I recently went to Whole Foods Market for my occasional splurge shopping trip! I love to go there and find myself coming home with all sorts of unusual ingredients and interesting wines. This time, I decided to give the meat counter a whirl. After perusing the selection, I decided to give their italian sausage a try. Perhaps the extra care (and cost) that goes into their sausage would be worth the trip. With nothing particular in mind to cook with these beauties, I settled on making meatballs to go into a basic fresh tomato sauce for pasta.
I have a meatball recipe that I love so I made the meatballs, baking them to the right temperature before putting them into the sauce to simmer.
When they came out of the oven, I couldnt help but taste one of those sizzling luscious balls of meat. YIKES! Those suckers were HOT! I dont mean temperature hot! I mean spicy, burn your tongue, hot! I have a love of all things spicy and can tolerate that sort of heat pretty well! But my husband and children can only tolerate a little heat. That is why I purchased five mild sausages and only two hot sausages at Whole Foods. I thought that the two sausages would add that little touch of spice that would give that punch of flavor that I desired. If I was expecting a punch, I got a whollop!
I guess the message I would like to pass along is that Whole Foods hot italian sausage is ground up FIRE! I will be serving the meatballs but I think the kids will go meatless tonight! Beware!
Oh, and here is my meatball recipe. This is not an original recipe and I am unsure where I got it so I cannot give due credit! For that, I apologize!
Italian Meatballs
2lbs Italian sausage ( YOU pick the heat!)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3cup dry bread crumbs
1/2cup grated parmesan cheese (freshly grated is best)
1/2cup milk
1/2cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced2T dried parsley
salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, milk, onion,
garlic and parsley. Add sausage to the mixture and mix well but gently.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through (160 degrees). Serve
with sauce or spaghetti.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Pimiento Cheese - The Pate' of the South
When I was thinking about an introduction to this post, I did some research into the origin of pimiento cheese and how it became a uniquely Southern condiment/salad/stuffer/sandwich spread. However, I found that the quintessential article on the origins of pimiento cheese had already been penned. Robert F. Moss has written an excellent piece on the history of pimiento cheese that I highly recommend! Mr. Moss shares that "The South can't claim pimento cheese as its own invention, but the state of Georgia was actually the center of the nation's pimento growing and canning industry." This would certainly explain why pimiento cheese became so popular in the South.
I assume you left to read Robert's article and are well-versed on the history and tradition of this yummy food! Now, let's talk the basic ingredients of Southern Pimiento Cheese. At this point, I have to say that I do know that pimiento cheese, like all Southern comfort foods, is being "gourmet-ified" in many upscale restaurants these days. I have seen all sorts of crazy ingredients being used to glamorize and glorify pimiento cheese. I suppose there is nothing wrong with a chef playing around with his food. However, my opinion is that Southern pimiento cheese, if freshly made with good ingredients, doesn't need any doctoring. There are some definite "do's and don'ts" when it comes to making fresh pimiento cheese. Let's start there.
1. Don't use preshredded cheese EVER! Preshredded cheese is made to stay separate and resist sticking together. This is exactly what you DON'T want! Use quality sharp or extra sharp cheese from a block and shred it.
2. Shred the cheese in the large hole of a grater. Never pulverize the cheese in a food processor. You want the flavor of the cheese to shine through the other ingredients. Cheese that has been reduced to mush will taste like flavored mush!
3. Use full-fat mayonnaise if you can. If you simply must cut the fat and calories, please only use light or low fat mayonnaise. Never use fat free mayo. I will sometimes use a mixture of full and low fat mayo to cut some added fat. But just face it! Pimiento cheese is not diet food - unless you serve it on celery! Okay, not even then!
4. Do not rinse the pimiento. Drain the jar of pimiento and leave it in a colander for a few minutes but don't rinse off the wonderful juice. It adds a layer of flavor to the pimiento cheese that you don't want to wash down the drain. Chop the pimiento finely right before mixing with the other ingredients.
5. Prepare pimiento cheese in advance for the best flavor. Pimiento cheese needs time for the flavors to meld. A couple of hours is okay, but overnight is so much better!
6. Don't be afraid to season the mixture! While I am not a fan of adding crazy flavors and textures that don't belong in pimiento cheese-just for the sake of originality- I do suggest that you season the pimiento cheese according to your family's tastes.
If you will keep the above tips in mind, your pimiento cheese will inspire oohs and ahhs from your guests. The following is my Pimiento Cheese recipe. I have also included my recipe for Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip. Enjoy!
Leslie's Pimiento Cheese
2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated with
large-hole grater)
1/2- 3/4 cup regular mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
3T chopped pimiento, drained (I usually use the whole jar,
but that measurement is about right)
2T grated onion, or one green onion coarsely chopped
1t prepared yellow mustard
2 shakes Jalapeno Green Tobasco sauce* (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
* Instead of the Green Tobasco, you may substitute 2 fresh (not jarred) jalapeno peppers, finely chopped or 1/8 t cayenne pepper.
Combine all and season to taste. Refrigerate two hours or overnight. Serve on fresh white bread for sandwiches or on trimmed celery. I have even served it stuffed into a tomato.
Lucky Baked Pimiento Cheese Dip
We call this dish "lucky" because we first served it the night Alabama won the 2009 National Championship. I'm not saying the dip caused the win, but we still serve it on big game nights... just to be sure!
1 1/2 cup mayo 1t finely grated onion
(dried minced works fine)
1/4 cup sour cream 1/4t ground red pepper
1 (4oz) jar diced pimiento, drained 1 (8oz block) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2t Worcestershire sauce 1 (8oz block) pepper jack cheese*, grated
Stir together first six ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheeses. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2qt baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until dip is golden and bubbly. Serve with Fritos scoops, Triscuits or thick tortilla chips
* Taste your pepper jack cheese before adding the red pepper. I have found that the heat level in this cheese varies greatly! You might not need the added pepper. If you want NO heat, substitute Monterey jack cheese for the pepper jack
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Springing a "Leek" on the Family
My latest obsession is trying out new foods in the produce aisles! Okay I don't actually try them out IN the produce aisle. I wait until I get home. The foods that I am talking about aren't actually "new" foods either. However, having grown up in the deep south, there are many fresh fruits and vegetables that Grandma didn't use! This week, I bought about six leeks and decided that I would learn all that I could about this vegetable that looks like a southern green onion on steroids!
It may look like a green onion but it is actually a sheep in wolf's clothing! I would have thought that the great big leek would pack a huge onion flavor! A bit of online research tells me that the leek has a very mild flavor and is a good "onion" when you want the onion to take a back seat to other flavors. I have also learned a couple of other bits of information about the leek. Leeks were once prized by the Greeks and Romans because they thought that they were good for the throat. They were introduced to Great Britain by the Romans. Leeks are very familiar to British cooks as they are a common vegetable in that region. Their weather is particularly conducive to growing leeks. This is probably the reason that leeks never really caught on in Alabama. Leeks like cold weather and loose soil, neither of which are abundant down here! Leeks are very nutritious. They are a good source of folate and B vitamins. I found a really good overview of the nutrition and basic cooking techniques for leeks on a website called World's Healthiest Foods.
The main thing that I learned about leeks in my research is that they are dirty little buggers!! Almost every description of leeks mentions how thoroughly they need to be cleaned in order to avoid being gritty! I am glad for the information because my leeks look perfectly clean on the outside! I would have simply washed the outside. There are two ways that I found to clean leeks, depending on how you plan to cut them for use.
Before washing, cut off the dark green tops. Most sites suggest disposing of these leaves, but I did find one home chef that says she uses them whole to flavor slow cooking soups and stews. If you plan to use large pieces of the leek, take your knife and split it almost to the root. Gently pull it open and allow running water to rinse between all of the layers.
If you plan to slice the leek, go ahead and thinly slice it. Place it all in a deep bowl of cold water and swish it around in the bowl. Allow it to sit for at least five minutes and allow the grit to settle into the bottom of the bowl. Next, skim the leek gently off of the top of the water, being careful not to disturb the grit at the bottom!
Now, how am I going to cook these things?? The World's Healthiest Foods site lists a simple way to saute the leeks. I used this method to cook one of the leeks. While I enjoyed eating my leek prepared this way, I didn't think it would be particularly tasty to my family, not to mention it looks like onions, which would be an instant turn-off to my kids! I do recommend this method and plan to experiment in the future. I am thinking that this would be a great side if finely diced carrots were added along with a flavored olive oil in the saute.
In my web travels, it seems that potato leek soup is the standard recipe for utilizing leeks. I am wanting to go in a different direction so I look for something that will make the leek the "star" of the dish. I went ahead with a soup because it seems that leeks and soup are a natural! The dish I prepared was Cock-A-Leekie Soup from Allrecipes.com. Sure, I liked that the name would inspire curiosity on the kids' part. But I liked the idea of a chicken soup on a gray day like today! This was a fabulous dish and the whole family loved it. I will say that I didn't taste the leek in the dish. But I guess, with leeks, that is the point. Leeks give a more subtle nod to onion flavor and brighten the dish. Onions are the lead singer and leeks provide the back-up "ooooooooooooh" notes that make the lead singer sound better. I will definitely use them again!
It may look like a green onion but it is actually a sheep in wolf's clothing! I would have thought that the great big leek would pack a huge onion flavor! A bit of online research tells me that the leek has a very mild flavor and is a good "onion" when you want the onion to take a back seat to other flavors. I have also learned a couple of other bits of information about the leek. Leeks were once prized by the Greeks and Romans because they thought that they were good for the throat. They were introduced to Great Britain by the Romans. Leeks are very familiar to British cooks as they are a common vegetable in that region. Their weather is particularly conducive to growing leeks. This is probably the reason that leeks never really caught on in Alabama. Leeks like cold weather and loose soil, neither of which are abundant down here! Leeks are very nutritious. They are a good source of folate and B vitamins. I found a really good overview of the nutrition and basic cooking techniques for leeks on a website called World's Healthiest Foods.
The main thing that I learned about leeks in my research is that they are dirty little buggers!! Almost every description of leeks mentions how thoroughly they need to be cleaned in order to avoid being gritty! I am glad for the information because my leeks look perfectly clean on the outside! I would have simply washed the outside. There are two ways that I found to clean leeks, depending on how you plan to cut them for use.
Before washing, cut off the dark green tops. Most sites suggest disposing of these leaves, but I did find one home chef that says she uses them whole to flavor slow cooking soups and stews. If you plan to use large pieces of the leek, take your knife and split it almost to the root. Gently pull it open and allow running water to rinse between all of the layers.
If you plan to slice the leek, go ahead and thinly slice it. Place it all in a deep bowl of cold water and swish it around in the bowl. Allow it to sit for at least five minutes and allow the grit to settle into the bottom of the bowl. Next, skim the leek gently off of the top of the water, being careful not to disturb the grit at the bottom!
Now, how am I going to cook these things?? The World's Healthiest Foods site lists a simple way to saute the leeks. I used this method to cook one of the leeks. While I enjoyed eating my leek prepared this way, I didn't think it would be particularly tasty to my family, not to mention it looks like onions, which would be an instant turn-off to my kids! I do recommend this method and plan to experiment in the future. I am thinking that this would be a great side if finely diced carrots were added along with a flavored olive oil in the saute.
In my web travels, it seems that potato leek soup is the standard recipe for utilizing leeks. I am wanting to go in a different direction so I look for something that will make the leek the "star" of the dish. I went ahead with a soup because it seems that leeks and soup are a natural! The dish I prepared was Cock-A-Leekie Soup from Allrecipes.com. Sure, I liked that the name would inspire curiosity on the kids' part. But I liked the idea of a chicken soup on a gray day like today! This was a fabulous dish and the whole family loved it. I will say that I didn't taste the leek in the dish. But I guess, with leeks, that is the point. Leeks give a more subtle nod to onion flavor and brighten the dish. Onions are the lead singer and leeks provide the back-up "ooooooooooooh" notes that make the lead singer sound better. I will definitely use them again!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Houndstooth Rules!
I recently saw a poll ,conducted on Facebook, regarding whether Alabama Crimson Tide fans liked the association of the houndstooth fabric pattern with the University of Alabama. It made me wonder whether this pollster had heard rumblings against the popular textile or if he was just posing the question. I never went back to see how the poll came out. I really hate that I missed the opportunity to see what the popular opinion is regarding houndstooth at Alabama. I absolutely love the connections and have several reasons why I believe that houndstooth is the best thing to hit campus on gameday in a long time!
There are few people, under thirty, who realize where Alabama got "houndstooth fever"---Okay, I should say few people under thirty "living outside the state of Alabama". Paul "Bear" Bryant was known for his houndstooth hat that he wore to every outdoor game. This was not a ball cap. This was back in the day when men wore fashionable felt or woolen hats when wearing a suit or even in cold weather. This would have been in the late 1950's and 1960's. My father and all of his friends wore hats whenever they went out. These hats were usually black, gray or a muted and understated plaid. Then -- in comes Coach Bryant. His hat was neither muted or understated. It was a large bold houndstooth pattern! He wore this style of hat for years when he coached games outdoors. If he was in a domed stadium, he wouldn't wear a hat at all. When asked, he always said "My momma always told me not to wear your hat in the house!"
I remember the Christmas when we bought my dad one of those houndstooth hats. These weren't the ones like you can get at a fan store today! These hats were well-made and expensive hats that men wore just as they did the more sedated styles that they replaced. It was a fashionable way for men to show their team loyalty and still look "dapper". (Yes, that word is as old as the hat-wearing tradition!) My dad was thrilled! While it was stylish, no self-respecting Auburn man would ever wear a houndstooth hat! So, even then, the pattern began to be associated with the University. So the houndstooth pattern has traditionally been associated with the University of Alabama and is part of our rich heritage that we should keep!
Look around at other NCAA schools. Name one other school who, along with their team colors, has a print that is their very own. Think about it. I will wait....No? Cant think of one, can you? Neither can I. Yes, our shade of crimson red is different from any other college team. But I bet that you could name at least three or four other schools that have red and white as their school colors. Houndstooth sets us apart! I mean, go to a Tennessee-Auburn game and you can probably spot the variations in the shade of orange that both teams use. But, lets face it, orange is orange. There are only so many color combinations that differentiate teams in the NCAA. It is just plain nice to have that extra something special that sets us apart. Houndstooth does that! It has begun to show up in small touches in our uniforms as well and I, for one, am very excited to see it! I also love the houndstooth ribbon painted on the field to remember the victims of the April tornadoes. It better represents the bond between the University and the Tuscaloosa community that any other emblem could.
