The last post made me realize that I haven't been entirely clear about the recipe portion of this weblog. I am only putting up the better and more successful recipes since nobody really wants to hear about (for example) the shepherd's pie made from the leftover mashed potatoes and strange beef brisket and mushroom and peppers concoction I made the previous night. In turn, nobody wants to hear about the brisket either - even though that was actually VERY good. But the brisket was completely ad hoc. I didn't think about it as I did it and I couldn't repeat it even if I wanted to. I can remember the basic details: I heavily browned a small brisket in oil. In the meantime I warmed up in my crockpot some white wine and a complicated mixture of herbs and spices that included garlic, herbs de provence, pepper, salt, liquid applewood smoke, honey, balsamic vinegar and probably three or four other things. Then I put the brisket in the crockpot, deglazed the brisket brownings with more white wine and added that and then left it to cook on crockpot high for six hours. It was good but not spectacular and I didn't have the time or energy to work it anymore to elevate it any further (maybe reduce the liquid with shallots and butter??)