{"id":6693,"date":"2021-10-24T11:11:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-24T16:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/?page_id=6693"},"modified":"2023-07-06T12:50:25","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T17:50:25","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull is-position-center-center\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-30 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"500\" data-attachment-id=\"6777\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/home\/windsorparkvelour-acme-brick-2000x500-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"2000,500\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000&amp;#215;500-1\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;with permission of Acme Brick Co.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-1024x256.jpeg\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-6777\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1.jpeg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1.jpeg 2000w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-300x75.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-1024x256.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-150x38.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-768x192.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-1536x384.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-1200x300.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-2000x500-1-1980x495.jpeg 1980w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-larger-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brick<\/strong>: Muse on News by Ben S. Pollock<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list is-grid columns-2 has-dates wp-block-latest-posts is-layout-flow wp-block-latest-posts-is-layout-flow\"><li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/08\/hot-wheels\/\" aria-label=\"From Cage Match to Hot Wheels\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Assortment of Hot Wheels and Matchbox toy Tesla cars\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-attachment-id=\"8495\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/tesla_hot_wheels_and_matchbox_cars\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 13 Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1689006566&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;5.7&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.011111111111111&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars.jpg&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Assortment of Hot Wheels and Matchbox toy Tesla cars. Credit Wikimedia Commons&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tesla_Hot_Wheels_and_Matchbox_cars-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/08\/hot-wheels\/\">From Cage Match to Hot Wheels<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-08-25T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">August 25, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">State of This Union \u2014 President\u2019s Message August and the University of Arkansas 2026-2027 term has begun. How did you spend your summer? I spent bits of mine wondering why I never got more excited about the nation&#8217;s 250th Independence Day compared to, say, last year&#8217;s 249th. It doesn&#8217;t seem to be just me. In\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/08\/hot-wheels\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: From Cage Match to Hot Wheels<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/level-playing-field\/\" aria-label=\"Does a Rising Tide Level the Playing Field?\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"The obverse and reverse sides of the 2026 Trump dollar coin.\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1.jpeg 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-attachment-id=\"8467\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/trump_1_gold_coin-office-of-the-secretary-of-the-treasury-16x9\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1250,703\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Trump_1_gold_coin Office of the Secretary of the Treasury 16&amp;#215;9\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source: https:\/\/x.com\/SecScottBessent\/status\/2077339920461439115?s=20 &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A coin flip determines who starts play on which side of the level playing field. The Trump dollar coin will be composed of 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese and 2% nickel, &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.coinnews.net\/2026\/07\/16\/treasury-unveils-trump-1-coin\/&quot;&gt;according to coinnews.net&lt;\/a&gt;. The manganese-brass alloy starts out golden but darkens to an &amp;#8220;antique patina,&amp;#8221; &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.usmint.gov\/news\/press-releases\/20000411-antique-patina-of-the-golden-dollar&quot;&gt; according to the U.S. Mint&lt;\/a&gt;, which has no comment on the metaphor.&lt;\/em&gt; Photo credit: Office of the Secretary of the Treasury&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Trump_1_gold_coin-Office-of-the-Secretary-of-the-Treasury-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/level-playing-field\/\">Does a Rising Tide Level the Playing Field?<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-07-21T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">July 21, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">State of This Union \u2014 President&#8217;s Message One advantage leaders can have is anything they do or say seems important. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement and held a press event July 14 announcing that the &#8220;First Liberty Institute\u2019s Center for Religion, Culture &amp; Democracy\u2019s Religious Liberty in the States index&#8221; found that Arkansas\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/level-playing-field\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Does a Rising Tide Level the Playing Field?<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/rat-a-tat-ratatouille\/\" aria-label=\"Rat-a-tat Ratatouille\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ratatouille in a pot, heavily simmered and garnished with fresh parsley\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-attachment-id=\"8439\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1783845845&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ratatouille wikimedia commons 033017 16&amp;#215;9\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:20170329_ratatouille-fin-cuisson.jpg&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ratatouille. Photo credit Andr\u00e9 Loconte, Wikimedia Commons.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/rat-a-tat-ratatouille\/\">Rat-a-tat Ratatouille<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-07-12T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">July 12, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">By this time in our three-decade-plus marriage I know too well what my spouse refuses to eat. Well, there&#8217;s no disguising okra. But I can expect the classic eggplant-dominating casserole ratatouille will find favor once and sometimes twice a summer. The key is precooking the eggplant separately \u2014 food journalist Mark Bittman says, &#8220;There are\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/rat-a-tat-ratatouille\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Rat-a-tat Ratatouille<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/why-us-and-when\/\" aria-label=\"Why Us. And When?