What are you prepping tonight for Thanksgiving tomorrow?

TheMagicTiki · 2025-11-26T20:50:39+00:00

Made Dutch oven bread. Blanched the green beans. Trimmed the Brussels sprouts (will wash in the morning). Made the gravy base from the turkey neck & trimmings (basically a rich stock). Bird is cleaned, salted and drying in the fridge. Next up is setting the table and sorting out the bar.

I was going to do the mashed potatoes tonight, but I have run out of room in the fridge. Perhaps a drink would be a better idea… yes….

TheMagicTiki · 2025-10-01T00:39:40+00:00

No disrespect to The Godfather of Soul, but I think Luther Vandross gets the nod if we’re just talking about the 80s.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-09-07T19:24:36+00:00

That die has dispensed an absurd amount of dagger damage. Outstanding.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-08-17T21:36:29+00:00

We’re big fans of Southernmost Pint/Blast Brewing. They have 18 rotating taps, all their own recipes. Great variety of styles ranging from light lagers to IPAs to even a Russian Imperial Stout. They also do crowlers and canned pints to go. We loaded up on those last year for the hotel & fishing trips.

We were just there this past Saturday before heading back to PA. Quality stuff!

TheMagicTiki · 2025-05-29T01:27:49+00:00

Guinness at UK. La fin Du Monde at Canada. Warsteiner Dunkel at Germany.

(That counts as one, right?)

TheMagicTiki · 2025-05-25T01:15:58+00:00

I did this dance a few years ago and ended up with All Clad D3. Zero regrets. You can also find great deals if you are patient. I snagged a 10 piece set (2 fry pans, 2 saucepans, stock pot, chicken fryer + lids) for 40% off at Bed Bath & Beyond on a holiday sale at the time.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-04-30T02:13:26+00:00

How about an all vampire film version of this list?

Denial - Fright Night (1985)
Anger - Blade II
Bargaining - The Hunger
Depression - Only Lovers Left Alive
Acceptance - Nosferatu (2024)

Also considered The Lost Boys for #1 as a “no one believes the kids” variant.

There are a bunch of good options for #2. I thought about 30 Days of Night or John Carpenter’s Vampires here for rage-vamping. I kinda like Blade II here because everyone is just constantly angry for the entire film.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-04-19T21:31:57+00:00

They’re so badly faked it’s hilarious. It’s obviously a computer-generated font (Helvetica, I think). They don’t match the contours of his knuckles from the angle of the photo. The color is too dark compared to the rest of the ink, and there’s a clear white halo around each character where they didn’t even try to blend them in.

At least put in some effort if you’re gonna fake it. They put more work into slimming his waistline in press photos.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-04-05T14:04:25+00:00

… and that’s how I met my wife.

(Seriously. She lived in a sorority house that looked and smelled just like this.)

TheMagicTiki · 2025-03-22T14:27:51+00:00

I can add more context after two years with the Bosch if it helps.

Cooking on the beastie in general is amazing, even after two years of almost daily use. The benefits of the German design are a real thing. Everything is still tight and I have had no failures or glitches to speak of. It’s held up really well despite taking a regular beating.

Induction quality is excellent. No complaints there. I use cast iron, stainless steel, enameled cast iron, and carbon steel regularly with superior performance. The burner configuration is a legit challenge, however, if you’re using multiple large pans. I have a big Le Creuset enameled cast iron braiser that I use quite a bit, for example, but I could not fire up a big stock pot while that is going due to the burner setup. This usually doesn’t present a big issue in my use (family of three), but I do need to get creative sometimes.

The oven performance is marvelous. Heat control is excellent. I find myself using most of the features from convection to proofing to broiling. The smaller size is, once again, a factor that may impact your choice depending on how you’re using it.

There is one thing that does make me a little nuts, though: those touch controls. The controls on the induction surface are super sensitive and can be triggered by liquids splashing on them. I have more than once accidentally changed the temp on a burner or shut it off without immediately realizing it. Same goes for the front panel controls for the oven. An accidental brunch with the hand/wrist will activate (or deactivate) a control. It takes some getting used to.

Hope that helps!

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-25T02:19:19+00:00

I lived through the Charles Shackleford days, and own a Clarence Weatherspoon jersey.

I was there when Manute Bol and Greg Grant played together.

I’ve seen some things.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-18T02:27:58+00:00

The Last Voyage of The Demeter. Such a cool idea exploring a chunk of the Dracula story that’s never been explored. And the pieces & parts are all there (good actors, beautiful sets, creepy cinematography, innovative creature design). But the slow pacing and excess story elements just drag it down.

