I cannot imagine a scenario where somebody who is expert on cheese, who has had experience making it, tasting a wide variety of cheeses in the world would say "yum" about a green can of Kraft. Because it's sole virtue is its saltiness. It doesn't taste like cheese.

While sidestepping entirely the question of Kraft green can cheese, I will say that I can enjoy both ends of a spectrum of foods by thinking of them as entirely different foods. For example, I like fresh asparagus and canned asparagus. I just think of them as different vegetables. When I make what I think of as "real" chili, I use a mixture of spices rather than chili powder; I do not include tomatoes; and I serve the beans on the side. I also enjoy a chili-like substance made of ground beef, tomatoes, beans and chili powder. I don't see how a passion for Kraft mac 'n cheese just like mother made rules out an appreciation for the finest cheeses and pasta.

But even Nora and Tom have their place. (Nora and Tom! See? They're MFEO!).

OMG, I was all, how the hell did I get involved in the cocktail discussion?

I am super jealous of the 209 having! Tom and I are currently experimenting with small batch gins and also rums. I also love vermouth and the taste of booze in a balanced well-crafted cocktail. I can't drink gin martinis except at the Zam Zam because I think that bartenders skimp on the vermouth.

I got pegged as a vermouth shit stirrer in Natter a couple months ago for alluding to recommendations that vermouth be stored in the fridge.

Made a "Scofflaw" cocktail the other night- Old Overholt rye, lemon juice, Noilly dry vermouth, and grenadine. Tasty!

There's a bunch of stuff that I really need to do today, but my ankle is killing me, and I'm not sure if it's hurting too much to concentrate on writing. I really can't take another day off, though. Maybe I'll see if the TENS will help enough.

(((Fay))) Tons of -ma for you and yours, and health-ma to your dad.

Fay, I hope everything is miraculously fine, but please don't beat yourself up about whether you should have tried to get home earlier.

I'll stand by Hec in gin-and-cheese snobbery. There's nothing wrong with admitting you like Kraft green-can parmesan cheese, but it does mean I'm probably not going to let you take charge of ordering the cheese plate if we go out to dinner together because I'm going to assume that good cheese matters more to me than it does to you.

On the flip side, I would be a terrible choice of person to organize a poetry exhibition, because I have no ear for poetry and really know nothing about it. It's not a subject that matters to me and so my opinion is unlikely to be useful to anyone for whom poetry is a passion.

Everything-miraculously-okay~ma, Fay.

Good news about your boss' dad, java!

Gin sucks. hides

Gin sucks. hides

Cheap gin certainly does (or can), but small batch gins are really interesting and varied with the floral and fruity flavors that play well with other ingredients.

I was fairly anti-gin till I started actually drinking it in well made cocktails.

I don't see how a passion for Kraft mac 'n cheese just like mother made rules out an appreciation for the finest cheeses and pasta.

Right? I admit this confused me. People are able to like crap food and still appreciate fine food, and I'm not sure where the idea comes from that the two can't co-exist. My brother is a truly outstanding chef; I'm not just saying that because I'm his sister. I've had meals he's made for small dinners that rank among the top meals I've ever had (and since food snobbery cred seems to matter in this discussion, I'll note I've eaten at several 4-star restaurants as well as a 5-star one; I'm well aware of what constitutes "fine dining" and I'm quite capable of both discerning and appreciating it).

Anyway, my point was this: I'd put my brother's knowledge of and appreciation for fine food up against anyone's here. (Nora, he is super jealous of your French Laundry meal, since he hasn't made it out there yet.) And still the dude will eat Spam out of the can. Somehow that doesn't reduce his "fine dining" cred with me (or probably anyone else). He works for a brew pub and brews literally award-winning microbrews, but drinks Miller at home. And yet that doesn't ruin his microbrew cred with me (or probably anyone else).

Not that I actually care if people think I have cocktail or cheese "cred." BFD. I like what I like, and it runs the gamut from dubious food-like products to artisan-produced food. Amazing how someone's taste can contain both.

No, quester, not in Iowa, but Harkin has many fans in the disability press for his years-long disability-rights record. I believe Harkin has an impaired relative or something...not that he pulls a Palin and brags on it. Fay, I hope your dad will be well. On the one hand, I think standards are important. There are things that probably should not be compared, even though they are both "movies", "cheese" or "drinks" At the same time, individual taste is personal and often has an emotional or sentimental component that is independent of critics' opinion. I don't know which side to come down on.