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February 23, 2004
Lend Me Some Sugar
Q: Should I really shake it like a Polaroid picture?
Posted by pogo at 06:58 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
February 09, 2004
I’ll come back to you some sunny day
I’m a floral designer. I’ve been doing it, on and off, for quite a few years, and have amassed quite a bit of irascibility under my belt, particularly at this time of year. I’ve been known to be sarcastic and prone to making fun of particularly bad card messages (note to all the lads, and lasses, too: never, never, never sent flowers with a message that begins, “Roses are red; violets are blue.” You don’t have to listen to me, but you should.) I discuss it among my colleagues in the shop whenever I end up doing two arrangements for one man (one for the wife, and the other for the mistress, and inevitably the mistress’s is more expensive and showy.) I am unkind to those who speak down to me (which happens more often than you’d imagine) and ridicule them once they leave.
I deal with weddings and funerals and all sorts of anniversaries. Every once in awhile I have to help someone with a particularly sad story, but I’m pretty thick-skinned. Even so, I was unprepared for the phone call I got today. It was from a young man, who sounded like he was about 17 years old. When I asked him for a phone number where I could reach him if there was a problem with his order, his answer threw me for a lulu.
“You can’t call me back. I’m calling you from a cell phone. I’m in Iraq. They said we’d be home for Valentine’s, but we’re not. I can’t talk long, but just tell her I love her on the card, ok?”
And when I got off the phone, I sat down and cried like a baby, and didn’t make fun of anyone at all for the rest of the day, which for me is a personal best.
Posted by pogo at 06:50 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
February 02, 2004
Let’s Eat
One of the best books I got for Christmas this year was Winsor McCay’s “Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend,” truly a very strange and wonderful book.
Ever since I finished it, I’ve been craving that titular dish. So last night, I finally went to Central Market and bought some chichi cheese (no regular old cheddar for this fancy gal, thank you kindly) and created a mountain of delicious rarebit (please, not to be confused with rabbit). So, ladies and gents of the recipe circle, with no further ado, I present to you:
Welsh Rarebit with Tomato
2 T butter
3 T flour
2/3 cup beer (I think an ale is called for here. I used Boddington’s.)
a medium sized can of tomatoes, drained in a sieve, chopped and drained again well
5 oz Lancashire cheese, grated coarse (or good sharp cheddar if you can’t find it.)
5 oz Caerphilly cheese, grated (again, sub cheddar if this is unavailable.)
1/2 t English-style dry mustard (such as Colman’s)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t Tabasco (or to taste)
18 one-inch slices of Italian bread or 12 English muffin halves, toasted
flat-leafed parsley sprigs for garnish
bacon as an accompaniment, if desired
In a saucepan combine the butter and the flour and cook the roux over low heat, stirring, for three minutes. Whisk in the beer and the tomatoes and boil the mixture, whisking, for three minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low, stir in the cheese, the mustard, the Worcestershire and the Tabasco and cook the mixture, stirring, until it is hot (but do not let it boil). Arrange toasts or muffins on a plate and spoon the cheese mixture on top. Garnish with the parsley and serve with the bacon.
This should serve 5-6 cheese-eaters.
Sadly, it did not give me vivid, phantasmagorical dreams. Happily, it did give me a heavy, cheese belly and a warm, wintery feeling. Also, I got to drink the rest of the Boddington’s in the can, and that helped too. Don’t plan on doing anything after eating this, as it acts something like a Quaalude might.
Posted by pogo at 06:53 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack