Just Loafing Around....

American food establishments tend to trip all over each other copying new ideas in food.  The latest one I am seeing is all the chain restaurants offering 'Artisan Breads' and 'Artisan Style Sandwiches'.  What the heck is 'Artisan Bread'?

For some reason, when I think of 'Artisan Breads', my mind first wanders to the surrealists.   Like a Picasso BLT...

Somehow, just not making my mouth water.

I suppose  we could go to the Pop Art school, but the Warhol Patty Melt just seems so sterile and unappetizing. 

Impressionist PB&J may sound interesting, but I have to be able to trust the hands that put it together....did you wash your hands Toulouse before you spread the jelly? That open sour on the side of  your head looks nasty.

Maybe I am a bit more old fashioned, The Dutch Masters do put together a good loaf....but we need a little flavor here dudes? 

I thought about going back to the prehistoric artisans who really seemed to know how to hunt down a good Club Sandwich...

I dunno....maybe I can do without the artisan bread.  I don't know what Ciabatta even means.  A Baguette sounds a bit like some kind of feminine product. Not sure I want that in my mouth. A Brioche sounds like the thing you pin on your Grandma's bosom, but not something you actually want to eat.  I think I am ok with just some old fashioned toasted white bread...thank you very much. 

When you hear the toaster pop, can you pass me some of that gourmet designer mayo and mustard please? 

Cheers, nca....

Super Ate

What is in the current obsession with...

The media is saturated with the adjective.  Our nation is a 'Super-:Power'.  With the demise of the Soviet Union, we consider ourselves the only Super-Power, but we acknowledge there are a few demi-Super-Powers out there.  We have Super-Models, superior for fine genes and the ability to face burning penetrating light and photo-shop wizards.  Our meals can be Super-Sized, which just means our culture can eat ourselves into oblivion and type-two diabetes faster.

The real knock for me is when I want to go to a movie with my wife.  My choices are pretty limited. The chief rival for real adult themed movies is....Super Hero movies.

We Americans can't seem to get enough of this stuff.   It is CGI drivel on steroids. Marvel and DC Comics have taken over our theaters.  While in Washington D.C. the Conservative Religious Right is trying to legislate our bedroom lives, Marvel is selling us  outrageous muscles and men in tights and capes. Talking about a mixed message. Do we American's really feel the need for magically enhancing our 'powers' like we now feel we must surgically enhance our bodies?

Now, let me confess....I had an obsession with Marvel comics too in my day. Like, when I was 13.  And I nursed fascinations with Harry Potter and LOTR  franchises also.  I 'get' it to some degree, and there is definitely and audience for that type of thing.

But Hollywood....please don't forget that there are some of out there that want a good adult romance, or mystery, or thriller too.  Some of us adults in the target population really do like fine acting, great dialogue, and thoughtful plot (and plot twists!!) too.  And please, I like to take my spouse to a movie once in a while...throw us a bone.

Cheers, nca

P.S. Some of my favorites? How about 'The Artist'?  "Saving Private Ryan" had the best all action scene at the end probably EVER!  And that does not even count the opening scene which is the best D-Day depiction ever filmed.  "The King's Speech" had terrific acting all around.  For a really good thriller, how about 2010 "Frozen".  For Quentin at his finest, what about 'Reservoir Dogs" or 'Jackie Brown"?  For a great foreign language film...how about "Wadhda"?  And if you have to have Fantasy Epics....go back to the original LOTR trilogy...not the CGI ruined "Hobbit" over-production.

What are some of your favorites? And how do you feel about Super-Hero Movies?