Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.HE WROTE: Just Sad
I'm sitting here upstairs in Jenny's castle on the Ohio watching the fog lift. First, I'm looking at the box of Ding-Dongs and the bag of Candy-Corn on the table next to the computer. That's pretty sad. And I just ate one of the Ding-Dongs for breakfast. SMP should be pretty happy with that. Low rent book tour here. I went downstairs and managed to find the coffee pot amongst the kitchen clutter but no coffee or filter as Jenny doesn't do coffee.
Today we do a TV thing at 10, then a radio thing, then stock signings, then a book signing in Cincy. Going to be an even more hectic week than last week.
BTW: When I get the skirt picture, you get the skirt picture. Geez.
We did laundry last night. Hey, you wanted the highlights of the book tour, you're getting them. Well, Jenny did laundry. My contribution was stuffing everything, no sorting, real men don't sort, into the machine. Then I went to bed. I just went downstairs. My shirts were hanging there, pants nicely folded, and hehe, one single sock neatly lying on top. I bet that drove Jenny bonkers. The infamous single sock. I did that on purpose.
On the creative side we're really talking about layering in Agnes. DLD was a book, and I know you don't want to hear this, that we muddled through. We'd never worked together before. We did it on the fly, learning as we went. Even at the start of Agnes we were a bit uncertain. We knocked out around thirty thousand words on Agnes then had to slam the brakes on and take a look at a lot of things the last couple of months. I think we're in really good shape right now, although not any further into the book writing-wise which is ok. I'm really excited to get back home after this book tour and really examine the relationships between the characters I have responsibility for: Shane, Joey 'the Gent' Torcelli, Simon Xavier the detective, and others. There's going to be a lot of emotion there-- yes, I said it, emotion. YECCY stuff. A hell of a lot more depth than before.
One thing you're going to see much more of is gender differences and conflict. And reconciliation and understanding.
And we've been discussing the the third book and how it's going to be different from the first two in one major way: the heroine and hero are going to be the one with the plan. It's going to be a caper book. In DLD and Agnes the hero and heroine react. In the third book they're going to come into the book with a plan-- seperate plans, and then be forced into working together.
So. Nothing but good times ahead.
I'm going to eat another Ding-Dong then we're out of here.
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You know - Muddling worked well with DLD. The old saying "If it aint broke...." Anyway, everytime I start to think things through I muck 'em up more. But I have the feeling this one is going to be even better than DLD, so whatever it takes, go for it.
(sniff sniff) Our little Bawb is growing up. He's actually going to be giving his males characters YECCY stuff.
Before you know it, his male characters will be working at a craft shop, running a knitting circle, exploring their feelings, all the while inspired by the collage that Bawb made.
I like ring-dings much better than ding-dongs.
Bob - "The infamous single sock. I did that on purpose." You are TOO funny!
At our house, we have a "sock monster." I don't know if he lives in the washer or the dryer. But every load at least one sock goes missing. Sometimes it is myseriously returned during a later load, but never a matching load. I know men don't sort, but usually laundry is at least segragated into 'darks' and 'lights.' If it was a white sock, it may show up on the inside of a blue tee-shirt. Or a dark sock, smuggled inside a pair of undies. So the sock monster's job is not only to hide the socks from us, but also to keep us guessing. We never know what we're going to find when we shake out that pair of khaki pants before folding. Just folding. Because in my house, "iron" is a four-letter word. I don't iron. If you want the wrinkles out, take a hot shower. The steam will be good for your pores and those pants hanging on the towel rack.
And I'm glad to 'hear' you talking about a third book. That means that you are thinking about the future, and that future includes a live Jenny. Not one that you've killed off at 30,000 feet because you've discovered her perchant for picking up cutsie stuffed crustacians and chatting.
Have fun in Cinci!
Robin
Cherry 2000
Hurray for more gender differences. I must admit I loved reading what JT was thinking (which was always a bit foreign to my reactions). Then I'd stop and say to myself, I know that this is fiction but do guys really think like that? I guess if I'd read more male authored adventures/mysteries I might have seen it before, but it was novel to me and great fun. Thanks for the ride!
"real men don't sort" Boy don't I know that! In my house if a male attempts to sort its more by purpose. Thus all things classified "underwear" get thrown into the wash together. Such as black socks and white briefs. Which of course means the next load must be bleached. Even if said load contains another dark sock. *sigh* But the trying counts for something so I refrain from screaming. Just spend a lot of money buying new socks. Oh, and new dark blue jeans should NOT get washed with khaki's. I don't care if they serve the same purpose. Khaki's cost more than socks.
Ooooh. Interesting little peek at book 3. You knew this would drive us crazy right? That's why you did it. *sigh* But I won't complain because that means that there will BE a Book 3 ... YAY!!! Howsomever, while its all well and good to reassure us what we really want is for you 2 to get cracking on Agnes 'cause DLD will only hold us for so long. You wouldn't want us getting cranky.
> Jenny doesn't do coffee
LOL. Nothing worse than realizing your host doesn't do coffee. I had my mother come to visit once, and when I awoke, very early, I found her in the kitchen standing at the counter with a glazed look in her eye and a forced grin: "Um," she said, with a desperate attempt to sound cheerful, "where's your coffee pot?" When I answered, "...coffee pot?" I thought her head would explode.
