Ash Wednesday again?

[BecauseHeLives]

Here ya go...

[Serendipitous]

Here ya go...

Are those RD's digits on the certificate???

[BecauseHeLives]

Here ya go...

Are those RD's digits on the certificate???

I seriously doubt. he he

Are you brave enough to call it?

[Serendipitous]

Here ya go...

Are those RD's digits on the certificate???

I seriously doubt. he he

Are you brave enough to call it?

Hmm... which word is a better fit for the question: brave or delusional

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

Hmm... which word is a better fit for the question: brave or delusional

Brave, if you really must know.

[Questioner]

...Anyway, "happy Lent" to all the practicing Catholics. With all sincerity, I hope that whatever your faith means to you is enriched during the next 40(?) days. (just don't ask me to join you)

Thank you dear Serendipitous. Now, when Catholics talk about "meat", they mean only land animals. Fish and shellfish are perfectly OK. This from the meatless Fridays of my childhood. We always had fish sticks, which we kids loved. (Ok, my taste as a child was as bad as any other child's. I'll admit that.)

Giving up chocolate....I don't know about that. That sounds sort of like self mutilation or something equally bad.

So, a whole 40 days eating only delicious brocolli-cheese soup, salmon filets, shrimp, orange roughy, and the like. This isn't much of a hardship. I rather like the idea that what one should do for lent is to make sure that every week one spends at least 8 hours serving the poor in some way. Now that would be sacrifice, in this era of never having any time.

BTW, "serendipitous" is one of my very favorite words.

[Questioner]

With today being the first Friday in Lent, I'm sure the seafood restaurants will be packed more than usual. That got me thinking about Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips - official site or WikiPedia. I used to LOVE that place when I was a child. Now they're apparently down to 45 locations, but at least the one I went to as a child is still open. Gawd, I used to love the malt vinegar!

I still love malt vinegar, and buy it regularly.

[Questioner]

I've yet to find ANY restaurant with chips like Arthur Treacher's!!!

Arthur Treacher's was the best fast food restaurant in the world. How come we still have Arby's and not Arthur Treacher's. Obviously a communist conspiracy going on here. I guess I'll have to find a way to move to Ohio because that is where most of the remaining Arthur Treacher's restaurants seem to be. NONE in Colorado!

[Serendipitous]

...Anyway, "happy Lent" to all the practicing Catholics. With all sincerity, I hope that whatever your faith means to you is enriched during the next 40(?) days. (just don't ask me to join you)

Thank you dear Serendipitous. Now, when Catholics talk about "meat", they mean only land animals. Fish and shellfish are perfectly OK. This from the meatless Fridays of my childhood. We always had fish sticks, which we kids loved. (Ok, my taste as a child was as bad as any other child's. I'll admit that.)

Does it also meaning abstaining from eggs since those come from chicken? The land-animal chicken, and not Jessica Simpson's "Chicken By The Sea"? (Note: Simpson said "by" and not "of" as is the actual name of the tuna) And can you drink milk (cow, goat, whatever)?

Giving up chocolate....I don't know about that. That sounds sort of like self mutilation or something equally bad.

Chocolate withdrawal has been known to drive chocoholics to madness! (I can make up some stats LOL)

So, a whole 40 days eating only delicious brocolli-cheese soup, salmon filets, shrimp, orange roughy, and the like.This isn't much of a hardship.

"No meat" isn't a sacrifice for one who already has a meatless diet. In college, some of the Catholic vegetarians/vegans (?) liked to rub it in.

I rather like the idea that what one should do for lent is to make sure that every week one spends at least 8 hours serving the poor in some way. Now that would be sacrifice, in this era of never having any time.

Now you have me thinking of Pay It Forward.

BTW, "serendipitous" is one of my very favorite words.

I think we've all been serendipitous in one thing or another. The only catch is you have to be looking (usually for something else entirely) in order to make the unexpected discovery. To quote Bono, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for"...

[The Rain King]

Oh PUH-leeze... Peppered vinegar ( either white or cider) belongs on collards, whereas malt vinegar- ahhh.. on frites/chips/fries and fish. And for those of us die-hard Southerners, some hot sauce on the side ( make mine Tabasco or Crystal) for the fish.[/quote]

Malt vinegar is an invention of the Devil to lead evil Yankees and pious Southerners from the true path of culinary righteousness. Hot sauce on fish is permissible if you are an illterate Cajun who doesn't know any better, but the proper Southern way to garnish fish is a heaping mound of Duke's tartar sauce.

