Monday, January 8, 2018
"White voters abandoned the Democratic Party [after 1964]. In 1968, Humphrey got thirty-eight per cent of the white vote. In 1972, George McGovern got thirty-two per cent. In 1980, Jimmy Carter, a white Southerner, got thirty-six per cent. In 2016, Hillary Clinton, running against the toxic nitwit who is now the face of our politics, received thirty-seven per cent." This quote and other interesting information comes from a very insightful article on our politics, triggered by Lawrence O'Donnell's new book on the 1968 presidential election.
https://www.newyorker.com/maga
. . .
My fascination with charts and stats is well served by an examination of the national composition of major professional sports, here and abroad, found in this weekend's sports section. "White voters abandoned the Democratic Party [after 1964]. In 1968, Humphrey got thirty-eight per cent of the white vote. In 1972, George McGovern got thirty-two per cent. In 1980, Jimmy Carter, a white Southerner, got thirty-six per cent. In 2016, Hillary Clinton, running against the toxic nitwit who is now the face of our politics, received thirty-seven per cent." This quote and other interesting information comes from a very insightful article on our politics, triggered by Lawrence O'Donnell's new book on the 1968 presidential election.
https://www.newyorker.com/maga
. . .
https://www.nytimes.com/intera
While the origin of players in Germany's Bundesliga may hold little interest for you, looking at the nationality of our supposed hometown heroes provides some rich sociological fodder. For instance, Canada's share of National Hockey League players is now slightly less than half, while the US contributes one quarter. The National Football League, by contrast, remains singularly American, with only trace amounts of foreign players, unchanged for more than 55 years.
While the origin of players in Germany's Bundesliga may hold little interest for you, looking at the nationality of our supposed hometown heroes provides some rich sociological fodder. For instance, Canada's share of National Hockey League players is now slightly less than half, while the US contributes one quarter. The National Football League, by contrast, remains singularly American, with only trace amounts of foreign players, unchanged for more than 55 years.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
A subcommittee of the Boyz Club had lunch today at Yaso Tangbao, Shanghai Street Foods, 220 East 42nd Street, the first Manhattan site of a small chain. We enjoyed a visit to the original at 148 Lawrence Street in downtown Brooklyn on March 30, 2016. The new location is at the base of what was the New York Daily News building. You'll find an enormous world globe slowly rotating one door over.
Yaso Tangbao has a large, street-level space where you order and pick up your food; a half dozen large tables with stools are upstairs in a mezzanine. Everything is casual.
The menu has about 30 dishes, including dumplings, noodles in and out of soup, and rice dishes. Prices are reasonable considering the heavily-trafficked midtown location. We ordered spicy pork soup dumplings ($3.95 for four pieces), chicken soup dumplings ($3.95 for four pieces), blue crab soup dumplings ($4.95 for four pieces), pan fried curried chicken dumplings ($6.25 for four pieces), "Sweet & Spicy Dumplings ($6.50 for four pieces, contents unspecified), sweet & sour pork ribs ($6.95) and Shanghai cold noodles ($7.45). Everything was very good except the noodles, dressed with a very bland sauce. The spicy dishes were friendly, not aggressively spicy. Note, Genial Jerry works directly across the street, so give him a call if you aim for Yaso Tangbao.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
While I would like to say that my interest in Kosher delicatessens is as thoroughgoing as my interest in Chinese restaurants, but that is not the case. Actual Kosher delicatessens today rival white Bengal tigers as an endangered species. First, some definitions -- a real delicatessen is a place that serves sandwiches of corned beef, pastrami and salami sliced to order; it may serve other items as well, such as chicken soup, hot dogs and knishes. It does not have a salad bar and is not a place that serves coffee to go in cardboard cups and sandwiches wrapped in plastic, prepared long ago and far away. A simple empirical sign of a faux delicatessen is the presence of Boar's Head meats.
