Archive for May, 2009

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WND – Things I Fail to Understand

May 28, 2009

cucumber peel

I had something different that I was going to write this week, about Whole Foods and comment cards, and how they’re both similar and dissimilar to the napkin notes we used to leave for Dining Services in college.  But, it stubbornly refuses to come to a graceful conclusion, so instead I give you a random collection of grievances and observations, and other food related things I read on a regular basis.

Things I fail to understand –

– The entire concept of Tofu Wellington with shitake “bacon” (air quotes not actually mine, but well deserved nonetheless).

– People who scratch themselves in public.  I’m not talking about a discrete rub along your thigh, or leaning down to get at that mosquito bite on your ankle.  I’m talking hand down the front of your sweatpants for a solid five minute scratch in the middle of the grocery store.  I stood in the longer checkout line even though I was in a hurry just so that I wouldn’t have to touch anything that he might have touched after his luxurious personal grooming session in the baking goods aisle. Read the rest of this entry ?

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WND – Asparagus & Sequins

May 21, 2009

detritus

There are a lot of things to miss about living in Europe.

There’s the fact that in France and Italy even in the most run down bar with the sketchiest clientele, you are still guaranteed a good cup of coffee.

There’s the fact that even in Heathrow’s dingiest terminal at 6am (Terminal 4 – the one you fly out of to get to Malta – if you’re curious) you can still get an excellent fry up and tea made with boiling water poured over tea in the pot and then brought to the table. The sequence is important, because it’s in contrast to the dire American habit of bringing you a cup of microwaved water with a tea bag sitting next to it. You cannot achieve a good cup of tea this way, and one of the reasons that our favorite diner is our favorite diner is because they understand this. Also, they make really excellent sweet potato pancakes. Read the rest of this entry ?

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WND – The Quest for Pearl Onions

May 14, 2009

carrots & celery

The things that I can and can’t find in my local grocery store never cease to bemuse me.  I went in search of frozen pearl onions this week because peeling fresh pearl onions is for the birds.  I did not anticipate that this would become a quest and would turn out to be the most complicated part of making Coq au Vin.  I blithely assumed that every grocery store would have 12 oz bags of frozen pearl onions.  Oh how wrong I was.

Read the rest of this entry ?

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WND – Confession & Celebration

May 7, 2009

green-beans

I have a confession. I watch Top Chef. More than that, I enjoy Top Chef.

Let me explain. I really don’t get the appeal of reality TV. Half the time it’s so contrived it might as well be scripted, and the other half of the time people are competing for what seem like wildly pointless reasons. I’m also choosing the blame it for the fact that shows I love like Kings and Jericho fail dismally. This is not particularly fair, because while I suspect there is an argument that can be made for networks favoring reality TV over well written scripted TV because of the price difference in producing them, I don’t think you can actually blame American Idol for Kings’ dismal ratings. Read the rest of this entry ?

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