Around Ohio

“Cat Bay Tunnel” Set to Open

April 1: The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced this morning that construction of the tunnel connecting South Bass Island with the Catawba Peninsula is ahead of schedule and expected to open in time for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend. Memorial Day historically is the weekend when activities typically heat up on the islands and Marblehead Peninsula.

The Cat Bay Tunnel as it has become known, will include 3 lanes of traffic that travels the 2.85 miles from Catawba to the southwest tip of South Bass Island. ODOT spokesman noted it took five years to build and cost more that $75 million to complete with no loss in human life. Although the tunnel was bored through solid limestone, the tunnel was sealed with 12” of a special concrete mix designed to last more than 150 years. The entire trip will take just five minutes and cost drivers $10 per trip. An annual pass is available for $200 and includes unlimited to and from travel, even when the lake freezes over.

Governor Kasich is slated to cut the ribbon at at 9:30 a.m. on May 27. When asked to comment on this momentous event for the millions of visitors expected use the tunnel in the coming years, the governor quipped, “I hope they’ll still appreciate me come November.”

The Cat Bay Tunnel is expected to increase tourist activity both for Put-in-Bay and the Catawba Peninsula which has in resent years has already seen an increasing amount of residential development. Put-in-Bay has long been an island destination unlike anything else in mainland North America. Regulars to the island compare it with the Florida Keys, but without the heat and hurricanes.

The new connecting tunnel is expected to dramatically effect the 3 ferry lines serving the Marblehead Peninsula and South. Today the trip from Catawba to South Bass Island by ferry takes less than 20 minutes travel time and up to an hour wait time if a passenger just misses the ferry. Most effected by the direct drive tunnel is the Miller Boat Line which services Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island.

When asked how this was going to effect their business, a Miller Boat Line spokesman, Wanda Baker said, “Sure, it’s going to hit us in the pocket book. But, we knew this day was coming and I think everyone will be surprised with our new schedule of special event trips that will be an attraction in their own right. I think everyone will love our moonlight drive-in theater trips where a full-length movie will be shown in its entirety, will be shown as the boat circles the islands. It’ll be just like grandpa’s drive-in movie stories. I don’t think anyone else will be offering anything like this.”

In a long tradition of celebrating certain events, the one that most comes to mind is a particular day in April, much like today, when all reason can be suspended and almost anything can be believed. We hope you have a great and enjoyable fools day.

John’s Scythe

There was talk among some of the men in the hardware store about old John Noble, a thrifty, but hard working farmer that arrived here in Ohio back when there wasn’t so much as a state. In those early days, he had a farm that literally made a person proud to gaze upon, an utter amazement that a man could take God’s miracle of growth and turn it into such straight rows. Remember these were the early days of farming, before air conditioned cabs and GPS guidance.

Old John had a reputation in the township that he could be counted on when someone was in need. But, he wasn’t one to trifle with nonsense. With a reputation such as this, it was only the most fool hardy that tried to take advantage. Nor did John like to lend his tools out to those that didn’t have the wits about themselves to acquire their own. To John a tool was something akin to a wife. A friend might admire both, but he would never ask to borrow either.

As the men in the hardware laughed, one remembered the time one young lad walked upon Old John and said he was wondering if he could borrow John’s scythe. John looked at him for a moment, then said he didn’t have a scythe. The young one then blurted out, “But, didn’t I see it hanging up in the shed?”

“Well then. Go ahead an’ take it, but be careful of it.”

The young lad turned to walk away and suddenly realized the old farmer had trapped him, “And where will I find it sir?” the hopeful borrower asked.

Old John had a glint in his eye, when he replied, “Exactly where you spotted it,” knowing full well the young lad could never have seen it no matter how hard he looked.

For some reason, that brought the hardware men into a momentary frenzy of laughing with lots of knee slapping which drifted off into silence and fond smiles.

It helps

This new year has so much angst associated with it that I can’t help but feel sorry for US.

If you hadn’t heard, it’s a presidential election year. If you haven’t heard, then you’re probably not a real good reader, or you probably have your head hunched over one of those mobile devices and you’ll probably never ever be reading this. I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, with this being the year that it is, you’ll probably be insane by the beginning of May after the deluge of TV campaign ads that is about to rain down upon us. Don’t worry, by Labor Day you’ll wish for those good ol’ spring days.

Since we’re in the midst of a strange winter, you’re probably not thinking about planting stuff this spring. But this is the time when the idea of planning might take up just a little bit of your time and while you might be pondering that, you might also consider Ohio farmers. These gems stand out in the mud and slop like like a green emerald sitting on top of a frozen crest of snow.

