Reaching Across the Ocean, Bridging the Cultural Divide

Sometimes I forget that I have an international readership. (Hi, you two!!!!)
Yesterday, words and concepts were bandied about, with what I really can only call typical American arrogance. Dariushalavi asked for a clarification of terms, which I will happily provide because (and I think we can all agree on this) there is enough misunderstanding in the world. It is not my job to make things murkier than they already are. Plus, I always admire people who aren't afraid to ask questions. It's the know-it-alls I struggle with.

So, Dariushalavi, first and foremost:

1. Aa crockpot is a smallish appliance used for slow cooking. "Crockpot" is a brandname, "slow cooker" the generic. (But "crockpot" is universally commonly used in reference to any slow cooker.) The concept is simple. An earthware crock sits in a metal bowl-like thing with a warmer. You chop your ingredients & brown your meat and pop everything into the unit. You turn it on either high (4-6 hours of cooking) or low (8-10 hours). By some sort of wizardry, the unit heats and cooks the food properly, without it overcooking or seething with bacteria.

Ownership of this appliance was actually a cause for mirth when The Spouse and I first received it. Crockpots were for people with no taste or style, or so we thought. The first thing ever cooked in the crockpot that just died was a batch of Payson's Papa's Chili and it turned out really well and for many years that was all the crockpot was ever used for. (Which may explain why it lasted so long).

I didn't really discover the joy and wonder of this appliance until The Child started being so involved with after-school activiites. Mealtime is very important to us and I didn't want to lose that value. So on long days, when we're out of the house in the late afternoon/early evening, I put something in the crockpot in the morning and we come home to delicous smells and a meal, ready to serve.

And despite my youthful bias, a crockpot, like any other appliance, yields good food if good food is put into it. One has to be careful. I don't follow a lot of slow cooker recipes exactly. If one calls for putting green beans into the pot at the beginning I don't because, eeww. Green beans cooked for 8 hours? No.

b. Velveeta is a very scary faux cheese product that doesn't contain, to my knowledge, a single ingredient actually found in nature. It is prized for its ability to melt very smoothly. (As opposed to taking the time to whisk batches of good cheese (grated) into a white sauce to achieve the same thing.)

3. Rotel is also a brand name for a line of "Tex-Mex" products, like tins of chopped tomatoes with green chilis.

Bonus information: Yesterday I referred to a party dip of Velveeta and salsa. Rotel could be used as well. The ingredients are combined in a bowl, put in a microwave until the "cheese" has melted and then it's eaten with tortilla chips. One is most likely to be served this treat when gathering at someone's home to watch a sporting event on television, like the Superbowl.


Now, aren't you glad you asked?