I love Porn........

I know some of you might be disappointed, some of you might be appalled and most of you will laugh. When we moved to france, 2 years ago, I knew that I would have some great opportunity to view and eat some good, okay interesting food.  So now, whenever I find something I like, or make something new or interesting, I take a photo of it.  My wife has now coined it, "My Food Porn."

We have had some amazing food and I have been able to branch out my own cooking more than I did back in Houston; well because I have had more time.  We have had food from a mobile truck all the way up to a 3 star restaurant.

The first thing I taught myself how to make was Julia Childs Beef Bourguignon.  It was much easier that I had imagined it to be and I modified it to my families taste.  Since then, I have made it countless times for Millionaires, Church Pastors and visiting friends and family.  I have since been asked to share this easy recipe and so far, no complaints.  I discovered making this recipe that I shouldn't be afraid to make something just because I have a preconceived notion that it might be too difficult.

 One of foods that I had heard a lot about that was distinctly french was beef tartare.  I had decided that there was no way it would ever touch my lips ever.  I mean really?  Who in their right mind would eat raw ground beef?  We have been taught in the U.S. that things need to be cooked; well most things.  There is sushi after all and carpaccio.  But ground cow?  All we hear about is E-coli, madcow & death.  So why would the french risk it all the time?  Fast forward 18 months and we have 2 great visitiors, Mary Michele Wilson and Jana Laufer and we went out to a great place in the center of Paris.  There were only 2 starters on the menu, one was a crab salad and the other was beef tartare.  3 of us got the crab salad, but the wife decided to spread her wings, tempt her stomach armour, see if her gag reflexes worked and ordered the tartare.  It arrived and I have to tell you it actually looked amazing.  She took a bite and she smiled; not that, I'm trying hard to swallow smile, but that, wow, this is really good, smile.  She said it was really very good.  I then decided to brave it and try it.....Wow!  Was this really that good?  Yes it was.  Now we spoke to the chef and he said that not all beef tartare is alike and it varies from place to place.  he mixed in all the spices and other things directly in it rather than placing them around the plate for you to mix in.  So, this has opened my eyes up to try new things.

Next, I began to learn the art of meat and cheese.  This course can be done in place of the individual starter.  You order this up and you get enough for all to share and is absolutely amazing.  What I took from this, is that you can invite a few friends over, serve up some amazing meat and cheese and pop some wine and you can have a great evening just doing this.  Don't go to Walmart to get your cheese though, go to Central Market, Specs, whole foods, or any other place that specializes in good meats and cheeses.

Salads I have learned come in many forms.  What constitutes a good salad is really what you can find at the market.  One day, I found some amazing heirloom tomatoes in green, yellow, orange and one they call the black tomato (when it is really purple), but looks black before it is cut open.  Throwing tomatoes, cucumbers, avacodos and other veggies (and maybe some cheeses) on a pretty platter and it can be served family style.  Don't just always think lettuce thrown together with other toppers, take a chance and experiment with great produce.

One of the things on our bucket list was to eat at a restaurant that had a "star" attached as it's rating.  We were blessed enough to go with some really good friends of ours; Bryan & Deb O'Neil.  What I didn't  realize until after we got there that Lasserre was a 3-Star restaurant.  Now what you don't realize, I am cheap; although I prefer frugal.  How Lasserre works is you either choose from a 6 course meal or an 8 course meal and everyone has to choose the same course (6 or 8).  When I looked at the prices, I realized that I could take a nice vacation for this; but as the "wives" kept saying, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  We all chose 8 courses and all I can say that it was really an amazing night.  The roof of the restaurant opened up and you could see the eiffel tower.  I am not the kind of person (even if I won the lottery) that would ever think of spending that kind of money on food again, but it was fun to do just once.  Especially when it is with great friends.

I didn't even talk about desserts, well because....it's dessert.  I am going to wrap up this drivel with more food porn.  Don't be afraid to try something new, cook something you don't think you can do and experiment.

