Theme: Weekdays
17. It follows Thanksgiving weekend: CYBER MONDAY.
24. Time of the week for Mexican food: TACO TUESDAY.
34. Seuss book about a weekly period with strange events, like an earthworm chasing a bird: WACKY WEDNESDAY.
50. Pre-Lent feast: FAT THURSDAY. Whoa! The Pre-Lent day is FAT Tuesday.
57. Time for Hawaiians to be laid-back at work: ALOHA FRIDAY.
Boomer here.
I
certainly hope that all off you had a happy a safe Christmas DAY and
join me in looking forward to 2021. Last Wednesday I did not have to go
to Dairy Queen and order a Blizzard. One was delivered to C.C. and me
right in the front yard of our home! "Minnesota, hats off to thee !"
Across:
4. Songlike piece: ARIOSO.
10. Combat vet's affliction, briefly: PTSD.
14. Daiquiri liquor: RUM. "Away, Away with RUM by gum, the song of the temperance Union." Chad Mitchell Trio.
15. Side-to-side measurement: BREADTH. May be confused with width, or an inhale.
16. "In __ of gifts ... ": LIEU. You never know what Santa left.
19. Greek god of war: ARES.
20. Cookbook maven Rombauer: IRMA. She wrote "The Joy of Cooking in 1953", That's about the same time I took up the joy of eating.
21. Sign of a sellout: SRO. Standing Room Only. 28. Part of 21-Across: ONLY.
22. Sudden pull: YANK. Not a good idea if you are tying a necktie.
23. Wineglass feature: STEM. The kind of wine I used to drink? Any glass would do.
29. Baking chambers: OVENS. Never called it a chamber. I spent a few years in front of pizza ovens. Not a bad place to work in the Minnesota winter.
30. Gets on in years: AGES.
31. Note after fa: SOL. "SOL a needle pulling thread, LA, a note
that follows SOL, TI a drink with Jam and bread." The hills are alive,
with the Sound of Music.
32. Decked in a fight: KO'D.
33. Golf instructor: PRO. I play with a few guys who think they are instructors. but trust me, they are not PROS.
41. River, to Roberto: RIO. Jane Iro's first name.
42. Earth-friendly prefix: ECO.
43. Delivery vehicle: VAN. We had back to back Dodge vans for 20 years. I like the SUV better.
45. Like guitar strings: TAUT.
47. Song of praise: PAEAN. "We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year."
49. Skin opening: PORE.
52. "High Voltage" band: AC/DC. I know they are famous and I worked in the Electrical industry, but I could never adopt this band. I am too old I guess.
53. Knighted Guinness: ALEC. Obi-Wan Kenobi. And "The Empire Strikes Back".
54. "Not so hot": MEH.
55. Hoppy brews, for short: IPAS.
56. Hardly thrilling: BLAH. "A woman from the supermarket ran to
call on cop, The force can't do a decent job cause the kids have no
respect for the law today, 'And BLAH BLAH BLAH' - Save the life of my
child". Simon and Garfunkel.
62. Misplace: LOSE. Or bowl against me.
63. Pulitzer winner Lin-Manuel __: MIRANDA.
64. Soccer cheer: OLE. "Sven's buddy."
65. Flock members: EWES.
66. Marcos of the Philippines: IMELDA. I cannot remember how many pairs of shoes she owned.
67. Stitch together: SEW. Or use a Singer.
Down:
2. Etailer's come-on words: BUY IT NOW. Used a lot on EBAY.
3. Something held up in the rain?: UMBRELLA. I carry a big one in my golf bag.
4. Shortstop's asset: ARM. And Glove.
5. Old Olds auto: REO. I owned a 1955 and a 1961 sedans. I
liked Oldsmobiles bur I don't remember the REO. Sounds like something I
would not fit into.
6. Actor McKellen: IAN.
7. Likely, bet-wise: ODDS-ON. We have a horse racing track south
of Minneapolis. I've been there and been burned by many ODDS-ON
favorites. I have not been there for over 15 years. I prefer the craps
table or machines in Las Vegas. There the odds are consistent.
8. Begins: STARTS.
9. "Silly goose!": OH YOU.
