Probably The Most Expensive French Fries Ever

This food news is not a my business but I am talking about it any way. I was listening to The Black Geeks podcast and this story came up. I had to find some articles(Here & Here) because what I heard was so unbelievable. 

Most Expensive French Fries' On Sale For $12.99

On the night of Sept. 7, an allegedly drunk woman in the Washington D.C restaurant, Italian Kitchen on U Street took three French fries from a plate that weren't hers. The person she stole from was a uniformed police officer. She took 2 fries and the officer didn't like that. He told her not to do that again. She was stealing from his plate. She then took another French fry and the officer arrested her. She has been charged with 2nd degree theft. Theft of property in the 2nd degree in some places is a Class C felony. In DC, when property stolen used or obtained has some measurable value, punishable by fines not more $1,000 or imprisoned for not exceeding 180 days, or both.

$3.49 could possibly turn into all of that. I hope not. Actually I doubt it will. But it could.

But the this story also bring out an occurrence that is common but we rarely talking about it until it is happening to us. "Keep your hands in your plate". "Get off of my plate".  People who help themselves to the food your plates are weird. It's bad manners to say the least. It's also a problem with being over familiar or comfortable with others. I know a few of people who complain that their spouses do that. I was watching, maybe a web show where a girlfriend purposely order something different so her boyfriend & she could "share" but the guy didn't see it that way. She waited for him to leave the table for a moment and took a bite too many. And yes, he noticed. I can't even imagine a stranger eating off my plate. I understand the police officer's frustration. If the laws fully gave the residents to do seize offenders, Citizen's Arrests would increase with a comical percentage of people apprehending those stealing off of other's food plates.

So, let's just make a great habit Not to Eat Off of Other's Plates. Whether you are sober or inebriated, leave other's food alone. It could cost you. And trust me that small bite is not worth the trouble. Just Ask!!!

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Southern USA 1 - Disney & Cooking Panda 0

It is a part of my profession to keep up with food news & trends. I have never heard a Frank Ocean tune but I know about a whopperito. I'll listen to Frank Ocean before I ever eat a whopperito but I know what it is. It's my job & this week my job made my Southern mind itch. Disney & Cooking Panda's take on Southern classics were the comical irritants. It is okay for them to be inspired by the classics but Never call a thing a thing if it's not that thing.

When you wish upon the Southern star, make sure you never mess up the gumbo. Poor Disney! They tried to debut a healthy "gumbo" to the masses and failed big time.

Tiana maybe a one of their princesses now but nobody is going to let Disney disrespect gumbo. Clearly they didn't consult Leah Chase on this recipe like they did for the movie, The Princess & the Frog. It didn't have a roux. Adding flour & oil in the middle of the recipe is not a roux. That's just thickens the dish. It had quinoa it. My grandfather, who didn't like rice ate gumbo over mashed potatoes.

Quinoa is still a grain & looks better than mashed potatoes. I could deal with that. But the adding of the kale was the true slap in the face. Disney erased the recipe before it gave a reason for adding kale. My guesses are 1) Another vegetable benefit, 2) To make it thicker without the roux calories 3) Just wanting to be different.

Gumbo is already full of amazing vegetables & fruits like okra, tomatoes, & peppers that kale was not needed. Also, there are ways to make a roux that is less in calories than the traditional recipe. I hope Disney is going back to the drawing board on making a healthy gumbo. I don't understand how they fail at modifying it, hey have a gumbo on their menu at one their restaurants in Disneyland. I do have a few suggestions.

• Use canola oil instead of butter with the flour to make a roux
• Instead of andouille sausage use smoked turkey or chicken or smoked paprika for that "rich smoky" taste. Also that lowers the sodium in the recipe
• Use shrimp stock, vegetable stock, or water instead of chicken stock. Sometimes meat stocks still contain small amounts of fat that weren't fully removed

Disney didn't have to erase their recipe. I know gumbo is derived from the West African word kingombo meaning okra. I know of an old Southern Lima Bean & Okra soup recipe that has survived with slapping a gumbo name on it. I feel calling it a gumbo inspired stew or soup may have been more appropriate. Disney, keep the recipe but ditch the name.

I've seen & eaten a few variations of sweet potato pie in my life. I've seen the potatoes sliced like apples instead of mashing them. Sarah Lee & Pappadeux have products & dishes that combine it with pecan pie that people like.

Then there is  the recipe that Cooking Panda has on their Facebook page. At the end of it the video, the recipe is called "Stuffed Sweet Potato Pie". Maybe if they had lead with the name, I might have not been so freaked out about the recipe.