Bon Appetite!!

Music Man.........My historical love of singing

George Krueger

I come from a long line of singers and performers.  I haven't always appreciated it though.  My Grandfather, an incredible professor, singer and director.   He made what is now known as the Singing Hoosiers.  He took them all over the world singing and with the U.S. O.  My Grandmother, also an incredible singer and even did a stint at Disney laying some tracks for them back in the 1940's.  Then there is my amazing father who is also a singer, teacher and director.  I also have an incredible cousin who is an Opera Singer and performed in hundreds of rolls and is also married to a great opera singer.

Now to that extent, one would say I was blessed to have good genes and I should have loved music right from the start as it was always around me.  I did sing when I was a kid in the school music classes (for the first 6 grades, that was in Catholic School).  7th grade was the first year I was in the same school as my dad and in the public forum.  I was in his choir class and through 10th grade once in Huntington, IN and 3 years in Danville, IL.  I did the music solo competitions at the state level and did good, but it still did not make me want to try out for solos or even the musicals that my dad directed at the school.  I liked the behind the scenes stuff, running lights, managing sound and stage.  I still did not appreciate the genes I was given and the gift God had given me.  That would soon change.

Me in the center of some wonderful singers, Karen
Kirchman, Amy Dennis (Emerson), Dusty
Jackson (hiding face), Mark Billingsly

In 1983, my family moved to Bartlesville, OK in October which was just after the start of my Junior year.  I became part of the choir in the High School and quickly made some friends who would be life long and would forever mark the beginning of me loving music and what it would mean in my life.  

Kids, I don't think, ever really listen to their parents when they tell them how good they are, or they should do more etc.  I was the same kid, my dad and grandparents always encouraged me, but I just never listened.  At least I didn't until now.  I believe there are those (not related to you) who can have the most influence in your life; a teacher.  This teacher was the choir director, R. T. Shields.  I sang in the choir and I hid in the back, out of sight and out of the light.  But R. T. wouldn't have this.  He decided that I would no longer be hanging out in the back.  For the musical, he decided to do Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  He hung out an audition sign up sheet for people to sign up for an audition time.  On the last day of auditions, R.T. came up to me and said he didn't see my name on the audition list.  I said, "No, I always ran my dad's musicals, the lights and sounds, so I can do that."  He said, "No....I didn't see you PUT your name on the audition list."  I said, "I don't have anything to audition with."  He said, "Do you know happy birthday?"  I said, "Yes?"  He said, "See you at the audition."

This is where great teachers can make a difference in a kids life.  My dad was just like that with his students (I just wouldn't listen to him because I was a son, not a student).  R. T. saw something in me that I didn't or wouldn't see in myself.  So I sang Happy Birthday and then waited with everyone as to what their part would be.  Now, anyone who has seen the musical knows that there were at a minimum 7 guys parts; the older brother (lead) Adam and his 6 younger brothers.  That next day, just like something out of Glee, I made my way to the cast list.  As I read my name, I became lightheaded and felt ill; he had given me the lead character Adam.  How could he do that?  I have never even sung a solo in front of anyone other than my family, let alone even been IN a musical.  So at choir class, I came up to him and asked him if he was sure?  He said yes.  I became a little confident and then asked when we would do this.  He said, "6 weeks."  "6 WEEKS?!!!"  I screamed in my head. I felt sick again.  I had to learn songs, lines and choreography in 6 weeks?   But this is where a great teacher can change a kids life.  He knew I could do it, he just had to show me he had confidence that I could and that he wasn't giving in.  That was it; the start of singing that would begin my love of music.  What wonderful memories I continue to have of that time; and remembering my future wife was also in the musical.

I got 2 scholarships in music to OSU and started down the music path.  Unfortunately my freshman antics got in the way and I lost my scholarship and had to sit out a semester before getting back into college.  It was then that I had to make sure that I had a job once I got back into college and graduated and even though my grandfather and father were choir directors, I didn't want to do that and didn't think I could make money just singing, so again, I gave up on it; that was 1987.

