The Bistro- Off topic and fun posts!

[Jayayeff]

16 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

 

Can't remember the exact name, but it is a cathedral in Rio.

 

 

Yes, popularly known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro but officially the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, Rio de Janeiro......  

 

Anne...

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise photo is from my 2018 Grand Alaska Panama journey.  My segment from Vancouver included an overnight stop in Portland where I caught this on my walk:

 

 

While reviewing my August 7 blog entry I also noticed a sign that caught my fancy in the hotel lobby:

 

 

Roy

[KenzSailing]

 

I’m going to keep talking about cooking because, well, everybody’s got to eat.

Today, something a little different:

 

Midadventures in Cooking: Chapter One

 

“Cooking with Molasses”

 

So a few years back I got this pressure cooker.  Next I started searching for pressure cooker recipes.   I came across one for baked beans.  It was really simple and who doesn’t like baked beans?  (Answer: no one.  No one doesn’t like baked beans.)

 

Bonus was I only needed to source two items not already in the pantry: dried navy beans and molasses.  So I was off to the local snooty (ahem, high-end) grocer.  Grabbed the beans (they were easy) started hunting for the molasses.  I should mention at this point I had never cooked with molasses before.  Found what I was looking for.  The only type of molasses I came across that day was labeled “blackstrap molasses.”  I’m thinking this must be the real deal.  I grab it and off I go.

 

A few days later I’m laying out a fantastic barbecue rib repast with homemade baked beans.  I try my latest project: “hmm, that can’t be right.”  One more fork full:  ”wow, these are terrible!”  I mean straight into the trash bad. Fortunately the ribs were great.

 

A couple days later I’m sitting there, scratching my head, wondering what went so terribly wrong.  I was using a reliable cookbook, and the recipe was simplicity itself.  The only thing I hadn’t cooked with before was molasses. It occurs to me to wonder just what blackstrap molasses is.

 

So I do an online search and here’s what I discovered.  Molasses is cooked down sugar cane. Each cooking removes some sugar content.  Cook it down once, it’s light.  Cook it down twice, it’s dark.  Cook it down three times, and it’s blackstrap. And at that point it has no residual sweetness at all.  In fact, I found an explainer by a lady from the southern US who wrote: “I had never seen blackstrap molasses on a store shelf until I moved north.  At home, we only ever used it as an additive in animal feed.”

 

In short, never cook with blackstrap molasses. Unless you keep hogs out back and want to give them a treat.

 

This has been today’s “Misadventures in Cooking”

 

[BEAV]

1 hour ago, KenzSailing said:

This has been today’s “Misadventures in Cooking”

 

Since your first beans and molasses attempt bombed, why don’t you try black eyed peas next?  There’s a myth that you should eat them on New Years to bring good luck in the coming year ahead. 

 

And considering what 2020 has brought, why wait for New Years and get a jump start on ‘21 now! 

Edited August 7, 2020 by BEAV
Spelling 🙄

[KenzSailing]

33 minutes ago, BEAV said:

 

Since your first beans and molasses attempt bombed, why don’t you try black eyed peas next?  There’s a myth that you should eat them on New Years to bring good luck in the coming year ahead. 

 

And considering what 2020 has brought, why wait for New Years and get a jump start on ‘21 now! 

 

Oh yeah, Hoppin' John is big around these parts on New Years.  Those greens look good too.

[rafinmd]

Today I am doing different "where am I" posts on the Crystal and HAL forums; I don't think the other cruise line has visited these places.  I will post 2 photos here of the same port:

 

 

and

 

 

Roy

 

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise comes just before I boarded an Alaska cruise.  The morning of embarkation I walked up to Canada Place to watch the ships come and the sun come up:

 

 

Roy

[Junelovestocruise]

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Today I am doing different "where am I" posts on the Crystal and HAL forums; I don't think the other cruise line has visited these places.  I will post 2 photos here of the same port:

 

 

and

 

 

Roy

 

Roy,

 

Here's a photo of my sister from inside the northernmost Tim Horton's in Canada from our 2017 NWP cruise. Nice memory, so thanks for choosing that photo today.......June

[MightyQuinn]

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Today I am doing different "where am I" posts on the Crystal and HAL forums; I don't think the other cruise line has visited these places.  I will post 2 photos here of the same port:

 

 

and

 

 

Roy

 

 

Pond Inlet, Nunavut?

[BEAV]

19 minutes ago, MightyQuinn said:

 

Pond Inlet, Nunavut?

