The Vent and Rant Thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ApK

Folks who live in places without real pizza and have to rely on national chains have my sincere pity.

OMG, this! ^^^ 1000x, that.

It's unbelievable what passes for "pizza" in many places. I have lost track of the number of times people recommend those same national chains. (Probably--let's not kid ourselves, because they DELIVER and people are, and I include myself in this, inherently lazy.)

Hell, I'd rather buy a frozen California Pizza Kitchen pizza, put my own stuff on top, cook it and eat it, or even make dough and do it the long/hard way. I don't do that often, don't get me wrong (see the "lazy" comment above--yup, that's me!) but we live in the boonies, so our ability to (conveniently) get decent, not-chain pizza is somewhat limited.

Hitch

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Hell, I'd rather buy a frozen California Pizza Kitchen pizza

Reminds me of this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictou_County_pizza

The pizza can be shipped frozen across Canada via an arrangement between a local pizza shop and the local UPS agency. The most common destination is Fort McMurray, Alberta, with a two-day delivery time.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...rray-1.2474097

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Reminds me of this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictou_County_pizza



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...rray-1.2474097

Now, that's taking advantage of people's cravings! I approve wholeheartedly. I wish someone would ship me a d*mned pizza! A GOOD pizza. A pizza (yes, yes, I know, there will ensue some big argument here, so just assume that this is only MY preference and doesn't need to be yours) made in NYC.

(I should note that there is a pizza place here in AZ, in Scottsdale, only 50-some-odd miles away, that makes fantastic pizza. Just fantastic, brick-oven cooked pizza. Not NYC-style, but still amazing. Grimaldi's. To be honest, haven't been there in 15 years [distance, see laziness comment upthread] but DAMN, that was some fine pizza.

A ridiculous side-discussion of illness, prednisone and the negative effects of Stroopwaffels in bulk:

Spoiler:

Note: now, I will not tell you guys--with all the prednisone I had to take, during the Great Shingles Disaster, I developed cravings, right? I indulged those cravings, shamelessly. HELLO, Amazon Delivery! [Also Walmart, Between them..well...]. I won't say exactly how many Stroopwaffels I ordered, over a two week period, but OMG, it was...horrifying. I ate more Stroopwaffels than I can say. I can't say it was 4 or 8 or...even 20.. I mean. we're talking ridiculous numbers. I got on the scale one day and I'd gained nearly 15 lbs. I weighed more than I've ever weighed, in my LIFE! The revenge of the Stroopwaffels. Suffice to say, Stroopwaffels are banned from this house in perpetuity. This ain't that Will Smith ban, which will no doubt be lifted in a year or two--this is a permanent, ain't no Stroopwaffels crossing THIS doorstep, ever again, ban! Daelman's Jumbo Stroopwaffels, for the win! Or the weight-gain of fat, take your pick.

Hitch

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Hitch

A GOOD pizza. A pizza (yes, yes, I know, there will ensue some big argument here, so just assume that this is only MY preference and doesn't need to be yours) made in NYC.

The pizza I grew up on and still the best. NY gets crust. It's a carrier, damnit! Pizza is about the toppings, not a doughy crust; the crust should be thin and slightly chewy. And stuffed crust? The horror!

A ridiculous side-discussion of illness, prednisone and the negative effects of Stroopwaffels in bulk:

The local supermarket chain sends out digital coupons every couple of weeks. A few iterations ago, mine included one for a free box of Stroopwaffels. I'm not made of stone, you know. Sigh.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by issybird

The pizza I grew up on and still the best. NY gets crust. It's a carrier, damnit! Pizza is about the toppings, not a doughy crust; the crust should be thin and slightly chewy. And stuffed crust? The horror!



The local supermarket chain sends out digital coupons every couple of weeks. A few iterations ago, mine included one for a free box of Stroopwaffels. I'm not made of stone, you know. Sigh.

I would have been fine, if, like the potato chip people, I'd stopped at one box. Hell, two boxes or even four. But nooooooooooooooooo.... it's horrifying.

I've never had any sort of whacko binge-eating episode like that in my life. I was pathetically grateful that the Walmart delivery guy (Fedex or UPS, don't remember) didn't have X-ray eyes and know what was inside that HUGE box....it's bad enough he saw me with my cellulitis foot/leg, the bathrobe (I hereby vote that we bring back the tradition of dressing gowns as respectable, btw!), my hair looking as though it hadn't seen a shower in weeks (cough cough, as if it had...) and all that. If he'd seen the {mumble} boxes of Stroopwaffels in there, I'd have died of mortification.

Hitch

[CRussel]

Well, @Hitch, I don't think any NYC pizza shops deliver to your location, BUT, if you want a taste of NYC, you can absolutely have a Junior's Cheesecake delivered!


ETA: For those unfamiliar with Junior's, there is simply NO finer example of the NY style cheesecake. This isn't your whimpy, fluffy, "French style" cheesecake, this is your dense, intense, NY style cheesecake.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Jon:

No, no...the cellulitis was caused/provoked by the Shingles.

My Shingles only itched really for a (relatively) short period of time; it was the nerve neuropathy that nearly did me in for nearly 9 weeks now.

The prednisone was being taken, to reduce the rash swelling, from the Shingles and had nothing to do with the cellulitis--except, it caused my feet to swell (the steroids) so I foolishly thought that the foot swelling, that was actually the first symptom of the cellulitis, was from the steroids, but NOOOOO, it wasn't, it was cellulitis. See? Just a conflation of STUFF.

I am, finally, starting to feel like a mostly human being. I figure by not this, but next week, I might be able to drive and EVERYTHING. Woowzers.

Hitch

That is awesome that you are getting better! Keep it up.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Yes, I'm starting to think that that light at the end of the tunnel is not actually an oncoming locomotive, LOL.

Hitch

It is a locomotive. But it's from Amazon.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Well, @Hitch, I don't think any NYC pizza shops deliver to your location, BUT, if you want a taste of NYC, you can absolutely have a Junior's Cheesecake delivered!


ETA: For those unfamiliar with Junior's, there is simply NO finer example of the NY style cheesecake. This isn't your whimpy, fluffy, "French style" cheesecake, this is your dense, intense, NY style cheesecake.

You will not believe this, but lo, I am well familiar with Junior's and yes, I've had it delivered here in AZ for...gosh, years now. I want to say 20 years, maybe longer; I don't want to lie, but a looooong time, ever since they started offering that.

I used to have to go to this local deli-cum-restaurant, Guido's and beg them to let me buy one off them. (Paying their retail, in the store, per-slice price!) Finally, Junior's started offering them shipped, and OH, BABY, yes, I was in cheesecake heaven. I like mine plain. Just cheesecake, no foofy stuff. :-)


Now, if I could get the REAL Famous Ray's to send me a pizza....and Chinese. OMG, real Chinese. Just..something. lol.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That is awesome that you are getting better! Keep it up.

Thanks, Jon!

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It is a locomotive. But it's from Amazon.

You are SO right. There are days when we hear the clump-clump on the porch and I wonder...'what the hell did I order now?"

Hitch

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hitch

You will not believe this, but lo, I am well familiar with Junior's and yes, I've had it delivered here in AZ for...gosh, years now. I want to say 20 years, maybe longer; I don't want to lie, but a looooong time, ever since they started offering that.

I used to have to go to this local deli-cum-restaurant, Guido's and beg them to let me buy one off them. (Paying their retail, in the store, per-slice price!) Finally, Junior's started offering them shipped, and OH, BABY, yes, I was in cheesecake heaven. I like mine plain. Just cheesecake, no foofy stuff. :-)

(emphasis mine)

Plain Juniors Cheesecake is already simply perfect. Any additional adulterants are actually detractors. Oh, I wouldn't turn one down with strawberries on it, but I'd likely scrap them off.

I was actually working on the subway in NYC, at the Atlantic Avenue IRT station, when the great Junior's Cheesecake Fire happened in 1981.

Originally Posted by Junior's

In 1981, late on a hot Sunday, August 17th, a fire destroyed the roof and top floor of Junior’s. As firefighters shot water into the building, onlookers chanted: “Save the cheesecake, save the cheesecake!”

For nine months and three days, Junior’s was closed. We opened a temporary kiosk in Albee Square Mall next door to sell cheesecake that we baked at a nearby candy factory.

I was one of those chanting, given that I'd just hopped a train down one stop to Nevins St. to grab some lunch when I saw the fire.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Now, if I could get the REAL Famous Ray's to send me a pizza....and Chinese. OMG, real Chinese. Just..something. lol.

We make both here. Sharon does the pizza (with a properly thin crust!), and I do an ever growing list of Asian dishes. Mostly controlled by when I can source necessary ingredients. T&T Supermarkets has been an absolute godsend for those of us living in a remote (Canadian) location. My latest is Beef Noodles with XO Sauce -- a quintessentially Hong Kong dish.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Hitch

OH, BABY, yes, I was in cheesecake heaven. I like mine plain. Just cheesecake, no foofy stuff. :-)

Originally Posted by CRussel

Plain Juniors Cheesecake is already simply perfect. Any additional adulterants are actually detractors. Oh, I wouldn't turn one down with strawberries on it, but I'd likely scrap them off.

