Mark Brewer’s Take on Before Midnight

A couple of weeks back I watched a lovely movie. I thought of sharing experience with all my readers through this blog. The movie was named “Before Midnight” and it is a Romantic movie (a genre which my wife can’t have enough of). It was Saturday and my wife had been insisting on watching this movie. So, I asked Mr. Phoenix and Mr. Oak, two neighbors and friends of mine to give me company. The enthusiastic bunch left home for theater in my new Sedan.

Personally, I like Ethan Hawke ever since the days of “Dead Poets Society”. I think he is one of the most talented and unheralded actors of the present generation. However, the movie was a sequel to “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”. The movie starts off just where “Before Sunset” left us. In the last edition we were left with Celine (Julie Deplhy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) getting together, though both of them have separate partners. So, the story moves forward from there and we learn that the couple have had twin girls. Then the story moves fast forward to nine years later. This Paris based family is invited to spend a few days at their friend’s seaside place in Greece. The family visits the quaint seaside of Greece. Soon, Jesse learns that his son (from the first marriage) is about to fly off to United States. He feels guilty for not being there for his son.

The couple takes a stroll through the ancient ruins and meets up with their host’s friends. While alone there is a lot of soul scratching. There is a recurrent question always coming up: do they still love each other. A lot of things happen before the midnight. When the couple conversed, often Mrs. Mark Brewer would be whispering “why did he say that” or “why did she do that?”

The film moves on at a slow pace and we are saved only by acting prowess of the on-screen couple. Delphy and Hawke have enlightened the screen space with their acting in the last two editions and they continue to perform admirably. When Mr. Oak revealed that the actors were also involved in the screenplay, I was quite amazed. This is sort of film for the intense film lovers.

At the end Mrs. Mark Brewer was pleased and that was all that counted for me!  

Grilled Cedar Plank Trout : Mark Brewer Style

Yesterday I got a pleasant surprise from my neighbor Mr. Phoenix, who happens to be a Forex broker. Everyone in the neighborhood knows about my passion for fishing and it seems the passion has become infectious. Most of my neighbors are also taking fishing trips every now and then. So, Mr. Phoenix arrived at my home (The Mark Brewer Mansion) with his freshly caught trout fish. He previously lived at Oaks Grove and moved to my neighborhood only about two months back. But we have formed a good friendship. He wanted us to keep the fishes as a token of gratification (for I had taught him the art of fishing). Instantly I invited Mr. Phoenix and his family for a dinner with us. He was more than happy to receive such an invitation, as there is a buzz in the neighborhood about my cooking skills. I love cooking and take great pleasure when others throw compliments at my cooking. I wondered for a moment upon which dish to cook. I decided to cook grilled cedar plant trout. So, here is how I cooked the dish:

Ingredients

·         2 Fresh trout that would be cleaned and their heads chopped off. The gills for these fishes should be removed

·         Some olive oil

·         Grinded pepper

·         Sea salt or coarse salt

·         Lemon slices that are cut in half

·         Tarragon sprigs

·         Some more lemon splices that would be required for garnishing

Preparation Procedure

Soak the cedar plank in water for about two hours, also pre-heat the barbeque grill. Apply a small quantity of olive oil on the inside and outside of the trout. Next, sprinkle some pepper and salt again both inside and outside the fish. Stuff the cavities in the fish with thyme sprigs, lemon slices and tarragon sprigs.

Once the stuffing is ready you should prepare the trout on a soaked cedar plank. Put the entire thing into a pre-heated grill under indirect heat. Cook it for 15 to 20 minutes with lids shut. Use your digital thermometer. The center of the cooked trout should be about 120⁰F. If you are satisfied with the cooking, remove the fish and cover it with an aluminum foil for nearly 10 minutes. While resting, the temperature of the cooked trout may rise to 140⁰F.

After 10 minutes, cut the fins from the tail and remove the skin very carefully. Open the cavity and with utmost attention pull out the bones. Place the fish on a serving plate and serve with lemon slices that were initially grilled with the fish.

After tasting the dish Mr. Phoenix gleefully commented “Mark Brewer you are truly the best chef in this neighborhood.” Hope you get the same compliments as I did. 

Mark Brewer’s Views on Fishing in Lowland Streams

My name is Mark Brewer and I have been professionally working in the Forex trading sector for a significant while now. Apart from my professional life I like fishing, whenever there is a break I cannot but hold myself from embarking on a fishing expedition. In the recent past, my association with the Phoenix Group has meant that spare time has vanished from my life. So, my long fishing tours had to be curtailed in favor of one or two day trips. As it is said, in adversity you can truly gather new skills. I have found a new found love for fishing in the lowland streams. Lowland streams are only a couple of hours drive from my home and I can readily visit them for my short fishing trips.

 

Fishing Experience of Mark Brewer 

As I feel New Zealand’s lowland streams have not been explored for their fishing possibilities as yet. People still prefer the back country rivers to search for fishes. There is a lot of rush at these back country rivers as people gather here on their day-offs. When there are so many people and so much noise, the natural essence of fishing is lost. So, I prefer the lowland streams which are often forlorn areas. Recently I have visited some scenic spots while fishing in the lowland streams.

Some skeptics have kept advising me that catching fishes in the lowland is very tough. The fishes here are less energetic and hard to catch. But with the choice of lighter and softer rods you can catch a bulk of fish in the lowlands. I have caught some amazing fishes in the lowlands. Though the dearth of current makes it difficult to attract fish, but on the other hand you do not have to continually mend your line. I have caught a lot of Trout on my latest fishing trip.

Orthodox fishermen may say “Mark Brewer is only an investment person, what does he know about fishing?” Well, I may not be a full time fisherman but it seems I grew up with bait in hand. I just love the feeling of fishing and arrangements that are associated with it.