Since Jews celebrate Chanukah by eating fried foods, is Judaism the root of Southern cooking?

In response to last week’s questions, “Since Jews celebrate Chanukah by eating fried foods, is Judaism the root of Southern cooking?”, my world traveler and sailing friend Vaughn believes this is not true because “all the wonderful Jewish dishes I know are based on chicken fat while the Southern dishes are based on pork fat otherwise known as lard.” My dad’s beach buddy Bob agreed, “Southerners don't use vegetable oil as many Jews do, and the batter is different unless you are in Miami and the Rabbi isn't watching.”

“Southern cooking origins came from mostly Irish and Scottish immigrants first settling in the southern states and was driven by the resources/livestock available at the time. So I say, no, Judaism is not the origin of Southern Cooking. However,” my colleague Swany observed, “Judaism’s candle lighting may be the contributing factor in the development of decorative sconces and the early success of Pier 1 Imports.”

My sailing friend and former colleague Ed was concerned about the post-script, writing, “... fried chicken or fried okra" What’s up with the "or" part? You CAN’T have fried chicken without okra! Makes me hungry just thinking about it.”

With all the fried food, my friend Richard wrote, “No, but it does explain why so many Jews become M.D.s. ‘Physician, heal thyself.’”

My sailing friend Rich, who could be considered a fried food expert because he works for UltraFryer, explained “Of course it is true as any one who knows their history of Charleston, SC can tell you. The charter for the Carolina colony drawn up by John Locke granted "Liberty of Conscience" specifically mentioning Jews, heathens and dissenters, thus granting the most liberal and true freedom of religion in the new world for a while. Up until 1830 Charleston had the largest Jewish population in the United States. To find out more about Jewish Southern history and cooking and get some recipes read "Matzoh Ball Gumbo: Culinary Tales of the Jewish South" (University of North Carolina Press, Fall 2005) by Macie Cohen Ferris.”

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Why is there no Christmas Adam?

Live well...laugh often and heartily….be happy, have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

PS: Great news: The days are getting longer. Today is the winter solstice.
Merry Christmas to all my Christian friends.

What does it mean to pre-board?

In response to last week’s questions, “What does it mean to pre-board?”, my Monty Python loving friend noted, “It's what you do before you watch paint dry. ;-) Actually, the correct answer is ‘a tree’.” My neighbor Al, who is pilot for a major airline, agreed that “Pre-board relates to being a tree.”

My friend Royce defined pre-board as “knowing that you have to go to all of those boring holiday parties. But wait! You said "pre-board". Are you referring to board as in lumber and/or board as in habitat renting?” Then my friend Marya explained that “Pre-board by my definition means the same thing as driving into a Wal-Mart parking lot: people LOSE their mind!”

And my dad’s beach buddy Bob declared, “It is a must do for those to be water boarded.” Ouch.

My friend Richard wisely observed that “It means that the English language is being bastardized yet again.” To prove this, my friend Alan, who travels too much, wrote, “For [airline name withheld], it means holding up the stampede of business travelers rushing to their first class seats. (They never actually allow enough time for the pre-boarders to get to the plane!)” And my college roomie John added, “Lately, I believe it means to spend more time at the airport than flying, or traveling to and from the airport.”

My colleague Swany was left pondering, “Why isn’t there a process for post-boarding?”

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Aren't the 'good things that come to those who wait' just the leftovers from the people that got there first?

Live well...laugh often and heartily….be happy, have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

How is it possible the Flintstones celebrate Thanksgiving?

In response to last week’s questions, “How is it possible the Flintstones celebrate Thanksgiving?”, my birthday bud Jon explained, “Because the show is otherwise so damned realistic!” My sailing buddy Scott concluded, “because they were the bedrock of our early society.”

My neighbor Dick believes is it because, “Ever heard of dinosaur drumsticks?? Very filling!” And my dad’s beach buddy Bob added, “When you have a friend like Barney, every day is Thanksgiving Day.”

But then my pilot friend Ted explained, “The Flintstones didn’t actually celebrate Thanksgiving, In Bedrock they call it "Rocksgiving" . They a eat Turkasaurus big enough to tip over Fred's car. Then Fred would tell Pebbles and BamBam stories of how the PilGranites came to Bedrock on the MarbleFlower.” This is not actually listed on Wikipedia although 2010 will be the 50th anniversary of the Flintstones.