I will admit that a little houndstooth goes a long way. It is a bit comical to visit a fan store and see some of the unusual items that are adorned with the pattern. Toilet paper, shoe strings, underwear, wrapping paper, and even wedding bands can be purchased in hounds tooth! I think this may be the reason for the Facebook poll. There can be too much of a good thing and, when it comes to college fan gear, this is usually a given! Perhaps the author of the poll is just getting tired of seeing the pattern abused. Seriously, is there ever a good time to have a roll of houndstooth toilet paper in the guest bath??
So what do you think? Do you like the connection of houndstooth to the University of Alabama? If not, why? I would love to hear from you. And for those of you who are not big houndstooth fans, come on!!! It could be worse! It could be polka dots!!!
There are few people, under thirty, who realize where Alabama got "houndstooth fever"---Okay, I should say few people under thirty "living outside the state of Alabama". Paul "Bear" Bryant was known for his houndstooth hat that he wore to every outdoor game. This was not a ball cap. This was back in the day when men wore fashionable felt or woolen hats when wearing a suit or even in cold weather. This would have been in the late 1950's and 1960's. My father and all of his friends wore hats whenever they went out. These hats were usually black, gray or a muted and understated plaid. Then -- in comes Coach Bryant. His hat was neither muted or understated. It was a large bold houndstooth pattern! He wore this style of hat for years when he coached games outdoors. If he was in a domed stadium, he wouldn't wear a hat at all. When asked, he always said "My momma always told me not to wear your hat in the house!"
I remember the Christmas when we bought my dad one of those houndstooth hats. These weren't the ones like you can get at a fan store today! These hats were well-made and expensive hats that men wore just as they did the more sedated styles that they replaced. It was a fashionable way for men to show their team loyalty and still look "dapper". (Yes, that word is as old as the hat-wearing tradition!) My dad was thrilled! While it was stylish, no self-respecting Auburn man would ever wear a houndstooth hat! So, even then, the pattern began to be associated with the University. So the houndstooth pattern has traditionally been associated with the University of Alabama and is part of our rich heritage that we should keep!
Look around at other NCAA schools. Name one other school who, along with their team colors, has a print that is their very own. Think about it. I will wait....No? Cant think of one, can you? Neither can I. Yes, our shade of crimson red is different from any other college team. But I bet that you could name at least three or four other schools that have red and white as their school colors. Houndstooth sets us apart! I mean, go to a Tennessee-Auburn game and you can probably spot the variations in the shade of orange that both teams use. But, lets face it, orange is orange. There are only so many color combinations that differentiate teams in the NCAA. It is just plain nice to have that extra something special that sets us apart. Houndstooth does that! It has begun to show up in small touches in our uniforms as well and I, for one, am very excited to see it! I also love the houndstooth ribbon painted on the field to remember the victims of the April tornadoes. It better represents the bond between the University and the Tuscaloosa community that any other emblem could.
I will admit that a little houndstooth goes a long way. It is a bit comical to visit a fan store and see some of the unusual items that are adorned with the pattern. Toilet paper, shoe strings, underwear, wrapping paper, and even wedding bands can be purchased in hounds tooth! I think this may be the reason for the Facebook poll. There can be too much of a good thing and, when it comes to college fan gear, this is usually a given! Perhaps the author of the poll is just getting tired of seeing the pattern abused. Seriously, is there ever a good time to have a roll of houndstooth toilet paper in the guest bath??
So what do you think? Do you like the connection of houndstooth to the University of Alabama? If not, why? I would love to hear from you. And for those of you who are not big houndstooth fans, come on!!! It could be worse! It could be polka dots!!!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sixteen Year Old Boys...
"You Find Out Who Your Friends Are" is the title of a country and western song that was popular a few years back. I don't remember much about the song, except for this one line. I do remember that the point to the song was that you really find out who cares about you when times get rough. I understood that line and the song on an intellectual level. I have heard that sentiment, phrased in many different ways, many times in my life. The past two weeks have made me comprehend this simple statement on the deepest possible level. I believe that this discovery has opened my eyes to so many aspects of life and love and even God. Sometimes it is more important to discover the real friends of someone you love and that they are your friends too!
Two weeks ago, my sixteen year old son had a horrific accident on the soccer field. He dislocated his ankle and foot, broke his ankle and leg bone, and tore ligaments in his foot. This happened during a game against a team from out of town. The injury was extremely awful to see. With leg pointing north and south while the foot was pointing east and west (and down), it was very ugly and extremely painful for my son. The game was stopped, an ambulance called and the waiting began. We are fortunate to have an orthopedic surgeon dad on the team who is a dear friend as well. He was able to take charge and do all of the "right" things so my husband and I only had to worry about comforting him and holding ourselves together! It is funny how things like this are remembered in a slow motion fog of images. Snapshots of memories with no real continuity. A protective function of the brain? Probably. Godly comfort for the days ahead? Definitely.
The first thing that I remember after comforting my son on the ground for what seemed like hours (but was only a few minutes I am sure) is looking over at his teammates. They all have haunted, frightened looks on their faces--my first thought was that they looked like orphans who had been dropped off in an unfamiliar place. Lost. Several have tears on their faces. When I stand up to catch my breath and "regroup" my deteriorating composure, one of the guys from the team comes over and gives me a big bear hug. He tells me that the team has prayed for me and for my son. He tells me he loves me and my family. Two other guys hug me and the rest of the team come a bit closer. Image stops. Sixteen year old boys, stripped of their macho posturing and pride, have never looked more strong and beautiful.
I notice the other team, a big rival of our team from another city, is standing quietly and respectfully. Some look worried. Others look a bit scared. They look awkward like they would like to help but don't know what to do. I realize, at this moment, that both teams understand a great truth. The game is not important. The game has, for a while, become irrelevant. Coaches from both teams are running around, doing damage control, making sure that their boys are okay. Image stops. My son later receives cards from opposing team members and their parents. They find him on Facebook and send messages of encouragement. They challenge him to get better soon so they can play against him again. Sixteen year old boys, who don't even personally know my son, comfort my son in ways I can never match.
Suddenly, I think of my eleven year old daughter who is somewhere in the crowd and must be very frightened. I look up to see one of the moms from the team holding her hand. I am relieved. But then I see two of the boys from the team run over and take her by the hand to stand with the team. Image stops. They block her view of my son. They talk with her. I hear later that they make her an honorary team member and pray with her. Sixteen year old boys stand in the gap for their friend's parents and comfort his sister.
A day in the E.R. with lots of tests and painful procedures. I receive a text that the team manager is in the E.R. waiting room. I go out to talk with him and get some air. The waiting room is filled with players and friends, all wanting to know how my son is. All Saturday plans cancelled, they are standing vigil in the waiting room for news of his condition. They bring silly gifts and food--anything they can think of to cheer him. They take turns, two at a time, visiting with him for a few minutes. They make silly jokes and talk to my son even though he is not able to converse very well. I see their desire to make him smile, to distract him for a while. It works. Image stops. Sixteen year old boys and girls knowing what he needs and selflessly giving of themselves.
Surgery is still a blur. Blindly responding to texts from parents and kids alike. I recall a text from the team manager asking me if I want him to text the team and to tell them to stay away from the hospital for my son to rest. I refuse the request. They need to see that he is okay. They need to do something, anything, to help. Friends and teammates visit throughout the afternoon and evening, talking to each other over my son's bed. He is in and out of consciousness, but I see that he enjoys the banter and being surrounded by friends. Image stops. Sixteen year olds hanging out in a hospital room on a sunny Sunday afternoon, just to be there for a friend.
As a week and a half goes by, I see streams of kids visiting my son at home, just hanging out and talking about normal things. Encouraging him with talk of the spring high school soccer season. I see visitors bringing homework assignments and copies of notes (usually with funny comments in the margins to cheer my son) and volunteering assistance with his transition back to school. They bring gifts to make him laugh; a fake severed foot, stuffed baby toys, five pound bags of Skittles. They talk of normalcy-- a gift that his father and I cant give him. They plan a movie night at our house and bring their own snacks because they know i havent been to the supermarket. Image stops. These same sixteen year old boys (and girls) volunteer to carry his books and give him rides to school events.
My husband I have most certainly found out who our friends are throughout this ordeal. Visits, cards, meals, calls, offers of prayer, shoulders to cry on, ears to listen and much more. We feel truly blessed. However, the most valuable thing that we have discovered is who our son's friends are. Sixteen year olds that usually get blamed for all that is wrong in the world. Sixteen year old boys who are widely purported to be selfish, egotistical, uncaring and full of machismo. Sixteen year old boys who put a friend ahead of themselves and their needs. Sixteen year old boys who behaved better than many men in the face of such an event. Sixteen year old boys.
One of the questions that my son has asked during the early days of this injury is "Why me?" It is a typical response when hard times come. "Why didnt God protect me?" My son has been given a great gift. He has been given the opportunity to really KNOW his friends. He has had the opportunity to see his friends pouring out love and compassion on him and his family. I believe that, through this injury, God has given my son a window through which he can see Mankind at it's finest. While I don't imagine he is quite to the point of thanking God for this wonderful gift, I do believe that he was surprised and pleased to know that his friends had such compassion and real concern for him. I believe that he, too, will carry with him images of this event. I believe that he is, and will be, a better man and a better friend. You do find out who your real friends are, and sometimes they come in the form of (gasp!) sixteen year old boys!
Two weeks ago, my sixteen year old son had a horrific accident on the soccer field. He dislocated his ankle and foot, broke his ankle and leg bone, and tore ligaments in his foot. This happened during a game against a team from out of town. The injury was extremely awful to see. With leg pointing north and south while the foot was pointing east and west (and down), it was very ugly and extremely painful for my son. The game was stopped, an ambulance called and the waiting began. We are fortunate to have an orthopedic surgeon dad on the team who is a dear friend as well. He was able to take charge and do all of the "right" things so my husband and I only had to worry about comforting him and holding ourselves together! It is funny how things like this are remembered in a slow motion fog of images. Snapshots of memories with no real continuity. A protective function of the brain? Probably. Godly comfort for the days ahead? Definitely.
The first thing that I remember after comforting my son on the ground for what seemed like hours (but was only a few minutes I am sure) is looking over at his teammates. They all have haunted, frightened looks on their faces--my first thought was that they looked like orphans who had been dropped off in an unfamiliar place. Lost. Several have tears on their faces. When I stand up to catch my breath and "regroup" my deteriorating composure, one of the guys from the team comes over and gives me a big bear hug. He tells me that the team has prayed for me and for my son. He tells me he loves me and my family. Two other guys hug me and the rest of the team come a bit closer. Image stops. Sixteen year old boys, stripped of their macho posturing and pride, have never looked more strong and beautiful.
I notice the other team, a big rival of our team from another city, is standing quietly and respectfully. Some look worried. Others look a bit scared. They look awkward like they would like to help but don't know what to do. I realize, at this moment, that both teams understand a great truth. The game is not important. The game has, for a while, become irrelevant. Coaches from both teams are running around, doing damage control, making sure that their boys are okay. Image stops. My son later receives cards from opposing team members and their parents. They find him on Facebook and send messages of encouragement. They challenge him to get better soon so they can play against him again. Sixteen year old boys, who don't even personally know my son, comfort my son in ways I can never match.
Suddenly, I think of my eleven year old daughter who is somewhere in the crowd and must be very frightened. I look up to see one of the moms from the team holding her hand. I am relieved. But then I see two of the boys from the team run over and take her by the hand to stand with the team. Image stops. They block her view of my son. They talk with her. I hear later that they make her an honorary team member and pray with her. Sixteen year old boys stand in the gap for their friend's parents and comfort his sister.
A day in the E.R. with lots of tests and painful procedures. I receive a text that the team manager is in the E.R. waiting room. I go out to talk with him and get some air. The waiting room is filled with players and friends, all wanting to know how my son is. All Saturday plans cancelled, they are standing vigil in the waiting room for news of his condition. They bring silly gifts and food--anything they can think of to cheer him. They take turns, two at a time, visiting with him for a few minutes. They make silly jokes and talk to my son even though he is not able to converse very well. I see their desire to make him smile, to distract him for a while. It works. Image stops. Sixteen year old boys and girls knowing what he needs and selflessly giving of themselves.
Surgery is still a blur. Blindly responding to texts from parents and kids alike. I recall a text from the team manager asking me if I want him to text the team and to tell them to stay away from the hospital for my son to rest. I refuse the request. They need to see that he is okay. They need to do something, anything, to help. Friends and teammates visit throughout the afternoon and evening, talking to each other over my son's bed. He is in and out of consciousness, but I see that he enjoys the banter and being surrounded by friends. Image stops. Sixteen year olds hanging out in a hospital room on a sunny Sunday afternoon, just to be there for a friend.
As a week and a half goes by, I see streams of kids visiting my son at home, just hanging out and talking about normal things. Encouraging him with talk of the spring high school soccer season. I see visitors bringing homework assignments and copies of notes (usually with funny comments in the margins to cheer my son) and volunteering assistance with his transition back to school. They bring gifts to make him laugh; a fake severed foot, stuffed baby toys, five pound bags of Skittles. They talk of normalcy-- a gift that his father and I cant give him. They plan a movie night at our house and bring their own snacks because they know i havent been to the supermarket. Image stops. These same sixteen year old boys (and girls) volunteer to carry his books and give him rides to school events.
My husband I have most certainly found out who our friends are throughout this ordeal. Visits, cards, meals, calls, offers of prayer, shoulders to cry on, ears to listen and much more. We feel truly blessed. However, the most valuable thing that we have discovered is who our son's friends are. Sixteen year olds that usually get blamed for all that is wrong in the world. Sixteen year old boys who are widely purported to be selfish, egotistical, uncaring and full of machismo. Sixteen year old boys who put a friend ahead of themselves and their needs. Sixteen year old boys who behaved better than many men in the face of such an event. Sixteen year old boys.
