Month: December 2004

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One of the cool things about Wednesday – food articles in the newspapers.

Newsday’s Sylvia Carter does a write up on the origins of NYC’s favorites – Waldorf salad (actually is from the Waldorf-Astoria); Junior’s Cheesecakes (apparently, Junior’s had a previous name – I had no idea); knish (which the ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani banned from the hot dog carts); bagels and bialys; egg cream; hot dog….

I love this article from the NY Times’ Mark Bittman, wherein he praises the beauty of well-done fried food. He makes everything sounds so yummy and tasty. He justifies the idea of fried food so well:

THE cooking method people fear most is the one they love most: frying.

It does everything you want cooking to do. It makes food crisp, tender, gorgeous and golden. The combination of moistness and crunchiness when you bathe fish in hot oil is incomparable, and vegetables are never more appealing than when they’re fried with a light batter.

Grilling is fun, and appeals to our primitive side; it’s the essence of summer. Frying, on the other hand, is civilized, delicate and more like a winter sport.

Sadly, we’ve been trained to deny our love, even become ashamed of it, because frying is supposed to be unhealthy. And, the naysayers contend, it’s a pain, it’s expensive, and it’s messy.

Hogwash. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked. And on your second try you will come pretty close to mastering the art of frying. You won’t need an “automatic” deep fryer (which is far more trouble than it’s worth) or other fancy equipment. Even a thermometer isn’t essential (though it is
undeniably convenient).

As a nation we eat fried food constantly, but almost always in restaurants, where it’s least likely to be done well, with old oil, sloppy timing and less-than-ideal ingredients.

Frying lends itself to home cooking. Almost all fried food is best about a minute after it is removed from the bubbling oil. That is when it cools off enough so that its surface hardens a bit, before the interior moisture can begin to soften it again and after the danger of scorching the palate has passed. [….]

But, you’ll ask – everyone does – doesn’t the food absorb a lot of oil as it’s cooking? For the answer, I turned to Harold McGee, author of “On Food and Cooking” the second edition of which was just published by Scribner.

Clearly some fat is absorbed by fried foods, but only about as much as that absorbed in sautéing or stir-frying, Mr. McGee said.

“The bigger the surface area compared to the volume, the more oil you end up with,” Mr. McGee said. “A chip is all surface, which is why it’s so wonderful, but it can wind up being 35 percent oil.” Most fried foods have much less than that.

Let me salute – I, SSW, am a fried food lover, and you, Mr. Bittman, make fried food sound so seductively good…

Oh, and a “Jurisprudence” article from Slate.com’s Dahlia Lithwick – she ponders the question “Does William Rehnquist have a right to keep his medical condition a secret?” There are no easy answers, just way too much speculation, I’d say.

And, since the year is winding down, it’s time to speculate on who’s going to be Time magazine’s person of the year. (and this week’s issue was really nice – a review of photos of the year and of yore – fascinating stuff). I’d take a stab at a guess right now, since I was so on the money last year: since it was a nutty election year, I’d say that the American voter ought to be the person of the year – especially since last year’s was already the American soldier. So, someone, please, just give me the cash in case my prediction works… 😉

Umm, t’is the season to eat, drink, and be merry (so speculate and gossip to your heart’s content, I guess)…

“I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown” – in which Rerun, Linus and Lucy’s little brother, befriends Snoopy. In fact, Rerun likes the dog so much, that he wishes he had his own dog and offers to pay Charlie Brown for Snoopy. Charlie Brown tries to find another dog for Rerun – inviting Snoopy’s brother Spike from the desert for Christmas. But, that weird mom of Rerun, Linus, and Lucy, really doesn’t want a dog in the house, so it’s back to the desert for Spike anyway (where he was a heck of a lot more comfortable). It was a weird enough storyline in the comic strips (where it was really obvious that Rerun really fell in love with Snoopy), so seeing it in the tv screen was sweet. Charlie Brown is awfully nice and patient with the strange Rerun. Snoopy’s still strange (apparently, only playing with Rerun for the consideration of Christmas cookies). And, Linus is still attached to the blue blankie. Uh huh. I think that this was one of Charles Schultz last projects (Rerun was certainly the last invented character) – so this is a good watch.

And, got to credit FC – I’m really enjoying “Amazing Race” ever since I watched the last episode of the previous installment, and this current installment has been a fun watch. Thought it was touching how the producers had the contestants visit the point of no return of African slaves before they were shipped to the New World (particularly poignant to watch the African-American father-daughter’s feelings of that moment) and then heading off to Berlin, passing the World War II sites (that father pointed how the whole sadness of this – to go from humanity’s inhumanity in Africa to humanity’s inhumanity in Europe – what point were the producers’ making? “Amazing Race” is a borderline educational tv). Thought that the nasty young husband was just awful to the young wife. Too bad about grandparent pair – they were the example of a halfway decent married couple (the nasty young husband ought to take a lesson from them).

Fascinating story about a 94 year old attorney of the NYC Law Department in Newsday – Edith Spivak, Esq., has finally retired. Salute a pioneer.

NY Times’ Adam Cohen writes an editorial on the latest case before the U.S. Supreme Court, wherein the Court is asked whether to let Californians grow medicinal marijuana – which means possibly asking the Court to overturn the famous Wickard case – that case constitutional law classes made us wonder whether one farmer’s wheat affects the entire market (and which upheld FDR’s New Deal legislation). Cohen notes:

Getting rid of Wickard would be an important first step. At last month’s argument, that did not appear likely. Justice Antonin Scalia, a leading states’ rights champions, said he “always used to laugh at Wickard,” but he seemed prepared to stick with it. It may be, however, that the justices are quicker to limit Congress’s power when it does things they don’t like (like gun regulation) than when it does things they do (like drug regulation). They may be waiting for a more congenial case.

The court will not return to the pre-1937 Constitution in a single case, but it seems likely to keep whittling away Congressional power and federally protected rights. If it does, what President Franklin Roosevelt declared in 1936 – after two key New Deal programs were struck down – will
again be true: “It was not the wage earners who cheered when these laws were declared invalid.”

Worrisome – limiting Congressional power – yeah, about 70 years worth of it. Scary to think about it. Gee, what are we going to do about this, Charlie Brown…?

(oh, and looks like ABC is showing “A Charlie Brown Christmas” again this Thursday. Can’t get enough of the wishy-washy, round-headed kid).

“The Last Time You Used Algebra Was…” – a fascinating article from the NY Times – how many of us use algebra or calculus long after school life was over? Donald G. McNeil, Jr., notes:

Most experts point out that careers in science or computers require mathematics, even when it is not a real job skill but a filter for the lazy or stupid, as passing freshman physics is for pre-med students. (Disclosure: me, for example.) Physics requires calculus, calculus requires algebra and trigonometry, and so on. One must start early.

In the age of Googling and spell-checking, noted Diane Ravitch, the education historian, the “so what?” question could be asked about learning virtually any subject.

“But a democratic society demands an educated populace,” she said. “Why spend hundreds of billions on public education if we’re going to sling it over our shoulder?”

But the best defense – the first to get beyond the utilitarian argument – came from a certain Miss Collins. She is my daughter’s math teacher at a school where there are no boys to distract or intimidate calculating young women.

“If you ask the girls,” she said, “they’ll say it’s another hoop they have to jump through to get into a good college.”

She feels otherwise.

“What we do isn’t exactly what mathematicians do,” she explained. “And I know more alums here become artists than become mathematicians. But kids don’t study poetry just because they’re going to grow up to be poets. It’s about a habit of mind. Your mind doesn’t think abstractly unless it’s asked to – and it needs to be asked to from a relatively young age. The rigor and logic that goes into math is a good way for your brain to be trained.”

Studying poetry is analogous to studying math? Something to justify education in general? Now there’s a thought.

Fascinating article on the art of the sitcom – or, at least, how the format can work: NY Times’ Alexandra Jacobs discusses how CBS’ “Two and a Half Men” may be the successor to “Everyone Loves Raymond” – it’s a goofy yet funny show, where it’s only goal is to make you laugh at a lovingly dysfunctional family. Jacobs notes:

The two leads played true to type: [Jon] Cryer bungled his lines several times, necessitating
multiple takes; [Charlie] Sheen was a perfect smoothie. For those who remember these two men’s earlier incarnations as Brat Packers, there is something very endearing about seeing
them, now both 39 and a bit battered-looking, sequestered in the cozily domestic confines of a television comedy.

Ah, yeah – that’s right – two old Brat Packers. What is the world coming to?! Well, it’s a funny show (although, Sheen’s character has a stalker, which is bizarre…)

Have a good week…

You know it’s not quite a NYC tv holiday season until WNBC Channel 4 airs its annual holiday commercials where management drags its local news people and other departments to the Rockefeller ice rink (or at least the stage under the Christmas Tree) and tape them singing Christmas carols. It’s always a little fun, because then you’d get to do fingerpointing by identifying the familiar tv personalities dancing about in a goofy way or else wearing a Santa cap or whatnot (“Look, Len Berman and Gabe Pressman! Just in time for Hannukah. And, Chuck Scarborough wearing a cool hat. Where’s Sue Simmons anyway?”). Channel 4 could just do a simple gaphic with “Happy Holidays” on the screen, but instead they do this, probably for PR purposes and to show off local network unity.

This year, it’s Jingle Bells, but the gang looks less spirited than they have in previous years (was it too early in the morning for them, before they all got their morning coffees? There’s no bopping around the Christmas tree, just straight singing. Geez, Channel 4 – didn’t management send out the memo to perk up? There’s usually different versions of the holiday commercials (sometime with other songs), so maybe the next one has Channel 4 people looking more cheery.

Rain…

Bill Moyers is retiring. He expects to write a book on his experiences in the LBJ administration, but would otherwise try to get journalism out of his system. Hmm. It’s just weird enough with Tom Brokaw out of the picture. (well, ok, so I’ve watched Moyers more than Brokaw the last two years, but that’s besides the point). At least there are plenty of Moyers’ documentaries and reruns to enjoy.

The other night, the local PBS presented the tribute to George Harrison on “Great Performances” – really great stuff. The music was great, and watching all these old rockers and their friends and families playing and having fun, while honoring a man they all loved.

Happy Hannukah.