The Original Monty Python SPAM Skit

From the second series of "Monty Python's Flying Circus"

Transcribed 9/17/87 from "Monty Python's Previous Record" by Jonathan Partington

Scene: A cafe. One table is occupied by a group of Vikings with horned helmets on. A man and his wife enter.

Man (Eric Idle): You sit here, dear.

Wife (Graham Chapman in drag): All right. more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 10:19 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, my last post jokingly referred to a Top Chef Tragedy. This is a real tragedy. Hitting Marcel/Wolverine with a bottle? Right out.

Surfing around on the term "Top Chef," I found this great guest blog entry by chef Anthony Bourdain (whose No Reservations is another item of must-see TV for me). Bourdain served a stint as guest judge for Top Chef earlier in the season and his assessments of the various contestants (other than Ilan) squares with my own.

The finale airs tomorrow at 9:00CST on Bravo.

Posted by: JohnL at 08:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well not really a tragedy, but I can't believe the Top Chef judges are letting that little crapweasel Wolverine wannabe go to the grand finale next week.

Ilan's fine with me, but my two favorite Chefs, Sam and Elia, got eliminated last night.

My wife thinks the voting was rigged, since Ilan and Marcel have had so much bad blood this season. Say it ain't so! This isn't simply reality TV designed to draw ratings, is it???

Posted by: JohnL at 09:01 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Today's Business section in the Dallas Morning News tells the story of Ed Bailey, whose ownership of 61 McDonald's locations in the ultra-competitive Dallas dining market has made him one of the most successful restaurant franchisees in the world.

Mr. Bailey's success as an entrepreneur began in the fashion business. Having first worked as a traveling dress salesman, Mr. Bailey soon opened and ran a successful men's designer clothing store in Cincinnati for 10 years. When he got his first franchise from McDonald's in 1984, he moved his family to Plano (a great place to live!) and was successful enough in the difficult Valley View Mall food court location that he obtained a second franchise within a year. Over the next 22 years, he added 59 more stores to his portfolio.

His story could have ended there as a great tribute to the American Dream lived by so many successful small business owners. But as the article points out, there's a special angle to Mr. Bailey's success. In the early 1990s, Mr. Bailey decided to distinguish his franchises by spending money to make them more aesthetically pleasing at the same time as his corporate management was pushing cost controls:

Mr. Bailey knew then what Virginia Postrel would later identify as the "aesthetic imperative." In Ms. Postrel's words:

Or, as Mr. Bailey's experience showed, to beat the competition.

For more in the same vein, check out Ms. Postrel's The Substance of Style. And be sure to read the entire Morning News article about Mr. Bailey.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:57 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Blue Bell's Tin Roof Ice Cream is simply the best ice cream flavor in the world.

Followed closely by Baskin Robbins' Chocolate Fudge.

Email me or leave a comment on your favorites and why. I'll expand on this.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:43 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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I've spent most of this weekend in the kitchen, making a couple dozen tamales from scratch and preparing two batches of Jackie's Chex Mix (named after my best childhood friend's mom, who invented this variation of the recipe).

I'll write about the (successful) tamales some other time. This post is devoted to the best Chex Mix you will ever taste:

Make sure you have plenty of room to work. Set out four 9 x 13 (or larger, if your oven will accommodate them) deep lasagna pans on a counter. I like to use disposable ones - you can get a package of 2 at Target for less than $2. Distribute the dry ingredients among the pans evenly (see picture at left).

In a 2-quart batter bowl, melt the butter; 60-90 seconds in the microwave should do the trick. Combine the remaining sauce ingredients. Add enough vegetable oil to make the sauce an even quart, usually just a bit more than one cup. After you've made this a couple times, you may experiment with the spice mix. However, the essential ingredients are Worcestershire sauce, garlic, tabasco, and allspice.

Using a 1/4-cup scoop, spoon out 1/4 cup of the sauce into each of the four pans. Using two spoons, fold and stir the cereal mix until the sauce is evenly distributed. Repeat until all sauce has been evenly spread among the four pans and has coated the cereal mixture. When you're all done, each of the pieces should be glistening slightly. This is the most important step! You don't want some pieces unseasoned and others to be mushy and oily. See the picture at right for how the mix should look after stirring (click for larger).

Put the trays into the oven and roast for 4 hours. Stir every 20 minutes during the first hour, and every 30 minutes thereafter. Sprinkle Accent liberally before each stirring.

Let cool before serving. Enjoy!

Sentimental aside in the extended entry:
more...

Posted by: JohnL at 09:47 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I am currently sipping a new (to me) beer, from one of my favorite breweries in my second-favorite state, The New Belgium Brewing Company of Fort Collins, Colorado.

The brew is called "Abbey" and is a double ale. It has all kinds of wintery overtones (spices and coffee in particular). Still, it has a light bouquet and is much easier to drink than other dark beers (of which I am fond).

I have only ever had the excellent Fat Tire from New Belgium. I think next time, I'll try a Trippel.