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[A Person]

...Anyway, "happy Lent" to all the practicing Catholics. With all sincerity, I hope that whatever your faith means to you is enriched during the next 40(?) days. (just don't ask me to join you)

Lent is not confined to Catholic's. Outside the US it is observed by most Christians. I think te Baptists don't observe it because it requires actually doing something which conflicts with their idea that God only wants faith not actions.

BTW, "serendipitous" is one of my very favorite words.

I think we've all been serendipitous in one thing or another. The only catch is you have to be looking (usually for something else entirely) in order to make the unexpected discovery. To quote Bono, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for"...

It's a peotic word isn't it. From the Persian name for Celon (Sri Lanka) the word was coined by Walpole after reading the tale of the The Three Princes of Serendip

The Three Princes of Serendip is an old Persian fairy tale about three men who were on a mission but they always found something that was irrelevant but needed in reality. They discovered things by good fortune and sagacity. Serendip is the Persian name for Sri Lanka. Later, the word serendipity was coined by Horace Walpole[1].

The fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip is based upon the life of Persian King Bahram V, who ruled the Sassanid Empire (420–440). Stories of his rule are told in epic poetry of the region (Firdausi's Shahnameh of 1010, Nizami's Haft Paykar of 1197, Khusrau's Hasht Bihisht of 1302), parts of which are based upon historical facts with embellishments derived from folklore going back hundreds of years to oral traditions in India and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. With the exception of the well-known camel story, English translations are very hard to come by.

In the camel story, the Three Princes use trace clues to precisely identify a camel they have never seen: they conclude that the camel is lame; blind in one eye; missing a tooth; carrying a pregnant maiden; and bearing honey on one side and butter on the other. (See Abductive reasoning.) Because of their cleverness and sagacity, they are accused of stealing the camel and are about to be put to death by Bahram Gur. Suddenly, and without anyone seeking him out, a traveler steps forward to say that he has just seen the missing camel wandering in the desert. Bahram spares the lives of the Three Princes, lavishes them with rich rewards and appoints them as his advisors. These rewards are the unsought (serendipitous) results of their sagacious insights.

There are other examples of the Princes receiving unsought rewards (marriage to a beautiful princess, kingdoms, wealth, etc.) from their accidental discoveries. The fact that they can make clever or accidental discoveries and breakthroughs is a result of their intelligence, wisdom and reasoning. The unsought rewards come later. Thus, stumbling upon a captive slave girl in a forest is for them a serendipitous occurrence.

[C. Alice]

Oh PUH-leeze... Peppered vinegar ( either white or cider) belongs on collards, whereas malt vinegar- ahhh.. on frites/chips/fries and fish. And for those of us die-hard Southerners, some hot sauce on the side ( make mine Tabasco or Crystal) for the fish.

Malt vinegar is an invention of the Devil to lead evil Yankees and pious Southerners from the true path of culinary righteousness. Hot sauce on fish is permissible if you are an illterate Cajun who doesn't know any better, but the proper Southern way to garnish fish is a heaping mound of Duke's tartar sauce.[/quote]


REPENT! REPENT!
You're not a True Southerner. I know this because I've read and re-read my copies of local Junior League cookbooks and I've been inspired by the Holy Trinity ( bell peppers, onions and celery, of course) when reading the words in red letters so I know you're goin straight to hay-ull. (that place which BHL describes as boasting such amenities as a lake of fire.)

Now to convince you by citing some chapter and verse from the Word of the Lard:

Southern Living, JULY 2003
Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Preparation
Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.

Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings

[The Rain King]

[quote="C. Alice"][quote="
REPENT! REPENT!
You're not a True Southerner. I know this because I've read and re-read my copies of local Junior League cookbooks and I've been inspired by the Holy Trinity ( bell peppers, onions and celery, of course) when reading the words in red letters so I know you're goin straight to hay-ull. (that place which BHL describes as boasting such amenities as a lake of fire.)

Now to convince you by citing some chapter and verse from the Word of the Lard:

Southern Living, JULY 2003
Fried Green Tomatoes

I'm sorry, but I think I'm missing the point here. How do fried green tomatoes relate?
But if one has to eat FGT with enthusiasm to be a True Southerner, you're probably right, because I've never liked them. Not fond of grits, fried fat-back, or souse meat (what Yankees call scrapple) either. And okra? Yuck.

[C. Alice]

Fried green tomato-eth are also good with some hot sauce ( and ketchup) on the side.
By saying "only illiterate Cajuns" eat their fried fish with hot sauce you've given yourself away- every African- American friend, acquiantance or fellow diner I've ever encountered who's a native of the south prefers their fried fish with hot sauce. That's who I learned the secret of hot sauce from and they were SO right!

It's time to repent- dissing hot sauce, eschewing grits. You're definitely bound for hell.

