The Case of the Ugly Dunklings.

One thing that dunklings have going for them is that they taste delicious. One thing they do not have going for them is their looks. At best, they look like slimy intestinal sacs filled with unidentifiable mushiness. Like the torsos of anemic and seriously flabby fish. Like something extracted from an ogre's nostrils.

But an ugly dish can be redeemed by being paired with a breath-takingly beautiful dish such as Mom's Uncompromisingly Delicious Bean Dip, the nickname you children will undoubtedly have given this particular dish as soon as you're able to speak.

So that's it. That's the whole lesson. Dress things up by pairing them with something nicer. It's not a metaphor about insisting on only being photographed with friends who are uglier than you so you can look prettier by comparison. Although now that you mention it, that's never really a bad idea, either.

The Curious Case of the Fancy Beer.

Your father is not usually a fancy man. But every now and then, he'll surprise me with some unexpectedly fancy behavior. This weekend, for example, he was drinking a perfectly un-fancy Schlafly pilsner. Normal, right?

But then he poured it into an absurdly fancy glass and started sipping it like a lady-man.

And I was like, huh?

 

P.S. What's that bowl of bean dippy-looking stuff in the background? What's boiling on the stove? Check back tomorrow for all the juicy details about the dinner that began in the pantry and ended in tradgedy... the Case of the Ugly Dunklings*.

*Yes, I know standard English calls this food "dumplings." But sometimes I like to switch "dump" and "dunk." It's pretty fun, kids. You should try it.