Highly recommended.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:29 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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A significant number of the "Anglos" that settled in Texas in the early 19th century were, in fact, Teutons and Slavs. And until the current generation, one could readily encounter German dialects being spoken in small towns in the Texas hill country. (In my sophomore year of college, my German class took a field trip to Fredericksburg, where we struggled to understand the dialect of a 70-something museum guide whose German was anything but Hochdeutsch).

In honor of Oktoberfest (excellent Oktoberfest picture here, btw), here's a site with numerous recipes incorporating sauerkraut, including a couple that might work here in Texas: Surprise Chili and Salsa Ole.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:23 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Interesting... you wouldn't think that the 2 would go together. I'm trying to go to Oktoberfest this year in a little "Alpine" town hidden away in the North GA Mountains. If not, I know of this Mexican place that has beers as big as the one's in that picture.

Posted by: Jen at September 24, 2005 10:06 PM (LdHyM)

2 Jen, sauerkraut goes really well on a chili dog, so I can see the chili recipe working. I can't vouch for any of the recipes, as I haven't prepared them yet. I'll report on the results if and when I make them. Oh, and thanks for dropping by and even more for commenting! Come back soon. (P.S. I checked out your blog. Like it so far - is this your first foray into the 'sphere?)

Posted by: JohnL at September 24, 2005 10:14 PM (dYzx6)

3 Indeed, dogs were made for Kraut! I've had many a good dog from Spring Ho in Lampasas to the Holland Corn Festival and all points in between. I found your link over at Madfish Willie's and came by to have a look. I see you must be able to track me by the comment on my site. Give me some time and I'll try to come up with some meaningful content. Like your site and will be back.

Posted by: Lag at September 28, 2005 04:50 PM (0mDEy)

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Yobbo, who's been chronicling his ongoing debauched journeys through Asia (women, gambling, etc.) over the last several months arrived in Tokyo a few weeks ago, and soon embarked on a mission to find some whale to eat.

Read his account of the unique gustatory experience here.

Almost makes me curious to try it. Even the "lightly roasted" dish (more like whale sashimi), which I can imagine being palatable with some wasabi and ginger, chased by a large Sapporo.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:08 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Undiscussable Realms is a blog I found while randomly trolling Blogspot.

It's like a one-woman Carnival of the Recipes, but with pictures. (Actually, she doesn't have many recipes, but some of the pictures illustrate the stages of putting together a dish).

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Since I was getting ready to leave town last Friday, I missed that the 34th Carnival of the Recipes had been posted at Aussie Wife. I believe this marks the first time one of our friends from down under has hosted the Carnival.

I like the looks of the "Fire Butter" for Uncle Jack's Fire Steak. I also think I'll have to try Laughing Wolf's Roasted (well, Smoked) Lamb.

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Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. We're so glad you could attend! Come inside, come inside!

Introducing the "Karn Evil" of the Recipes 33. We've a sight to make you drool, so keep it cool, keep it cool...
more...

Posted by: JohnL at 01:05 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 Superb effort mate, well done. Love the sci fi theme, although from your site I certainly wasn't surprised. Got me thinking about what theme I'll use next week...

Posted by: Amanda at April 01, 2005 02:23 AM (V5Ybx)

2 Yay! (that's the tradional Munuvian greeting) Great job. Yay! (that's the tradional Munuvian sound of appreciation)

Posted by: Ted at April 01, 2005 03:50 AM (ZjSa7)

3 Very nicely done. Thank you for all the hard work!!

Posted by: Christina at April 01, 2005 07:39 AM (zJsUT)

4 InstaLanche! http://instapundit.com/archives/022164.php

Posted by: Sissy Willis at April 01, 2005 09:26 AM (7WFgX)

5 What, hard work compiling and organizing, PLUS quotes from Heinlein? Dude, yo' da man! Thanks for your hard work.

Posted by: Jim Holmes at April 01, 2005 09:28 AM (txecR)

6 Good job, and I think you made the right choice for a theme.

Posted by: owlish at April 01, 2005 10:43 AM (sBj9U)

7 Excellent... I love the Heinlein theme!!

Posted by: Donna at April 01, 2005 11:01 AM (0yEW+)

8 Great Job! Then again, Heinlein is one of my favorite writers. ;-)

Posted by: vw bug at April 01, 2005 07:59 PM (rhlNH)

9 Well, other than not seeing any quotes from Startship Troopers, it's great work. And thanks for that damn badger movie LINK. Now I can't get the song out of my head: badger-badger-badger-badger-badger-badger-badger- mushroom, mushroom, badger-badger-badger-badger-badger-badger-badger- A SNAKE!!! A SNAKE!!! badger-badger-badger-badger-badger-badger-badger

Posted by: physics geek at April 02, 2005 02:23 PM (TRu8x)

10 I would love to join in on the fun! How do I submit a recipe? Keep in mind I'm a computer moron! LOL!

Posted by: Tallman at April 10, 2005 05:59 PM (mGHUZ)

11 Tallman, Check out the past carnivals here and send an email with your recipe to recipe(dot)carnival(at)gmail(dot)com. That's all you have to do to submit. If you want to host, you'll have to contact Beth at the site linked above.

