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4th of July

“Steve McQueen—ironically displaying his signature, perfect balance of allegiance and rebellion.”
—The Selvedge Yard

“I live for myself and I answer to nobody.”
—Steve McQueen

On America’s birthday, we couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute than to recommend one of the most patriotic, and yet most subversive, web museums in the world: The Selvedge Yard.

Some might call it a blog, but we say ‘web museum’ because the breadth of topics and depth of research is nothing short of encyclopedic. And with subjects ranging from Hitchcock to Harley Davidsons, Playboy Bunnies to Bob Dylan, and famous mustaches to muscle cars, there’s something for everyone. (Unless your idea of the perfect lunch-hour blog break includes LOL-inducing cats.)

While The Selvedge Yard does include a few choice overseas exports, like the Rolling Stones and vintage Schwarzenegger, the running themes remain intact: rebellion, recklessness, and good old-fashioned machismo.

Alfred Hitchcock on the secretive set of his classic thriller Psycho, 1960.

Albert “Shrimp” Burns, a top racer of the 1910s and early 1920s, was the youngest champion of his era, winning his first titles at age 15.

The Playboy Club, circa 1960. (Note Keith Richards in the background, top right.)

Bob Dylan, London, circa 1966. Photo by Barry Feinstein.

Frank Zappa’s mustache, New York City, 1967. Photo by Jerry Schatzberg.

Carroll Shelby’s iconic Ford Mustang GT350 pony car, circa 1965.

 

All photos, quotes and captions courtesy of The Selvedge Yard.

 

[Individuals pictured do not endorse Nordstrom.]

My wife improvised this smoked-tomatillo salsa last week, and we were both silent with awe after trying it—it’s that good. I said she must have just channeled her Mexican heritage. She said I’m an idiot, because the only Latin-American branch in her family tree is her step-mom. STILL, this tangy, smoky, spicy salsa is like the nectar of the Aztec gods. And the best part is, it’s so simple even I could make it. Detailed instructions below. Take notes and be the hit of every Independence Day BBQ you attend tomorrow.

—Justin, Men’s Blog Editor

Ingredients:
15–20 tomatillos
1 jalapeño
1-2 habanero chilis (100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale! Proceed with caution.)
1 Anaheim pepper
1 red onion
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup cilantro

Directions:
1. Chop off the ends of the peppers, quarter the onion, and peel the paper-y sheath off the tomatillos.
(Wash your hands after handling habaneros! Get the tiniest particle in your eye and you’ll be crying, literally.)

2. Toss everything (except the cilantro) on a hot grill. Your friends won’t mind you scooting the steaks over. For extra smoky goodness, use a charcoal grill instead of propane.

3. Toss the golden-brown, grilled pieces into a food processor, seeds and all. Add the cilantro. Pulse lightly (don’t over-blend) to keep a nice, chunky texture.

The finished product. Sweet, smoky, SPICY. One habanero is plenty adequate, even for the average spice enthusiast. Use two if you’re into culinary pain.

The right accessories. Any tortilla chip will do, but Juanita’s are the perfect buttery, flaky complement to this spicy green goo. And—what could be more American than Mexican beer on the Fourth of July?