A farmer by his very nature, has a good head on his shoulder. I’m not saying he has all the answers to the world, but he knows what works on his little block of it. That in itself is worthy of emulation whether you care not a whit about growing stuff or even where it comes from.

Sometimes it can be very beneficial if we all made a visit to a farm where this group of people are the ultimate optimists. Where else would someone get up before dawn, crawl up into a cold tractor and spend the next 14 hours slogging through the dirt in hopes that grain prices next fall will be enough to do it all again next spring?

We’re going to pay for this

Being as I have always lived in Ohio, I’m a little awestruck at this winter or lack of winter to date. I once spent Christmas in Orlando and my God that was wonderful compared to what the weather reports I read for back home. Now this year up till now has been pretty good. But I grew up here and I when I talk to others that grew up here, we all know what this warm weather means: God is about ready to bring the hammer down like back in the late 70s.
That was the year that it was real warm, lots of rain, and then POW! The blizzard of 78 hit us with a vengeance. Snow blowin’ sideways, icicles hanging horizontal from traffic lights that weren’t working, electricity that didn’t electrify. Roads with snow banks on both sides that were as high as a mobile home.

Yep, thank you God for what we’re about to receive, and for remindin’ me what it means to be a Buckeye.

Thanksgiving Meal to Remember

This year it was our turn to host the family Thanksgiving dinner. We have a moderate sized family, but large enough that honor only falls upon our shoulders every 7-8 years. Knowing this year was our year, I started watching some of the cooking shows on PBS looking for the a few tips on ways of doing things different.

More than a few years ago, Uncle Charlie was doing pretty much the same thing when he decided to deep fry the turkey. He was seduced by all the promises this cooking method promises: moist, sweet turkey meet, He heeded most of the warnings: don’t fry a frozen bird, don’t let the oil get too hot, and never, ever, do it indoors. There was one warning he somehow missed: don’t use too much oil.

Fortunately for Uncle Charlie, he also paid attention not to set up the deep fryer underneath the patio or too close to the house. When he lowered that bird into the oil, it just boiled over and that hot oil dripped into the propane flame. Wow! Aunt Betty was not impressed. Fortunately, Uncle Charlie also paid attention to the warning about not using a hose to put out a sudden flame and he had a fire extinguisher nearby that was able to knock down that eruption without any burns or property damage.

So this year I saw this one PBS show where they claimed they could cut down on cooking time, get the best tasting bird, and have stuffing that tastes just like it was real bird-stuffing.

The essence of this technique called for removing the bird’s backbone, and soaking it in brine then cooking it the traditional oven way, but with the stuffing tucked underneath the bird.

My wife didn’t want anything to do with the spine removal, so that job fell to me. It was a little unnerving, but if you don’t mind the sound of bones breaking, it’s no problem. Next we put the bird in a large plastic bag filled with water and salt and a few herbs.

Cooking the bird went fine. It cooked really fast compared to the old method. The first problem I noticed was the stuffing that had been carefully tucked under the bird was extremely dry. The TV cooks said the turkey juices would drip down into the stuffing and keep them moist. Not good, but not catastrophic. A little extra gravy would moisten it right up.

After the bird sat for the prescribed 30 minutes, it was time to carve. This is when things got crazy. I first cut off one of the breasts. To my surprise, it was bright pink! Bright PINK! Our 20 or so guests were ready to eat, and I’m about to serve them a pink turkey. The mashed potatoes are ready, the gravy is ready, the stuffing is ready, the drinks have been poured, the appetizer tray was empty and I’m about to serve up pink turkey.

Even though my instant read thermometer said the bird was cooked to 165 degrees (I checked it multiple times in multiple locations). I figured something must be wrong and that the bird really hadn’t been cooked long enough. The only solution was to put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes.

I had visions of all our dinner guests all showing up at the local ER with food poisoning. After the additional cooking time, the pink was only slightly less pink. We couldn’t wait. I carefully sliced the breast with my new Cuisinart electric knife into perfect pink slabs of turkey breast. I put sprigs of parsley around it and we served the meal.

Everyone raved about the dinner (our family is very polite). Despite my fears, no one got sick! Big success. By Sunday afternoon everyone had gone home. It was then that I started doing a little research into what had happened. I don’t know the science behind it, but when a turkey is brined, then cooked, it will have a pink tinge to the meat. If the bird is allowed to drain after removal from the brine in the refrigerator, then the meat color is fine.

Who knew. When it’s my turn to cook in another 7 years or so, I’ll try to remember that one.