06-08-2016, 02:30 AM
@all - Thanks for the reads, and the critiques.
@Leanne - While I would never use Bearnaise for regular Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon, it is a Hollandaise variant and goes well with fish and steak, IMHO. As to the glass, it was a clear "Depression" Glass saucer, technically "collectable" rather than antique, but OK to dress up the table a bit (my pattern is "Manhattan").
@RiverNotch - as @ellajam mentioned, CFL (twisty) lights are common in the States because some years ago a law was passed here forbidding manufacture of incandescent lights. The law was passed in a mixture of motives both overt and covert: overtly it was to further "energy independence" and reduce carbon dioxide emissions; covertly, to punish foul (middle class) capitalists by making them pay more to light theiir homes and to reward foul (crony) capitalists by making Americans buy much more expensive (also dangerously faulty as well as spectrally challenged) mercury-filled CFLs which cost - hence brought in - much more than perfectly good incandescents.
As you can see, your initial suspicion of a protest motif was justified.
@ellajam - Thanks for helping enlighten
@RiverNotch about our little (and not so little) tyrannies here in the States. I don't know about Maine, but here in Texas it's quite easy to purchase standard incandescent bulbs. They're imported, of course, but almost as reasonably priced as the US-made versions; quality varies from fair to poor. I use them in my food preparation area, but not the dining area. That may have to change!
@Leanne - While I would never use Bearnaise for regular Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon, it is a Hollandaise variant and goes well with fish and steak, IMHO. As to the glass, it was a clear "Depression" Glass saucer, technically "collectable" rather than antique, but OK to dress up the table a bit (my pattern is "Manhattan").
@RiverNotch - as @ellajam mentioned, CFL (twisty) lights are common in the States because some years ago a law was passed here forbidding manufacture of incandescent lights. The law was passed in a mixture of motives both overt and covert: overtly it was to further "energy independence" and reduce carbon dioxide emissions; covertly, to punish foul (middle class) capitalists by making them pay more to light theiir homes and to reward foul (crony) capitalists by making Americans buy much more expensive (also dangerously faulty as well as spectrally challenged) mercury-filled CFLs which cost - hence brought in - much more than perfectly good incandescents.
As you can see, your initial suspicion of a protest motif was justified.
@ellajam - Thanks for helping enlighten
@RiverNotch about our little (and not so little) tyrannies here in the States. I don't know about Maine, but here in Texas it's quite easy to purchase standard incandescent bulbs. They're imported, of course, but almost as reasonably priced as the US-made versions; quality varies from fair to poor. I use them in my food preparation area, but not the dining area. That may have to change!
Non-practicing atheist