This is the 32nd in our summer series in which we’re pulling hockey cards at random from a box and then writing about them.
In today’s comment thread on the post with our latest podcast, there was some discussion of our disparaging tone about Fedor Fedorov. Caitlin suggested that we should create a cocktail in his honor, to make it more palatable in the unlikely event that he ends up being a frequent topic of conversation in this coming season. As if on cue, Pookie discovered a cocktail recipe on one of our very favorite foodie blogs; she suggested we make this cocktail ASAP, and maybe dedicate it to Fedorov. The recipe, for the “American Flyer”, calls for champagne, which we don’t have on hand, but we do have Prosecco, a substitution that made us think maybe we could claim the drink for ourselves. Claim it, and dub it the Flyin’ Fedorov’s Flyin’ Fedor. Perfect!
Flyin' Fedorov's Flyin' Fedor, times three
And whaddaya know? The PBS Dispenser tonight gave us an extremely rare card from the almost unheard-of “O-Pook-Chee” line, totally coincidentally for Fedor Fedorov himself! We love it when things work out like that.
Hott Prospect: Fedor Fedorov
Wow, that card would make a great addition to my collection!
I’ve never seen anything like it!
I know! I think it’s EXTREMELY limited edition. I’d almost suspect this one is hand-signed, or hand printed, or hand something. It’s kind of an artisanal hockey card! :D
Also, a hearty “+1″ to you guys for O-Pook-Chee. It made me chuckle.
I’m glad you liked that, Pam! It sounded like such a throwaway when Pookie came up with it, and now I can’t stop giggling about it!
Thanks, Pam! It is a very, very rare, limited edition series. It’s so limited it’s not numbered because the “1 of 1″ is implied.
If I didn’t know y’all so well, I’d be a little suspicious of the “coincidence” of this card.
Yeah, I wouldn’t believe it if it hadn’t happened to me, Patty.
I wonder what the back of the card says…probably something like “Fedor had two assists on 11/13/07″
Patty, :^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Pam, the back of the card says, “Combine light rum, lime juice, simple syrup and shake. Pour into flute and top with prosecco.”
Wow! This is amazing! That PBS Dispenser is down right spooky!
Fedor Fedorov looks very angry, maybe he could use one of those cocktails.
It is spooky!
And I think Fedor looks like he’s had too many cocktails. He’s a very mean drunk.
Ah, you had to cut him off. That explains it.
Yumm, rum, lime juice, simple syrup, that got my attention!
Now I see why he claimed that he was going to make the line up. Look at that physique! He really puts the “Fedor” in Fedorov, if you know what I mean.
Look at that physique!
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
He learned to wear a helmet from Chris Pronger. :D
He really puts the “Fedor” in Fedorov
Does he EVER! (And poor Travis is REALLY going to have to work on his beach body to compete with Fedor.)
Yumm, rum, lime juice, simple syrup, that got my attention!
Yeah, that’s where it drew my attention, but they had Pookie at “champagne”. :D
He learned to wear a helmet from Chris Pronger. :D
If you could see it from the side, you’d be able to see it’s a Gretzky-style salad spinner helmet. :P
So are we expecting more stick dropping than Oduya this season considering we signed a guy without hands? Or did we sign him because unlike Oduya, he secretes sticky stick holding substances from his nubbins?
Does this highly professional card say “I was knocked out by Kevin Bieksa” on the back? Heh.
alix, yes it says that. In rebus.
Genna, you can clearly see the stick-holding-substance-oozing nubbins in this picture!
So are we expecting more stick dropping than Oduya this season considering we signed a guy without hands?
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Maybe Lou figures no hands at all is better than the kinds of hands the Devils already have. He’s like, “Well, they can’t complain that this guy’s got hands of cement!”
alix, yes it says that. In rebus.
Hee!
Eeee! Apparently my cousin looked really good at camp today(no thanks to the Lightning website. You’d think Stamkos was their only draft choice. pshhh) and I’m going to go watch them scrimmage tomorrow night.
I’m going to go watch them scrimmage tomorrow night.
In Florida?
He’s like, “Well, they can’t complain that this guy’s got hands of cement!”
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
alix, that’s so exciting! I just knew he’d be awesome!
In Florida?
That would be nice! They’re actually in Victoria because Lenn Barrie(co-owner) owns Bear Mountain Arena. So they’re right in my backyard pretty much.
That’s so cool, alix! He’s going straight to the big club, I bet.
alix, that is so cool that the Lightning are having camp right in your own backyard, so you can see your cousin play!
Oh, have fun, alix! Cheer him on for all of us!
That’s so cool, alix! He’s going straight to the big club, I bet.
He’ll probably go back to junior. But you never know! I’m just glad he gets to show them that he doesn’t have life long mono, and he’s actually a very good player.
alix, that is so cool that the Lightning are having camp right in your own backyard, so you can see your cousin play!
It was a very nice coincidence!
I wonder if they convinced Vinny to come along…heh.
Thanks Ookies. I will cheer him on for you for sure.
It was a very nice coincidence!
It’s quite a night of coincidences, between that and the Fedor Fedorov card! :P
Take some pictures and tell him we all said hello!
It’s quite a night of coincidences, between that and the Fedor Fedorov card! :P
Fedor Fedorov was definitely the wackiest coincidence of all :P
Yo! Anyone still awake? I know it’s pretty late for all you EC’ers, but I thought I’d check.
