Cure for shame

...as promised a while ago, details on how The Gurgling Cod managed to work past a secret shame. As someone who cooks a fair amount, and knows folks who do not cook as much, TGC sometimes gets branded a "snob" when he expresses surprise at the continuing availability of, say, bottled salad dressing, or commercially prepared mayonnaise. There is, however a golden brown Achilles heel. When a day is the sort of day that demands a steak to banish frailty and to prepare for upcoming challenges, the most popular accomaniment is Ore-Ida Tater Tots. At least once, a friend has accosted me in the supermarket and expressed surprise that such an item would be going home w/ the vegetables and other stuff from the walls. I've experimented with hiding the Tots under, like, a copy of Shape magazine, but it's tricky to sneak it back into the rack as you check out. The concept of Tots seemed to be within reach, and recently I took a deep breath, and did an online search for "tater tot recipes." This one was the one that seemed most promising, even if it meant incurring the shame of becoming an owner of mini miffin tins. That hurdle aside, the receipt worked out well. I skipped the bacon, which seemed a bit much if they are served as a side. They bore a passing resemblance to silver dollar latke, which is not bad. The shape, however, rendered them much more like Crispy Crowns than Tots. A different shaped baking vessel might be good, possibly a silicone ice cube tray, if such a thing exists. They also heated up nicely the next day.
And with that, this, for no particular reason:

Comments

[Marco]

Shame on the black gurgling cod.

[Rose's Lime]

I think I commented on a previous TGC thread on things you won't bother to make at home. Tots wasn't even in the periphery of my awareness. Other ideas for TGC shopping cart shame test kitchen: Doritos (cool ranch or original); Pop Tarts (use store-bought dough even... see if I care)

[Marco]

That should have read "gurgling black cod", but at this point the shame of it all is out.