The sinking ship

[fchrisgrimm]

A few months ago, I found a copy of 300 Years of Carolina Cooking at a book sale here in Connecticut. It was a 30+ year old copy of the Greenville Junior League cookbook, from back in the days when the recipes in these books came from actual local Junior League members.

Lots of Jello. Lots of canned vegetables and prepackaged ingredients. Any herbs are dried.

Funny thing is, I was absolutely thrilled to find an old copy of this cookbook! I might not cook anything from it, but I'll ruminate over the bad food of my youth!

fcg

[The Cynical Chef]

Sorry to say that the Greenville News still uses a "man on the street" for their restaurant reviews. This past Friday the reviewers awarded 5 stars to an average, over-priced steakhouse, Chophouse '47. Not that there's anything wrong with a good steakhouse but there is not much technical skill required by cooks in the kitchen of a steak house. One reviewer praised the twice baked potato as "the cheesiest ever". I couldn't agree more.

I have interviewed a cook from this place that had assumed he was ready to move up to the big leagues because he spent a year making the cheesiest potatoes ever. When asked how these potatoes were made: instant potatoes whipped with butter and shredded yellow American cheese.

On the same day the Greenville Journal's criminal mastermind Joree published a salad recipe that supposedly fed 6 yet it called for 2 pounds of Mesclun mix. YIKES!

The salad dressing, a Raspberry & Herb Vinaigrette called for an entire bunch of cilantro, 4 ounces of raspberry jam, 1 cup of oil, 4 ounces of vinegar plus the usual assortment of dried herbs. One would have to serve this salad in a washtub to hold that much lettuce and then drown it with 2 1/4 cups of soapy cilantro vinaigrette. Oh, the horror.

Remember, this woman supposedly STUDIED under Julia Child.

It gets worse. The Journal has gone and hired a restaurant critic that according to the new editor has so much food knowledge as "to amaze". This guy reviewed a local Italian bistro and pronounced it as good or better than the much heralded standouts of NYC, SF and even Italy yet he declared he gets better Tira Misu at the chain grocery store, the smoked salmon was fishy, the whipped cream came from a can and the ravioli (a purchased, frozen, mass produced product) excellent. Now I like this guy's place but he's no Lidia Bastianich. But I wonder if this critic would also compare Bastianich's tira misu with the stuff from the Publix Grocery store?

He shouted into the dark cave: HELLLLOOOOO! Is anyone in there?

[fchrisgrimm]

Remember, this woman supposedly STUDIED under Julia Child.

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No, she studied under Julia Childs - that's someone else, altogether!

Two brief stories...

I was once in line at the Stop & Shop (here in Westport) behind Martha Stewart. Amongst the other grocs (that I, of course, carefully inventoried), she had a box of INSTANT grits. Now unless she was using these babies to spackle her ceiling, I'm guessing that she speaks to the masses who also like cheesy potatoes! And bloomin' onions! (The shame!)

Had another friend of a friend who worked at Popeye's while in high school 25 years ago. (Eh, you can do far worse for fast food.)

Friend 1 - How do you make that great Dirty Rice?

FOF - Well, you make the rice and then you take a packet of the 'Dirty Rice Mix' and mix it in.

Sounds like the cheesy potatoes!

fcg

[Lan4Dawg]

"I was once in line at the Stop & Shop (here in Westport) behind Martha Stewart. Amongst the other grocs (that I, of course, carefully inventoried), she had a box of INSTANT grits. Now unless she was using these babies to spackle her ceiling, I'm guessing that she speaks to the masses who also like cheesy potatoes! And bloomin' onions! (The shame!)"

I seldomly watch (or watched) Martha Stewart simply b/c of her "I know much more than you attitude" & the fact that if I had a staff of 30 available to drill holes in walnuts all day for holiday decorations my house would look like a show palace as well. However, one day the "teaser" for her show was a "Southern Ham--stuffed w/ greens and grits". My interest piqued I made it a point to watch the show. The premise was good but, sure enough, she used instant grits (& turnips not collards) at which point I went "blecch" and changed the channel. I really should have known better than to think a Connecticut Yankee would have an inkling about grits but "hope springs eternal" & one would think as picky as she is that she would actually make--as the lady at the mill where I buy my grits puts it--"sho 'nuff grits".

in loving memory of Mr. Squirt (1998-2004)--the best cat ever

[Gifted Gourmet]

On the same day the Greenville Journal's criminal mastermind Joree published a salad recipe that supposedly fed 6 yet it called for 2 pounds of Mesclun mix.  YIKES! 

