Taking Out Chinese vs. Chinese Take-Out
Before I get to the important business of beating my newest horse that is precariously on the edge of death, I’ve got a much less important question to ask. Now, I’m not saying that any of these will ever exist, but I’m going to ask a couple of questions for argument’s sake.
– Would you be interested in a free FLB bumper sticker or bumper magnet?
– If you are, which one would be more appealing?
My assumption is that the answer to the first question will be no. So the second one is kind of moot. Just remember bumper stickers can be put on anything: laptop lids, bicycle frames, motorcycle helmets, office cubicle walls, etc. Magnets are a little more finicky. You could put one on your fridge, to remind you to take your daily dose of fussy.
Personally, I keep my car free of any kind of messaging. I’m not even crazy about having the make and model of the automobile emblazoned on its rear end. So I won’t take it personally if you have no interest in helping to spread fussy on your car’s fender.
The topic of the day does have something to do with cars. But really I feel like I need to go on the record and make an important clarification between two very distinct things. Mostly because I’m concerned that people in the Capital Region conflate the two.
The Buzz of Less Booze
Have I mentioned my head cold? Man, this sucks. I have a fridge full of beer, a wine locker full of bottles and a liquor cabinet full of gin. And I’m not drinking any of it. Can’t really taste much with a plugged nose, so what’s the point.
Yet still, today I’m writing about cocktails. Mostly because I’ve always thought of this blog as a way to help other people. Yes, I know that there are some folks who occasionally end up on the wrong side of the stick, and they may be hard to convince of this fact. But my intentions are good.
So I’ve been ruminating on Albany Jane’s recent tweet, only mildly upset that she didn’t come to me directly for solutions to her current cocktail problem.
2014 is starting off as the year I don’t really like booze. I want cocktail tastes, but not the alcohol (bc of my pitifully low tolerance).
Well, isn’t AJ going to feel silly when she realizes that she’s far from alone.
The Ones That Got Away
Did you happen to catch the column Jeff Janssens wrote about Northeast Dumplings House on All Over Albany?
This place has captured my imagination since I caught wind of its opening. And the more I hear, the more excited I get. Third Auntie had a great experience there, as did Kerosena, and now The Masticating Monkey. The only problem is that Jeff mentions in his piece that the place seems empty.
If you live anywhere in the vicinity of the Capital Region, stop waiting. Get in your car and go. They have soothing noodle soups that are perfect for winter. And, of course, dumplings. But if people don’t go, then this very promising Chinese restaurant that focuses on the regional cuisine of the north will go away.
Do not let that happen. Restaurants close all the time. Some manage to stay open for an impossibly long time despite all odds. Bob & Ron’s, which has been an institution in Albany, appears to be on the rocks. But no amount of foot traffic can save it, since the owner seems to be all bent out of shape about taxes.
But I understand. Despite my best intentions, I never made it to a few places before they closed this past year. Hear my lamentations.
Pouring Food Down the Drain
Sure, there’s good news about GMOs, kind of. Those big yellow boxes of toddler friendly cereal will soon be devoid of GMO corn starch and GMO sugar (from sugar beets). However, buying them still lines the pockets of a corporation that spends its money to thwart GMO labeling efforts. So…
Which is why I’d much rather spend some time on my issue du jour, food waste.
Today’s topic comes from the Twittersphere where just a few days ago Jon In Albany called out Fine Cooking on their recent chicken recipe. It instructs readers to make a sweet and spicy sauce with two cups of maple syrup, but then takes the vast majority of that to use in the brine. Twelve fluid ounces of precious Grade B syrup gets diluted in three quarts of water and four ounces of salt.
Here’s the kicker. After brining the chicken in this precious slurry for eight to twenty-four hours, all of that syrup then gets poured down the drain. It’s one expensive brine. And it’s a travesty. This should never have been published. Here’s why (and it has nothing to do with money).
Breaking Bread at the Diner
Long ago I worked in the restaurant business. It’s really an experience I think everyone should have. Over time I held two positions in the front of the house. The first job was bussing tables, but before long I had moved up to the host stand.
Looking back on it, that was an odd decision. Maybe I looked the part? The restaurant was trying to recreate the experience of an artist’s loft in Spain, and back in those days with my long hair I was a bit more bohemian. But I was seriously lacking in social skill and grace.
Regardless, for the sake of this story, I need to go back to the days of bussing tables. Because that was when I was the person who delivered the bread basket. Don’t worry, this isn’t some gross-out story. At the end of the meal, I was also the person who cleared away the bread basket and tossed all the leftovers in the trash.
Bread isn’t an expensive item, but it’s still food. And wasting food is a problem. It’s a big problem. A really freaking huge problem. So, what’s a restaurant to do? Would you believe that I found the answer at a diner in Jersey?
The Irresistable Force
Skipping meals is a terrible idea. Maybe not for everybody. But to paraphrase David Banner, you wouldn’t like me when I’m hungry.
Mostly I get grumpy. Or maybe to be a bit more precise, I should say that I get grumpier.
The thing is that I don’t even need a proper meal. I just need a certain number of calories to sustain bodily function. And really, those calories can come from anywhere. Last week week was a perfect example. I volunteered to run an errand for my mother-in-law out in the wilds of rural Pennsylvania, because I had a secret plan to visit my favorite frozen custard place for lunch. Except something went terribly wrong.
Apparently the day after Christmas is also a frozen custard holiday in Bedford, PA. So there I was, in the middle of nowhere, feeling myself crashing all around me. Fortunately, in my direct field of vision was a McDonald’s. Now say what you will about the chain, but I knew that I could get some decent French fries, and those would set me straight.
But I never expected the problem I would encounter at the drive through.
AskTP – Old Business
One of the first things to do in the new year is to finish up old business.
While I love answering reader questions, I also like to do them in batches. That means every so often I scan through the comments section of the blog looking for comments with question marks. Those that haven’t received answers finally get their due in this periodic feature I like to call Ask the Profussor.
Occasionally, I’ll grab another comment or two that is calling out for some kind of response. Today’s installment of AskTP has a few more of those than usual. Burnt My Fingers, who is usually so fastidious with his punctuation, looks like he might have gotten careless. But I’m not going to hold that against him. This time.
Oh, and for the uninitiated, each question is preceded with a link. Once upon a time each link was mapped back to the original question. Now they will all send you to the mystery link of the day. Hope you enjoy it.
So without further ado, onto the questions.
Saving More Than Money
This year I want to make sure I start off on the right foot. So instead of bitching about ingredients or lamenting about a recent eating binge, I thought I might try to be just a little bit more helpful.
Often times people make New Year’s resolutions. I’ve made mine. And it’s not uncommon for people to want to improve their lives. Sometimes this is about losing weight, other times it’s about shoring up their finances, and occasionally it’s about eating better. You may even want to try and save the world.
What if you could achieve all four of those things in one fell swoop?
Resolution Come and Resolutions Go
Tonight we are having a few families come over for a potluck dinner and extended New Year’s Eve celebration. Since we’re living in this utopian academic community, all of our local friends live in the compound. So it’s just a short walk across the grounds for everyone to get home.
Hopefully that makes for a rollicking party. We’ll see. I’ve got plenty of gin and lemons for the unofficial cocktail of the institute. Plus there’s a couple of bottles of prosecco for midnight. There are also a lot more bottles of wine and beer laying around than usual, but that’s another story.
Now, I figure, is as good a time as any to look back on the last year and evaluate the resolutions I made back then. I’m a pretty straightforward guy, and I’m of the belief that if something was important enough to do in 2013, it’s most likely important enough to continue doing in 2014.
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