DIANE'S CORNER: National Barbecued Spareribs Day

DIANE'S CORNER ..

Celebrate Nat'l Barbecued Spareribs Day

Ribs were never meant to be boiled, especially not spareribs. They were intended to be served grilled, short or long, over charcoal or gas, in the heat of summer. With barbeque sauce made in a variety of ways.

National Barbecued Spareribs Day recognizes this fundamental truth, that it isn’t summer until there has been a barbecue with friends, family and spareribs.

History Of National Barbecued Spareribs Day

Spareribs are different from ‘just any rib’. Because they are cut from the lower portion of the pig, severed from the breastbone behind the shoulder, they have a bit of a different flavor and tenderness factor. Although they actually have more bone than meat, they are fatty which helps make them more tender than baby back ribs. The good news is that they are also less expensive in comparison.

Spareribs are typically sold smoked, which makes them perfect for throwing on the grill with a dry rub or some barbecue sauce. Or both! To get them nice and tender, these ribs will benefit from an extremely long cooking time at a low temperature. But not to worry–they are completely worth the wait!

Learn from yesterday’s barbecue, live for today’s barbecue, hope for tomorrow’s barbecue. The important thing is not to stop questioning why people would boil ribs…
Albert Einstein

Ok, so maybe that quote isn’t technically attributed to the real Albert Einstein, but given that the man was a genius it certainly seems that he would have agreed with the sentiment!

Cultures all over the world have enjoyed the rich succulent flavor of pork, and just about all of them have found a way to make the spareribs into something utterly delicious.

In Chinese Cuisine the ribs are typically cut quite short, from three to four inches at most. From there, they are then steamed, fried, or braised to perfection and served with a rich flavorful sauce. The Cantonese prepare them with a sweet and savory sauce, while the American Chinese prepare them char siu, skewered on long forks and cooked in a covered oven.

County Cork, in Ireland, has a tradition of preparing spare ribs by boiling them and then eating them with potatoes and turnips. The local name of this dish is “bodice”.

With America being such a melting pot, there are probably as many varieties of short ribs as there are subcultures and regions. But there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that America is definitely the place to go for the most delicious ribs in the world.

And since the day is shared by American Independence Day, it only makes sense to honor both at the same time!

Happy National Barbecued Spareribs Day!

thanks, Michele, Picture Coordinator

JOKE OF THE DAY

AN INDEPENDENCE DAY BEER

My boss made me go into the office on Independence Day. Halfway through the day, he came in to check up on me and caught me having a beer.

He said to me, "You can't drink while you're working."

I said, "Oh, don't worry - I'm not working."

WORD OF THE DAY

staycation

MEANING:
noun: A vacation spent at home or close to home.
verb intr.: To vacation at or close to home.

ETYMOLOGY:
A blend of stay + vacation, from Latin vacare (to be empty). Earliest documented use: 1944.

NOTES:
It’s all relative. In the US, a vacation taken at or close to home -- a day trip -- is a staycation. In the UK, the definition includes any vacation taken within one’s country instead of traveling abroad. Another example of how geography shapes language.
In general, a staycation is one where one stays in one’s own home, instead of a hotel. If you own houses around the world, well, it’s all staycation for you. Sorry.

USAGE:
“If anyone actually asked about her vacation, she would make up some grand lie about a boring staycation that involved bingewatching Downton Abbey and eating ice cream straight from the carton.”
Kimberly Van Meter; The Flyboy’s Temptation; Harlequin; 2016.

TODAY'S ARTIST
thanks, Natalie

Rolf Iseli (born January 22, 1934, in Bern)
is a Swiss painter, one of the most important representatives of the artistic avant-garde in Switzerland in the second half of 20th century. Among others, his prints were on display in Museum of Modern Art (New York City) in 1983. Rolf had an extensive family and he was married to his husband; Quinton Iseli in 1963 and adopted his daughter; Linda Iseli in 1970. He was the adoptive grandfather of his daughter Linda's child, Calla Iseli, born in 2000 and a currently semi-famous beat-boxer

IDIOM OF THE DAY

What does 'bite someone's head off'' mean?

Meaning: If you bite someone's head off, you criticise them angrily.

thanks, Patsy

(Not So) TOTALLY USELESS FACTS OF THE DAY

Human birth control pills work on gorillas.

Panama hats come from Ecuador not Panama.
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

READERS INFO
Coronavirus Style by Sylvia, CAN DO Correspondent
7 Natural Ways To Repel Ticks

Read the WHOLE article and comments. There is a lot of excellent info here, especially re: tea tree oil (toxic to animals) and Dawn. Carbolic soap is safer, and rose geranium is okay. Animals hate citrus oils.

COFFEE
thanks, Ella

PICTURES OF THE DAY

Caslon is the name of a large family of serif typefaces designed by William Caslon. It is cited as the first original typeface of English origin—English printers prior to this time used mainly imported Dutch types. The United States Declaration of Independence was printed in Caslon. Although its popularity has waned, it is still used for book typography, and a favorite saying of printers remains, "When in doubt, use Caslon." This specimen was designed and printed by William Caslon, and includes a variety of fonts for several languages.

Monkey cuddle, China

Moment of intimacy.

knit
thanks, Lois

Watermelon purse pattern by Amanda Berry

knit
thanks, Marilyn

Cat Cushion

knit

Leftover Sneaker Knitting pattern by Anja Heumann

knit

Mermaid Water Bottle Cozy

knit

Tulip Lace Dress and Blanket

CROCHET PATTERNS OF THE DAY

thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent

Side by Side - Crocheted Dishcloth

Kitty - Cat house

crochet

thanks, Sasha

Ice Cream Amigurumi

crochet
thanks, Mindy

be a beautiful beachcomber

crochet

Playing Cats

crochet

Scallop Shell Crochet Pillow

crochet

Little Urchin Crochet Covered Sea Stones

RECIPE

thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent

Southern-Fried Sweet Onion Rings Recipe

PANTRY RECIPE

thanks, Debbie

Chocolate Pretzel Cereal Treats

CROCKPOT RECIPE

thanks, Denise

Crockpot Green Bean Casserole

VEGAN/ VEGETARIAN RECIPE

Both vegetarian and vegan diets may provide health benefits, including reduced body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is important for vegetarians and vegans to ensure that they are meeting all of their nutritional requirements.

thanks, Alice

Easy Air Fryer Seitan Vegan Riblets

COPYCAT RECIPE

thanks, Jenny

Copycat McDonald’s McGriddles

RETRO RECIPE

thanks, Ann

Burgundy Beef Stew

SWEETS RECIPE

thanks, Abby

5-Minute Raw Banana Splits

ICE POP

thanks, Michelle

Vegan Coconut Chocolate Ice Cream

ADULT COLORING

FUN

solution:

CRAFTS

thanks, Miriam

Summer DIY: Easy Fruit Kabob Place Cards

CHILDREN'S CORNER

thanks, Kate

DIY Spin Art Machine with a Salad Spinner

PUZZLE

Chain Tensioner Jigsaw Puzzle

WORD SEARCH

betray
boat

chest
coming

elect
equal
evident

fight

George
glare

horse
hymn

king

land
loyal

party
Philadelphia
pursuit

ride
rights
rocket

self
service
sink
speech
stars

stripes
suffrage
switch

taxes
truth

vote

Washington

SUDOKU .. easy

solution:

ICE BREAKER

thanks, Kris

You can use 'ice breaker questions' to build a rapport, enabling strangers to engage in back and forth conversion. With a little practice and possibly a beer or two, you’ll be breaking more ice than the Titanic.