One of the questions that my son has asked during the early days of this injury is "Why me?" It is a typical response when hard times come. "Why didnt God protect me?" My son has been given a great gift. He has been given the opportunity to really KNOW his friends. He has had the opportunity to see his friends pouring out love and compassion on him and his family. I believe that, through this injury, God has given my son a window through which he can see Mankind at it's finest. While I don't imagine he is quite to the point of thanking God for this wonderful gift, I do believe that he was surprised and pleased to know that his friends had such compassion and real concern for him. I believe that he, too, will carry with him images of this event. I believe that he is, and will be, a better man and a better friend. You do find out who your real friends are, and sometimes they come in the form of (gasp!) sixteen year old boys!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Demitri Martin is A Genius
Because I have been reading twenty pound Ken Follet novels and some pretty grim biographies lately, I was searching for a lighter book that would make me laugh. When I say I want a book that makes me laugh, I don't really mean I plan to laugh out loud. In fact, I find it rather annoying when you are sitting by someone who is reading and they actually laugh out loud. It is almost like not being in on a private joke. I can honestly say that, other than a text from a witty friend, I have never laughed out loud in public while reading! Until now.
I uploaded the book This Is A Book By Demetri Martin. I was planning for a long appointment at the hair salon the next day and couldn't bear the thought of looking at hairstyle books or People magazines for three hours. I was looking forward to a good distraction from the sights, sounds and smells of the salon. I don't care to chit chat with strangers on why they would like to go lighter, curlier, shorter, longer or get a divorce. While I have always considered myself a "people person", I guess I am not a "salon people person". I am not offended that you don't care that I need more texture on the top so that my hair doesn't go flat in the afternoon. I just don't want to act interested in why your last extensions didn't last as long as promised either!
Anyway, once I was ready for the "sit here for twenty minutes. can i get you a magazine" phase, I pulled out my Nook and opened to the title page. The title page of the book says "This is A Book By Demetri Martin... This Is A Book By Demetri Martin." This is also a clue as to what is to come. If the title page of the book (By Demetri Martin) doesn't make you laugh, put it back on the shelf and walk away. However, I was personally glad that I hadn't taken a drink of my complimentary bottled water as I read that or I would have done a very "un-salon-ish" spit take! I did kind of do a short cackle and then quickly covered it with a cough. I was hooked.
If you are not familiar with the comedy of Demetri Martin, I am not sure I could explain his sort of humor, but it must be mine. It is certainly not for everyone. It is almost like trying to describe the flavor of chicken flavored ice cream. I have never personally had, nor have I heard of chicken flavored ice cream. I am sure it would probably be awful, but IF I had tasted chicken flavored ice cream, I would imagine that it would be hard to describe. "It is cold, but chicken-ish, kind of like... no not like soup because that is hot, kind of like...no not like raspberry sorbet, because that isn't like chicken.." See my point? Probably not, but I will continue.
Demetri Martin is a bit like Mitch Hedberg, with word play and puns at the front. However, where Mitch's work was based on quick one liners that required a second of thought to "get", Demetri is perfectly comfortable couching a whole bushel of these thoughts into a running commentary---or not. His stage show includes a big drawing pad where he is happy to draw his one liners rather than speak them. Throw in a guitar and sing them or simply accompany his one liners with some background music. Demetri is a comedy stew. But he is a thinking man's comedy stew. Don't judge me, I TOLD you he was hard to describe!
I wondered if his humor could translate into book form. There are many stand-up comedians whose material would flop in print. It is not a given that because a guy is funny on stage, he will be funny in a book. First, part of most comedians' "funny factor" is in the delivery. This is a given. Ever had a friend who could simply NOT TELL A JOKE! Facial expression, timing and overall presentation of a joke is so important! Second, many comedians have a political slant and choose to use their only chance to write a book as their political forum. Third, some material is not funny in print no matter what! So I knew I was taking a chance buying Mr. Martin's book. I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. (Like the pleasant feeling I would have if I actually LIKED chicken flavored ice cream when I tried it!)
I will go so far as to say that Martin's humor is almost more effective in book form because you can stop laughing at one part before going on to the next. The book is a mixture of daily observations and "what if" scenarios. I am convinced that Demetri Martin's mind works on a higher level than most human beings. It seems a shame to "waste" his great intellect on humor when he probably should be curing some disease or attending a World Peace summit. For example; who in the world would be reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and come up with a fourth ghost that visits Ebenezer Scrooge? You already have the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come. In Mr. Martin's mind, he conjures up the Ghost of Christmas Future Perfect. This is the ghost that visits and promises to tell Ebenezer "what shall have happened to you on a Christmas that will have passed at some point in the future". Hysterical bit but whose mind works that way??
He has a chapter on fortune cookie fortunes - " If you were tiny, this could be a banner". He has a couple of chapters of simple musings - "The boomerang is Australia's chief export (then import)" He has an essay on an attack by a bee from the perspective of the bee, the person, the chair they were sitting on, and the magazine used to swat the bee. He also includes many of his drawings, which are beyond clever.
Wow, this is sounding like a book review. It was not meant to be a book review, but rather a story about the day I laughed out loud at a salon. I guess the book review is better reading!
While this is not a book review, I do recommend This is A Book by Demetri Martin. But do me a favor. Read the darned thing in the privacy of your own home. And do your family members a favor. Don't constantly say "Oh oh oh, let me read you this ONE MORE THING..." They laugh at first but then, for some reason, they just get irritated. Just loan them your book when you finish and when they try to read you something, just look at them like "Duh! I READ the book myself ALREADY!" And when they sit in the living room and start laughing out loud, go make them a bowl of ice cream, you pick the flavor!
I uploaded the book This Is A Book By Demetri Martin. I was planning for a long appointment at the hair salon the next day and couldn't bear the thought of looking at hairstyle books or People magazines for three hours. I was looking forward to a good distraction from the sights, sounds and smells of the salon. I don't care to chit chat with strangers on why they would like to go lighter, curlier, shorter, longer or get a divorce. While I have always considered myself a "people person", I guess I am not a "salon people person". I am not offended that you don't care that I need more texture on the top so that my hair doesn't go flat in the afternoon. I just don't want to act interested in why your last extensions didn't last as long as promised either!
Anyway, once I was ready for the "sit here for twenty minutes. can i get you a magazine" phase, I pulled out my Nook and opened to the title page. The title page of the book says "This is A Book By Demetri Martin... This Is A Book By Demetri Martin." This is also a clue as to what is to come. If the title page of the book (By Demetri Martin) doesn't make you laugh, put it back on the shelf and walk away. However, I was personally glad that I hadn't taken a drink of my complimentary bottled water as I read that or I would have done a very "un-salon-ish" spit take! I did kind of do a short cackle and then quickly covered it with a cough. I was hooked.
If you are not familiar with the comedy of Demetri Martin, I am not sure I could explain his sort of humor, but it must be mine. It is certainly not for everyone. It is almost like trying to describe the flavor of chicken flavored ice cream. I have never personally had, nor have I heard of chicken flavored ice cream. I am sure it would probably be awful, but IF I had tasted chicken flavored ice cream, I would imagine that it would be hard to describe. "It is cold, but chicken-ish, kind of like... no not like soup because that is hot, kind of like...no not like raspberry sorbet, because that isn't like chicken.." See my point? Probably not, but I will continue.
Demetri Martin is a bit like Mitch Hedberg, with word play and puns at the front. However, where Mitch's work was based on quick one liners that required a second of thought to "get", Demetri is perfectly comfortable couching a whole bushel of these thoughts into a running commentary---or not. His stage show includes a big drawing pad where he is happy to draw his one liners rather than speak them. Throw in a guitar and sing them or simply accompany his one liners with some background music. Demetri is a comedy stew. But he is a thinking man's comedy stew. Don't judge me, I TOLD you he was hard to describe!
I wondered if his humor could translate into book form. There are many stand-up comedians whose material would flop in print. It is not a given that because a guy is funny on stage, he will be funny in a book. First, part of most comedians' "funny factor" is in the delivery. This is a given. Ever had a friend who could simply NOT TELL A JOKE! Facial expression, timing and overall presentation of a joke is so important! Second, many comedians have a political slant and choose to use their only chance to write a book as their political forum. Third, some material is not funny in print no matter what! So I knew I was taking a chance buying Mr. Martin's book. I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. (Like the pleasant feeling I would have if I actually LIKED chicken flavored ice cream when I tried it!)
I will go so far as to say that Martin's humor is almost more effective in book form because you can stop laughing at one part before going on to the next. The book is a mixture of daily observations and "what if" scenarios. I am convinced that Demetri Martin's mind works on a higher level than most human beings. It seems a shame to "waste" his great intellect on humor when he probably should be curing some disease or attending a World Peace summit. For example; who in the world would be reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and come up with a fourth ghost that visits Ebenezer Scrooge? You already have the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come. In Mr. Martin's mind, he conjures up the Ghost of Christmas Future Perfect. This is the ghost that visits and promises to tell Ebenezer "what shall have happened to you on a Christmas that will have passed at some point in the future". Hysterical bit but whose mind works that way??
He has a chapter on fortune cookie fortunes - " If you were tiny, this could be a banner". He has a couple of chapters of simple musings - "The boomerang is Australia's chief export (then import)" He has an essay on an attack by a bee from the perspective of the bee, the person, the chair they were sitting on, and the magazine used to swat the bee. He also includes many of his drawings, which are beyond clever.
Wow, this is sounding like a book review. It was not meant to be a book review, but rather a story about the day I laughed out loud at a salon. I guess the book review is better reading!
While this is not a book review, I do recommend This is A Book by Demetri Martin. But do me a favor. Read the darned thing in the privacy of your own home. And do your family members a favor. Don't constantly say "Oh oh oh, let me read you this ONE MORE THING..." They laugh at first but then, for some reason, they just get irritated. Just loan them your book when you finish and when they try to read you something, just look at them like "Duh! I READ the book myself ALREADY!" And when they sit in the living room and start laughing out loud, go make them a bowl of ice cream, you pick the flavor!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Am I Too Old For Twitter?
Because of my participation in an opinion poll group, I was asked to create a Twitter account. In return, I received extra "points" in their reward program so I wasnt about to turn it down! I signed on for a Twitter account. I never really intended to use the account but I do admit to being curious about all things online so I decided to try to see how it worked and determine if Twitter was for me or not. I like to think of myself as a reasonably intelligent adult. Facebook was a day in the park. Creating my blog was also an easy task. I spent an evening last night trying to figure out the whole language of Twitter-speak. I admit it. I was stumped! I would really like to know why something as simple as Twitter is so difficult for me to grasp! And I am not willing to give it up until I master it! Or at least until I obtain all of my polling points!
There are a myriad of Twitter tutorials, written by clever bloggers and I intend to find the best of them and dig in. However, it really bothers me that I NEED these tutorials. Bitrebels.com did a fantastic piece entitled "The Four Stages of Understanding Twitter" with a really awesome graphic showing the levels of Twitter understanding. http://www.bitrebels.com/social/the-4-stages-of-understanding-twitter-infographic/
I am approaching "level 2", which, in their words, is "consistently attempting to enjoy Twitter". This is a great post if you are wondering how close you are to Twitter mastery. I love how they didnt make it a gradual hill of understanding, but rather made it look like a Matterhorn expedition! I love it, not for how funny the graphic is, but how much better it made me feel. The article begins by stating how easy it is to "get" Twitter. But the graphic is drawn to help people, like me, feel better about our difficulty!
There are several obstacles that prevent me from jumping into the Twitter flock with both wings. First, it is that darned @ symbol. @ signifies a place, not a person, in my brain! I am lesliebham@gmail.com. I am not @leslie_bham. Hey, I dont think I even knew until the early 1990's, when I got my first email address, that @ meant "at". Now I cant reason with my brain to make it mean "to". All you have to do is give me a fairly easy algebra problem and you will see that symbols, numbers and letters that stand for other things, is a difficult obstacle. Now, throw in the # and I am really stumped! What in the heck does # mean? I thought it signified a number or weight. I still dont know what that symbol means in the Twitterverse.
Another area of disconnect, is the idea of "following" someone. I didnt have any friends on Twitter that I knew of, so I decided to "follow" some celebrities that I find interesting. Evidently, following someone means that you will get their "tweets". All of them. Every single solitary one. Level 2 on Bitrebels.com's post says "Consistently attempting to enjoy being on Twitter by doing what they are used to doing; rambling aimlessly about the weather, lunch, and favorite quotes". I just cant do it. I cannot pretend that anyone would care what I had for lunch or that I was driving to the grocery. In fact, I can say, with total honesty, that I dont care what the celebrities that I follow had for lunch either (Except for the celebrity chefs that I follow- and they are far too busy to tweet their lunch). I am also feeling a little rediculous tweeting anything because I have no followers.
The one area that I "get" is the retweet. Someone posts something interesting and you find it interesting enough to share with your followers. I have retweeted a few posts from some of the people I follow ---pretty much just to figure out what happens when you retweet. I am not sure what happens as I have no followers.
This is kind of like reading a funny passage from a book you are reading --to your dog or a lamp. What is the point? But at least I understand what the purpose WOULD be if I had followers.
I guess my biggest confusion about Twitter is the "WHY" of Twitter. Why would anyone care where I was going and what I was doing throughout the day? What release do Twitter users get by tweeting their opinions or preferences? Perhaps my life isnt interesting enough for a Twitter account. Maybe I am not curious enough about others' lives to participate in the Twitterverse. I am a caring and compassionate person but your roast beef sandwich and chips neither interests nor inspires me. My tuna salad will not change your world.
I wonder if one day, by continuing to participate in Twitter, I will wake one morning and "get it". The "Ah-ha" moment. Or has the Twitter ship sailed for me? Am I just too out of touch to understand-- not only the mechanics of Twitter, but the purpose of Twitter? Does that make me my mom, back in 1980, saying "Why dont those handsome boys in that rock band just cut their hair? They would be so handsome if their hair was neater!" It is this question, alone, that drives me to figure out Twitter. Then, once mastered, I can keep it in my life as a wonderful social media source or I can dump it as irrelevant. I just have to prove that I can "get" it! You can call me "stupid" but dont you dare call me "lame"!
There are a myriad of Twitter tutorials, written by clever bloggers and I intend to find the best of them and dig in. However, it really bothers me that I NEED these tutorials. Bitrebels.com did a fantastic piece entitled "The Four Stages of Understanding Twitter" with a really awesome graphic showing the levels of Twitter understanding. http://www.bitrebels.com/social/the-4-stages-of-understanding-twitter-infographic/
I am approaching "level 2", which, in their words, is "consistently attempting to enjoy Twitter". This is a great post if you are wondering how close you are to Twitter mastery. I love how they didnt make it a gradual hill of understanding, but rather made it look like a Matterhorn expedition! I love it, not for how funny the graphic is, but how much better it made me feel. The article begins by stating how easy it is to "get" Twitter. But the graphic is drawn to help people, like me, feel better about our difficulty!
