Hopleaf

I didn't necessarily mean to group Rachel Ray in with the likes of Brown and Bourdain (that almost sounds like a Wall Street law firm) as if the three are of the same ilk. I was just mentioning who I thought they should re-sign instead of Emeril. I like Rachel's 30 Minute Meals. Of course she's not in the same category as some of the more established chefs on the network. On another note, I find your metaphors funny and entertaining. Plus, 'fuck' or any derivation of the word is simply wonderful. It's the best, most used, word in the english language. And lastly, one more thing about Emeril. If the network had shown one iota of insight, they would've re-signed him (since they just had to) for 90 new episodes of Essence and only 26 new of Emeril live. That would've diminished the obnoxious presence he exhibits on the Live show and increased his exposure on a show that people can more readily accept.

Chef Spence, I'm sure you can hold your own, but may I... no one said he was a truck driver. It's a similie, used for emphatic stress. "He's a truck driver of a chef." It's kind of like saying "Joe's an elephant in a china shop in the kitchen." That's not to say that Joe's actually an elephant creating havoc in a china shop, breaking a bunch of priceless dishes, but that he's somewhat clumsy in the kitchen.

Was Cheez Whiz greated with such trepidation?

They're tubular...dude.

I'm right there with you, but they shouldn't be extending our misery by five more years of the Ewok (© bourdain). They should be extending the contracts of the likes of Rachel Ray (just 30 minute meal, not $40 a day), Alton Brown, that Bourdain character, etc.). Great, Emeril helped build the network. Thanks and good-bye, have a nice life. They've done enough for him. It would've been a good time to part ways. How much more could the guy do for them. I object to the decision FTV made, that's all. They should've realized that he's becoming (if he hasn't already) a two-dimensional charicature of himself, a clown with the wrong address that shows up to the bachelor party instead of the 9-year old's. His product lines aren't designed or intended for the people who watch the network on a regular basis and cook nightly. They're for that uncategorizable mass of people that first hear of Emeril when they're shopping at the local wal-mart and pick up his latest line of tupperfuckin' ware (great line, btw, Chef/Writer Spencer). Clearly I'm not pulling the strings on this marrionette, but if I were, my other hand would've been weilding some poultry shears.

they already considered this and offer chunky in an "extra fiber" formula.

Especially if you find yourself waking up on the couch cuzza a fight with your wife, brushing your teeth in the kitchen sink and you reach for the wrong tube. Or, for some reason you're making a PB&J in the bathroom and it becomes a T&J.

Even his live audiences have began to tire of his ridiculous antics. I was watching the other day when he did a show on Mexico (which would have made Bayless cackle with unabashed incredulity) and he did that mumbly "yeah baby" and there was absolutely no response from the audience. Of course they cheered enthusiastically when he added a little of his Essence to a dish he was preparing (can't remember what it was...maybe that's what I find most disturbing is that after watching a show of his, I don't remember anything he covered, you don't learn anything from him). Maybe the producer was holding up a sign that read "Cheer!" And those lingering audience shots of people looking longingly, nearly salivating, boring. And I agree with hjshorter, of his recipes that I've tried, they all come out great. His show just bugs me. It's on all the time. They really make 90 episodes/year stretch.

Pot shots, eh? you know, around here, that might mean some expensive cookware flying your way. So get ready to duck. Congratulations on your decision and best of luck. Not to find myself in the category of the dogmatic dieters, but a suggestion (or two): eliminate the take out. My wife and I used to eat a lot of delivery (the lazier version of take out) and once we stopped (mostly due to financial limitations) we were suprised to find our extra packaging diminish. you're right on with portion control. Especially in regards to pasta. We rarely have pasta anymore, once in awhile thing. Otherwise, you sound like you have a great plan. Good luck and let us know how it's going.

I don't think that's necessary (though if you want to provide a quick link, go for it). I've read through that thread and it's a good one, though it focuses on the magazine aspect more than the Mexico aspect. I have the magazine right here and have read through most of it. Jaymes, I'm not getting discouraged. if anything I think I realized that my initial post didn't do a very good job of stearing the discussion where I wanted it to go. There's a magical quality to Mexico that other more modern cultures seem to have abandoned. I can't put my finger on it without coming across as a dreamy fool. Frida, eh? I'll check it out when it comes on cable. Guajolote, you can't leave us hanging with that France and Africa thing. Please explain. I mean, I figure there must be an influence, but in what way and to what degree? Don't remember seeing okra as a regular ingredient in Mexican fare.

