My birthday is coming up on August 16th (it’s not a national holiday yet, but they do commemorate Elvis’ death every year on that day). Anyway, my wife has told me I have a choice for a present: Go see Alton Brown at the Opryland Hotel (my culinary hero), or get a stand mixer so I can attempt to cook like Alton.
This is very, very tough. It would cost about $200 for all four of us to go see Alton (and it WOULD have to be all four of us; my kids absolutely LOVE him). If I used that money for a stand mixer, it would not be top of the line, for sure (those babies are EXPENSIVE!) In fact, I may be hard pressed to find one for only $200.
I am so torn. To go see Alton Brown would be a memory of a lifetime. But a stand mixer would probably last the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I have a wonderful wife. But I don’t know which to choose. Suggestions?
July 25, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Ummm…Hrmmm….That is tough. How ’bout this? Go see Alton this week, then buy the stand mixer next week as a “belated” birthday present?
July 26, 2007 at 1:16 am
Are you going to be 30? If so, maybe you’re E reincarnated!
I’m thinking about going to Memphis for the 30th anniversary.
Is that something you and the Mrs. might want to do?
July 26, 2007 at 5:46 am
Sharon – I’m a weeee bit older than that. August 16, 1977 was my 13th birthday. My mother cried a lot that day. Took me years to understand why.
July 26, 2007 at 7:20 am
Dude, you can get Alton on DVD. A stand mixer is the gift that will “keep on giving”!
July 26, 2007 at 7:58 am
Go see Alton. Your kids are old enough that they’ll always remember too.
July 26, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Dude, I say “Stand mixer.”
It was one of the best presents I’ve ever gotten.
July 26, 2007 at 2:56 pm
I’ve got a friend coming in from Toronto to see Alton. I think that’s as much worship as he needs. Get the mixer. Seriously. It will give you as much pleasure (in both intensity and duration), over time, as seeing Alton in person.
July 26, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Both! Here’s how. Look at the mixer from cuisinart that is hand held. IT is a whopping 200 watts compared to the stand mixer from Kitchenaid that is only 375 watts that you are considering. This way you can do both. When you are ready for the big mixer (throw money into a pot each week) then look at the new york times aritcle that showed the Cuisinart standmixer that is 800 watts!! Kitchenaid is in for a run for their money. I have three kitchenaid! and they sit there now that I have it. I even bought the largest one that is 1000 watts and hums when I do bread dough.
Do both! I met him and chatted for 35 minutes and he is worth is, so nice and polite.
July 30, 2007 at 9:33 am
Aldis has stand mixers for $19.99 and they are actually really good…anyway, it will get you by until you can save up for the real thing…Alton, baby!
July 30, 2007 at 9:45 am
Well, if you’re going to give in to the cult of personality like that, I’ll tell my friend to keep an eye out for you.