> gender difference and conflict
I can't say how excited that makes me. DLD was a fun romp, and you couldn't ask for a more entertaining story, but I do admit I'd hoped to see more with the gender differences thing. I mean, you've got more resources than anybody. :)
I also can't express how pleased I am to think that there is more coming. If DLD was this much fun, how much better will more books like this be as you get more comfortable with the process? Oh! Wonderful.
What is a Ding Dong? Sounds rude but I bet it isn't. Is Candy Corn sugared popcorn? Anyway, what happened to the protein breakfasts?
If DLD is an example of your writing on the fly, geez.
I just got the book on Friday, it was brilliant! You both are gifted with the pen.
Also, I did the Taa Daa at the cash register. 2 guys manning the desk. I asked for the book which I had reserved. Guy 1 looks at the jacket and says "Hey, Nice Cover". Guy 2 leans over to see. I ask, "Have you seen the inside cover yet?" "No", taa daa. "Hey that's great!" They both indicate that the book is generating a lot of talk in the store, at which point I mentioned your website/blog. Didn't hit all the moot points, but Guy 1 was on the verge of exploding over the Borders book club thingy. I let him get it out.
What is a Ding Dong? Sounds rude but I bet it isn't. Is Candy Corn sugared popcorn?
Not from this side of the pond, huh? A Ding Dong is this junk food creation consisting of a fake pound cake type thing with a whipped sugar center that is supposed to resemble cream but isn't.
Candy corn is basically a corn syrup creation that looks like an idealized corn kernal. Colored in layers of orange blending to yello blending to white. Very popular around Halloween, but in the last few years they've been doing an Easter variety (I have no idea what corn and Easter are supposed to have in common) in pastel-ish colors.
In short Bob has just exploded the "only eats healthy stuff" myth.
At least Bob ingests Ding Dong without feeding them to animals. In DLD as soon as... wait. Would that constitute a spoiler?
Having deep-sixed all other plans for yesterday to sit on my porch and read DLD, I'm joining everyone's praise for the book and joy that more will be written! Great book, Jenny and Bob.
Any chance that Joey 'the Gent''s last name can be changed from Torcelli to Speenelli? I guess it should be Spinelli, but I so love the idea of a villainous character being named for the avenue from Hell.
Thanks, Bob, for the insight into your collaboration. It's nice to know that you needed to take some time to step back and re-group to think things through, rather than just plowing ahead. Since I only write business prose, it's nice to have some insight into someone else's cooperative writing and also into writing fiction.
Well, I write marketing materials, so maybe I do write fiction. Hah!
And good to know that you're excited to get back to work on your parts of Agnes.
As for third book: 1) capers are fun, 2) glad to hear it's being contemplated.
Bob and Jenny, you two are brilliant writing partners!! I love DLD. It's an immensely enjoyable novel, and I'm so happy for you both. I've heard nothing but rave reviews and comments from readers all over the place. And I am so looking forward to Agnes and Shane, and any future novels you two come up with. I just love reading the thoughts in J.T.'s head -- yes, they are foreign to me, but I think it's wonderful to see the male perspective and I think it adds something vital that's always been missing from romantic fiction in general - an authentic male perspective. I think I'm actually learning a lot about men just from reading DLD. Forget "Men Are from Mars, Women are from Venus" - just read DLD.
I will have the pleasure of seeing you both Tuesday evening at Books & Co, in Dayton. I can't wait!! Kudos to you both! DLD is a winner, and you two make a great writing team!!
Love ding dongs - but don't eat them anymoe since they end up on the hips, that are a little larger these days. Don't do coffee and my brother-in-law has learned to bring his own filters, since I do have a coffee machine (which he bought me) and coffee (which again, he bought). He used to use paper towels. Once he tried to make my husband drive to Starbucks (five miles away) to get his coffee fix. You can't tell my husband to do anything.
No one in my family does the sort thing either, or empty their pockets. That's how I get my extra cash. This morning I pocketed a twenty from my husband, a love note from son's girlfriend, two notes from my daughter to her friends and one baseball card from the youngest. It was a good morning. And yes, I keep what I find. I won't even touch the one sock thing. We have a hamper full of single socks. It amazes me that when I actually go through it, I find matches. Huh? How'd that happen.
Enjoy the book tour. Sounds like you're having fun. Back to my Diet Coke, with a twist of lemon and some low fat chocolate thing. The mention of ding dongs made me hungry. Thanks a lot Bob.
While DingDongs are one of the many foods of the gods, they're also one of the many foods of finals week and other sleep-deprived, high-intensity experiences... not good that you're resorting to them so soon, boyo. Wait until the end of April - then you're gonna need a DingDong for sure. But gotta say, reconciliation and understanding a la Theoretical Book 3 (and in general) are beautiful things ;-)
Glad you are both back in Cinci for a breather even if short-lived. It's nice not having to be in a hotel for a few days even if it means having to do the laundry.(grin)
Did my whole schpiel on DLD to an audience of fifty yesterday. Did the Ta-Da of the cover, gave website and blog info. Even got in the Jenny questionaire on the blog, and told my chapter members it is a great insight into the writing of the book and an exercise on writing in general. Even blushingly told everyone I'm now a groupie, an official Cherry Bomb. They hooted at that one.
