Oh, I Could Write a Sonnet About Your Easter Bonnet

This is my new dear friend Bonnie Boo-Boos in her Easter outfit. Bonnie lives in Liverpool, England with her siblings, Bella Boo-Boos and Flash-Gordon. She is engaged to Pog The killerdog and her birthday is this Friday, April 9. Happy Boo Boo Boo-Boos!

B-B sends greetings:
"Happy Easter everyone. Seriously. I’m really happy and I hope you are too. It’ll be great when everyone at the park starts picking on me. I’m sure they’ll think 4 ears is just as cool as 4 eyes. No really…as long as you’re amused there’s no reason to worry about my feelings."

When pressed, Pog gave the following statement, "ok so im a rescue and was a bit of a mess when i moved here thats why my tongue sticks out coz ive only got 2 teeth left,so leave the jokes out coz the 2 ive got left still work if you get my drift and i like to test them out on a daily basis!"

Moving on... to Bratislava....My favorite couple, International Champion Bhoomi Lamleh Schambala (I call her Boom Boom) and father International Multi Champion Wanted Nice Dogs Farouk Lamleh (I call him Rouk) had a most beautiful litter of 8 Dalmatians (somehow). On the day the pups were born, April 1, I congratulated the couple on their beautiful Dalmatian pups. Now that's the best April Fool's Day joke ever, I thought. Boom-boom replied, "Danke schön, thank you, ďakujeme :) Yes, they really look dalmatians like :D Especially one of the boys has orderly dalmatians-dots :))) his nickname is Dalmatian :D"

Below: Proud Tibetan Terrier mom on the day she gave birth to 8 Dalmatian pups (April Fool's Day).

In case you don't know, Bratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic and, with a population of about 429,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries. Bratislava and Vienna are the two European national capitals which is one of the closest to one another, at less than 60 kilometres (37 mi) apart.

On a rainy day in Rimbo, Sweden this pup was "VERY dirty (and happy after she had played in the mud)," reports his mom.







And here is a pic of another of this Swedish mom's adorable pups. "Our beloved little princess Wilma (SE & FIN Ch, SE W-08 Thorii's Streetperson) today after a long walk in lovely weather!"

I Feel Pretty

After all those comparisons to that dead dog Inky I was feeling quite down. Dad knew just the thing to lift my spirits. A new hairdo.

So, after he brushed me out this morning, he gave me two interlocking ponytails on each side of my head. Dad thought it made me look very Gretel as in Hansel and Gretel. I'm thinking more along the line of Krystle Carrington from Dynasty. What do you think? Angus is the one that looks like Gretel. Even if he is a boy. What with all that blond hair. And dad is always putting his hair up. He really has to. Angus has so much hair that it's hard for him to see where he's going if he doesn't have his hair up. I mean his hair is so thick over his eyes that he has been known to walk into telephone poles.

Angus gets his hair pulled up in all sorts of ways. Sometimes in two Pippi Longstocking ponytails. He kinda looks like a baby Briard when sporting this look, Sometimes in one big ponytail on the top of his head like a Samurai. Sometimes in interlocking ponytails like the ones I have today. He has so much hair, he usually gets three interlocking ponytails on each side not just two. I don't know if there is a name for interlocking ponytails. I have this high falutin' idea that it looks like a modified French Twist. But I really have no idea whatsoever. You know what? I just looked it up and my hair is nothing like a modified French Twist. All I know is I feel pretty. Oh so pretty

Spit

Above: Wendy Burden in her Portland, Ore., home with her dog, Spit. The bust is by William Ordway Partridge, her great-grandfather.

Spit is my newest and dearest and bestest friend. Spit is a border terrier. His mom, Wendy, just wrote an amazing book, Dead End Gene Pool, which comes out on Thursday. Wendy is a Vanderbilt descendent and the book is all about wealth and life and syphilis and dysfunction. It's creating a HUGE buzz. You have to read the New York Times article about it. Here's a link:

At Home With Wendy Burden - A Vanderbilt Descendant Laughs Off Dysfunction - NYTimes.com

Well when I saw Spit there lounging on her mommy's lap I just had to reach out. I'm a starfucker (doggy style) you know. Wendy promises to contribute something for the blog after the craziness of the book launch dies down a bit. I don't know if it ever will really

Anyway, in the meantime Wendy sent me a little doggy teaser just to shut me up!

