For an American who understood what it meant to work, who walked the walk, and who was a FABULOUS ACTUAL BADASS check out America's Most Famous Abortionist & Midwife:
Speaking of books, I read "The Other Black Girl" a while ago and just finished watching the series (on Hulu). I enjoyed both. The lead actor (female) was excellent, but I'm still not sure what the point was, especially the "magic hair ointment." I know hair has always been a big issue for many black women, mostly because -- white people. Apparently, when the ointment is applied, you lose your authenticity. Anybody else read the book or see the series?
In contrast, you have never heard of Madame Revell. Read about her.
Read more about Susan B Anthony or Lucritia Mott or Harriet Beecher Stowe or David Walker or William Garrison or the many slave narratives.
Thoreau is a trust fund white guy who never washed his own shit stains, and is hailed to the heavens so that we can forget all the women and non-white men who wrote about the dignity of work, bodily autonomy, and the value of humans without being preening classists.
Have just ordered this from my local library. Thanks for the recommendation!
A favorite greeting card from the past (OK, the 1980s) showed a 19th century costumed man throwing a baseball on the front and another on the inside catching the ball. The front read "Henry David Thoreau" and the inside read "Henry David Catch"!
In my bookstore days, a customer came in asking for "The Rose of Walden Pond" and it took me a few moments before I could translate their mondegreen into...yep!
For me, there is no debate. The brain may be sexy, but Thoreau looks waaaaaayyyyyy too close to my grandpa for my brain to say anything but "no. Nope. Not happening in any way shape or form."
Never going to say slow-smoked ribs aren’t awesome. But I cook ribs in the slow-cooker using a similar rub and they come out awesome, for a fraction of the effort.
We’ve done this as well but the meat totally comes away from the bones and, with the juices, feels more like a stew. Perhaps I’m doing them wrong. Please share your recipe if you’d like. Open to learning a new way!! Thanks.
I use a similar dry rub, sweet/salty/spicy, heavy on the smoked paprika. Stand the ribs in the crock pot, put on low, and cook for about 5 hours, more or less depending on your pot and how big the ribs are and how many you’ve got in there. Some put a little cider or beer or other liquid in the bottom, but I don’t find it necessary. Don’t use a lot if you use any - a couple splashes, for moisture, but not much so it doesn’t get soupy. That’s really it…you can finish them in the oven with some BBQ sauce if you like, or eat them as-is (my preferences). Meat comes easily off the bones, but doesn’t fall off. If you over-cook them they do dry out, so keep an eye on them after 4 hours or so.
That sounds delicious. BTW, it's hard to find babyback ribs in the Boston area. Everyone raves about Blue Ribbon BBQ in Arlington (my town), but they just offer the big slabs. And Redbones in Cambridge has apparently gone down hill. I haz a sad.
So strange that they cannot find pork ribs. Are they just super popular and sell out? My husband cooks them and they were great last night. He also makes the sauce and it is not super complex but it’s a really awesome flavor (so long as he don’t try and sneak in chili powder like he did last time). 😛
In 1820 Thoreau and his father created the no. 2 pencil*. Oddly enough by 1859, they gave up the pencil game entirely. They published 'Walden' which was not a massive seller. Then David went tits-up pretty soon after.
*suitable for constipated accountants 'I'll work it out with a pencil'
I am fancy pants enough (and I worked for about 15 years in a bookstore) to have been not surprised about Civil Disobedience but can honestly swear on a stack of Waldens I have never read it.
Thank you so much, Dearest Lady Sara of Benincasa. Yet another insightful treatise of one of our actual Forefathers of Insight. May all the godz bless you and keep you, Your Hotness (that last part is offered with deepest respect and honor, not the typical rudeness)
A new resto opened in my town this week (soft opening yesterday, full-on "real" opening today). I got the tomato broth hot pot with quail eggs, beef, bean sprouts, rice cake, 2 kinds of bamboo, and 2 kinds of mushies, with udon noodles.
Man, this is fucking good. They said in the newspaper piece that came out about them this week that they cook all of their broths for at least 12 hours. It's super fucking good.
My partner got spicy crayfish, and we got a side dish of shredded potatoes, which are kind of weird, but good. Like, barely steamed and still a bit crunchy with a refreshing citrus, sesame, soy dressing (not too much soy; it's mostly citrus and sesame).
For an American who understood what it meant to work, who walked the walk, and who was a FABULOUS ACTUAL BADASS check out America's Most Famous Abortionist & Midwife:
https://www.amazon.com/Madame-Restell-Resurrection-Fabulous-Abortionist-ebook/dp/B0B38SMFQ7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BMLCL2RSNX9E&keywords=madame+restell&qid=1695064429&sprefix=madame+re%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1
You talked me into ordering this. And also The Road.
I used the Wonker linkie.
Speaking of books, I read "The Other Black Girl" a while ago and just finished watching the series (on Hulu). I enjoyed both. The lead actor (female) was excellent, but I'm still not sure what the point was, especially the "magic hair ointment." I know hair has always been a big issue for many black women, mostly because -- white people. Apparently, when the ointment is applied, you lose your authenticity. Anybody else read the book or see the series?
I had read the review of this book sometime back but have not read it. Started on the series last night. Not sure what I think of it so far.
If you watch the entire series, I hope you'll share your thoughts with me.
Ta, Sara. I'll put this on my to-read list. I know too little about Thoreau.
In contrast, you have never heard of Madame Revell. Read about her.
Read more about Susan B Anthony or Lucritia Mott or Harriet Beecher Stowe or David Walker or William Garrison or the many slave narratives.
Thoreau is a trust fund white guy who never washed his own shit stains, and is hailed to the heavens so that we can forget all the women and non-white men who wrote about the dignity of work, bodily autonomy, and the value of humans without being preening classists.
I think that was the best book review I’ve ever read.
Have just ordered this from my local library. Thanks for the recommendation!
A favorite greeting card from the past (OK, the 1980s) showed a 19th century costumed man throwing a baseball on the front and another on the inside catching the ball. The front read "Henry David Thoreau" and the inside read "Henry David Catch"!
In my bookstore days, a customer came in asking for "The Rose of Walden Pond" and it took me a few moments before I could translate their mondegreen into...yep!
For me, there is no debate. The brain may be sexy, but Thoreau looks waaaaaayyyyyy too close to my grandpa for my brain to say anything but "no. Nope. Not happening in any way shape or form."
The man has smoked and slow roasted 2 racks of pork ribs. I made a dry rub of the following:
I used the following:
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Chili powder (mild)
Paprika
Celery Salt
Coarse kosher salt
Ground pepper (a lot)
Cajun seasoning
Dry mustard
Brown Sugar
MSG (don’t knock it until you try it. Adds that subtle umami)
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
These will be joined by pan roasted sweet and Yukons and a salad of tomatoes, fresh from the garden. The neighbor is coming over to join us.
One concern is that she got a bottle of vodka today and we’re hoping she’s not three sheets.
Never going to say slow-smoked ribs aren’t awesome. But I cook ribs in the slow-cooker using a similar rub and they come out awesome, for a fraction of the effort.
We’ve done this as well but the meat totally comes away from the bones and, with the juices, feels more like a stew. Perhaps I’m doing them wrong. Please share your recipe if you’d like. Open to learning a new way!! Thanks.
I use a similar dry rub, sweet/salty/spicy, heavy on the smoked paprika. Stand the ribs in the crock pot, put on low, and cook for about 5 hours, more or less depending on your pot and how big the ribs are and how many you’ve got in there. Some put a little cider or beer or other liquid in the bottom, but I don’t find it necessary. Don’t use a lot if you use any - a couple splashes, for moisture, but not much so it doesn’t get soupy. That’s really it…you can finish them in the oven with some BBQ sauce if you like, or eat them as-is (my preferences). Meat comes easily off the bones, but doesn’t fall off. If you over-cook them they do dry out, so keep an eye on them after 4 hours or so.
Thank you! Just what you want. To be able to eat with your hands but tender.
That sounds delicious. BTW, it's hard to find babyback ribs in the Boston area. Everyone raves about Blue Ribbon BBQ in Arlington (my town), but they just offer the big slabs. And Redbones in Cambridge has apparently gone down hill. I haz a sad.
So strange that they cannot find pork ribs. Are they just super popular and sell out? My husband cooks them and they were great last night. He also makes the sauce and it is not super complex but it’s a really awesome flavor (so long as he don’t try and sneak in chili powder like he did last time). 😛
Sara I find your writing amazing. Thank you for this wonderful literary critique. The NYTimes Sunday book review needs you.
Take the NYT sweet sweet money if ever offered, but please don't forget us not commenting Wonkers, pretty please?
In 1820 Thoreau and his father created the no. 2 pencil*. Oddly enough by 1859, they gave up the pencil game entirely. They published 'Walden' which was not a massive seller. Then David went tits-up pretty soon after.
*suitable for constipated accountants 'I'll work it out with a pencil'
They did not! What in the ever loving fuck bullshit is this!
The number 2 pencil was invented by a young female mill worker whose name is lost.
You should read this:
The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance Paperback
by Henry Petroski
Look, she invented the #2 pencil. The merchants who helped her sell it are recorded in history but her name is lost.
Funny how everyone knows about 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 from school days, but I never heard of 𝘊𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 until I was today years old.
I am fancy pants enough (and I worked for about 15 years in a bookstore) to have been not surprised about Civil Disobedience but can honestly swear on a stack of Waldens I have never read it.
Thank you so much, Dearest Lady Sara of Benincasa. Yet another insightful treatise of one of our actual Forefathers of Insight. May all the godz bless you and keep you, Your Hotness (that last part is offered with deepest respect and honor, not the typical rudeness)
I'm having Chinese hot pot for the first time.
A new resto opened in my town this week (soft opening yesterday, full-on "real" opening today). I got the tomato broth hot pot with quail eggs, beef, bean sprouts, rice cake, 2 kinds of bamboo, and 2 kinds of mushies, with udon noodles.
Man, this is fucking good. They said in the newspaper piece that came out about them this week that they cook all of their broths for at least 12 hours. It's super fucking good.
My partner got spicy crayfish, and we got a side dish of shredded potatoes, which are kind of weird, but good. Like, barely steamed and still a bit crunchy with a refreshing citrus, sesame, soy dressing (not too much soy; it's mostly citrus and sesame).
We'll definitely be going back.
The potatoes sound amazing.
Indeed it does!
Ha! I am all prepped for A Shot in the Dark later on (i dug out my Pink Panther box set and have the appropriate disc loaded in my player ready to go)
I am intrigued, and I shall pursue this at my local library. Many thanks.
Bless you for supporting your local library. I would be lost without mine.
At last, it can be told! The unknown story of the founding of the Justice League!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnQ036KAluc