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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
How about some unusual uses of comestible crackers? My father very much enjoyed Saltine crackers with vanilla ice cream, and so do I.
My grandmother used to make a delectable holiday dessert from common crackers, which you are unlikely to find in any store today. The kind that used to come in barrels, and the loafers hanging out in the hot stove league would snitch when the owner wasn't looking, and eat with cheddar cheese.There is still a brand of cheese called "Cracker Barrel."
They are about size of the old silver dollar, and thick enough that when readily split into two halves were still thicker than a silver dollar. Grandmother would place the halves concave side up, with a raisin on each one, until a four quart pan was almost full, then cover it with something like eggnog, let it soak over night, then bake at low heat for several hours. Then there was a sauce made from starch, egg white,lemon juice and sugar, with some tricks I never learned.
The result was as good as the plum duff for lack of which whalers would mutiny, according to Richard Henry Dana, author of "Two Years Before The Mast". Incidentally I only recently learned the social significance of that title. Common sailor were quartered in the foreward part of the ship, and the officers in the stern area which was more comfortable.
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094 |
How about some unusual uses of comestible crackers?
Watch it there, chum. I think we already shot down the food and recipe threads.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
Watch it there, chum.And what makes you think our Bill is shark bait? 
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
And speaking of children's shows with interesting names, do any of you outside the US know of Howdy Doody and Captain Kangaroo? The Captain took his name from his sailor jacket, which had huge pockets in the front.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289 |
Unusual use of crackers
The mother of a friend of mine used to make a mock apple pie with Ritz Crackers (British, a small, thin biscuit made with butter, or an imitation, to give it a buttery taste, lightly salted, baked golden brown). I forget what it was made of, the only thing I remember is vinegar, but you soaked the crackers in a liquid, then layered them into a piecrust and topped with a top crust. It tasted very much like apple pie. I have no idea why anyone ever bothered, as it was not cheaper, or less trouble, to make than a real apple pie. I think the only reason anyone made them was to show that it could be done.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
veteran
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veteran
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Posts: 1,289 |
20-odd years ago, in the course of my employment, I needed to find a way to send goods from the U.S. to St. Pierre & Miquelon. These are two small islands off the east coast of Canada which still belong to France; in fact, they are part of France. I found a shipping line called Blue Peter Line, which sailed thence from Boston.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156 |
These are two small islands off the east coast of Canada which still belong to France
I realize, of course, that Newfoundland is part of Canada, but to give your mental maps a hand you may want to know that St. Pierre and Miquelon are more accurately described as being off the coast of Newfoundland. You can get to St. Pierre and Miquelon from here, and we passed them on the ferry on the way to the island when we came last fall. And the French department at my university apparently has some program where you go there and spend a term, to get a feel for France, I guess.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
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old hand
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The name Peter is *also* akin to a common abbreviation for Richard... the "Willie" bit seems to be a little less common here in the US. We prefer our perv-slang monosyllabic, thank you. And try black pepper on vanilla ice cream, Bill. One of my dad's old tricks to gross everyone out when I had friends over. Turns out it's pretty good. Who knew?
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Okay--I watched a show on the History Channel last night about Appalachia, and a guy (I think it was the historian from Johns Hopkins) said that the origin of the word redneck came from when coal miners first began to unionize; I missed the exact date but will guess approx. 1930 based on the vehicles. The ones in unions wore red bandannas around their necks to indicate that they were members.
Now--I thought I remembered us discussing the origin of the word somewhere on here, so I went a-Searching. I didn't find that, but I found this thread, one of the earliest where this word was mentioned, and I resurrected it for the sheer enjoyment of the thing.
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
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I thought the origins were religious. Not sure why or how but I read the scarfs denoted religious attachment.
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