Back in school; now at OU, nose to the grindstone, getting the grades back up and carrying a full time job.  It took another 5 years, but I did it.  Along the way, I am sure people tried to get me to re-engage in music, but I had to focus, get the grades, make my girlfriend, her parents, my parents and myself proud; so music was lost.  But again, God put great people in my path that would show me that now, my gift was to be for His use; another great teacher.

Our move in 1992 after graduation was one of those steps on the path He wanted me on.   We landed in Houston, TX and connected up with some great people, one of whom was a pianist and singer at Clear Lake Baptist Church; Alesa & Steven Johnson.  She involved me back in choir and singing, but that was it; the drive to do anything more or even recognize God's plan yet.  Late 1993, we changed churches (for church spitting reasons) and found University Baptist Church.  This is where God wanted us.  The first year, I still didn't get involved in music.  But around 1994, God brought a great teacher that would not take no for an answer; Music Pastor Matt Marsh.  Within a few months of being at UBC, he heard I could sing and invited me to an open house to just sit in with choir rehearsal and if I liked it to stay and continue singing.  That one day would ignite the spark that God had placed inside me for His use and purpose.

Taken just after we filmed our first music video to honor the men and women who died in 9/11.  We taped the Gaithers
"Let Freedom Ring" on the Battleship Texas.  The video was played live at church while we sang with the video July 4th, 2002.  It was one of the greatest experience ever with these men.

Matt started me singing solo's and I found songs that God placed in my heart to sing that would bring glory to Him and His Word.  After a couple of years in choir, Matt knew that I loved quartet music, he told me to find something and he put 4 of us together; John, Cory, Tim & Kenny.  That match that Matt put together would last for 10 years and bring God's message to UBC and the community; Gather, Signature Sound, Cathedrals.  I got to sing with some amazing men.  That partnership brought many different messages of Gods Word; Christmas, Easter, Gospel Gala and many other time.  With the quartet, my confidence grew and more solo's, duets allowed me to bring God's message to the church and community.  But.......

You know that old saying, "You don't know what you had until it's gone?"  Well, I never thought that I would have said that about music.   So, since 2010, I have sung one time at Christmas at church here in Paris and I was back in Houston this summer and they asked me to sing.  It felt so good to sing of God's grace and love.  I know that I had take for granted singing back in Houston and should have treated it with more diligence than I did.  But I have always been that kids/person who has to be hit on the back of the head with a 2x4 in order to "get it."  Not being able to sing these last 3 years, not singing when I could have back in Houston the last year, made me realize that God was hitting me with His 2x4.  This is not MY gift, it is His and His to use.  So, I get it.  When I get back to Houston, I will sing His Praise. 

 But what this story is really about great teachers, friends and inspiring someone.

In Christ Alone.....

Only a Fool.....in April

APRIL FOOLS!!! The History: In the 16th century, France celebrated the New Year just like we do today, except they partied on April 1st. In 1562, Pope Gregory changed the calendar to the one we use today and from then on, the New Year began on January 1st.

Lots of people didn't know about the new calendar, or they ignored the new calendar and kept celebrating on April 1st. Everyone else called them April fools and played tricks on them.

In France today, April 1st is called Poisson d'Avril, which means April Fish. Children tape paper fish to their friends' backs and when the young "fool" finds out, the prankster yells "Poisson d'Avril!" If you go to your local boulangerie right before april, you will find pastry shaped FISH. It is really rather clever.

Now that my daughter is older, she thinks this day is really fun and gets on the internet to find ideas to play on me/us. Last year she froze my car keys in a glass of water that I usually drink out of and then put water in it. I didn't realize that my keys were in there until after I finished my water.