I have to weigh in on the Juniors adulterants discussion. Agreed; no fruit, no faffy flavors like chocolate (shudder). However, there is one topping that takes the perfect and ups the ante -- sour cream.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by CRussel

(emphasis mine)

Plain Juniors Cheesecake is already simply perfect. Any additional adulterants are actually detractors. Oh, I wouldn't turn one down with strawberries on it, but I'd likely scrap them off.

I was actually working on the subway in NYC, at the Atlantic Avenue IRT station, when the great Junior's Cheesecake Fire happened in 1981.


I was one of those chanting, given that I'd just hopped a train down one stop to Nevins St. to grab some lunch when I saw the fire.

Oh, no the Junior's fire! I remember someone calling me, from the scene, from a local payphone (no cellphones or smartphones in '81, bygod!) and he was nearly hysterical. I think he'd have been less upset about people than cheesecake, TBH.

Originally Posted by CRussel

We make both here. Sharon does the pizza (with a properly thin crust!), and I do an ever growing list of Asian dishes. Mostly controlled by when I can source necessary ingredients. T&T Supermarkets has been an absolute godsend for those of us living in a remote (Canadian) location. My latest is Beef Noodles with XO Sauce -- a quintessentially Hong Kong dish.

I do 1-2 very quick-n-easy, sort of Americanized Asian meals--Kung Pao Chicken, easy-peasy and a modified version of that that makes it Sesame chicken, more or less. Mooches those from Epicurious, if memory serves and even though they are faux-Asian, they are both excellent.

That's about it. I really don't have the patience for the endless dicing of the veggies, I JUST DON'T. Drives me nuts. Once made spring rollss and thought I would die. I mean, jeeeze. Even with a good mandolin(e) (e for US readers, without the e for UK) or a good food processor, it's still a bloody hassle.

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I would have been fine, if, like the potato chip people, I'd stopped at one box. Hell, two boxes or even four. But nooooooooooooooooo.... it's horrifying.

I've never had any sort of whacko binge-eating episode like that in my life. I was pathetically grateful that the Walmart delivery guy (Fedex or UPS, don't remember) didn't have X-ray eyes and know what was inside that HUGE box....it's bad enough he saw me with my cellulitis foot/leg, the bathrobe (I hereby vote that we bring back the tradition of dressing gowns as respectable, btw!), my hair looking as though it hadn't seen a shower in weeks (cough cough, as if it had...) and all that. If he'd seen the {mumble} boxes of Stroopwaffels in there, I'd have died of mortification.

Hitch

You should visit the Netherlands. You can get fresh stroopwafels on every outdoor market. They make the fresh at their market stall. Though from what I understand the American stroopwafel is different from the Dutch. Here they put a thick syrup (stroop) in between the cookies, in the US they use caramel from what I've heard.

The market stalls also sell bags of cookie crumbs/pieces (no stroop), which are delicious. Now I have to go to the local market on Wednesday to get a bag.

Re pizza:
I've eaten pizza in Sicily when I did a teaching placement there. Best pizzas ever! However, I think the whole outrage of some about pineapple on pizza is invalidated by the fact that they sell pizzas with french fries on them. And, like Hitch, they don't see a frozen pizza as complete; they always add fresh ingredients to it and scoff people who don't do that.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

You should visit the Netherlands. You can get fresh stroopwafels on every outdoor market. They make the fresh at their market stall. Though from what I understand the American stroopwafel is different from the Dutch. Here they put a thick syrup (stroop) in between the cookies, in the US they use caramel from what I've heard.

The market stalls also sell bags of cookie crumbs/pieces (no stroop), which are delicious. Now I have to go to the local market on Wednesday to get a bag.

Re pizza:
I've eaten pizza in Sicily when I did a teaching placement there. Best pizzas ever! However, I think the whole outrage of some about pineapple on pizza is invalidated by the fact that they sell pizzas with french fries on them. And, like Hitch, they don't see a frozen pizza as complete; they always add fresh ingredients to it and scoff people who don't do that.

Oh, no no no. Europe, particularly the Netherlands and other spots, are where I developed my Needs-a-12-Step-Program/Intervention Stroopwaffel addiction and I'm trying to go cold turkey now. Get thee behind me, you Stroopwaffel-peddling Demon!

Seriously, if we get FRESH stroops, yes, they have a syrupy concoction, but "store-boughten" are with caramel, yes. You can see why; it would be impossible to make them, put them together 9with syrup), bag them and ship them around the country with syrup. Just...wouldn't work that well.

One of my Stroop shipments (there are some very few places, around the contry, where you can find them freshly made!) came in with all the caramel in each bunch kinda melted and gooey on the side of the stack of waffels. Didn't care. Heated them lightly in the microwave, pulled them apart and then it was eatin' time! SO BAD. (I love putting them atop my coffee cup in the morning...sigh....)

Hitch