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The Dish - 8.28.09
Doni: Way to hustle this week, Kelly, on the national stories with local ties. First, the Wally Herger embarrassment (to people in his district, at least) and then you posted the link to Redding’s own Dr. Vance Harris’ vent on CNN.com, ”Why Physicians are Sick of the System” - which struck a national nerve and also stirred up a lot of interest here on anewscafe.com.
Kelly: Health care reform’s a hot button, to be sure. So much is riding on current legislation, and emotions are running high. Lot of nonsense and party politics to sort through. Fake town halls with obvious planted statements and questions coming from hopelessly misguided souls (not all of them, of course, but some) don’t help a bit. At least I hope these people are just misguided. I’d hate to think it was something more deep-seated and sinister. Like a skin-color issue. Ahem. I’m glad for straight talk from people like Dr. Harris, who are actually talking rationally about health-care specifics. Good to see him on CNN.com.
Doni: His exposure didn’t end there. On the way home yesterday I heard him on Public Radio International’s “To the Point” along with a couple of other doctors from other states. They discussed the dwindling number of family doctors (long hours, less pay, more paperwork), and the increased trend of ”concierge” doctors, private physicians who basically work less hours and make more money caring for the wealthy. It was a fascinating discussion, made even more so by the inclusion of a local doctor. Harris presented well, and sounded articulate and bright. I must say I’m still in a bit of shock from when he said there were two months in the last year in which he took home a grand total of zero. Nothing. So much for the stereotype of the the rich doctor. I had no idea. I just wanted to mention that before I forgot. What’s new in your world?
Kelly: Let’s see… a friend of ours wrote in this week with a restaurant recommendation. He said two people named Capps have opened up a small restaurant and bar in Yreka, on Minor Street, called Speakeasy, in the middle of downtown, and that it is “really very good.” It serves “West-Mex Cuisine & Hooch.” Funny. Our friend had a great beef enchilada and his friend had the best cheeseburger ever. The place is attractive, he said, and the servers are energetic young people who are into taking care of their customers. It has a full bar and is open for lunch and dinner.
Doni: Gosh, that’s great. Love the name. Oh, and the Big Orange in Shasta Lake City has good food, too. Remember those tamales we tasted from The Big Orange? Delicious. It’s important to support unique restaurants, unique businesses, heck, locally owned, locally interested. Hmmm, nice ring, don’t you think?
Kelly: I do. I believe we’ve heard that somewhere nearby.
Doni: I have a really petty whine.
Kelly: Hit me.
Doni: Stickers. I hate them. Especially on merchandise, and what really fries me is stickers on vintage things, like a really pretty little Japanese, gold-leaf-covered lacquered dish I bought, but when I removed the price sticker it peeled up the gold leaf with it. Same with a really cool old photo album I found at a thrift store. The album was in perfect condition. It had heavy black pages and had a faux leather cover - with the stupid price sticker stuck smack in the middle. Even though I tried my hardest to be gentle, the sticker extracted a big hunk of the photo album. Drives me crazy. And it happens with new stuff, too. I recently bought some perfect little glass shakers with chrome tops dotted with holes for my famous in my own mind barbecue rubs. I couldn’t get the stupid stickers off the chrome lids. Arrrrggghhh!
Kelly: Do you have hairspray?
Doni: I graduated high school in 1974 (go, Wolves!). I barely know how to use hairspray, but, yes, I have hairspray.
Kelly: Your education is about to take a turn for the better. Go spray a little on the sticker residue and give it a minute to dissolve the goo. Should wipe right off.
Doni: OK. Be right back. I’ll try it. Oh, my gosh. It worked. You were right. Magic. Better than GooGone. You’re a genius.
Kelly: Why, thank you. Three little words I love to hear. Just call me Heloise. Hairspray works on ink, too. The cheaper the better. AquaNet is spectacular.
Doni: Do you mind if I just call you Hel? Which reminds me, do you have your pies baked for tonight’s Igo Community Spaghetti Fundraiser for Chris Bennor’s boys? You and I will help serve spaghetti. And I’m donating my favorite coconut pie - not a cream pie, but more of pecan pie-ish number. It is so good, and it’ll hold up in the heat. Andrea Charroin is also donating some pies. Don’t feel intimidated. I’m sorry, what did you say you’re making?