This year she locked me out of the house. What this little 13 year old prankster realizes is that she is messing with the King. When you mess with the Bull....well you know the rest. So, I needed to put her in her place. She had just finished a 3 page paper on the computer and has a bad habit of not saving it. So when she went up to change her clothes, I saved the paper in an odd location she would never look on the computer and then erased all the word so just the title was left. When she went to print it out tonight she found it was gone and began her series of "freaking out." When I told her where it was and I yelled, "April Fools," she was so wanting to kill me. I said, just remember, the only Fool is the one in April that messes with The King....ME!!!!

I Am......Dough Boy

I learn new things here, maybe not everyday, but often enough that I am proud of me. That isn't a pride thing, it is just being proud of how far I have come. So one night I wanted to experiment with baking. Now, those that know me, know that I don't bake, I cook. Baking involves putting exactly measured ingredients together to come up with a product. Cooking involves throwing stuff together in whatever measure you want, or not measuring at all to create great meals. But back to baking. This creation would involve having to use bread dough. Now here in france, you can buy pre-made pizza dough, pastry shell dough, but nothing that "rises." So I was sitting here on my couch saturday night so wanting to do this and not wanting to have to make dough from scratch. Now all you bakers out there are going to say, "Making dough is so easy." And I am sure it is, but I just didn't feel like attempting to make bread dough the first time and it come out successful so that I can continue on with the rest of the experiment.

So as I am watching Glee on Apple TV, and it hits me. If my butcher will rotisserie my Thanksgiving turkey, could I get dough at a bakery. Hey, bakers make dough to make bread, I wonder if they would sell me some dough. So every Sunday before church, I go to the market and then I visit my favorite Boulanger. I walk into the Boulanger and my favorite ladies are there and the one lady that does speak some english was there. I began to ask her if she sold the dough used to make bread. She looked at me very strange and said, "what is dough" in her french accent. I explained, dough is what you use to make bread. She looked at me again strangely pronouncing the word dough trying to figure out what that was. I pulled out the google translate and put in dough and it came up pate, which is the same translation for pasta. But once I told her this, she smiled, went to the back and came back with a ball of dough. I said, "Yes, that is it. Do you sell it?" She said yes, it is 1 Euro. !!!!1 euro? I couldn't make dough for 1 euro, so I took 2.

So the moral of the story, ask, what can it hurt? As long as we are here, I know where to get my dough on!!!!

Happy Baking and now on to experimentation.

Moi parler francais?.....Oh La La!!!!

I remember taking french in 8th grade, that is about all I remember about that french class. If I had only paid more attention and could have seen into the future... With that said, I CANNOT SPEAK FRENCH, but I am amazed what I can do. I know enough french words and phrases that I can string a few words together to communicate to people what I want or need. That is amazing to me. Considering I have been taking french lessons off and on for a year now. I HAVE THE BEST FRENCH TEACHER; Gaelle. She is very patient with me. She has to be, because I am her worst student. I know it and admit it. I am bad about doing my homework, but I learn new stuff every week. I never would have thought that I could actually go to the sunday market and get across to the people some of the things I would like to buy. I also love the fact that most of the people I deal with will help me with learn new words, or fix my mispronunciations.

Now, I still struggle terribly to hear what they are saying back. And I can hopefully get them to slow it down and repeat it again. If I look like a deer in the headlights, they feel bad for me and try and speak english and we make it work. I don't know if I will every be fluent, probably not, but I hope to continue to learn more words and phrases and be able to communicate more with the locals who here have made life more bearable.

So here is to more french words and wine. Viva la France! Oh La La!

Father of an International Swimmer

As I sit here tonight, I think of the things that I hope my daughter will some day absorb. She as been swimming on a french swim now going on her second year and this year added the school swim team to the program. She has learned so much this year from her new french swim team in Versailles. She has a great coach (Coach Franck) and he has been very accommodating speaking english to her, but also teaching her the french terminology in swimming. She also has a few friends from school on this team which helps spark her interest a little more. She is still trying to figure out what the "eye of the tiger" means, or that "killer instinct." She has qualified in 7 events for the France finals in May, and I don't know if she really knows what kind of accomplishment that means. Hopefully there will be that "spark" that takes her to the next level which will show her how good I know she really is.