There are several obstacles that prevent me from jumping into the Twitter flock with both wings. First, it is that darned @ symbol. @ signifies a place, not a person, in my brain! I am lesliebham@gmail.com. I am not @leslie_bham. Hey, I dont think I even knew until the early 1990's, when I got my first email address, that @ meant "at". Now I cant reason with my brain to make it mean "to". All you have to do is give me a fairly easy algebra problem and you will see that symbols, numbers and letters that stand for other things, is a difficult obstacle. Now, throw in the # and I am really stumped! What in the heck does # mean? I thought it signified a number or weight. I still dont know what that symbol means in the Twitterverse.
Another area of disconnect, is the idea of "following" someone. I didnt have any friends on Twitter that I knew of, so I decided to "follow" some celebrities that I find interesting. Evidently, following someone means that you will get their "tweets". All of them. Every single solitary one. Level 2 on Bitrebels.com's post says "Consistently attempting to enjoy being on Twitter by doing what they are used to doing; rambling aimlessly about the weather, lunch, and favorite quotes". I just cant do it. I cannot pretend that anyone would care what I had for lunch or that I was driving to the grocery. In fact, I can say, with total honesty, that I dont care what the celebrities that I follow had for lunch either (Except for the celebrity chefs that I follow- and they are far too busy to tweet their lunch). I am also feeling a little rediculous tweeting anything because I have no followers.
The one area that I "get" is the retweet. Someone posts something interesting and you find it interesting enough to share with your followers. I have retweeted a few posts from some of the people I follow ---pretty much just to figure out what happens when you retweet. I am not sure what happens as I have no followers.
This is kind of like reading a funny passage from a book you are reading --to your dog or a lamp. What is the point? But at least I understand what the purpose WOULD be if I had followers.
I guess my biggest confusion about Twitter is the "WHY" of Twitter. Why would anyone care where I was going and what I was doing throughout the day? What release do Twitter users get by tweeting their opinions or preferences? Perhaps my life isnt interesting enough for a Twitter account. Maybe I am not curious enough about others' lives to participate in the Twitterverse. I am a caring and compassionate person but your roast beef sandwich and chips neither interests nor inspires me. My tuna salad will not change your world.
I wonder if one day, by continuing to participate in Twitter, I will wake one morning and "get it". The "Ah-ha" moment. Or has the Twitter ship sailed for me? Am I just too out of touch to understand-- not only the mechanics of Twitter, but the purpose of Twitter? Does that make me my mom, back in 1980, saying "Why dont those handsome boys in that rock band just cut their hair? They would be so handsome if their hair was neater!" It is this question, alone, that drives me to figure out Twitter. Then, once mastered, I can keep it in my life as a wonderful social media source or I can dump it as irrelevant. I just have to prove that I can "get" it! You can call me "stupid" but dont you dare call me "lame"!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Food Bloggers Prefer Egg On Their Plates--Not On Their Faces!
When I was younger, I had a hard time being a good sport when someone "pranked" me. As a big practical joker, I had a hard time admitting that someone got the best of me. I have matured since then and can laugh at myself when Ive been "had". Heck, I can even reverently respect the one who did the pranking! I can look them in the eye and honestly say "Hey, that was a GOOD one!" I have learned over the years that I do not know everything and that gullibility is a sign that I am human. It seems to me that a few food bloggers and "mom bloggers" (whatever that means) need to mature a bit, as well. You just have to read the following link and if you dont get a kick out of it, you are WAY too serious!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/business/media/when-bloggers-dont-follow-the-script-to-conagras-chagrin.html?_r=2&ref=business&pagewanted=all#
I had to post the actual article because I knew I could never capture the hilarity of this article in my own words. Yes, I know that this was not supposed to be a comedic piece, but I couldnt stop laughing. In case you couldnt get to the article, here is a quick run down. Food bloggers and "mom bloggers" were invited to a fancy restaurant and told that they would be served a fine dining four course meal. What they were served were Marie Callender's frozen meals. They were secretly filmed for their reaction to the fine dining meal. After they were told of the ruse, these food bloggers were terribly upset. Their reasons ranged from not wanting to consume empty, non-nutritious calories, to being angry that they were thought of as the "target market" for frozen food, and that they ingested unwanted preservatives and sodium.
I think that they were probably mad because they totally got "punked". I would give big bucks to see the hidden camera results (which will now never be aired because of the bloggers indignant outrage). I suspect that they raved about the food, complimenting the chef and using their favorite culinary terms. I have a feeling that they couldn't tell the difference between the frozen offering and fine Italian cuisine and, if anyone found out about it, they would feel "ruined". These snotty bloggers probably also were a little miffed that they were only invited to a marketing campaign and not, as they thought, to a culinary soiree. They probably blogged about being invited and how they were looking forward to the event of the season. Instead, they were give a proverbial "kick me" sign as they walked through the doors.
Were they good sports? Had they matured since childhood, able to say "That was a good one"? Absolutely not! In fact, they did what I used to to in fifth grade. I made up a reason that the prank was a bad one. "I wasn't ready." "That was mean!" "I cant believe you thought I would fall for that!" Instead of rolling with the deception and laughing along (as "normal" people did with Pizza Hut and Folgers), they made up ridiculous excuses for their indignance. No one goes to a fine Italian dining establishment with calories, preservatives or sodium on their mind.
Their reaction and indignance was able to cancel the commercials, thereby saving them from the embarrassment of being duped. However, this reaction catapulted the event to national news. Now, people may not discover that these food bloggers can be fooled by a frozen TV dinner, but they have discovered that they are whiny snivelling "food expert wannabees", who cant take the heat! Perhaps they should get out of the kitchen.
If by adulthood, you haven't learned the lesson that no one knows EVERYTHING and that everyone can learn SOMETHING, it is time. It is time to learn to laugh at yourself more than you laugh at others. It is way past time to learn that when you begin to think yourself better or smarter than others, God (or some would say "karma") will find you and hunt you down. All I have to say is "MARIE CALLENDER, THAT WAS A GOOD ONE!!!!"
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/business/media/when-bloggers-dont-follow-the-script-to-conagras-chagrin.html?_r=2&ref=business&pagewanted=all#
I had to post the actual article because I knew I could never capture the hilarity of this article in my own words. Yes, I know that this was not supposed to be a comedic piece, but I couldnt stop laughing. In case you couldnt get to the article, here is a quick run down. Food bloggers and "mom bloggers" were invited to a fancy restaurant and told that they would be served a fine dining four course meal. What they were served were Marie Callender's frozen meals. They were secretly filmed for their reaction to the fine dining meal. After they were told of the ruse, these food bloggers were terribly upset. Their reasons ranged from not wanting to consume empty, non-nutritious calories, to being angry that they were thought of as the "target market" for frozen food, and that they ingested unwanted preservatives and sodium.
I think that they were probably mad because they totally got "punked". I would give big bucks to see the hidden camera results (which will now never be aired because of the bloggers indignant outrage). I suspect that they raved about the food, complimenting the chef and using their favorite culinary terms. I have a feeling that they couldn't tell the difference between the frozen offering and fine Italian cuisine and, if anyone found out about it, they would feel "ruined". These snotty bloggers probably also were a little miffed that they were only invited to a marketing campaign and not, as they thought, to a culinary soiree. They probably blogged about being invited and how they were looking forward to the event of the season. Instead, they were give a proverbial "kick me" sign as they walked through the doors.
Were they good sports? Had they matured since childhood, able to say "That was a good one"? Absolutely not! In fact, they did what I used to to in fifth grade. I made up a reason that the prank was a bad one. "I wasn't ready." "That was mean!" "I cant believe you thought I would fall for that!" Instead of rolling with the deception and laughing along (as "normal" people did with Pizza Hut and Folgers), they made up ridiculous excuses for their indignance. No one goes to a fine Italian dining establishment with calories, preservatives or sodium on their mind.
Their reaction and indignance was able to cancel the commercials, thereby saving them from the embarrassment of being duped. However, this reaction catapulted the event to national news. Now, people may not discover that these food bloggers can be fooled by a frozen TV dinner, but they have discovered that they are whiny snivelling "food expert wannabees", who cant take the heat! Perhaps they should get out of the kitchen.
If by adulthood, you haven't learned the lesson that no one knows EVERYTHING and that everyone can learn SOMETHING, it is time. It is time to learn to laugh at yourself more than you laugh at others. It is way past time to learn that when you begin to think yourself better or smarter than others, God (or some would say "karma") will find you and hunt you down. All I have to say is "MARIE CALLENDER, THAT WAS A GOOD ONE!!!!"
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sports Talk Radio - The Male Fountain of Youth
College football season is only a few days away here in the Deep South and I cant wait! Tailgating, pizza in front of the TV, and Game Day! Throwing the football on the Quad! The faint sounds of the band warming up. The smell of grills cooking barbecue, hamburger and many other culinary delights! It is a wonderful thing! In fact, I predict I will blog about the experience again before this season is over. Count on it! But one of the things that I hate about the coming of the season: Local sports talk radio.
I love to listen to intelligent discussion about college football. I enjoy the dissection of each team and their strengths and weaknesses. I like hearing people, more knowledgeable than myself, discuss strategy for upcoming games as well as commenting on where teams went right or wrong on the previous Saturday. I like well-thought-out comments regarding the rankings and why one team should be ranked higher than another. HOWEVER, it is the "well-thought-out" aspect that seems to have been sidelined. I am not sure how anyone with a brain can listen to sports talk radio down here after the first kickoff.
The host of the local sports call-in radio show is a nationally syndicated sports reporter. I really have no beef with him except that he seems to have lost his desire for serious discussion about college football. It is my belief that he has given up. I cant say that I blame him. He probably used to go to work every day with an interesting topic to discuss. He probably did a lot of study and preparation so that he would be ready for intelligent repartee regarding the latest strategies of defenses around the country. It was probably never his intention for his show to sink to its current level. He is probably embarrassed to be presiding over the variety of callers that he gets in a typical day. It is really poignant when someone calls in who actually has a real point to make and something of value to discuss. You can ALMOST hear real passion in the host's voice.
What has happened? It is only a theory, but I believe that the call-in number has an almost magical effect. Once dialed, it transports grown men back to third grade. Reasonable men with actual careers. Intelligent members of society who have important jobs. This phone number sends them to a time capsule that takes them back to age eight. Having had two boys, I know the age very well. And as I listen to the discussions, I cant help but be reminded of sleepovers composed of five or more third grade boys, arguing in the basement.
"My dad is bigger than your dad!"
"Well, my dad is stronger than your dad!"
"Uh-Uhhhhh! My dad is bigger and smarter than your dad"
"So"
"So"
"So"
"Well you are stupid"
"You are stupider than me!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Uh-Huh!"
You get the picture. Substitute the word "team" for "dad" in the above conversation and you have very close to a direct transcript of the show on any given day. There is no way that a simple discussion of college sports by grown men can dissolve into the name-calling, mud-slinging, afternoon that it has become. There has to be something about that phone number! What other possible explanation could there be?
Adding credence to my theory, are the "regulars" that call in to the show. These "regulars" must suffer more effects from the phone number time machine. Perhaps because of the frequency of their calls, they are transported further back in time, somewhere between nursery school and kindergarten.
"You are a poopyhead!"
"No, YOU are a poopyhead!"
"I know my letters!"
"Not as good as me!"
"MOMMY! He just called me a poopyhead!"
These extreme regressors are even harder to take because, while neither they nor the third graders have any desire to carry on reasonable discussion, they call in EVERY DAY! Their contribution to the show isnt third grade bravado. It is kindergarten name-calling. They also "contribute" by adding fuel to the fire of the third grade campout. The third graders call in to tell everyone what "poopyheads" the kindergarteners are (plus the fact that their dad is bigger than "poopyhead's" dad.
Particularly hard for me are the callers that represent my school. Since my blog is called "Crimson Tidings", I dont think it is hard for anyone to see where my loyalties lie. While I cringe when I hear the "children" call in who "support" other schools, I can at least say "Thank goodness he isnt from my school". It is purely painful when a "supporter" of my school calls in. Unfortunately, there are plenty of "poopyheads" to go around.
Now before you go feeling too much sympathy for the host, you have to ask why he continues to let these "regulars" call in. I mean, they dont disguise their names or their voices. The host knows who they are. He welcomes their call. I have an idea that he has stopped caring. He has allowed the show to become nothing more than a name-calling day at the playground. He is responsible for the content and could steer the conversation in any direction he chooses. Yet he continues to "next caller" himself into a coma. Could it be that his ratings climb higher as the discussion dissolves? I refuse to believe it.
If I believe that, it means that it isnt the phone number that transports the callers to elementary school. That would mean that the men who listen to the show are also transported. That would be too evil to contemplate!
Perhaps the host is also transported by answering the calls. And maybe since he answers so many calls, he is magically transported to the age of two or three. Maybe the show coincides with his nap! Shhh!
I really wish they would change that number so that adult conversation reigned and I could learn more, through others' ideas, about the sport that I love so much! If they wont change the number, I, at least, want to know one thing; If a man calls in and is magically sent to third grade, if I call in will my wrinkles go away?
I love to listen to intelligent discussion about college football. I enjoy the dissection of each team and their strengths and weaknesses. I like hearing people, more knowledgeable than myself, discuss strategy for upcoming games as well as commenting on where teams went right or wrong on the previous Saturday. I like well-thought-out comments regarding the rankings and why one team should be ranked higher than another. HOWEVER, it is the "well-thought-out" aspect that seems to have been sidelined. I am not sure how anyone with a brain can listen to sports talk radio down here after the first kickoff.
The host of the local sports call-in radio show is a nationally syndicated sports reporter. I really have no beef with him except that he seems to have lost his desire for serious discussion about college football. It is my belief that he has given up. I cant say that I blame him. He probably used to go to work every day with an interesting topic to discuss. He probably did a lot of study and preparation so that he would be ready for intelligent repartee regarding the latest strategies of defenses around the country. It was probably never his intention for his show to sink to its current level. He is probably embarrassed to be presiding over the variety of callers that he gets in a typical day. It is really poignant when someone calls in who actually has a real point to make and something of value to discuss. You can ALMOST hear real passion in the host's voice.
