annecros

Oh it is very interesting. And I am breathlessly awaiting someone who has the wisdom to explain a "peanut" which is really a legume. Peas are normally shelled, and served outside of the little pods. Beans, as in butterbeans, are shelled as well though. I am listening, just as you are vivelafrance.

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=7312007 Due to an arbitrary decision, cheese has been determined by authorities on high who should know, to fall under the category of junk food. That makes me feel bad.

I am tired of this series. Maybe things will gear up later, but so far it is a big snooze. I kind of like Marcel lately though. I guess I will tune in for at least another couple of episodes. If nothing else, in the hope that Betty goes home. Of course, the producers could be mainipulating me... Naw, they wouldn't do that, would they?

While I've never been south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Mississippi at the same time, (a character defect I intend to remedy soon!), I have it on good authority that one of the defining characteristics of a north/south orientation is whether or not you put sugar in your corn bread. There's supposedly an old Southern saying; "If there's sugar in the corn bread, there's a Yankee in the kitchen!" SB (Thinking that could be a clue in a murder mystery? "Your Honor. My client couldn't have poisoned his wife. Lab results showed there to have been not only arsenic, but sugar in the fatal corn bread. As a true Southern Gentleman he would never have put sugar in his cornbread!") ← WEEELLLL yes, sugar in the cornbread is an abomination. However, I was known to throw in a handful when my German husband insisted that cornbread must have sugar. I have since weaned him, and he understands the natural sweetness of corn which must not be adulterated with artificial additives. A real convert. He never met an okra pod he liked until he met me either. We all know that no one preaches as well as the convert. Good luck with your rectification. I think you will find it pleasant. Have a good time in the south, and just make sure you are not in a big hurry. Darling husband would never try to tell me how to prepare cornbread, or greens, or for that matter grits, these days. I love him. Interesting side note and edited to add: Collards need to be thoroughly cooked in order to maximize the nutrional value stored in them. Somebody was smart with all the braising.

Lovely picture. Well done, and a great slice of life.

Love it. How would one pronounce "buffeteering"? I think I would favor a silent "t", sort of like the silent or slurred "g" in Target. Just sounds better. BOO-FAY-earing. This topic is making me hungry. Fried rice for dinner.

I've actually found this recipe unmessy, relatively speaking. Flavor was the issue for me, and judging from other posts the issue for everyone else as soon as they bake this. Inserting flavor into bread, a blank canvas, isn't too terribly hard. I am thinking subbing in buttermilk for some of the water, but the sour I have living on the counter is doing a great job for now. The ease and ability for anyone to make a loaf of bread is magical to me. I appreciate it. Staff of life and all that. However, if I did not have some of the physical limitations that I do have, I would prefer to work with more sophisticated recipes and doughs and methods and whatnot. That's why I cook. It's fun to play!

I agree with you 100% re: the southern stereotype and where it needs to be put. Essentially, that was the point I was trying to make. Northerners, including my NYC family have this very ABC Mini-Series impression of "The South" which couldn't be more inaccurate. What I meant to say (after re-reading myself I wasn't sure if it came out this way) is that there is no more racism in the South than anywhere else in the world (being an interacial family we speak from experience) and to the contrary the people we have met in Georgia that have generational roots here are some of the nicest and open people we have ever met. Never before have we met a "people" who are so interested in knowing each other on such a deep and personal level and its been wonderful. I've said this before, in NYC, a good neighbor is the one you never hear and never know of. I think the food culture itself lends itself to this "get to know you" vibe or aura or what you'll call it. Its almost like a slow walk, or the very opposite of the US fast food culture. As for greens, I've only eaten them in a restaurant. We hope to brave making them ourselves very soon, if only to try and make pot liker. As for cornbread, my breakfast today was it in a bowl of milk, it was perfect. ← Oh man! You haven't cooked greens in your own home yourself! I am shocked NYCMike. The collards should be absolutely lovely there in Atlanta right now. I would hold off on the turnips and mustard until early spring though. Don't even think about buying that precut stuff in a bag, it is obscene, and you just don't taste the dirt and life in them like you do with the whole. Those spring greens (mustard especially but turnips too) are amazing, young sweet and tender. Collards are usually better with a little cold weather on them, not as bitter. My mother recalls a family that was put out of their home during the depression. They dug up the collards and piled them on a wagon and paraded out of town with them, along with small furnishings and family pictures of course. You will never starve if you have collards and cornbread. Looking up the nutrional information will clue you in to this most perfect of foods. My mom's favorite dessert was a glass of buttermilk with cornbread crumbled into it. Nothing wrong with that. Let us know when you drop the hock in the water. A pressure cooker is helpful when cooking collards as well, but it is good and good for you regardless. I come from an interracial family as well. We always had room at the table, if that's not too personal. You have to eat, ya know.

