Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Sachertorte. But that's subject to change.

Taking the time to do a proper mise en place.

Red wine, shallot, garlic, herbs of your choice, butter or cream pan sauce for sauteed chicken or pork. Throw some in the pan if you're roasting pork or chicken instead. Stuff them with blue cheese and wrap them in bacon and bake in a 450 oven until the bacon is cooked. Quarter them and add them to a salad. Make a lot of jam. There's a good recipe for a balsamic fig jam in the Ad Hoc book. Brandy some and keep them in the fridge (there's a good recipe on the LA Times website).

I'm friends with a married couple both with birthdays on May 21. They're throwing a big party in a park, grilling a lot of meat and asked people to bring side dishes, something you would want to be eating when the final judgement comes. I have no clue what to make for it!

Pork tacos from Hapa SF in San Francisco.

It's a great fish! I like making a wet rub with cajun seasoning, lime juice, lime zest and a little olive oil, then grilling over high heat. Not quite blackened, but still tasty.

Ah, so many choices! I had a GF from Alabama so I spent many weeks there. Tempted to say pulled pork or Hummingbird Cake which I'd never heard of before, but to me the iconic dish will always be country ham with red eye gravy and biscuits.

I really liked my Cuisinart until my friend left her Gaggia with me. I hope she forgets I still have it. But unless you're doing side by side comparisons, the Cuisinart will be more than fine. Keep the bowl(s) in the freezer if you can.

Jeff Smith back in the day.

Chicken in a tomato garam masala sauce an Indian friend from college showed me how to make. It's a staple now.

Spam musubi, CA roll, and inari sushi; tonkatsu and salad with creamy miso-mayo dressing

Jumped the shark refers to something being creatively exhausted to the point that absurdity creeps in and it's effectively ruined from then on. To that end, macarons can never jump the shark even if certain versions are ridiculous. They're too classic and too good.

If you like making and eating them, just do it and don't worry about what other people are doing. Anyone who tells you that your efforts are behind the curve or so last year isn't worth dealing with.