Though my mind would've thought a "Stuffed Sweet Potato Pie would've looked like a "Sweet Potato Pocket", the blow might have been lessened. The first thing noticeable about this pie recipe was the missing of seasonings. September 1st, everybody but me celebrated the beginning of  Pumpkin Pie Spice time.

The only thing I put pumpkin pie spice in is sweet potato pie. It's a money saver. But you at least put cinnamon & nutmeg in sweet potato pie along with the sugar, milk, & butter (that are in the recipe). But that was not the weird thing about the recipe. They put half the filling in the crust then put parmesan cheese on top of that layer before topping it off with the other half of the potato filling.

Yes, I said parmesan cheese. I am still confused. Maybe Cooking Panda should change the name & idea of this being a pie to a quiche. It's cooked in a spring form pan (makes cheesecakes, flourless cakes & quiches) so, it could be could a quiche. That's what Cooking Panda made a Sweet Potato Quiche!

America is a melting pot. Yes, I know. But it is important that we know the proper names of it's ingredients. Non-Southerners, its like calling every apple organic, even though many of them have be treated with chemicals. I guess recipes like these should be expected. This is the land where Basic Cornbread Dressing is still thought to be Innovative version of Thanksgiving stuffing in magazines & websites. The South may never "Rise Again" but All Southerners will Rise to protect the integrity of it's recipes.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

My Weaknesses (But I LOVE Them)

We all like a few things excessively. And those likes get us in trouble sometimes. They can hit our pockets, space, time, & heart hard.

Bookshelf Goals

Books So, in December be prepared to find out how I saved money on books this year. LoL If you ever come inside my bedroom you will see my book weakness. My book shelf is filled so, my dresser contains four neat stacks of books that I like. There are also two boxes set aside for books that I dislike and I can reach in and give away for book drives. My new Kindle, I got for Christmas is already at 85% capacity. I do plan to erase all the free cookbooks that I never use. I always say people will pay for what they want. Apparently, I want books.

Black men that speak grammatical English As I type this section I am actually listening to my YouTube crush(Not Telling), who is one of these guys. I date a lot of code switchers. I'm one and I like dating myself. Some women love a slang talking thugs. In my offline world, guys of all races who speak 75% slang come a dime a dozen. But I have a thing for guys who "speak proper" or "are so articulate". The best examples of these kind of men are black news anchors & Wayne Brady(And you know how I feel about Wayne Brady #bestillmyheart). It's not that I diss guys that speak slang all the time. It just that listening to guys who talk like they paid attention to 80% of Language Arts or English class in school is sexy. A guy who mumbles can still be a good guy. I just wish he enunciated, that's all. And the guy who speaks the King's English can still be a jerk. And that's the downfall. I clearly understand if he is saying crap. Then I feel like I wasted my time lusting after him speaking to me. Grammar doesn't indicate personality. Personality does count higher than speech. But yeah, it's safe to say my dream guy is probably a code switcher

Dress Clothes (Especially Dress Suits) In a world where casual wear is becoming the norm, I actually love dressing up. I have since I was a child. I own two pairs of jeans but I have no clue how many dressy items I own. The ratio to dressy skirts to casual skirts in my wardrobe is 5:2. Nothing screams being "dressed up" like dress suits. I wore a lot of them in high school. Yes, I went to school some days in suits. "Oh it's Tuesday, let me wear my blue & white peplum suit. I remember searching for prom dresses and I saw a formal suit in the JC Penny bridal catalog (telling my age) and I wore it to prom.

My life long suit goal is a cape suit. That goes back to childhood also. Remember the cape outfit Phillis Nefler wore during the cookie fashion show in Troop Beverly Hills, I do. I got close to owning one. I was in college, shopping at a discount boutique. It was pink & brown and it was calling my name. It was an $800 suit marked down to $230. I was working as bookshelver in the school's library making minimum wage. So, I saved to get that suit. It was gone by that time. I just bought another suit. Now, capes are making a resurgence in the fashion world. Yes, all the styles I want are in the higher price ranges but I see some cute ones in my price range too. I Shall Own a Cape Suit!!!

Clutch Purses Yes this summer, I was walking into the rooms, Purse First. In D.C., one lady gave me an approving head nod when I entered a party. It's like Bob, the Drag gave me my own "walking with my clutch" anthem. I just make sure I keep up with mine. Clutch purses are another weakness that stems from childhood. My mother had an everyday purse (a black leather for the cooler seasons & and straw bag for the warmer seasons) and several clutch purses in black, blue, & taupe for Sundays. I knew when I got older I was going to carry those.

