First, a correction: The word for "turkey" in Hebrew is Hodu (Hoe-doo), not hoodoo as previously stated. (I was obviously under the effect of hoodoo at the time , and so the error.) Also, I neglected to disclose the meaning of the word.
Hodu, in Hebrew means Indian chicken and, the word for an Asian Indian is Hodi, which I find out is similar to the Turkish word for turkey.
So now I'm thinking, the plot thickens!
It's taken me lo these years to look it up, but I've always wondered why turkey is so named and finally got my lazy ass up to span the globe and this is what we found:
The original turkey was the guinea fowl, which was brought to Europe from Africa by way of Turkey. In the 16th century, the British were introduced to the American bird that is now called turkey, and they apparently felt that it resembled the guinea fowl, because they began calling the American bird a turkey.
How cool is that?
You know, there are just two kinds of people in the world, (why can't they fall in love...well you may ask, Little Anthony) those who love the bones and those who do not. I do. I am so happy when I have a turkey carcass to gnaw on!
Leaving you with that quaint image, I will recount an item from today's Times;
A shopkeeper in Wales has installed a gizmo, The Mosquito, that emits a high-pitched sound in an effort to keep rowdy teens away from his store.
The sound can only be heard by those under 20 but not over 30 and is appparently very annoying but not harmful. "It's very difficult to shoplift,"says the inventor, "when you have your fingers in your ears".
Spare the decibel, spoil the child!

Speaking of hoodoo, something is going hinky with my computer so I will end with our family recipe for the World Famous All Over Brooklyn Kugel. I have been inundated with requests (one).
I'll be around like a doughnut, BB

Noodle Pudding (Luckshen Kugel)

1 Pound medium or wide egg noodles ("no yolk" noodles have a firmer texture)

5- 6 eggs

1 Stick sweet butter

1 Pint sour cream or buttermilk or 1/2 & 1/2 of each

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1/2 Teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

8 - 16 oz. raisins

Topping: Crushed grapenuts (or real nuts-if your family lets you) and brown sugar .

Cook noodles al dente. Drain and return to pot. Off heat, add the butter in small bits until melted.

In a blender, whip remaining ingredients (except the raisins) till frothy, then mix into noodles and add the raisins. (You could make the egg mixture ahead and let the raisins macerate in it for 1/2 hour or so- it makes for plumper raisins). Turn into a greased 9x13 pan. Add topping and spray top with a little oil. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes @ 450, then reduce heat to 325 for 30 minutes till top is deep gold. Remove foil to brown.

(Or bake the thing at your turkey temperature for an hour-it will be fine.)

And here am I!

It took 3 days, (and Steve's help) but here's me. That's not actually my regular mug.
I was all dolled up for niece Sarah's wedding on 10/1/05. It took me 3 weeks to achieve that look. I wish I had hid the scissors! More pix to come.

From time to time I would like to include in this space, something I like to call, "you can't make this stuff up". It is inspired by print and NPR news, primarily by the NY Times, which inevitably pisses me off on a daily basis.
If other sources are used, I will try to cite them.

Watching Gilmore Girls last night, ( Rory and Lorelei have reconciled!!) I saw ads from at least 3 companies who will call you so you can be at their stores at the crack of dawn on Black Friday.
An excellent day for burglars!

The Pope announced today that the church will bar gays from ordination unless they have been on the straight and narrow ( I can pun - it's a holiday) for three years, "transitioning", as it were.
That has euphemism has quite a snappy ring to it, like "intelligent design".

The coalition government in Israel has colllapsed, will reform and new elections will be held. Soon.
Would that we had such an option. Would that our citizens realize the incredible privilege they have in voting, while I'm at it.

Wild turkey attacks seem to be on the rise nationwide..
Apparently tom turkeys are the alphas of the flock and they see humans as betas.
Carry an umbrella to poke them with when out in the woods, according to the Wall Street Journal.
See, this would never have happened if they were the national bird as B. Franklin wanted; they would be extinct by now.


