Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungoverwe’ve been bailed outwe’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:00am (ET) (or whenever we get around to it) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.
This Day in History
President John F. Kennedy laid to rest at Arlington; New details emerge about Iran-Contra affair; British forces leave New York; Elian Gonzalez rescued off Florida coast; Baseball’s Joe DiMaggio born.
Breakfast Tunes
Something to Think about over Coffee Prozac
Cooking and eating are among the most important ways we weave days into lives.
55 years ago Arlo Guthrie took to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival and for 18 and a half minutes entertained the audience with his storied song “Alice’s Restaurant.” You could close your eyes and see the old church in Great Barrington, Massachusetts where the story is centered. At the end of the song the audience was on their feet. The song has since become a Thanksgiving tradition. The along came director Arthur Penn who turn the song into a movie with Arlo playing himself along with the real Sheriff Obie, William Obanhein and James Hanlon, the real blind judge. Alice and Ray Brock were played by Pat Quinn and James Broderick. The movie was released 52 years ago on August 19. Alternet has the story surrounding the song and movie which are based on the garbage toss that took place on Thanksgiving in 1965.
Thanksgiving is not complete without the song and the movie.
This about sums up the real history of Thanksgiving.
Yes, Jeff Jeffries made that sound funny. We pay attention when it makes us laugh. That said, this is the story that should be repeated at every Thanksgiving table. We are all immigrants, Native American’s are not. They deserve our profound apology and better respect than what we, immigrants, have given them.
As a daughter of an immigrant, some of whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower, I sincerely apologize and will try to do more to support Native American issues.
One of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner is the gravy made from the pan drippings. Here are Alton Brown’s directions for making a smooth, not greasy dressing. It’s actually pretty easy.
Now the last task is carving the bird, for which you’ll thank yourself for investing in an electric knife. It really makes it easier and faster. I suspect that a lot of people will need to watch this. My condolences to the turkeys that were sacrificed to provide the feasts. Just follow Alton’s instructions and you’ll be the other star of the day.
Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungoverwe’ve been bailed outwe’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:00am (ET) (or whenever we get around to it) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.
This Day in History
Jack Ruby fatally shoots Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas; Charles Darwin publishes theory of evolution; Hijacker known as D.B. Cooper parachutes out of plane with ransom money; Queen’s Freddie Mercury dies.
Breakfast Tunes
Something to Think about over Coffee Prozac
Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.
Nine years ago in January of 2013. we lost our friend, Translator aka Dr. David Smith. He suffered from depression and his untimely death left those of us in the blog communities who knew him wondering if we could have done more to help him through his struggles. The holidays are rough on people who suffer from depression, worse for those who live alone. If you know someone like that, call them, visit them, include them. Most important, listen to them, don’t offer advice, offer to help them get help.
There is help available 24/7 and it’s free. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) offers support for people in distress and their loved ones. It is confidential. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The caller is routed to their nearest crisis center to receive immediate counseling and local mental health referrals. The Lifeline supports people who call for themselves or someone they care about.
There is now a toolkit for managers on social media platforms to establish best practices to prevent suicide, Support on Social Media. Just remember this one thing, all you can do is try, it is up to the individual to live.
So in remembrance of our dear friend, David, this was his post about Thanksgiving myths. TMC
Oh dear, it’s that time of year again when you invite all the family members and friends whom you haven’t seen since last Thanksgiving 2019 to partake in the great American traditional gorge. Last year’s Thanksgiving was pretty much downsized due to the CoVid-19 pandemic and no vaccine. This year will be almost normal except for the cost. The pandemic has caused supply chain delays which has resulted in higher prices for everything. Though, thanks to vaccinations, we can ditch the masks for dinner with vaccinated friends and family.
My extended family will be gathering at my sister-in-law’s home. She has the biggest dining room (there are nearly 20 of us) and the newest kitchen gadgets, including a double oven with convection technology. My mother-in-law is here from France, she is in charge of appetizers and wine. My daughter is once again in charge of the turkeys, two 15 lb. fresh ones. I have the honor of desserts which will include a Paris-Brest, a French dessert made of choux pastry and a praline flavored cream.
If you’re an experienced cook or one who looks at the kitchen as a foreign country and are preparing a turkey on Thanksgiving, or any time for that matter, our hero is Alton Brown and his absolutely fool proof method for roasting a turkey is here. No basting required which leaves you time for other tasks or enjoying your company. We repeat this post every year at this time. If you haven’t already purchased your bird, you need to do that today. A frozen bird needs at three days in the refrigerator to defrost. The best bet is a fresh turkey. While it may cost a few cents more, you’re assured that it’s thawed and ready to cook. So, get thee to the grocery store!
Revised from November 20, 2010 for obvious timely reasons.
I never went to cooking school or took home economics in high school, I was too busy blowing up the attic with my chemistry set. I did like to eat and eat stuff that tasted good and looked pretty, plus my mother couldn’t cook to save her life let alone mine and Pop’s, that was her mother’s venue. So I watched learned and innovated. I also read cook books and found that cooking and baking were like chemistry and physics. I know, that was Translator’s territory, but I do have a degree in biochemistry.
For you really geekie cooks here is a great article about the “Turkey Physics” involved in getting it all done to a juicy turn.
Cooking a turkey is not as easy as the directions on the Butterball wrapping looks. My daughter, who is the other cook in the house (makes the greatest breads, soups and stews) is in charge of the Turkey for the big day. Since we are again having a house full of family and friends, one the two 13 to 15 pound gobblers will get cooked outside on the gas grill that doubles as an oven on these occasions. Her guru is Alton Brown, he of Good Eats on the Food Network. This is the method she has used with rave reviews. Alton’s Roast Turkey recipe follows below the fold. You don’t have to brine, the daughter doesn’t and you can vary the herbs, the results are the same, perfection. My daughter rubs very soft butter under the skin and places whole sage leaves under the skin in a decorative pattern, wraps the other herbs in cheese cloth and tucks it in the cavity. If you prefer, or are kosher, canola oil works, too.
I never went to cooking school or took home economics in high school, I was too busy blowing up the attic with my chemistry set. I did like to eat and eat stuff that tasted good and looked pretty, plus my mother couldn’t cook to save her life let alone mine and Pop’s, that was her mother’s venue. So I watched learned and innovated. I also read cook books and found that cooking and baking were like chemistry and physics. I know, that was Translator’s territory, but I do have a degree in biochemistry.
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