The longest thread ever

[ClemmonsDevil]

Depending on the beef delivery system. A burger, barbacoa tacos, a ribeye each demand very different accompaniments.

I think he meant beer. But beef works in that sentence as well. Because beef is awesome. I really wish I liked (and could handle) spirit based drinks. I am jealous of OPK and Bostondevil and their spirit exploration.

[YmoBeThere]

Has anyone been to Grand Central in the last decade?

I was last there when I lived on the North Shore in 2009.

[OldPhiKap]

Depending on the beef delivery system. A burger, barbacoa tacos, a ribeye each demand very different accompaniments.

True. But a beer, a glass of wine, or a whisk(e)y all pair nicely with each. For me at least.

[OldPhiKap]

Has anyone been to Grand Central in the last decade?

I was last there when I lived on the North Shore in 2009.

I was there last in December, 2019, about two months before COVID started shutting everything down.

Very clean. Much different than when I would take a train into The City as a teenager in the late '70's and early/mid '80's.

[Bostondevil]

The last time I was in NYC, I took the Acela from South Station to Penn Station. I'm not sure I've ever been to Grand Central.

[Bostondevil]

First class on the Acela was something like $20 more, so I went for it (worth it). It's nice to be wealthy enough that you can afford the extra $20. And buy a nearly 20 year-old hat off of ebay (it cost less than $20, including shipping.)

[bundabergdevil]

True. But a beer, a glass of wine, or a whisk(e)y all pair nicely with each. For me at least.

Ah. See, I can do a beer or a glass of peppery red with a burger, maybe a white if the burger has a sweet jam or cheese on it. No beer with a good cut of meat. Red wine. I can do whiskey but I mostly pretend to like it with the actual meal. Rather just dip it before or after the main event. Barbacoa needs ice cold, light beer with a squeeze of lime.

Anything spicy, frankly, only goes with ice cold light beer. Can’t do IPAs, Belgians, etc.

[YmoBeThere]

I find that water works well with everything and puts greater emphasis on the food and the food prep.

[YmoBeThere]

Anything spicy, frankly, only goes with ice cold light beer. Can’t do IPAs, Belgians, etc.

Okay, water doesn’t always go with spicy as you need something to cut the oils depending upon the spice delivery system.

[bundabergdevil]

Okay, water doesn’t always go with spicy as you need something to cut the oils depending upon the spice delivery system.

Certain beverages definitely enhance an experience for me. Doesn’t have to be alcohol. For example, cookies and water sounds like an arrest-able offense.

[OldPhiKap]

Yeah, I think of beer/wine/spirits more as an enhancer or an ensemble piece than as taking away from the taste of the meal.

And as bundy says, milk with cookies or a crunchy peanut butter sandwich is heaven. (Smooth peanut butter probably pairs well with toilet water but I've expounded on that issue before).

Water, of course, is like the little black dress of beverages. It goes with everything. I drink about 2L-3L a day so I can take or leave it at meal time.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Yeah, I think of beer/wine/spirits more as an enhancer or an ensemble piece than as taking away from the taste of the meal.

And as bundy says, milk with cookies or a crunchy peanut butter sandwich is heaven. (Smoot peanut butter probably pairs well with toilet water but I've expounded on that issue before).

Water, of course, is like the little black dress of beverages. It goes with everything. I drink about 2L-3L a day so I can take or leave it at meal time.

Man. I do love a slinky, strapless water. Classic.

[Bostondevil]

For the record, when I sample whisky (or bourbon or rye), I drink very little. So, yeah, I can handle my liquor as long as I don't drink more than 3 sips. If I want to get a little tipsy, I have a glass of wine or a mixed drink made with vodka.

[Bostondevil]

Report on Craigellachie. I hate it in a different way from how I hate Laphroaig. Craigellachie is not peaty but it is smokey. Taste wise, I don't hate it until it starts burning my throat and chest. There's almost a spicy kind of kick to it. I give it 3 Yucks!

Note: I just now invented the Yuck system for grading liquors. I may amend it in the future. I also haven't decided what is the maximum Yuck, it might go to 4 or it might go to 5. The more Yucks, the more likely I would be willing to sample said liquor again. So, for example, thinking back, Bulleit Rye gets 0 Yucks, I ain't drinking that <<rhymes with trap>> again. Devil's River - 4 Yucks. Laphroaig - 3 Yucks.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Report on Craigellachie. I hate it in a different way from how I hate Laphroaig. Craigellachie is not peaty but it is smokey. Taste wise, I don't hate it until it starts burning my throat and chest. There's almost a spicy kind of kick to it. I give it 3 Yucks!

Note: I just now invented the Yuck system for grading liquors. I may amend it in the future. I also haven't decided what is the maximum Yuck, it might go to 4 or it might go to 5. The more Yucks, the more likely I would be willing to sample said liquor again. So, for example, thinking back, Bulleit Rye gets 0 Yucks, I ain't drinking that <<rhymes with trap>> again. Devil's River - 4 Yucks. Laphroaig - 3 Yucks.

So more yucks means it is more palatable?

[Bostondevil]

So more yucks means it is more palatable?

Hmmm, is that the way to put it? More yucks means that I am more willing to drink it again, I'm not sure that palatable is the right word to describe what makes me willing to repeat the experience of drinking something so nasty. The worst thing I've ever had to drink is McDonald's hot chocolate, an experience I will never repeat, but in second place is Cotton Candy Soda at Friendly's. I cannot drink that stuff without making a face. When my kids were little, whenever we went to Friendly's (known affectionately as Slowly's in my family), one of them would order Cotton Candy Soda just to make me take a sip. I would always oblige and I never successfully drank any of that <<rhymes with trap>> without making "the face". The kids loved that face. Is Cotton Candy Soda more palatable than McDonald's hot chocolate? I don't know.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Hmmm, is that the way to put it? More yucks means that I am more willing to drink it again, I'm not sure that palatable is the right word to describe what makes me willing to repeat the experience of drinking something so nasty. The worst thing I've ever had to drink is McDonald's hot chocolate, an experience I will never repeat, but in second place is Cotton Candy Soda at Friendly's. I cannot drink that stuff without making a face. When my kids were little, whenever we went to Friendly's (known affectionately as Slowly's in my family), one of them would order Cotton Candy Soda just to make me take a sip. I would always oblige and I never successfully drank any of that <<rhymes with trap>> without making "the face". The kids loved that face. Is Cotton Candy Soda more palatable than McDonald's hot chocolate? I don't know.

It's your list and a grand total of one of us is officially a lady, so you get to be the decider. So far be it from me to question your system. I was merely trying to understand the scoring system. I would have assumed that more yucks would mean it is the worst <trap> you have ever put in your mouth.

[ClemmonsDevil]

I think I'm drawing you into a land war in Asia and I don't mean to. It's your list.

[Bostondevil]

It's your list and a grand total of one of us is officially a lady, so you get to be the decider. So far be it from me to question your system. I was merely trying to understand the scoring system. I would have assumed that more yucks would mean it is the worst <trap> you have ever put in your mouth.

Even though I have decided to call my ratings "Yucks", getting more "Yucks" is a good thing. I do not feel the need to be logical.

McDonald's hot chocolate? 0 Yucks.
Friendly's Cotton Candy Soda? 4 Yucks.


I believe I've told the LTE before about a tradition I started at one of the theater companies I work with. They have an annual short play festival and I have directed for it every year for more than a decade (no festival this year, of course ). Every year, after auditions, when all the directors get together to cast their shows, we have the "I Dare You to Try That" contest. I bring in something that is supposed to be gross and most everyone tries it. It can be either something to drink or something to eat. (There are always hold outs who claim that peer pressure will not work on them.) Most years whatever I bring is pronounced to be "not that bad". It all started with Pumpkin Pie Soda several years ago. The "winner" so far, in that it was so gross nobody was willing to eat more than one, was the year I brought in peanut butter candy corn. I guarantee that however nasty you can imagine peanut butter candy corn to be - it was worse.

[OldPhiKap]

Even though I have decided to call my ratings "Yucks", getting more "Yucks" is a good thing. I do not feel the need to be logical.

McDonald's hot chocolate? 0 Yucks.
Friendly's Cotton Candy Soda? 4 Yucks.


I believe I've told the LTE before about a tradition I started at one of the theater companies I work with. They have an annual short play festival and I have directed for it every year for more than a decade (no festival this year, of course ). Every year, after auditions, when all the directors get together to cast their shows, we have the "I Dare You to Try That" contest. I bring in something that is supposed to be gross and most everyone tries it. It can be either something to drink or something to eat. (There are always hold outs who claim that peer pressure will not work on them.) Most years whatever I bring is pronounced to be "not that bad". It all started with Pumpkin Pie Soda several years ago. The "winner" so far, in that it was so gross nobody was willing to eat more than one, was the year I brought in peanut butter candy corn. I guarantee that however nasty you can imagine peanut butter candy corn to be - it was worse.

Well, sure. If you used smooth peanut butter.