Bialystock, Bloom and Thanksgiving?

One of the small pleasures of being a parent of 4 children was watching, with them, the movies and TV shows that I have enjoyed over the years; the old Disney movies, Snow White, Cinderella, Old Yeller, The Song of the South, Love Bug, and TV shows like the Three Stooges, Bugs Bunny, and Bonanza. As they got older and more selective, they made requests: Anne of Green Gables was one that lasted a few years, then as teenagers, we pulled out the good stuff like, The Guns of Navarone, The Producers, The Blues Brothers, Family Vacation, et. al.

Here's the point: Once in a while, I'll telephone one of the boys and they will answer with a line from the Mel Brooks 1968 movie, The Producers:

"Bialystock and Bloom," (lilt and tone of the secretary, Ulla, pronouncing Bloom: "Blue'-oom")

I act as if they had just said "hello", carrying on as normal, but it makes me smile.

And that's what I'm thankful for, Mel Brooks, and the line: "Bialystock and Bloom." Without that line I would have forgone a whole lot of smiles.

The Best Way to Carve a Turkey . . .

Before you carve the Thanksgiving day turkey, take 10 minutes and read an instructional article in the New York Times, Dining In section. The owner of Original Turkey restaurants, who has overseen the carving of around 30 turkeys a day, says this:
1. Unless you insist on carving at the table it's best to cut against the grain which means the breast of the turkey must me separated from the bones and cut "sideways."
2. Wait at least 20 minutes before carving. Use your hand to secure the turkey not a fork. A fork pierces the skin increasing juice loss.
3. Remove wings and legs before carving and cut the meat "against the grain."

And much more, to read the whole article, look at pictures or watch a tutorial: Carve the turkey

New Park for Children

Tillery Park, on the Forest Park side of the Fort Worth Zoo area has just opened. If you have young children, consider visiting on your next trip to a park; my wife, daughter, and her children loved it. Congratulations to the Forest Park area residents who volunteered time and money to put this together. Great job.

Website with map: http://www.tillerypark.org/index.htm