Suddie,
Here's a pic of my other (late) Border, Harry. I am totally jonesing for a new puppy, even though I still have Spit--but she's almost 14. More later!
Wendy

Harry sure was handsome!

Above: Spit and Wendy in their front yard with the lions from Florham, her great-grandmother's childhood home in New Jersey.

As you will read in Dead End Gene Pool, Wendy's younger brother, Edward, came to believe he was the reincarnation of their father, who died before he was born. He also has created a Facebook profile for his dead mother Leslie Tobey. Leslie/Edward and I had a nice chat:

Leslie Tobey: Yawn.



Suddie Lancaster-Taylor: Leslie. Why won't you friend me? Yawn right back at u!


Leslie Tobey: Look, sweetie...I "friended" a guy from Pakistan...he looked good...he started sending me bad poetry. Need I say more?

Suddie Lancaster-Taylor: Leslie baby, give it one more try. I promise no poetry. Maybe a little sniffing in inappropriate places.

Leslie Tobey: You do look a lot like Inky...



Suddie Lancaster-Taylor: Inky? r u going to be my friend or what. i can be your only one. man's best friend and all...

Leslie Tobey: As I told my kids, neediness does not make one popular...


Suddie Lancaster-Taylor: Maybe I'm Inky Reincarnate.



Leslie Tobey: Ok...my "Darling" daughter, sent me a link to your hats. I relent...you seem interesting.


Suddie Lancaster-Taylor: I knew you would. I am a persistent bitch.


Wendy gave me the scoop:

"Inky was the cockapoo we had when we moved to England as kids She was from a shelter, so she could actually have been a Tibetan, except she was remarkably stupid. I had an English Bull terrier for 15 years that was the smartest dog ever---but a LOT of work. She loved a good scrap, with anything. Dogs, cats, mounted policemen, vacuum cleaners."

I sent Wendy a pic of my new knit cap from Aunt Joyce and she replied:

"OMG!!!! That is the funniest---!!! And I don't go for clothing on dogs, but if I did you KNOW Spit would be sporting one for Easter. My brother has 2 sheared Shitzus---he might need one. In black maybe."

I told Wendy that Leslie/Edward friended me on Facebook. "I think it may be because I told him I might be Inky Reincarnate," I ventured.

Wendy replied, "It might be because I sent him the hat picture from your site!"

That knit cap is a godsend Aunt Joyce!

Then Leslie/Edward sent me a message and a pic:

This is Inky...with Ed and Wendy, in Richmond





I DO think I may be Inky Reincarnate. Only with a slightly better doo.

Puppy Love

Above: Toby, my first, and only, love and our love child Pandora.

Puppy love is in the air. It's in the White House, it's on the big screen, and now it's online in the new original series from Sex & the City writer-producer Amy B. Harris.

Hosted by Lexus's just-launched L Studio, home to original films, interviews and musings on everything from high heels to desk design, Puppy Love is all about New Yorkers and their dogs -- dogs who might be gay, dogs who warrant more attention than their owners, dogs as stand-in boyfriends (in Famke Janssen's case, a boyfriend who doesn't let a real man get in the way).

Actors including Janssen, Ally Sheedy and Janel Moloney jumped to be part of the series once they heard Lexus would donate $50,000 to the ASPCA on their behalf.
In fact all the actors, writers and directors on the show donated their time to the project in support of the ASPCA.

Spring Has Sprung

Now that spring has arrived, I finally received my knit cap from Aunt Joyce. And let me tell you it was worth the wait. It is a beautiful variegated pink with pink ear muffs. And it fits like a dream. You may remember that I have been pining for this hat since I discovered it in the book Pet Projects: The Animal Knits Bible. I wrote about it in my post For Whom is that Little Fur Cap?

