Jane Started It!

And more on bacon …

Susan Kaye — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:54:22 +0000

What is there about bacon? No idea, but here’s another lovely, imaginative example of its versatility:

Need I say more?

UPDATE: Would adding these to the table be going overboard?

From the blog, Be Different, Act Normal

Take care–Susan Kaye

Good news for bacon lovers!

Robin Helm — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:00:42 +0000

Perhaps Austen was onto something when she had Emma Woodhouse send Mrs. and Miss Bates a hindquarter of pork. One of my favorite lines belongs to Miss Bates as she exclaims to Emma, “What a happy porker it must have come from!” She then shrieks at her hearing-impaired mama, “PORK, Mother!”

This is Australian National Bacon Week, and it occurs to me that Ponce de Leon could have saved himself a great deal of time and expense spent searching for the Fountain of Youth. The secret to long life probably lolled happily in a mud hole on a nearby farm. (Hence the old saying, “Happy as a pig in slop.”)

It’s BACON!

According to the Huffington Post, a 105-year-old Texas woman says the secret to her longevity is bacon. She became a widow at age 38, reared 7 children alone, and worked as everything from a cotton picker to a hay baler. I’m not surprised that she didn’t credit her long life to getting plenty of sleep.

“I love bacon. I eat it everyday,” Pearl Cantrell told NBC affiliate KRBC when asked her secret to living so long. “I don’t feel as old as I am. That’s all I can say.”

I admire this woman, a great-great-grandmother who still enjoys country dancing, waltzing, and two-stepping, and who kept mowing her own lawn until the age of 100.

When Oscar Mayer heard about Pearl’s love of cured pork, they sent one of its Wienermobiles to her home with a special bacon delivery. She rode “shot-bun” in the Wienermobile through her hometown.

I’m stopping short of advocating that our readers follow Mrs. Cantrell’s example. Most doctors would advise people to avoid the high-fat meat. Even so, I’m also not a person who thinks people should give up foods that they absolutely love. Perhaps moderation is the key?

Just another day in Peponi

Robin Helm — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:54:56 +0000

“Peponi” is Swahili for “paradise,” and since the music of The Piano Guys is heavenly, I think their rendition of Coldplay’s song improves on the original. I like the African connection; Peponi School is an international secondary school in Ruiru, Kenya, which produces student excellence in both academics and a huge variety of sports. Teachers and pupils have massive input into the school. Peponi School was founded 1989, and its goal has been to “take out the inner pupil.”

Many places are referred to as “peponi” in Africa. The Peponi Hotel in Shela, Lamu, Kenya, is well known for laid-back charm. The food is both simple and legendary. Critics recommend the giant prawns in butter sauce, eaten Swahili-style, sitting round a big brass platter on the floor.

Prawns in butter sauce

Thanks, Mom!

Susan Kaye — Sun, 12 May 2013 04:05:02 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day!

Eat What You Want Day

Susan Kaye — Sat, 11 May 2013 04:28:17 +0000

WooHoo!! Talk about a holiday.

Reading a very short article on the web site Days of the Year dot com they mentioned this day gives us permission to recreate a recipe from our childhoods.

How about it? If you were so inclined, what dish or meal would you make to honor the day?

I have to be honest, I don’t really remember any favorite foods from my childhood. I remember epic battles over things I REFUSED to eat. Liver and onions anyone? I’ve always loved creating mashed potato dams to keep back the molten gravy from the villagers. I used to stir my ice cream until it was the consistency of soft serve. And, I usually sort colored candies like Skittles and M&Ms into their individual colors and eat them accordingly.

We will probably be having tortilla soup for dinner here at Casa de Kaye. It’s easy for me and most of the family likes it.

Back to the question, if you were creating a dish or meal from your childhood, what would it be?

Have a great weekend.

Take care–Susan Kaye

Food is a fluid concept right now

Susan Kaye — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:34:07 +0000

The week started out with my elderly modem peacefully transitioning to that great electronics recycler in the sky. So I was off the grid for a couple of days. I didn’t go nuts, I just sewed a couple of dresses for my granddaughter. I may take pics and post them.

Anyway, after allowing Verizon to give me a great deal on a new hot spot, and pay them $99, I am back in our cyber society. I was panicking yesterday and apologizing to Robin for not posting, blah, balh, blah. I was thanking her for posting in my place, blah, blah, blah. She said, “I thought THURSDAY was you day to post.”

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Well maybe not mine, buy you catch my meaning.

Using my new Wi-Fi hot spot, I found this last night:

“Look, Ma, no hands!”

Now is this cute or what? A blue ribbon to this person for the most imaginative use of crockery.

My husband and I are prone to digging into thing like this. Who was the first to do this? And was there alcohol involved? (There’s no saying this isn’t coffee and someone was trying to sober up.) Was it a parent? Is this a family tradition? A rite of passage in an ancient culture? Who knows. Regardless of origin, I think it’s great.

And try this at home. Tell me how it works out.

Take a cue from this creative soul and have an inventive Thursday.

Take care–Susan Kaye

The Hamburgers of My Childhood

Robin Helm — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:52:57 +0000

George Motz
Somebody’s Mr. Darcy

There are a few days remaining of National Hamburger Week (according to which source you check), so dig out that grill and fire it up. According to some, it’s in December. Others report next week to be the big celebration. Since some sites say May is National Hamburger Month, I’m not going to agonize over accuracy. Just leave off the pickles, because National Pickle Week isn’t until next week.

Oddly enough, until today I had never heard of George Motz, the creator of the Food Film Festival, the writer of “Hamburger America” book, star of the “Hamburger America” Film, developer of the Burger GPS (the iPhone app which helps you find the best burgers anywhere in the USA), and now host of the Travel Channel’s “Burger Land.”

Too bad Mr. Motz was not able to visit Press’s in Pageland, SC, before it closed. His burgers were the best I ever ate. I have fond memories of stopping by his diner after cheerleader practices, school, or ball games, and I always had a burger and fries. Press didn’t use pre-formed patties. He made his burgers by hand, and I’ve never figured out exactly what he put on them, but they were fantastic. Whatever his secret was, it disappeared with him, and his diner has been replaced by Burger King, Hardee’s, and McDonald’s. It’s just not the same anymore.

Don’t miss International No-Diet Day!

Robin Helm — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:53:42 +0000

May is National Strawberry Month (as well as Hamburger Month, Asparagus Month, Salad Month, and Salsa Month), and my mind naturally turned to one of the celebrated foods of love – chocolate covered strawberries. Of course I would take a perfectly healthy fruit, which tingles the taste buds and makes a beautiful appearance in its natural state, and advocate dipping it in a calorie-laden, high-fat food, designed specifically to please the palate in every way. Come to think of it, that makes perfect sense. Chocolate is a tasty metaphor for those first giddy months of young love. I’ll let you ponder that on your own.

The really good news is that today is International No-Diet Day. Folks, that’s an international day, not just a national day. It’s practically a mandate! In honor of the day, I’m going to ditch the strawberries (too healthy) and go with the chocolate. Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday, so I can have what I want all week. Right?

Here’s my chocolate drabble, and it’s true!

She loved him beyond all reason and thought she knew him better than she knew anyone else, but when he presented her with her Christmas present, she was truly puzzled. A gift bag full of Hershey kisses? That’s my Christmas present? Oh, well. I love him for his beautiful soul and sweet spirit, not for what I can get from him.

He was unusually excited and eager when he gave her the bag, so she smiled, trying to please him.

“Kisses? Thank you, Boo! I love chocolate, and kisses from you are always wonderful.”

His delight showed in his smile. “The kisses are not the gift, silly. Look in the bag.”

She raked her hands through the candies and found a box and a card. The card read, I know how much you love kisses, so here are 356, one for every day I’ve known you.

When she opened the box, she found a beautiful watch, and she adored it, but she realized that the true gift was a loving man who would think of such a way to present it to her. All that was left for her to do was to find a proper way to express her thanks, and she did.

Here at JSI

Susan Kaye — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:42:30 +0000

we’ve decided to go with monthly themes. The bottom line is that most of us are teachers and by this time of year, the end of the school year is in sight, and no one has the cognitive ability to do much of anything outside the routine. We thought themes might gives us a leg up when it comes to blog posts.

Anyway, May is Food Month here at JSI. Not every post will be food oriented, but most will be. And who knows if “food” means the stuff you eat. We’ll have a better idea of how this goes in June.

Another idea we thought might inspire us was writing drabbles. Drabbles are a short story form of a specific number of words or less. On the now defunct site Firthness, they used 100 words and I thought it would be fun to bring back this exercise.

If you would like to join in, leave your drabble in the comments and it will be moved up to the post.

The “rules” are:

100 words or less
Incorporates the monthly theme (May is food)
Leave a word or phrase at the end as a clue for the next drabbler

We promise that all copyrights will always remain with the author. Leaving a drabble in the comments section is your permission for us to use it in the context of this blog only. You may request removal at any time.

Now that I’ve induced sleep all over the world, here’s my food drabble:

Bribery

“I’m sorry, Frederick. Karen’s not so … she’s different at work,” Harville said.

“I get it. It was the promise of Ellie’s creamy, gooey, fat-laced macaroni and cheese that got me to say yes, not the hope of meeting the future Mrs. Wentworth.”

“I know. I told her you were wavering on the blind date idea, so she upped the ante.”

“She bribed me with the promise of chocolate truffle, cherry cheesecake for dessert.”

“It’s magic. I proposed after one piece.”

“Too bad your lady friend thought the saga of her tattoo was good dessert talk.”

“Sorry again.”

Here are new contributions. The first from Robin Helm:

As he watched Elizabeth talking with Charlotte Lucas across the room, Darcy knew he had spoken too loudly. She must have overheard me say that she was tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. How shall I redeem myself in her eyes?

He exited the room quickly and summoned his coachman, giving him explicit instructions.

Before the evening was over, he was standing before Elizabeth, wearing a smile and holding a plate of chocolate covered strawberries.

She raised an eyebrow in question.

“These are for you with my sincerest apologies for my boorish behavior. My sister, Georgiana, has a particular fondness for such treats. I hoped that my gift would prove how sorry I am. Will you accept it?”

She considered his words and the delicacies. “Only if you will share them with me.”

And another, connected to the above, by Gayle Mills:

Hateful, hateful man. What care I of his opinion of me? I will not long sit for lack of a partner. And where is he off to now? Can he not even abide my presence in the same room?

Later…

Strawberries? Chocolate? What is he up to? Does he think my forgiveness can be purchased so cheaply? Resentment or strawberries? Anger or chocolate? Oh, the temptations one must face to save dignity?

“…Will you accept it?”

Will I?

“Anger and resentment are cold company, sir.” But strawberries and chocolate… So pleasant on the tongue. Bursts of pleasure. Unknown delights await.

For the next drabble, Anne.
Have a great weekend.

Take care–Susan Kaye

National Truffles Day – Make Your Own

Robin Helm — Wed, 01 May 2013 23:26:20 +0000

Truffles!

Today is nearly over here in South Carolina, but I just had to wish you Happy Truffles Day! If you have these few ingredients, you can make your own. You have fewer than five hours left, so you’d better start now.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.

You can roll the balls in chopped nuts, confectioners’ sugar, melted chocolate, or cocoa.

By now, you’ve probably figured out that I’m referring to candy, not mushrooms. At least, I hope you have.

Truffles – mushrooms

There is quite a difference! The candy is romantic and delicious – the mushrooms, not so much.

I think I just gained five pounds.