Snark Talk: Home, Home on the (De) Ranged

[lucygoose]

So my tv is going to be tuned into Food Network today and off all the main channels, and I'm watching an episode of Giada (whom I don't really care for normally) and one thing that strikes me, that has always bugged me about Ree, is that Giada actually tastes her food at the end before she's done to see if it's seasoned correctly!  Ree NEVER does that and the way she throws "spices" in her dishes willy nilly who the heck knows what they end up tasting like.  The same thing bugs me about her lack of measuring, especially with liquids.  The one time I saw her make a mashed potato dish, it looked way too runny to me (believe me, I've been there, I recognize the look) and I noticed the camera only gave a quick shot of the dish, but she obviously put too much liquid in the dish.  

[peacheslatour]

Quote

So my tv is going to be tuned into Food Network today and off all the main channels,

Same here, only I'm watching the Burn Notice marathon on ION.

[ariel]

I have Create on to avoid reality.

ETA - and US Figure Skating tonight.

Edited January 20, 2017 by ariel

[BlossomCulp]

On 1/9/2017 at 11:23 AM, Spunkygal said:

That's interesting. It must be moms and grand moms buying them. I wonder if kids are specifically asking for this book. I volunteer in the library of our local elementary school and we have the first book that someone gifted to us. It has never been checked out! When we get new books, we display them in a certain area and usually the kids go crazy grabbing what's new, but alas, no one cares about Charlie. When we weed out books at the end of the term, it will probably be one of the books we take out of circulation.

My grandson got one for Christmas from a friend of the family.  I think the first one.  Anyway he loves it and keeps wanting it read to him.  But then their dog looks a lot like Charlie.

Sad to hear about Charlie especially just after the grandson fell in love with a book about him. We figure he's only 4, he doesn't need to know the real Charlie has died.

[Automne]

I never put it together that Ree never tastes her food to ensure proper seasoning. She's the only cooking host that doesn't!

[Lura]

I always get a kick out of the way Ree tries her food.  She pops it into her mouth, closes her lips tight, rolls her eyes, and lets out with a couple of "MMMMMMs!" Sounds just like those cows when Ladd comes along with his feed.

[toolazy]

I liked Ree way way back in the day when she was just a blogger.  I thought she was mildly amusing, though I never once made of her recipes.  But on the teevee? Just no.  That perpetual rictus grin thing she does with her face drives me insane. I can't even listen to her because I can hear it when she talks.  

[lizzbert]

I loved the Pioneer Woman's blog--and a bunch of her recipes, frankly. I cook all kinds of things but I really appreciated her "home cooking," her casseroles and things reminded me of my grandma's cooking and a time before pepper grinders were de rigeur.

But! I've never found her engaging or natural on TV, and she hasn't seemed to improve. Like, get an acting coach or practice more or something!

[Lura]

Was I ever surprised yesterday.  I was surfing the web for all things Ree when I came to two small articles called "The 7 Favorite TV Cooks" (or something like that), and Ree was #1 !!!  In a related story, on a different list, she was rated 3rd out of about 11!  It was almost unbelievable to me.  The studies were done by an independent agency with no connection to Ree or the others.  Oh -- and one comment they made was Ree's "imagination and cleverness" in making that 6' long trough of ice cream she made for Bryce's surprise birthday! 

Another article mentioned her "monotonous, maternity-like tops."  That one made more sense to me. 

Edited January 30, 2017 by Lura
typo

[Kohola3]

I just watch a program on a Canadian TV station yesterday on these kinds of polls.  There are just SO many ways to manipulate things to come up with the result you want.  "Independent agency" means nothing if you start digging deep enough. 

[Qoass]

It doesn't surprise me at all that Ree is so popular.  Her whole schtick is unchallenging carb and sugar-loaded comfort.  Kind of like McDonald's being the most popular burger place.

[peacheslatour]

And Faux News is the number one cable news channel.

[Lura]

I think Ree might improve if she had a guest -- like Pee Wee Herman.

[grisgris]

Who says that life is dull in Pawhuska? Take a gander at this.

 

http://fox4kc.com/2017/02/02/teacher-arrested-for-allegedly-exposing-herself-to-class-during-cartwheel/

[film noire]

On 2/1/2017 at 3:02 AM, Lura said:

I think Ree might improve if she had a guest -- like Pee Wee Herman.

LOL

[Lura]

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 11:29 PM, Automne said:

I never put it together that Ree never tastes her food to ensure proper seasoning. She's the only cooking host that doesn't!

It's been well documented by a variety of sources that Giada keeps a "spitting bucket" on the floor beside her, and after she pretends to sample a bite of food, she spits it out into the bucket.  This is one of her tricks for staying thin, apparently.  As for Ree, she's starting to taste her food, and she swallows!

[Lura]

I'm really not a board hog, but I'm tired of looking at page 14 and seeing no movement!  LOL  So, I'll call this post THINGS I DON'T GET.  They're things about Ree or the family or the cowboys or the ranch in general that make no sense to me.

The main thing, for me, is the décor of the ranch.  In a word, yuk.  Why does everything seem brown?  The sofa, I guess, can only be brown, what with every cow patty and pieces thereof stuck to boots and rubbed off when someone lies down. There's always black, white and red, and a black sofa would do the trick.

The flowers.  The Drummonds live on uncountable acres, yet they have no flower garden?  They either use that big vase of white paper flowers to greet people at the door, or they race to the flower shop when guests are coming for a meal.  When they hired someone to mow their lawn, Ree could have hired them to do a flower garden for her and keep it weeded.

Sorry, Ree, I don't have all the answers, but I have more suggestions, such as: whatever you do, don't redecorate in Mexican!  

[peacheslatour]

^^^You don't make the big bucks with flowers. I would wager Ree doesn't lift a finger without calculating profit margins. You know she's just a simple country girl.

[Lura]

LOL!  Out in the middle of nowhere.

[HyeChaps]

I work in a bookstore. There is a new reprint out of Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The forward was written by Ree and focuses, of course,  on the food. I admit, that is always my favorite part of the series. 

[grisgris]

Almanzo, Royal, Eliza Jane (were there more?) all survived without Tabasco sauce!

My favorite stories were when Royal gave the schoolteacher a blacksnake whip to use on the classroom bullies and when Almanzo milk-fed the gigantic pumpkin for the county fair. Which raises the question, did them menfolk back then have to tend to the VEGETABLE garden?

[tabloidlover]

My favorite book in the series was the one that focused on Almanzo's childhood.   His home sounded so cozy!

[grisgris]

Dang! Almost makes me want to dig up a set of Little House books.  A friend of my sister's read the series to her daughter and she said that they took on a whole new perspective when you read them as adults. I imagine so!

[peacheslatour]

22 hours ago, grisgris said:

Almanzo, Royal, Eliza Jane (were there more?) all survived without Tabasco sauce!

My favorite stories were when Royal gave the schoolteacher a blacksnake whip to use on the classroom bullies and when Almanzo milk-fed the gigantic pumpkin for the county fair. Which raises the question, did them menfolk back then have to tend to the VEGETABLE garden?

Shocking!  How un-Manly of him.

[grisgris]

Hee!

[Aquarius]

I never read Farmer Boy but I read all the Little House books.

I once tried to make the maple candies that Laura described in Little House in the Big Woods (my all time favorite) - maple syrup drizzled in a plate of snow.

I had the snow, no problem in a New Jersey winter.  Obviously I had a plate.  But pancake syrup is not maple syrup.  Being eight years old, I had no idea of the difference, so I always felt cheated that nothing resembling a candy resulted from my efforts.  It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I realized I used the wrong ingredient!

[grisgris]

I just ordered "A Wilder Rose," written by Laura and Almanzo's daughter.  If we were fans of the series, then we're surely heard the rumors that Rose really ghost-wrote the books for her mother.  Sounds like an interesting read that I'm confident will be as factual as it could be while still being salable and not be OTT sensational. 

Some of the reviews on Amazon said that the book forever tainted their view of LIW but I say that I'm an adult and it is what it is! LOL!

RWL sounded like an interesting character herself. I'm going to start it today while I'm doing laundry and will report back after I've gotten well enough into it.

[peacheslatour]

14 hours ago, Aquarius said:

I never read Farmer Boy but I read all the Little House books.

I once tried to make the maple candies that Laura described in Little House in the Big Woods (my all time favorite) - maple syrup drizzled in a plate of snow.

I had the snow, no problem in a New Jersey winter.  Obviously I had a plate.  But pancake syrup is not maple syrup.  Being eight years old, I had no idea of the difference, so I always felt cheated that nothing resembling a candy resulted from my efforts.  It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I realized I used the wrong ingredient!

The recipe I read said Ma used sugar and molasses.

[Aquarius]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

The recipe I read said Ma used sugar and molasses.

In my childhood version of the book (which was originally one of those condensed versions that I later replaced), it was maple syrup.  I never checked to see what it was in the uncondensed version.

[peacheslatour]

40 minutes ago, Aquarius said:

In my childhood version of the book (which was originally one of those condensed versions that I later replaced), it was maple syrup.  I never checked to see what it was in the uncondensed version.

That may have been why it didn't work. Molasses mixed with sugar would harden when it hit the cold snow. I don't think even real maple syrup would. Fie upon those condensed books!

[coppersin]

Looks like you can do it with maple syrup if the syrup has been boiled until it thickens, or until the syrup is the perfect temp: too hot, it melts the snow; too cold and the syrup won't congeal. I also read the books as a kid and tried pancake syrup + snow. When nothing happened, I figured it wasn't cold enough outside so I took my plate inside and left it in the freezer - and it promptly slid out a few minutes later when my mother opened the freezer. I still remember the look on her face while she tried to process why she was covered in cold, sticky mystery goo.

Edited March 1, 2017 by coppersin

[peacheslatour]

10 minutes ago, coppersin said:

Looks like you can do it with maple syrup if the syrup has been boiled until it thickens. I also read the books as a kid and tried pancake syrup + snow. When nothing happened, I figured it wasn't cold enough outside so I took my plate inside and left it in the freezer - and it promptly slid out a few minutes later when my mother opened the freezer. I still remember the look on her face while she tried to process why she was covered in cold, sticky mystery goo.

OMG that's hilarious!

[Aquarius]

coppersin, thank you!  As a kid I would not have even known what molasses was, but I did know what "maple" syrup was.  I was sure it was maple syrup and snow.

[grisgris]

Didn't Ma also make pot pie out of grackles or starlings or something? I definitely remember reading about "blackbird pie." I don't remember the backstory. No chickens? Or maybe Ma was just punking the girls and it really was chicken pie and they'd been reading nursery rhymes or something.

Starling pie? Now that would be a genuine "Pioneer Woman" feat!

[peacheslatour]

16 hours ago, grisgris said:

Didn't Ma also make pot pie out of grackles or starlings or something? I definitely remember reading about "blackbird pie." I don't remember the backstory. No chickens? Or maybe Ma was just punking the girls and it really was chicken pie and they'd been reading nursery rhymes or something.

Starling pie? Now that would be a genuine "Pioneer Woman" feat!

They've got to be good for something. Rotten, filthy invasive species I tell you what...

[grisgris]

No kidding. I hate starlings. I'd be afraid to eat one. You'd probably pick up some horrible disease and die.

I made a mistake. "A Wilder Rose," was written about daughter Rose, not by her.  Apparently the author had acquired a collection of RWL's diaries, writings and other musings and has pieced together a story of how the "Little House" series came about. Part of it is as factual as can be and the rest is conjecture. So I guess that makes it a hybrid fiction/non-fiction?  So far, it's been OK to read. 

[Lura]

I've looked askance at the maple syrup industry ever since reading, several years ago, about the dirty tricks the farmers are pulling on the consumers in New York State and Vermont.  It seems they're accused of watering down their syrup and selling it for quite a profit.  This includes products on the supermarket shelves.  As one who was weaned on the real stuff, this was unthinkable!  Oddly, it was the small farmers who got away with it more than the bigger outfits.  The MS Board promised to crack down, but we've all heard that before.  If you happen to read an update, please keep us posted.

[film noire]

On 3/2/2017 at 11:07 AM, peacheslatour said:

They've got to be good for something. Rotten, filthy invasive species I tell you what...

I know they cause enormous problems -- from interfering with air travel to harming local songbirds -- but then I see this, and I'm left amazed by them.