Kelly: Holy cat hair, the pressure. I don’t know. I was going to make a coconut cream pie (Steve’s favorite), but then I thought a cream pie might melt, or curdle, or seize up — whatever cream pies do when they go to pieces. And now you have a coconut-not-cream pie that’s sure to be fantabulous. Fine. God knows what flaky, aromatic, too-beautiful-to-eat marvels Andrea will create. I haven’t decided. I might need to shop. I might need to Google up a recipe. I might need to call my mommy. Whatever. Geez. Leave me alone.
Doni: OK, enough about you. Let’s talk about me. I made 52 half-pints of chutney the other day. I felt so Little House on the Prairielike. Money in the bank, baby. Guess what you’re getting for Christmas? Oh, speaking of “Little House on the Prairie” - may I borrow your latest edition of “The New Yorker”? I heard an NPR interview with a woman who wrote about Laura Ingalls Wilder - credited with writing the “Little House on the Prairie” series. But apparently, the article also discussed Rose - Ingalls-Wilder’s daughter. Turns out those books may have been a mother-daughter collaboration, only Mom got all the glory. Oh, and all that fantasy pioneer family stuff? Ma, Pa, candy sticks for Christmas but that was enough because their family had love, love, love - all that was about as far from the actual Wilder family reality as one could get. At least according to this author. If you know some dirt on Caroline Keene and my beloved “Nancy Drew” books, don’t tell me, OK? I can only handle being disillusioned once a week.
Kelly: Wait, go back. You made 52 jars of chutney? I’m just… I don’t know what to say. You’re some kind of secret culinary superhero, aren’t you? You whipped it all up in a phone booth, I bet. In the blink of an eye. While wearing a cape. Amazing! Really. … Yes, you may have the magazine. I can put my hands on it in 30 seconds. I have all the current magazines in my house sorted and filed by date, latest arrivals on top. (I know, OCD much?) I’m stunned about “Little House.” You think you know people. Even fictional people. My whole Laura Ingalls childhood has shattered before my eyes. Thank you.
Doni: No charge. Speaking of bewildered rage: The other day I was standing at the kitchen window and watched a truck pass and the guy behind the wheel tossed a lighted a cigarette butt out the window. I flashed on last year’s fires - a whole summer lost, along with property - and I felt so angry - just imagining all the fear and destruction and upheaval that comes with fire. So careless. I was so mad I wanted to - I don’t know …
Kelly: Hit him with a paintball?
Doni: Jinx! I was going to say that. I don’t want to kill someone much over a tossed butt. But gosh, that paintball gun could come in might handy …
Kelly: It would ease so many murderous impulses, wouldn’t it? Are those legal to just carry around and … fire at will? Could we? It’s not like it’s lethal. But it probably constitutes assault, doesn’t it? If you got busted you’d have to pretend you were aiming to tag your paintball opponent across the freeway but some hapless fool got accidentally-on-purpose caught in the crossfire. A woman can dream, though. I see a whole behavior modification program where we assign certain colors for certain transgressions, and everyone would agree and get on board. We’d all splat red on cars that go too fast or run traffic lights. Green for numbskull drivers who brake for butterflies. Multicolored for texters. See, then, we’d know which cars to steer clear of on the road. Tie-dyed car in front of you? Seriously, find another way to drive to work. This could even carry over into other areas, too, like for obnoxious cell-phone chatterers in public places. Or people who talk in the movies. Mini-spitballs of paint for indoors. “Down in front!” Ptooey! “Quiet, I said!” Splut!
Doni: Skin-headed guys with ”White Pride” tattooed on the back of their necks. May I use indelible paintballs on them … on their necks? And idiots like the guy I encountered a couple of weeks ago who’s shopping inside Bee Thrifty and his dog is outside sitting in the car. It’s like 100 and a million degrees, and OK, so the car windows were down, but have you ever sat in a car parked on asphalt in full sun, with the windows down? Even with the windows open the air outside is hot and the car turns into a convection oven. I got up the nerve to approach the guy and tell him that I was was worried about his dog. He gives me this shit-eating dopey grin and assures me the dog is fine, that heck, if the dog weren’t in the car it would be home in the back yard, where it was even hotter. What’s wrong with some people?
