Small Talk: The Watering Hole

[Meredith Quill]

The Small Talk topic is for:

• Introductions
• Off-topic chatter
• Having virtual tea with forum buddies

This is NOT a topic for actual show discussion. When you want to talk about the show:

1. Figure out the nature of the topic you want to talk about
2. Look for an existing topic that matches or fits
3. If there is NOT an existing topic that fits, CREATE ONE!

Examples of topics that populate show forums include (but by no means are limited to):

• Character topics
• Spoiler topics
• Comparison topics
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• ...you get the idea

Happy trails beyond Small Talk!

[CharlizeCat]

Well, not to change the subject, but I've decided to change my Halloween costume (again). Now, I am going as the "Princess of Darkness," Kellyanne Conway! A lot of the people who attend the party I go to dress as political satires, so why not? I picked out a fugly dress via upthred.com and found a blonde wig at Amazon. I will take it to my next  hair appointment and let my stylist go crazy in hacking it up and making it look dried out and fried. This costume is mostly makeup, so should be easy and fun!

[Lura]

HOWL!  That should be a hoot, CC!  You have to get someone to take a picture of you when you're all done up in your duds and wig!

[Lura]

Zergnet story about Ree's marriage:

https://www.nickiswift.com/114414/pioneer-womans-strange-marriage/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_4403077&utm_content=5

[Cupid Stunt]

Food Network News:

The Food Network thinks you’ll pay $7 a month for a digital version of the Food Network -- Discovery would like you to think of its new Food Network Kitchen subscription service as the Peloton for cooking. -- Makes you wonder if anyone at Discovery has actually watched the content on Food Network?

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo splits with Sandra Lee -- Hmm ...

[Kohola3]

16 minutes ago, Cupid Stunt said:

 Discovery would like you to think of its new Food Network Kitchen subscription service as the Peloton for cooking.

Can you say "fat chance"? In what universe would anyone PAY for this crap? 

Hallmark is doing the same thing for their insipid, repetitive-storied movies.  No way in hell would I pay for either.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, Cupid Stunt said:

Food Network News:

The Food Network thinks you’ll pay $7 a month for a digital version of the Food Network -- Discovery would like you to think of its new Food Network Kitchen subscription service as the Peloton for cooking. -- Makes you wonder if anyone at Discovery has actually watched the content on Food Network?

From that article:

Quote

That’s because while Discovery, like every other TV programmer, is interested in selling stuff directly to consumers, its core business is still based on wholesaling its programming to the cable guys, who turn around and sell it in a bundle to consumers. And the cable guys don’t want the programmers to compete with them.

That is not an entirely accurate statement. And I think I can shine a little light on the truth, which should help answer this question:

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

In what universe would anyone PAY for this crap?

First of all, let me fix up the first sentence: 

That’s because while Discovery, like every other TV programmer, is interested in selling stuff directly to consumers [because consumers have started to show that they like to just pay for what they actually watch], its core business is still based on wholesaling its programming to the cable guys, who turn around and [ARE FORCED TO] sell it in a bundle to consumers [by Discovery just like every other TV programmer].

Discovery does indeed make it's money from the per subscriber fees it charges to cable and satellite customers. It also very clearly states before it lets DirecTV or Comcast have the Food Network, that it MUST be carried in at least 80 of the homes that buy TV from them. All of the basic channels are ONLY offered to cable and satellite companies. That way Discovery, Disney, Fox and so on all ensure that they are bundled together and get themselves a monthly fee from some 80-90 million homes every month.

BUT, where I said 80 to 90 million homes is continually shrinking as people figure out that they can just do without cable or satellite.  

Which means Discovery needs to figure out a way to get that money back, which at this point is a combination of jacking up the monthly fees they currently get each month from those of us who pay for cable or satellite, and starting up a streaming service.

So services like this one, and the CBS one where you get some stuff that you get on the TV and other "new" stuff is their way of for the moment, having their cake and eating it too.  In CBS's case, they're collection $3+ a month from customers paying for cable, and ANOTHER $6 for the ones who want to stream to get Star Trek. 

They're all doing this to get the streaming business up and running for when the subscriber losses from traditional cable starts really accelerating.  At some point, there is going to be a streaming service for pretty much every programmer, and then guess what?  Somebody is going to figure out how to bundle them all together in a cost effective way, just like Cable has done for the last 40 years. 

And then there is this sentence, "And the cable guys don’t want the programmers to compete with them." That's a crock. Cable guys (not satellite) also sell the internet. They do not care. They'll be just fine if everybody streams TV from now on and really needs a good high speed connection.

[Cupid Stunt]

This will break a few hearts: Tex Wasabi's in Santa Rosa closes after nearly 20 years

Their sushi was nothing exordinary, but the dry ribs (no sauce) were worth the visit

Edited October 1, 2019 by Cupid Stunt

[Cupid Stunt]

Food Network star Carl Ruiz died of clogged arteries

[Kohola3]

8 hours ago, Cupid Stunt said:

Food Network star Carl Ruiz died of clogged arteries

Ree, behold your future.  And that of your meat lovin' husband as well.