10. Acts like the Almighty: PLAYS GOD. The year I played Noah
(Noye) in High school play "Noye's Fludde" another guy played GOD. He
took most of the wisecracks. "Can you turn my sandwich into a steak??"
11. Angry outburst: TIRADE.
12. Considered to be: SEEN AS.
13. Like evening: DUSKY.
15. Victoria's Secret purchase: BRA. I've been to Victoria's Secret a few times with someone you may know.
18. Sitcom award: EMMY.
23. Plea at sea: SOS. ... --- ...
24. East Asian capital: TOKYO.
25. State openly: AVOW. I maintain that everything I report on this blog is true.
26. Formally let go: CEDE.
27. Corn servings: EARS. I have had many, but they don't look like EARS. Now I just open a can.
33. Indiana's state flower: PEONY. Very colorful. We need to find a couple for our garden next year.
35. Supports after knee surgery: CRUTCHES. Both my older sister and I survived polio in the late 1940's. I had no after effects but she needed CRUTCHES for months.
36. __ and kin: KITH.
37. One of 28 Monopoly cards: DEED. Boardwalk was the best but I liked the railroads.
38. Final Four org.: NCAA. The NCAA basketball Tournament came to U.S, Bank Stadium in Minneapolis a few years ago.
39. Guacamole makings: AVOCADOS. I had one of these last week.
40. Pre-moving driveway event: YARD SALE. It's been awhile since we've had one of these.
44. Japanese chip maker: NEC.
45. Soapmaking ingredient: TALLOW. Never had homemade soap. I like Irish Spring.
46. Drill sergeant's "Relax": AT EASE. They said it, but they really didn't mean it.
47. Heat at a race: PRELIM.
48. Back from cruising, say: ASHORE. If your boat was a Chevrolet you could probably Dine ASHORE.
49. Red Sox star Big __: PAPI. David Ortiz. Also played for the Minnesota Twin's.
50. Aesop creation: FABLE.
51. MSG taste: UMAMI. I have NEVER heard of this. I thought it might be a city in Florida.
55. Golden yrs. fund: IRA.
58. "2001" computer: HAL.
59. "Wait, there's more": AND. No, I think we are done now.
60. Med. device approver: FDA. Thank you for approving the vaccines. Still waiting for my turn.
61. Archery wood: YEW. YEW betcha!!
Boomer
Workdays: MONDAY, TUESDAY,
ReplyDeleteWEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY;
Let us sing a PAEAN
Those to remain
Will serve to dispel our work daze!
An UMBRELLA and AVOCADO
Start out as not being hollow.
But away from its stem,
To be useful to men,
One is opened, one scooped out to swallow.
{B+, B-.}
Fat Thursday really threw me off. I thought I had the theme (turns out I did) but was stopped dead there. Is Fat Thursday a thing?
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think FAT THURSDAY is a thing. But there aren't many Thursday thingys, except maybe "Sure Happy It's Thursday." Thought that Indiana flower might be a PansY...nope, PEONY. "Dine ashore," indeed. Good one. Thanx, Alex and Boomer. (Here's that REO -- I think you'd fit.
RUM: "We never eat cookies, because they have yeast,
and one little bite turns a man to a beast.
Can you imagine a sadder disgrace
than a bum in the gutter with crumbs on his face?"
Maybe it was too soon to revisit Thanksgiving Thursday.
ReplyDeleteBack on track today with a FIR. Several WOs since I dropped in AVER, NES, and PAPA before perps pointed the way. I am more visual minded so have a hard time waiting and keeping in mind possibilities. I had a nightmare last night about doing a cw puzzle without a grid to look at, all in my head instead. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteI saw the theme developing and wondered too about FAT THURSDAY. To my surprise when I LIU there is such a thing. Not the Thursday after Ash Wednesday but the one in the week before. Who knew? Thanks, Alex, for an educational Monday, and thanks to Boomer for his breezy review. Stay warm!
Thanks OwenKL for the poetry this morning. I especially liked the second. Time to pull out my old Joy of Cooking book to see how things have changed since 1953. Joyous Monday before New Year's Day to you all.
Like most, I quickly entered FATTUESDAY_ and when it didn't fit thought there must be some other Thursday event tied to lent.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it should have been clued "First day failing Lenten fast?"