My bestie, TT got me that one

Forgot to take
the removable straps off

That day came when I finally felt I was too old to put my money in one side of my bra and my keys safety pinned to the other side when going out on the town. I cut the straps off a free with purchase purse and had a clutch purse. My collection of clutch purse is nice. Some people have even called me to borrow purse because they know I might have the right one. My friends know if they need a gift idea for me, always go with a clutch(or a book gift card). I've even given them as gifts. Why walk around at an event with your bulky everyday purse getting in the way. Just carry the basics in your clutch and enjoy yourself.

Pink Lip Color It shocks me when that I even still wear pink lip color. My mother only bought me pink & red lipstick until I was a senior in high school.

I started wearing lip stick at 12. I didn't wipe it off well on the bus ride home. My uncle's widow called me out as I entered the house. My mother looked at me and asked "Do you want to wear lipstick". I said "Yes" and I got to wear it. I remember it well because my uncle (mother's brother) died the evening before. I knew my mother's grief allowed me to wear lipstick. Grief's spell could only hold so long so, I played by her unspoken "rules" of color purchase. She laughs when I tell her my preteen fear, now. It does sound rather comical. I own a lot of pink lip colors. I looked at the other colors in my Caboodle and it out ranks them all. Purples were what made my pink weakness really stand out. I own one purple lipstick, one purple lip liner, & one purple gloss.

I own pink, fuchsia, mauve, rose, pale pink in lipstick, gloss, & liner forms. One of the liners broke while I was preparing for this post. And that picture is just what's in my Caboodle. There's probably some pink emergency colors in my everyday bag. I guess my lips Think Pink.

So, those are my top 5 weaknesses. Do I want you guys to leave yours in the comments? I sure do! What are they? I wanna know.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Oh SNAP!!! (Food Know-It-All)

Everyone's attitude about the food stamp program, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) can stink. It offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities.

No matter whether a person is on them or not the shameful stigma looms. Even though it helps feed 1:8 adults & 1:4 children, too many of them think the use of SNAP is a confession of failure. In my opinion, it is because of how we are all educated about the program.  Those that are on it are not properly educated on how to use their stamps. Those that are not on them are educated with biased information based on stereotypes.

Lawmakers love to argue to abolish the SNAP program. They use cases like these articles Tax dollars withdrawn at liquor stores, strip clubs, or Steak and lobster? Not with food stamps, says lawmaker. The media put out mug shots of the various people who misuse the system. Oh and let us not forget the documentaries of food deserts that are within impoverished areas.

Have you ever seen a sign like this? It is probably because you were shopping at or passing by one. Can you tell me if you know anyone who is on SNAP who shops at a farmer's market? Have you ever asked somebody on SNAP if they knew they could shop at fresh produce markets? I have. The answer I got was nobody says it but the addresses are in the info pack they received when they get on the program. It's like there is money in basic informing, misinformation, & fear but none in the education of the program. But how did it happen?

Let me introduce you to the "Welfare Queen" story. The term "welfare queen" became a catchphrase during the political dialogue of the 1980s and 1990s. The most well-known person to use this moniker was Ronald Reagan.

Starting with his 1976 presidential campaign, Reagan gave America a sunny "Morning in America" optimism, but the "Welfare Queen," an infamous character description "There's a woman in Chicago," Reagan said, according to an article in the now-defunct Washington Star. "She has 80 names, 30 addresses, 12 Social Security cards. ... She's got Medicaid, getting food stamps and she is collecting welfare under each of her names. Her tax-free cash income alone is over $150,000."

Now Reagan never gave the Welfare Queen a face, but he didn't need to. From the 1970s onwards, women became the leading face of poverty. The media's image of poverty also shifted from focusing on the difficulty of Appalachian farmers and the factory closings in the 1960s to images of poor residents in urban areas. By 1973, in magazine pictures depicting welfare recipients, 75% featured African Americans even though African Americans made up only 35% of welfare recipients and only 12.8% of the US population.

Then on August 8, 1974, Linda Taylor filed a police report claiming that she had been robbed of $14,000 in "cash, jewelry, and furs". Chicago Detective Jack Sherwin, who took the report, recognized her from a similar, previous report and suspected her of insurance fraud. Upon investigating her, Sherwin discovered Taylor was wanted on welfare fraud charges in Michigan  Reporting on welfare fraud began during the early 1960s, appearing in general-interest magazines such as Readers Digest but this "interest" now had a real face.

Linda Taylor was born around 1926 in Summit, Alabama, under the name Martha Louise White. She denied being her. According to United States Census records she also could've been Martha Miller, born in Tennessee sometime between 1925 and 1927 to Joe and Lidy Miller. In either case, she was identified as being White, with a possible percentage of Native American ancestry. Throughout her life, she presented herself as being of various racial and ethnic identities, including Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Jewish. She represented herself as being of many different ages, too. 

