Angela Alaimo

Thanks, GG! There are some _really_ simple foods that somehow I've managed to miss learning to make--like grilled cheese sandwiches. So I'm working on mastering the art of them as best I can at this late date. But better late than never, eh?

I've got a recipe from way back for Carrot Fritters. The children love them because they taste more like cake than carrot. I really do like fritters. Is there any kind of generic fritter batter, if you will, where you can add whatever strikes your fancy and make {fill in blank} fritters?

I've got a spaghetti squash at home, just waiting for me to get there and show it some love. I think I will cook it tonight in protest, and neener neener the unappreciative lot of you with each bite! Bacon! Maybe some bacon...

lol. But you know, I am getting just a leeetle bit tired of you people making fun of spaghetti squash. You have to admit that the novelty of it deserves at least a couple of points. And enough butter and cheese can make nearly anything flavorful.

My youngest boy phoned right at the beginning of the show, and when I told him Bourdain and Ruhlman were doing the opening of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, he was very impressed. Too bad he didn't have the Travel Channel in order to see the size of that Cadillac. My oldest boy, who I phoned to tell him to turn the show on to see the wonder of it all, also didn't have Travel Channel, but was equally impressed. Good job, guys. Now. What's this? I saw Ruhlman SMOKING A CIGARETTE! Sheesh. IS there no level of debauchery you two will sink to for a gag? Guess not. A

I haven't had much lamb, since the first time it was awful. Tried again a few other times, once at MIL's house it was quite good, the next time well, it tasted like throw up (my description). And then!, the last time was little lamb chops that were awfully good. There was indeed a flavor there that if stronger or not cooked properly would have probably been described as gamey. Or throw-up. So the jury is still out for me, but I am most willing to keep trying. Angela

How about Tom Colicchio's Think Like A Chef? Angela

I can only relate my own experience because I've only been me my whole life. WRT Yankees--Mason Dixon, I've found what you're talking about to be more about culture than food, except whenever I have to explain the difference between barbeque the noun and barbeque the verb. WRT Yankees--baseball--GO any team that beats them. Angela

Ever since I moved to New York I've noticed that Yankees have an automatic air of superiority when it comes to things either Southern or perceived as Southern (ie, NASCAR). Now, I'm not saying they are stereotypical or condescending consciously, and if you weren't/aren't the Southern person you wouldn't even notice it. And of course I didn't have this experience with everyone, and this is all anecdotal, but well, maybe they have had a similar experience and that had something to do with it. Also, "all in good fun" is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. Angela

Jan, I'm sorry you lost your Dad. Yes, there is a heaven for him and he will have white corn and tomatoes there, but never as sweet and wonderful as that which his daughters brought him. How good it is to love and be loved. You will always miss him, but you'll always have him in your heart and in the stories of your life. Angela

Beat me to it, Angela. ← <g> I was in the office on Wednesday, instead of at the jobsite, and got to read the paper. I could see from the banner at the top of the front page that it looked as if our own Fat Guy was a feature of the Food Section that day. I've noticed one can usually get more reading done indoors than outdoors, fwiw. OTOH, you could sent him a nice First Edition copy--for the grandchildren... Angela

Steven, In case you're making a scrapbook for the grandchildren, there is a story about you and your book in today's Journal News (Westchester, NY), in the Life/Style section. Written by Patricia Talorico of Gannett. Angela

My Grandma Tedder, my mother's mother, is who you are reminding me of. I still cook some of her dishes and even used one of her food phrases just last night. How about that. "Make out your supper." Angela

We were going to some friends' house on Sunday, and I said "Hey...why not make some Gooey Butter Cake?" DH says "Sure". Then I read the small print at the bottom of the recipe, the part which says swap out the yellow box cake for chocolate and instead of pumpkin use peanut butter. Well. I can say it wasnt' too bad, but the guests acted as if Jesus was in the house. Even I liked it pretty well. So it was good that I listened to DH and instead of making what I liked, I did what you're supposed to do--To cook for people and make them happy. OTOH, there have been so many stories of unhappy people that I would have to insist you try anything first, when it comes to recipes of this ilk. I just don't like chocolate all that much, hence the "not too bad" description. OTOOH, cooking on your own usually is the best way to go. But Paula can't be faulted with the Gooey Cake recipe. Really, it's like the high level of junk food--I don't usually eat that kind of stuff but found myself having a few of those gooeys--they can grow on you. <g> A Edited for punctuation, and am glad for the opportunity to do so. _^_

I think the Hoedown Show might have been the most difficult one I've ever watched. When Sandy Girl whipped out the packet of powdered "cheese" from the Kraft Dinner box, I actually felt a wave of queasy-ness. Fearing perhaps I am a Food Snob (I am :-)) and am missing her Brilliant point, I ran to my DH and related the list of ingredients to him. The look on his face mirrored the unpleasantry in my stomach. He agreed he wouldn't wish to eat that corn, even though he is the King of Eating Corn on the Cob. He really is. I wish I had about 5 acres just to grow him some corn to make him happy in the Corn category. OTOH, let us not forget yesterday she made a "mousse" with Cool Whip, and low fat Cool Whip, at that. Well, she called it "mousse", so your mileage may vary. Gosh. Also on the FDTV today was numerous ads for RR's new Travel show, and then! Can it Be!, A Cook's Tour was on at 2:30pm (daytime!) EDT (Japanese episode). Now.... which would you prefer....a Rachel Ray travel show, or an AB travel show. Or maybe you're really wishing for Sandy on tour travel show...<g,d,r> This makes me off topic, right? Angela

I did it. I worked at a McDonald's when I was home for the summer during high school. Worked every single job there was in the place, including the *manly* grill during lunch. There was a group of us who would close nearly every night, and we became something of a gang. We would hang out after work til 4 or 6 in the morning, do stuff together if we weren't working. One summer we decided to see how fast we could finish the closing duties, and our record time was 12:04. That is, the store closed at 12 midnight and we were finished 4 minutes later. Granted, it was a slowish night and we got a lot done before 12, and we were literally running thru the store, but no one else ever came close to our record. One of the worst jobs was when the fry vats got empied out and cleaned--that's one thing you don't want to spill, a huge bucket of dirty oil. But! What fun it was to take the huge cube of shortning, or lard, or whatever combination it was, and smoosh it down into the empty vat. Great for soothing dry skin. A

Tsk! I am shocked, shocked at all this nattering negativity to the wonder that is Sandra Lee! Don't you know who she is?... http://semihomemade.com/sandra-lee/biography.htm I don't think I've read a bigger crock of hooey in my life. Keep your tray tables up and barf bags in hand whilest perusing the Semi Homemade World O'Aunt Sandy. Angela

Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, and hoe cakes. Or maybe biscuits with sausage gravy. <swoon> I don't do too badly with either of these, but it's nicer when someone's making it for you.

Hear, hear! (or is it here, here...) Coming from the north (Michigan) where the Dairy Queens closed for the winter, I was delighted to find when I moved to Oklahoma that they were open all year. Sadly, over the last ten years or so, all of them have closed in my town (Norman). I have to go home to visit my parents in the summer to get a Mr. Misty cherry float. Yum! They do, however, make some pretty kick-ass snocones down here though. Lord knows it's hot enough down here to eat them regularly. Not quite the same as a slurpee (which is also quite tasty), but with many more available flavors. One local stand has about 200 different flavors of snocone. Still working my way through them all... ← I have a friend, Quentin, who lives in Norman. Is the town small enough that you all might know each other? I loved Dairy Queen when I was a child, and like Slurpees today--the best way to make one is to mix flavors. Us some Coke or the Blue one as your base, and then mix and taste 'til you get it the way you want it. Don't think the children and I have ever had one with only one flavor. A

Ok, thanks. I'll put in the order and take something else to read.

Steven, I went to pre-order your book the other day, and saw on the page that 1st August was now the publication date. I was hoping to have your book to take with me when we go on holiday in VT, but we'll be there on the first and so I would appreciate some insider information so I can figure out what to do. TIA, Angela

ROFL. ROFL. ROFL. Oops, let me ROFL one more time 'til I'm rightside up again.

I heard a funny one today--compliments of former Sen. Zell Miller, of Georgia.... "He's all vine and no taters."

Dude! I just got an email from a real person at CUH/PBS. Doesn't make me feel a whole lot better about missing Yannick's Terrine Stew, but it's nice to know they read the note. A

I have already resigned myself to not being surprised when either one of those annoying women wins. The one who cut her finger should have been booted that very day, especially when we were forced to hear her whining about it inbetween tedious, repititious, and unwelcoming yapping about "slimmer" and "diets" and that other dreck. Shows about dieting and "eating healthy" are about as interesting as watching someone get a physical, IMO. Sounds too much like food is bad and for punishment we must deny ourselves, etc. etc.