What has happened? It is only a theory, but I believe that the call-in number has an almost magical effect. Once dialed, it transports grown men back to third grade. Reasonable men with actual careers. Intelligent members of society who have important jobs. This phone number sends them to a time capsule that takes them back to age eight. Having had two boys, I know the age very well. And as I listen to the discussions, I cant help but be reminded of sleepovers composed of five or more third grade boys, arguing in the basement.
"My dad is bigger than your dad!"
"Well, my dad is stronger than your dad!"
"Uh-Uhhhhh! My dad is bigger and smarter than your dad"
"So"
"So"
"So"
"Well you are stupid"
"You are stupider than me!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Uh-Huh!"
You get the picture. Substitute the word "team" for "dad" in the above conversation and you have very close to a direct transcript of the show on any given day. There is no way that a simple discussion of college sports by grown men can dissolve into the name-calling, mud-slinging, afternoon that it has become. There has to be something about that phone number! What other possible explanation could there be?
Adding credence to my theory, are the "regulars" that call in to the show. These "regulars" must suffer more effects from the phone number time machine. Perhaps because of the frequency of their calls, they are transported further back in time, somewhere between nursery school and kindergarten.
"You are a poopyhead!"
"No, YOU are a poopyhead!"
"I know my letters!"
"Not as good as me!"
"MOMMY! He just called me a poopyhead!"
These extreme regressors are even harder to take because, while neither they nor the third graders have any desire to carry on reasonable discussion, they call in EVERY DAY! Their contribution to the show isnt third grade bravado. It is kindergarten name-calling. They also "contribute" by adding fuel to the fire of the third grade campout. The third graders call in to tell everyone what "poopyheads" the kindergarteners are (plus the fact that their dad is bigger than "poopyhead's" dad.
Particularly hard for me are the callers that represent my school. Since my blog is called "Crimson Tidings", I dont think it is hard for anyone to see where my loyalties lie. While I cringe when I hear the "children" call in who "support" other schools, I can at least say "Thank goodness he isnt from my school". It is purely painful when a "supporter" of my school calls in. Unfortunately, there are plenty of "poopyheads" to go around.
Now before you go feeling too much sympathy for the host, you have to ask why he continues to let these "regulars" call in. I mean, they dont disguise their names or their voices. The host knows who they are. He welcomes their call. I have an idea that he has stopped caring. He has allowed the show to become nothing more than a name-calling day at the playground. He is responsible for the content and could steer the conversation in any direction he chooses. Yet he continues to "next caller" himself into a coma. Could it be that his ratings climb higher as the discussion dissolves? I refuse to believe it.
If I believe that, it means that it isnt the phone number that transports the callers to elementary school. That would mean that the men who listen to the show are also transported. That would be too evil to contemplate!
Perhaps the host is also transported by answering the calls. And maybe since he answers so many calls, he is magically transported to the age of two or three. Maybe the show coincides with his nap! Shhh!
I really wish they would change that number so that adult conversation reigned and I could learn more, through others' ideas, about the sport that I love so much! If they wont change the number, I, at least, want to know one thing; If a man calls in and is magically sent to third grade, if I call in will my wrinkles go away?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Let Me Fix It For You - Reality TV With A Soul!
I dont completely hate reality television. That is very difficult for me to admit, considering that I hate what reality television has done to TV viewing in general. I am a fan of good writing. I love a good story! Creative TV dramas and comedies are what good viewing is all about. I love the set-up, the climax, the resolution and the ability for television to capture imagination and inspire laughter, tears and that satisfied feeling that comes from talented story weavers! However, there are a few - and I really mean only a few-- reality television programs that capture the essence of what a good television drama can provide to the viewer. There is a "micro-genre" of television reality programming that I have embraced. I like to call it " Fix-It For You" TV!
When I think of reality television, I am reminded of a movie that I saw called "The Invention of Lying". In it, the character is living in a world where no one lies. Everyone tells the truth all of the time. Need money? Just go into the bank and tell them how much you want and how much you have in your account. No one checks because no one lies. Seems like a utopian society, no? Well the main character is a television writer. However, in a world where only truth is told, television is nothing more than documentaries of differing eras. Each writer is assigned a century of history and just writes shows filled with facts and figures. A total bore. That is what most reality is to me. Want to see people fighting? Look around your own office! Want to see someone with a messy closet? Come on over to my house! Want to see a bunch of girls fight over a good looking guy? Hit a bar after work. Who needs it?
The dirty little secret of reality television is that producers LOVE the genre. Reality programming is the cheapest form of programming and is a cash cow! Why is it so cheap to make? No writers to pay, sets to construct or actors to hire. Just a director, a couple of camera guys and maybe a posh beach rental for filming. Low cost and high profits are the norm. Because I recognize this fact, I have always snubbed my nose at these shows, accusing the television industry of "phoning it in". Anyone could do it with both hands tied behind their back. (I can see a director reading this, saying "WHOA, I have an idea! A family lives for a year with their hands tied behind their backs! Brilliant!") So I really hate to admit that I find any nugget of value in reality television. (Gee, I hate to admit it so much, I have spent three paragraphs telling you how much I hate it!)
"Fix It For You" television shows have a simple scenario. A host comes into a failing business, spots the problems, pumps some money into the failing aspects of the business, retrains the staff and helps the business to return to profitability. I recently penned a blog post about "Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares". This is one such show. Others that fall into that category are "Restaurant: Impossible" and "Tabatha's Salon Takeover". These shows, and others like them, all follow the basic formula, with a twist here and there to make them different. (Oh my goodness, could that be-gasp- CREATIVITY?) These twists can be silly or far-fetched, but help to individualize shows and garner the masses.
For example, in "Tabatha's Salon Takeover", Tabatha is a British hair designer who has a funky blonde hairstyle and only wears black. She secretly films the salon and then confronts the owners, showing them the secret videos. She scolds them like they were bad children and demands their keys, with the phrase, "Im taking over!" She then follows the above-mentioned formula. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. Other shows inject unreasonable time limits for the transformations so that everything has to be done in a rediculously short amount of time. "Restaurant;Impossible" takes "two days and ten thousand dollars" in order to overhaul a restaurant. Why not give it a week as is done in "Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares"? Because then it would be essentially the same show!! And just because I love Gordon Ramsay, I wont pretend that he doesnt have his own "schtick". Gordon Ramsay's gimmick is to talk harsh and rough to the restaurant owners, pulling no punches. He is rude, hateful and sometimes (okay, often) vulgar in his rants about cooking and service. In the end, he becomes a pussycat, right before you throw a shoe at your television!
So in spite of the cheesy gimmicks of these varieties of programs, why do I like them? I believe that part of their appeal to me is the similarities between them and the made-for-television dramas that I used to love so much. I mean, all of the characters are there! The hardworking, but down-trodden family, trying desperately to save the family business! They are good-hearted, but misguided souls who are one step away from the poor house. There is the hero that comes to save the day but he is misunderstood by the family. His motives are questioned. His ideas are foreign. Later the family comes to understand that the hero only has their best interest at heart. The family succeeds, thanks to the hero, and everyone lives happily ever after. If that doesnt remind you of Pride and Prejudice, you need to re-read that book!
What sets these programs apart from the "garbage" reality shows? For me, it is that I DONT hate that these people profited from the experience. The people in the "Fix It For You" shows have a work ethic, integrity and a sense of right and wrong. Good prevailed over bad --the good guy won! "Kate Plus Eight"? She made money by letting the cameras film her children! She became a star on the backs of her fertility! I am appalled that she walked away with a truckload of cash! "The Kardashians", "The Bachelor", "The Bachelorette", " Survivor"... I could name a hundred more. It bothers me greatly that these folks walked away with money for their amoral, disturbing, and uninspiring lives. What is the lesson in that? The more bizarre and depraved that your lifestyle becomes, the better chance you have of striking it rich in television? The more worthless and useless you are in life, the more money you make so you can become more worthless and useless? You can look for that "hero" all you want in these shows and you wont find him!
I still long for the return of television programming that relies on excellent dramatic and comedic writing. I wonder if the public will EVER become weary of the trash and wish for better. I wonder if they will ever become so weary that they will DEMAND better. I also wonder if producers will ever feel that the investment in quality writing, acting, costumes and set design is worth the money. Will any of them take the initiative and say "Gee I have been producing crap for so long! I have made my fortune. It is time to produce something important! Something of value! Something that makes the world a better place!" I am not holding my breath! (But if I could hold my breath longer than anyone ever has, do you think I could get a show out of it??)
When I think of reality television, I am reminded of a movie that I saw called "The Invention of Lying". In it, the character is living in a world where no one lies. Everyone tells the truth all of the time. Need money? Just go into the bank and tell them how much you want and how much you have in your account. No one checks because no one lies. Seems like a utopian society, no? Well the main character is a television writer. However, in a world where only truth is told, television is nothing more than documentaries of differing eras. Each writer is assigned a century of history and just writes shows filled with facts and figures. A total bore. That is what most reality is to me. Want to see people fighting? Look around your own office! Want to see someone with a messy closet? Come on over to my house! Want to see a bunch of girls fight over a good looking guy? Hit a bar after work. Who needs it?
The dirty little secret of reality television is that producers LOVE the genre. Reality programming is the cheapest form of programming and is a cash cow! Why is it so cheap to make? No writers to pay, sets to construct or actors to hire. Just a director, a couple of camera guys and maybe a posh beach rental for filming. Low cost and high profits are the norm. Because I recognize this fact, I have always snubbed my nose at these shows, accusing the television industry of "phoning it in". Anyone could do it with both hands tied behind their back. (I can see a director reading this, saying "WHOA, I have an idea! A family lives for a year with their hands tied behind their backs! Brilliant!") So I really hate to admit that I find any nugget of value in reality television. (Gee, I hate to admit it so much, I have spent three paragraphs telling you how much I hate it!)
"Fix It For You" television shows have a simple scenario. A host comes into a failing business, spots the problems, pumps some money into the failing aspects of the business, retrains the staff and helps the business to return to profitability. I recently penned a blog post about "Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares". This is one such show. Others that fall into that category are "Restaurant: Impossible" and "Tabatha's Salon Takeover". These shows, and others like them, all follow the basic formula, with a twist here and there to make them different. (Oh my goodness, could that be-gasp- CREATIVITY?) These twists can be silly or far-fetched, but help to individualize shows and garner the masses.
For example, in "Tabatha's Salon Takeover", Tabatha is a British hair designer who has a funky blonde hairstyle and only wears black. She secretly films the salon and then confronts the owners, showing them the secret videos. She scolds them like they were bad children and demands their keys, with the phrase, "Im taking over!" She then follows the above-mentioned formula. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. Other shows inject unreasonable time limits for the transformations so that everything has to be done in a rediculously short amount of time. "Restaurant;Impossible" takes "two days and ten thousand dollars" in order to overhaul a restaurant. Why not give it a week as is done in "Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares"? Because then it would be essentially the same show!! And just because I love Gordon Ramsay, I wont pretend that he doesnt have his own "schtick". Gordon Ramsay's gimmick is to talk harsh and rough to the restaurant owners, pulling no punches. He is rude, hateful and sometimes (okay, often) vulgar in his rants about cooking and service. In the end, he becomes a pussycat, right before you throw a shoe at your television!
So in spite of the cheesy gimmicks of these varieties of programs, why do I like them? I believe that part of their appeal to me is the similarities between them and the made-for-television dramas that I used to love so much. I mean, all of the characters are there! The hardworking, but down-trodden family, trying desperately to save the family business! They are good-hearted, but misguided souls who are one step away from the poor house. There is the hero that comes to save the day but he is misunderstood by the family. His motives are questioned. His ideas are foreign. Later the family comes to understand that the hero only has their best interest at heart. The family succeeds, thanks to the hero, and everyone lives happily ever after. If that doesnt remind you of Pride and Prejudice, you need to re-read that book!
What sets these programs apart from the "garbage" reality shows? For me, it is that I DONT hate that these people profited from the experience. The people in the "Fix It For You" shows have a work ethic, integrity and a sense of right and wrong. Good prevailed over bad --the good guy won! "Kate Plus Eight"? She made money by letting the cameras film her children! She became a star on the backs of her fertility! I am appalled that she walked away with a truckload of cash! "The Kardashians", "The Bachelor", "The Bachelorette", " Survivor"... I could name a hundred more. It bothers me greatly that these folks walked away with money for their amoral, disturbing, and uninspiring lives. What is the lesson in that? The more bizarre and depraved that your lifestyle becomes, the better chance you have of striking it rich in television? The more worthless and useless you are in life, the more money you make so you can become more worthless and useless? You can look for that "hero" all you want in these shows and you wont find him!
I still long for the return of television programming that relies on excellent dramatic and comedic writing. I wonder if the public will EVER become weary of the trash and wish for better. I wonder if they will ever become so weary that they will DEMAND better. I also wonder if producers will ever feel that the investment in quality writing, acting, costumes and set design is worth the money. Will any of them take the initiative and say "Gee I have been producing crap for so long! I have made my fortune. It is time to produce something important! Something of value! Something that makes the world a better place!" I am not holding my breath! (But if I could hold my breath longer than anyone ever has, do you think I could get a show out of it??)
Monday, August 29, 2011
The Oversell of Hurricane Irene
This past weekend, my son and I were headed to Atlanta, GA for a soccer tournament. We rented a car because there were only two of us traveling and we didnt want to take the gas guzzler. As I picked up the car, the agent cheerfully told me that I was getting complimentary XM radio on the car. Well... that wasnt exactly true. We had ONE station - The Weather Channel. My son had his Ipod so I just left it on so I wouldnt have to keep searching for local radio stations as we traveled. I was interested in learning more about Hurricane Irene anyway so it passed the time. In the two and a half hour drive, the anchors and correspondents on the Weather Channel had me convinced that the mother of all hurricanes was headed up the coast of the United States and that we were in for mass destruction! I recognize that the professionals in the weather profession are in a catch-22 situation. They are criticized if the give too much information and criticized for making too light of the situation. However, am I the only one who thinks that Hurricane Irene was oversold to the public and, if I were a cynical person, I would say it could be because of the potential financial gain from advertising dollars? I mean, you do have a huge percentage of the country tuned in with a potential personal stake in every bit of information that is being conveyed--waiting patiently through the Allstate commercials in order to be on top of this life-changing event.