So, we have the space (and time?) to capture it here. Let's discuss what unique qualities really give Mexican cuisine that special quality that separates it from others. Cultural, historical, gastronomic, political, the whole shebang. Not having been to Mexico, this is what draws me to the cuisine: I see Mexico as a melting pot of sorts that has managed over the years to combine influences from Spain, Southwestern United States, Central America and it's own indigenous peoples. As for food, the obvious influence of what's locally available is there, but the thing that sets Mexico apart seems to be the way those ingredients are prepared. The molcajete is used abundantly to crush ingredients into signature picante and salsas. I'm not sure what they're called, but those stones used to crush corn into the paste they make tortillas from. (guajolote, step in here at any time and help me out with the specifics) The local pottery is very cool. I think it says something (not sure exactly what) about their connection to their foods. Plus, I've seen Mexican influenced furniture that is rich with warm colors and natural materials. I guess I was hoping that this thread might take off differently from the similar one in Food Media forum (the one that jersey13 started) in that it would discuss exactly what the soul of Mexico is.

Oh, I am enjoying watching what comes up, snowangel, as I said a few posts back. There's so much already and I'm sure more to come. I guess it's just a matter of trying to understand the whole frost thing. I did find a few explanations of dew point which I found particularly fascinating, most notably this: Dew Point Explanation And you mention soil temperature; is a soil thermometer an essential tool? Cost?

Thanks for the link guajolote. My thing is that the last frost date is not something that remains the same year in and year out. So, while the average date is 5/15, I'm trying to figure out what factors determine the last date. Like is Dew Point any indication of when the last frost might occur? I guess I just want to get started planting since I've been chomping at the bit for what um 5 months now and have busied myself with prep work. It comes down to knowing the light is at the end of the tunnel, but not quite seeing it yet. I'll investigate the Botanic Garden's Web site more. Thanks. That rain is great, isn't it? Everything is that vibrant color cuz it's all wet. And the area grasses seem to have sprung to life overnight. I might actually get to start up my brand-spankin' new lawnmower!!

I haven't planted a thing, yet have tons of beautiful flowers coming up. It's kinda cool to find out what the previous owners planted. so far, we've identified the hydrangeas, tulips, daffodils, snow drops, and something that looks like an orange version of a lilac. I also have tons of wood chips courtesy of the arborist that felled a tree for me (it was overgrown with grape vines, which have also been removed). Our new membership to the National Arbor Day Foundation is already paying off as we got 10 saplings in the mail the other day for free just cuz we joined up (I highly recommend everyone join this group, it's only a $15 annual membership). Several flowering dogwoods, a french lilac, and a flowering pear tree. We're planting them where the English pine once stood. Still trying to guage when my frost date is so I can start planting my beds. I'm definitely not waiting past Mother's Day. Might even chance it this coming weekend.

Thought this might be better suited for the Mexico forum than the Food Media forum if for only the need for more threads in here. So, for those of you that have seen the May issue of Bon Appetite, what were your impressions of the Mexico coverage? The cover calls out "The Soul of Mexico" and I'm wondering if this issue really stays true to that or not. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful photos throughout the issue, and the detail on food (though predominantly in an introductory tone) is extensive. But does it really capture the soul of this country, albeit in the context of food? I've never been, so I guess I'm asking those of you who have traveled there.

guajalote et al, thanks for the answers. Is that your kitchen dude? exposed brick, cool. and those hand-crafted bowls, nice! And that comal is pretty wild. Quite the tube-steak party you had going that night!

I'm very partial to the corn tortillas (El Milagro, in particular, and when the paper bags that they're packaged in are still warm...the best). But now I'm confused. I thought masa was the spanish for corn. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but could someone explain the difference? Maybe masa are made with a rougher grade of corn flour? And just to throw another corn question out there, I have a big can of hominy that I haven't a clue what to do with...any suggestions? Hey guajolote, isn't a comal a griddle? and therefore you would fry "on" one?