I’m awake now! Stupid morning, stupid work, grumble grumble grumble.
That drink looks fantabulous! Fedor Fedorov looks very upset and angry. He should be happy! Like Sergei has a drink named after him.
(Granted, Sergei also does not have a drink named after him because the drink should dull the pain of having to listen about the person who the drink is named after, but nonetheless!)
Stupid morning, stupid work, grumble grumble grumble.
Agreed. Morning, IPB!
I think the Fedor Fedorov card might be my favorite one from this whole series.
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
Agreed Amy, the card is incredible!
Good morning to all!
I’m so glad y’all like the card! It would have been very embarassing if we’d made the Flyin’ Fedorovs and then drawn a card for someone like Daniel Alfredsson or Corey Perry.
Pookie, luckily for you, the PBS dispenser came through when you needed it to!
It would have been very embarassing if we’d made the Flyin’ Fedorovs and then drawn a card for someone like Daniel Alfredsson or Corey Perry.
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Of course, those two guys are just embarrassing even without the drink.
Guess what I did this morning — I discovered the hard way that the fence along the corn fields on my way to work is electric! I’m awake now, too!
I discovered the hard way that the fence along the corn fields on my way to work is electric! I’m awake now, too!
Good Lord, are you okay, Schnookie!?! What an awful, awful way to wake up!
Oh, it wasn’t so bad, Caitlin. I was taking a picture of some pretty Queen Anne’s Lace and then realized that my teeth had just snapped against each other and my head was recoiling involuntarily. It was only then that I realized there even was a fence, and that I’d leaned a wee bit too close to it. :D
Ha, the post is awesome! I almost feel sorry for Fedor. Almost.
I discovered the hard way that the fence along the corn fields on my way to work is electric! I’m awake now, too!
Au! Are you ok?
I’ve been awake for 5 hours now. *whinebitchmoan* Flirking jetlag.
Basically, you had the experience of a Devils player who strayed out of his quadrant for the first time.
Basically, you had the experience of a Devils player who strayed out of his quadrant for the first time.
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::
Basically, you had the experience of a Devils player who strayed out of his quadrant for the first time.
That’s exactly it! I feel like I understand Nieder so well now! *Puts on old-man slippers and cardigan, then spends six months deciding whether to show up at work or not*
Welcome back, Mags!
I was taking a picture of some pretty Queen Anne’s Lace and then realized that my teeth had just snapped against each other and my head was recoiling involuntarily.
::shudder:: This sounds awful! Just awful, Schnookie. Being electrocuted by an electric fence does not sound like a good start to anyone’s day.
Also, I just realized we apparently have 47 years to go before the start of the season. Sigh.
Welcome back, Mags!
Thank you, Schnookie! I missed you guys!
Also, I just realized we apparently have 47 years to go before the start of the season. Sigh.
Gah, I wish! I have to be at camp by August 12th, and I still have to make good on a promise to go see a friend in Halifax before that time. Yeah, not gonna happen. Where did my summer go?
This sounds awful! Just awful
Seriously, it wasn’t, like, painful. Just a little jolt. It was more embarrassing than anything else. I hope if anyone was inside the farmer’s bunker monitoring the perimeter, that they thought it was a bird or something. I’d really rather not know the farmer and his staff are snickering at me when I stop at the stand after work to buy corn. And I’d really, really rather none of my coworkers were driving by just then.
Also, I just realized we apparently have 47 years to go before the start of the season. Sigh.
Hey! 47 days is less than two months! We can DO IT!
Schnookie, I’m glad you’re okay!
(By the way, ever been to Terhune Orchards in Princeton?)
I’d really rather not know the farmer and his staff are snickering at me when I stop at the stand after work to buy corn. And I’d really, really rather none of my coworkers were driving by just then.
Good Lord, I hope not. :D That would be the worst! I’m glad you haven’t suffered any permanent damage though. :p
One time while working customer service, I shut my pinky finger (like half of it) in a register drawer. The only way to get me out of the drawer was to get a register key, so apparently half the store decided to come watch me sit there and wait with my finger jammed in a cash drawer for a manager to fetch a key.
By the time they got the register spring fifteen minutes later, I felt like Baby Jessica coming out of the well or something. So mortifying and so humiliating, especially when customers recognized me as “the girl who survived shutting her finger in a register”.
Terhune Orchards is an institution around here! I haven’t been there for any pick-your-own trips in years, but we stop in intermittently through the year for baked goods, peaches, apples, and most importantly, cider slush. I’ve met some devotees of different orchards, but Terhune is the only orchard for me! (That said, Boomer bought a bag of peaches from them last week and most of them were rotten. That was a bit of a disappointment.)
Caitlin, I spent many summers working behind registers, and although I never got my finger stuck in one, I know what you mean about the manager taking a year and half to come over with the key.
Schnookie, I just went for raspberries and blackberries. It was too late for raspberries so I only got a few, and too soon for blackberries, so I only got a few. Of course the blueberries were perfect, but I don’t like them. We just got peaches there and they were great! Also, that cider slush could be my reason for living if I needed one. It’s so good!
I can’t wait for the Stayman Winesaps! Speaking of reasons for living!
By the time they got the register spring fifteen minutes later, I felt like Baby Jessica coming out of the well or something.
:^:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: That’s awful! When I had my near-fatal gall bladder attack last year, I was SO glad it was the week of Labor Day, so I minimized the number of people who watched me get wheeled out of the office on a stretcher.
although I never got my finger stuck in one, I know what you mean about the manager taking a year and half to come over with the key.
Hee! They always do take ten years and eight days, don’t they? I think it was worse for the customers than it was for me. Yeah, it hurt, but moaning and carrying on was only going to make it worse. Meanwhile, the two linebacker-sized guys waiting in line looked pretty green.
When I had my near-fatal gall bladder attack last year, I was SO glad it was the week of Labor Day, so I minimized the number of people who watched me get wheeled out of the office on a stretcher.
Woahhh! I missed this, I knew you had gall bladder surgery but I didn’t know you had to be taken to the hospital or anything! Poor Schnookie! God, I hate stuff like that. (My mom just had her gall bladder removed, so I can say, not an easy surgery to recover from. May I not have to have surgery for a really long time. *knock on wood*)
Also, that cider slush could be my reason for living if I needed one. It’s so good!
When Schnookie and I were planning our move back to NJ from AZ we compiled a reason a day for wanting to move back, one of which was “Cider Slush as Terhunes”. Which is funny because I think I’ve only had two since moving back! Sorry about the raspberries and blackberries. We’ve grown the most perfect blueberries this year — the only problem is by the end of the season the harvest will have totaled about 15 berries!
Also, this is so unfair. We don’t have any decent pick-your-own orchards or anything in my area. New Jersey-ites get really cool stuff. :(
I’m so sorry that the timing was so bad for raspberries and blackberries at Terhune, Pam! My farm had pick-your-own for both this week, but apparently I could only expect 1/2 pint combined, which just didn’t seem worth the effort. I actually worked at Terhune for, like, a week ages ago (it sucked), and they let us eat all the apples we wanted. I’m not a huge apple person, but I’ve got to say, some of theirs are just out of this world!
I am not a fan of cider, but MAN do I love that cider slush.
Hee! They always do take ten years and eight days, don’t they?
It feels even longer when you some angry bitch waiting and whining that you gipped her of 25 cents or something like that. I hate people sometimes…okay a lot of times.
Schnookie, gall bladder…electric fence…what’s next? Maybe we should wrap you in bubble wrap? I guess it wouldn’t do any good for your internal organs though!
As for cider slush, they really need to get bigger cups. It was difficult to carry 4 of those little cups to our car while Val toted our other produce.
I’ve never had cider slush . . . what’s it like?
New Jersey-ites get really cool stuff.
That we do! :D
Caitlin, I’m sorry your mom had a tough recovery from the gall bladder! Mine was like a dream. I was feeling great about three days later (actually, I was home and eating pizza less than 12 hours after the surgery), but my surgeon insisted I take two weeks off from work. When I was arranging my short-term disability, the insurance rep was laughing with me that it was literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. :D
As for cider slush, they really need to get bigger cups. It was difficult to carry 4 of those little cups to our car while Val toted our other produce.
Word! Boomer would probably like if they had those 72-oz Big Gulps. :D
Meg, a cider slush is like a slushee, but made out of cider. There is NOTHING more refreshing on a muggy, sweltering New Jersey summer day than a cider slush!
It feels even longer when you some angry bitch waiting and whining that you gipped her of 25 cents or something like that.
Ah, the good old days of customer service. It only takes one really bad apple to just stand out forever in your mind, doesn’t it? Ah, the sad, sad stories I have.
I’ve never had cider slush . . . what’s it like?
Yeah, I want to know, too…what the heck is this stuff?
Meg, a cider slush is like a slushee, but made out of cider.
Mmm, that sounds delicious. I almost always got fresh cider around October so the idea of a cider slushee never occurred to me (there’s nothing muggy or sweltering about Buffalo in October).
72 oz would be nice, but I’d settle for at least 20 oz!
And that’s true about the summer day heat and humidity…after walking through the raspberry and blackberry fields my eyeballs were sweating, so I definitely needed the slushie.
I guess how orgasmic you consider a cider slush is greatly a function of how much you like apple cider. And in the fall/winter, when they have hot cider with the mulling spices…oh man…I love it.
I guess if you took apple cider, froze it, and then gave it a ride in the blender, that would be a cider slushie. It’s really a simple thing, and it’s fantastic.
That cider slush stuff does sound terrific!
Schnookie, my mom’s gall bladder was worse than they thought, so they had some difficulties, but all is well now! She just had to take a week off. Her doctor was like, “Eh, give it three days!” Um…no.
How cook that you got that many days off work AND you got to eat pizza so soon after!!
She just had to take a week off. Her doctor was like, “Eh, give it three days!” Um…no.
Yeah, everything I’d heard about gall bladders said that three days was all you’d need, realistically, to recover. So imagine my delight when my surgeon said he insists on two weeks recovery for anyone who gets a general anesthetic. I’m wondering if we can do my appendix this year. :P
…after walking through the raspberry and blackberry fields my eyeballs were sweating, so I definitely needed the slushie.
That is SUCH an apt description of the weather! And the optimal state to be in when you’re drinking a cider slush. The sweatier your eyeballs, the better that slush tastes.
The sweatier your eyeballs, the better that slush tastes.
