I DID take that pie in a jar class!
We elitist foodie types are easy targets for ridicule (and let’s face it, we deserve it). Some of the cleverest I’ve seen lately comes from The Imagineering Company, a faux children’s book called Pat the Foodie.
If you’ve been a kid or a parent over the last 70 years you’ve seen the original title. The updated foodie version eschews the banalities of mommy’s ring and daddy’s scratchy face for the more “now” fascinations of farm-raised pork…
…and hand-crafted baked goods.
Ouch. But I laughed out loud at every page. This book belongs on every foodie’s shelf, both as an amusement and a constant reminder of how absurd we all are. It’s moral necessity, really. Thanks Julie, thanks Susan for the laughs that hurt so good! I’m gonna get you back one day! – Joe
I’m glad it says it’s a parody on the front – sometimes it’s kind of hard to tell…
Indeed. It look like the real thing for sure.
– Joe
Lately, I have noticed that there are a lot of recipes that sprinkle the word “preferably” all over the ingredients list. It can’t be cheddar – it has to be (preferably) West Country Farmhouse Cheddar. Eggs aren’t good enough, they have to be free range, organic and (preferably) from Domincker chickens.
At first I got mad, now I just laugh and use whatever cheddar and eggs I can find at the local market.
Amen, Ellen. In general I think mass-market ingredients work great. The exceptions are recipes created to highlight one ingredient. Croissants are all about butter, so great butter will really shine there. Panna cotta is a showcase for cream, so good cream will make a big difference. But otherwise I’m with you. Who can afford to shop organic/local/artisan all the time? Here’s a dirty secret I’ll let you in on: I haven’t been to a farmers market in years. Keep it on the QT.
– Joe