Posted by: JohnL at April 10, 2005 09:24 PM (gplif)

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I will be hosting the thirty-third Carnival of the Recipes this coming Friday, on April Fool's Day. I'm flip-flopping among SciFi generically, Heinlein specifically, and April Fool's Day as themes for the presentation.

If you have a recipe that you would like to see featured here, please submit it to Beth, the kind coordinator of the Carnival at recipe.carnival(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thanks!

Posted by: JohnL at 10:38 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Not entirely safe for work.

Via Dave Barry's blog, here's a recipe for Janet Jackson Breast Cupcakes.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:46 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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My Roast Lamb and Vegetables recipe is up at this week's Carnival of the Recipes.

Be sure to surf over, and if you try the recipe, please let me know.

I also especially liked the look of the Crunchy Tossed Salad and the Steak With Garlic Blue Cheese Butter.

On a self-centered note, readers following the Carnival link finally pushed my blog over 10,000 visits total. Yay! (I'm sure Glenn's link to the Carnival helped boost the readership).

Posted by: JohnL at 08:11 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I like hot and spicy foods. I love jalapenos and green chile. I add tabasco or picante to about half of my foods. So far I'm the only one in the family who really likes foods that have "the burn." (That might be changing; my second son eats pepperoncinis -- the halting first steps toward more challenging peppers. And both boys like hot link sausages now, too).

Still, I don't really seek out the "nuclear" hot sauces described in this Tim Blair post and comments. Check out the eating habits of some heavy-weight blogging talent -- Lileks, Jarvis, Treacher, and, of course, Blair. As Lileks puts it: How many different ways can you say “my mouth hurt and I blew napalm from my hindquartersâ€�?

(Query: what kind of mind looks at the handicapped rails in a bathroom stall and thinks of Elvis' last moments?).

Posted by: JohnL at 10:49 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Cue Graham Chapman voice: "We are all Britons. . . "

At least those of us who like fish and chips and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.

Guess that makes me British, too, tho' my Scots blood rebels at the notion.

I also like tea (I'm a teasipper, after all) and sausage-and-egg breakfasts.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:43 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I like Jalapeno Jack, Camembert, and Blue Cheese.

Velveeta is best for Chile con queso.

White cheddar's good, too.

I wonder if Mister Mouse knows about this? (Seems too obvious, I know)

Posted by: JohnL at 09:56 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Following up on the earlier chili recipe discussion, Alan Brain pointed me to an Australian menu he summarized last year.

Although the presentation is a little "nouvelle" for my tastes, the selection and mix of native foods looks positively mouth-watering.

While you're at Alan's site, be sure to leave him a congratulatory note on his recent degree in Info Tech.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:59 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Jonah Goldberg is one of the few reasons I check into the Corner semi-regularly. The other day, he posted a cool-looking cocktail recipe in the process of pointing to this twisted movie.

The recipe called to mind the recipe for a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (the effect of drinking of which is like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick) that I prototyped back in college. First, the original recipe, as defined by Douglas Adams in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

• Take the juice from one bottle of Ol' Janx Spirit, it says. Pour it into one measure of water from the seas of Santraginus V -- Oh that Santraginean seawater, it says. Oh those Santraginean fish!


• Allow three cubes of Arcturan Mega-gin to melt into the mixture (it must be properly iced or the benzine is lost).


• Allow four liters of Fallian marsh gas to bubble through it, in memory of all those happy bikers who have died of pleasure in the Marshes of Fallia.


• Over the back of a silver spoon float a measure of Qualactin Hypermint extract, redolent of all the heady odors of the dark Qualactin Zones, subtle, sweet and mystic.


• Drop in the tooth of an Algolian Suntiger. Watch it dissolve, spreading the fires of the Algolian Suns deep into the heart of the drink.


• Sprinkle Zamphuor.


• Add an olive.


• Drink . . . but . . . very carefully . . .

I translated that as follows:

• Ol' Janx Spirit = Bacardi 151 Rum


• Wedge of Lemon Around Gold Brick + Santraginean Sea Water + Fallian
  Marsh Gas = Sprite (or Slice, I think)


• Qualactin Hypermint Extract = Peppermint Schnapps, natuerlich


• Arcturan Mega-Gin = Everclear (though we couldn't get it to freeze)


• Zamphuor = blue food coloring


• No tigers' teeth, unfortunately.

(The approximate ratios in a large blender were: 4 rum : 1 everclear : 1 Schnapps).

• Add ice and Sprite to fill the blender. Blend.


• Sprinkle blue food coloring (stir to swirl) and garnish with an olive.


• Beware.

A so-called friend of mine has some super-8 film footage of the aftermath (this was pre-miniDV handicam days, people). Oh, yeah, and I managed to get a decent education, too.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:38 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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