be 3 cuts, loin, tenderloin and backstrap, nes pas? Any burger, death dog, sangwitch etc. is only as good as the bread, You can make a lobster roll and add a stale bun and it is garbage.

It takes 20 minutes for women to exit the home "after" they have their coats and boots on. The question of what they are doing for 20 minutes after they are "ready" is as difficult to answer the question of why do we exist as a species?

Until last night I had no idea the NHL was expanding to Seattle. I watch Kiro 7 from Seattle and watched them break ground to re do the arena there. I take it Hamilton will never get a team in my life, or any Millennial's lives. Copps Coliseum or whatever they call it now is antiquated. It took 50 years to finally build a highway to tie in the QEW and 403. No way that city is ever getting a new arena or upgrade the one they have. I feel for the die hards in The Hammer.

My also known as Shag friend I don't want. to disagree with you however I am. Just because I have never cooked Venison doesn't mean I have never eaten it. I have asked many different hunters the difference between the "back strap" and "loin". Simple, the back strap on a Deer is the Fillet Mignon of a Beef. The meat on the other side of the cow is the loin. I once brought a buddy who was an avid hunter what another hunter gave me and hunter #2 said it was backstrap, former hunter #1 said "no way it's backstrap" but I will keep it anyway." I am going to Google Deer anatomy. I didn't think my brother liked me that much but he gave me 2 back straps of Venison. Maybe because he has promissed to give me some meat for the last 5 years, more like 10! I sure ain't making stew from it. Why no Bacon fat Shag, That is one really lean cut.

You are 100% right catpierre. My wife worked to midnight and I was up when she got home we talked and we decided not to install a remote starter. It is not only bad for the environment, not only a waste of fuel but it is illegal to sit That came out a few years back. Sitting in the drive through at Timmies with the car running one can actually be fined. I've yet to see it or hear of anyone getting a ticket. I actually do shut off the car or truck at Hortons, sitting in line, going through a drive through car wash, getting out to get the mail or putting out the garbage to save fuel. The 500 bucks will go to something we really need. No one mentioned a block heater, they work. That is if nobody drives away with it still plugged in. Don't ask because I'll tell you it was I. The owners manual for the last 3 vehicles, 2007 to 2014, it specifically states not let the car warm up in idle, drive as soon as started. Anyone know why? I know someone here does. Thanks all for your good comments, it made the decision easier. Johnny D

One of the best in North America was a gentleman named Joe Martin out of Hamilton. As far as I understand Joe's son followed in his footsteps and is excellent. Google Martin Taxidermy Ontario. This is a skill that is one of those "you get what you pay for" I have a Tiger Musky Joe did way back in 1983. It looks like it just came out of the water to this day. I found it but can't paste here for some reason. I Googled Joe Martin Taxidermy. It's either Joe Jr or Joe is still going strong.

One of my most cherished memories I have had in life was an Ice trip to Nipp with 10 of my US relatives of which 3 have left us. One of which was born and bred in Atlanta and had never seen more than 2" of snow in his life. Too tired and sore now to write a short story (hopefully short), maybe latter. Fishing did come into play a few times, like my Johnny Reb cousin lipping a Pickerel followed by lipping a Pike. How do you know you're a Red Neck? I am sitting here with a smile on my face ear to ear and laughing just thinking of it.

Have a call out to the KIA dealership in Hamilton as well as Crappy Tire. I'm not about to spend 500 bucks on one but might have to. My wife pointed out that 500 bucks is 3 nights in a place I rent in Florida when we go. Actually it's me that wants one, not her.

Dad ran water on it for at least 24 hours for Good Friday or Christmas Eve on the Baccala or Stoco (like salt Cod but a different fish that I can't remember the name) until they put water meters in. I wouldn't touch the stuff when I was a kid and now will kill for it. There are a few Portuguese restaurants in Hamilton on or near James St. N. that serve a great Bacalau.

misfish I was editing my post to you while you were posting here. I said I do basically the same thing with pork loin. It's a good way to cook a very lean pork loin or backstrap, I actually like the other loin that has some of the sirloin (I think) of darker meat and fat on bottom that I trim and of course save to make lard once I get enough in the freezer. I might use the lard and bacon fat 2 or 3 times a year, usually the bacon for a big Turkey and the pork fat for roasted taters that I won't eat, it's a treat for Tich and guests.

Yep, that Bacon fat is my stash of Crack, can kill ya but can't help yourself. I don't come to this thread much anymore. 99.9% of what you guys make is a Diabetic coma of Heart attack away for moi. And it isn't much fun just looking plus it is too tempting. A single cup of pasta now has me lathered in sweat before I finish it. In the last 3 years I have buried no less than 4 pals who's deaths were Diabetes related that went uncontrolled. The 4 of them had 3 legs amongst them. It was sobering and I got back on the wagon. Went from 210 to 167 following a Diabetic diet, low Glycemic response foods. It's been years since my Doc said go ahead and gain a few pounds. Knees, back and hips feel great compared to 210. When I was diagnosed 20 years ago I was 5'11" and 235! Now 5'9" 1/4" !!! 170. I like that recipe misfish, It really sounds good. I may pass on the pasta and do sweet potato mash, or a tiny bit of linguini, a tiny bit. I do basically the same with pork loin, I too bought a whack of it on sale last week at 99 cents a lb. 6 in fact. If I had more room I would have bought more. I don't think I will ever use store bought Italian dressing, I might lose my membership at the Calabrese Social Club. Italian dressing is simple, a good, real good extra virgin olive oil, good quality Red Wine vinegar, dried Oregano, dried Basilico, roasted and mashed Garlic , Sea Salt and ground black pepper and even some raw sugar which some regions in Italy use and store bought is loaded with bad for anyone refined sugar. I bet a 750 ml bottle of home made costs less than 50 cents. Put it in the Kraft squeeze bottle and pretend you paid 4 bucks, or more. Whip it all together with a raw egg and call it Caesars. Refrigerate if you add an egg. No one is going to die eating a 1/4 or less of a raw egg. Rocky didn't.

