It is truly a blessed day. The Mandalorian returns to Disney+ with a brand new season, the first episode of which is out right now (damn having a day job).
The show’s first season was very, very well done and I’ve been very excited for the second season since it was announced. It uses a level of storytelling and cinematography that I wish the sequel trilogy would have used to tell what had the potential to be a good story.
When it comes to Star Wars, outside of the original trilogy, I really think the universe benefits from a more TV-style episodic release rather than movie installments. The spin-off/one-shot movies like Rogue One and Solo benefit from having one story to start and finish, and TV shows like The Mandalorian and Clone Wars do a way better job of telling the longer stories over shorter installments.
The prequels (Episodes 1-3) and the sequels (Episodes 7-9) suffer from trying to cram far too much into three feature-length films apiece, leaving the story with a lot of gaps that never properly get filled in.
Unfortunately, I have a full day of teaching and sports to coach, so I won’t be able to sit down and watch until this evening. I plan, however, to murder anyone who spoils anything between now and then.
Oh, and it’s Halloween
Gotta give some props to this parent, who absolutely killed it making their child’s Halloween costume. Being from Louisiana, it hits a little close to home, but I give it a 10/10 nonetheless.
Enjoy the nice Saturday evening with your families, whether you go trick-or-treating or just go party. I’ll be cooking tomorrow…
BONUS RECIPE: Brisket Rub
So, tomorrow is the first brisket of the year for me. I’ll be waking up early and getting a fire going, then putting the meat into the smoker and tending to it off and on throughout the day. As the day wears on, I might enjoy some bourbon while I’m outside enjoying the nice fall air.
Brisket is something that is really not difficult to do, but can easily be overdone. There shouldn’t be a big, overly-flavorful rub because the beef and beef fat provide all the flavor. You really just need salt and pepper to add some flavor and for the salt to dry out moisture, concentrating the beefiness. To help add some complexity to the flavor, add some brown sugar and paprika. The brown sugar also helps to form a good color and bark to the brisket, though neither the sugar nor paprika are required. Just go with salt and pepper at first, if you want.
I don’t mix and store rubs. I don’t even write out set measurements. I just go equal parts salt and black pepper, then mix in some brown sugar and some paprika and apply liberally to the brisket and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The salt draws out moisture, the flavors seep into the meat, and the next morning you get ready to cook.
Final Thoughts…
It’s 2020, and yet we’ve got a time change this weekend. I saw someone point out on Facebook that adding another hour to 2020 is like getting a bonus track on a Yoko Ono album and I have never felt anything more in my life. At this point, the best-case scenario is that 2020 is like the Atlanta Falcons and will blow the lead before the game is over.
Have a great weekend, folks.