Kelly: Ooooh, target practice.
Doni: Readers, in your paintball fantasy, who would you tag?
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Hit with a paintball? Jackson Pollock. But, then, would he notice?
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I’d like to paintball myself when I’ve spent the whole day on the couch with the Apple TV.
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Hi Doni, Re the spaghetti feed tonite - Is a prompt 5pm arrival a must, or will they be serving thruout the evening? Do you know if there is a time frame? Thanks, A
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Doni Greenberg Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Andrea, it begins at 5 p.m. and God-willing everyone won’t show up at once because they’re expecting a crowd.
So I think it’s safe to say this will last for a few hours … as long as people keep showing up and there’s spaghetti left. The pie auction won’t begin right away. Sorry I don’t have more specifics. Andrea, what kind of pie are you bringing so we know what to fight over?
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andrea (Igo) Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Holy Cow! Is everyone supposed to bring a pie??? Guess I missed that part! I didn’t pay attention to the flyer earlier as I thought we were going to be gone this weekend. I’l have to put my thinking cap on and see what I have here…it might just have to be chocolate chip cookies or some such thing.
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Doni Greenberg Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Oh Andrea… I’m a dork! So sorry! I thought I was writing to Andrea Charroin — Food Goddess, because she’d planned on bringing a pie.
No worries. Do not bring a thing. If everyone brought a pie there’d be nobody left to bid on pies.
Again, my mistake. Deep breaths. You’re off the hook.
I think a very specific Congressman should get a paintball or two.
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Dear Doni and Kelly,
Thank you for the recommendation and good words about the Giant Orange (yum! yum!) in Shasta Lake (or the City of Shasta Lake…NOT Shasta Lake City.
Gracious
P.O. Box 5002
Shasta Lake, CA 96089-5002
530-275-0325
P.S. Hey - when will The Galley at Shasta Lake be included in the ArtHop?
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people who tailgate!
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I am making my pies right now! Boy my house smells yummy! I am making a strawberry rhubarb, blackberry, and a ginger peach.
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Brandon Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I think I can smell your yummy pies way over here on the west side!
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Kelly Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 9:30 am
I knew it…
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Troy Hawkins Reply:
August 29th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Andrea,
Adam and I bought your Ginger Peach Pie. It never made it out of the building. I LOVED it. The only fruit pie that Adam has ever liked.
One question though: Was the crust a Sweet French crust? It was PERFECT!
Thank you for being the Food Goddess!
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Andrea Charroin Reply:
August 29th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Hello Troy! I am just THRILLED that you and Adam enjoyed your peach ginger pie. I am delighted to have the honor of baking the only fruit pie that Adam has enjoyed. Yes the crust was a traditional pate brisee, super easy. I will post the recipe on my blog bakerslove.typepad.com tomorrow.
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Can we donate pies to the auction tonight to help? Is there someone we can coordinate (call) for that? Thanks for letting everyone know about this Doni. You are a great community supporter
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Doni Greenberg Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Barb, yes, anyone who wants to donate a pie tonight, may. Just bring it in a dish you don’t care about getting back, with your name and the pie name.
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Barb Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Thanks so much for the info. Just want to help out if we can
See you there!
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Oh and the ink thing…Aqua net is the best ink remover on the planet. You know how you forget you have a pen in your jeans pocket and you sit down and it breaks and you have an ink stain? NO? That just me? Well, Aqua net will get it out even after the dryer
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Terry Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Thank you! I’m sending that tip on to friends and family.
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Doni, Have you printed your recipe for barbecue rub?? Costco had one that I loved made by Aromatica Organics, but no longer carry it. Please share.
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I’m sitting here working away, should be finalizing a report, but I keep peeking over at The Dish. It’s so comforting to feel the love all the way up the mountain from our nearly-adopted community. The boys and I will be there tonight with some family in tow. I feel blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people.
But isn’t it ironic? In our chef-wife team, I was the baker - I can whip up brownies, cookies, cakes, creme brulee, muffins with ease. But the one thing I could NEVER master was a good pie. So my hat’s off to you wonderful bakers out there!
