I am a pinterest user. I was actually one of the early adopters of pinterest. I love it. I really do. I use it daily. Most of my boards are hidden though.
That being said in the last 10 months I have worked really hard to find new recipes to make so that we aren't in a food rut, meaning I make the same 10 things over and over again. In March when the pandemic started and I knew that we were going to be in the house all the time I wanted to make new things, try new things and find new options for favorite things.
One thing that I have found over and over again in the feeds that I follow so many posts link to recipes with the word "crack" in it.
OMG this is so damned offensive today I am making a stand. I will not click on your recipe. I will not bookmark it. I will not share it.
Why? It's 100% offensive.
I am not an addict but it is so triggering to me to see that word in any post/recipe title/or pin image.
What makes your recipe addictive? Don't be lazy recipe poster... find another adjective. Just do it. You are making light of addiction and people's plight with this disease. It's enough. The time has come to right click on your mouse and look for the synonym finder and find another word. Take the action to do better for your readers... it's time. It is completely and beyond offensive.
Here are some options... you are welcome and take this advice for free -
By the way these are just three real titles on pins that are currently on my home screen-
Cinnamon Roll Crack -----> Charming and Easy Cinnamon Roll - that makes it sound amazing
Iced Coffee Crack ----> Iced Coffee Cubes
Mozzerella Crack ----> Air Fryer Mozzerella Sticks (there is a picture of mozzerella sticks with an air fryer)
You want to make your recipe stand out and entice people to click through? Come up with a more imaginative and less trite title. No one wants your Southern Pasta Crack.
So when I was 16 I was going at school in another country. Not going to say too much because that would give away all my mystique but know that I think about it often. I met a boy and that boy had a friend that I was introduced to who happens to be one of the hottest chefs and restauranteurs in Denver. At a time when we can't actually eat in and break bread in his restaurants I found out there was a zine/but really amazingly interesting graphic magazine (really book) with stories and restaurant asides from his many restaurants in our fair Queen City. It is really cool. Really.
I bought it online on Sunday and four days later it's now in my hot little hands. It's pretty great. Chef Cucci has taken some incredible buildings here in town and made them into the most interesting and vibrant dining spaces around. There is history about the places, interesting asides about topics related to the buildings and honestly the design in the books as well. Totally unexpected and a highlight for me. He thanks his staff. He writes about them. I really didn't expect that. I thought it was a traditional cookbook. I should have known... nothing about what he does is traditional at all. And I as the reader am the lucky one.
There are some rather lovely recipes. It's fully rounded out. Vegetable forward food that is presented in a radically beautiful way. He calls it a zine... far from it... it's a story book and its beautiful.
Sorry it's not a better (meaning bigger) picture because I totally stole it from the site...
thanks J C... sorry thanks.
So let me preface this by saying I have a total love hate relationship with the restaurants. I want to LOVE these places. The food-amazing... , the decor- the tits... , but hold the phone, I have only been able to actually enjoy the service and dining when I have been to Ophelias for a concert and during the concert out of the dozen or so times we have tried (one time I actually walked out at the host stand because I was so pissed my reservation wasn't honored after they called confirming twice on the phone... I was less than happy...the manager later called and was less than honest and I swore I would never eat there again. Technically I haven't since we have only had a snack ... but it WAS delicious). I know that isn't their style to be jerks and that person probably is no longer there so to even write about it... really isn't valuable except this is my platform and I am going to kvetch for a sec. This is my kvetch and not one that is normal I am sure, for sure, but sadly I will never experience Brunch when they serve that again. Not worth the aggravation. No matter how good the food sounds. And when we ate the couple of times at Root Down, the service was less than great. I NEVER play the I went on a hunger strike in High School with your Chef ... I never ever play the I once knew the owner bullshit... no one cares about 1984. I don't think Chef Cucci does even. NO SHADE I swear... pinky swear.
Sorry tangent... anyways the staff is recognized, it a couple of different ways and I have never seen than in any other restauranteurs book or zine or article ever. It was a nice thing.
I went to a not my work but another person's work event at El Five and was duly impressed, they set out a buffet that was beautiful, made some cocktails that were special for the group that were delicious and honestly the view can't be challenged in the evening. The staff was busy and noted that it wasn't a normal evening there I am sure and they worked hard to some folks that I saw were less than kind at the bar... I don't want to say "entitled" but don't ever snap your fingers at a bar tender... I know when I worked service I would be known to slow down or sneezer someone that snapped their fingers at me. But they had that really great hummus out. Again with the hummus, I know but it's all I have to judge the food on really. That is all I remember. It was delicious.
The other thing I remember having was at Root Down was chef's avocado lime pie. Or something like that. We went for dinner there.. me and said boy from when I was 16 years old and his daughter she was 16 I think (we are still friends, it's nice)... that pie was amazing. The recipe is not in the book.