Last time I was a groupie I think it was 1969 and I was "in love" with the singer in the band at our local Saturday night dance. (I lived in a very samll town.) Used to dance to numbers like Blueberry Hill and get all mooney-eyed looking over current partners shoulder to gaze at Johnny. Ahhh! Sweet love.
So I'm going to take the quiz. Almost through reading DLD. Busy weekend so I've been savouring it. A really good read and it became totally seamless for me by chapter three. I totally forgot the whole thing of who wrote which chapters or scenes. Excellent work. hope it sells millions more. Keep writing.
In our house it was always a Dr. Pepper and a DingDong. The breakfast of champions! At least that's what my Dad always said, since we were usually going fishing.
Thanks for the teaser on the third book. Looking forward to it! Especially the YECCY stuff.
I finished DLD this weekend and it was great. I especially enjoyed the authentic feel of the action sequences and the male POV. I am excited to hear you both have a third book in the planning stage.
I was in the military (many years ago) and my daughter is in the Army now (at Ft. Bragg in an airborne unit) so I could relate to a lot of the military related story. I am going to be at the book signing in Dayton tomorrow so I will pick up another copy of the book for her to read. She really enjoys books with suspense and action!
Thank you both for a great book and fun blog.
Jan
A Ding dong for breakfast--boy, that DOES take me back to my college days! However, when you go to school in the Chicago area, no cram session was complete without the obligatory nocturnal run to White Castles for a bag of Sliders! Mmmm-mmm!! Of course, those nocturnal runs were MUCH better if you had wheels, which I didn't, so girlfriend and I ended up walking the six blocks or whatever it was in the dead of night. Got stopped by a cop and escorted back to campus--how embarassing is THAT? Lord, I had forgotten all about that until someone on here mentioned exams and weird food stuff. We reserved Ding Dongs, HoHo's, ice cream, and Mountain Dews for the all night Rummy challenges--that sugar high was AWESOME!! Heeheeheehee.... (And the blogging list isn't giving me an opportunity to name myself, so will have to sign post...)
Sheri
Rescue Cherry
Aren't Ding Dongs just hockey puck shaped Ho-ho's? It's a chocolated snack cake, how bad can it be?
Candy corn this time of year? Brave souls. Sure it's just sugar, but it's sugar that's been sitting around since Halloween (unless it's Easter colored candy corn).
Do you wonder about the cherry bombs some days? You bear (oops bare) your daily life to us and we want to talk about chocolate snack cakes. ;-)
Okay, I apparently was not raised by a real man. My Dad insisted on talking about emotions (of course he's also a minister and trained counseler) and when I came to his house while I was in college he insisted I bring my laundry and HE would do it (and sort and fold, but not iron). I don't know how I'm going to tell him an unreal man.
Lynn said...
Aren't Ding Dongs just hockey puck shaped Ho-ho's?
Egan. She's right. I got my Ding Dongs confused with my Twinkies. Thanks, Lynn. Okay ...
Ding Dongs are fake chocolate cakes shaped like hockey pucks with fake cream (whipped sugar) filling and coated with chocolate icing.
That concludes the education portion of our program. We'll tackle ho-hos another day.
Bob, when you get to the vicinity of Philly & New Jersey, eat TastyKakes instead. Much better.
Better is a subjective term for snake cakes, of course. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're healthier, but if we wanted healthy, we'd eat an apple.
Just finished the book which I LOVED, and IN LOVE with both Lucy and J.T. -- so this cross-gender thing certainly works on a subliminal level.... yeah, yeah, I know it's just fiction, dammit all.
And Bawb (because I know YOU wrote it), the final scene of the book was GLORIOUS and had me laughing out loud and cheering like a groupie.
Which I am. Cherry-bombed -- for life.
"I bet that drove Jenny bonkers. The infamous single sock. I did that on purpose."
Bob: Are you somebody's younger brother?
When a sock is missing in our house, we say it went to live with Jesus (Erma Bombeck).
I never have a missing sock - but I'm single (and a bit of a perfectionist)and I think that makes a difference. My sister on the other hand, married with 2 kids doesn't even bother sorting socks. She dumps them all in a basket and everyone just goes scrounging in the mornings.
BTW I loved the book. I decided not to wait on Amazon and just hit the book store.
Now I could be at peace if only I wasn't waiting on Agnes and book 3. Thanks a lot for the teaser Bob. You caught on to this promotion stuff pretty quick didn't you?
What is a Ding Dong? It sounds rude???
Re-read DLD...still a great adventure and delightful romance...gave the book to my daughter to read (we swap books back and forth) and clued her onto the blogsite.
I'll loan you one of my spare single socks.
Looking forward to "Agnes" and that third collaboration in the future.
Both Ding Dongs and Candy Corn sound disgusting. It's the "fake" bit that's off-putting. "Fake" seems to crop up in the descriptions a lot - fake chocolate, fake cream, fake this that and the other. It sounds like they stick to the roof of your mouth and then make you sick.
Next you're going to be telling me that you eat that fake squirty cheese from a tube. That is vile. I know this because, foolishly, I actually believed someone who said that they were going to give me cheese. And then this horrendous orange drippy goop appeared so, being polite, I tried to eat it and then was nearly car-sick half an hour later.