One of the next things that I hope she realizes that she truly is an international swimmer. By the time she leaves here, she will have swam in the Netherlands, Paris, Brussels, London and the U.S. That is not a very large club to be a part of. I hope she sees how cool that is, cause I think it is not only cool, but amazing. All I want for her is to shine like the diamond I know she is. To take every experience and make it more amazing than the next. To know that she has lived a life few get to experience and take advantage of.

So, I think it is cool and I am proud to be her father and the father of an international swimmer. Katherine I love you and I am very proud of you.

Cafe de Krueger - A Little Taste of Thanksgiving

This year a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, my wife comes to me and says, "Hey, I would like to invite some people from work over and show them our American Thanksgiving. Would you cook a Thanksgiving feast for them to taste?" John: "Baby, I would love to do that for you, how many people are you thinking?" Liz: "I was thinking about 12-16 people." John: "Whew, that is a lot of people."

Now some of you are thinking, "John, that is nothing, you have thrown parties at your house for many more than that. What are you worried about? " I would agree with you for the most part, but we are not in the US where I have my giant kitchen with double ovens, warming drawers and a dining room that I can fit 30 people. But nonetheless, I say, "I will do whatever you need me to do, I think giving your french co-workers a taste of American Thanksgiving is a great idea."

So for a couple of days, I came up with a menu and then we started to talk logistics. Some expats here are lucky enough to have a place where they can entertain. We are also lucky to have a house rather than an apartment, but this house is compartmentalized. There is no room for moving things around to make space, so in order to get that many people, we will need to add a second table in our living room and get some chairs as well. Then there is the decision as to who do you put at which table and which table she sits at (something we learned when we spent 2 weeks in China). You don't want to insult anyone by not sitting with them. So we talked with family and finally came up with a great idea of appetizers (canapes) and desserts based on Thanksgiving.

So, I created a new menu based around thanksgiving ingredients, but with a french flair. So my menu was: 1. Crostini with a blue cheese spread, piece of turkey and topped with cranberry sauce; 2. Turkey salad sandwiches (with walnuts and celery); 3. Brioche sweet potato cups; 4. Stuffing balls; 5. Cucumber cups stuffed with shrimp salad; 6. Green beans wrapped in prosciutto. I had to make around 60 of each appetizer. Liz then made 6 desserts which included Chocolate chip bundt cake with chocolate ganache, apple spiced cake, pumpkin cookies with brown sugar icing, pumpkin cheesecake and cinnamon apple bars with brown sugar icing and chocolate ganache. We also purchased French champagne to go with it.

We set the part for 4pm and set it up in the cafeteria at her work. We had the help of our friend Kristin Bell, a co-worker and another french co-worker. By 3:55 we were ready to begin feeding. At 4:15, no one had shown yet, you get nervous and forget that this is france, that everyone is always late. About 5 minutes later people came flooding in. Liz welcomed everyone and described what was on the menu and how thanksgiving started and what it means to us; Americans.

Everyone began to eat, sample and try all the food. I think they were amazed at the array of food and that they were able to understand what Thanksgiving tasted like. it lasted till about 5:30 and everyone went back to work or went home. We had some food left and Liz left most of it at work and was going to take it to a meeting the next day to be finished. The next day the meeting was the highlight as the food was gone. You never know how well the event goes, but the next day, she was presented with beautiful flowers and a thanks for putting it on. Her boss asked if we could do that every week it was so good. I told her once a month might be a cool thing, but you only get 1 for free, the rest you gotta pay for. it took a lot of time and energy and I want paid.

It did make me realize I like creating something from nothing and experimenting and coming up with my own creations. So maybe I will try harder at cooking new and better dishes for my family.