20a, Not to be confused with Erma Bombeck.
ReplyDeleteALEC was Smiley in "Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy"
Derby Lane, a St Pete dog track closed over the weekend. I used to try to beat the ODDS there in 005.
AtlG, I too looked it up. Last Thursday before Lent. There's also Maundy Thursday which would be the last Thursday OF Lent.
Thanks Boomer
WC
Good Morning.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, I haven't done a puzzle in two weeks. I started with baking chocolate chip cookies: six dozen. Mostly to give to neighbors and friends. It was so much fun to surprise people I just kept going--moving from one recipe to the next The reactions I received kept me in the kitchen baking and in the car delivering. It was grand fun. I finally figured out how to mitigate the lockdown! Safe drop-offs and big smiles. Took me long enough.
Today was fun Alex. Thank you. I'm with Boomer on FAT THURSDAY. I hope our Louisiana pals can shed some light on this.
Thank you, Boomer, for another clever Monday tour. Love your Dairy Queen comment.
I hope everyone is well and enjoyed the holidays--modified though they have been. Have a sunny day. We are supposed to have our first significant snow tomorrow, but I really don't count on the weather report. My arthritic joints are more accurate.
In Louisiana we celebrate Fat Tuesday which is Mardi Gras Day. We feast & party before Ash Wednesday which starts Lent a period of fasting & sacrifice. But we celebrate the entire Mardi Gras season which begins January 6 thru Mardi Gras so I think any day could be considered a fat or feast day
DeleteRegarding: 5. Old Olds auto: REO. The acronym REO are the initials of one of the founders of the automobile industry Ransom E. Olds - for whom the Oldsmobile is named.
ReplyDeleteNice progression, and seemed a little tougher for a Monday. Got it done in just under 6 minutes.
ReplyDeleteWho knew? I googled "Fat Thursday". Celebrated mostly in Europe, "Fat Thursday" is five days before Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), and six days before Ash Wednesday. Learn something every day.
ReplyDeleteThe theme made this easy. FAT THURSDAY? Huh? ATL Granny, WC and John B. thanks for the research. I never heard of it. You learn something every day. I thought it must be okay, because such an obvious error would have been caught.
ReplyDeleteAnon, how tough could a six minute solve be?
YR
Perfect for a Monday. I especially appreciated that the days of the week appear in order. Very nice construction.
ReplyDeleteWith all the talk about Fat Thursday, how come nobody's mentioned Aloha Friday? I've never heard of that either! Casual Friday was more common in the business world. But both FAT and ALOHA came easy from the crosses, so no complaints here.
There's thirsty Thursday...
ReplyDeleteAlmost too easy even for a Monday. The obvious long days-of-the-week provided prompt, generous fill.
ReplyDeleteOnly knew of TACO TUESDAY from a recent CW. Obviously I'm not alone in never hearing of FAT THURSDAY (jeudi gras?). In our house it was "pasta" WEDNESDAY
You can tell it's the beginning of the week, when the answer is TOKYO not Edo. Waited to "deck" the guy to perp AVOW instead of aver. ARIOSO needed perps too though it has popped up before.
According to the first season of "Victoria" TALLOW candles are the worst.."Hey, Sheep!! Did Bo-peep LOSE EWES again?"
The PEONY is the official flower of our city, Utica as well. In the old neighborhood where I grew up every house seemed to have them. Peony PAEAN nice combo. Knew the answer but not sure of spelling (definitely not Pee-on 🤭). Some 🥑AVOCADOS🥑 apparently left over from last week. In italian "avvocato" means lawyer/attorney (advocate)
Lotsa fun fodder today... 😅
Ascot invasion....TIRADE
Only forest fire preventer....YEW
Mary & Nick YANKovic's boy, Al....ODDSON
Royalties from "Hamilton," ______ rights....MIRANDA
Flu symptom: shortness of _____ BREADTH.
Come-on.....ATEASE
STARTS out.....OHYOU
One DUSKY-voiced Dinah..... ASHORE (I like Dine ASHORE better!!! )
Back to work today. Non essential procedures once again deferred.
Marvellous Monday . . . and all the other weekdays too😀. Thanks for the fun Alex and Boomer.