Kosher certification is almost an absolute requirement, even in the face of "Jewish-style" joints. This is not merely an ethnocentric bias, Kosher meats, ideally cooked on the premises, are usually superior. I will note maybe three, but only three, exceptions. Katz's Delicatessen, 205 East Houston Street, originated in 1888 around the corner. It is not Kosher, and may never have been. It's a shame because it did not build its reputation on cheeseburgers. I especially like their hot dogs that sit on a grill for an entire baseball season before being offered to the public, and their fat French fries.
Kosher certification is almost an absolute requirement, even in the face of "Jewish-style" joints. This is not merely an ethnocentric bias, Kosher meats, ideally cooked on the premises, are usually superior. I will note maybe three, but only three, exceptions. Katz's Delicatessen, 205 East Houston Street, originated in 1888 around the corner. It is not Kosher, and may never have been. It's a shame because it did not build its reputation on cheeseburgers. I especially like their hot dogs that sit on a grill for an entire baseball season before being offered to the public, and their fat French fries.
Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant, 704 South Alvarado Street, Los Angeles (opposite the tuneful MacArthur Park), emerged 59 years after Katz's and similarly never got too Jewish. Its sandwiches, though as I recall, match anyone's. Pastrami is hand sliced and the rye bread is the best that I have ever tasted. In true Angeleno fashion, an order to go phoned or faxed in will be delivered to your car when you pull up at the curb.
The third exception to the you-have-to-be-Kosher rule is/was Harrod's, 87-135 Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge, London, the world famous department store. Several years ago, I had a fat, hot beef tongue sandwich carved in front of me. It must have cost at least $30 back then, but it was delicious. Looking at Harrod's web site now, I can't find a trace of that sandwich or anything similar in the food halls. You can find a Champagne bar, a caviar bar, a Pan-Asian counter, an ice cream parlour, fish and chips and more, but no salt beef a/k/a corned beef, pastrami or tongue. Is this an ethnic slight?
Once upon a time, the late Carnegie Deli would certainly qualify as an excellent non-Kosher delicatessen. Their meats were superb, their sandwiches piled sky high and their prices higher.
Once upon a time, the late Carnegie Deli would certainly qualify as an excellent non-Kosher delicatessen. Their meats were superb, their sandwiches piled sky high and their prices higher.
All of this is background to my lunch today at Pastrami Queen, 1125 Lexington Avenue (just above East 78th Street). It is really small, 8 two-tops placed among 4 and 5 foot stacks of soda cans. In the past, I found it too crowded to enter. Its reputation, however, is quite outsize. Zagat's speaks of its "outstanding pastrami" which New York magazine describes as "juicy, crumbly, and fiendishly good, with a satisfying balance of smoke and spice." True.
I had an appointment with my eye doctor at 1 PM, situated two blocks away, so I got across town early in case I had to wait for a seat at Pastrami Queen. That wasn't necessary; I was able to sit right down at the one empty table. I ordered a pastrami/corned beef combo for $23; one meat would have been $18. This is expensive, often the case with Kosher food. It was delicious Kosher food, however, and the sandwich was very large. Additionally, the complimentary cole slaw and pickles were top quality. Go with someone nice, share, maybe also split an order of French fries or a potato knish, and you have a viable economic solution.
I had an appointment with my eye doctor at 1 PM, situated two blocks away, so I got across town early in case I had to wait for a seat at Pastrami Queen. That wasn't necessary; I was able to sit right down at the one empty table. I ordered a pastrami/corned beef combo for $23; one meat would have been $18. This is expensive, often the case with Kosher food. It was delicious Kosher food, however, and the sandwich was very large. Additionally, the complimentary cole slaw and pickles were top quality. Go with someone nice, share, maybe also split an order of French fries or a potato knish, and you have a viable economic solution.
Take it for what it's worth -- no atmosphere, no room, great food.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Agujero de mierda, Scheiß Loch, 狗屎洞 or more likely дерьмовое отверстие.
Good one
ReplyDeleteBeing a pedant, I would note that your use of both "while" and "but" in the opening sentence of your Wednesday commentary is redundant. One or the other should go.
ReplyDeleteBeing sentient, I applaud your treatment of Donald Trump's most recent contribution to the forthcoming edition of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
Dean,
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised that you are correct.