We have a real issue here in South Florida concerning menu labels, and actual fish breeds. There is just not that much snapper in the world. Too much Basa (catfish) is passed off as ocean fish. Makes me sad.

My first thought as well. It is a great time of year for schwazverde kirschtorte, and I know of no more decadent way of utilizing sour cherries.

I think this qualifies as a caveat. Wise words, my friend, wise words. I love it, thanks for giving me a giggle!

Some of the buffets do have signs that say "you will be charged for wasted food", but I've never seen that hapen - and it certainly has not happened to me. But I must say - if the guy at the duck station tells me that I must take a bun for every piece of duck I get, then it's entirely their fault that the food gets wasted, and I pity the person who might try to make it my fault, or charge me. And on a related note, I sometimes take a small sample of many things from a new buffet, and certainly don't eat the things I don't like, so if they tried to tell me that that was "waste", they wouldn't get very far either. But how does it work where you are? Do they actually come around and inspect the plates and weigh what you haven't eaten? And are they so picky as to judge "waste" in 100 gram increments? That could be a few bites of various things that you didn't like! (As opposed to somebody with 'big eyes' simply taking extra pounds of food that goes to waste uneaten, I mean.) ← I'd like to see them try to charge me for wastage. Not gonna happen. Of course, I try to eat everything I pull off the buffet, but sometimes you end up on the short end of the russian roullette game, and some things are just not edible.

I've actually had good, fresh sushi here: http://www.gocrazybuffet.com/ I go there once a year when an old friend comes to visit. We make funny faces and giggle about the "Craaaaaaaa-See Buffet!" It's a bonding ritual. It is definitely one of those places that wearing tennis shoes and taking a hike to the back pays dividends. The "Z" in "Crazy" is backwards in all the marketing material. I guess that's what makes it CRAZY! I must admit to prefering the hibachi to the sushi station, though.

My 20 year old microwave died today. I shall pause now, in silence, and we will do the mourners walk to appliance heaven tomorrow. He is lying in state as we speak...

I'm not so sure that attitude of assumption of ignorance reigning because of an exit number on the highway exists as much as it might have in years past, Anne. There are so many people that have travelled the highways so very much that surely the ones that think this way are a *very* small number. One hopes. Plus, you know, we've had several Presidents of the United States with accents in their voices that say "Deep South" and regardless of one's thinking on their individual "performance" as President, it does take a bit of a Top Dog in some way to get to that seat. As for your other question, yes, almost everything is a double-edged sword, actually, looked at close enough. I run to metaphors for fun quite often when I write. Please forgive me, dear lady, and if you will, say quietly to the computer screen, "Bless her heart". ( ) P.S. I intend to get crazier the older I get. I figure that's a preogative of age, no matter whether north or south of whatever line one chooses. Hope you'll still defend me? ................................................. Now I just got back from the west coast of Florida. It was Southern, but not Southern like here in old Virginny. The food was different, as was the sun and the soil. Darn it, but I was glad to come home to my *own* particular twang of accented voice and my own variety of foods available. (Oops. Erase that last part. We grow beef here, not seafood, and to my mind seafood just doesn't travel well far past the dock, in some vital way. ) ← Isn't it interesting that even those Presidential sorts in recent years who are not Southern, have adopted southern accents and mannerisms? It is an interesting phenomenon, and somehow a person, though powerful, is perceived to have a "common" touch I think when they talk slow - with a crap eating grin! Once we get to a "certain" age, darling, forgiveness and defense is neither sought nor necessary, but I do have your back. Oh man, if you were here last week, you surely enjoyed our sunshine and warm temps! I planted two rose bushes on Christmas Day, and they are already showing new growth. BBQ today as well. I really love it down here. There are definitely gradients of southern in the south. Keeps things interesting.

An hour. His temp peaked within 20 minutes though, and sorry no pictures. I hate that he ended up a bit overdone, but the lovely thing was the meat was so good that it could take the imprecise cooking. I'm sold on this Certified Angus Beef thing. Its a bit more expensive, but a good reliable compromise $ vs. taste when I want beef. So tasty, and amazing marbling. Everyone was busy with their new toys, and we really didn't get enough regular pictures of family and fun. I guess that is what makes memories, though. I cut out two ribeye steaks, so when I thaw and grill them maybe I can get a shot in before they are devoured (isn't it sad that all I am left with is two ribeye steaks and the chine and ribs for soup out of a 17 pound hunka hunka meat?) By the way, if tasty pork brings you luck, I should have a great 2007! THAT was perfect, but I am up with a bit of heartburn now...

Junior was wonderful! Pulled him at 120, but the rascal rested to 135 I am thinking it was the size of the roast and the heat stored in the bones. Too done for me, but the kids and significant others like thier meat medium to medium well. so the audience was well satisfied. Had an open faced sandwich the next day, kids took meat home, and I have two more meals for hubby and I in the fridge. Now, on to the 11 pound heritage pork fresh ham I have presalted in the fridge to smoke and eat tomorrow for luck! Life really is good. If nothing else, we eat well.

Thank you! Makes me happy just to look at it!

I like collards and fried chicken - but rarely eat them in restaurants because they're usually way too salty. Also - fried chicken is really not a great thing to eat that often. I do make collards at home - which I think are much better than those I find in restaurants (won't tackle fried chicken at home - too much of a mess). I think it would take more than pork and chicken to resolve the problems with the United Nations . Robyn ← Nobody in the south eats fried chicken "that" often. It is quite the treat, and worth the cleanup. But you are getting there in cooking the foods at home. Home cooked is always better. Pity the poor souls waiting in line at Lady and Son's and understand that they just can't do it for themselves. Almost crippling. I think if the UN focused upon simpler things, as in nourishment, they might be able to make a more positive impact upon the world. I like ya Robyn. You've got spunk.

Is it not a double edged sword to expect and assume the worst of people? Just because you are at a specific exit number on I-95 that you can assume that stupidity and ignorance reign? Setting the bar low, is patronizing in and of itself. It is a poor assumption. Every individual is entitled to set their own standards of behaviour, without prejudice based upon skin color or the fact that they can make a mean cornbread or burst from the womb knowing how to fry chicken. Karen, I have personally found you to be a very sweet natured open minded person. That in itself gives you the right to call yourself southern. I will back you up, and I have the moral authority! After all, we even defend our crazy aunts...

Interesting in that you say that the food (which is very much a foundation of the southern culture) transcends race, but that you find racism alive and well. But then again the racism is predominately experienced via "transplants" into the culture. There was nothing civil about that war, excepting that it occured in our own house. A family feud, that white southern people, who cannot help being born, are required to bear the consequences of for several generations. I think, and this is my opinion only, that the southern stereotype needs to be put where it belongs, away. Branding a person as hateful, ignorant, and uncaring hurts. It hurts me when others make that judgement based upon my skin color and accent. I have personally found the south very inclusive. Your milage may vary. As it does anywhere in the world. But as a whole? Greens and cornbread are a perfect food.

Very good! The only tip I would add, is that the "best" food is the most relatively distant from the buffet line that it can get. Don't stumble and fill up on the cheap door stops, but rather walk to the farthest serving point, and work your way back to the table.

Sorry to disagree about your "the past is the past" statement - ← No need to apologize. We just have different perspectives. Now, how do you feel about fried chicken and collard greens? What about the theory that if you parked enough pickup trucks loaded with coolers of beer in the parking lot of the United Nations, and put some pork and chicken on the grill out there, all the world's problems would be solved on a long afternoon? I've seen a lot of fueds resolved holding down the bed of a pickup truck...

There's nothing like a Grandma - fictive, foster or functional - to tie the heart and the hearth together. I'm glad you had that experience. Deep down, many of us Southerner's are just defending our Grandma's and Grandaddy's, all of our Grandma's and Grandaddy's. Anne

Sounds like you are right there with the rest of us! Hope it all comes out well for you.