The Phillies could make a fortune selling them, since there’s nowhere in this area that feels more “eyeball sweaty” than a baseball game in Philly in the Summertime. Oh, except maybe the NYC subways.
Well, Phillies games are all about the swamp-ass, less about the sweaty eyes. But it’s all kind of the same in the end. :D
By the way, you know what I’m really excited for? The root beer brewing kit I ordered last night! I’m going to make Caitlin drink it all.
Good morning IPB!
That cider slushie sounds great! Especially since we are having another 100+ day here in Big D.
Schnookie, I’m so sorry about your electrifying experience. That sounded nasty.
I had my gall bladder out 5 months after having a C-section to deliver the Kid (who was just under 10 pounds). I don’t do well with anesthesia. It wasn’t pretty around here for a while. I frequently remind the Kid what I went through to have her. Guilt is a wonderful thing.
Not root beer! No! I’d rather eat beets! :D
Speaking of ordering stuff online, I’m so excited! My new debit card arrived yesterday so I can order my garlic/stitching stuff tonight!
I had my gallbladder out New Years of 1999. I remember waking up afterwards. The nurses said, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is the pain right now?” I thought about it and figured, “Well, surely there’s worse pain that what I’m feeling. Gunshot wounds surely hurt more. Giving birth certainly hurts more. I guess that means I can’t really say anything above 5 without being a total wimp.” So I said, “3.” About 45 seconds later I corrected myself and said, “No, 5. Um… 7. No, I’m sorry, I’m mistaken. 10! 10! It’s a 10!” It was a bad, bad scene!
The root beer brewing kit I ordered last night! I’m going to make Caitlin drink it all.
Too cool!
WOOO! Garlic! Stitching! (You’re getting the Quaker Study, right?)
I frequently remind the Kid what I went through to have her.
That’s what I would do! Hold it over her for the rest of her life — that kid owes you big-time! :D
Caitlin, WOO HOOOO for your stitching supplies and garlic! That’s awesome!
The nurses said, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is the pain right now?” I thought about it and figured, “Well, surely there’s worse pain that what I’m feeling. Gunshot wounds surely hurt more. Giving birth certainly hurts more. I guess that means I can’t really say anything above 5 without being a total wimp.”
I HATE that question for this very reason. I never know what to answer. When I went to the doctor about my ankle they asked me that and I had no idea what to say. I was all, “well it’s not completely debilitating and I’m capable of functioning so it can’t be that bad. Which was true but I have no idea where to place such things on a 1-10 scale because I’ve never been in agony. How would I know?
On the 1 to 10 scale, I find that giving a 7 gives you a good solid dose of morphine to make you stop hurting.
Pookie, yeah, I’m ordering Quaker Study and some uh, miscellaneous charts as well. :D Hopefully I’ll do better on this one than on Circling Alphabets. Which I have pictures of and they should be up tonight!
I mistakenly downplayed my post-op gall bladder pain because yeah, who even really knows what a 10 is? I mean, did I hurt less than if someone was attacking me with a chainsaw? Most likely. But when I only gave myself a six or seven, I think they decided not to give me any painkillers. I didn’t get any painkillers until a good hour after I came out of surgery. Not cool, hospital! We need some point of reference for this 1-10 scale!
I frequently remind the Kid what I went through to have her. Guilt is a wonderful thing.
As someone who was a 9lb baby, I really don’t appreciate guilt trips like this. My mom didn’t have a C-section, and she also needs to remind me that I made her hair turn black, and so on.
Oh and my dad hated that scale from 1-10 shit too. We had an appendix episode with him last summer, and then an internal bleeding/Salmonella episode this winter. He’s healthy for now…My dad has a habit of not saying anything until it’s ER bad.
Yikes! Pam, that sounds pretty scary for your dad! I’m glad he’s doing well now.
My hospital had the very helpful little crying faces to indicate what the various numbers of pain feel like. A mild frown was 1, a grimace was a 5, and 10 was flushed and weeping. I’m an easy cryer, so I kind of felt like “flushed and weeping” was more a 5 on the “being attacked by a chainsaw” scale. It was all very frought.
Yea, he’s good now. There was a “got hid in the head by a tree branch episode” in the fall, but my mom didn’t tell me about that one until we were in the hospital with him for the internal bleeding this January.
(I should also point out that there was a Devils game that Jan. night, and Val and I were supossed to debut our new college jerseys. My mom was like “it’s okay, you can go”…and then she starts getting teary. So we stayed there and missed the game. When we finally wore the new jerseys, they of course lost. I blame this on my father.)
I blame this on my father.
Well NATURALLY! :D
It’s his fault that my Paul Martin Gopher sweater in it’s rookie season turned out to be unlucky!
I like how you limit the bad luck on a sweater to a specific season. I have a tendency to decide a sweater is bad luck just in general, but it seems much smarter to figure that it was just working out the kinks, and next season it will be much luckier.
My hair also turned dark and developed a gray streak. Which I remind Kid of as well. Actually, I don’t blame Kid so much as her father. It is his family that has the mondo 10 pound babies. When I had the C-section, I was in the hospital for 3 days and for the first day I had a morphine pump which I could hit the button on whenever I felt like I needed it. It would cut you off if you hit it too often, but it didn’t tell you when it did, so you still got the placebo effect.
I feel for you, Pam. We went through many different health scares with my dad. Not fun. Today would have been his 85th birthday. I’m going to write a tribute to him on my blog this afternoon when I get back from taking Kid to drama camp in Dallas.