I dont know a lot about hurricanes but I do know that they tend to weaken as they leave warm tropical waters. So I have to be a bit skeptical when the weather personalities keep saying "This is a Category Two storm with winds of blah blah blah.." and " A Category Two storm could do tremendous damage to New York City and all of the Eastern Seaboard!" What were the chances that the storm, after hitting North Carolina, skimming the east coast (landfall does weaken hurricanes) and then heading to the colder waters of the North Atlantic, would still be a Category Two storm that would hit New York City? These guys were even telling people what the wind speeds would be against buildings over twenty stories tall.
There were affects of Hurricane Irene all the way up the coast, mainly in the form of flooding lower lying areas. But even as the hurricane was reduced to a tropical storm, huge warnings were going out about mild beach erosion, flash flooding and how the winds could always start up again. I do feel for those people who were affected by high winds and flooding. The people affected are mostly heaving a big sigh of relief because it was so much milder than it could have been. An attitude of "Whew, we dodged a bullet!" permeated all of the people who were interviewed by TWC. "Thank you Weather Channel, for keeping us informed of the impending doom! Thank goodness it wasnt as bad as it could have been"
Does anyone else have a slightly "icky" feeling about all of this? I compare this to a doctor who examines you and says "Gee, it could be terminal cancer! You might not make it!" When the tests are done and the issue was not terminal cancer, but a case of indigestion, why would you be grateful to your doctor for scaring you to death for nothing?? The Weather Channel encouraged the belief that some huge disaster was looming and I just dont think that they believed that even for a moment! Whether they were trying to keep the public tuned in for ratings or exaggerating the risk in order to make people pay more attention, The Weather Channel should be ashamed of themselves.
As we headed home from the soccer tournament on Sunday afternoon, the masses of Weather Channel employees that had been dispatched across the Northeastern U.S., were hard-pressed to find something to report. The only people they could find to interview talked about how mild this storm was compared to a Noreaster, which these folks face almost annually. It was almost humorous to hear these newsmen say things like "Look at this! Here is a boat that was in the HARBOR and is now on dry land!! Can you believe it? Wow, I am sure glad that no one was aboard this vessel! They took our warnings and left town! Oh and here is some beach erosion! Gee, the sand that is over there, was once over HERE! Unbelievable!" It was kind of sad, really.
The really sad thing is that they are particular about which weather catastrophes they choose to report on extensively. I am hearing that there were fourteen deaths due to the hurricane and a couple of hundred people might be displaced, yet I predict that the Weather Channel vans will be there for weeks! When the Deep South and Midwest lost over four hundred people and thousands of people were left homeless, the Weather Channel devoted about three days to the disaster. It will be interesting to see how this plays out! I mean, we will see if this is about numbers of people affected and severity of outcome,
One of my friends made a remark that rang true with me, convincing me that she would never get a job at TWC!! She said "Gee a Category One storm in the Gulf, would basically be a free pressure wash for the condos!" Amen!
I dont know a lot about hurricanes but I do know that they tend to weaken as they leave warm tropical waters. So I have to be a bit skeptical when the weather personalities keep saying "This is a Category Two storm with winds of blah blah blah.." and " A Category Two storm could do tremendous damage to New York City and all of the Eastern Seaboard!" What were the chances that the storm, after hitting North Carolina, skimming the east coast (landfall does weaken hurricanes) and then heading to the colder waters of the North Atlantic, would still be a Category Two storm that would hit New York City? These guys were even telling people what the wind speeds would be against buildings over twenty stories tall.
There were affects of Hurricane Irene all the way up the coast, mainly in the form of flooding lower lying areas. But even as the hurricane was reduced to a tropical storm, huge warnings were going out about mild beach erosion, flash flooding and how the winds could always start up again. I do feel for those people who were affected by high winds and flooding. The people affected are mostly heaving a big sigh of relief because it was so much milder than it could have been. An attitude of "Whew, we dodged a bullet!" permeated all of the people who were interviewed by TWC. "Thank you Weather Channel, for keeping us informed of the impending doom! Thank goodness it wasnt as bad as it could have been"
Does anyone else have a slightly "icky" feeling about all of this? I compare this to a doctor who examines you and says "Gee, it could be terminal cancer! You might not make it!" When the tests are done and the issue was not terminal cancer, but a case of indigestion, why would you be grateful to your doctor for scaring you to death for nothing?? The Weather Channel encouraged the belief that some huge disaster was looming and I just dont think that they believed that even for a moment! Whether they were trying to keep the public tuned in for ratings or exaggerating the risk in order to make people pay more attention, The Weather Channel should be ashamed of themselves.
As we headed home from the soccer tournament on Sunday afternoon, the masses of Weather Channel employees that had been dispatched across the Northeastern U.S., were hard-pressed to find something to report. The only people they could find to interview talked about how mild this storm was compared to a Noreaster, which these folks face almost annually. It was almost humorous to hear these newsmen say things like "Look at this! Here is a boat that was in the HARBOR and is now on dry land!! Can you believe it? Wow, I am sure glad that no one was aboard this vessel! They took our warnings and left town! Oh and here is some beach erosion! Gee, the sand that is over there, was once over HERE! Unbelievable!" It was kind of sad, really.
The really sad thing is that they are particular about which weather catastrophes they choose to report on extensively. I am hearing that there were fourteen deaths due to the hurricane and a couple of hundred people might be displaced, yet I predict that the Weather Channel vans will be there for weeks! When the Deep South and Midwest lost over four hundred people and thousands of people were left homeless, the Weather Channel devoted about three days to the disaster. It will be interesting to see how this plays out! I mean, we will see if this is about numbers of people affected and severity of outcome,
One of my friends made a remark that rang true with me, convincing me that she would never get a job at TWC!! She said "Gee a Category One storm in the Gulf, would basically be a free pressure wash for the condos!" Amen!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Key to Southern "Fried" Corn
One of the best parts about summer is the availability of real fresh corn! I mean the kind that you either pick yourself from a friend's garden or you stop on the side of the road and pick it up from a farmer's truck! This is a "whole different animal" from the corn sold in the supermarket ten months out of the year. I never tire of fresh corn on the cob or southern fried corn when it has that fresh-picked taste! Mmmm! I dont think it is a coincidence that fresh corn is the color of the hot summer sun! But do you know how to spot fresh corn? Do you know whether you like yellow or white corn? Dont assume that if it is at the farmer's market or on the back of a farm truck, you are buying fresh corn!
Our family is partial to a variety of corn called "Silver Queen". It is a white corn with a very sweet and consistent flavor. I find that white corn is a little bit sweeter and a little more tender--completely a personal opinion! The sweetness and tenderness of corn is affected mostly by age! A good way to test fresh corn is to pull back one husk. Look at the kernels. Are they arranged tightly together or are there spaces between each kernel. Fresh corn will have kernels that touch each other. There may be a bald spot or two on the ear but neighboring kernels should be snuggled together! Do the kernels look filled out or are they a bit wrinkly? corn kernels indicate that the corn is drying out. This means old, dry corn. Dont buy it! Take your fingernail and pop a kernel. The liquid should squirt out and it should be milky, not clear! You also want to look at the silks at the top of the husk. They should be soft and light colored. Dried out or browning silk is a dead giveaway! Tiny ears of corn that have not "filled out" near the tip, was picked too early and will not have the liquidity of corn picked at the right time!
Southern "fried" corn is one of our family's favorite ways to prepare fresh corn. I use the quotation marks because this dish is not really fried at all. It is similar to a creamed corn but is so much more special and tasty! This dish is ONLY good with fresh corn! Fresh corn makes HALF of the difference! The other half is properly cutting the corn off of the cob!! This is where most people make their mistake! Follow these steps for the best fried corn you will ever eat!
1. Shuck and silk all corn that you plan to prepare. Place ears into a large tub of water. This helps to keep it from drying out as well as keeping the flies off of the corn! Did I mention that the first steps should be completed outside for less mess?
2. Get a comfortable chair, a large, sharp knife, a big pan and put on your crummy clothes. This job is messy! That is why I always prepare a huge amount of the corn, freezing what I dont plan to cook right away! That way, it is worth the mess!
3. Holding the ear with the tip pointing down, shave off just the tips of the corn kernels into your large pan. Do this all the way around the ear. Then, turn your knife over to the dull side and scrape down the ears and let the creamy bits fall into the pan. This step is crucial! If you cut whole kernels off in one stroke, you have whole kernel corn--NOT what you want for fried corn! When you are finished, the corn cob should be clean and dry!
4. Continue "tipping" and then "scraping" the corn until you have done all of the ears that you plan to do. At this point, you may need to hose off or shower as you will have corn in a lot of places where corn should not be! Take your treasured pan of corn into the house and freeze what you dont plan to use. There is no need to blanch the corn or add water. There should be enough liquid if you have scraped your corn properly.
5. I like to use a large cast iron skillet but, be warned that whatever pot or pan you use, this stuff likes to stick! I set the stove temperature to medium and add the corn. At this point, I usually add some milk and a little water to make sure there is enough liquid. As it starts to boil, I reduce the heat to simmer and stir, stir, stir! You will let this simmer for about 45 minutes or longer., until you have a tender kernel. You cant really overcook this corn unless your temperature is too high or if you let the liquid simmer out! You can always add more milk or water to the corn, as needed. Add butter and salt, to taste and simmer until you are ready to serve.
This is the way that my grandmother taught me to make southern fried corn and it has never failed to make a wonderful summertime treat for us---unless my corn was not fresh! Then, I get what I deserve!
Happy Summer, Y'all!
Our family is partial to a variety of corn called "Silver Queen". It is a white corn with a very sweet and consistent flavor. I find that white corn is a little bit sweeter and a little more tender--completely a personal opinion! The sweetness and tenderness of corn is affected mostly by age! A good way to test fresh corn is to pull back one husk. Look at the kernels. Are they arranged tightly together or are there spaces between each kernel. Fresh corn will have kernels that touch each other. There may be a bald spot or two on the ear but neighboring kernels should be snuggled together! Do the kernels look filled out or are they a bit wrinkly? corn kernels indicate that the corn is drying out. This means old, dry corn. Dont buy it! Take your fingernail and pop a kernel. The liquid should squirt out and it should be milky, not clear! You also want to look at the silks at the top of the husk. They should be soft and light colored. Dried out or browning silk is a dead giveaway! Tiny ears of corn that have not "filled out" near the tip, was picked too early and will not have the liquidity of corn picked at the right time!
Southern "fried" corn is one of our family's favorite ways to prepare fresh corn. I use the quotation marks because this dish is not really fried at all. It is similar to a creamed corn but is so much more special and tasty! This dish is ONLY good with fresh corn! Fresh corn makes HALF of the difference! The other half is properly cutting the corn off of the cob!! This is where most people make their mistake! Follow these steps for the best fried corn you will ever eat!
1. Shuck and silk all corn that you plan to prepare. Place ears into a large tub of water. This helps to keep it from drying out as well as keeping the flies off of the corn! Did I mention that the first steps should be completed outside for less mess?
2. Get a comfortable chair, a large, sharp knife, a big pan and put on your crummy clothes. This job is messy! That is why I always prepare a huge amount of the corn, freezing what I dont plan to cook right away! That way, it is worth the mess!
3. Holding the ear with the tip pointing down, shave off just the tips of the corn kernels into your large pan. Do this all the way around the ear. Then, turn your knife over to the dull side and scrape down the ears and let the creamy bits fall into the pan. This step is crucial! If you cut whole kernels off in one stroke, you have whole kernel corn--NOT what you want for fried corn! When you are finished, the corn cob should be clean and dry!
4. Continue "tipping" and then "scraping" the corn until you have done all of the ears that you plan to do. At this point, you may need to hose off or shower as you will have corn in a lot of places where corn should not be! Take your treasured pan of corn into the house and freeze what you dont plan to use. There is no need to blanch the corn or add water. There should be enough liquid if you have scraped your corn properly.
5. I like to use a large cast iron skillet but, be warned that whatever pot or pan you use, this stuff likes to stick! I set the stove temperature to medium and add the corn. At this point, I usually add some milk and a little water to make sure there is enough liquid. As it starts to boil, I reduce the heat to simmer and stir, stir, stir! You will let this simmer for about 45 minutes or longer., until you have a tender kernel. You cant really overcook this corn unless your temperature is too high or if you let the liquid simmer out! You can always add more milk or water to the corn, as needed. Add butter and salt, to taste and simmer until you are ready to serve.
This is the way that my grandmother taught me to make southern fried corn and it has never failed to make a wonderful summertime treat for us---unless my corn was not fresh! Then, I get what I deserve!
Happy Summer, Y'all!
Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
Gordon Ramsay has a potty mouth. His language can curl your hair! If you watch his shows on BBC America, they don't even bleep out most of what he says. I am very sensitive to foul language. Yet I cant stop watching Kitchen Nightmares! I am not sure what it is about this genre that really speaks to me. There are at least three different shows that follow the formula of Kitchen Nightmares, but I think that Ramsay originated and perfected the concept. The show started several years ago in Great Britain but has since moved to the United States. Gordon Ramsay's show has me captivated even if it causes my ears to bleed!
Gordon Ramsay is a world class chef, has a world class temper and is a world class businessman. He owns several very successful fine dining restaurants that are among the highest rated places in the world. He has parlayed this success into a marketing empire. He has authored several cookbooks and hosts at least three different television programs. The man is the ultimate expert on running a successful restaurant, from developing menus and purchasing food to training chefs and wait staff. This is the guy you would want to come to your failing restaurant and help you turn things around. And that is the premise of Kitchen Nightmares. But if you call on him for help, you had better be prepared to take the heat ---or get out of your kitchen!
If you haven't seen the show, the formula is like this. The owner of a failing restaurant makes an appeal for Gordon Ramsay's help to turn things around. Ramsay's first task is to actually go to the restaurant and EAT the food! He orders several items off of the menu and the show is off and running. More times than not, the food is horrible and he finds plenty of criticism for the taste, preparation and service of the meal that he is served. Ramsay pulls no punches and is sometimes very harsh, sprinkling his food descriptions with colorful four letter adjectives--usually the kind that can be used as nouns, verbs or adjectives! You know, the kind that are usually bleeped out! BBC America decides, from show to show, what they will bleep and what they will keep. Consistency is not their forte!