When I received a package in the mail from Aunt Joyce in January, I ripped the package open only to find a knit hat for Angus not me.












Aunt Joyce delivered my hat herself, but I was downstairs when she arrived and Angus slipped on my hat before anyone knew what happened. He doesn't understand or care that blue is for boys and pink is for girls. I think that rule generally applies except when it comes to oxford shirts or polo shirts or a little rouge for color. Just ask Ronald Reagan. Well damn if Angus didn't look like a hunk in my pink knit cap. I made him take it off right away and put on his own beautiful blue knit cap. I didn't want him stretching my hat all out. Wool stretches you know. I once had a wool sweater that looked like a misshapen maxi (dress not pad) after I had worn it just a few times.

Well this little fur cap is all mine. Even though Roxie looks like a bleeping beauty queen in it. I sometimes feel like Santa Claus next to her. But's it's OK when a daughter is prettier than her mother. It's sometimes difficult when it's the other way around. Don't get me wrong, I still get my share of boys sniffing around my garden gate. If you know what I mean.

Since I am sharing pics of my family donning silly hats. I have to share this pic of Grammy Jill wearing a fabulous pink fur hat with ears. Dad made her put it on. It actually looked quite fetching. Grammy would have bought it if not for the ears. Very 1960's Pierre Cardin. He's still alive you know. He bought the restaurant Maxim's in Paris and restored it to its former glory. That's what Suzy Menkes told me

Rise of the TTs

Guess what! Yesterday my pups Elsa and Rufus competed in the ring for the very first time. It was a puppy match for pups aged 3 -6 months and it took place right after the best of breed competition. It was also their handlers', Grace and Ryan, first time in a ring. It was a great day.


The entire team, including little sister Sophia, arrived at the show a bit early and hanging out in the stands seemed like an eternity but it did give Ryan and Grace a lot of time to groom Rufus and Elsa.




Grace and Ryan bathed and groomed the pups and put on some very smart outfits themselves including the junior handler pins that they received from the AKC. And, as a finishing touch, fanny packs to hold treats for Elsa and Rufus. Grace wore some very snazzy boots.





Everyone performed like champs in the ring although Rufus did not like the judging table at all. He laid down at first but Ryan got him up and stacked. He also likes to sit down in the ring which is a no no.





Elsa looked peppy and spirited with Grace in the ring. Very Grace-ful.








Rufus took winners dog and Elsa took winners bitch. Rufus championed over Elsa in the best of breed competition after which he advanced to the non-sporting group competition. Do I have to mention that they were the only Tibetan Terriers in the puppy match? The group competition was very rigorous with the judge putting all the pups through their paces, going back and forth, bringing them around the ring at least three times. Eventually Rufus was given second place in the group competition.




Of all the non-sporting puppies, he got SECOND place. How awesome.

Ryan, Grace, and Sophia celebrated with dairy queen cones and promptly fell asleep on the ride home. It was a very great day.

Blouses, Lost Dogs and Caesar Salad

Little Maya from Watford, England read my post about her and wrote to explain what it meant when her mom called her a blouse.

Suddie,
Lol, a blouse is short for girls blouse, meaning big baby!!!
Maya

Now I'm wondering is that a sexist term? What do you think? I prefer the more straightforward bitch.


I also received a note from Ella, my new dear friend from the Isle of Skye. She looked into the status of Maisie, the adorable 3-legged TT that needed a home in London and provided an update.

Dear Suddie,
Great news we just checked on the Mayhew Animal Home where Maisie was staying, she has been reserved for adoption and looking forward to her new home.
Love and licks,
Ella
That is great news. I just love Maisie. I can't help wondering what is happening with the adorable TT in LA that needs a home. HOT TIP: LA TT Needs a Home

And, now, let's get to the good stuff...Caesar Salad. I got dad to give me the Julia Child recipe that he loves so much and also a little a history too. A little more than I (and you) bargained for perhaps?

