The Grilled Cheese

When things are written down people can go back and see what i'm referring to. But when they're spoken that's not as easy, so people have less time to get my strange connections.

While waiting for the Giants game start after a rain delay, I finished up my taxes (finally). When the game finally came on four hours later, I was impressed --in addition to Timmy's 10 K's, Panda's power and a great Giants victory-- by the number of fans still in attendance after such a long break in crappy weather.

...Which got me thinking. Did all those fans stay in the ballpark, or did they go to nearby bars to wait out the rain? I know what I would have done: $9 beers are not gonna cut it when there's no baseball to watch.

That is the reason stadiums and other venues can charge such high prices for food and drink. While you are captivated by their exclusive offering (live baseball, big screen movie, or rollercoasters), you are (unhappily) willing to pay $9 for a crappy beer or $5 for a bag of cheap popcorn. But if that attraction isn't there, why would you stay?

Based on this intuition, I have a recommendation for baseball teams. When there is a rain delay, drop the price of beer and food to more standard levels. More fans will stick around, which means a better atmosphere and more money for the team. You might have to keep the prices low once the game starts to avoid pissing fans off, but keeping fans in the stadium will be well worth it.

Perhaps teams could turn rain delays into exciting party times. Just imagine a bunch of fans hanging out by the food vendors with music playing. With that kind of awesomeness, I'd almost hope for a rain delay!

I have an interesting relationship with TV. I love watching it, but I know that there are probably better things I can be doing with that time. I guess it comes down to a laziness factor: I love lying on my couch and vegging out, but I know I could be more productive. 

Hello everybody!

I've decided to change the name of my blog. I have two reasons for this, one whimsical and one practical. First, I got tired of "Spencerous." I'm not really sure why, but it just wasn't cutting it any more. Maybe it had something to do with it being related to Posterous. 

Second, I think a name change will get help get me back in the blogging game. I've been reading in the bleachers for a while, and I feel like it's time I get back on the field. And so, with further ado, I give you...

Ado.

Now, without further terrible jokes, I give you...

The Grilled Cheese Factory

Those of you who have known me in the last couple years know that I'm not much of a chef. But I do have one recipe that I love to make. Grilled cheese sandwiches. I can say, in all honesty, that every single person who has tried my grilled cheese has absolutely loved it (and that's not a dirty joke). In honor of this momentous occasion, here is the recipe:

2 slices of bread. Not too thick, and not too thin. Not too hard, but not too airy. Potato bread or a light sourdough is ideal, but wheat will also do the trick.

2 slices of cheese. If Snapple wanted to be honest, they'd make a drink out of cheese cause it's the best stuff on earth. So don't skimp on the cheese. Get some good quality havarti, muenster, jack, colby, colbyjack, pepperjack, or similar, and use 2 different cheeses for each sandwich. Experimentation is always good, but be careful. Some cheeses melt at different rates, which will make the texture inconsistent. For example, I've found that cheddar melts pretty slowly, so it's usually not quite melted when the other cheese is dripping down the side and the bread is about to start charring. It still tastes good, so sometimes I put it in anyways. Lastly, 2 slices is plenty, but if you are about to die anyways, why not throw on a third?

Cream cheese. This is what makes the sandwich. If you don't believe me, that's ok; most people don't until they try it. Get some good plain cream cheese. Whipped is easiest to spread, so I usually go with that. It's also a great texture for just eating plain, so sometimes I scoop a bit for myself before making the sandwich.

Once you have these together, start by spreading a layer of cream cheese on one slice of bread. It can be as thick as you want, but I try not to overdo it. Next add the slices of cheese, and then the other slice of bread. Now you'll need something to grill it on. Anything should do, like a frying pan, grill top, or even a hot sidewalk. I use a George Foreman because it's easy. Oh, and you'll probably want to start heating it up before you start getting your ingredients together to save time, which I've heard is just like money.

Once your grill is hot enough -- Don't ask me how hot is hot enough. Just guess, it's not really that important -- stick your sandwich in there. Let it go till the cheese starts melting down the sides and the bread is a nice golden brown. I guess that means the temperature is kind of important, but I can't really tell you what to do, so you'll have to figure it out on your own. Worst case scenario is that you have to eat some extra melty cheese.

The next step is the best part. When it's done, take it out and eat it. Savor it. Or don't. You can always make another. Or give it to somebody else and they will love you forever.

Before I'm done, I have to give credit to Noah's Bagels for the inspiration behind this recipe. A while ago, they made a grilled cheese sandwich with potato bread and cream cheese that was amazing, so I copied it. They also used tomatoes, so if you are so inclined you can give that a shot.

That's it. Hopefully you will have many good meals and I will actually keep blogging this time.