ReplyDeleteI saw the theme early and quickly filled in the days. Quick solve with just a few inkblots.
I too LIUed to discover that FAT THURSDAY is a European (Polish) celebration. Learning moment.
I’m pretty much just a wine drinker; when ARC gave me the R, I filled in Rye. Whoops, it’s RUM in a Daiquiri😁
I have learned about IPAS doing CWs.
Erma was corrected to IRMA.
SEENAS took a minute to parse?
I smiled at MEH and BLAH.
We also had EWES and SEW, SRO and PRO, REO and RIO, YEW crossing SEW (crazy English that pronunciation is not the same),
IM will note the plethora of 3 letter words. I counted 24 and may have missed some!
Clue for KOD gave no indication of abbreviation, but usage is commonplace.
MadameD- love your story about the baking. My neighbours appreciated some also, but I did not make as much as you did👍
Wishing you all a great day.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteEasy today. Prefilled ……WEDNESDAY, ……THURSDAY, and ……FRIDAY. Entered FAT for THURSDAY, but didn't like it. What am I missing?
No errors; no wite-outs. FIR.
AGES - - As clued, a CSO to quite a cohort here. Let's just keep on keepin' on.
'Relax' : AT EASE - - From the drill manual: At the command, keep your right foot in place. You may move about, but must not talk.……. A broader 'relax' command would be "Rest".
Thanks Boomer for the peek into Minnesota life.
ReplyDeleteGood morning.
Hand up for never having hear of FAT THURSDAY. The others were all known, including ALOHA FRIDAY.
Playing right now on the radio's A to Z countdown is "Girls Got Rhythm" by 52A answer AC/DC.
Thank you Alec and Boomer !
Ray -O - has been holding out on us. From Wiki: Giovedì grasso (Fat Thursday) is celebrated in Italy,
ReplyDeleteMusings
ReplyDelete-FAT THURSDAY went right in and I was happy to learn about it. Rich’s proofing system is darn good.
-Mardi Gras vs Jeudi Gras
-Eager young people going to war and returning with PTSD reinforces Sherman’s, “War is hell”
-I love thee to the depth and BREADTH and height my soul can reach
-IRMA Rombauer is #5 on this “Most famous IRMA” list
-Eight of us drove to a lot of Husker FB games in my friend’s very uncomfortable VAN
-Why do so many people confuse TAUT and TAUNT?
-Slo-pitch softball is a bonanza for ortho surgeons and PT’s
-They’re SEEN AS the same but we say garage sale around here not YARD SALE
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI liked this simple, yet cute, theme and seeing several strong entries, such as Umbrella, Breadths, Crutches, and Plays God. I also liked REO/Rio, You/Yew/Ewes, and Ares/Ears. As CanadianEh pointed out, there are numerous three letter words, but they don’t bother me as much when the majority are actual words vs abbreviations and initialisms.
Thanks, AES, for a pleasant start to the week and thanks, Boomer, for another serving of Boomer humor and nostalgic meanderings. The beautiful peonies photo brightened my morning.
FLN
Inanehiker, good news about your mother but not so good about your nephew. I can certainly relate to the perils of falls. I hope he isn’t too banged up.
Have a great day.
This was a fun and fast Monday - I thought it was neat that the days of the week were in order. WEES said about FAT THURSDAY - I read about it and the European countries that celebrate it! I wonder if anyone has had/made the traditional Polish FAT THURSDAY pastry called Paczki - they look yummy!
ReplyDeleteMy aunt & uncle lived in Hawaii since the '60s - he went over with his construction company and since it was the start of the building boom there - he never left! ALOHA FRIDAY - predated the casual Fridays everywhere else - all the business people wore Aloha shirts to work on Fridays.
Interesting article about crossword editors, constructors across different papers- it features Erik Agard from USA Today. It reminds me of some of the comments on the blog. Worth a read.
https://pudding.cool/2020/11/crossword/
Thanks Boomer and Alex!
Spitz
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. I must admit during the 6 years at University in Italy I never heard of a celebration called Giovedì Grasso. The period leading up to Lent is called Carnevale (Latin: "the meat goes" or "is taken away")
DW who is of Polish descent buys Pączki a filled doughnut during that time but not on that particular Thursday.