History

The salad's history is unclear. Contrary to popular belief it is probably not named after Julius Caesar. It probably was created by Caesar Cardini (an Italian-born Mexican). Cardini was living in San Diego but also working in Tijuana where he avoided the restrictions of Prohibition. As his daughter Rosa (1928–2003) reported, her father invented the dish when a Fourth of July 1924 rush depleted the kitchen's supplies. Cardini made do with what he had, adding the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing "by the chef".

Another story is that the salad was created for Hollywood stars after a weekend party. Others suggest Caesar's brother Alex created it as "Aviator's salad" for San Diego aviator comrades who were in a hurry, and the dish was renamed later, when Alex was a partner of his brother. A few fellows among Cardini's personnel claimed the authorship, but without success.

There is no direct documentary reference to it until the mid-1940s— twenty years after the 1924 origin asserted by the Cardinis. It appeared on a Los Angeles restaurant menu in October 1946.

Recipe

The original Caesar's salad recipe (unlike Alex's Aviator's salad) did not contain pieces of anchovy; the slight anchovy flavor comes from the Worcestershire sauce. Cardini was opposed to using anchovies in his salad.

In the book From Julia Child's Kitchen, Julia Child describes how she ate a Caesar's salad at Cardini's restaurant when she was a child in 1920s, and some 50 years later she called Cardini's daughter, in order to discover the original recipe. In this recipe, lettuce leaves are served whole on the plate, because they are meant to be lifted by the stem and eaten with the fingers. It also calls for coddled eggs and Italian olive oil.

Julia described Caesar's tableside presentation in her book:

"Caesar himself rolled the big cart up to the table, tossed the romaine in a great wooden bowl, and I wish I could say I remember his every move, but I don't. The only thing I see again clearly is the eggs. I can see him break 2 eggs over that romaine and roll them in, the greens going all creamy as the eggs flowed over them."

The Cardini family trademarked the original recipe in 1948, and more than a dozen varieties of bottled Cardini's dressing are available today. Some recipes include one or more of mustard, avocado, tomato, bacon bits, or garlic cloves. Rochelle Low is credited with the creation of the "nouveau-Caesar" style by adding the hotly contested ingredient of anchovies to the dressing recipe. This style is found in fancy restaurants with the anchovies served on the side. Cardini's Brand original Caesar dressing is somewhat different from Rosa's version.

Many restaurants offer a more substantial salad by topping a Caesar salad with grilled chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp. Certain Mexican restaurants even improvise on items such as substituting tortilla strips for croutons and Cotija cheese for the Parmesan, or the addition of tomatoes in the Letchworth salad.

CAESAR'S SALAD
1/2 cup day-old bread, cubed
3/4 cup garlic oil
2 small heads romaine lettuce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 eggs, coddled (boiled in the shell for 1 minute)
Juice of 2 medium lemons
8-10 drops of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. To prepare the garlic oil, place 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped in a good quality (e.g. Extra Virgin) olive oil and let it stand at room temperature several hours or even up to 5 days.

2. To prepare croutons, pre-heat oven to 225 degrees. Toss bread cubes with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and garlic mixture and spread on a pan or baking sheet. Toss frequently and bake until golden brown, about 2 hours.

3. Wash, dry and crisp (in the refrigerator) the leaves of the romaine lettuce. Originally, Caesar left the lettuce leaves whole, and the salad was eaten with the fingers, but later he tore the outer leaves into 2-inch lengths, leaving only the small inner leaves whole, and the salad was eaten with a fork.

4. Place lettuce in a large bowl and toss with remaining 1/2 cup of garlic oil. Add pepper, again tossing gently. Break the coddled eggs over the lettuce, add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and toss two or three times. Add cheese. Toss. Add croutons. Toss lightly once more.

Serves 4.

Note: Instead of making the croutons from day-old bread, my dad buys plain unseasoned croutons at the store and prepares them on the stovetop in a pan with the 1/4 cup of the olive oil and garlic mixture. Cooking until the croutons are lightly golden brown. He also tends to be more liberal with the Worcestershire sauce and parmesan cheese.