One government official stated in 1974 that "it appears she can be any age she wishes, from the early 20s to the early 50s". She was arrested at the end of August 1974 for possible extradition to Michigan. Released on bond, she fled the state and was a fugitive until October 9, 1974, when she was caught in Tucson, Arizona. She was ultimately charged with committing $8,000 in fraud and having four aliases. She was convicted of illegally having 23 welfare checks using two identities She was sentenced to two to six years in prison. During the same decade, Taylor was additionally investigated for murder, kidnapping, and baby trafficking. Taylor died of a heart attack on April 18, 2002, at Ingalls Memorial Hospital outside Chicago Her remains were cremated.

Thank to Linda Taylor's fraudulent dealings & "unknown" racial makeup and the media coverage of poverty, our narrated lessons on welfare & food stamps have been passed down for at least 40+ years. But it is not the only story that has to be told. I have covered a few politicians, chefs, and actors doing the Food Stamp Challenge, HERE & HERE. And though it's easy for me to be judgmentally weirded out by someone using their benefits on an $80 cake & disturbingly laugh at somebody being able to use their SNAP card to get a lap dance, I would rather hear about the affluent try to understand by taking the Food Stamp Challenge. I would rather go to a farmer's market and see a family trying to feed their kids fresher foods than hear the "trendy" compare apples to oranges. I rather see the addresses & schedules of those markets and places providing fresh food education to the impoverished on my social media timelines instead of the faces of welfare fraud. Eating healthy is not a rich person's privilege. No one can teach me that and I refuse to pass on that lesson. I want to pass on awareness.

Ok, I heard the concerns & requests. You guys like a food recipe when you learn. Request Granted!!! Since I mentioned farmer's & fresh produce markets a lot in this post, I will share with you something I tell All my clients. "When in doubt, make a Salad". There is a salad for every occasion. A Garden Salad is gluten-free, salt-free, fat-free, dairy free & best of all inexpensive (LoL Thought I was going to say, Free.). So, here is a recipe for the basic garden salad.

Basic Garden Salad
Ingredients
• 2 tomatoes (diced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 cucumber (sliced)
• 1⁄2 head lettuce (such as iceberg, romaine) (cut up)
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and serve.

I promise to have recipes in all Food-It-All posts from this one forward.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

My Opinionated Attempt to Answer First Date Questions

Sexless Misconcetions That You Refuse to Accept

I'm celibate and it's so effing unnerving the thoughts people have about celibacy & abstinence. Ok, this post has been a long time coming. But since Most times explaining "Me" to clarify assumptions annoy me. It's like wasting words that won't keep me out of the non-defining box another's thoughts of me created. Then there are the times explanation crushes the container I never fit. Maybe this post will crush a box or two. But it's on my heart to do it so, here it is.

Being a sexless adult is not a norm. Everybody wants to "get it in". So, people who choose to be abstinent & celibate, make people uncomfortable. That is because guilty attitudes about sex still linger in the hearts of people. People just don't understand my sex theory, "I am Grown enough to do so, I am Grown enough not to do so. I'm that kind of Adult"!!! Keyword is Adult. So, let's have an Adult discussion about being Sexless.

All Sexless Adults are Not Sexless for the Same reasons. All sexless people aren't only sexless because of oppressive, conservative religion. If that was the case explain why the numbers in those religions having sex seem to look like the outnumber the sexless. If that is the case explain the many that are sexless "spiritual" people. If that is the case explain the sexless atheist. Yes, I'm a Christian(the oppressive, conservative religion, people love to blame for everything) but didn't become celibate because I am one. I gave it all (including discretionary shopping, partying, reading fiction, listening to secular music (wait I did go to movies)) up so I could do some work on me. Everything but sex eased into a place after I did the work. Then one day, I looked up and I was living a full life without it. And that's my story. The Lord may have set me on a path but I won't say because I will never lie and say "I wanted to be closer to him". That's another person's story. Somebody may have thought sex is/was a distraction to a goal. So, guess what find out the simple reason why someone is sexless.

"All Sexless Adults' "end game" is Different". This is annoyance #2 for me. People love to think sexless people are waiting to have sex the first time or again. once they are married. Did they tell you that? Can you wait for them to tell you their end game? Some people are waiting for married to have it the first time or ever again. Some people will only have sex when they are in a committed relationship. Some people will have sex again when they decide to again. There are actually some adult virgins that have that same attitude. They are waiting for a right connection

.

