haines his way

12/03/2002:
"WELSH RAREBIT"

Well, dear readers, I have some most excellent news: Max Preeo has completed his Unseemly Interview and it will be up as scheduled on Friday. Let me tell you, it is frank, it is no-holds-barred, it is no-barred-holds, it is filled with shocking revelations and pithy comments on various and sundried subjects. And you can only read it here, dear readers because it is a haineshisway.com exclusive. We go the extra mile here – of course, then we’re an extra mile away so I don’t really know what good that does. I hope I have whetted your interview taste buds.
Do you know what I discovered yesterday? Well, I’ll tell you what I discovered yesterday because otherwise you will not be in the know and you simply must be in the know: I discovered that I can play my Region 2 PAL DVDs in my computer. Apparently, it allows you to do this four times without permanently changing your settings to only play Region 2 PAL DVDs, but since I never play DVDs on my computer, I decided to check out all these PAL things which have arrived. I played a bit of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s masterful A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway to Heaven), and while not perfect, it’s still a pretty wonderful transfer and scads better than the VHS I have. Then I checked out The African Queen. The African Queen didn’t like being checked out and he/she looked at me askance, let me tell you that. What the hell am I talking about? Oh, yes, The African Queen – the movie. It looks great. Then I checked out another Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film, Gone to Earth, which is a stunning transfer of their version of this marvelous little film (there was barely twenty-five minutes of their footage in the US version, which had additional scenes directed by Rouben Mammoulian – in the US the film was entitled The Wild Heart). This version is completely restored and it’s a minor gem. Then I checked out the French DVD of Francois Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451, which I got because it’s a special edition and enhanced for widescreen TVs, unlike the Image DVD (out of print) here in the states. The Image DVD was gorgeous, letterboxed but not enhanced. The French DVD is a disappointment, image-wise, with colors that aren’t nearly as vivid and saturated (one needs to have those fire engines be red – Technicolor red) – the whole affair reeks of Eastman color brown – so I’m happy to have the Image DVD, and hopefully Universal will get around to doing an enhanced version using that same marvelous transfer. Do you know who the Production Designer is on Fahrenheit? Why, our very own Tony Walton, that’s who. I then checked out the DVD of Mr. Akira Kurosawa’s Stray Dog, one of his early films which I’m quite fond of. It looks just fine and dandy. I’m thrilled to have these DVDs and, of course, none of them (save the out-of-print Fahrenheit) have ever been available in the US.
What am I, a techno-nerd all of a sudden? In any case, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below to see what’s cooking in the next section.

Here is what’s cooking in this section: Welsh rarebit on toast points. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too? We should have had Welsh rarebit yesterday – that way we could have been chomping at the Welsh rarebit. Just what the hell is Welsh rarebit anyway? What kind of a stupid food name is that? Welsh rarebit. Honestly.
Tomorrow I am going out to direct for the day. Everyone else is too busy to do it, so I have to go to three different locations and shoot various and sundried interviews for the piece I’m working on. The good part of it is that I know exactly what I need and I won’t shoot hours of stuff that I won’t end up using. Perhaps I’ll have someone say Welsh rarebit, just for the rarebit of it.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must work all the livelong day, I must eat foodstuffs that will not make me nauseous and I must return home. All that and more, that’s what’s in store. And one further thing: Welsh rarebit. Today’s topic of discussion: What is your favorite stupid food or drink name? I’ll start – Welsh rarebit, followed closely by lime rickey. Your turn. Now, let’s have a plethora of pithy posts today because I need my entertainment. Post about the topic, post about your socks, just post. There have been a few errant and truant Hainsies/Kimlets these past weeks and it is time for them to return to our merriment, mirth and laughter and legs.

Replies: 52 Unseemly Comments

There are only 5 days left until BK's birthday. Do you have enough Diet Coke?
Posted by The count @ 12/03/2002 07:20 AM PST

Will you wear your directing hat and carry your megaphone? It certainly gets attention.
Favorite funny food or drink names? Some have to be said aloud such as:
Spam Sandwich & Baked I-askya!
And I always like to order a White Cargo to drink!
Posted by Jrand55 @ 12/03/2002 07:28 AM PST

My favorite dumb-sounding food is "cock-a-leekie stew," which is actually very good. My Great Aunt Fiona brought her recipe with her from Scotland when she was a young bride immigrating into America.
Posted by Laura @ 12/03/2002 08:54 AM PST

I can't remember if it's "Toad in the Hole" or "Toad in a Hole," but in either case, it's the silliest food name I've ever encountered!
Posted by Jay @ 12/03/2002 08:57 AM PST

Of course, Great Aunt Fiona also brought her recipe for haggis (which is also a stupid name).
Posted by Laura @ 12/03/2002 09:21 AM PST

I've always liked the name slumgullion. I know it's a kind of stew, but what kind I'm not sure. And fricasee also tickles my funny bone. (Actually Drake's Funny Bones are a good snack) What am I Gael Green or some food critic or something?
(Brce's style of writing is starting to take over)
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 12/03/2002 10:10 AM PST

In England we have a pudding called Spotted Dick, which always used to provoke much merriment when we had it at school.
Apropos of nothing, I popped into the newly-refurbished Dress Circle in London yesterday. It's looking very nice and polished, but they still need to build their stock up as they have significantly less on the shelves than they used to.
A question for Show Music magazine fans - has the autumn issue come out? Dress Circle only had the summer issue and they said that there was a problem with the autumn issue. I know it's going to be the last, but I'd got the impression that some of you guys had received your copies a while back.
Posted by Allan @ 12/03/2002 10:28 AM PST

The last issue of Show Music is the one with Jason Alexander on the cover. I'm not sure if it was dated Summer or Autumn.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 12/03/2002 11:02 AM PST

Do you know if you change a letter or add a letter to the title of a tv show, you can get an entirely different show?
ie
Saw & Order or
the Jeff Corwin Sexperience or
Star Trek: The Neat Generation or
Your Tit Parade
Don't mess with Beat the Clock though.
Posted by Jrand55 @ 12/03/2002 11:11 AM PST

"You're standing in my kumquats!" (Jones and Schmidt reference). Kumquats always sounded funny to me. Maybe because it's a K word and didn't Neil Simon say words that start with a K are funny? Although it's not a "word" per se, the names you have to say at Starbucks and other coffee houses can be pretty funny. "I'll have a triple shot grande extra froth moca cafe surprise (or something similar)"
I've been errant and truant, I admit, but I've also been relaxing. After a long 11 months (minus one week) at work, I am on my overdue vacation. I'm finished with my Christmas shopping. I just have a couple more things to wrap. I've done all my out of town mailing (to my nieces and nephews, my sisters and brothers and I don't exchange gifts anymore) now I just have to finish a couple of cards and then I am totally free, though Thursday I do start a stint of volunteer work with Broadway Cares to make holiday gift bags for people with AIDS.
It's cold in NY today, although growing up in Minnesota, it's not as cold as it could be so I won't be caught complaining.
I'll be back later, I hope.
Posted by Ben @ 12/03/2002 11:12 AM PST

My Grandmother used to make a dish called KISHKA and TRIPE (no kidding) It was something to do with a cows's intestines(ugh!) but I as I remember it was quite delicious.
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 12/03/2002 11:12 AM PST

Well, now that dear reader Arnold M. Brockman has steered us toward ethnic cookery of the Jewish persuasion, there's a whole slew of names that sound funny, like "kugel" and "(kasha) varnishkes." And do you think Andy Kaufman would have called his character "Latke" if it sounded serious?
Posted by Jay @ 12/03/2002 11:23 AM PST

td-td-td... I never did figure out the HHW-Houseboat connection. HELP.
Posted by Jrand55 @ 12/03/2002 11:33 AM PST

I always thought there was something stupid and grande about the dish called CHATEAUBRIAND.
Posted by Arnold M.Brockman @ 12/03/2002 11:34 AM PST

When I was on a cruise to Africa on the Canberra in 1973 to see the total eclipse of the sun, (Carly Simon reference, although the one in her song was in Nova Scotia, and therefore 1972)--there was an item on the breakfast menu that some of you people of the English persuasion might recognize: bubble and squeak.
Didn't have the courage to try it. When asked about the name, our waiter replied, "That's the way you sound after you eat it."
Posted by William F. Orr @ 12/03/2002 11:40 AM PST

And as for socks, my Joe and I are running out of colored socks and need to find a good price for restocking stockings. This time we want all his in one color and all mine in another, so no sorting needs to be done.
Now everybody else, get busy right away and post about your socks.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 12/03/2002 11:48 AM PST

Socks is ours! Don't try to steal him away.
Posted by Bill and Hillary @ 12/03/2002 12:03 PM PST

Help! Get me away from those crazy Clintons!
Posted by Socks @ 12/03/2002 12:04 PM PST

My father used to tout an out-of-the-ordinary preparation of a common Jewish dish:
Iggina-bibbina-blintzes.
Go mess with that.
Posted by mark rothman @ 12/03/2002 12:09 PM PST

You can still buy "Tripe" here. It is the lining of a sheep's stomache. It was quite popular ??? when I was a kind in the fifties. I suspect because it was inexpensive. I could not bear to even look at it. It was usually served with a white sauce made with parsley. I had a giggle when I first say "scrapple" on a menu in Pennsylvania and of course "Shoo Flie Pie"(which I thought was made up for the song).
I have always liked the name "Kedgerie" (sp) which I thin is fish based and an English breakfast item - though not as common these days. Another of those "K" words.We spell "Kumquat" as "Cumquat" in OZ.
Michale S. My email should be working according to my provider. (That sounds as though I was in contact with a higher power).
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 12/03/2002 12:12 PM PST

I purposely wore odd socks to the funeral of a friend a few weeks back. The deceased loved to check on such things as odd ribbons or odd length costumes etc when we went to the theate - it was the cast she checked out not the audience. My late friend's daughter and husband knew about the socks and it was a private joke- Strange to have a joke at the funeral but they certainly thought of it as I was giving the eulogy. OK! A little weird but at least I got to mention socks.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 12/03/2002 12:17 PM PST

I have plaid socks, everybody! Plaid socks!
Lasagna. What kind of a word is that? My Great Aunt Giuseppa brought her recipe with her from Italy when she was a young bride immigrating into America.
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 12:21 PM PST

And a Fuzzy Navel sounds like you have lint in your belly button.
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 12:41 PM PST

Christmas is my favorite holiday because there is so much plaid. I hope that when you all see plaid this Christmas you will think of ME.
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 12:43 PM PST

What a great BURST of posting (it was a little spare in here this morning) - I'm enjoying all your wacky food names. I also like the names latkes, falafel (a true Jerry Lewis food), bialy and more. Keep posting now.
Posted by bk @ 12/03/2002 12:45 PM PST

JRand55 - JRand55- JRand55 - get thyself over to www.dvdlaunch.com and click on the picture of HOUSEBOAT. Read the review - part of which I wrote - and you shall have your HOUSEBOAT connection.
Bangers and mash, anyone?
Posted by td @ 12/03/2002 12:48 PM PST

Yes, I think I, in fact, mentioned that connection weeks ago - Mel Shavelson directed both The Five Pennies (with our very own Susan Gordon) and Houseboat (without our very own Susan Gordon) and I believe what I said was that Susan SHOULD have played the little girl in Houseboat, too. Now, td, I only have one thing to say: HOUEBOAT? HOUEBOAT?
Posted by bk @ 12/03/2002 01:18 PM PST

I'm not sure if BK was talking specifically about me, but I have returned from my errantness and truantness. I had been somewhat busy with "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (which was a complete triumph), and then I had been just generally busy. Also, I felt sort of bad about just jumping right back into the fray when I had been away for so long.
I've always thought that Baba Ghannouj was a funny name for a food.
How have people's Hannukahs been going? I've gotten a wide variety of theater related gifts, which makes me quite happy.
Posted by Hapgood @ 12/03/2002 01:35 PM PST

Welcome back Hapgood. Now where are freedunit and Jason?
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 12/03/2002 01:41 PM PST

Put 'em together
and what have you got?
Iggina Bibbina Blintes!
Posted by mark rothman @ 12/03/2002 01:41 PM PST

Just read my email from the Sondheim review. The Mandy Patinkon Cd is out. Should I, Will I risk it all again or does Mandy still go way way over the top?
"June Moon" is it good or just worth it for the Sondheim fans?
Feedback would be appreciated.
I shall be back in another 8 hours to check. Enjoy your day/evening everyone.
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 12/03/2002 01:45 PM PST

How about my favorites, floop and slog?
Can you tell I'm stalling so I don't have to do my Paradise Lost essay?
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 02:07 PM PST

So glad to see you back again, Hapgood. You just need to jump right back in!
Posted by Laura @ 12/03/2002 02:15 PM PST

Gazpacho!
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 02:21 PM PST

Oh, okay, of course....thanks td and BK. I have my Hosebott DVD and it's terrific. Looking forward to the IMITATION OF LIFE DVD on January 7 - unfortunately it is not a Criterion edition. 8-(
Posted by Jrand55 @ 12/03/2002 02:22 PM PST

Gosh Tom from Oz, as a person who was born and raised in PA and who is now living there again, I've never thought of scrapple and Shoo Fly Pie as being weird names. But now that you mentioned it, they are kind of silly. The Pennsylvania Dutch have lots of interesting names for their food. I've done PLAIN AND FANCY twice and that show is loaded with all things PA Dutch.
Another thing that really isn't a weird name, but that most people think is strange outside of the central PA region is our fondness for chicken and waffles or turkey and waffles, which is particularly common this time of year with all the Thanksgiving leftovers.
As for me and my family, we have this dish we call artificial spaghetti, which really isn't artificial or spaghetti at all, but rather macaroni, ground beef and canned whole tomatoes. I think other people have a different name for it, but somehow we got around to calling it artificial spaghetti.
When I lived in Michigan I couldn't get used to there being a food called a pastie. All I could think of was the things strippers wear. But the food is pronounced differently. Until I learned that, I had some embarrassing situations at restaurants.
Posted by Mark L. @ 12/03/2002 03:43 PM PST