Like most of YEW, I FIR but was puzzled by FAT THURSDAY. Folks start packing on the pounds a week early to prepare for a stretch of lean days? Weird! (It seems contrary to the purpose, IMO.) I'm also unfamiliar with WACKY WEDNESDAY by Dr. Seuss, but TACO TUESDAY is a big thing in Los Angeles, and ALOHA FRIDAY is big in the next state to the west. Thanks to Alex for Monday Fun Day, and to Boomer for a cheerful tour of the grid.
ReplyDeleteHola!
ReplyDeleteI love easy Mondays especially when my mind is elsewhere as it is today. I'll relate my Sunday saga in a bit. My daughter and granddaughters loved the movie Aladdin so ABU is well known to me.
Boomer, I'm sorry to learn of your blizzard and wish I could send you some of our balmy weather. It's glorious here. Also, thank you for your light and easy narrative.
I don't recall ever hearing of FAT THURSDAY, ONLY FAT Tuesday, Mardi Gras.
The first time I saw a PEONY was in Kansas visiting my aunt. They are GORGEOUS! I wish they would grow here, but alas, no.
So, yesterday when I arrived at church my car emitted smoke from the under the hood. That is never a good sign and it wasn't. A very nice man opened the hood and we saw that one of the belts had snapped. First problem. After Mass I spent a good hour trying to get AAA on the phone for help. Finally, after a lot of nonsense (to me, anyway) I was able to inform the operator of my problem, she looked up my information, etc, etc. I waited for the tow truck and in the meantime, the church secretary, Anne, came out and we got well acquainted. She brought me some Christmas cookies when I told her I had not eaten. By the end of our conversation/meeting I had volunteered to help count money after each Mass. That is something I had done in Denver for many years and I needed a ministry.
The only place open on Sunday was Pep Boys (not my favorite service) so that is where my car was towed. Later I received a call telling me the water tank needed repair. That sounded suspicious to me so today I arranged to have the car towed to my regular repair place. To be continued ......
Today is the annual Christmas lunch with my ex-nun friends and I have tamales cooking for my contribution. More later.
And how was your Sunday, everyone?
Delightful Monday puzzle--many thanks, Alex. And always love your commentary, Boomer.
ReplyDeleteI tried a new technique this morning--starting with only across items, no downs, and only when I had them all, went for the downs. Worked better than usual, and I got the fun theme days of the week--delighted to find them in order, MONDAY to FRIDAY. Enjoyed getting the big words like UMBRELLA and CRUTCHES and AVOCADOS.
Had to look up IPAS--never heard of it (India pale ale, apparently).
Wilbur, thanks for clearing up the IRMA/ERMA problem for me, which has been stumping me in puzzles lately.
Enjoyed your poems, Owen.
Madame Defarge, your cookie delivery story is just lovely! How kind of you to do that!
Have a great week coming up, everybody.
ReplyDeleteOkay.,,
Fat Thursday is a traditional Christian feast marking the last Thursday before Lent and is associated with the celebration of Carnival. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the days leading up to Ash Wednesday provide the last opportunity for feasting (including simply eating forbidden items) until Easter. Traditionally it is a day dedicated to eating, when people meet in their homes or cafés with their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals usually not eaten during Lent. Among the most popular all-national dishes served on that day are pączki in Poland[2][3] or berliner, fist-sized donuts filled with rose hip jam, and angel wings (faworki), French dough fingers served with powdered sugar.
I had no idea, but a doughnut day before Lent cannot be a bad thing.
Otherwise a nice Monday puzzle, the last one of the year.
The only Irma I have ever heard of, in that list of famous Irmas, is Irma Rombauer. I consider her cookbook one of the finest basic cookbooks ever published, every household should have one. I believe Julia Childs was somewhat instrumental in getting it published, but I could be wrong. I also believe that her earlier editions are much better than the revised ones her son put out. I believe I have the thirteenth edition, published in 1979. Her daughter, Marion Rombauer Becker worked on it. In the preface she says the cookbook has always been a family project. It also says, underneath, in the legalese, no one is allowed to reproduce it in any form, including photocopying and perhaps even copying it out in longhand. Whew! I guess they really want you to buy the book, instead of getting a recipe from a friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Irma La Deuce wan't on that list.