\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb-1024x576.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"The 1966 AFSCME charter for Local 965, then the Arkansas Public Employees Union (APEU)\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-attachment-id=\"8425\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/local-965-apeu-afscme-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb.png\" data-orig-size=\"1080,608\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Local 965 APEU AFSCME charter 1966 1080&amp;#215;608 464kb\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The 1966 AFSCME charter for Local 965, then the Arkansas Public Employees Union (APEU)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Local-965-APEU-AFSCME-charter-1966-1080x608-464kb-1024x576.png\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/why-us-and-when\/\">Why Us. And When?<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-06-24T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">June 24, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">An Editor\u2019s Note &#8220;Why should (I) join Local 965\/AEA\/NEA?&#8221; That is one of the two top questions that other 965 leaders and I get when friends and strangers learn of our affiliation. The other question is more of a statement: &#8220;I didn&#8217;t know the UA had a labor union.&#8221; There has been an active workers\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/why-us-and-when\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Why Us. And When?<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/cheese-ball\/\" aria-label=\"Have a (Cheese) Ball\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Cheese ball appetizer covered in chopped nuts\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-attachment-id=\"8370\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sedaris cheese ball public domain 1920&amp;#215;1080\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Not my cheese ball but from Wikimedia Commons, &amp;#8220;Amy Sedaris&amp;#8217; Li&amp;#8217;l Smoky Cheese Ball,&amp;#8221; CC0 1.0 public domain&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/cheese-ball\/\">Have a (Cheese) Ball<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-06-19T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">June 19, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">My mom often bought house-label food items to keep on budget, as the quality was close enough. One item she wouldn&#8217;t skimp on was Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese, explaining other brands were &#8220;waxy.&#8221; I never understood that, different ones had about the same mouth feel to me, once I started buying my own groceries after\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/cheese-ball\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Have a (Cheese) Ball<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/04\/good-news-is-no-news\/\" aria-label=\"Good News Is No News\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"Newspaper vending machines in Toronto in 2011.\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1-768x432.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-attachment-id=\"8359\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"960,540\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1776921794&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;COPYRIGHT, 2007&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Canadian newspaper boxes 16&amp;#215;9\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Newspaper_vending_machines_in_Canada_-_20110803.jpg &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Newspaper vending machines in Toronto in 2011. Photo: Wikimedia Commons&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Canadian-newspaper-boxes-16x9-1.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/04\/good-news-is-no-news\/\">Good News Is No News<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-04-22T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">April 22, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">An Editor\u2019s Note It&#8217;s obvious that I&#8217;m a news hound, and there&#8217;s certainly no shortage of news in FaySpRogVille (a portmanteau of Northwest Arkansas&#8217;s four main cities). Throughout the areas news media, coverage of the University of Arkansas naturally stays prominent, not only because it&#8217;s one of the largest employers of the Ozarks but simply\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/04\/good-news-is-no-news\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Good News Is No News<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-75 is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/posts\/\">See all columns<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Food Columns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Candidly, the recipes are posted for my convenience, from which to refer via iPad in the kitchen. All are vegetarian, nearly all vegan, aka plant-based whole-food PBWF and, especially the recent ones, low to no oil. I\u2019m sure you\u2019d like them, too.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list is-grid columns-2 has-dates wp-block-latest-posts is-layout-flow wp-block-latest-posts-is-layout-flow\"><li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/rat-a-tat-ratatouille\/\" aria-label=\"Rat-a-tat Ratatouille\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-300x169.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ratatouille in a pot, heavily simmered and garnished with fresh parsley\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-attachment-id=\"8439\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1783845845&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"ratatouille wikimedia commons 033017 16&amp;#215;9\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:20170329_ratatouille-fin-cuisson.jpg&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ratatouille. Photo credit Andr\u00e9 Loconte, Wikimedia Commons.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/ratatouille-wikimedia-commons-033017-16x9-1-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/rat-a-tat-ratatouille\/\">Rat-a-tat Ratatouille<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-07-12T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">July 12, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">By this time in our three-decade-plus marriage I know too well what my spouse refuses to eat. Well, there&#8217;s no disguising okra. But I can expect the classic eggplant-dominating casserole ratatouille will find favor once and sometimes twice a summer.\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/07\/rat-a-tat-ratatouille\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Rat-a-tat Ratatouille<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/cheese-ball\/\" aria-label=\"Have a (Cheese) Ball\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Cheese ball appetizer covered in chopped nuts\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-attachment-id=\"8370\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sedaris cheese ball public domain 1920&amp;#215;1080\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Not my cheese ball but from Wikimedia Commons, &amp;#8220;Amy Sedaris&amp;#8217; Li&amp;#8217;l Smoky Cheese Ball,&amp;#8221; CC0 1.0 public domain&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Sedaris-cheese-ball-public-domain-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/cheese-ball\/\">Have a (Cheese) Ball<\/a><time datetime=\"2026-06-19T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">June 19, 2026<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">My mom often bought house-label food items to keep on budget, as the quality was close enough. One item she wouldn&#8217;t skimp on was Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese, explaining other brands were &#8220;waxy.