French Fry Spam Casserole and More Rhinebeck Musings

I love gmail.  Where else would I get all those delicious and healthful Spam recipe links?  Somebody must eat that stuff or they wouldn't still make it.  Who?  Who!  Come out of the closet, you Spam-eating freaks!  I bet Ann Coulter eats it, which would explain a lot. 

I'm supposing you'd like to know what I bought in Rhinebeck. In truth, I did not support the festival economy as much as in past years.  Except for the food vendors, that is.  And I did support the infrastructure and the greater local economy a good bit. 

The sweet and hilarious woman who tended one of the bathrooms got lots of my dollar bills.  You just gotta love her.  Now, there is a woman who knows how to have attitude.  She alone was worth the price of admission to the fairgrounds -- am I right?  I wanted to take her photo  (she was beautiful, too), but didn't want to exploit her in that way.  There goes my naivete again:  She's probably an actor/model/comedian with an agent and performance schedule.  I bet she'd have posed for a photo in a heartbeat, and she probably has her OWN blog. 

But wasn't she fabulous?  I know a lot of you know what I mean.  "If you can't see feet, go ahead and take a seat!"  "If you tinkle on the seatie, wipe it off like a sweetie!"  "The lady in blue is keeping it clean for you!"  I wish I could remember more of her -isms.  She never stopped, all.day.long.  She was a hard-working comic and deserved the money she was raking in.  And there is nothing better than clean bathrooms to make a festival enjoyable. 

I also gave the Metro-North Railroad money for train tickets for Abigail and Ryan to join a group of us for dinner, and of course I paid for the starving artists' dinners.  Someone must have photos of Abigail and Ryan.  How I managed to not have some is beyond me.  (see "cocktails" below)

Yay for Sandy!  She sent these commemorating the event of Carole, an honest-to-goodness As The World Turns fan, meeting the new soap star, Ryan. 

I had more cocktails this weekend than I've had in a long time.  A cute story:  The waiter on Saturday apologized for taking so long to bring my Margarita.  He had to go to the liquor store to buy some more tequila.  I swear I did not drink the whole bottle the night before!  We were a little disappointed that the Eveready did not serve their wine and their cocktails in Ball canning jars for the kitsch factor, but man, did I need those Margaritas.   

So, about the shopping:  Aside from some gifts, this is all I bought:

1. A skein of Brooks Farm Acero with a simple lace scarf pattern that came with it.  Brooks Farm is worth buying because it can't be easily found elsewhere.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

2.  2 skeins of Foxfire cormo-silk blend.  This is truly exquisite, and it was almost gone.  Sandy and I each bought two skeins.  We have both attempted and failed, due to technical difficulties with our respective yarn choices, to make those wonderful Aran Island Mittens from Folk Mittens, like Pat made so beautifully here.  I think this might be THE yarn to give us success. 

3.  A Lisa Lloyd scarf and hat pattern that I thought was nice, and it was made in the above-mentioned Foxfire cormo-silk blend, so if the mittens don't work out, there is always the scarf to make.  As if I needed an excuse. 

Comments

[alice]

I did a lot of "mental blogging" at Rhinebeck, trying to remember telling details. But somehow they all escaped my mind on the drive home. The ladies room attendant was one of the items on my list. Thanks for the reminder.

[Kristen]

Ooooohhh. Brooks Farm. Want to pet. And pat. And squeeze. And hug. And name him George.

[michelle]

I loved that lady! I don't think I've ever tipped a bath attendant so many times or so much ever - but she was so worth it. She even tried to calm my nerves by telling "spin that sheep, nice and neat" :) You know what, I think I may have actually saw this year from afar but I was rushing somewhere else at the time. Saturday we were really looking because Missy really wanted to meet the one that sent her the picture of Ryan, but of course I missed meeting you again. One day.

[Dave Daniels]

Wow, that Ryan has killer shoulders. Boy, we sure could use an AWW shot of HIM. Maybe? It wouldn't hurt to ask...

[Manise]

I think I saw the same lady in the bathroom. She was funny! Drier sheets were put on the backs of all the doors to make the stalls smell better. And was even handing out paper towels so one avoided the frustration of waiting for the paper to dispense itself. I'm sorry to have seen so little of you.

[Michelle]

The bathroom attendant was indeed a highlight of the festival. She made the bathroom be the least scary public bathroom I've ever been in. And hanging the dryer sheets in the stalls? Genius!