Ok, I see the value in offering conent online, as your examples state. All very positive. But also, all very convincing (and Fat Guy's gonna love this) as an argument against print. Why have print at all? If the content is better served to the consumer in an electronic format, and essentially would eliminate the cost of snailmail delivery, why is there such a need for print to begin with? That's how I'm understanding your argument for offering online access in conjunction with the print version of magazines, as essentially an argument against print. I realize that print has to embrace the electronic medium and find creative and attractive ways to leverage their product within this new technology, rather than combatting it and finding themselves a 'has been.' I'm just not convinced that they've yet found the best way to accomplish this.

maybe if I had more money available, I wouldn't have such an issue with this. I'm not poor, but I'm not rich either, so I have to be creative about getting my hands on food articles; the web has, up until now, offered a welcome alternative to shellin' out the cake. If eGullet suddenly started charging, I'd find it really difficult to continue to participate here. On the other hand, if I had an abundance of money, I do enjoy it here enough that I would probably pay. Many 'serious' readers may, in fact, welcome the same material in both formats; but that fact doesn't necessarily guarantee that they'll pay for online access. A lot of people will, in principal, have a problem with this. If anything, the approach shouldn't be an all or nothing thing. When you go into a bookstore to buy a magazine, you have an opportunity to sit in the magazine racks and preview what you're about to put down hard-earned money for; hell you can read an entire article and decide there's nothing else in there for you and put the magazine back on the shelf. With what they're implimenting, you won't have any opportunity to preview the content, you won't be able to even purchase an article on a case-by-case basis. If they want this to work, they need to think it through further than they have.

Have you tried Thai Pastry? It's on Broadway (east side of street) just south of Argyle. I highly recommend it.

I'm a taurus, I don't like change, Steve. What can I say. I'm sorry you haven't been to a library in that long; they really are wonderful resources and great places to get some work done (except on the children's floor). Ok, so I haven't been persueasive in my objections to this new approach to offering online magazine content. How about this: if the access codes are only available to subscribers or newstand purchasers, why would they want to access the content online if they're already holding a copy of the publication? And if your response is that the publications may offer different content in each medium, then I ask you how is that progress? when once you were able to buy a magazine and it alone represented a self-contained compilation of all that publication's content for that month, now you have to go to two places? that seems absurd. I get the whole thing about first offering the content for free and then having people pay for it. Don't much like it, but for the record I get it.

whether I saw it coming or not is irrelevent. Is it a shock? am I bugged by it? yeah. for reasons I've already articulated, the sudden change, the fact that yesterday it was free. Why pay for something that you were getting for free? And then there's the question of public access. A magazine gets published and your local library will likely get a copy of it (maybe not Libido: the journal of sex and sensibility, but your mainstream pubs for sure). What's gonna happen if some content is only availble on a magazine's web site? how would the local library offer that content to their patrons? Is good content worth paying for? yes. Then why was it free to begin with? That question, Steve, actually makes me take a step back to why not charge from the beginning? And to say that no one would've signed up at first begs your queston, isn't it worth paying for? If no one would've paid for it then, why are they gonna pay for it now? vengroff, your post about the initial theory of ads paying for content explains a lot. with Internet advertising not living up to its initial billing, I can see how a change was necessary. I still don't necessarily agree with the new approach.

I said it was a crock in the context of first offering the content at no charge, then building a dedicated audience and then suddenly charging for that content. Saying that doesn't necessarily call into question the sense of this strategy as a business plan. If it's just a matter of signing up for the site at no charge so that they can monitor a reader's interests to better sell advertising or whatever, fine; but to suddenly charge for it after all these years of offering it without a fee seems backwards. They should've just charged from the beginning. And yes, Fat Guy, offering up a percentage of the content for free (á la Salon.com) is a way around this and one that seems to sit better with me. I can determine if the article is of any interest and then decide whether to sign up.

So, I hear that several major publishers are phasing in a new approach to accessing their online content by requiring access codes (available to existing subscribers as well as newstand purchasers) to be entered. Has anyone else heard this? Outside the food realm, I noticed today that Parenting magazine is doing the same. Frankly, I'm somewhat disturbed by this turn of events. They get you hooked on their content and then suddenly pull the rug out from under you. What a crock!

Finally! Got my hands dirty this weekend. Started digging my first bed, removing sod (which I'm using elsewhere), and found that my soil is so absolutely bitchin' I probably won't have to tinker with it much at all. Maybe till in some of the mostly decomposed leaves from my gutter cleaning back in November. I relocated the sod to this area where nearer the house where there was a bunch of flagstone that I've been removing and using to craft my garden walkway. My nearly two-year old daughter had a blast getting thoroughly dirty. She even managed to get some soil in her mouth, which taught her a valuable lesson: soil might smell good, but it doesn't taste very good at all. So now it's Monday morning and I'm relishing that I still have a little dirt under my fingernails.