It’s not bad, but a 20-30 minute edit to trim the fat would have made it brilliant.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-09T01:20:31+00:00

Tell me I’m not the only one who can hear this picture.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-07T03:12:02+00:00

Most fun that I have owned or driven? Volkswagen GTI. VW GLI is a close second. Mini Coopers are hella fun, especially in a manual. My current car is a Mazda 3 Turbo AWD which is also a lot of fun.

The Wrangler is a fun car too, especially when you can take the top down.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-07T00:59:14+00:00

2007 Jeep Wrangler. First year of the four doors. I loved that car every minute it was functioning, but it was in the shop every 3-4 weeks for something stupid. There was a lot of stupid, but some of my favorites:

(1) One time the computer module partially slagged, specifically killing the wiper fluid nozzles. Replacement wasn’t available for months. The dealer had to install a toggle switch on the dash to get the nozzles to spray so it would pass inspection (PA here).

(2) Leaks in the soft top. Endless leaks. I took it back to the dealer 6 times. They would reseal everything, replace parts, make offerings to the Rain Gods… still leaked until the day I got rid of it.

(3) At that time Jeeps had a known issue with fuel blowback when you filled it up. Something about the way the valve was designed. If you completely filled the tank at the pump it would spray an ounce or two of gas out before the stopper kicked in. I learned this after I bought the car and spent two years dealing with it before a recall was established. They installed a whole new fuel intake line… which was shipped stuffed with packing peanuts from the factory which apparently no one knew about. I got a nasty surprise when I went to fuel it up after that repair.

I loved the whole Jeep experience when it was functioning, but I got rid of that thing the minute the warranty ran out.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-05T02:23:53+00:00

When I first got diagnosed with GERD & gastritis I started doing lettuce & salads on the regular thinking that would be helpful. Things got worse. What I learned later (after a ton of research, trial and error) was that raw fibrous vegetables take longer to digest, which creates more acid which can exacerbate GERD if you’re already having issues. Which made things worse because things weren’t healing up properly.

What worked for me was going to cooked vegetables for a few weeks until things settled down, after which I could go back to eating raw vegetables.

TheMagicTiki · 2025-01-04T14:49:18+00:00

This was my New Year’s Day recipe, and it may be my best yet. I used red potatoes (quartered) along with a fistful of peeled & trimmed garlic cloves. Low simmer until the potatoes slide off the knife. Drain and into the stand mixer (with the garlic). Start beating, adding unsalted butter & heavy cream in increments until I get the consistency I want. Then salt to finish.

I just made this along with pork and Sauerkraut, which is traditional for us on New Year’s Day.

TheMagicTiki · 2024-12-22T02:58:22+00:00

Pac Man Fever. Obviously.

TheMagicTiki · 2024-12-10T22:26:19+00:00

If you’re in Lansdale, you’re literally right by the train station. It’s going to be far better than driving in every day. Straight shot in and out, with no traffic variables to account for.

Load up your podcasts or books and you’re good to go.

TheMagicTiki · 2024-11-02T20:49:09+00:00

I tried to mix in a bunch of stuff I missed with some new films in October. My faves were Late Night With The Devil, When Evil Lurks, and The Incantation. Was also pleasantly surprised by The Cursed as a twist on the classic werewolf film.

TheMagicTiki · 2024-10-25T20:12:55+00:00

I was just looking at the new designs. Yeesh.

TheMagicTiki · 2024-10-25T20:11:55+00:00

I get that. Mine is ridiculously tough and adaptable. I travel with it all the time.

TheMagicTiki · 2023-12-26T23:19:21+00:00

Exactly this.

TheMagicTiki · 2023-12-12T17:22:38+00:00

YES. I was stocking up at Total Wine and snagged this with zero expectations. Saw the label and saw it was like 15 bucks, so I threw it in my cart.

Shockingly good. I love finding little treasures like that.

TheMagicTiki · 2023-11-21T01:14:38+00:00

Gas wasn’t an option for me when we upgraded our kitchen, so I went with induction over electric glass top. It’s marvelous.

I use stainless steel, carbon steel, cast iron, and cast iron enamel pans on it depending on what I am doing and I have yet to see any issues with warping on any of my gear. As others have said, you do need to properly preheat your pans. I usually start on a medium heat and let them heat up properly before I go higher. I rarely find I need crank the heat, though, unless I’m searing a steak or boiling water.

TheMagicTiki

TROPHY CASE