It’s Ann here today. Andy is in OurLittleCorner fishing for groans.
FYI – I wrote this blog before the Jimmy Kimmel incident, so let me begin by posting Conan O’Brien’s stance on censorship:
And now back to my original blog:
Just ask any of our friends or family, and they will assure you that this is true. I am not a late night kind of person.
Consequently, when I saw a Facebook post glowing about Conan O’Brien, I didn’t immediately relate. After all, I don’t think I ever saw his Late Night show, which aired from 1993-2009 (and – in case you’re as out of touch as I am – he’s currently doing a well-received podcast – Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and a travel show series, Conan O’Brien Must Go.
But then I watched Conan’s March acceptance speech after receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (apparently about the same time all went to hell in a handbasket at the Kennedy Center in D.C.) and I now understand why so many think Conan is wonderful! In his speech Conan emphasized his admiration of Twain for some of the following reasons:
- Twain punched up, not down
- He hated bullies
- He empathized with the weak
- And he loathed racism
If you missed the March award ceremony, take 4 minutes of your time and watch the video of it below. Needless to say, it’s impressive and thought-provoking.
I decided I really needed aTwain refresher course after watching this…and there’s lots out there for help. The Mark Twain House & Museum site recommends the 2005 biography by Ron Powers, Mark Twain: A Life. A review of that book in the NYTimes reveals what a complex man Twain was…much more so than Conan O’Brien’s comments implied. The book’s reviewer suggests that the biography reveals [Twain’s] “rage and gentleness, affection and malice, creative genius and financial idiocy.”
Mark Twain, of course, was named Samuel Clemons at birth and didn’t sign off as Mark Twain until 1863, when he was 28.”Mark twain “signifies the point where safe water becomes dangerous water – or vice versa, so it’s a fascinating name choice that he made. It was 21 years later when The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published, which went on to become one of the most banned books ever – and not only because of its use of the “N-word”. One library which banned the book when it was originally released did so claiming it was “rough, coarse, and inelegant, dealing with a series of experiences not elevating, the whole book being more suited to the slums than to intelligent, respectable people.” Maybe that’s when Twain “entered dangerous water!” (If you want an opinion on whether Huckleberry Finn should be read in high school English classes, here’s a thoughtful essay from a Florida teacher on that subject.)
And now it’s time for a true confession: Conan O’Brien is not the only person in today’s blog whose “output” I’m not very familiar with. I haven’t read a lot of Mark Twain either. Would it be fair to say I think he’s more of a “guys'” writer? But I do find many of his sayings humorous and relevant even today. Here are some I especially like:
- Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.
- It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
- Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
- Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
- When your turn to enter heaven arrives, “Leave your dog outside. Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and the dog would go in.“
- Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
Of course, today’s recipe is for cabbage.
If you look on Reddit for cooked cabbage recipe suggestions, you get such exotic-sounding dishes as Salvadoran Curtido, Indian Patta gobhi, Polish Haluski, German Bierocks, and Korean Bibim Mandu. I think Twain’s support of world travel would make any and all of these appropriate.
You might want to try Moosewood’s Tunisian Vegetable Stew for a great and worldly vegetarian recipe, which is also loaded with cabbage. Or if you’re wanting to feel a part of the Southern culture of Twain (and Huck and Jim), try today’s Southern Fried Cabbage recipe. We recommend them both!
And before you begin, here’s a helpful video on the best way to cut up cabbage.
Southern Fried Cabbage
Southern Fried Cabbage
- 6 pieces bacon cut into 1-inch pieces (or use chopped andouille sausage or smoked turkey)
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 head cabbage, sliced and chopped
Heat a large pan on medium heat and add the sliced bacon. Cook until crispy, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove some bacon grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s translucent. Add the garlic, sugar, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Place the sliced cabbage on top and use tongs to stir and saute for another 12 to 15 minutes. When the cabbage is done it should be soft and slightly caramelized. Add the bacon back in and stir it all together before serving.
Timely and tasty as well, I’m sure. My meal plan for this evening involves cabbage as well. I bought a bag of coleslaw mix and set aside the sauce. I fry up a pound of hamburger with onion/peppers and some garlic (and spice) with a few shakes of Cholula. When cooked through, I add the cabbage mix followed by a medium can of tomatoes and a similar can of tomato sauce. When hot throughout makes a nice din-din.
Thanks for the meal plan… sounds good for sure. You need a trendy name for it.
I can’t seem to attach a pic either… Oh, well. Something snappy for a name? Easy beef ‘n slaw? Don’t want to skimp on the peppers and onion… or on the Cholula.