Finally, some sad news. A true innovator, for good or ill, Ruth Siems, the inventor of Stovetop stuffing has died.
Insert your own joke here, I got kugel to grow!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! BB

Rolling thunder and Torrents

This title reminds me of a concert I once went to; it's actually the weather today.
I need to go to the store for the secret ingredients (ha!) for the Ritual Thanksgiving Kugel, but it is way to inclement to walk between the raindrops. What to do! I'm killing time, waiting for it to let up.
Meanwhile, I know lurkers will be reading this ( I got 3 phone calls already asking me what Oi vavoi means- comments, not so much) and will wonder at my extreme sacrifice and trial by rain for the sake of famial love and devotion.
Alas, (oi vavoi!) I can't stand to see my brother cry.
Also, my niece Sarah very helpfully reminded me that due to my broken arm, I did not bring a kugel last year therefore I need to bring a kugel twice as big so as to satisfy the gods, restore balance to the universe and apparently appease Pete.(?)
Well, the window has opened, the hour upon me, I go now to my watery fate.

And lo, I have returned, miraculously escaping the worst of the storm, but not using overly-dramatic prose.
At the market, I was the only person on line without a turkey, which invoked turkey envy. (Turkey by the way, is hoodoo in Hebrew, how cool is that?) I am secure in the knowledge that the bones of Thursday's bird will be secured (perhaps in an ossuary?) and sent home with me, but still anxiety persists. There was one year when they dumped the bonesin the trash. You know who you are.
In fairness, there was one year that we forgot the kugel.
My market junket reminds me of a recent trip to another market I frequent, in a very West Indian neighborhood.
Walking along the aisles was a boy who was questioning his dad: I forgot, Daddy, how do you say yes?
"Da", the Caribbean Dad replied in Russian. "Da, da"
And this is one reason Brooklyn is so cool, dear reader.

Persphone personified?

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Persphone personified?

She must have felt really crappy about spending the dark months in Hades. What a drag. It's probably like a dark Florida, but with less air pollution.
I really hate this time of year. I feel lifeless; I might as well be underground.
I feel very connected to the earth, and I know it sounds weird, but when the trees and plants are dying, it drains my energy and I always get ill and depressed.
It's a bad time for pain, bizzaro weather, and bad attitudes in the general populace.
As beautiful as Autumn may be, it's all about rotting and death, not to mention all those damn leaves. And while we are on the subject, I had to make an appointment for my shrub clippings to be picked up because of possible Asian Longhorn beetle infestation,( another subject for another time.) Said branches( six bundles) will therefore have to sit in front of the house for a month providing a wonderful incubator not only for beetle eggs but also for all the leaves on the block, and spiders and possibly avian bird flu.
Now where the hell is that damned PLuto anyway, did he forget he has to pick me up?

Geez did I really write, avian bird flu? I meant of course avian virus virus flu.

// posted by BB @ Saturday, November 19, 2005 0 comments links to this post

Down the rabbit hole: testing, testing

Well, here I be. It was such an ordeal to get here! I never know where to click to get a desired response.
And others had taken my name as well as several variations.
As I am not quite secure in the knowlege that this will actually work, I will not waste all my cleverness and/or venom as yet. There's no bottle here that says, drink me.
Let's click over there and see what happens.....will it go thru?

By my ears and whiskers, it worked! Looks pretty impressive too, like I had something really important to say which of course I don't.
I got all worked up after reading the newspaper this AM, (my usual routine) and determined that this was the day I will start my blog and show the world how selfish and cruel they are, but I'm very forgetful and my ire has cooled; also I am getting a little hungry as ire-cooling is energy consuming.
Also, I need to get some clever and attractive graphics to make the place more homey.
And then, dear Reader, all will be revealed.

PS; today is the 80th birthday of Maya Pleisetskaya, who danced with the Bolshoi into her 60's.
Yeah, baby!