He shouted into the dark cave: HELLLLOOOOO!  Is anyone in there?

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Even as I read this post on the tepid state of Greenville food journalism, I find myself sympathizing with you in your daily 'dashed hopes' of how much better this could actually be ... and empathize with your hoping to improve the local dining scene one day at a time.

The new critic sounds as if he will be simply more of the same old thing .... the tears in my eyes are a mix of sadness at the futility of it all, along with the humor with which you infuse your invective, Cynical Chef!

Keep posting and explaining what we ought to know about life in a small southern city and how it can bring one to examine everything one had previously thought ...

[Cucina]

On the same day the Greenville Journal's criminal mastermind Joree published a salad recipe that supposedly fed 6 yet it called for 2 pounds of Mesclun mix.  YIKES! 

He shouted into the dark cave: HELLLLOOOOO!  Is anyone in there?

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Even as I read this post on the tepid state of Greenville food journalism, I find myself sympathizing with you in your daily 'dashed hopes' of how much better this could actually be ... and empathize with your hoping to improve the local dining scene one day at a time.

The new critic sounds as if he will be simply more of the same old thing .... the tears in my eyes are a mix of sadness at the futility of it all, along with the humor with which you infuse your invective, Cynical Chef!

Keep posting and explaining what we ought to know about life in a small southern city and how it can bring one to examine everything one had previously thought ...

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Okay - I know I'm going to sound like a heretic with this post, but you get what you deserve if you don't try to solve the problem first with the source - meaning trying to develop a relationship with the food editor and the new critic that is friendly and based on sharing knowledge rather than condecending. While making fun of them is good sport, and seemingly deserved, it is not productive to what you hope to accomplish and in fact, could backfire in a big way. If after trying that, no progress is made, then you have a lot of credibility in going to the editor in chief and publisher with your gripes and if nothing changes, you can gripe til the cows come home in whatever forum suits your purposes. I for one would suggest inviting the publisher to a private lunch where you serve up some of this woman's "choice" recipies to illustrate your point and then contrast them with how you do things. This is not a war you win with words - you need a good old fashioned food fight.

[mrsadm]

A search for her cookbook on amazon.com:

Book search results: we found no results that closely match your search for: cooking with joree

[FistFullaRoux]

A note on the recipe, a lot of them come from wire services, and they can contain errors (Ex: I've heard of a blueberry muffin recipe that went out to papers way back when, by mail. The wire service then had to call up each paper and tell the editor to add the following "To the ingredient list, add '1 cup blueberries'". )

Here's a good way to stir the pot and get your licks in at the same time. Take out ad space on her page, and publish a correction to her previous recipe, since you probably won't get the current one ahead of time. Or start a website to correct her recipes, and advertise the website on her page.

Go on CC, let her have it.

And couldn't reading a cookbook or watching a demo be technically considered "Training with" someone? In that case, I'm in her league, if you count Food Network.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Here's a good way to stir the pot and get your licks in at the same time. Take out ad space on her page, and publish a correction to her previous recipe, since you probably won't get the current one ahead of time. Or start a website to correct her recipes, and advertise the website on her page.

Go on CC, let her have it.

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Interesting idea, FistFullaRoux ...

[ruthcooks]

The "S" she added to Julia Child, she taketh away from Jacque(s) Pepin.

Maybe she studied their TV cooking show.

[Pan]

Keep posting and explaining what we ought to know about life in a small southern city and how it can bring one to examine everything one had previously thought ...

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I think Greenville is a medium-sized city, for whatever that's worth.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I think Greenville is a medium-sized city, for whatever that's worth.

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Quite correct! Thanks for setting the record straight ... yet, some people have issues about a city of that size and importance getting by with such mediocre food and food journalism ...

[Miami Danny]

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, but I was 'studying' with Marge Simpson-it's 'make your own taco night!'