Why do people eat this stuff? There must be something about these foods that I am missing. I get the Oreos' addiction because they come apart and so you can eat them in different ways so if that's your thing, well fine, but what about the fake stuff? Is the attraction that you remember eating them in front of the log cabin back when folks had to make their own entertainment? Or are they the only things that you can buy in the PX in Korea?
I prefer Devil Dogs, but they haven't tasted the same since they took the fat out.
We eat this stuff because it is real sugar and real fat and it is "real" addictive, even if it is fake everything else.
Why do people eat this stuff?
I think its for the sugar rush. But seriously, we tend to like things that are bad for us. I get a high smelling french fries in deep fryer. Go figure. I've been avoiding fast food places for a long time now because I'm weak. But OMG there's not much better than hot, greasy Boardwalk fries doused with vinegar and sprinkled liberally with salt. *whimper* excuse while I go gnaw on a carrot.
Actually, I prefer my fat and sugar in their natural state--without intervention by Hostess Brand.
I believe that people eat things like ding dongs and the like so that, when the apocalypse comes, they will survive it through the artifical substances built up in their systems. Because when all else is gone, what remains will be ding dongs, twinkies, cockroaches, and Pamela Anderson's breasts.
Oh, I get the sugar rush and the feeling full after eating fat and all that stuff and it's great. I don't say live on carrots or never eat carbs or any of that. Fat and sugar mean taste, apart from anything else, and whilst carrot is great, think how sad it would be never to a good slab of parkin or chocolate cake again or proper fish and chips that smell just right and come from a chippie who has real malt vinegar. (Now I feel hungry dammit).
But then why not eat something fresh that couldn't live in a fall-out shelter for 10 years and still be apparently edible? It's that dusty fake bit that gets me.
I'm hauling myself out of lurkdom to say two things:
1) the blog is totally working, at least on me. I bought the book. Immediately. All because of reading this blog. And I'm telling others about it.
and
2) why is your book tour not stopping in NC? (not that you don't have enough places to go already, I realize. But still.)
mp cb- we eat these things because it is hard to find fresh baked goods for sale cheaply and in gas stations, quick marts and the like. I would prefer a piece of real chocolate cake, but it is a little difficult to eat while driving.
And Tastycakes are way better than Hostess anythings (which includes Ding Dongs) they taste less fake.
Comments on two of the things that seem to have come up - of only very peripheral DLD connection:
Also being single, but NOT a perfectionist, unlike the anonymous post-er above, I, too rarely lose a sock (but occasionally!). I offered my sister, who also has the sock bushel, a suggestion on the topic, which she has almost certainly not taken, but I share here, possibly to illustrate the difference between women with time to think about problems THEY don't have (as opposed to solving totally different things in their own lives) and women with children who have no time to think about anything not directly applicable to THIS EXACT MOMENT. How's that for a sentence? Anyway, I suggested that each family member have a zipper bag (such as those used for hosiery, which is mostly why I don't lose socks: I don't wear them most days)into which the socks go. That way, the sock population to be searched is not only limited to the family member in question, but is less apt to migrate into folded bedsheets and the interior of sweatshirts.
The other issue is the "real food" vs. "junk food". I am completely addicted to sugar and fat, and will, occasionally succumb to the synthetic creations so readily available. But I MUCH prefer home made or bakery made or made-by-an-artisan-chocolatier-who-earns-more-than -I-do to utterly artifical objects such as Ding Dongs. Unless, as mb says, there's entertaining disassembly to be done, which adds a whole different dimension to the consumption of the aforesaid sugar and fat.
Because once you've developed a fondness for real chocolate, the stuff they put on and in snack cakes just doesn't really cut it anymore.
What's parkin (as mentioned by mq cb, apparently eaten in slabs)?
"Nothing but good times ahead."
I literally gasped when I saw that, then chuckled. Got a little something out of Welcome to Temptation, did you, Sophie? :D
Diane said ...Because once you've developed a fondness for real chocolate, the stuff they put on and in snack cakes just doesn't really cut it anymore.
What's parkin (as mentioned by mq cb, apparently eaten in slabs)?
To answer mq cb: I'm not all that fond of the fake foodstuffs myself. I am a chocolate snob - I admit it. I like the dark stuff. The darker the better. I want it just this side of baking chocolate. In fact I have a secret stash of Green & Black's Organic. Nirvana.
But part of the reason people go for it, other than the sugar rush and fat, I think is that (1) they are cheap as opposed to the "real" stuff, (2) they do last pretty much forever as long as you don't remove the plastic wrappers. Leastwise I've never heard of a Twinkie going bad, (3) easy to carry - you can take a ding dong pretty much anywhere. Harder to transport a fresh slice of cake or keep a really fresh donut remaining fresh. But mostly (4) believe it not a lot of people just like them. I think its an addiction of sorts, really.
And I'm with Diane. What's a parkin? Sounds like something you wear in bad weather.
He Wrote, She Wrote - the cultural exchange program.
Anyway, Bob started it.
I'm with you on preferring homemade or artisan desserts, but in my family, if you put a dessert in front of us, even if it's not of the best quality, we will probably eat it. That's just how we are.
Of course disassemblage is always fun, unless you are trying to drive at the time, in which case unrolling a ho-ho can land you in the ditch. Not that I would know from personal
experience or anything.