"All Sexless Adults are Awkward & Goofy". First off, what is wrong with being awkward & goofy? Isn't life awkward & goofy? Do I need to give you a run down on all the people that are awkward & goofy that having sex? I can name somebody that is sexless that you guy don't think is awkward & goofy. His name is Tim Gunn.

"All Sexless Adults are Prudes". Personally, I know more prudes that are having sex than I do are sexless. I actually know a lady who stuck her finger in her ears and loudly sang "La-la-la" when the subject of sex came up. She was pregnant a few months later. Wonder what she sang while she was baby making? Sexless people do not deny their sexuality. I think the sexual ignorant are more likely be prudes. With sex in everyone's face, every day, I wonder how prudes still exists. Everyone has their limits but being a prude, I don't understand. I know a lot of fairly sexually educated sexless adults. They don't want to be stupid when they get to their end game. Some sexless adult are into self-pleasure. With so many masturbatory products out, one is probably getting very educated while they are looking for something.

"All Sexless Adults are a Conquest-able Challenge". *sigh* This is my annoyance #3. This is not just for the people one is dating. "Friends" & "Associates" that feel that the sexless need to get laid are on this list too. I had to set a "friend" straight before. Funny enough the person only had sex once in life so. Once I said "Catch up to my record then you can talk about me getting laid", I heard nothing else since.  Now, as for people that one dates it is easy to deal with the one's that don't want to be bothered. It's understandable to deal with someone who thought they could deal with your choice. But the ones that think they can change your mind are humorous & frustrating at the same time. I know from some who will "have sex we they decide to" most challengers could've had a shot but the dare turned them off. I feel like that was a test of protection from the immature.

"All Sexless Adults Judge Sexually Active People" Yep, it's my annoyance #1. I won't lie, if you think I will judge you, I automatically know you are guilty about having sex or you are judging me for not having sex. I try my hardest not to but it happens. It annoys me because no matter what I say, matter of fact, Don't Say, people think you are judging them for having sex. Umm, unless a sexless person says anything, They are not judging you. Trust me!!!  I have lost so many folks in my life for doing this. It's never the first accusations. It is the continual accusations or accusing actions. IT'S LIKE THEY NEVER HEARD WHAT I AM SAYING. Funny part is the sexual active judgmental folks have an "end game point" for the sexless and when the sexless' sex life doesn't match their point, they're going to judge them then, too. It's such a VICIOUS cycle.

But that is what these misconceptions are based on, Judgements. The old oppressive society judged those who freely have sex. The newly wanna be free society judge those who aren't having sex. Amazing to me, I thought the newly wanna be free would understand my sex theory, "I am Grown enough to do so, I am Grown enough not to do so. I'm that kind of Adult"!!! Maybe the wanna be free is still just want to be free. I'll wait for a Free Society where the sexually active & sexless can live their own lives, without judgement.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

No Ugly Friends!!!

Before You Click the Video above, it may contain language and materials that some viewers may find Offensive. Govern Yourselves Accordingly!!!

I hate this term and others like it.(Read this POST and you will understand). I have never treated any of my friends as the Ugly Friend. Not Even when I did had Ugly (by pop culture's beauty standards) Friends did Not I treat them like that (Oh but I was accused of doing so, Also in that POST). You have to let those people see the actions for themselves and love them through it.

I don't know if I was ever the Ugly Friend. Almost positive I haven't but, you never know. Being the Ugly Friend is something I've always observed from the outside looking in. I have dated the Ugly Friend, (We broke up because he had to much free time to worry about what I was doing all the time. Heck, he could still be being treated as the Ugly Friend). I've had friends who have been treated like the Ugly Friend. I have friends who thought they were the Ugly Friend among their friendship groups. Those are some phenomena to watch.

This video came across one of my timelines and I agree with it whole heartily. You guys know I believe in this mind set, "There are no ugly people, they just don't look like what you want them to look like".

And just because you are not attractive to somebody else that doesn't mean you have to feel that way about yourself. Other's can only treat you like the Ugly Friend if you allow them to do so. You only do that because you feel ugly. People we have to work on not feeling ugly about ourselves. There are people who thrive (knowingly & unknowingly) on it. Why let people feed off the negative parts of you when the positive parts is the nourishment that them and you need?

DJ Khaled says, "No New Friends". Well, I am saying "No Ugly Friends". We will Not be the Ugly Friend, Anymore. We will Not treat anyone like the Ugly Friend. "No Ugly Friends" If a friend can't treat you like you look good then, they are No Good. And if you can't treat a friend like they look good then again, you are No Good. No Ugly Friends!!!

 As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms