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[Rath Darkblade]

*hands Catriona the dark chocolate chip cookies*

(Recipe here: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe)

 

[Rigor Mortis]

I only came here to whine about not knowing what to say.

The publicist wants to include a letter from me to readers in the "special VIP influencer packages" she's putting together for Days of Sun and Shadow. Writing that damn letter is proving to be almost as big a pain as writing a query letter. Well. Okay. Not that bad- but it's still an exercise in frustration. In addition to an ARC of the novel, the package will contain a feather, a stained glass-style feather bookmark, a little brass horse figurine, and maybe an enameled flowers pendant if she can source one similar to the necklace one character gives another in the novel.

Please murmur versions of "poor baby" and pass me the chocolate.

As my brother used to say to soothe our infant nieces and nephews many years ago, "ah whisht there babbisheeen, they're all atcha except me."

 

[CatrionaGrace]

As my brother used to say to soothe our infant nieces and nephews many years ago, "ah whisht there babbisheeen, they're all atcha except me."

Aw, that was better than a blankie and a bunkie combined.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

In the absence of anything to say, I'll mention something that crossed my mind yesterday.

My eldest nephew worked for one of the US conglomerates based in Ireland for a little while a few years ago. It is still a source of pride for him that he was named "Employee of the Month" on the same day as he received a warning letter from HR for tardiness.

 

[Louanne Learning]

I saw some pictures from the Toronto area.

We didn't get as much snow as them, either. My sister lives in Toronto and she said it was crazy.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Letter is written. 'Nuff said.

 

[Naomasa298]

Had a blueberry muffin. Mmm.

 

[Louanne Learning]

I like blueberries, but my favourite fruit is watermelon.

 

[JLT]

I got another menu for you guys. My cousin-once-removed from Alberta surprised us by showing up in Ontario this week. We're taking him out for lunch on Friday. Anything look good on this menu?

https://www.thetwistedpig.ca/menu/main-menu?

I'm wondering if they make their own pasta or get it from a box. For the prices, each noodle should be hand-crafted.

And I was taken aback by the mention of a "Hawaiian Pizza." Such abominations were never discussed in our household.

There seems to be no lasagna on the menu. That's a pity. My dad used to order that every time he went to an Italian restaurant for the first time, on the theory that if that can't make an adequate lasagna, it was hopeless to expect anything better from the other entrees. (He made a distinction between "Italian food" and Eye-talian food.")

 

[Louanne Learning]

There seems to be no lasagna on the menu.

Yeah, it's rare to be able to order lasagna in a restaurant, but there are a few take-out places where you can order an entire pan of lasagna

For the prices, each noodle should be hand-crafted.

it seems prices have really gone up in the last couple of years. It used to be that you could expect to pay $15-20 for a good meal, but now it's more like $25-30

I notice a lot of things have gone up in price

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Once upon a time, we enjoyed eating out. No more. Way too expensive. On top of that, our favorite restaurant has done the food equivalent of dumbing down long-standing recipes and the taste is just not there anymore. Prices are also way up. The last straw was them substituting bottled ranch dressing for their wonderful homemade variety. No doubt the place is struggling with rising costs like everyone else, but after forty-some-odd years of patronage, we just don't go anymore.

 

[Louanne Learning]

My husband and I used to go out for dinner every Friday. We went to a restaurant in the village down the road. It was our routine. We always got the same thing! My husband had the steak, and I used to get this huge bowl of salad greens, topped with warm, sauteed peppers, mushrooms, and onion, and gilled chicken, all with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was so good. haven't been to that place in ten years.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Yeah, it's rare to be able to order lasagna in a restaurant, but there are a few take-out places where you can order an entire pan of lasagna

That's because it's the worst of the Al Forno options by a mile. I haven't seen it on a menu in 20 years. Before that, every place I worked that had it dropped it due to lack of popularity.

I'm wondering if they make their own pasta or get it from a box. For the prices, each noodle should be hand-crafted.

Nobody makes their own pasta. Anyone who says they do is lying. They might one or two simple ones, like fettucini or tagliatele, but making bulk pasta by hand is impossible. You'd need a half a dozen oompah-loompah's working around the clock. Some of the boutique, creative American places might make it themselves to sell ten or twelve a night, but no Italian joint that serves pasta with anything can do that.

it seems prices have really gone up in the last couple of years. It used to be that you could expect to pay $15-20 for a good meal, but now it's more like $25-30

Try $35 - $40 if you want to make money. Restaurants pay the same price for food as you do in the grocery store. Sometimes more, depending on the distribution deals.

One of the many reasons I bounced this year was the industry was becoming unsustainable and my ass would have been one of the first to be deprecated. Restaurants themselves will be fine, but the infrastructure that used to fuel it is disappearing by the day.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

I'm wondering if they make their own pasta or get it from a box. For the prices, each noodle should be hand-crafted.

*cries in Australian*

Oh, wait. Those prices are in CAD, not USD. (If they were, our equivalent would be even more expensive). These prices are about on par of what we would pay here, too.

And I was taken aback by the mention of a "Hawaiian Pizza." Such abominations were never discussed in our household.

Agreed. If/when you go to Italy (and everyone should visit it at least once), never, never ask them for Hawaiian Pizza. That thing is should never have been born.

My apologies to anyone who enjoys Hawaiian Pizza. I don't, sorry.

Beyond that, I'm surprised to see vodka mixed into both pasta and pizza. What the heck is "vodka sauce"? I'm confused.

Personally, if I were to get a pizza, I would go for something simple, like Margherita. I had one or two Margheritas in Italy, and they were absolutely delicious. I tried to find the same taste here in Australia -- still looking.

it seems prices have really gone up in the last couple of years. It used to be that you could expect to pay $15-20 for a good meal, but now it's more like $25-30

I notice a lot of things have gone up in price

Agreed. If you go out these days, $15-20 will (at least here) maybe buy you a combo meal at some place like KFC or Burger King.

Did I say *cries in Australian* yet?

 

[Heartlet Happer]

I once learned the scientific info about pastas. The temperature does not need to be at boiling point; some simmering heat is enough. It makes me feel that I don't need to put that much effort for the same result. As if, me, watching the water boiling, is that effort.

 

[Louanne Learning]

when you go to Italy

We're going, and one of the things we arranged is to have an Italian chef come to our villa and cook a meal for us!

This is the one we selected (and yes, the pasta is made fresh) -

TRADITIONAL MENU 1

● Pappa al pomodoro (Very traditional Florence soup Bread and tomato thick “soup”)

● Ravioli Maremmani (Ricotta cheese and spinach) with butter and sage

● Peposo alla Fornacina (braised beef in red wine, garlic, black pepper and tomato) with cannellini beans

● Tiramisù

Includes bread and one bottle of wine for the four of us - (I’m sure we’ll drink two)

The cost is 117.50 Euros per person = about $190 Cdn

 

[Naomasa298]

I remember my friend being asked if he wanted his ramen al dente. WTF?

I'm surprised they didn't ask him if he wanted chips (fries) with it too.

 

[Set2Stun]

I wish I could order more food, but yeah it's so PRICEY these days. There was this awesome Indian place near my office where you'd get a huge serving of rice and curry, naan, a samosa, and a canned drink for $20 all-in.

After the plague hit, their prices went through the roof, at least 40% higher. That, with the delivery fees and tip needed, simply put it out of reach for me. A craving for their food hit me hard a year or two ago, and when I looked them up to place an order, I learned that they'd gone out of business

 

[CatrionaGrace]

I came, I clicked, I have no reply.

 

[DLC]

Hawaiian, or Ham and Pineapple as everyone calls it, is Australia's national pizza. The kids love it. Also, Vegemite tastes great but not on pizza.