maggiethecat

Vermouth up my nose!

Weapons that never fail: Heaving bosom, downcast eyes. (Hmm...a foeman worthy of my steel! ) Write me a story, Madame! (See Marlene, it's easy. You already have.) Please wave the vinaigrette under my nose. Georgette Heyer fans everywhere know I'm not talking salad dressing.

Do it! (And let's choose trembling lower lips at a hundred yards and see who wins. )

Now, now Canadian Sistergirl! Don't pout. Enter. Here. Now. Maybe the august panel of Smackdown Judges are weighted in the favour of pretty blondes who live in the Toronto 'burbs and have great kitchens.

You 1st Prize Winners who haven't received your fabulous prize... It's now a happenin' thing. Please PM me your names and addresses and I'll take your really sweet cookbook to the Post Office the day I receive your info. I promise. Word of a Canadian/Midwesterner, and we don't come more sincere than that! Act soon or you might get your copy with crumbs and greasy fingerprints within. And while you're at it, get your lazy (smart)asses over here and write me a story. The Name Game

Pretty cool stuff, actually. And that fare: oh c'mon, tommy.

Exactly. The "My name is Brian and I'll be your server tonight" used to grate, but it doesn't anymore. And upon reflection, I think it was always the "I'll be your server thing" that got on my nerves, because I've never liked the word "server." Being a waiter is a noble thing, and I just prefer that word. And I don't think "waiter" is gender specific, anymore than "actor" is. Server sounds, well, servile, and I'm uncomfortable with that. Maybe others like the servile thing, and don't want to be reminded that the waiter is a person with a real (or assumed) name. It doesn't grate anymore, though I would prefer something like: "Good evening, my name is Maggie. May I take your drink order? " Or suchlike.

Katie: We may be what we eat, but these blogs are letting us see a really personal side of the lives of the writers. I've loved the peek at your life, and of the Swell Gal that you are. Thank you. All your nominees are terrific

Chris Cognac, what a great name! It makes you sound like the dark-eyed, smouldering type. To get a long list of member names, click on the Members section on the blue bar at the top of the page, two across from Today's Active Topics. But it would actually be more fun just to read through the forums and pick and choose from names being used currently. And tell us a story!

Sufferin' succotash, I want to try that! Could you give me an idea of the quantity of beets? Hmm. Would it be rather like a red Carrot Cake?

None at all! Take anyone's name in vain as often and in any way you wish.

Steven you and MatthewB such Smart Alex! BTW, are you still on Atkins? No? I thought 'cha d it down! Avoid carbs or your weight loss will blo, via trix and Chex!

(Hang head. Um...I read fast and retain little!) I'm going to extend this competition because I'm so damn enamored of the topic, and I've laughed so hard at the entries that you Clever Boots have posted. Let's make it midnight, Friday September 19th. I vant more entries. ( One from the Comrade... that would be sweet!) Willie or won't he?

I was flipping through my cherished stack of The Pleasures of Cooking today, doing some research on another project. In Vol IX, NO.3 (Nov./Dec. 1987) Carl Sontheimer gave a quick bio of Madame Benoit, the original Grande Dame of Canadian Food Writers. (She contributes a terrific article, with recipes, about the French-Canadian revillon, or post Midnight Mass Christmas party.) Chic alors! Jehane Benoit was a student of food chemistry at the Sorbonne in the 1920s "where she studied under Dr. Edouard de Pomiane, a researcher at the Pasteur Institue and the author of many celebrated cookbooks." Mme. Benoit is a cultural icon for many Canadians, and this felt like finding out that my Great Aunt Chi had entrelardered with Edouard.

Wow. Really. This is great reading (and writing!) Ellen. And if you don't get a movie deal (or, at least, a mini-series) there really is no justice in this world.

My lamb, get your priorities straight! Duh. Printing out the members list! Why didn't I think of that?

Ahhh. What a good guy. Let's give Jon his dearest wish!

Dave, I think you just told me! Thank you. Very true.I just reread russ's post, and I'm sorry I didn't pay closer attention the first time.

Thanks, bloviatrix, though I would describe you as neither windy or verbose. Great new word for me; ten times and it's mine. And Chad, as it happens, I did try to work your name into my example, but given the SoCal setting, I thought I'd give someone else the chance to use it! I tried not to snatch up all the Good Ones. OK: Extra points to someone who uses chad and bloviatrix in some incomparably witty way in the same sentence. Bloviate away!

Thanks, tana, for giving me a starting point. I have never eaten at CP, know Alice only second-hand through Rodgers and Reichl, and have never felt an overwhelming need to own one of her cookbooks. But I have been sensing a patronizing tone here (and elsewhere!) when people start talking about Alice. Or Rachael. Or Sara. Or Nigella. Or, (duck and cover!) Martha. These women could not be more different, but they have two things in common. They are all successful and good-looking. I have no particular wish to stir up the Gender Wars here, because I'm not sure that I'm correct. Tell me, I'm not, in fact. It's just a nagging creepy-crawly Feeling. As tana said: Waters sure can't take credit for everything she and others have claimed, but she deserves more respect than I've been reading recently. Heck, she runs a decent restaurant! I think it's the cute hat.

Oh, c'mon, Peeps! Write! This is really fun. Extra points to the entry that includes bloviatrix.

Yes. And yes. I was sorry to get to Dean's too late to be part of the construction crew for Dave the Cook's Killer Steak and Tomato app, but the folks thoughtfully left me some. (Hie thee to the Recipe Archive, Dave. Or Dean.) And there are other terrific ideas. Steak as an appetizer--what a great concept. (Right, Jinmyo?)

I just checked. Nope. I'll try to do some research and find something comparable. I too tend to bake less in the summertime, and although it's still darn warm here in (Very) "Far Eastern Iowa" I'm getting the baking bug again. I made a big batch of puff pastry yesterday -- ah, puff pastry in the freezer! What a sense of security! I also made a batch of lemon shortbreads in my ongoing research into Travelling Cookies for the Pig Pickin'. While I was perusing the cake portion of the recipe archive I came across souljoy's recipe for Lemon Coriander Tea Cakes, so I guess they're up next! Please enlighten this Northern Person: They seem close to a biscuit/scone kinda thing. Am I close?

Er... "Sounds like?"

G, could you put this in your sig line so we don't forget where to find this info? Hell of an idea, Matthew! Yes, I'm dense.