[Carole]

The lady in the bathroom was fabulous, I agree completely. And thanks again for the photo op with Ryan. I'll be blogging about that tomorrow. :-)

[Vicki]

That bathroom attendant was hilarious, and she happily posed for a picture with Not So Swatchy: http://travellingswatch.blogspot.com/2007/10/rhinebeck.html

=)

[Ruth]

I'm also on the bathroom attendant love train ... I tried to remember her patter, but my brain is leaky these days.

I know I've said it before, but Ryan is an awfully good sport. Abigail has a keeper there ....

[margene]

I remember that lady from last year! She runs a tight ship...er ladies room. Look at Carole blush! You sound very relaxed and just a wee bit proud of yourself;-)

[Pat]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that cormo-silk is the perfect yarn - Can't wait to see your mitts!

[Cheryl]

Hahahaha! Those pictures of Carole are killing me!

[Stacey]

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Maybe next year? What's wrong with spam? Huh? How dare you put spam and Ann Coulter in the same sentence! That's it! I'm offended! I'm going to start the anti-spam-defamation league. :D

[Vicki]

My favorite bathroom line was: Thank you for coming to the Ladies' Room. Heh, like it was a lounge, or we had a choice and might have decided to go bowling instead.

I told Ann last night that I drank more this Rhinebeck than the first two combined! I did start the tradition of draining kegs last year, though.
; )

[chris]

I am TOTALLY with you on the Brooks Farm . . . that stuff's not easy to get, and that's even with me living 30 miles north of the actual farm!! I have to go to MSWF to get the stuff!

I so wish I'd been able to be at Rhinebeck this year, if nothing else than to partake of some cocktails with y'all!

[Marcia Cooke]

The ONE meal my husband used to cook (I no longer allow it) is Spam Casserole. Gaack! It was a fond memory from his one and only year at Boston College Law School before he decided to make his "fortune" as a housing consultant/property manager. (If only.) The casserole was not pretty: Spam, spuds, VELVEETA cheese, and a few other god-awful things. It probably explains his quadruple by-pass surgery eight years ago.

I'm going, in lieu of R'beck, to the Fiber Twist in Deerfield, MA next weekend. Part of it involves Open Farms all over Franklin County, and the first stop on my itinerary will be Springdell Farm in the hopes that Barb has something left from last weekend! You will love that Cormo/Silk blend.

[Selma in Woodstock]

Yep, "Thank you for coming to the Ladies Room" was the best. And "If you've got to go, then let it flow" a close second. She was SO good at her job, I kept coming back.

[regina]

I LOVED that bathroom attendant! Frankly, I was amazed how sparkling clean that bathroom was, given that there were thousands of us trampling through there all weekend. It was so great to see you, albeit so briefly. Maybe one of these days when you're visiting Abigail in NY, we can get some of your NYC friends together and have lunch or something?

[Rachel]

I have a nice recipe for Spam pesto. I developed it during Katrina when we were on the search for non-perishable protein sources in local grocery stores where the meat cases were E-M-P-T-Y. It wasn't half bad, actually. They have low fat Spam now, though it's probably telling that I haven't ever repeated the Spam pesto concoction since the storm. Some things are best left as a one-night-only performance.

[Mary]

Norma, you need to walk into a major supermarket in say Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Not only will you find a WALL OF MAYONNAISE, including such winners as "jalapeno mayonnaise," but usually around the corner you will encounter the WALL OF SPAM.

After two years of Mexico I thought I'd seen it all, only to go to the mother-land of spare meat and ham...Hawai'i. I must say I still have a soft spot in my heart for spam musubi. No classroom party was complete without that.

[Marlena]

Seriously, the bathroom attendants are the unsung heroes of a good fair or festival. They make such a huge difference. I was also very impressed that the sinks had hot water! Whenever I go to a fairground, I always have to use cold water, which nothing to help my cold hands!

[Diane]

I am glad to see that I was not the only circumspect buyer at Rhinebeck. I bought only 3 skeins of yarn (OK, one of them was quiviut!), bag handles, 2 books, and some fiber for needle felting. It was all about the experience, the food and the coctails. Oh, yes, AND the Border Collie trials!