[A Person]

I had grits once. I was in Louisianna on business and a colleague said, "They have grits! You'e ot to try these" and served a big dollop on my plate. I think I prefer blue Playdo. (with a bit of hot sauce to cut the salt)
I think the cooks were Dentrassis.

[Questioner]

I'm sorry, but I think I'm missing the point here. How do fried green tomatoes relate?
But if one has to eat FGT with enthusiasm to be a True Southerner, you're probably right, because I've never liked them. Not fond of grits, fried fat-back, or souse meat (what Yankees call scrapple) either. And okra? Yuck.

I'm with you, Rain King! My mother in heaven is probably still grieving her failure to raise me right. She was a born'd and bred Southern lady, from Texas near the Mexican border. She, unfortunately, married a "damnyankee" (she always said she was 12 years old before she knew that was 2 words). And all her chirren took after their father in terms of food tastes. We all hated grits and okra. She came from more upper class Southerners, so probably never even tried collard greens, fried green tomatoes, fried fat-back or (God forbid!) scrapple herself. She did try okra on us several times, and I annoyed her by describing it as having a slimy slug in my mouth. She did not encourage my literary creativity at all as you can see.

In any case, I cannot imagine her daring to serve any of that stuff at any table where my Father was likely to sit. She also used to get so annoyed with me when I was a kid because whenever she got on the phone with the long distance operator (no direct dial way back then!), I would break into gales of laughter. She had totally lost her Southern accent except for some unfathonable reason, whenever she talked to the LD operator. Then she started talking pure southern honey.

[C. Alice]

I'm sorry, but I think I'm missing the point here. How do fried green tomatoes relate?
But if one has to eat FGT with enthusiasm to be a True Southerner, you're probably right, because I've never liked them. Not fond of grits, fried fat-back, or souse meat (what Yankees call scrapple) either. And okra? Yuck.

I'm with you, Rain King! My mother in heaven is probably still grieving her failure to raise me right. She was a born'd and bred Southern lady, from Texas near the Mexican border. She, unfortunately, married a "damnyankee" (she always said she was 12 years old before she knew that was 2 words). And all her chirren took after their father in terms of food tastes. We all hated grits and okra. She came from more upper class Southerners, so probably never even tried collard greens, fried green tomatoes, fried fat-back or (God forbid!) scrapple herself. She did try okra on us several times, and I annoyed her by describing it as having a slimy slug in my mouth. She did not encourage my literary creativity at all as you can see.

In any case, I cannot imagine her daring to serve any of that stuff at any table where my Father was likely to sit. She also used to get so annoyed with me when I was a kid because whenever she got on the phone with the long distance operator (no direct dial way back then!), I would break into gales of laughter. She had totally lost her Southern accent except for some unfathonable reason, whenever she talked to the LD operator. Then she started talking pure southern honey.

Dear, if your Mother truly did come from " more upper class" Southern roots, then it's more likely than not that she ate- and enjoyed collards and fried green tomatoes. You are probably unaware of our traditional " New Year's Day ' fare. And "scrapple" isn't Southern- it's a mid-atlantic ( mainly PA) food.

[Serendipitous]

Not fond of grits, fried fat-back, or souse meat (what Yankees call scrapple) either. And okra? Yuck.

...We all hated grits and okra. She came from more upper class Southerners, so probably never even tried collard greens, fried green tomatoes, fried fat-back or (God forbid!) scrapple herself. She did try okra on us several times, and I annoyed her by describing it as having a slimy slug in my mouth. She did not encourage my literary creativity at all as you can see.

Y'all ain't had okra cooked right then! Even though Virginia is a southern state, where I grew up (Northern VA / DC area) wasn't quite so southern. No such thing as sweet tea in restaurants. My first taste of okra was exactly like Questioner described! blech! But a good ol' boy from Inman, SC (now known as Boiling Springs) made a fabulous fried okra, and damn it was good! Maybe it had extra cornmeal batter on it, but that's the only okra that ever tasted good. Fried green tomatoes? I am not a big fan of tomatoes except as sauce, salsa, or ketchup, but I have tried and enjoyed FGTs...again, maybe it's about the cornmeal and seasoning.

I can deal with grits until I start thinking it looks like popcorn... ABC popcorn (y'know? ABC=already been chewed). blech!

Can we end the fat-back and souse/scrapple discussion here? Please? Pretty please?

[Questioner]

Dear, if your Mother truly did come from " more upper class" Southern roots, then it's more likely than not that she ate- and enjoyed collards and fried green tomatoes. You are probably unaware of our traditional " New Year's Day ' fare. And "scrapple" isn't Southern- it's a mid-atlantic ( mainly PA) food.