Next, Ramsay watches an evening of dinner service, making comments to the camera about what is right and wrong about the experience. He sometimes asks diners how they like the food, how often they eat at the restaurant and if they will return. Since the restaurants are FAILING restaurants, the diners are almost always disappointed and are not inclined to try the place again. Ramsay calls all of the staff together after the dinner service is over and gives them a heated review of the food, service and anything else he can think of. This is one of my favorite parts of the show because they then cut away to the owners and staff of the place who always seem to remark "Gee, I thought our food was good. We have had no complaints. I don't see how he can say that our food is bad." This is when I want to throw a shoe at the TV and say "YOU WERE PICKED OVER ALL OTHER RESTAURANTS TO GET HELP! YOU ASKED FOR HELP! YOU ARE LOSING YOUR SHIRT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THAT BAD???"
The next morning, Ramsay goes into the kitchen for an inspection of the cleanliness and functionality of the establishment. Of course, the place is usually filthy, the kitchen staff is usually inept or unconcerned and the owner is unaware. Thankfully, Gordon usually finds a diamond in the rough--either a chef that is being restricted by controlling owners or a sous chef with all of the tools that the head chef lacks to run a kitchen. This "Cinderella" aspect of the show humanizes Ramsey and gives a glimmer of hope to a lost cause. At this point, Ramsey sits down with the owner, who begins to cry over how much money they are losing, how hard they work, and how it is affecting their mental health. Gordon turns into a kind and sympathetic mentor, who promises to help to make the place profitable and successful again. The specific placement of this segment in the show is pure genius! Just as you (and everyone in the restaurant) are ready to strangle Gordon Ramsey for his heartlessness, he puts on his hero hat and you are once again on his side.
This is the point in the show where he leads a thorough cleaning, teaches the chef new recipes (or has the owner fire the chef and promote "Cinderella"), designs a new menu, trains the wait staff, takes employees out in the streets to promote the new and improved restaurant, and give the big pep talk for the reopening night. Sometimes there is a restaurant decor overhaul and maybe even a gift of new cooking equipment. Reopening night is never a total success but Gordon walks them through the glitches and makes everything better. He calls everyone together and encourages them to keep up the good work and leaves. He returns a few weeks later and makes sure everything is the same--with mixed results. On to the next disaster!
So why do I love this show? I really like the idea of a hero on a white horse coming in to save the day but my fantasy usually doesn't include a short, foul-mouthed Scotsman. But I think that is exactly the point! Would this show be any good with a soft spoken, hand-holding chef who weeps with the owner and waves a metaphoric wand over the situation? Absolutely not! For one thing, the show would be terribly boring without the confrontation and blowups! Furthermore, these owners are completely clueless as to the seriousness of their situation and the true depths to which their businesses have sunk. Gordon is the "slap in the face" they need in order to bring them into reality. I find myself moved to tears sometimes when I see the desperation, and then gratitude, in many of these restaurateurs. I laugh out loud at the pomposity of owners and wait staff who decide to try to challenge Ramsay and his expertise. I am curious to see if the restaurant is able to survive following the makeover. I am hooked!
Other shows have attempted to copy Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, using other successful chefs and restaurateurs. These shows aren't bad and I watch them from time to time. But the knowledge, experience and humor of Gordon Ramsay, combined with the "now you love him--now you hate him" emotions that he evokes, makes for a perfect recipe for a television program. However, if I were serving Gordon Ramsay, my first course would be a big ole bar of soap for his mouth! Bon Appetit!
Gordon Ramsay is a world class chef, has a world class temper and is a world class businessman. He owns several very successful fine dining restaurants that are among the highest rated places in the world. He has parlayed this success into a marketing empire. He has authored several cookbooks and hosts at least three different television programs. The man is the ultimate expert on running a successful restaurant, from developing menus and purchasing food to training chefs and wait staff. This is the guy you would want to come to your failing restaurant and help you turn things around. And that is the premise of Kitchen Nightmares. But if you call on him for help, you had better be prepared to take the heat ---or get out of your kitchen!
If you haven't seen the show, the formula is like this. The owner of a failing restaurant makes an appeal for Gordon Ramsay's help to turn things around. Ramsay's first task is to actually go to the restaurant and EAT the food! He orders several items off of the menu and the show is off and running. More times than not, the food is horrible and he finds plenty of criticism for the taste, preparation and service of the meal that he is served. Ramsay pulls no punches and is sometimes very harsh, sprinkling his food descriptions with colorful four letter adjectives--usually the kind that can be used as nouns, verbs or adjectives! You know, the kind that are usually bleeped out! BBC America decides, from show to show, what they will bleep and what they will keep. Consistency is not their forte!
Next, Ramsay watches an evening of dinner service, making comments to the camera about what is right and wrong about the experience. He sometimes asks diners how they like the food, how often they eat at the restaurant and if they will return. Since the restaurants are FAILING restaurants, the diners are almost always disappointed and are not inclined to try the place again. Ramsay calls all of the staff together after the dinner service is over and gives them a heated review of the food, service and anything else he can think of. This is one of my favorite parts of the show because they then cut away to the owners and staff of the place who always seem to remark "Gee, I thought our food was good. We have had no complaints. I don't see how he can say that our food is bad." This is when I want to throw a shoe at the TV and say "YOU WERE PICKED OVER ALL OTHER RESTAURANTS TO GET HELP! YOU ASKED FOR HELP! YOU ARE LOSING YOUR SHIRT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THAT BAD???"
The next morning, Ramsay goes into the kitchen for an inspection of the cleanliness and functionality of the establishment. Of course, the place is usually filthy, the kitchen staff is usually inept or unconcerned and the owner is unaware. Thankfully, Gordon usually finds a diamond in the rough--either a chef that is being restricted by controlling owners or a sous chef with all of the tools that the head chef lacks to run a kitchen. This "Cinderella" aspect of the show humanizes Ramsey and gives a glimmer of hope to a lost cause. At this point, Ramsey sits down with the owner, who begins to cry over how much money they are losing, how hard they work, and how it is affecting their mental health. Gordon turns into a kind and sympathetic mentor, who promises to help to make the place profitable and successful again. The specific placement of this segment in the show is pure genius! Just as you (and everyone in the restaurant) are ready to strangle Gordon Ramsey for his heartlessness, he puts on his hero hat and you are once again on his side.
This is the point in the show where he leads a thorough cleaning, teaches the chef new recipes (or has the owner fire the chef and promote "Cinderella"), designs a new menu, trains the wait staff, takes employees out in the streets to promote the new and improved restaurant, and give the big pep talk for the reopening night. Sometimes there is a restaurant decor overhaul and maybe even a gift of new cooking equipment. Reopening night is never a total success but Gordon walks them through the glitches and makes everything better. He calls everyone together and encourages them to keep up the good work and leaves. He returns a few weeks later and makes sure everything is the same--with mixed results. On to the next disaster!
So why do I love this show? I really like the idea of a hero on a white horse coming in to save the day but my fantasy usually doesn't include a short, foul-mouthed Scotsman. But I think that is exactly the point! Would this show be any good with a soft spoken, hand-holding chef who weeps with the owner and waves a metaphoric wand over the situation? Absolutely not! For one thing, the show would be terribly boring without the confrontation and blowups! Furthermore, these owners are completely clueless as to the seriousness of their situation and the true depths to which their businesses have sunk. Gordon is the "slap in the face" they need in order to bring them into reality. I find myself moved to tears sometimes when I see the desperation, and then gratitude, in many of these restaurateurs. I laugh out loud at the pomposity of owners and wait staff who decide to try to challenge Ramsay and his expertise. I am curious to see if the restaurant is able to survive following the makeover. I am hooked!
Other shows have attempted to copy Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, using other successful chefs and restaurateurs. These shows aren't bad and I watch them from time to time. But the knowledge, experience and humor of Gordon Ramsay, combined with the "now you love him--now you hate him" emotions that he evokes, makes for a perfect recipe for a television program. However, if I were serving Gordon Ramsay, my first course would be a big ole bar of soap for his mouth! Bon Appetit!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Standing in Awe of Character
Three years ago, one of my son's soccer teammates received the news that his grandfather, James Lee, was critically injured in a motorcycle accident. He was paralyzed from his neck down and has spent the past three years fighting all of the complications that go along with such a debilitating injury. Since the accident, he and his family have been a constant inspiration to all of the people around them. Their perseverance, positive attitude and the absolute conviction that God is in control have never wavered. Last night, Mr. Lee went to claim the place prepared for him by the Father. I think he would be surprised to know how many people he inspired through his faith and courage.
I am not sure how long after the accident it was when Mr. Lee showed up at a soccer game in his motorized wheelchair. I dont remember much about that day except that he looked radiant--so happy to be with friends and family, watching his grandson, Conner, play soccer. Rikki, his wife and tireless caregiver, was all smiles as well! It was a day to celebrate and we were all very happy for them. That wasnt the last time Mr. Lee ventured onto the soccer sidelines. Season after season, we would see Mr. Lee watching Conner play. Even after my son and Conner didnt play on the same team anymore, we would go over and speak to him. We would ask how he was doing and he would always turn the conversation away from his struggles and toward how the kids have grown or how exciting the game had been.
Caringbridge.org is such a wonderful resource. It provides a webpage for those who have chronic or terminal illnesses. Rikki and her son Jason, would keep us all informed about Mr. Lee through the Caring Bridge page. Through the years, it was evident in their posts that their faith in God and His Divine will never wavered. Their honesty as they struggled with the "whys" of these sort of things was truly inspirational. They always answered their own questions with faith, prayer and scripture. As I would read their posts, I would pray for them, but I would also pray for myself. It was my prayer that, as I was watching my own father in his last days, I could stand firm in my own faith and accept His will as readily as the Lee family. I also prayed that, should the Father decide that I, or someone in my family, suffer a crisis on a similar scale, I would respond with the courage, strength and integrity that I have seen in this entire family.
I dont know the entire reason that God allowed this bad thing to happen to this good man. I know that one of the reasons is to provide, for me and my family, an example of how to rely on Him and his Word in hard times. I am reminded of the story of Job and can only believe that God is very pleased with James, Rikki, Jason and their family. James Lee and his family have been an inspiration to so many. Today, James is walking and talking with the Father, free of pain or suffering. He can sing and raise his hands in praise. While I know that his family is suffering from the loss of such a man, I am absolutely confident that they are rejoicing for him as he receives his Heavenly reward.
Thank you, James Lee, for your lessons in resilience, unwavering faith, positive attitude and for your kindness to our family. Thank you, Rikki, for your lessons in self sacrifice and faith. I would also like to thank you for your honesty as you shared your feelings and fears with us. Your grace under fire was amazing. Thank you, Jason, for showing such an ability to balance being a good husband and father, a good worker and a good son. Juggling all of the responsibilities must have been so difficult! Thank you, Lord, for allowing the Ellis family to meet the Lee family and to learn all that you had to teach us through them. We will never be the same.
I am not sure how long after the accident it was when Mr. Lee showed up at a soccer game in his motorized wheelchair. I dont remember much about that day except that he looked radiant--so happy to be with friends and family, watching his grandson, Conner, play soccer. Rikki, his wife and tireless caregiver, was all smiles as well! It was a day to celebrate and we were all very happy for them. That wasnt the last time Mr. Lee ventured onto the soccer sidelines. Season after season, we would see Mr. Lee watching Conner play. Even after my son and Conner didnt play on the same team anymore, we would go over and speak to him. We would ask how he was doing and he would always turn the conversation away from his struggles and toward how the kids have grown or how exciting the game had been.
Caringbridge.org is such a wonderful resource. It provides a webpage for those who have chronic or terminal illnesses. Rikki and her son Jason, would keep us all informed about Mr. Lee through the Caring Bridge page. Through the years, it was evident in their posts that their faith in God and His Divine will never wavered. Their honesty as they struggled with the "whys" of these sort of things was truly inspirational. They always answered their own questions with faith, prayer and scripture. As I would read their posts, I would pray for them, but I would also pray for myself. It was my prayer that, as I was watching my own father in his last days, I could stand firm in my own faith and accept His will as readily as the Lee family. I also prayed that, should the Father decide that I, or someone in my family, suffer a crisis on a similar scale, I would respond with the courage, strength and integrity that I have seen in this entire family.
I dont know the entire reason that God allowed this bad thing to happen to this good man. I know that one of the reasons is to provide, for me and my family, an example of how to rely on Him and his Word in hard times. I am reminded of the story of Job and can only believe that God is very pleased with James, Rikki, Jason and their family. James Lee and his family have been an inspiration to so many. Today, James is walking and talking with the Father, free of pain or suffering. He can sing and raise his hands in praise. While I know that his family is suffering from the loss of such a man, I am absolutely confident that they are rejoicing for him as he receives his Heavenly reward.
Thank you, James Lee, for your lessons in resilience, unwavering faith, positive attitude and for your kindness to our family. Thank you, Rikki, for your lessons in self sacrifice and faith. I would also like to thank you for your honesty as you shared your feelings and fears with us. Your grace under fire was amazing. Thank you, Jason, for showing such an ability to balance being a good husband and father, a good worker and a good son. Juggling all of the responsibilities must have been so difficult! Thank you, Lord, for allowing the Ellis family to meet the Lee family and to learn all that you had to teach us through them. We will never be the same.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Stone Ground Grits!
" Ahhh, yes. Tonight on the menu, the chef has prepared a fabulous Tenderloin Of Pork with a mango chutney, served over a lovely rissoto---um, I mean a lovely bed of stone ground grits."
The reputation of grits, in the culinary world, is quickly changing from rednecked southern porridge to the cool person’s rissoto. Being from the south, I have always had a fondness for grits and am glad to see them embraced by the fine dining community. However all grits are not the same and the type of grits that you purchase can make all the difference in your cooking!
Growing up, my family relied on grits as an all-inclusive breakfast meal. Many mornings, breakfast would consist of a large bowl of grits mixed with salt and butter, a slice of bacon and juice. We rarely had grits for our evening meal unless there were lots of leftovers from breakfast. Then my mother would pull them out cold, slice them in to wedges and fry them in a pan, similar to polenta. When I was younger, I remember visiting relatives that lived further north and the thought of grits just sickened my cousins. I couldnt figure out how they could be turned off by grits when they were eating lots of oatmeal and Cream of Wheat. I later discovered the reason when they came to visit my family and had them. My cousins were eating grits with sugar!!! EWWWW! Once they discovered that salt and butter goes on grits, their world was changed. (Sugar also does not go into cornbread, but that is another article!)
