Ok, I'm finally tackling my inbox and all the unread email. Can I just say that this post put a smile on my face the whole time I was reading it. And yes, I am fascinated by the way it appears that you can't overcook mushrooms (well, Agaricus bisporus anyway. I think it is actually possible to overcook Auricularia and I haven't tried overcooking any other type).
Your observations on Americans were very on point too.
Thanks for the shout-out, Mark! Serving sizes are a myth wrapped in an enigma: who came *up* with these tiny portions? My favorites are 3 small squares of dark chocolate (lol), 1/2 cup of cereal, and whatever the serving size is for mac & cheese (it's basically "as much of the box as I can eat fresh" - which is why it's only a treat, not a habit!).
Oh my, so much to unpack! First, I loved smögâsbord as a kid. My Mom was Danish (Jensen her maiden name) so she was thrilled when we found a restaurant that served it here. Like you, I grew up in the days when going out to dinner was rare. I love your comments about immigration--thank you. So true. On a different note, I got two giant portobellos from my CSA this week by accident. We grilled them with a marinade but I still wasn't a huge fan. So It was interesting to read how they came to be popular. Funny, I love shitakes and morels (had some of those cooked in butter recently) and lots of other mushrooms. But portobellos are not my thing. Now I feel vindicated with my great taste.
As a vegetarian, I must admit that a portabella mushroom does NOT make a good substitute for a burger patty. Once in a while, a well meaning omnivore will cook up one especially for me, hoping to please the vegetarian guest. Of course I thank the kind host and eat the thing, but you're right, those things are tough as heck - I bite into it and have to kind of grind my teeth to cut through it so I don't end up pulling the entire mushroom out of the sandwich. Veggie burgers are much better. Portabella mushrooms are simply overgrown button mushrooms, btw.
The big truck syndrome is rampant here in NH. I can understand someone needing one for work, but I often see guys loading groceries into the bed of a shiny perfect pickup truck, which is obviously just an oversized family car. Oh well, to each their own. I love my Subaru Forester. 😊
Thank you so much for the shout out. I love a good smorgasbord. There's an old pic of me somewhere in front of a restaurant called, Smorga-Bob's. I remember liking the name more than the food. It's bizarre that a pasta package will claim there are 6 servings. Maybe as a side dish? Large portions are not so American after all. In Italy one east the entire pizza for lunch. Go figure. Literally-- there's goes the figure.
But ... wait ... did you just compare Substacks you like to pickleball?! 😂 (Thank you for the shout-out! Waiting to see if Mike Sowden will now have to come out of his between-season break to write a riposte: Everything IS Amazing!)
Do you ever wonder how much of the modern American life came out of the 1939 World's Fair? Every time I turn around, that Fair is behind something odd. I had no idea about smörgåsbord being introduced here at that event!
As a kid we used to go to George's Smorgasbord in Southern California. I didn't know what a Smorgasbord was, all I knew was they made the best baked mac 'n cheese and whenever we would go out to dinner, I would beg to go there. Such fond memories and I still look for recipes that I think might be similar. I make the mac 'n cheese and nothing has come close yet.
Thanks again for the wonderful shout out. I appreciate you.
Ok, I'm finally tackling my inbox and all the unread email. Can I just say that this post put a smile on my face the whole time I was reading it. And yes, I am fascinated by the way it appears that you can't overcook mushrooms (well, Agaricus bisporus anyway. I think it is actually possible to overcook Auricularia and I haven't tried overcooking any other type).
Your observations on Americans were very on point too.
Thanks for the shout-out, Mark! Serving sizes are a myth wrapped in an enigma: who came *up* with these tiny portions? My favorites are 3 small squares of dark chocolate (lol), 1/2 cup of cereal, and whatever the serving size is for mac & cheese (it's basically "as much of the box as I can eat fresh" - which is why it's only a treat, not a habit!).
As for portions, 8 oz is the correct serving size for any type of protein.
“I do not believe that everything is amazing. Lots of things are just dross and perhaps just silly and inane.”
I loved this, and also the suggestion we try out the newsletter we think we are least likely to enjoy.
Thanks for the shoutout!!
Oh my, so much to unpack! First, I loved smögâsbord as a kid. My Mom was Danish (Jensen her maiden name) so she was thrilled when we found a restaurant that served it here. Like you, I grew up in the days when going out to dinner was rare. I love your comments about immigration--thank you. So true. On a different note, I got two giant portobellos from my CSA this week by accident. We grilled them with a marinade but I still wasn't a huge fan. So It was interesting to read how they came to be popular. Funny, I love shitakes and morels (had some of those cooked in butter recently) and lots of other mushrooms. But portobellos are not my thing. Now I feel vindicated with my great taste.
As a vegetarian, I must admit that a portabella mushroom does NOT make a good substitute for a burger patty. Once in a while, a well meaning omnivore will cook up one especially for me, hoping to please the vegetarian guest. Of course I thank the kind host and eat the thing, but you're right, those things are tough as heck - I bite into it and have to kind of grind my teeth to cut through it so I don't end up pulling the entire mushroom out of the sandwich. Veggie burgers are much better. Portabella mushrooms are simply overgrown button mushrooms, btw.
The big truck syndrome is rampant here in NH. I can understand someone needing one for work, but I often see guys loading groceries into the bed of a shiny perfect pickup truck, which is obviously just an oversized family car. Oh well, to each their own. I love my Subaru Forester. 😊
Thank you so much for the shout out. I love a good smorgasbord. There's an old pic of me somewhere in front of a restaurant called, Smorga-Bob's. I remember liking the name more than the food. It's bizarre that a pasta package will claim there are 6 servings. Maybe as a side dish? Large portions are not so American after all. In Italy one east the entire pizza for lunch. Go figure. Literally-- there's goes the figure.
But ... wait ... did you just compare Substacks you like to pickleball?! 😂 (Thank you for the shout-out! Waiting to see if Mike Sowden will now have to come out of his between-season break to write a riposte: Everything IS Amazing!)
Do you ever wonder how much of the modern American life came out of the 1939 World's Fair? Every time I turn around, that Fair is behind something odd. I had no idea about smörgåsbord being introduced here at that event!
As a kid we used to go to George's Smorgasbord in Southern California. I didn't know what a Smorgasbord was, all I knew was they made the best baked mac 'n cheese and whenever we would go out to dinner, I would beg to go there. Such fond memories and I still look for recipes that I think might be similar. I make the mac 'n cheese and nothing has come close yet.
Thanks again for the wonderful shout out. I appreciate you.