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What does it mean to pre-board? Courtesy of George Carlin

Live well...laugh often and heartily….be happy, have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

How does a guess become educated?

In response to last week’s questions, “How does a guess become educated?”, my neighbor Dick concluded, “If you make it, it's an Educated Guess. If someone else makes it, it's a W.A.G.” My sailing friend Kurt added some clarification. “A WAG (wild assed guess) is when you know you know nothing about the subject. A SWAG (scientific wild assed guess) is when you think you know something about the subject; however, people don't like to admit they don't know something about something.”

My friend Richard knows that an educated guess is one “given by a smart-aleck” while my cousin Wes surmised that “a guess becomes "educated" when it’s made by an expert.”

My colleague Effie focused on the guess, saying “a guess becomes Educated when it knows enough to pretend it knows more than it knows. When my organizational behavior buddy Marya said, “All guesses are educated. It's just a matter of HOW educated!,” my colleague Swany concluded, “A guess becomes educated through years of hard work, dedication and perseverance; attending classes regularly and avoiding the typical temptations found during those impressionable school years. Or it’s home schooled.”

My friend Tracey deduced that “it’s only when it has been through the School of Thought” while my running buddy Tony wrote, “after it has been through a four year degree…or if it’s right.”

And my dad’s beach buddy Bob wrote, “When you vote him out of office.”

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What do you do when you are blue? from my friend Blair

Live well...laugh often and heartily….be happy, have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

My colleague Effie’s long answer: A little guess grows up and is told by his parents that he needs to study hard and go to college after high-school. He didn’t listen and goofed off for a few years drifting from job to job. He met a nice girl guess and before long he had a little guess of his own. He decided it was time to make something of himself. He got accepted into college and began taking classes. A lot of the classes he took weren’t relevant to his career and he learned that many of his professors didn’t really know much beyond what they gleaned from the course text book. He began to question whether a college education would really help him succeed in life, but he stuck with it. A few years, a lot of time, tears, tests, and large financial investment later he earned his degree. He knew a LITTLE about a LOT of things, but not enough to give him the experience or skills to land a really nice job. He still had to start at the bottom like all the other guesses. However, for all his work and effort, he finally had a little piece of paper that certified him as an official Educated Guess. He started playing trivia every week and impressed all his guess buddies at the bar with his new-found “knowledge”.

When is your clothing an outfit and not a costume?

In response to last week’s questions, “When is your clothing an outfit and not a costume?”, my birthday bud Jon knows that “it’s an outfit when my wife picks it out.” My friend Tracey understands that it is “when your child approves of it.” And my friend Bill knew an outfit is “when you have to wear a tie.”

My sailing buddy Scott determined that costumes become outfits “the day after Halloween” while my cousin Wes wrote, “it’s a costume in the theater, playing pretend, or at a Halloween Party = costume. Otherwise outfit, unless like me, you are pretending to be normal, them my everyday outfit is a costume.” Or My pilot friend Ted recommended that we “ask either Cher or Madonna.”

My college roomie John cautioned, “Beware of the fashion police. Cosmo has fashion "Dos and Don'ts." I am sure we have all commented on someone's attire, but I have learned we all live in glass houses.”

While John offers reasonable advice, my colleague Effie wanted to agree, but “I’d normally say if you can go to Walmart and not get stared at, you’re wearing an outfit….but as www.peopleofwalmart.com has shown me, “costume” and “outfit” can be considered entirely subjective and is at the discretion of the wearer.” Note: If you haven’t seen this website, you are guaranteed a laugh. Consider bookmarking it for Hump Day.

My neighbor Al observed that it’s an outfit “when it’s a (ah) …. put on.” My friend Richard expounded on this, saying, “When you look at some of the “fashions” worn these days, I don’t think there’s much of a difference. If you wear something because you like it, it is an outfit. If you wear it because someone you like or admire wore something similar, it’s a costume.” To this, my neighbor Dick simplified things, writing, “Check the price tag. An "outfit" costs a lot more than a "costume"according to my wife's closet full of outfits.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob advised, “A costume is something worn at a party to impress someone. You dress up to display your better side. Of course ones better attributes are sometimes displayed without either clothes or costumes!”

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

How does a guess become educated?

Live well...laugh often and heartily….be happy, have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!