Oh, yeah, and I’m debating whether to buy MFB By The Sea because I love the design so much. And I’m ordering some Quaker Christmas ornaments to do. And some floss. And some more linen. And um, some scissors.
I may need an intervention to make sure I don’t spend $8,000.00 or something.
It’s his fault that my Paul Martin Gopher sweater in it’s rookie season turned out to be unlucky!
Heeee! Well, here’s to better luck for that Martin Gopher sweater this season. :D
Myra, I’m not sure who my mom blames (in jest of course!) for this, but it’s probably not my dad since my sister was a normal baby who didn’t wreak havoc upon arrival.
I wish my dad would take better care of himself. It’s like he doesn’t believe that anything is ever happening to him. It’s extremely frustrating. He’s 57, not extremely old. He just doesn’t care about anything.
Schnookie, I like the jersey too much to concede that it is permanantly unlucky!
next season it will be much luckier.
Of course!
I may need an intervention to make sure I don’t spend $8,000.00 or something.
No kidding! We’re going out to the Attic in August, and just last night we arranged with our
dealerstitching-shop owner to be able to come in to shop on the day they’re usually closed since we’re only going to be in Phoenix for a weekend. I figure if I only go out there once every three years, that doesn’t mean I have a problem! (I’m ignoring all the mail order I do in between those three-year visits.)As for MFB By The Sea, I’m not trying to talk you into it or anything, but that whole MFB series is impossibly fun to stitch. I don’t know why one project would be significantly more fun than another since it’s all just crossing stitches over and over, but MFB kicks ass.
GOOD LORD, I just had linen sticker shock. :falls over dead: What in the goodness sakes?
As for MFB By The Sea, I’m not trying to talk you into it or anything, but that whole MFB series is impossibly fun to stitch.
It looks it! I would love to do MFB and hang it all up! I might have to flip a coin between MFB and MFB by the sea.
By the way, Pookie, is it cool if I e-mail you with some random questions about floss/linen? I’m having a mild heart attack over here. :D
Sure thing, Caitlin, email away! And yeah, linen is ridonkulously expensive. Most of the stuff on Carriage House is hand-dyed with makes it even worse. There’s plenty of other options out there though! Don’t worry!
By the way, you know what I’m really excited for? The root beer brewing kit I ordered last night! I’m going to make Caitlin drink it all.
Root beer?? NOOO! You gotta get the regular kind!! Root beer doesn’t have any alcohol in it, even though they still call it beer. That’s how they fool you.
Just kidding, nice work. I hope you guys get many delicious floats out of it.
Thanks, Pookie! E-mailed you.
Just kidding, nice work. I hope you guys get many delicious floats out of it.
Same here. Everyone in my family (but me, obviously) loves a good root beer float. The envy that would be thrown your way right now would be ENORMOUS.
I hope you have some mugs in the freezer, for your first batch of root beer.
andrew, don’t get me wrong — the root beer kit was just a throw-in with my regular beer kit order!
andrew, don’t get me wrong — the root beer kit was just an throw-in with my regular beer kit order!
Sweet! Did you order the Mr. Beer kit, or a different brand?
What kind of beer mixes did you order? Or does it come with a few stock varities?
I don’t like root beer floats at all. In fact, my response to root beer floats is kind of akin to Caitlin’s response to root beer in general. I view a float as a waste of perfectly good root beer and ice cream.
I ordered the Mr. Beer kit, which comes with the West Coast Pale Ale brew pack. We’ll see how it goes! I’m very excited to try this out!!
I view a float as a waste of perfectly good root beer and ice cream.
I’m a big shake and/or malt kind of girl, so I personally don’t get the appeal with floats, but hey, to each their own I guess.
I ordered the Mr. Beer kit, which comes with the West Coast Pale Ale brew pack. We’ll see how it goes! I’m very excited to try this out!!
Jeez, now I want to hop on the “make your own beer” kit train, but I need to finish learning how to crochet first. Which is making me want to take a crochet hook to the face, considering all I’ve ever done is knitting (badly). I’m totally stoked to hear how everyone’s beer turns out now! Between andrew’s dark beer and the -Ookies’ pale ale(s)!
I ordered the Mr. Beer kit, which comes with the West Coast Pale Ale brew pack. We’ll see how it goes! I’m very excited to try this out!!
Kick ass! I hope it works out. Did you order the super pack that comes with bottles? If not you’ll have to get some, I can throw some suggestions your way.
So you have to make sure you order their stout mix and brew that up next. It was by far the best tasting beer that I made with the Mr. Beer kit.
You guys are gonna have so much fun! The only piece of serious advice I have is that you don’t take your sanitization lightly. It is super important. Outside of that, it’s all fun and games.
Which is making me want to take a crochet hook to the face
Dude, I have NO patience for crocheting. I tried to crochet a simple granny square afghan, but I am not at all constitutionally inclined toward crochet. My fingers get all stiff!
Dude, I have NO patience for crocheting.
See, I knitted, so I’m used to using both hands and both fingers. Crochet is so much of a different animal that it’s not even funny. The tension issue has turned out to be a big one for me, that and the diagrams I have aren’t helping me very well. Boo. I might just have to give up on knit/crochet all together (I like to knit, but I’m awful at it).
The only piece of serious advice I have is that you don’t take your sanitization lightly.
Like, after you’re done brewing? I could see how that could be an issue… eek.
I’m totally stoked to hear how everyone’s beer turns out now! Between andrew’s dark beer and the -Ookies’ pale ale(s)!
Dude! I narrowly averted disaster yesterday! I got home and checked on my batch, and there was a little bit of a blowout going on. Apparently if everything lines up just perfectly you can get an overactive fermentation, resulting in a beer eruption (don’t worry Ookies, it’s not really possible with the Mr. Beer kit). Anyways, the foam had risen to the top of the barrel and had plugged up the airlock. Scared the crap out of me, but luckily it didn’t stop it up completely, just resulted in an airlock full of gunk. Had it totally plugged up, I would have been treated to a bathroom covered in half fermented hooch.
Did you order the super pack that comes with bottles?
You bet I did! But I’d love to know where a gal can get bottles, just because the ones from Mr. Beer seem kind of dorky. :P
I was reading the instructions last night (sounds easy enough), and noticed they gave SERIOUSLY in-depth instructions about the sanitization. I am going to be the world’s most obsessive sanitizer. No botulism for me, thank you!
Caitlin, I totally hear you with the wanting to use both hands and having trouble with tension when you try crocheting. In the end, it all just doesn’t seem worth it to me. ;D
Like, after you’re done brewing? I could see how that could be an issue… eek.
No, during brewing. Everything that is going to come in contact with the beer after all boiling is done has to be sanitized properly. Otherwise you get off flavors in your beer. Fun tasting flavors like “plastic” or “wet cardboard”.
So the fermentor, any spoons, bottles, etc. need to be clean before they touch the beer.
I can’t wait for Mr. Beer to be serving me frosty brewskis when I get in the door from work!
Caitlin, it took me several starts and stops to even understand how crochet was supposed to work just in concept, let alone actually crocheting anything. I think you’re either born a crochet person or not! It’s like math. But with pointier tools.
Apparently if everything lines up just perfectly you can get an overactive fermentation, resulting in a beer eruption
Part of me is thinking, “Beer eruption? That sounds DELICIOUS!” Of course, the other part of me is thinking, “a bathroom covered in half fermented hooch? That’s… less delicious.” I’m so glad you were able to nip the beer eruption in the bud!
You bet I did! But I’d love to know where a gal can get bottles, just because the ones from Mr. Beer seem kind of dorky. :P
Yeah, I didn’t use their bottles. I think you’re right…kinda dorky is a good term.
Plus drinking beers out of plastic bottles just seems wrong.
Plus drinking beers out of plastic bottles just seems wrong.
Most definitely. When my kick-ass Mr. Beer Basic Intro-To-Homebrewing Ale is ready to be drunk, it’s getting poured. I don’t drink beer from plastic bottles. Not even beer I made myself. :P
Otherwise you get off flavors in your beer. Fun tasting flavors like “plastic” or “wet cardboard”.
Well, andrew, I’ve always wanted to try a plastic flavored beer. I mean, nothing says industrial chic like that.
(I seriously did not even think of that. Huh. Wow, I’d be a neat freak about everything, then!)
Part of me is thinking, “Beer eruption? That sounds DELICIOUS!”
That was my first thought as well. Yum…then not so much.
It’s like math. But with pointier tools.
Frustrating and with the ability to injure yourself! Hurrah. Dude, I even bought some Vanna White yarn. Have you guys seen this? Vanna White is making crocheting/knitting supplies and has her own yarn line now. Talk about random.
Vanna White is making crocheting/knitting supplies and has her own yarn line now.
I remember when I first starting knitting about 15 years ago, it was just beginning to become trendy, and knitters would hold up celebrity knitters as examples of how rad a hobby it was. Julia Roberts, of course, was the biggie, but Vanna was on that list! I guess that’s cool that she has her own yarn line now…
Okay, I hadn’t even looked at the brew packs that Mr. Beer sells. This is so cool! They have so many types to choose from!
Otherwise you get off flavors in your beer. Fun tasting flavors like “plastic” or “wet cardboard”.
Mmmmm. Plastic.
In fact, my response to root beer floats is kind of akin to Caitlin’s response to root beer in general. I view a float as a waste of perfectly good root beer and ice cream.
I completely agree. Each flavor is perfectly acceptable on its own.
But all this talk of beer and root beer is making me want birch beer.
But root beer and ice cream on their own don’t turn into frothy goodness!
Well, andrew, I’ve always wanted to try a plastic flavored beer. I mean, nothing says industrial chic like that.
Unfortunately, I have tried it! I’ve also had flavors like medicine and rubbing alcohol come through in the past. I don’t recommend it.
This is so cool! They have so many types to choose from!
They do have some neat ones. If you decide to but a few, I can help out with the ones to try and/or stay away from.
Or if you decide to BUY a few.
But root beer and ice cream on their own don’t turn into frothy goodness!
See, I don’t get what’s appealing about the foam in a float. It looks and feels like polluted seafoam. Just nasty.
I’ve also had flavors like medicine and rubbing alcohol come through in the past.
*Shudder* And I’m so glad that you’re here to be our Mr. Beer Guide, andrew! Pookie and I were discussing last night that we can’t believe it’s taken this long for us to tiptoe toward homebrewing, and really, I think it’s just such an intimidating thing to approach. I really appreciate you steering us to a good starting point!
I really appreciate you steering us to a good starting point!
No problem! It’s a fun habit, it just a little time and usually a few missteps to get it right. The Mr. Beer kit is far from perfect, but like I was saying the other day, it’s easy, it’s cheap, and it will hopefully inspire you to one day graduate to the big leagues.
See, I don’t get what’s appealing about the foam in a float. It looks and feels like polluted seafoam. Just nasty.
I agree. I loved floats when I was a kid, but I don’t think I like them that much now. Of course, I’ve only ordered one in a drive-thru lately and didn’t scoop my own Blue Bell into a glass of Coke, so that might be the difference.
Speaking of foam and root beer, I’m still reminiscing about the root beer we had at the A&W recently. I had never drawn my own from a tap like that, and I was trying to keep the foam to a minimum, but couldn’t. But when I started to drink it, the foam just smelled so good and really added to the whole experience (as did the frosted mug/lack of ice). It took me right back to my childhood when we went to the A&W drive-in for a root beer in a frosted mug on a summer day. They hung the little tray on our window and everything.
it will hopefully inspire you to one day graduate to the big leagues.
Oooh! I wanna be a big-leaguer! I can’t wait! :D
Patty, that A&W root beer sounds absolutely HEAVENLY. This is all making me very thirsty/hungry for something sweet. Time to see if there’s anything in the candy machine…
I would hesistate to call that a “candy” machine. All it had in it was Cheez-Its and NutriGrain bars! The hell?
All it had in it was Cheez-Its and NutriGrain bars! The hell?
That’s pretty much what ours has, with some pistachios and peanuts thrown in for good measure and then a single selection for Hershey’s bars, which forces my coworkers to have a Battle Royale-style fight for the last chocolate bar. :D
But root beer and ice cream on their own don’t turn into frothy goodness!
See, I don’t get what’s appealing about the foam in a float. It looks and feels like polluted seafoam. Just nasty.
Yeah, but it’s yummy polluted seafoam. I’m a fan.
But apparently not a fan of closing my tags. That was much yellier than I meant it to be.
I’m with you, Meg — I’m a fan of root beer floats!!!!
with some pistachios and peanuts thrown in for good measure and then a single selection for Hershey’s bars,
Aw man! I’m jealous. Our vending machine has no alternatives to candy. I would rather have some pistachios than 3 different kinds of Snickers bars. Then again, I’m weird.
But apparently not a fan of closing my tags. That was much yellier than I meant it to be.
Seriously! I was like, “Sheesh, Meg! I’m sorry I ruined your life!” :P
That was much yellier than I meant it to be.
Without any exclamation points it didn’t really come across yelly. I laughed because it seemed like you were deadly serious.
Seriously! I was like, “Sheesh, Meg! I’m sorry I ruined your life!” :P
I don’t mess around when it comes to rootbeer floats, apparently. :D
I don’t mess around when it comes to rootbeer floats, apparently.
I’ll bear that in mind in the future! :D
All it had in it was Cheez-Its and NutriGrain bars! The hell?
Ew. One of my co-workers has a candy dish, so I had some Nerds as my 230 pick-me-up. Now my tongue is purple, but its a small price to pay for a sugar rush.
Nerds! In a candy dish? How perverse! And wonderful! I’m so jealous, Amy.
I’ve never seen anyone put Nerds in a work candy dish! That’s awesome!
I haven’t had nerds in years. The other day I had a Warhead for the first time in years (a friend put them in gift bags) and it was horrible! I loved them when I was 7.
I don’t think I wanted to hear that Warheads aren’t as good when you’re an adult as they were when we were kids. I loved those! I also haven’t had Nerds since buying them at the candy stand at the pool during summers in Middle School. I’d say those were the days, but I was a tween. Those were terrible, awkward days, and they were spent in a bathing suit. But I remember liking the Nerds, at least. :P
Ah, the candy stand at the pool! Those were the days. They were terrible and awkward, all right. But you also got to buy a candy at the stand!
(Mine was Chick-O-Sticks.) (And they are still yummy.)
But you also got to buy a candy at the stand!
It’s true — that makes a lot of the terrible and awkward easier to deal with.
I’ve never had a Chick-O-Stick that I know of. What is it?
What is it?
Don’t let her sweet-talk you, Schnookie. Chick-O-Sticks have coconut in them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick-O-Stick
In re: Chick-O-Sticks
*GACK! HACK! YARF! [HAIRBALL NOISE]*
In re: Chick-O-Sticks
The Peanut Butter Bars that the same company makes are delicious, though.
I don’t think I wanted to hear that Warheads aren’t as good when you’re an adult as they were when we were kids. I loved those!
Sorry . . . if you still enjoy candy that is painfully sour you’d probably still like them.
It’s true that buying things from a stand makes things better. The pool we went to before my family moved up to Buffalo had a great stand and I loved to get cold Three Musketeers bars.
if you still enjoy candy that is painfully sour you’d probably still like them.
Yeah… that’d be a no. Oh, the passage of time! How terrible!
Oh well. I might not like Warheads anymore, but at least I don’t have to go to the pool every day! It’s the tradeoff between childhood and adulthood. :P
Thanks a LOT Caitlin.
Chick-O-Sticks are AWESOME!
I can’t believe you were going to try to force me to eat Chick-O-Sticks, Patty. I thought we were FRIENDS!