By the way, what is it about adding color to the usual dessert treat that makes it irresistable? Generally, I can walk right past the Oreos, but put colored cream in between the chocolate, and I'm a gonner.
Theresa in Pgh
"What's parkin (as mentioned by mq cb, apparently eaten in slabs)?"
Parkin is the business that comes from the North of England. It's a loaf cake, usually made with oatmeal (originally poor people's food, see, when oatmeal was cheaper than flour) rather than flour (although there are versions with flour now), black treacle and ginger. Imagine the moistest dark gingerbread you ever had but with the cracking undertaste of rich, almost-burnt dark treacle toffee cutting across the ginger. Ooh, it's delicious. It's like the best Bonfire Night ever -- the cold of the air with the roar of the bonfire and the whizz-bang crackle of the fireworks but you get to taste it. Fantastic.
You can buy it by mail-order from Betty's by Post in Harrogate (www.bettysbypost.com) - fantastic pukka English teashop - or there are various recipes available. It's the sort of recipe that you get from your great aunt and that gets handed down the family (well not handed down mine because my UK antecedents are more Welsh than anything else so I do have a great Welsh cakes recipe if you're interested, but alas no parkin). I hear Delia Smith does a good one but then all her stuff is good. Never made it though - always get it from Betty's. If any of you ever go to Yorkshire (can't imagine why you would, mind, given that most of you are probably American) Betty's is a must.
Bloody hell, really am hungry now. Got to go and find some dinner otherwise I shall be gnawing on my keyboard.
HeMan breakfast of champions: a dozen Krispy Creme washed down with a Dr. Pepper. SheMan breakfast: a 5 washed down with a DIET Dr. Pepper and 1 cream-filled with chocolate icing for dessert. Krispy Cremes would have added that special something (!) to the Wonder Woman party.
Well, Bob, that is sad. I'm with you on the coffee thing, whenever I was visiting my mother I had to take filters and coffee for myself.
As far as Ding Dongs go, I don't think that I've seen them in Canada, but occasionally I've had the kind of day (week, life) that just calls for that kind of treat-)
Not often mind you, but every once in a while! My real downfall are potato chips (crisps for you across the water), salt and fat what more could you want? Although I stick with the plain flavours and not all these fancy ones (yes, the UK has some of the most peculiar flavours of crisps that I have ever seen)
And then there are the real treats in life: a new Jennifer Crusie, and now another Crusie/Mayer to look forward to. Happy writing.
just spread the word of DLD on the german amazon homepage *he he* didnt have a review yet..changed that *grin* it has 5 stars now.
Zipessin
Mq, cb: thanks so much for the info! Now you've got me curious to try some. But another question. I've heard of treacle, but I just realized I'm not clear on exactly what it is. Is it like molasses?
Mary: I'm with you. Give me a nice crisp greasy salty potato chips (crisps) Not for me the flavored one. In fact I think I'm a purist because I don't care much for flavored anything. I want the original.
My all time favorite "crisp" I can't even get in my area (DC). They're called Middlesworth and they are made and distributed only in certain areas of PA. They are just the perfect chip. *sigh* I'll be going up that way in a few weeks. Have to make a note to pick up a bag.
Lord have mercy...I just dropped a day-late 800 word article, 200 pgs of assigned reading on the civil war, 200 pgs of reading on folklore, and my job scanning articles to finish DLD. So good! You guys rock! I can't wait for the next book!
Personally, though, I prefer Cheetoes to Ding-dongs. Much better study food.
**Better is a subjective term for snake cakes, of course.**
I looked at that comment three times before I hit "send" and missed that I called them snake cakes instead of snack cakes. Bad Mary.
For chocolate afficionados -- if you haven't eaten Bissinger's chocolate from St. Louis, order some from their website. A-freaking-mazing fine chocolates. Really -- the gold standard of chocolates for this addict. It is to chocolate what a Crusie-Mayer book is to romantic adventure.
Treacle and molasses ARE, apparently, synonymous. I googled and got some recipes, which I will probably NOT try this week because a) I am WAY too busy (notwithstanding the time spent on this sort of avoidance behavior) and b) mq mentioned Bonfire Night as the time to eat parkin, and it does sound like that time of year - not like the sort of thing one eats on a sunny day in April.
Thanks for the Bissinger's tip! I probably won't order some now (with Easter coming up, I ordered Vosges bunnies for the adults in the family - not only do I love the exotic chocolates, I was charmed by the way they gave each a geographically appropriate name - including genus and species!), but I'll keep it in mind. I like to hear about chocolatiers and then enjoy them when I'm local - I was very pleased by Fran's gray salt caramels when I was in Seattle last summer. Not that I get to travel much, but sometimes.
And sometimes even Americans go to Yorkshire! Though it was only once and a long time ago...
Just got back from weekend with family where I gave my sister DLD. Did the "ta-da"! and everything. She said, about the photo on back, "they look so young!" Me: Young, like how young? She: in their 40s.
Oh, also, clothes from earlier blog, when reading DLD I did turn back once to see what JT had on when he arrived (army camo, I think), and wondered whether he wore that the whole time? Obviously clothes do matter because even JT thought the tiger stripe camo that Bryce wore was stupid.
Swiss-made Lindt 70% bitter chocolate (and if you are really serious, Lindt 85%), are both excellent. Well conched and refined, lovely snap, glossy - not that awful greasy bendy stuff. I know you can get Lindt in Canada, and I'm sure you can in the USA too these days.
