THE GURGLING COD

Paula Deen Rodeo Update

It's rare that I will call out a comment for special recognition, but as I sit here at Rue De La Course, my heart is filled with benevolence for each and every one of you out in Codland, and it's just too good to miss. In response to the original Paula Deen Rodeo, one of her retainers weighed in:

Paula Deen is a true treasure....it's seems that I hear a bit of jealously. This self-made woman is nothing but a kind, sweet and lovable. I occasionally work as part of her security detail when she's on the road. If you have even been around her, you would know she's nothing but kind to all who she meets, absolutely love children and spend her time and money for worthy charitable organizations. The hoopla over her representing a certain food company and the strife that company might be going through has nothing to do with her as a decent human being. Always remember what Solomon spoke of in Proverbs about wisdom and folly. We are all only a breath away from the next successful idea and this time it's Paula's turn....so don't be hating, because if any of you had a chance to be in the same position...to show YOUR particular talent, don't tell me that you would'nt. We should be concentrating on health care, education, spending time with our families and in church, not bashing Paula.

There's so much to love here , but my favorite is the lack of correlation between shilling for a demonstrably loathsome corporation, and Paula's own human decency. Similarly, I guess, it would be a mistake to judge Adnan Kashoggi on the basis of that arms dealing thing. As a theological question for the weekend, what exploitative meatpacking concern would Jesus shill for?

Bourdain tapped to star in Cocoon III

Via Copyranter, out of Eater.

New York I love you, but you're bringing me down

There was something about reading Bruni's bold foray to find restaurants on beyond where his his Metrocard could take him hard on the heels of reading the Wed Chef's struggle to find decent ethnic food in Queens. Maybe there is a word for it in German.

Ps- There is an allusion in this post, not a typo. It would be sexist to think otherwise.

iJam

If Apple produced and marketed Jamon Iberico. I think these folks spent more time realizing the concept than it warrants. Whatever.

Baked potatoes -- the new cocaine?

No, your city's a sucker. Otherwise, still struggling to come to terms with the idea of Alice Waters in South Beach. I imagine her on the ocean side of Collins Avenue,  holding forth in some sort of structure woven from palm fronds, introducing the stocky, beponchoed Bolivian farmers who are spearheading an organic and sustainable coca leaf plantation.

Add Oscar

I made pretzels. They turned out pretty well, in spite of not being very photogenic. I used the killjoy's receipt,* and can't offer much in the way of amendment, other than that bread flour is a completely different creature than all-purpose flour. Bread flour has more glutent, and will hit you back. Also, at least in the Fleischman's line, the "instant" yeast speced in many receipts is now sold as bread machine yeast. Baking is real fussy.

*The Cook's website is a fucking disaster. Searching both the americastestkitchen and cooksillustrated domains revealed no evidence of a receipt they published in one of their own damn books. Considering that Kimball's MO is to recycle the same receipts in as many formats as possible, the the un-robust searching capability may be deliberate for all I know.

Good News for Monday

Some crossover good news from my day job:

New Orleans colleges are reporting a surge in applications, with Katrina-related fears apparently diminishing, The Times-Picayune reported. Compared to last year, applications are up nearly 100 percent at Tulane University, 85 percent at the University of New Orleans, 43 percen t at Our Lady of Holy Cross College, 28 percent at Xavier University, and 24 percent at Loyola University. Officials told the newspaper that they are seeing a significant decline in “the mama factor,” the term used by Xavier President Norman Francis to describe the challenge of parents who post-Katrina discouraged their children from considering New Orleans institutions.

One of the most reassuring post-Katrina moments the cinetrix and I had was in August of 2006 -- we were on the New Jersey Turnpike, and in front of us was a late-model SUV, loaded to gills, with Jersey plates and a Tulane sticker. Make no mistake -- there are dozens of constituencies who felt Katrina's wrath more than kids from New Jersey from families who can afford both private tuition and payments on a 4Runner -- but as an indication of the viability of Tulane and the future of New Orleans, it was one of the more profound experiences I've had on that stretch of road.
And more good news -- this same day job is bringing me to New Orleans, which means that I will be filing a full report on the Cohon de Lait po' boy, featured here.
Lest we forget, the news is not all good.

Oscar wrapup

As good a time as any to apologize for the lack of the Oscar tips Gurgling Cod readers came to expect in 2006 and 2007.
As usual, the cinetrix is out in front on this one.*
*Leprechauns will not prevent diabetes.

Globalization can be healthy... and sexy!

Here's a female Filipino Ronald McDonald boosted from the delightful Shufflindance.
Hard to know where to begin -- the Bozo meets Benatar wig? The impassive expression reminiscient of an inflatable doll?
The high heeled boots w/ yellow laces?
The vaguely clingy costume?
Hard to say, but good to see this attention to cardiac health.

Bailout redux

Those of you who followed the saga of a Cambridge ice cream parlor's shameless, and unfortunately successful bid for donations to pay the taxes they had opted not to pay themselves will be interested in the following:

The Riverdale Garden Restaurant, a place that, though you may have never heard of it, is a staple in the Bronx for its locally sourced and daily changing menu, closed on Sunday to the horror of regulars. It was a husband and wife, the bills got too high, the landlord wouldn't let them sell to their buyer—typical sob story. But here is where the similarities to all the other poor saps who have shuttered end and where the real magic begins. Owners Michael and Lisa Sherman, who have worked at Aureole (him) and Lespinasse (both of them) sent out an email blast asking regulars to pledge $5,000 per couple in exchange for a year of free dinners.

Notable differences -- a much higher ante on one hand, and the idea that this largess should be rewarded on the other. Sadly, unlike shaking a tin cup on the internet, it seems as if this far more legit (though not unassailable) gambit will fall short.