For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for May 24, 2014

She’s supposed to be fascinated, but she’s just not like Calvin.

Yeah, real helpful, Michael!!

That’s what did it for me…I don’t eat it either.

just tell her it’s like pudding.

I love yogurt but never could get my mom to eat it, but she would drink Buttermilk all day…….yuk! I don’t even like the smell of buttermilk.

My boss took my daughters and me out to dinner with a group (my husband had to work). My boss ordered calamari for an appetizer. My older daughter (who was about 9 at the time) asked, “What’s that?” He said, “Calamari.” She asked, “But what IS it?” Before either he or I could say, someone else at the table said, “seafood”. She asked if she could try it, and my boss gave her some. My younger daughter (7 at the time) asked, “Me, too?” and he gave her some, too. They loved it. The next day I told the girls to tell their dad what they tried, and they told him, “We tried calamari!” He said, “Oh, you had squid?” to which they both replied, “EEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!” (I reminded them of how they liked it, and after that, they were OK.)

I tried squid once, but the suckers were too much for me.

I have a friend who refers to yogurt as clabber. For a New Yorker, he sure knows Southern.

I love my favorite Greek Yogurt – mostly with sweet fruit (I have pineapple and strawberries now), but also to use in place of sour cream for Blue Cheese dressing or in mashed potatoes.

The boyfriend does not like it yet, but so far we only dine together one day in the week. That will change when we live closer.

If Lizzie were a little boy, that thing about eating bugs might have sounded like something FUN. He doesn’t know his audience.

so much Mike

True squid tale: I was at a fancy restaurant, the old Pappas in St. Petersburg, and ordered calamari. I was confronted by a mound of fried squid on a white oval platter. For some reason, I gnawed off the legs, and lined up the bodies around the edge of the platter. After awhile, I became aware of some older, kind of stuffy, patrons standing behind me and staring at them. I said loudly, “You should’ve seen ’em when they had legs on them!” The starers scattered. My eatmates were mortified.

Here’s the passage in the Bible that would cover squid:

Leviticus 11:10

But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you.

Only bony fish with scales are “clean”.

Even for non-Jews, there are health benefits to kosher (and you don’t have to be as strict). Note that kosher rules are explicitly suspended in life or death situations (a Jew can eat shellfish to survive on a desert island).

Some of the risks for “unclean” food we know about: shellfish harbor harmful bacteria from any waste in the water. Pork carries parasites (cook it well). Eating carnivores (dogs, cats, humans, cows that are tricked into eating other cows) risks neuro-degenerative diseases. Animals that eat poop (rabbits, mice) are a higher parasite risk. Your kitchen is much safer keeping meat separate from all other foods (not just dairy). Most kosher kitchens do this anyway.

tiny…little…bugs

Many of the things un-kosher are scavengers – who’d want them anyway? ie I grew up on the farm and we sometimes bagged local food, but skunks, buzzards, no desire to try!

Someone did witness a face-off between a hawk and a skunk in this area. Skunk lost, but he got his two-scents in!

One man related the following from years ago when threshing machines were in use, which required large crews to operate. It was up to the farm wife (and girls) to prepare dinner for the crew, putting a strain on the pantry.Having to eat in shifts, the last shift often were faced with the left-overs, but at this one threshing, they had an ample supply of rabbit – which they thought was a real treat.

Later in the day, someone walked out behind the barn -where a number of cats had been skinned!

Bet he had a hard time putting a crew together the next year!

Certain seafood is forbidden. Check Jewish dietary laws in the Torah!!

Stuart Gathman: The Qur’an is similar regarding alcohol. If there are no other liquids, then you may drink. It is still a sin, but God knows the truth and will forgive. Because God knows the truth, it better be a necessity or there is no forgiveness.

Two days late, but thanks for the giggle :D

Of CoUrSe HoW heLPfUL!