I had snacks at Ophelias (post our other experience) once in our seats at a Bill Frissell concert of the hummus and I swear to gawd that there is a recipe for maybe possibly it in this cook book makes me happy. It was that good. Everyone riffs on hummus and falafel and some are good, but Ophelia's hummus was great that night. And for the record, the concerts there (of the two that I have attended Nels Cline Singers earlier in the year and Brothers of a Feather (both our last shows out in the world actually) are really fantastic. I wasn't sure how a music venue would work but man oh man it's great. And if you go back and look at the back patio security footage from the Brothers of a Feather evening... that was me out there with some random stranger doing push ups... I was back there smoking and a guy from Texas who was in town skiing and for the show wanted a contest. He totally won do not be mistaken. Even drunk as all get out that guy won over sober me because well it was me. We celebrated with another cigarette.
I am going to enjoy cooking from this 'zine/book so very much... and there is so much to unpack in it's goodness.
Maybe even when lockdown is over we will try and give dine in at Linger or Root Down a go again. If not I will seriously just dig looking at this book. It's really beautiful.
The price is $18.95 and 100% totally worth it. I wasn't thinking that it would be. But ho nelly it really is. And please Edible Beats Team... bring us another volume! I know I have seen it in the works on your instagram (I peeked, but you linked), seriously make it happen. It's a beautiful thing to behold and have as part of my cookbook library.
For those of you who may be interested here is the link again to buy this yourself.
And here is a video that I just found that just shows how really inventive this group and Justin Cucci are:
I am a fan of Ms Lancaster on Instagram... love her. She saves me the time and energy watching some of the Bachler shows... I would give her a rose (that is the right thing right?) for her energy and sincere love of the wrapups. So she announced that her book was out and I got it the ebook that day. I just knew that it would be exactly what I needed to have bedside on the ipad to read before I went to bed.
So why did it take so long to read?
Oh because I started The Stand by Stephen King all 1000 pages of it. It's a long read, it's a deep dive to start in a pandemic not going to lie. How do he know? I mean geebus how did he know? I think I started it in April. I finally found the mass market paperback locally but have been reading the ebook. The book is just too small and hard to hold I have tiny little hands and I can't. Sorry that is why I keep getting the book from the library. I read it often but it takes so much time. Not that I regret getting started.
So why would I start a book about a pandemic in the middle of one? Yeah there are a couple of reasons.
One I have a pen pal named Ms. Shirley (Hi Ms Shirley!!!!) who was looking for a friend to write about Stephen King novels. So I needed a book to start, it seemed like a good one. What a ride it's been. I feel terrible because another friend got her the book and she is going to start it soon she says. That'll teach me. I do love the style. There is so much in this book. I am halfway through. I will beat this beast. I am back on the waitlist and it's a good thing because I can take the time away to finish a couple of other ones that I started.
And the other reason... why not read a complex story about a pandemic that possibly will scare the shit out of me while we are in a pandemic and I am actually having the shit scared out of me?
So while I am waiting for the ebook to come up available from the library again and I am not willing to hold that tiny but HUGE mass paperback ....Here is what I have in que and started.
I.M. a memoir by Isaac Mizrahi - LOVE THIS BOOK. Love it. I think I am reading it slowly because I just want to think we are friends and he is spilling tea with me. I know that this is not even remotely true... but hey Issac... if you read this... I would talk recipes with you mmm k?
Don't let the inexpensive ebook price catch you thinking that this is just some dumb ebook. It's clever and really great. More to come on this later. I am so ding dang lucky that I know the author because it's really a great read. More on that to come later when I have finished. But it is in process and I want to read it at a clip and not the fits and starts that come from being in The Stand World as I call it right now. I am probably at somepoint going to share a recipe with him since mostly the times that we connect I am eating. Keepin' it classy.
For my anniversary the little Mr bought me a signed copy of Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson so I started to re-read the ebook that I have. I love this woman. Seriously. You know how I said above that I would invite a friendship with Isaac Mizrahi? I would quake in my boots if I was ever even in the same room with this fine and special being on the planet. To say she is funny and special is beyond. I watched her book reading here that is a preview for her new book that is coming in April (if I remember correctly... I do have a request for the galley... and yes I would review it, yes I would buy a hard copy and yes I will talk about it anyways... but wouldn't you like to have a review? Hint hint...oh I will talk about this so much). At the beginning or maybe middle of the pandemic I am not sure when since time is completely meaningless right now, she gave a walkthrough of her bookshelves behind her desk. It was incredible. I can't colorize my bookshelves... it truly goes against everything that I know (I wanted to be a librarian at one time) but I loved her talking about her books... like her they are friends in a way. She had a story for each one she picked. It was magic.
OH I almost completely forgot.
If you are looking for something to do while we wait patiently for the pandemic to be over... Jenny Lawson also has a coloring book out. It is great I just look at it and color it in with my imagination because the copy I have is hard for me to actually color in. I don't know why I can't just do it. It's like that with Chuck Palahniuk's coloringbooks I suppose, I have them and I just can't bring myself to marr them up. I may have to get another one to actually color in. I do have some more time on my hands now than I did before. Updates for that in a bit... sorry to vaguebook on that but I don't like to put too much of myself out there anymore.
OH and I am linking to the books to a small amazing bookshop in Texas where you should consider buying your books from. They ship anywhere and would be happy to take your order.