I had an opportunity to join you guys when I had just gotten married, my FIL was a Firefighter in Hamilton and they were looking for new guys, no gals back then. I chose not to not because of the hard work or the tough environment but because I didn't think I had the mindset to deal with the aftermath of dealing with the tragedies, especially kids. You guys have different DNA than most. Thanks for your service Lew. Drifter somehow I missed your comment about a remote being theft proof. Good point. I wonder if one gets a break on Insurance. I will ask.

That is one big ragtop Lew! I wonder if it's a coincidence Lew that I started to detest cold weather when I opted to leave the warm confines of an office and started my Operations career on the Docks. We docked and unloaded Lake Freighters up to Jan. 1st some winters and chased miles of belt systems all winter. Picture the systems that they use plaster mining for Gold in The Yukon but for Iron Ore a few miles more belting and a dozen more receiving hoppers and screen decks. And we didn't shut the operation down once the freeze hit like the Gold guys do, and yes we did try to run water to control dust. I still have nightmares.

My brother had a great Deer hunt last month and gave me a few Backstraps, Loins and steaks. I've never cooked Deer before. Very lean but I have a good size jar of Bacon fat available. I don't want to ruin them. Any simple recipes?

Ketch, I leave the truck running with the keys in it on the Rez and they don't touch it. A good point though about theft. She works in Caledonia and if she starts the truck before leaving work is like holding a carrot in front of a Rabbit. I really don't want the truck to disappear, I would get killed on the loss payout. A 2way installed at CTC is running around 350 plus tax. I usually go out and start the truck for her. she drives it exclusively in winter, so she can pay me. If there is a good amount of snow I drive the 1/2 KM down the lane to Lakeshore Dr. to see if she can even get out. It's not the amount of snow it's the 5' plus drifts that stop you. You can get aftermarket ones that you can start from anywhere on the planet. Even some OEM units can do this like the Ford Pass ones. Just open an app on your phone and click on the start button. What's an App big guy? I've driven cars in winter that didn't have rear windows, discourteous cars from the Mom and Pop Body Shop I dealt with 45 years ago Sam turned that little shop in Hamilton into a national brand country wide). I drove Brit convertibles in winter, 65'Triumph Spitfire and 72' TR6 and a 67' MGB. Forget about cleaning the snow off the windows I had to shovel the snow off the seats first. About $75,000 worth of cars, or more, in todays market. Thanks for the help all.

My wife's Christmas gift from me is a remote car starter in my truck. Any recommendations guys? I see them at CTC from 80 to 260 bucks. What can she expect to pay for labour?

What time does the Sunset? I already know when you get up.

8" of ice overnight!!!!!! Brrrrrr. Another great video They are getting better every outing. What time does it get up there mate?

Most of the guys my age always say we were born at the right time, 1950's. If you went down Burlington St. on a bus in Steeltown and got off at the wrong stop one could walk to the wrong front office of any plant and get a shift job for 30 to 40 years with benefits and a pension. That time was the closest one could say " I have a permanent job." Even then though many were severed off in the 90's a few years or less short of pensions. Many of the guys I worked with that had no plans of retiring that had more than 30 years in would get a tap on the shoulder from someone out of the Pittsburg office and were asked "What do you do here?" If they didn't have a good answer the bean counter would congratulate them on their retirement if they qualified. I had never reached into my pocket to pay for anything health related in my entire life until a few years ago. US Steel Canada cut medical benefits by 100%. Thankfully we got most of them back when Bedrock Industries bought us from US Steel. I got a small taste of what it is like to have to pay for major medical, Rx drugs and dental like both my brothers and their families. A sobering experience to say the least and a new empathy for those that don't get good if any medical benefits from their employers. I am sure there are many on this board today with young families that must pay for medical benefits out of their net earnings. It has to be a tough go of it for certain.

Shut downs and people loosing their employment en mass is absolutely nothing new guys. I'll try to keep this to 1000 words or less. Mom is from North Tonawanda NY. When we were very little there was a huge Pulp and Paper mill as well as an old Bethlehem Steel plant that we had to pass on the Niagara River to get into town. I always wished the road was blocked when the Switchman would spread their arms holding the coal lamp to stop traffic. A drag of 100 ton Cling ladles filled with molten iron would cross the road, often sparks would fly up when the Hogger stopped the train, cool to see for a 7 year old. Fast forward to 1977 when I was asked if I would be interested in going into Blast Furnace operations and eventually working at the new Nanticoke plant on Lake Erie. The General Foreman then, Mr. Bill Taylor said to me "Son if you choose to work in the Blast Furnaces you will have a job for life." Not wanting to be a wise ass I carefully told Mr. Taylor that wasn't true. In the early 70's they knocked down those WW1 and a WW2 era furnaces and turned the brownfield into a park and Marina. over 30,000 good paying jobs were gone in a blink in Western NY when Bethlehem and several smaller steel plants just simply vanished by 1974. The greenfield site where Bethlehem stood in Lackawanna NY west of Buffalo will soon be the largest manufacturer of Solar panels in the World. That's the plan anyway.

Ain't that true. I built new in 86'. I/we paid a pretty penny too to have the garage bumped out an extra 5' so I could keep my future boat nice and dry inside. I finally bought the boat in 2005, no garage.