Nearly all the best dark chocolate is made by French, Swiss and German manufacturers. I doubt if you can get Valrhona in the USA yet, but it is another to look out for, using different chocolate beans from diverse geographical areas to bring out the characteristics of the various types. Serious stuff - and absolutely delicious.
Remember that very dark chocolate has less sugar, less fat and fewer calories than the sweet, wimpy, pale kind, and more theobromine, which is what gives you the ecstatic feeling.
Whoever mentioned the fact that Twinkies don't go bad - that is the key signifier of something one should not eat: real food invariably goes mouldy or rancid or otherwise unpleasant, disgusting and inedible if it is old and stale. If even the wild yeasts of the air won't touch it, and it refuses to grow green whiskers however long it has been hanging about, it was not made of food in the first place...
;-) ;-)
OK, obviously, I am not only not working on the billion things I have to do, but I care WAY too much about chocolate.
agtigress - it IS possible to get Valrhona in the US (and has been for some time), though it's not easy to find. I love it, though it's milder in flavor than one would expect, based on the % cacao.
I do like dark chocolate (it's been growing on me - as a kid I was milk chocolate every time), but 70% is about my limit. Dagoba makes a REALLY dark bar (90%, I think - Eclipse?), and that goes a little too far for me. But it's lovely to know now that (provided it's dark) the antioxidants make chocolate heart-healthy.
I had never seen the geographic varietals before the aforementioned trip to Seattle, but spent a thoroughly enjoyable time browsing at a little shop there, choosing amongst Ecuador, Costa Rica etc.
By the way, I do try to purchase fairly traded chocolate, but it's hard to come by in seasonal stuff, such as Easter eggs and Christmas novelties. And my favorite Green & Black's Organic bar is Maya Gold, with orange and cinnamon. Although why cinnamon should be particularly Mayan I have NO idea. Not an American tree...
Yes, we get Valrhona in the States. Or at least *here* (near San Francisco) we do.
You left out Belgium. Some great chocolate from Belgium. I'm partial to Neuhaus, myself.
For those with any chance of visiting the bay area, we have Bittersweet Chocolate Cafe in Oakland and now one in San Francisco. Yes, a cafe devoted to chocolate of all kinds. No surprise, the business did in 3 months what they expected to do in a year, hence opening a second store in SF. They have SIX different kinds of hot chocolate alone...
Isn't the wonderful thing about chocolate how it is both local and universal. Here in Colorado we're partial to Stephany's Chocolate known for their delightful handmade confections- if old fashion goodness is your style we have Hammond's which has been making candy and chocolate since 1920- they have the most amazing handmade marshmallows that are covered in a delightful vanilla caramel. YUM
Oh, and on the original topic of Ding Dongs- I love them- I like to dip them in my left over cheese sauce from the nachos I get at 7-11 (gas station food rules)
Nikkie
The "soap opera" moment: Will Bob realize from reading this blog that all Cranky Agnes needs to un-crank is Shane covered in chocolate syrup? Or will his choc-aha! moment be too late to save Agnes?
(Jenny, of course, already knows the magical healing qualities of chocolate, as demonstrated by the ding dongs.)
Stay tuned.
It's funny how most of the post comments always degenerate into discussions of food (usually chocolate) and wanting to see Bawb in a skirt. Shows what we find important doesn't it?
Thanks for the information about good chocolate in the US. Glad to hear that the good stuff is getting to be more easily available. It certainly wasn't when I was travelling in the USA for 4 months in 1999.
I didn't include Belgium for a reason: yes, they make some great chocolates, if you like the creamy, filled things, but actually, I do not know of a really excellent dark chocolate bar made in Belgium. The standard Cote d'Or is good quality, but much, much too sweet.
Green & Blacks used to be pretty good, though a bit rough (a soft, hackly break rather than a crisp snap). Flavour was great, though, and I liked the Maya Gold bar too - all citrus flavours and many spices go well with chocolate. But you know it has been bought up by Cadburys, don't you? That's why you can get it everywhere now. Once Cadbury-Schweppes gets in on the act, quality will fall.
:-)
So, who's up for a deep-fried Mars Bar?
Wait--did you say that dark chocolate is actually GOOD for you?! I am in heaven! I have always preferred it, and now I can eat it without nary a qualm because "it's good for me"! But this talk of different kinds of chocolate by world locations--that is absolutely new to me. You mean chocolate TASTES different if the beans come from various places? That fact has never occurred to me, though I realize that coffee has different flavors depending on where it was grown. Fascinating... And you say we have a lovely chocolate shop in The City (SF/Oakland)? I ever get my license back, I know where I am going!! *grin* I have a very good friend who is quite conversant with public transportation in and around San Francisco who will be more than happy to take me to a chocolate store!! Happy day! So much to look forward to...
You people suck. I am trapped in a Ding-Dong-less country where the only places that stay open late and provide 'food' are the kebab vans and I am much more a sugar/baked goods person than a salty/greasy foods person. I yearn for a little Debbie snack cake, Twinkies, even a single Ho-Ho, but that ain't gonna happen because there are no conveniences stores open this late and they wouldn't have that yummy bad stuff anyway. Ah, the humanity...
