Small Talk: Afternoon Tea

[OnceSane]

I have to share this:

My son and I watch the Bake Off shows together (he just turned four) and we're currently watching Junior Bake Off--Nadiya is one of the judges and he adores her.  While we watch, he uses his toys (or anything he can get his hands on) to pretend he's baking along with them.  I even have to say "On your marks, get set…Bake!".  AND I have to let him know when there's only one minute remaining to which he replies "My time is almost up!"…it is ridiculously cute.

[GaT]

I just got an OLED TV, & I'm watching GBBO on Netflix for this first time since I got it. It's hard to explain, but it's like I'm in the tent, everybody is so high contrast it doesn't look like film, it looks like real life. I wonder if I can grab a cookie LOL

[AZChristian]

We recently spent the Christmas holidays on a cruise to Hawaii.  On New Year's Eve, a croqueembouche was put at the entry table to the formal dining room.  I'd not seen one "in person" before - just on TV baking shows.

To be honest, it looked like one of those dusty (fake) sample cakes put out in a lot of bakeries to display what types of things they can make for special occasions.  Maybe it was . . . I didn't touch it.  But at least I knew what it was!!!

[cynicat]

For the discussion about the NYC bagel search, I thought I'd throw in 2 other options.  I see that Zucker's is sold out, however you might also try H&H as well as Zabars.  After living in the South for 10 years, those became a lifeline.  Granted, H&H isn't the original, but it's still pretty good.

[GaT]

8 hours ago, cynicat said:

For the discussion about the NYC bagel search, I thought I'd throw in 2 other options.  I see that Zucker's is sold out, however you might also try H&H as well as Zabars.  After living in the South for 10 years, those became a lifeline.  Granted, H&H isn't the original, but it's still pretty good.

The site I linked to is Goldbelly, it isn't Zucker's site, so even though the Yum Kippur special is sold out, there are other bagel things from Zucker's & other NY stores that you can still get. I'll check these other 2 sites out.  

[Rammchick]

Another possibility is Katz's.  One year for my birthday, a friend and I did a big deli order.  If you spend $100, you get free shipping, and that's not hard to do.  We got pastrami, brisket, pickles, rye bread, babka, bagels, and bialys.  I was in heaven!

I could have sworn I heard that H&H closed?

 

[cynicat]

7 hours ago, Rammchick said:

I could have sworn I heard that H&H closed?

The original H&H did close, but I think there are a few others scattered around.  Not exactly the same, but still pretty good.  I'll check out the Katz site too.  

[Rammchick]

On 10/11/2020 at 2:34 AM, cynicat said:

The original H&H did close, but I think there are a few others scattered around.  Not exactly the same, but still pretty good.  I'll check out the Katz site too.  

Here's another one for you that looks pretty good -- https://bagelofthemonth.com/  I've been getting their emails and the prospect of rainbow cookies may have won me over!

[libgirl2]

24 minutes ago, lark37 said:

 Count me in on liking banana flavor, but hating actual bananas. It’s the texture ick!

I like bananas in that small amount of time from green to brown. They don't taste "over" banana yet. But I also like banana flavors and bananas in desserts. 

[Quilt Fairy]

8 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I like bananas in that small amount of time from green to brown. They don't taste "over" banana yet. But I also like banana flavors and bananas in desserts. 

Same.  There is a small window when they're just slightly under-ripe (yellow with green edges) when they're perfect for me.  Once they're all yellow, they're a bit too ripe for me although I can eat them.  (To be fair, bananas are good for you.)  But this year, something is off this year with bananas.  Even though I follow my well-established standards for picking them, I haven't found a decent banana for months.  

[libgirl2]

4 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

Same.  There is a small window when they're just slightly under-ripe (yellow with green edges) when they're perfect for me.  Once they're all yellow, they're a bit too ripe for me although I can eat them.  (To be fair, bananas are good for you.)  But this year, something is off this year with bananas.  Even though I follow my well-established standards for picking them, I haven't found a decent banana for months.  

My husband eats a banana every morning. Since I'm the one that buys them, I have noticed they seem to go brown really fast. Or you get ones that are green and they never turn yellow. He doesn't mind them super brown but has tossed some that split before he could eat them. 

[chaifan]

33 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

My husband eats a banana every morning. Since I'm the one that buys them, I have noticed they seem to go brown really fast. Or you get ones that are green and they never turn yellow. He doesn't mind them super brown but has tossed some that split before he could eat them. 

Oh, never toss a brown banana.  Either make banana bread, or freeze it.  Pro tip:  peel first, cut up into pieces, then freeze.  It's nearly impossible to peel a frozen banana.  I like using the frozen chunks to make milk shakes.  The banana stands in for ice cream.  Add some milk, some cocoa powder, a spoonful of peanut butter, and blend.  It's delicious, and reasonably healthy!  A great treat for after yard work. 

[dleighg]

42 minutes ago, chaifan said:

It's nearly impossible to peel a frozen banana.

I don't find that. Since I'm typically making banana bread, I let it thaw a bit and the peel comes right off.

[magdalene]

2 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I like bananas in that small amount of time from green to brown. They don't taste "over" banana

Yes, yes, I like bananas when they are not green but not in the ripe stage either. That way they are not mushy and over-sweet.