[Cupid Stunt]

Ree Drummond Lost an Impressive Amount of Weight Thanks to a Low-Carb Diet … selling a new cookbook veering from her usual carb-laden offal.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Cupid Stunt

[Nicmar]

On 11/16/2019 at 7:43 PM, Cupid Stunt said:

Ree Drummond Lost an Impressive Amount of Weight Thanks to a Low-Carb Diet … selling a new cookbook veering from her usual carb-laden offal.

I read an article in the food network magazine just a sample of what she eats in a day.  She started off the day with a Diet Dr Pepper. Cause thats always healthy. She pretty much snacks a lot not a regular meal.

[Dineen]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/restaurantsandnews/the-most-iconic-pie-from-every-state/ss-AAJzClt?ocid=spartanntp#image=18  good article about the most iconic pie for each state.

[chessiegal]

For those irritated by all the new ads popping up and jerking the page around and adding a banner ad at the bottom, I found an ad blocker that is working for me. I have MS 10 and use Edge. I went to the Microsoft store and downloaded a free app called AdBlock Ultimate. It's working like a charm - no ads and no page jumping around.

[Lisin]

For the record, when you use ad blocker on free sites like this one all you are doing is shortening its lifespan. We mods are all volunteers and this site takes money to run so while you are allowed to do whatever you want when you block the ads you risk losing the site entirely eventually because it costs more than it makes. 

[chessiegal]

Picture of my kitty Jinglebelle absolutely fascinated with the Kitty Bowl 🤣

[Mandolia]

Hello friends over the Atlantic!  

A quick question, if anybody has a moment to answer.  I'm putting together a little piece for a weeny local mag (probably read by 3 men and a dog, but it's quite fun to cobble together a few paragraphs from time to time) with a vague theme of "food named after people" and the history behind the dishes..Peach Melba, Oysters Rockerfeller, Beef Wellington, Fettucine Alfredo (this history behind this is fascinating!), etc, etc.  Anyway: a question about Cobb Salad, which isn't something we have in the UK.  What I can't work out, despite there being MILLIONS (thousands, perhaps) of references to it if you do an internet search, is whether it's something that's served on a big platter for people to dig into or is it served on individual plates?  I know where Cobb Salad originated and the original components in the 1920s/30s.  But would love to know how it's served as a restaurant dish (or, indeed, at home) nowadays.

Many thanks!

 

[Kohola3]

4 hours ago, Mandolia said:

served on a big platter for people to dig into or is it served on individual plates

Restaurants serve it on individual plates anyplace I have seen it.  

[Mandolia]

49 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Restaurants serve it on individual plates anyplace I have seen it.  

Thank you so much!

[chessiegal]

Yes, I've only seen Cobb Salad served on individual plates. Caesar Salad is a different story. It has a history (In nicer restaurants) of being made table side with a big production, and the maker/server then putting it on individual plates. Some don't eat it because the recipe for the dressing has a raw egg in it. On the other hand you can get what is called Caesar Salad at fast food places. I've had the fancy made before me, and it was very good.

How about Bananas Foster? That's usually made tableside with great flair, including the flaming of the rum and banana liqueur.

New Orleans Bananas Foster

[chessiegal]

Oh, and German chocolate cake is another one. It's not from Germany, but named after the American Baker Samuel German who developed the chocolate.

German chocolate cake origins

There is/was a tv show on Cooking Channel called Food: Fact or Fiction. Not sure it's still in production, but I used to see reruns. It has a lot of looking at the origins of foods.

 

[Kohola3]

5 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Not sure it's still in production, but I used to see reruns

The reruns are still on the Cooking channel. Unfortunately that's a pay one and I don't get it.  Sounds like it would be interesting.

[chessiegal]

I upgraded my cable package specifically to get Cooking Channel once the then owned by Scripts switched their Fine Living Channel to Cooking Channel, at a time when there were fewer actual cooking shows on Food Network. Sometimes CC isn't much better than FN these days. I do enjoy Bobby Flay's Brunch at Bobby's. I read he'd been bugging FN for years to do a brunch show, and they told him there was no room for one on FN. So once CC came to be, he got his brunch show.

[chessiegal]

While Cherries Jubilee isn't named after a person, it is thought to have been developed for one of Queen Victoria's Jubilees.

Cherries Jubilee

 

[CharlizeCat]

Here is Boston Cream Pie, which is actually a cake!

https://newengland.com/today/food/desserts/pies-pastries/boston-cream-pie/

[Mandolia]

Thank you so much for the replies to my rather off-the-wall question!

chessiegal, Caesar Salad is on my list!   I saw the rather theatrical way it was presented at the table during a Rick Stein show - think it was called The Road to Mexio...really interesting combo of travelog and food, him recreating a road trip he did from San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta in his 20s.  One of his stopping points was Tijuana and the restaurant where Casesar Salad originated and they keep to the original recipe. It's "evolved" from the original and you meet it, so speak, in the most surprising places and it bears very little resemblance to the original.  And a big debate on whether anchovy should or shouldn't form a part of the dressing.

