three things
January 28, 2009
1) In news that will be a surprise to no one, it is snowing here. If I can remember, I'll break out the (taller) snow giraffe after class and snap some pictures.
2) It appears that the Pie Goddess and the Grill Master are coming over to our place to watch the Superbowl, since we now have a very large tv. The PG and the GM are from Iowa. I would like to make something from my beloved home city that showcases its eclectic approach to food. Problem is, I can't think of what that should be. Not sure I have the stamina to make all of the fixin' for Primanti sandwiches. I also can't get chipped chopped ham here. Anyone have any suggestions?
3) Speaking of suggestions, I'm in the process of putting together my book order and syllabus for the Advanced Journalism class I'll be teaching at Hartwick. (While SUCO started its Spring term three weeks ago, Hartwick doesn't start its until Feb. 9 because they have a mini-term in January.) The main text will be Jack Hart's A Writer's Coach, which I recommend for anyone who wants to be a more effective non-fiction writer.
My plan also includes assigning actual examples of great reporting -- and this is where I could stand some input. So far, the list is:
Selections from Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression by Studs Terkel
The title essay (or the Illinois State Fair one) from A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by DFW
"A Fleet of One" by John McPhee
This class is a practical class, not a survey of modern journalism. Still, I'd like to give them a sense of what can be done. Anything leap to mind?
Ted White "In Search of History"?
Some of the WWII stuff by William Shirer?
Some of the best stuff from the New Yorker, which surely exists anthologized somewhere?
We too have a large TV -- a 32", purchased yesterday, replacing a 19" we bought used in Knoxville. Fun times!
Posted by: Shelley | January 28, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Chipped chopped ham is revolting anyway ;)
How about one of them ethnic cabbage dishes, halushki or halupki? Or pigs in a blanket?
Posted by: Shelley | January 28, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Smiley cookies, ala Eat N Park
Posted by: matthew | January 28, 2009 at 11:13 AM
John Updike's "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu", about Ted Williams' last game.
Posted by: matthew | January 28, 2009 at 11:30 AM
2. french fry salad.
3. One of the most effective writing lessons involved reading New Yorker movie reviews. Or maybe a book review? (D'oh) Glad to be of service!
Posted by: Anna | January 28, 2009 at 11:31 AM
How about something by Michael Lewis? If you want to go topical, you could use "The End" -- about the Wall Street meltdown -- which he recently wrote for Portfolio:
http://is.gd/754O
(Excerpts & a mash note from me here: http://is.gd/8afY .)
Plus any or all of the stories that Esquire recently selected as the seven best in its history:
http://is.gd/hyHl
Of particular note is "What Do You Think of Ted Williams Now?" by Richard Ben Cramer, which, with all respect to the lately departed Mr. Updike, is even better than "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu," which is saying something.
Posted by: Tim | January 28, 2009 at 01:44 PM
Are pierogies common in NY state? (Yeah, yeah, I lived in Syracuse. That was a LONG time ago.) If not, maybe that would be the way to go.
If you cannot get them at all there, and you don't want to go through all the hassle of making the dough, use lasagna noodles and make little pierogi roll-ups.
(FYI, they are not commom out here. I can get only the simplest Mrs. T's cheese ones at the grocery. I've been told there's a European deli in South Milwaukee--yes, that's an actual city, hence the capital s--that has some good ones. I've not made it there. Every time I'm in Pgh, I come back here with pierogies, Smiley cookies, and chipped ham. And sometimes Iron City.)
Posted by: PL | January 28, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Are pierogies common in NY state? (Yeah, yeah, I lived in Syracuse. That was a LONG time ago.) If not, maybe that would be the way to go.
If you cannot get them at all there, and you don't want to go through all the hassle of making the dough, use lasagna noodles and make little pierogi roll-ups.
(FYI, they are not commom out here. I can get only the simplest Mrs. T's cheese ones at the grocery. I've been told there's a European deli in South Milwaukee--yes, that's an actual city, hence the capital s--that has some good ones. I've not made it there. Every time I'm in Pgh, I come back here with pierogies, Smiley cookies, and chipped ham. And sometimes Iron City.)
Posted by: PL | January 28, 2009 at 10:46 PM
No clue why that posted twice!
Posted by: PL | January 28, 2009 at 10:47 PM
No clue why that posted twice.
Posted by: PL | January 28, 2009 at 10:48 PM
Crap!
Posted by: PL | January 28, 2009 at 10:58 PM
Gene Weingarten's The Great Zucchini story, about a party clown.
Susan Faludi's Wall Street Journal coverage of Safeway's LBO
Sara Solovitch's takedown of a con artist: http://www.sarasolo.com/dream.html
Some blood work? Either Susan Cohen, in the San Jose Mercury News many years ago, on the reluctance to test donated blood in the very early days of AIDs, or Kara Platoni, in the East BAy Express a couple of years ago, on cord blood issues.
Posted by: candlepick | January 29, 2009 at 03:24 AM
Make sure you serve whatever you make with plenty of Heinz ketchup, and you're covered. :) (http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/diningtraditions/)
And I second pierogies.
And Wikipedia lists this: Roethlis-burger – Hamburger named after Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger; made up of ground beef, sausage, scrambled eggs, grilled onions and American cheese
Posted by: Heidi | January 30, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Reporting that has never been matched? James Agee in Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.
Posted by: filbert | February 06, 2009 at 02:41 AM