Pasties are delicious. There was a company in upper MI that sold freezer pasties around the upper midwest, but it went out of business. It's too bad, because they were the perfect thing to eat when you didn't have much time. Pretty healthy, too.
It's probably been discussed already, but everyone should GO SEE "Far From Heaven." It is absolutely wonderful. Also, it will make everyone very happy that this is 2002 and not the mid-fifties. Particularly people who are gay or are in any way close to any member of a different race.
Many thanks for the warm welcome back!
Posted by Hapgood @ 12/03/2002 04:29 PM PST

Fin and Haddie.
You could still get an order of Fin and Haddie at Musso's a few years ago. Is it still on the menu?
Posted by Kerry @ 12/03/2002 05:34 PM PST

My Great Uncle Arnold brought his recipe for gazpacho soup with him from England when he immigrated to America. I never understtod that because gazpacho soup isn't English, but, let me tell you, there's nothing better than Uncle Arnie's piping hot gazpacho soup.
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 05:43 PM PST

For most deceiving food names, the awards should go to sweetbreads and headcheese.
Posted by Kerry @ 12/03/2002 05:51 PM PST

Kerry- you left out Mince Meat...
Posted by Craig @ 12/03/2002 06:10 PM PST

Shish kebab.
Yep, still stalling.
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 06:20 PM PST

Sandra,
The paper can't be that difficult. After all, you aren't reading "Moll Flanders"! (I HATE THAT BOOK!) Then I could understand. But how bad can Milton be?
By the way, you really must read "King Lear" sometime. It really is a wonderful play.
I just got "Bright Eyed Joy", a CD of Ricky Ian Gordon's art songs. Wow. Normally I don't like classical vocal music because the words don't mean anything. This is hardly the case with Gordon. And the singers are simply marvelous. I highly recommend this CD. (Especially if you can find it used for $2, like my dad did.)
Posted by Hapgood @ 12/03/2002 06:58 PM PST

http://rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/defoe.moll.shtml
Hapgood, check out the ultra abridged version of Moll Flanders.
Posted by Sandra @ 12/03/2002 07:15 PM PST

HOUEBOAT has been correctly transformed into a HOUSEBOAT.
Thanks for the heads up, BK!
Posted by td @ 12/03/2002 08:10 PM PST

Since Baba Ghannouj and kugel were already mentioned, my funny food d'jour will be Kjödboller. I'm sure if I were Norwegian, I wouldn't find the name so odd, but I'm not, so it is.
Posted by Jed @ 12/03/2002 08:17 PM PST

I'm here! I'm here!! I just ordered a new computer. EEK!! I don't like putting that much money on my credit card...but it must be done.
I think my favorite stupid food names would have to be: Twinkies and Haggus. Who comes up with this stuff? And like someone else already said: Bangers and mash. Teehee!!
Posted by Jason @ 12/03/2002 09:58 PM PST

Oh yes...a MOBY DICK update: We're doing it again in January and it sounds like a "cast" recording is in the works. I'll keep you posted.
Posted by Jason @ 12/03/2002 09:59 PM PST

As for Bubble & Squeak... I believe it's a dish of fried cabbage and potatoes - kind of like cabbage and potato hash browns. And the name comes from the sound it makes while it's cooking - although I guess it could also come from the sound you make after you eat it too.
I remember being confused by the term "adobo" - in Filipino cooking it's a dish of pork and/or chicken braised in soy sauce and vinegar, and it's also a seasoning term in Spanish cooking. But I remember thinking it was the same thing as "adobe" - I thought I was eating builing materials.
Other personal favorites: Keifer (or keefer) yet another "k" word, tempeh, dofu (not tofu, but Dofu), headcheese, seckel pears, and borage.
-Day one down of tech... Whew! Two more to go..
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 12/03/2002 10:12 PM PST

I am printing out my Paradise Lost paper as I type this, and it's not even 1:30 am yet. It's even 95 words over the minimum requirement. Piece of cake! (Oh yum!)
Posted by Sandra @ 12/04/2002 12:20 AM PST

I just remembered another one, thought it may not get seen since it's so late in the posting. Lutefisk! Ugh. Funny name, awful food. Sandra, congrats on finishing your paper. If you got an A on King Lear without reading it, you should be fine with Pair of Dice Lost (maybe the dice are in Vegas :-)
Posted by Ben @ 12/04/2002 02:48 AM PST

I'm having problems thinking of a food that doesn't sound funny!
How odd is hamburger?
What about Eggplant?
And breakfast cereals are a whole other area: Frankenberry? Count Chockula?
Hmmm, now I'm getting hungry.
Posted by Stephen G @ 12/04/2002 06:45 AM PST

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