My mother purchased our grits at the supermarket and they came in three varieties; grits, quick grits and instant grits. These are listed in order from really good to positively gross! Regular grits and quick grits are similar in taste. The big difference is the cooking time. Quick grits takes about five minutes to cook and regular grits fifteen to twenty minutes. For people who dont have FIVE MINUTES, there is instant grits. These taste terrible and are not worth the four minutes you save, trust me! To make matters worse, the companies sometimes add flavors to the grits, like bacon or cheese flavors. I guess this is for people too busy to put cheese on top of their grits. The flavorings are very artificial tasting, but then, so are the grits.
All of my knowledge of grits changed the day I visited a Grist Mill on a scouting field trip. The mill, in southern Tennessee, ground grits and cornmeal and sold it to mill visitors. I purchased a bag (mainly because my parents had given me souvenier money and that was all that they sold) and my life was changed! Okay, maybe it wasnt a life-altering purchase, but it definitely changed my taste for grits. While stone ground grits can be a bit hard to find, they are absolutely worth the hunt, as well as the thirty minutes that they take to cook!
Stone ground grits are a coarse grind of corn, coarser than regular grits. When cooked, they have a pronounced corn flavor and a texture that is not quite chewy but definitely not mealy. The taste is absolutely light- years above regular grits! These are the grits that you eat in fine dining establishment versions of Shrimp and Grits, as well as most of the other new gourmet uses for grits. Garlic cheese grits sing when made with the stone ground variety! The difference is astonishing even when served as the plain breakfast dish with butter and salt! There is no substitute!
Finding stone ground grits can be impossible, north of the Mason-Dixon Line but can even be difficult down here in the south! The company that I like to get my stone ground grits from is McEwen & Sons. They are in a few supermarkets here in Birmingham and other parts of Alabama but are also suppliers for many of the fine dining restaurants across the country. They have a wonderful online shop and I find their prices to be reasonable and their service fabulous. McEwen & Sons‘ grits are organic, as are all of their stone ground products. I highly recommend them! There are other on-line sources, as well as the possibility of local grist mills still operating in your area.
Once you get that bag of stone-ground goodness home, make a big batch and enjoy. Just repeat after me “Salt and butter, not sugar!!”
The reputation of grits, in the culinary world, is quickly changing from rednecked southern porridge to the cool person’s rissoto. Being from the south, I have always had a fondness for grits and am glad to see them embraced by the fine dining community. However all grits are not the same and the type of grits that you purchase can make all the difference in your cooking!
Growing up, my family relied on grits as an all-inclusive breakfast meal. Many mornings, breakfast would consist of a large bowl of grits mixed with salt and butter, a slice of bacon and juice. We rarely had grits for our evening meal unless there were lots of leftovers from breakfast. Then my mother would pull them out cold, slice them in to wedges and fry them in a pan, similar to polenta. When I was younger, I remember visiting relatives that lived further north and the thought of grits just sickened my cousins. I couldnt figure out how they could be turned off by grits when they were eating lots of oatmeal and Cream of Wheat. I later discovered the reason when they came to visit my family and had them. My cousins were eating grits with sugar!!! EWWWW! Once they discovered that salt and butter goes on grits, their world was changed. (Sugar also does not go into cornbread, but that is another article!)
My mother purchased our grits at the supermarket and they came in three varieties; grits, quick grits and instant grits. These are listed in order from really good to positively gross! Regular grits and quick grits are similar in taste. The big difference is the cooking time. Quick grits takes about five minutes to cook and regular grits fifteen to twenty minutes. For people who dont have FIVE MINUTES, there is instant grits. These taste terrible and are not worth the four minutes you save, trust me! To make matters worse, the companies sometimes add flavors to the grits, like bacon or cheese flavors. I guess this is for people too busy to put cheese on top of their grits. The flavorings are very artificial tasting, but then, so are the grits.
All of my knowledge of grits changed the day I visited a Grist Mill on a scouting field trip. The mill, in southern Tennessee, ground grits and cornmeal and sold it to mill visitors. I purchased a bag (mainly because my parents had given me souvenier money and that was all that they sold) and my life was changed! Okay, maybe it wasnt a life-altering purchase, but it definitely changed my taste for grits. While stone ground grits can be a bit hard to find, they are absolutely worth the hunt, as well as the thirty minutes that they take to cook!
Stone ground grits are a coarse grind of corn, coarser than regular grits. When cooked, they have a pronounced corn flavor and a texture that is not quite chewy but definitely not mealy. The taste is absolutely light- years above regular grits! These are the grits that you eat in fine dining establishment versions of Shrimp and Grits, as well as most of the other new gourmet uses for grits. Garlic cheese grits sing when made with the stone ground variety! The difference is astonishing even when served as the plain breakfast dish with butter and salt! There is no substitute!
Finding stone ground grits can be impossible, north of the Mason-Dixon Line but can even be difficult down here in the south! The company that I like to get my stone ground grits from is McEwen & Sons. They are in a few supermarkets here in Birmingham and other parts of Alabama but are also suppliers for many of the fine dining restaurants across the country. They have a wonderful online shop and I find their prices to be reasonable and their service fabulous. McEwen & Sons‘ grits are organic, as are all of their stone ground products. I highly recommend them! There are other on-line sources, as well as the possibility of local grist mills still operating in your area.
Once you get that bag of stone-ground goodness home, make a big batch and enjoy. Just repeat after me “Salt and butter, not sugar!!”
Down With Unanimity!
“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, everyday, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.” ~Christopher Morley
An old high school friend posted this quote on his Facebook page and it really spoke to me. This is, in words, the reason that I blog. If you had asked me to explain why I feel the need to sit at this computer and convey my thoughts, feelings and ideas--even if no one reads them - these are the words that I would have wanted to have had in my head! The fact that I can also read another's quote - and have it speak to my very soul - is the reason why I read the thoughts, feelings and ideas of others. The bandwagon is a bad place to stay--in uniform thought and expression. While it takes courage to be different, it is the very essence of good conversation and a live lived well.
Expressing an original thought only to find that the thought isnt original after all, gives me a delightful glow. It is not ego that drives my need to write. No need to have someone say "Oh isnt she clever! I wish I had thought of that!" The best satisfaction comes from knowing that others in the world have had the same ideas and have either improved upon them, implemented them, or dismissed them on grounds yet unknown to me. I have some strange thoughts; random, eccentric and strange. It comforts me to find that many people feel the same way about their own ideas and aspirations.
I think that the best thinkers and conversationalists are those who are not completely positive that they are always right. Think of the person whom you most like to converse with. I am not asking you to think of the one that you would most go to for advice. I am asking for the one person who you can spend hours just talking with. Are they full of facts and information? Are they authoritative and precise about what they think and believe about everything? Do they listen to you with interest and question comments that you make? Are they talking "with" you or "to" you or even "at" you? Are they willing to sound rediculous? Silly? Do you leave their company wishing that you had an hour more?
In this age of information and technology, sometimes we focus more on conversing with people who have the information that we need and not with people whose information and ideas we desire. I love hearing about a book "no one is reading". I might like it, too! I love hearing a thought that "no one is thinking". I love being around the person who "does things no one would be silly enough to do". These people add life to my life.
I would love nothing better than for people to read the quote above and think of me!
That is the essence of why I write this blog and what I want from my readers! Let's share! Let's be silly and read things no one else would. Let's discuss ideas and form new, "crazy" ideas that no one else would repeat! Who wants to think like everyone else? Who wants to talk and share only for information? Who wants to be professional and authoritative all of the time?
Not me! Down with unanimity!
An old high school friend posted this quote on his Facebook page and it really spoke to me. This is, in words, the reason that I blog. If you had asked me to explain why I feel the need to sit at this computer and convey my thoughts, feelings and ideas--even if no one reads them - these are the words that I would have wanted to have had in my head! The fact that I can also read another's quote - and have it speak to my very soul - is the reason why I read the thoughts, feelings and ideas of others. The bandwagon is a bad place to stay--in uniform thought and expression. While it takes courage to be different, it is the very essence of good conversation and a live lived well.
Expressing an original thought only to find that the thought isnt original after all, gives me a delightful glow. It is not ego that drives my need to write. No need to have someone say "Oh isnt she clever! I wish I had thought of that!" The best satisfaction comes from knowing that others in the world have had the same ideas and have either improved upon them, implemented them, or dismissed them on grounds yet unknown to me. I have some strange thoughts; random, eccentric and strange. It comforts me to find that many people feel the same way about their own ideas and aspirations.
I think that the best thinkers and conversationalists are those who are not completely positive that they are always right. Think of the person whom you most like to converse with. I am not asking you to think of the one that you would most go to for advice. I am asking for the one person who you can spend hours just talking with. Are they full of facts and information? Are they authoritative and precise about what they think and believe about everything? Do they listen to you with interest and question comments that you make? Are they talking "with" you or "to" you or even "at" you? Are they willing to sound rediculous? Silly? Do you leave their company wishing that you had an hour more?
In this age of information and technology, sometimes we focus more on conversing with people who have the information that we need and not with people whose information and ideas we desire. I love hearing about a book "no one is reading". I might like it, too! I love hearing a thought that "no one is thinking". I love being around the person who "does things no one would be silly enough to do". These people add life to my life.
I would love nothing better than for people to read the quote above and think of me!
That is the essence of why I write this blog and what I want from my readers! Let's share! Let's be silly and read things no one else would. Let's discuss ideas and form new, "crazy" ideas that no one else would repeat! Who wants to think like everyone else? Who wants to talk and share only for information? Who wants to be professional and authoritative all of the time?
Not me! Down with unanimity!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Nook Color Review
After having a Sony Reader for two years, I finally purchased a Nook Color. I was concerned to change to the Nook because of three reported issues; eye strain, reading in sunlight and battery life. These were the issues that came up over and over in the new release reviews of Nook Color. I have to say that these reviews concerned me but I couldnt find any actual user reviews by anyone that had owned another reader.
Now that I have read three books with my Nook Color, I feel qualified to give you a hands-on comparison between the back-lit Nook Color and the competitors. Here is how it stacked up for me:
1. Battery life; Advantage Sony Reader. This reader lasted weeks between charges even when I read for a couple of hours per day! I charged this thing about every two weeks and never ran the charge all the way down. The Nook Color needs to be charged about every three or four days. If you leave your WiFi on all of the time, the NC needs to be charged daily. However, there is no need to keep the WiFi on. I turn this feature on only when I am ready to purchase or download new titles or check my Facebook.
2. Eye Strain: I am one of those people who are very sensitive to eye strain. Therefore, I am a great one to judge on this problem! I am happy to report that I had no issues with eye strain whatsoever. I read in the dark, bright sunlight, in moving vehicles- just everywhere! This is a non-issue with the Nook Color. In fact, I had more issues with eyestrain with the Sony since good lighting was essential for comfortable reading. In low light or dark conditions, I simply turn the brightness down a bit and it is perfect for reading.
3. Bright Sunlight: I will give the nod to the Sony for non-glare! However, if you get the non-glare screen protector for the Nook Color, the issue goes away. Neither device is difficult to read in bright sunlight.
4. Ease of Use: I know that I will eventually figure out how to do everything on the Nook Color, but the Sony Reader is easier to operate. I found looking up words and page turning to be much simpler. On the NC, I sometimes think I am turning a page and end up going backward, bookmarking or defining a word. The Sony is easier "out of the box".
I like my Nook Color much better than my Sony Reader for a few reasons. I like being able to wirelessly download books to my NC (I did not have the Sony that made this available). I like the fact that any photographs in the book are in color. Because I read biographies a great deal, this is a factor for me. The price difference is significant and, for many, the benefits of NC will not be enough to pay the extra cost. I rarely use it to connect to the internet or check social media because my phone does both with ease! One perk that I love about the Nook Color, is that I was able to transfer all of the books I purchased on the Sony Reader to my Nook. It was wonderful not to lose the books when I changed readers!
I hope this review helps to make your decision. Both devices are wonderful ways to read the latest novel! I would recommend getting either the Nook or the Sony at this point in time because of the ability to download loaner books from the library.
Now that I have read three books with my Nook Color, I feel qualified to give you a hands-on comparison between the back-lit Nook Color and the competitors. Here is how it stacked up for me:
1. Battery life; Advantage Sony Reader. This reader lasted weeks between charges even when I read for a couple of hours per day! I charged this thing about every two weeks and never ran the charge all the way down. The Nook Color needs to be charged about every three or four days. If you leave your WiFi on all of the time, the NC needs to be charged daily. However, there is no need to keep the WiFi on. I turn this feature on only when I am ready to purchase or download new titles or check my Facebook.
2. Eye Strain: I am one of those people who are very sensitive to eye strain. Therefore, I am a great one to judge on this problem! I am happy to report that I had no issues with eye strain whatsoever. I read in the dark, bright sunlight, in moving vehicles- just everywhere! This is a non-issue with the Nook Color. In fact, I had more issues with eyestrain with the Sony since good lighting was essential for comfortable reading. In low light or dark conditions, I simply turn the brightness down a bit and it is perfect for reading.
3. Bright Sunlight: I will give the nod to the Sony for non-glare! However, if you get the non-glare screen protector for the Nook Color, the issue goes away. Neither device is difficult to read in bright sunlight.
4. Ease of Use: I know that I will eventually figure out how to do everything on the Nook Color, but the Sony Reader is easier to operate. I found looking up words and page turning to be much simpler. On the NC, I sometimes think I am turning a page and end up going backward, bookmarking or defining a word. The Sony is easier "out of the box".
I like my Nook Color much better than my Sony Reader for a few reasons. I like being able to wirelessly download books to my NC (I did not have the Sony that made this available). I like the fact that any photographs in the book are in color. Because I read biographies a great deal, this is a factor for me. The price difference is significant and, for many, the benefits of NC will not be enough to pay the extra cost. I rarely use it to connect to the internet or check social media because my phone does both with ease! One perk that I love about the Nook Color, is that I was able to transfer all of the books I purchased on the Sony Reader to my Nook. It was wonderful not to lose the books when I changed readers!
I hope this review helps to make your decision. Both devices are wonderful ways to read the latest novel! I would recommend getting either the Nook or the Sony at this point in time because of the ability to download loaner books from the library.
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