Becky
Becky, "Irma La Deuce" -- trey [sic] comique.
ReplyDeletePuzzling thoughts:
ReplyDeleteAs others did, I too misspelled IRMA @ 20-Across; my lone mistake/correction
Ray-O —> as I was doing the puzzle, and saw TIRADE, I immediately tried to form a Moe-ku; but I hesitated, as I said to myself, “I bet that Ray-O has already come up with something witty/punny ... thanks for not letting me down!! 😂😂
Great puzzle, Alex; very enjoyable recap, Boomer. And as a thought, did not the NCAA once hold their Final Four tournament at the Metrodome?
Moe-ku:
What the mushroom said
When its parent asked for help?
“UMAMI, pick me!”
ReplyDeleteinanehiker, your comment about paczki made me look, because every Chicagoan knows of Paczki Day ! It's a big deal. Yes, I have had them many times and they are delicious. Paczki Day is always covered by all of the local TV stations with film crews at various Polish bakeries and you'll also hear the radio stations make reference to it. Paczki Day is So Nice, We Celebrate it Twice An article from Chicago PBS station WTTW.
An excerpt: "It’s deja vu all over again for Chicago’s Polish bakeries as they brace themselves for the annual Fat Tuesday rush on paczki – they’ve already survived the “real” Paczki Day, celebrated by Poles in the old country and abroad on Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek in the mother tongue)."
I just didn't know the part about Fat Thursday !
Thank you for that Crossword article as well.
D-O, I fixed that. You can refresh the main page.
Pączki - BH gets them at Hannaford every so often. We had some last week. I like the lemon filled.
ReplyDeleteHi All!
ReplyDeleteThank Alex for a quick MONDAY puzzle with a little bit of learning (never heard of FAT THURSDAY either but ILU).
Thanks Boomer for the expo and kicking-off the after-party with your trademark bon mot.
WOs: LeiU ->LIEU; ARoS
ESPs: IAN, IRMA, ARIOSO
Fav: I liked how BUY IT NOW crossed CYBER MONDAY; too bad AVOCADO didn't cross TACO TUESDAY :-)
{B, B+}
MdF - daughters and I engaged in Cookie fun too. ADD to that Oatmeal Raisin and Italian Christmas cookies. We shared with in-laws :-)
TTP & Inanehiker - thanks for the info about Paczki's. I remember my grade-school buddy's family made those; I just never associated it with Lent.
FLN - TTP, I knew you weren't callin' me out.
Lucina - water tank? Water Pump maybe (and that could explain the belt). Best you got it to your regular mechanic.
Oh, yeah. Yummers Tamales! As for Sunday? We still hade prime-rib leftover from Christmas so I made Philly Cheesesteak hoagies with it.
Back to work. Play later!
Cheers, -T
For many years I got along very well with just three cookbooks on the shelf (next to my grandmother's/mother's recipe box): The Joy of Cooking, The NY Times Cookbook and The Settlement Cookbook (of which the 43rd and final edition was published thirty years ago). Later, I added Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts and Mary Barry's Baking Bible. More recently, Steven Raichlen's Barbecue Bible and and Meathead Goldwyn's The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling have been well referenced as I have descended down the pellet grill rabbit hole. If one likes to eat, and I do, it helps if one learns how to cook. I am also quite fortunate in that Valerie is the best chef/baker I know (her sister may contest that point but experiencing their friendly, constructively critiqued and extremely tasty rivalry is a nice by product).
ReplyDeleteAck! FIW on a Monday! 4a/7d ARIaSO/aDDSON before ARIOSO/ODDSON. I had 12d dEEmed/SEENAS. Other than that, a clean grid. Thank you, Alex, for the fun beginning to the week. Thank you for you excellent expo, Boomer.
ReplyDeleteI didn't make any cookies this year but I did make 2 batches each of 2 different fruitcakes. When you make you own you only put in things that you like and leave out what you don't like.
Thanks to everyone who researched Fat Thursday for us. A learning moment.
YR, I'm happy to hear that you are settling into the new digs. Enjoy!
The end of 2020 is quickly approaching. Hopefully in 2021 we will conquer Covid-19 and will be able to return to our old normal.