(Thoroughly recommend any of Rick Stein's shows - think they're shown in the States?)

 

[maggiemae]

I would recoil at eating an anchovy.

 

OTOH  anchovy paste is a nice addition to a caesar dressing.

[Mandolia]

On 8/16/2020 at 4:12 AM, maggiemae said:

I would recoil at eating an anchovy.

 

OTOH  anchovy paste is a nice addition to a caesar dressing.

Anchovy in its "visible" form - salad Nicoise. as an example - makes me squirm in horror!  And I once went to a rather pretentious (therefore expensive) "gastropub" (not sure what the equivalent would be in the States, if there is one!) and ordered Cassar salad and the plate arrived with an OCEAN of anchovy fillets swimming within the romaine lettuce, croutons, etc.  I sent it back, commenting that Caesar salad does not have anchovy fillets on and the chef was extremely rude and more or less said I knew nothing and his was the correct recipe.  I stood my ground, much to my companions' embarrassment! 

On the other hand, I'm absolutely fine with anchovy paste or whole anchovies mashed up.  You don't really know it's there, just adds a certain je ne sais quoi with not a hint of fishiness.  Excellent addition to all sorts of things.

[chessiegal]

@Mandolia How did your article turn out? Such an interesting idea for an article.

Also, what do folks in England think of Jamie Oliver. I really enjoy his shows that air on our PBS (Public Broadcasting System) stations. We ate at his Barbecoa restaurant after we visited St. Paul's. The food was wonderful and there service was superb. I see it has since closed.

[Mandolia]

On 9/20/2020 at 10:00 PM, chessiegal said:

@Mandolia How did your article turn out? Such an interesting idea for an article.

Also, what do folks in England think of Jamie Oliver. I really enjoy his shows that air on our PBS (Public Broadcasting System) stations. We ate at his Barbecoa restaurant after we visited St. Paul's. The food was wonderful and there service was superb. I see it has since closed.

@chessiegal The article remains a "work in progress" (there was no specific deadline, more a case of let-us-have-it-when-you-feel-like-it so all very relaxed!).  It's been absolutely fascinating uncovering the back story to dishes one has heard of and wondered why they're called after whoever.  Fettucine Alfredo is worth a article of its own.

Re Jamie Oliver, I think he's best described as a tale of two Jamies: Jamie the TV chef (with cookery books in tandem with his shows) and Jamie the restauranteur, each operating independently of the other. 

He is infinitely more successful at the former.  His cookery shows are - on the whole - really good and he produces food that one a) wants to eat and b) can make without having a nervous breakdown over attempting complicated techniques, etc.  And the travelogue progs he's done have also been good - he did a series in the States which explored different cultures' food and how old traditions are maintained and - hopefully - passed on.  

With the restaurants, from what I've read he overextended hugely - perhaps  not so much him as his team at the top who either advised him badly or made some bad business decisions (JO does not pretend to be a businessman).  When he started Jamie's Italian (I think that's what it was called) it was good, just one restaurant...then more opened and it became a run-of-the-mill chain.  Expensive, too, and pretty poor reviews on the food.  I think there were 3 different brands, inc where you dined, and they went belly-up, owing huge amounts to suppliers, in wages, to HMRC (like your IRS).  He still has food outlets of some sort - or maybe they're franchised? - at Gatwick airport, and I think Jamie's Italian remains franchised all over the world and therefore wasn't part of the business going kaput in the UK.     

Jamie the TV chef has earned a fortune and he did inject some of that money into the restaurant side but too little, too late.  It didn't go down well in the press when it was announced that he'd bought a huge great place in the country for £7 million at more or less at the same time as administrators were called in and staff were laid off.  Not a great PR triumph.

 

[CharlizeCat]

I don't know who will see this, but I wanted to post some sad news ... if you remember our friend, Lura, who hasn't posted here for a few years now. I received a letter from her husband today and Lura passed away on October 3. For those of you who knew her, you may recall that she experienced two devastating falls in short succession a few years ago. Sadly, she has been confined in a hospital bed in her home and was having increasing difficulty in communicating via computer. She didn't die of any specific cause, but it sounds like her body just was worn out and shut down. I have missed her fun and witty posts but know that she is in a better place where she won't be in pain and will be at peace. R.I.P. 🙏💗

[Aunt Catfish]

R.I.P. Lura.  We will miss you.

[Automne]

I only come to the forum sporadically and missed this. What sad news. Lura was such a fun and engaging presence on the board. We'll miss her and I wish her family warmth and light in the holiday season.