Jenny folded your washing? Bob she must like you!
I too have a sock pile that everyone sorts through if they want socks - life is too short to sort socks especially as I dont wear them.
Never heard of any of the pre packaged snacks you guys are talking about except from American TV. Here we get potato chips (crisps) in many variety's, Salt and Vinegar being my favourite although lots of gourmet flavours coming out now. Just tasted lime and cracked pepper and was delicious. My favourite though are Twisties - major carb alert!
Hell we dont even have a Krispy Kremes in Brisbane yet but have tasted them in Sydney and can totally understand all the fuss.
And we also have Cold Rock Ice-creammery where you can order any choclate/lolly pieces you can think of smooshed in together on a freezing slab of granite. Devine!
Food glorious food....
I love Google- just went out to find what Twisties are and came up with "Twisties is the number one extruded snack brand with lots of tasty flavours" Sounds like funyuns here in the States- on the same site I found Chee-tos in a cheddar bacon flavor- don't have that one around here they're usually cheese, flamin' hot, or chile lime and come in crunchy or puffed-
Don't know if this is the cultural exchange Jenny and Bob had in mind when they sat this blog up, but I'm having fun.
Sitting here working on the tag end of a package of potatoe chips...sour cream and onion...my fave.
No one has mentioned "See's" choclate...I like theirs, but especially like their peanut brittle.
Keep up the good work! Cherry-bombers away!
Okay, as someone who was literally born in Hershey I have to speak in defense of American chocolate. But I can't because I prefer Lindt chocolate myself and thanks to my German sister-in-law have developed an addiction to candy. HOWEVER, apparently Hershey Chocolate has been infiltrated by an influencial cherry or cherrybomb because this month they released a special edition cherry filled kiss! It's cherry cream, but extremely addictive. The wrapper is even red & black tiger striped:)
glamour geek, what is the name of the chocolate place in Oakland? There is a great chocolate place on Union Street called CocoaBella where individual chocolates are grouped by country and region and you can get chocolate, etc. Mmmm... maybe instead of cocktails we need hot chocolate. (see what you started bob?) Also have you heard of the Scharfenburger Cafe and tour of the chocolate factory (I think, have not been yet).
Okay, one more thing:
Oakland, CA-A new study conducted by researchers at Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland is the first to discover that a chemical in cocoa beans can limit the development of fluids that cause diarrhea.
I went away for 4 days on a mini-vacation to favorite relatives in Kentucky and look at all I missed!
Ding Dongs: Once ate an entire 12 package box while in college and staying up all night writing a paper on Russian Czars that I had left until the last minute. Don't recommend it.
Bob: With the skirt thing, you REALLY aren't complaining about becoming a sex symbol to your women readers, are you? Try selling that complaint to your buddies over beer!
Jenny: Folding his laundry? That should about pay off the debt from whatever tiff you two had a few days ago.
More Bob and Jenny books: Yipee!!
Would ya cut it out with the foodie fest? SOME of us are trying to DIET around here!
(Whaddya mean dieting makes me cranky?)
Okay, I'll be nice. Sorry.
On the other hand, doesn't ranting use up calories? :)
YAY, Bob. More emotion is good. Layers are good. Onions have layers. Parfaits do too. Not sure about Ding Dongs.
In Oakland and San Francisco: Bittersweetchocolatecafe.com
Bob and Jenny: if you came out this way and were here on a day that wasn't a Monday (when they are closed), I would treat you to 6 kinds of hot chocolate.
See, your Californian CBs want a visit so much they're reduced to bribery.
Kay T: would have suggested that, but it's a tiny place and often hard to get a place to sit down...though sometimes no problem at all.
Yes, I am also trying to lose weight, but live is short and chocolate is good for the soul, if not the hips. Might help if I went to the gym for anything but rock climbing.
Must reply to the dessert snobs. I have been searching for years to find cake recipes that can live up to a from-the-box cake. Homemade almost always tends to go on the dumpy, heavy side, or the other direction to dry and slightly tough. Whereas a box cake *always* comes out moist with a tender crumb.
I found a chocolate cake recipe a few years ago that was almost perfect, and just this winter found a chocolate cake that tastes just like Betty Crocker! So, now I can make my own Hostess Cupcakes (the Mid-West answer to Ding-Dongs) at home. Chocolate cake, fresh whipped cream in the middle, smothered with a glaze of Japanese chocolate. Mmmmmmm!
To be perfectly fair, though, I haven't had a Hostess cupcake in three years, so my memory of the cupcake may be more perfect than the reality. But, you don't have to spend three hours making a Hostess cupcake. That makes up for a lot -- instant gratification!
re: gender differences. It always makes me nervous when people talk about gender differences. I'm afraid someone is going to say, "You can't possibly like math and science fiction because you're a GIRL!" I think everyone has something that defies gender expectations. My husband sews. My eldest daughter likes to read boy-oriented comic books. My youngest daughter likes to beat up on people.
OTOH, I like to sew. My husband likes Schwarzenegger. Both my daughters are entranced by a girly-girl fashion game called Love & Berry (eek).
So, I think in the capable hands of the Crusie/Mayer collaboration, gender will be handled very well. But, if you feel like it, maybe you could put in a few supporting characters who defy gender expectations. I'm sure you know a bunch of real-life examples who would make great models. I have complete confidence in y'all for portraying real humans.