Edited March 5, 2017 by film noire

[Automne]

A rerun they aired yesterday (Sunday) was Ree doing "crazy" desserts. "Crazy" like fried cheesecake bites because she's apparently never been to a state fair or carnival. "Crazy" like s'mores cupcakes, something I've been making at work for the past four years and a rather basic take on the s'mores fad currently passing through. I don't even remember what the other dessert was, except that it was silly as hell and covered in candy.

[jcbrown]

FN is getting some flack for the episode where Ree decides to "prank" her family by making "Asian" chicken wings, to the horror of her redneck husband and spawn, of course.

http://www.eater.com/2017/3/7/14846788/pioneer-woman-racist-asian-hot-wings

Edited March 7, 2017 by jcbrown

[peacheslatour]

15 hours ago, jcbrown said:

FN is getting some flack for the episode where Ree decides to "prank" her family by making "Asian" chicken wings, to the horror of her redneck husband and spawn, of course.

http://www.eater.com/2017/3/7/14846788/pioneer-woman-racist-asian-hot-wings

Yep, typical for the Drummonds.

[ariel]

16 hours ago, jcbrown said:

FN is getting some flack for the episode where Ree decides to "prank" her family by making "Asian" chicken wings, to the horror of her redneck husband and spawn, of course.

http://www.eater.com/2017/3/7/14846788/pioneer-woman-racist-asian-hot-wings

Sadly some of her redneck fans will love her even more for this.

[IOU Payne]

Are the Drummond menfolk such hardcore Philistines that they wouldn't even try the Asian wings?  You'd think that with Ree being a food blogger, that they would be accustomed to being her in-house focus group for new recipes.  The mind boggles.....

[peacheslatour]

18 minutes ago, ariel said:

Sadly some of her redneck fans will love her even more for this.

Stigginit!

[Lura]

Apparently, if you grow up on a golf course in OK, you don't have to think about Asians, except to eat in their restaurants and try to mimic their food. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by Lura

[Lura]

STARLING RECIPES (Keep secret from Ree)

* Clean the bird; stuff with fruit & wrap in bacon.  Bake 1 hour @ 500 degrees on an Oak Plank.  Throw out the bird and eat the plank.

*  Fry some chopped turnips and carrots.  Add a little stock and a glass of red wine.  Place some starlings or other small birds in the pan.  Add a thin puree of boiled potatoes mashed with beaten eggs, dry mustard, and some stock and a little beer.  Cover with stock and cook for about 30 minutes, adding some ripe olives near the end.  http://https;//thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-411096.html

*  Dose anyone know any good starling recipes.  I love the taste but my grandma always made them for me and she is no longer able to make them.  It was always a type of stew she would make out of them, but any recipe will do.  Has anyone other than myself ever ate starlings.  I told a friend about cooking starlings and he just looked at me like I was nuts.  O' well his loss.  https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/starlingrecipes.420717/

*  Pluck 'em.  Then fricassee 'em like grouse. Steep 24 of 'em in cold water with a little vinegar.  Drain and rinse.  Put into a pot large enough to be able to barely cover.  Season lightly with mace, lemon zest and juice and a dash of sugar.   Simmer until tender.  Make pastry for a large double-crust pie.  Remove and bone the wee birds.  Keep the liquid and put into a large casserole lined with pastry.  Cover with pastry.  Salt and pepper  Thicken with a roux.  Score the top and bake until evenly browned.  No, I haven't tried it.

*  How to Skin and Clean A  Starling Bird -- YouTube  

Edited March 9, 2017 by Lura
typos

[peacheslatour]

I imagine starling to taste somewhere between heartbreak and utter annoyance.

[maggiemae]

The Asian wings has hit Huffington Post - sorry I don't know how to link.

[rustyspigot]

On 3/7/2017 at 5:37 PM, jcbrown said:

 

FN is getting some flack for the episode where Ree decides to "prank" her family by making "Asian" chicken wings, to the horror of her redneck husband and spawn, of course.

 

Now they're getting offended? Did they miss her peasant tops all these years?

[cathy]

Ree is a phony and a fraud.  She (or someone else) planned all of this out years ago.  There is no way she could become that big that fast without some type of special help