I can’t believe you don’t trust me, Schnookie! You can barely taste the coconut! JUST TRY IT!
I’m going to have to keep my mouth closed THE ENTIRE TIME I AM IN DALLAS. Because you’re liable to toss a Chick-O-Stick at me when I least expect it. I CAN TASTE THE COCONUT FROM HERE!!!
Do y’all have Bennigan’s restaurants in your respective towns? Because they were all closed today. That, and Steak and Ale. Kinda sudden.
I’m going to hide one in your flauta at Uncle Julio’s, Schnookie! :D
You had better not even joke about joking about joking about putting coconut in my Mexican food, you hear! :PPPPPP
I’ve never seen anyone put Nerds in a work candy dish!
We go through periods where there’s good stuff, like Nerds, Laffy Taffy, Starburst and the occasional chocolate. But we also go through dry periods where there’s nothing but old lady candy.
Do y’all have Bennigan’s restaurants in your respective towns?
We have one here, but none of my family has gone there since my cousin had an allergic reaction to an oatmeal raisin cookie. The cookie had nuts in it and wasn’t labeled as such. Even though he had an epi-pen with him, he still had to go to the ER.
I haven’t been to Bennigan’s in probably 5 years, myself, even though there’s one close to me. But back then, they had the coolest apple pie. It was like a chicken pot pie. A whole individual size in a little tin. It was yummy. But that’s all I remember.
And I’m REALLY glad to hear your cousin was okay.
Do y’all have Bennigan’s restaurants in your respective towns? Because they were all closed today. That, and Steak and Ale. Kinda sudden
They are closed for good? We have not been there in ages. We are more Chili’s people.
I don’t think I have ever had a Chick-O-Stick before. I don’t mind coconut but I’m not crazy about it. I hate hate hate root beer though. It smells like Pepto Bismal to me.
You had better not even joke about joking about joking about putting coconut in my Mexican food, you hear!
Didn’t you know? ALL Mexican food has coconut in it.
Didn’t you know? ALL Mexican food has coconut in it.
So that’s what Monterey Jack cheese really is!
Exactly! The Spanish word for coconut is “cilantro”.
We don’t have Bennigan’s out here, but I have heard of them. That’s pretty much all I got.
But they are building a Hooters not too far from us. But it’s on the wrong side of the freeway, kind of in the ghetto. I’m not sure how that one is going to work out.
The Spanish word for coconut is “cilantro”.
:^::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: To that and the Monterey Jack! (Although really, NOT FUNNY.)
As for Bennigan’s, that’s so weird! I’m really glad today that I don’t work there! I had a coworker once who we loved to tease because she had spent 13 years waitressing at Red Lobster. So I guess there are career Bennigan’s waitstaff people who are having a really bad day today.
We’ve got a Hooters about 10 minutes from our house! I’m always surprised to see it there. Although it’s also creeping more toward the ghetto part of the area. So maybe Hooters likes being in those transitional regions, just kind of in the ghetto?
I had a coworker once who we loved to tease because she had spent 13 years waitressing at Red Lobster.
Yeah, when I waited tables I worked with a couple of people that were career waiters. If you can get into one of the fancy restaurants, it’s not that bad of a gig, really.
I also knew people who were career Blockbuster employees at the store-level, not the corporate level. I knew a guy on one of the inventory teams who had worked for Blockbuster for 15 years.
i know i’m about 20 hours late on this, but does anyone know lou lamoriello’s email addy?…the idea of an invisible electric fence which can be used to mildly (ha!) shock NJ defensemen who go out of position could be the key to being in the conference finals this upcoming season…
So I guess there are career Bennigan’s waitstaff people who are having a really bad day today.
When I first started working at Blockbusters, at a store in Tulsa, we were kind of out on a pad in the parking lot, sharing our back wall with an Italian restaurant. On a Saturday around noon, a couple of waiters, with their aprons in hand came into the store asking to use the phone. Because the restaurant was closed and totally emptied and nobody told them. They left in the middle of the night, taking all the fixtures, and didn’t tell their staff. They had been open the night before!
don, I think the Devils have been using just such a shock fence since the Lemaire Days! :P
Patty, that’s insane about that restaurant! It’s like the Baltimore Colts of Italian cuisine.
Oh, and I am EXHAUSTED. We just dug up the last of our potatoes and it must be 900 degrees out. I think we probably left half the potatoes underground, but there’s only so much digging a girl can do on a day like this.
Mmm. Potatoes. I admire you, Schnookie, for working outside at all this time of year.
More than surviving the heat, I’m super proud of myself for surviving the bugs. I am not a bug person. I hate bugs. They make me squeamish. And there I was digging in a bed where there were all kinds of pill bugs, spiders, caterpillars, and my personal least favorite, millipedes. Anything for a homegrown potato! (Next year we so need to do the garbage can method; no more digging in beds for me.)
Ewww! Bugs!
Yeah. Bugs. *shudder*
millipedes vs. homegrown potatoes…
Yeah, the potatoes are worth it!
I admire your working outside now, too. I have officially gone into hibernation mode (no outdoor activities) until mid-September.
If our weather was as horrid as yours, Myra, we’d be in hibernation now, too! (I think my hibernation period is about to start, though. Boomer reports that it’s supposed to hit 100 here on Sunday.)