I was just curious, during the motivational speaker/dinner when he was staring at the ceiling was Bob... a)counting ceiling tiles, b) checking for holes in his eyelids, or maybe c)he was running tactical manuevers for the next chapter through in his mind.
It does make me wonder what the heck Cranky Agnes has got to be so cranky about. I mean, she's surrounded by good things to eat, yes? Maybe she's on a diet too.
Cranky Mary
Ah, chocolate! Mmmmm. Anyone tried Teuscher? There Swiss. Champagne truffles to die for, eight for $32.00. I go into their little corner shop in Beverly Hills, I think it's on the corner of Cannon. Whatever, I know exactly how to get there. (grin) I jump out and make my daughter circle around because you can never get parking. I only buy them for very special people, and only rarely for myself. But, honestly, amazing doesn't even come close.
My heaven! So many comments.
OK, chocolate. If you're ever in London, try Rococo in the King's Road in Chelsea or on Marylebone High Street. Exquisite chocolate (I think that the owner was a founder of the Chocolate Society, who also have a shop in London) that is wittily packaged. See www.rococochocolates.com.
Yes, I reckon that Green & Blacks will go downhill now that it's a Cadbury's brand - you know, too sweet, too smooth and suspiciously bendy.
Good recipe for home-made chocolate cake - try Nigella's dense chocolate loaf. Foolproof recipe because even I could manage it. It was so good that I had to freeze it to stop myself eating it all (just like the brownies in Tell Me Lies - see made a Crusie reference, hah!). It's on her website.
You can eat parkin all year round but I think that it's more of a cold weather food. Feels more like a reward for effort you see (as in, you made it home through the cold/dug the garden etc, have some parkin), whereas summer food is more like a reward for being - you know, sit back, lie in the sun, sip your cocktail/eat your ice-cream and enjoy the moment.
Yes, studies show dark chocolate is good for you because of the flavonoids (they prevent heart disease, amongst other things) but once you factor in the saturated fat and the sugar, you might be better off getting your flavonoids from something else like red wine, although there are more in dark chocolate. You would need the high cocoa content stuff (at least 70%). Various confectionery companies are currently doing research on this because they are dying to use the slogan - because it's good for you! Think of the sales!
Finally, treacle = molasses. In the UK, Tate & Lyle make black treacle which is darker and stronger than ordinary treacle.
mq,cb: La Maison du Chocolat in Piccadilly (not far from Burlington House), also has very good stuff. I go there more for their wonderful French chocolate patisserie than chocolates as such. They have little tartelets au chocolat that are amazing. I like to add a couple of raspberries. Fortnum and Mason across the road also always has a good selection of proper chocolate, though the food hall is about to be re-modelled, which is bound to mean some disruption.
More flavonoids in red wine - well, of course, one must consume red wine as well as dark chocolate. Must make quite sure we get all our flavonoids.
:-)
glamour-geek said:
"I believe that people eat things like ding dongs and the like so that, when the apocalypse comes, they will survive it through the artifical substances built up in their systems. Because when all else is gone, what remains will be ding dongs, twinkies, cockroaches, and Pamela Anderson's breasts. "
---> And Cher. As awesome as I think she is, I have the feeling that she's at least 80% plastic at this point, so she'll probably be okay.
agtigress - thanks for the tips. I was actually at Fortnums with my mother on Saturday. (As an aside, we had been to the RA's Chinese exhibition - well worth a visit if you haven't seen it already. Amazing textiles). However, there was the usual crush and my mother's feet ached and she needed to be fed something savoury before she zipped off to the Barbican to wait for Godot, so we couldn't stay. Plus she doesn't like chocolate (don't quite know how that is possible) so no pausing to consider whether to buy snake venom lollipops for my god-daughter. The moral of this tale: when taking out agéd parents, plan your pitstops, otherwise they get start getting impatient.
PS I think that Blogger ate my previous comment so apologies if this appears twice.
And my favorite Green & Black's Organic bar is Maya Gold, with orange and cinnamon.
I adore Green & Black's. The Mayan Gold is great with that slight orangy/cinnamony taste, but my secret stash is the 70% cocoa dark. Though when my boss makes an annual trip to Belgium he knows to bring back truffles to keep me happy :D
I think we're finding better quality chocolate here in the U.S. because consumer tastes are getting more sophisticated. I've read for instance that candy bar sales have really dropped in the last few years. So mfrs need to lure us back with better quality stuff.
Speaking of Chocolate by Source- on The Splendid Table radio show April 8, 2006 Lynne interviewed Kim Severson about an article she had written on the geographical origin of chocolate vs. final product- the show is can be listened to at www.splendidtable.org- I learned all sorts of new and interesting things.
Jenny babe, Ding Dongs suck and have the texture of styrofoam...you need to go to Suzy Q's!!!! mmmm...Suzy Q's and diet coke with fresh squeezed lime... yum!
;)
Bob is just on a sugar high. Beware he may start blogging in a diabetic coma. By the way Bob, was that blank blog a flash bang? It looks more like you got stunned than the cherry bombs.
Virgin cherry
Bob, Bob, where are you? Did all the chocolate talk send you into hiding or at this very moment are you headed deep into the South American jungles in search of your own stash of cocoa beans?
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