Jack Cafferty is the resident curmudgeon on CNN.  When Andy Rooney died, Jack became the reigning curmudgeon of the news business. Jack's grumpiness is often a refreshing counterpoint to the often forced upbeat reporting of perpetually smiling newscasters on many of the national and local TV networks. There have been other famous curmudgeons such as John Quincy Adams, Mark Twain, W.C. Fields,  Leona Helmsley, and Dorothy Parker. Possibly Leona Helmsley shouldn't be included in this list since one of the non- defined qualities of curmudgeons is that, in spite of their grumpiness, they are still loveable. Leona was just a grumpy. mean bitch. New Yorkers may remember that before Jack joined the Ted Turner CNN family,  he anchored the news at 10 on New York's WB-11  and on Newsline New York.  Some of his fans may be surprised to learn that  he also co-anchored the evening broadcast for New York's  Fox 5 News at 7,  a network that he now refers to non-affectionately as the "F Network." His reportage has earned him numerous awards including an Emmy, the New York Associated Press State Broadcasters Award,. and the Edward R. Murrow Award. Jack started his career at CNN as co-host on CNN's American Morning, and  a host of CNN's weekend business show In the Money. But since many viewers can't take that much grumpiness before a few cups of coffee,  CNN moved Jack to their afternoon The Situation Room. where his grumpy commentaries on his segment "The Cafferty File" occasionally make the seldom smiling Wolf Blitzer slightly curl his lips upward. Jack's grumpiness is occasionally punctuated with acerbic comments that have often raised the eyebrows of a few and  the ire of many. He criticized Mexican President Felipe Calderón by saying, "he has a lot of nerve coming into our country... and what we do with our nation's borders, is none of your business" and criticized the US Congress as "disgusting: when they chose to give the Mexican President a standing ovation for opposing Arizona's immigration law. He also criticized  GOP Presidential candidate John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential candidate when he remarked "if John McCain wins, this woman will be one 72- year- old's heart beat away from becoming President of the United States, and if that doesn't scare the hell out of you, it should!" So to celebrate this crusty but loveable curmudgeon's birthday, we suggest making a loaf of Crusty Bread and watching the YouTube video of the March 30, 2009 "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" with his interview by Jon. Crusty Bread

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy
    and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room
    temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it;
    sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and
    let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly
    shape dough into a  ball.  Generously coat a cotton towel  with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough
    seam side down on towel and dust with  more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel
    and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not
    readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450°F.  Put a 6 to 8-quart heavy covered pot in oven
    as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn
    dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough
    is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid
    and bake another 15 to 30  minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack. Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.