Fall Into Flavor: Maple Glazed Pork Loin (with a little Monday Meandering thrown in)

I should have known I couldn't avoid a little meandering on Mondays. Sorry folks, but live with it.

Because so many provinces (i.e., states) were going to opt out of the time change thing this year, the whole country decided not to bother. So we won't be springing ahead an hour while y'all fall back in the U.S. Yeah! I was not looking forward to that one hour time difference going to three hours on the east coast (which is what happens when we spring and you fall). But since y'all are still falling, there will be a two hour difference for half the year. 

I had several comment on the pretty photo of the Capuchin Church. Turns out it's sideways. When Ivan told me last evening, I decided not to bother changing it at that point.

Received two overdue notices this week. Which is very weird since as soon as we get a bill, Ivan goes right out and pays it. I mean the same day or the next day if the place is already closed. You can't mail payments here; you have to go to the office or to one of the "rapi-pago" places.

Anyway, first one was for the cell phones. It was due the 9th and when they didn't have their money by the 19th they were on the phone threatening to cut us off. The thing is, we never got the bill in the first place. No matter. So Ivan goes in and pays it.

Then we get a little notice in the mail about the water bill for Sept/Oct being overdue. Now we knew we'd paid that one! Got the receipt and Ivan went in to show them we'd paid. But it wasn't for THIS Sept/Oct; it was for LAST Sept/Oct. We didn't move in until October of last year. Since the bill was sent late August/early September, of course we didn't pay since we weren't here yet. Apparently neither did the lady who owns this property. No matter. So Ivan goes in and pays it. Here's the thing, after waiting in line a LOOOOOONG time it's finally his turn and the lady looks at the notice we'd received and said, "Oh this isn't a bill, you have to go over there and get that lady to make out a bill for you." Are you kidding me? No sense getting bent out of shape though; that's just how it works.

It is the way to keep the masses under control. Keep them standing in line and paperwork them to death.

We're a little paranoid about paying the bills. Aside from it being the right thing to do, not paying can get you into a boatload of trouble. You think waiting in a few lines is bad? Try getting your gas turned back on after it's been terminated for lack of payment. You could be waiting days, weeks, MONTHS! It seems the city has sort of grown bigger than the gas line to support it. There are whole sections of city that have never even been hooked up. But even the part that is hooked up, is seriously under supplied. So it should come as no surprise that when someone doesn't pay their gas bill in a timely manner, the company cuts 'em off and then they go to the end of A VERY LONG WAITING LIST to get hooked back up. Wouldn't you be a little paranoid too?

For most bills you have like a week to pony up before you're late. That's why Ivan pays the same day we receive a bill, or the next day if the place is already closed.  [Not sure why the water company waited so long on the overdue bill from a year ago. Since they drove through downtown blaring over the loud speaker and handing out leaflets when the city hadn't paid their water bill in a long time, I guess we should be thankful they didn't drive through our neighborhood blaring over the loud speaker that we were delinquent.]

Okay, you've endured enough meandering. On to the recipes! For those of you with access to maple syrup, this recipe is a keeper. It's really, really good! I like to serve it with the creamy polenta but it would go well with a variety of sides -- just pick your favorite fall dish...potatoes, squash, whatever.

Maple Glazed Pork Loin
1/2 c. syrup
1/8 t. cinnamon
pinch cloves
pinch cayenne
2-1/2 lb. pork loin
salt and pepper
2 t. oil
Sear roast in oil, remove from heat. Mix syrup and spices and roll loin in mixture. Roast at 325 degrees until thermometer reads 135 degrees (about 35-45 minutes), turning twice. Transfer to carving board. Allow syrup to sit 5 minutes to thicken up and pour over roast. Let sit 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Creamy Polenta
5-1/2 c. water
1 c. milk
salt
1-1/2 c. polenta
4 T butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 oz. parmesan grated
Boil water and milk, add 1/2 t. salt and slowly pour in polenta, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often until liquid is absorbed (20-25 minutes). Remove from heat, add butter and garlic. Top with parmesan and broil briefly.

Now get on over to Lid's and check out the other Fall Into Flavor recipes!