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Doni Greenberg Reply:
August 28th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Chris, it means the world to everyone at anewscafe.com that you’re feeling concern, love support from thousands of us throughout the north state to you in Lewiston.
We are all so lucky to have one another.
We’ll see you and your family tonight. (nntr)
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Oh. My. Gosh. I hope the strawberry rhubarb pie will still be there when I arrive.
Great “Dish” as always, ladies.
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Mmmm. Paint ball guns. Reminds me about my son and his buddy having a bit of “fun” driving around and shooting one. My son had just turned 18 and was driving the car, his buddy was 17 and doing the shooting. His buddy shot a guy in the butt (I am not kidding) who turned out to be an attorney. Long story short, it took my son two years to pay off the fine. Of course, after all these years, it is now a favorite family story.
On Health Care Reform. There is a March scheduled for Pro-Reform on Sunday Sept. 13 from 12:00 pm - 3:00pm. We will march from the Downtown Mall to City Hall. We need everyone possible to show that there are a LOT of people in favor of Reform. Hope some of you will march with us.
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Wish I was there for tonight’s dinner AND the March. Still feel like Redding is my community miss the closeness - sigh.
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Doni Greenberg Reply:
August 29th, 2009 at 9:34 am
We miss you, too, Darce. But we’re not that far away, and our online ties bind us close. I mean that in a good way. xod
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Oh, those pies sound wonderful! Guess we will have to be content with Marie Callender’s or Mrs. Smith ( I don’t bake anymore). As for paint balll guns, maybe shoot the tailgaters or the non signalers. But it is a hopeless situation, so I will just have to keep on using my wonderful vocabulary. #%*! or something like that.
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The Dish is great as always. It’s funny, but today I was imagining things that could could eject from my car……a black and odiferous sludge for tailgaters……a light acid spray for the vehicles of people who come over the line into my lane….. . Laura Engalls Wilder. I certainly loved those stories but even as a young reader I suspected that they were constructed for young readers. Simplified for young people. Great historical fiction.
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me and ma’ posse are looking for anybody that ditto’s their way through life. lately it’s whoever puts up anonymous signs and pretends to speak for all “responsible” people. one better is the one person that insists he’s looking out for the interests of all us taxpayers. I’d paintball the whole money trail - follow the money {:{) BTW - I like your style K & D!
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Love this weeks Dish ladies.
Paintball target practice, I love this idea. I think I have a revolving target as to whatever injustice was happening that particular day. Today It would be….
Parents that rough handle their kids. You have a miracle in front of you and you’re
yanking it around by it’s tiny little arm like a rag doll. “POW” I would have loved
to have pelted my neighbor yesterday instead of just yelling at him.
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Well, miracles do happen! We didn’t get to the spaghetti dinner until almost six thirty. There was spaghetti left and I was fortunate to be there in time for the pie auction. Growing up in the midwest, rhubarb has always been a favorite.
Andrea, I got your strawberry rhubarb pie! I am in seventh heaven! It is so very delicious! The crust is perfection, I could go on and on. Thank you………
It was a wonderful event and looked to be very successful. Our sympathy goes out to Chris Bennor and family.
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I want to express my immense appreciation to everyone for the spaghetti dinner on Friday. When we drove up, I was stunned to see the parking lot full and cars parked up the street.
It was healing to see the restaurant filled with all those people who have been so supportive as well as those who may have been our future customers. I had the chance to stop by a lot of tables and talk with people. I sure heard some great stories about the community, what a fun, tight group of people!
Words can’t do justice. Roy’s masterful organization, Brad’s hard, hard work, and Pat, well, all I can say is that Rich would have been IMPRESSED by how much Pat did getting that food together - WHEW!!!
And of course there were so, so many more people who helped with the food, served, got the restaurant together, cleaned, made donations, baked marvelous goodies, and more and more. And the community just came out - there were people from all over, many of whom didn’t know us but came to show their support.
Again, I’m awed.
The boys and I are doing OK. We’re working on figuring out our new “normal.” But doing it in a small community, where we have family and friends here in Trinity County as well as in Igo-Ono makes it so much easier.
By the way, at the event, this marvelous community and all of the people who came out to support helped raise $2825 for the boys’ college fund. What a blessing for us, thank you…
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