[kirklandia]

Look what just popped up on my Apple News feed!

Turn your overripe banana (even its skin) into a smoothie. Instead of chucking that banana into the compost bin, wash it, cut the two hard ends off and "liquidize the whole thing, including the skin" in a blender, says Leith. The black skin of a banana has loads of good stuff in it: fiber, polyunsaturated fats and amino acids. As you whizz it up, add milk and lots of cinnamon. "If you really want a treat, put a blob of vanilla ice cream."

[libgirl2]

I dont bake and I don't like over ripe ones in a smoothie. 

[SemiCharmedLife]

I'm the same with bananas- love them when they are just underripe.  They are a big treat for me when I eat one since they are loaded with carbs.  My hubby also eats one each morning.

I have to say that I didn't enjoy most of the decorations of the showstoppers.  I thought so many of the color combinations were atrocious...or should I say "garish." Yes, I know the 70's were an explosion of color, but I didn't care for some of the interpretations. Ones I did not like the looks of were front runners Georgie and Dylan.  I liked Gill's showstopper- it looked great.  Her idea of the shag rug was fun and added some whimsy to a beautiful dessert.  Christiaan's showstopper could have been brilliant, but I think he ran out of time cooling those psychedelic collars. 

[RoxiP]

I was told by a nutritionist that bananas they are just past the green stage are the best to eat - once they get to that really ripe stage they are loaded with sugar. (but don't quote me - I could be getting this all wrong - 4 surgeries in 3 months have made my brain turn to overripe banana mush!)

[Shrek]

8 hours ago, RoxiP said:

I was told by a nutritionist that bananas they are just past the green stage are the best to eat - once they get to that really ripe stage they are loaded with sugar. (but don't quote me - I could be getting this all wrong - 4 surgeries in 3 months have made my brain turn to overripe banana mush!)

The sugar content part is correct, so I guess it depends on what you want out of your Banana. Personally, I hate the things with a vengeance, and I was a produce manager for over 10 years. 

[RoxiP]

I fight chronically low potassium so I think that was why I was advised to eat that maturity of banana.  

[peeayebee]

I didn't know bananas were so divisive.

[Cattoy]

6 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I didn't know bananas were so divisive.

They're a slippery subject. Not everyone gets the a-peel.

[peeayebee]

*groan* 

[jcbrown]

You win my internet today, @Cattoy.

[SemiCharmedLife]

2 hours ago, Cattoy said:

They're a slippery subject. Not everyone gets the a-peel.

Okay, I know we're really going wild with the banana talk, but I have to share that I actually slipped on a banana peel- just like in the cartoons!  One of my kindergarten students dropped his peel on the floor. I literally flew across the floor and landed on my bum.  It was a shock and hurt, but I had to stifle the giggles because all I could think of was the myriad of banana slipping scenes I had seen in my lifetime!

[Shrek]

9 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

Okay, I know we're really going wild with the banana talk, but I have to share that I actually slipped on a banana peel- just like in the cartoons!  One of my kindergarten students dropped his peel on the floor. I literally flew across the floor and landed on my bum.  It was a shock and hurt, but I had to stifle the giggles because all I could think of was the myriad of banana slipping scenes I had seen in my lifetime!

There was a Mythbusters episode where the slipping on a banana peel "myth" was tested & they showed that it is indeed not a myth and that banana peelings are in fact very slippery.

[meep.meep]

On 11/18/2024 at 9:52 PM, RoxiP said:

I was told by a nutritionist that bananas they are just past the green stage are the best to eat - once they get to that really ripe stage they are loaded with sugar. (but don't quote me - I could be getting this all wrong - 4 surgeries in 3 months have made my brain turn to overripe banana mush!)

Carb Manager says that an average banana has 28 grams of carbohydrate - I get to eat 30 grams each day so no bananas for me.  No cake or pie either - why am I watching this show?

For those of you cracking each other up with banana and peel jokes - I hope you caught this week's episode of What We Do In the Shadows for Nadja doing the same thing.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, meep.meep said:

Carb Manager says that an average banana has 28 grams of carbohydrate - I get to eat 30 grams each day so no bananas for me.  No cake or pie either - why am I watching this show?

For those of you cracking each other up with banana and peel jokes - I hope you caught this week's episode of What We Do In the Shadows for Nadja doing the same thing.

OMG! Yes! And I loved how by the end it was black! 

[Quilt Fairy]

19 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

Okay, I know we're really going wild with the banana talk, but I have to share that I actually slipped on a banana peel- just like in the cartoons!  One of my kindergarten students dropped his peel on the floor. I literally flew across the floor and landed on my bum.  It was a shock and hurt, but I had to stifle the giggles because all I could think of was the myriad of banana slipping scenes I had seen in my lifetime!

@SemiCharmedLife, we're not laughing at you, we're laughing with you.

Really.

[peeayebee]

4 hours ago, meep.meep said:

For those of you cracking each other up with banana and peel jokes - I hope you caught this week's episode of What We Do In the Shadows for Nadja doing the same thing.

I was going to mention that, too! It's banana week!