No cookies here for the first time in 60 years. I was in quarantine until Dec. 17 with no ingredients and still settling in. It seemed strange. David has a care package for me, but we can't get together.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised to find that Germany has three preLent celebrations. I learned that
"In some cities in Germany, large carnivals take place on the Thursday, (Fat Thursday) Monday (Shrove Monday or Rose Monday) and Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) before Ash Wednesday."
Our PA Dutch family and neighbors celebrated only Fastnacht Day, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
There are three types of Fastnachts, one made with yeast, one made with baking powder, and one made with potatoes and yeast. All are slightly crispy on the outside and not as sweet as standard doughnuts. Mom's were made with potatoes and yeast and deep fried.
I always found it interesting that the ingredients were banned during Lent, but not their product, Fastnachts.
As a waitress I found it interesting that on meatless Good Friday our customers ate fabulous, expensive seafood and fish dinners as a "fast."
Today my pantry door went awry on its track. Help was just a phone call away. I love the service here.
I think meatless Fridays were intended as a day of abstinence (abstain from eating meat) not a fast (little or nothing to eat of any kind)
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteRe. "Irma La Deuce wan't on that list."
Would that be Irma No. 2? Of course in chicago they say paczki la Deuce.
Here's the real Irma La Douce (The Sweet)
And of course "berliner, fist-sized donuts" called to mind JFK's “Ich bin ein Berliner,” gaffe
In the old Catholic days all Fridays were meatless. Fishermen were nervous about lifting the ban but made out big-time in the end. We hated fish until the van and then loved it. I told you about shucking lobsters in the Boston docks.
WC
Ray-O:
ReplyDeleteI think meatless Fridays were intended to save up money for the Easter ham. Think about it...
You're Catholic and have tons of kids ('cuz, you know, birth control == nono). How you going to save up for that ham? Cut your food budget! "Sorry kids, no meat on Fridays."
Next morning at the Plant, you tell your co-workers your brilliant idea for cutting the food budget and Boom! No meat Fridays spreads like wildfire. :-)
I have friends from India that don't eat any meat. But they're from coastal India and fish ain't meat; they'll partake(?). Ok by me.
Cheers, -T
Thumper and I were going to sit this one out of course. But then wiser heads chimed in so my blood pressure has dropped enough for me to offer my meager input.
ReplyDeleteLouisiana Lady, you said it so well. There is only one one Marci Gras which is the TUESDAY before Ash Wednesday. But any one can overindulge on any day!
In New Orleans, center of excess, we have Lundi Gras, fat Monday, but no one claims it is a real holiday. So call whatever day you want Fat Whatever. But the clue is wrong. As Boomer said!
Donald C, I’m with you! Thirsty Thursday sounds like a good idea!
ReplyDeleteOwen, loved both but the second one was my favorite!
I somehow feel the need to mention Mardi Gras began in this country in 1699. But it was celebrated in France since medieval times. You really can’t invent new celebrations and call them Mardi Gras!
ReplyDeleteRay, Wilbur and Anon T, I’m always amazed at the fabulous seafood “fasting “ meals we all eat during Lent! Better than usual! Certainly no hardship!
ReplyDeleteWilbur Charles, There are two moments I remember from the film, Irma La Deuce: The camera behind Shirley McClaine as she ascends the stairs and when Jack Lemon emerges from the Seine in his police uniform, sputtering water. I read an interview with Shirley MacClaine later and she said, "All I did was put one foot in front of the other and that made my hips do that. And boy, did they do that!
ReplyDeleteBecky
The big three restaurants in Boston are Jimmy's Harborside,Pier 4 and No Name. All fish. And then there's Durgin Park where they bring the days Scrod over for lunch and folks est cafeteria style with the Mayor sitting with the plumber and tourists.
ReplyDeleteThen again that's a few years back.
WC
Tony, did you see JJ Watts statement today? He’s my hero!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnonT:
ReplyDeleteYes, my bill today was $342.16. It's a far cry from Pep boys estimate of $800! The water pump and drive belt were replaced. I love my mechanic, Isaac, for being honest and definitely not greedy.
YR:
I am so happy for you that you are in a nice, accommodating place.