Cholent issues.

I mentioned in a comment on the last cholent post that I had experimented last weekend with a chicken cholent.  It was dreadful.  So I’ve been thinking about it over the last few days and I have some ideas.  But my ideas have brought up some questions for me.  What exactly makes a cholent?

I think every cholent that has ever been served to me contained potatoes, meat (beef), beans and barley.  So in my mine, that’s what made a cholent.  On the other hand, I’ve been asking many cholent-makers what makes a cholent.  The one answer I’ve heard over and over again is that you can put anything you want in a cholent.  Anything?

Let me phrase this in a different way.  Is there a difference between a cholent and any other recipe that cooked for a long time on low heat?  Or can I call anything that I tuck into the oven at 225 overnight a cholent?

The chicken cholent I’ll try again in the next couple of weeks will have no barley, no beans and no potatoes.  I’ll keep the details to myself for now, because I want to try it before posting and because I don’t yet know exactly what will go in it.  

I’m just wondering if anybody has any interesting cholent ideas.  Any thoughts about what cholent really is?

How Manly is Bourdain?

It’s rare that my local paper prints any ‘entertainment’ news that I want to read.  But a picture of George Clooney caught my attention this morning while I was glancing through the paper while eating breakfast.

What does George Clooney have to do with Bourdain you ask?  Well, both have been included on askmen.com’s list of the top 49 men.  The thing that was interesting to me is that my local paper had a picture of George but quoted Tony.  I know for those of us who know of Bourdain, and dare I say it, are fans – it’s surprising  how many people don’t know who he is.  Yet, of the 49 men on the list, he’s the one quoted.

Of course, it could be because Bourdain’s response was what makes us all love him.

“While strangely uncomfortable with the term ‘man’s man’ I am honored to be included,“ said Anthony Bourdain. “I shall be sure to spend the week shooting things, barbecuing, drinking manly drinks to excess and high-fiving loudly while watching organized athletics. Woo Hoo! I love you, man!”

Congrats Bourdain.  You’re so manly.