 

I’ll eat my hat if you’re wrong! 

 

I’ve just invested about 30 minutes of intense map searching and came up with the same answer. 

 

Fun exercise, Roy. 😉

[rafinmd]

well done June, Mighty Quinn, and Beav.  Since June didn't specifically mention Pond Inlet, you all get credit.

 

Roy

[KenzSailing]

Well, it's soon to be Saturday night.  That means snacks with our pre-dinner libation.  Tonight's menu:

 

Herbed spinach dip

Toasted sweet and savory nut mix  (the secret is maple syrup)

 

But I draw the line at putting on formal wear to serve these to myself at five.  Maybe I could plug in the wave machine for a little atmosphere.

[Junelovestocruise]

7 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

well done June, Mighty Quinn, and Beav.  Since June didn't specifically mention Pond Inlet, you all get credit.

 

Roy

Roy,

 

I knew as soon as I saw it that it was Pond Inlet - I have the same exterior photo where you can clearly see the name on the Canada Post sign. I thought that it would be fun to just post the interior photo and let others keep guessing. 

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, KenzSailing said:

Maybe I could plug in the wave machine for a little atmosphere.

 

Or, for the folks who enjoyed Lawrence Welk, a bubble machine.  (Wonderfully parodied by Stan Freberg)

[BEAV]

54 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Or, for the folks who enjoyed Lawrence Welk, a bubble machine.  (Wonderfully parodied by Stan Freberg)

 

Funny you mention that.

 

Trying to come with something unique for yet another Saturday night, I decided a few hours ago I’d look up some old Lawrence Welk shows on YouTube for later on (West Coast laggard here). Only my bubbles won’t be from a machine, but in a glass when Norma Zimmer makes her appearance as the famous “Champagne Lady”. 

 

Gawd, I’m old. 

 

A one, anna two.....

 

 

 

[KenzSailing]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Or, for the folks who enjoyed Lawrence Welk, a bubble machine.  (Wonderfully parodied by Stan Freberg)

 

Well, now that I think about it, most nights at the Avenue Saloon, the last set is basically a hep version of "Sing Along with Mitch."

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, KenzSailing said:

Well, now that I think about it, most nights at the Avenue Saloon, the last set is basically a hep version of "Sing Along with Mitch."

 

Depends on both the entertainer and the audience.  Not on many of my experiences, though sometimes.

[FlyerTalker]

3 hours ago, BEAV said:

A one, anna two.....

 

Welk had a personalized license plate for his car.

 

A1ANA2

 

No joke.

 

Here's the link to the Freberg parody, which has some Welk video clips embedded.  Should be a way to top off your evening after a few of the "bubbles".

 

https://youtu.be/X0TSDcPW2Kk

 

 

[ChatKat in Ca.]

When I was a kid, we went every Saturday night to my Great Aunt and Uncle's house for dinner where we could watch Lawrence Welk and The Hollywood Palace on their color TV.

[travelberlin]

I am missing cruising so much that I am ready to watch the old “Love Boat” program. I just have to find out where to get it. Maybe you tube 🤔

Ivi

[rafinmd]

My August 9 sunrise comes from the Radiance of the Seas.  We were on the Inside Passage on our way to Ketchikan:

 

 

Roy

[BEAV]

Moving on from the bubbles of Lawrence Welk, for several years now I've subscribed to the weekly broadcast of Retro Cocktail Hour.  Check it out if you're needing some new material to keep never-ending evenings at home fresh and lively!

 

http://www.retrococktail.org/

 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by BEAV

[Coral]

14 hours ago, travelberlin said:

I am missing cruising so much that I am ready to watch the old “Love Boat” program. I just have to find out where to get it. Maybe you tube 🤔

Ivi

MeTv has it on Sunday night. One episode at 5 Central.

 

I tried watching Love Boat the New Wave on YouTube and could not believe how bad it was.

Edited August 9, 2020 by Coral

[ChatKat in Ca.]

14 minutes ago, Coral said:

MeTv has it on Sunday night. One episode at 5 Central.

 

I tried watching Love Boat the New Wave on YouTube and could not believe how bad it was.

Gavin McCloud lives somewhere near by me.  I will keep my eyes open and see if he has any insight as to the future of sailing. 🤣

[Coral]

12 minutes ago, ChatKat in Ca. said:

Gavin McCloud lives somewhere near by me.  I will keep my eyes open and see if he has any insight as to the future of sailing. 🤣

His guess is probably as good as ours 🙂