Nope. Not collard greens. She identified those along with fatback and chitterlings as poor people's food that her family would never have touched.

Traditional New Year's day fare according to my mom was black eyed peas. They had to be eaten every year on New Year's day for good luck. She made them every year, but I don't remember her making them any other time. She may have had fried green tomatoes, but I don't remember her ever mentioning them. We always had both flower and vegetable gardens, and she always grew a few tomato plants. But never fried the green ones, not even at the end of the season. She just put them on the windowsill to ripen.

[The Rain King]

[
Y'all ain't had okra cooked right then!

Ain't no such thing as "right" when it comes to okra, sorry. As the hick comedian Jerry Clower used to say, if it's fried, it's nothing but grease, if it's boiled, it's slick and slimy. I've read that collards are now appearing on the menu in swank NY restaurants, so I'd guesss okra probably isn't far behind as the next taste sensation. They'll probably grill the damn things over mesquite and serve them with mango chutney on the side or something.

Can we end the fat-back and souse/scrapple discussion here? Please? Pretty please?

Okay, but only because it's vous. I guess we don't even want to bring up mountain oysters, do we?

So who's up for some cracklin' cornbread and Karo syrup?


Don't want to go here either:

http://www.therabbitjournal.com/journal ... p/item/405

[Serendipitous]

...I guess we don't even want to bring up mountain oysters, do we?

So who's up for some cracklin' cornbread and Karo syrup?


Don't want to go here either:

http://www.therabbitjournal.com/journal ... p/item/405

Can't eat any of THAT on Fridays... (or ever if you ask me, but I thought I'd attempt to get back on topic).

[The Rain King]

Okay, back on topic: suppose you don't give up anything for Lent? Is that a sin? What if you only give up something like... breath mints? That count?

And the no hot dogs, etc. on Friday thing: how does that work? If you only eat one on a Friday, never confess, and never repent, will that land you in Hell? Or is it based on a cumulative point system and you have to eat a truck-load over a life-time?

Also: Would Jesus Order The Veal?

[Questioner]

Does it also meaning abstaining from eggs since those come from chicken? The land-animal chicken, and not Jessica Simpson's "Chicken By The Sea"? (Note: Simpson said "by" and not "of" as is the actual name of the tuna) And can you drink milk (cow, goat, whatever)?

No, meat is muscle or organ tissue of a land animal. Eggs and milk are not meat. It isn't all animal products, just meat. Which I assume would also mean organ meats such as kidney and liver and brain. We didn't have those when I was a kid because my Dad hated them. So we had lots of tuna casserole, fish sticks, meatless spaghetti, mac & cheese and stuff like that.

[Questioner]

Okay, back on topic: suppose you don't give up anything for Lent? Is that a sin? What if you only give up something like... breath mints? That count?

And the no hot dogs, etc. on Friday thing: how does that work? If you only eat one on a Friday, never confess, and never repent, will that land you in Hell? Or is it based on a cumulative point system and you have to eat a truck-load over a life-time?

These things may have been considered sins at one time. However, today they are considered more along the lines of self-sacrifice to help you think more about and give you an opportunity to participate in the celebration that is Easter. These things are designed to let us make a small sacrifice in respect and gratitude for Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for us. Giving up breath mints might or might not serve the purpose. Depends on how important they are in your life. Some people give up smoking. Obviously a big sacrifice, and also good for you. The point of giving something up for lent is to symbolically purify yourself in readiness for the passion of Jesus and his rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. Obviously, to Catholics, this is the most important celebration of the year. Because of all the gifts, Christmas is a bigger holiday in the secular and social sense. But Lent, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday are the very essence of understanding the meaning of Jesus' life and His gift to us of forgiveness and salvation.

[The Rain King]

These things may have been considered sins at one time. However, today they are considered more along the lines of self-sacrifice to help you think more about and give you an opportunity to participate in the celebration that is Easter. These things are designed to let us make a small sacrifice in respect and gratitude for Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for us. Giving up breath mints might or might not serve the purpose. Depends on how important they are in your life. Some people give up smoking. Obviously a big sacrifice, and also good for you. The point of giving something up for lent is to symbolically purify yourself in readiness for the passion of Jesus and his rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. Obviously, to Catholics, this is the most important celebration of the year. Because of all the gifts, Christmas is a bigger holiday in the secular and social sense. But Lent, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday are the very essence of understanding the meaning of Jesus' life and His gift to us of forgiveness and salvation.

Fair enough. I was mostly joking, but you were decent enough not to take offense, and gave me a reasonable explanation of your theology in return. I can respect that, even if I don't agree with you. Thanks.

Peace out.