[--Deb]

I did see a picture of that bathroom attendant somewhere or other, if I could only remember where . . . but you're right, she was fabulous! And the Cormo/Silk? After seeing Sandy's, I DID go and take a look, but restrained myself, somehow, (I sprung for 4 oz of unspun cormo instead.) Rhinebeck is just so much fun! Pity I missed all the after-hours revelry....

[Lucia]

I was quite impressed with the bathroom cleanliness, but frankly a little freaked out by the attendant. I kept expecting her to brandish a cattle prod.

[Beverly]

The bathroom lady was a hoot!

[kmkat]

Spam is perfect camping breakfast fare. Slice and fry. Yum!

[Jean E.]

Spam. Sliced and fried. Enjoyed by my three sons. But not their mom.

[Cookie]

How did anyone get any shopping done with all the trips to the ladies? & Just how much drinkin' did you do, The Norma?

Love that blushy Carole!

[Carol]

I so love Brooks Farm! In honor of my NOT attending Rhinbeck again this year, I baked a batch of shortbread and ate most of them. My thighs are happy campers and beginning to take on the size of one. Thanks for leaving that behind:)

[Kay]

Ooh, RYAN! [faints]

I note that the ATWT fan cropped Abigail into oblivion! Can't blame her. xox Kay

[Kay]

Oh wait--is that Abigail? My bad!

Forget I said anything!

[scout]

Next year.....NEXT YEAR. I've talked with a few of my friends and man they had better stock up on the vodka for me next year!

[Wanda]

You have to get Brooks Farm when you can. They do have some nice things and not easy to get either. I really like the foxfire cormo blends too, very nice.

[katy]

I loved that bathroom attendant! She was hilarious!
And after seeing your cormo/silk yarn, I went and bought some of the roving. Mmmm...

[Anne]

My brother and his wife love spam, for some reason. Fried with grated potatoes. I don't get it.

[sandy]

I was sitting in my bathroom yesterday and I noticed that there was no entertainment. NONE. Proving beyond a shadow of a doubt, Rhinebeck is much better.
:D
I haven't knit a stitch.

[Beth S.]

I ONLY skipped Brooks Farm because I have yet to knit up last Rhinebeck's Brooks Farm purchase. It's such pretty yarn, I just can't decide what pattern is worthy of it...

If That Horrible Woman actually does eat anything besides celery and sping water, I'd be surprised.

[ilana]

That's what we call "Cardiologist's Delight". And yes, I agree that there must be evidence somewhere that eating Spam has a profound effect on people's intelligence--if the parents eat Spam, the children suffer, and so on. It's like the old Nutrasweet thing. :P
Looks like you had a LOT of fun at Rhinebeck. I'm envious!

[claudia]

No, no, no. The line was:

"If you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe that seatie!"

I thought of that one today, in another bathroom. I'll leave you to guess why.

[Roxie]

Checking out the grocery store in Hawaii will bring you a wide variety of Spam. Spam with barbeque sauce, Spam with pineapple, salt-free Spam, the mind boggles. And every local eatery features Spam in several dishes. Plate lunch with Spam and macaroni salad. Fried eggs and Spam. Macaroni and cheese with Spam. The arteries start to stiffen just thinking abaout it.

[Tish]

My friend Sung (Korean) loves Spam and uses it in many of the "American-Korean" (her phrase) dishes she cooks. She gave a cooking class in a gourmet (tho it was more gormay than gourmet- hee) club I was in in NY and when she started slicing the Spam into little julienne strips and tossing them into a frying pan, she had to immediately scold us and tell us to "stop you making those faces til you try it- Spam don't mean bad". I have to admit- Spam sushi rolls with brown rice, steamed carrots and fresh cuke and avacado spears, rolled California style with black sesame seeds aren't half bad. My oldest son is also a fan of the Spam (really- I don't know where he gets it) and is known to make Spamburgers and toss panfried cubes of Spam in his ramen. Maybe it was all those late nights with Monte Python in his youth...picture a precocious 3yo who knew all the words to "I'm a Lumberjack and I'm OK" and who could intelligently discuss the coconut carrying capacity of African vs European sparrows. Perhaps that also led to his BS in Philosophy.....

[Emily (julianscat)]

If you're ever in Austin, MN, you must visit the Spam Museum. Yes, it's run by Hormel, but it's unique, totally worth the trip, and even includes the Python Spam skit running on TV.

And walls o' Spam. I don't eat Spam, and I was totally entertained.