&#8221; I never understood that, different ones had\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2026\/06\/cheese-ball\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Have a (Cheese) Ball<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/08\/friday-night-re-pabst\/\" aria-label=\"Friday Night Re-Pabst\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"4 empty beer bottles, each a different color\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-attachment-id=\"7916\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/beer-bottles-2018-wikimedia-commons-1920x1080\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1722599454&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Beer bottles 2018 Wikimedia Commons 1920&amp;#215;1080\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Beer_bottles_2018_G1.jpg&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by George Chernilevsky, public domain, Wikimedia Commons&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Beer-bottles-2018-Wikimedia-Commons-1920x1080-1-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/08\/friday-night-re-pabst\/\">Friday Night Re-Pabst<\/a><time datetime=\"2024-08-03T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">August 3, 2024<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">DIY Michelada Is Superior Several years ago I came across a curious cookbook. It comprised workable, simple and healthy vegan recipes but as a parody of a diet book, The Taco Cleanse: The Tortilla-Based Diet Proven to Change Your Life.\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/08\/friday-night-re-pabst\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Friday Night Re-Pabst<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__featured-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/07\/clean-beans\/\" aria-label=\"Clean Beans\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-300x169.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Nearly all the ingredients for Clean Beans in a 2-quart Dutch oven\" style=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-attachment-id=\"7889\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/baked-beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Baked Beans as remembered but cleaner 070724\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Nearly all the ingredients for Clean Beans in a 2-quart Dutch oven&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Baked-Beans-as-remembered-but-cleaner-070724-1024x576.jpeg\" \/><\/a><\/div><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/07\/clean-beans\/\">Clean Beans<\/a><time datetime=\"2024-07-09T11:11:00-05:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">July 9, 2024<\/time><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-excerpt\">The goal for Memorial Day extending to the Fourth of July this year was a recipe for baked beans tasting as I remember Mom opening a can or two and heating them, but also vegan and zero to low oil.\u2026 <a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/07\/clean-beans\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Clean Beans<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-75 is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/\" style=\"border-radius:5px\" rel=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/\">See All Food columns<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Food Columns Candidly, the recipes are posted for my convenience, from which to refer via iPad in the kitchen. All are vegetarian, nearly all vegan, aka plant-based whole-food PBWF and, especially the recent ones, low to no oil. I\u2019m sure you\u2019d like them, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6693","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/about\/copyright\/","url_meta":{"origin":6693,"position":0},"title":"Copyright, Yes This Is, These Are","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"December 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Unless otherwise indicated, all material in \"Brick: Muse on News by Ben S. Pollock,\" is Copyright 2003 Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2004 Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2005 Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2006 Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2007 Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2008 Ben S. Pollock Copyright 2009 Ben S. Pollock\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/about\/","url_meta":{"origin":6693,"position":1},"title":"Retro Metro Column\/About","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"June 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Brick at its best is a Retro Metro Column. The rest of the time, Brick is a wordy blog. Brick in recent years includes a recipe repository. Retro Metro refers to the tradition of print papers having one or more commentators prominent on a local news page \u2014 not the\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Acme Brick Co. sample","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/WindsorParkVelour-Acme-Brick-square.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5540,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/about\/contact\/","url_meta":{"origin":6693,"position":2},"title":"Contact","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"November 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Please communicate with Ben Pollock via this contact form.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6789,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/posts\/","url_meta":{"origin":6693,"position":3},"title":"Posts","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"November 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":170,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/about\/brick-course\/use-of-brick\/","url_meta":{"origin":6693,"position":4},"title":"Use of Brick","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"August 25, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Never, never use a brick like this, unless your name is Ignatz Mouse and all of you come from George Herriman's pen. If you have suggestions for Bricks, contact me here:","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":169,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/about\/brick-course\/","url_meta":{"origin":6693,"position":5},"title":"Brick Course","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"September 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a reference to, not a comment on, Acme Brick. Still, my house abutted a quarry of Acme Brick, in Fort Smith, Ark. I hiked through it a googolplex of times. Also: To express is to drive. And when you want to give something presence, you have to consult\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"Fond memories of growing up near an Acme clay quarry","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.benpollock.com\/images\/brickwall.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6693"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7603,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6693\/revisions\/7603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}