August 12, 2021
What's This Here
by Joey Bokor
by Joey Bokor
When we aren't playing with plants, another of our favorite things to do is to create in the kitchen. I was cooking dinner with
our daughters Abby and Maddy the other day and had assigned them each to a different course. Abby was in charge of the side dish and was working on some cauli-tots (which I have to say
are a really delicious way to eat cauliflower, still no replacement for real tater tots though
. . . ) and Maddy was working on a dipping sauce for our chicken. Both girls bounced around the kitchen like it was a pinball machine hunting for the ingredients of their respective recipes.
And then we came to an ingredient that reminded me of a joke my grandpa used to tell. You know you've got a dad or a grandpa that loves to tell 'funny' jokes. Well, for Maddy's recipe, she needed to get out the Worcestershire Sauce. Her first attempt at pronunciation went something like 'Wor-kester-shier' sauce. Abby gave it a try and 'Wer-kest-sure' sauce came out. Then I told them that anytime we had to get that ingredient out at my grandparents' house (probably for the fish we'd caught on the Rainbow River) my grandfather would say 'Joey, do you know why it's called that?' I would say 'No, Grandpa' and he would respond, 'Because someone tasted it and said "What's-this-here" sauce'. Which when he told it sounded really close to the official pronunciation of 'Woos-ter-sher'. And he would chuckle to himself at his 'humor' and we would all sit down and enjoy some What's This Here sauce with our dinner.
Of course, his name for the sauce was pretty good. After a little research, it seems that the original recipe has never been revealed, but it has origins in India and may contain: vinegar, anchovies, tamarind, molasses, garlic, onions, sugar and salt. I happen to like it and always use a dash when I'm making guacamole for a little extra zip and especially love it on a thick juicy steak. In my house, it will always be called 'What's This Here' sauce, and I am proud to say that I am carrying on the tradition of corny dad (and grandpa) jokes. I can see Abby and Maddy rolling their eyes from here.
And then we came to an ingredient that reminded me of a joke my grandpa used to tell. You know you've got a dad or a grandpa that loves to tell 'funny' jokes. Well, for Maddy's recipe, she needed to get out the Worcestershire Sauce. Her first attempt at pronunciation went something like 'Wor-kester-shier' sauce. Abby gave it a try and 'Wer-kest-sure' sauce came out. Then I told them that anytime we had to get that ingredient out at my grandparents' house (probably for the fish we'd caught on the Rainbow River) my grandfather would say 'Joey, do you know why it's called that?' I would say 'No, Grandpa' and he would respond, 'Because someone tasted it and said "What's-this-here" sauce'. Which when he told it sounded really close to the official pronunciation of 'Woos-ter-sher'. And he would chuckle to himself at his 'humor' and we would all sit down and enjoy some What's This Here sauce with our dinner.
Of course, his name for the sauce was pretty good. After a little research, it seems that the original recipe has never been revealed, but it has origins in India and may contain: vinegar, anchovies, tamarind, molasses, garlic, onions, sugar and salt. I happen to like it and always use a dash when I'm making guacamole for a little extra zip and especially love it on a thick juicy steak. In my house, it will always be called 'What's This Here' sauce, and I am proud to say that I am carrying on the tradition of corny dad (and grandpa) jokes. I can see Abby and Maddy rolling their eyes from here.
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The Weekly Special
$10 off your purchase of $40 or more
Use the code whatsthishere at checkout.
Valid Through 8/18/2021
Use the code whatsthishere at checkout.
Purchase must be $40 in product before tax or shipping to receive $10 discount.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Use the code whatsthishere at checkout.
Life just gets better when you add plants to it. Find something new for
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Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Highlights of This Week's New Arrivals
Click to Shop the Collection
New items won't show until they go live at 12pm EST on Thursday.
Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah
Alocasia Black Velvet
Alocasia Pink Dragon
Alocasia Polly
Alocasia Sarian
Calathea Rattlesnake
Dracaena Janet Craig Compact
Fern Leslie Bird's Nest
Fern Pteris Tricolor
Ficus Audrey
Ficus Triangle Variegated
Ficus Umbelleta
Hemigraphis Purple Waffle
Monstera Dubia
Orchid Cactus
Peperomia Angulata
Pepermonia Golden Gate
Philodendron 69686
Philodendron Goeldii
Philodendron Red Emerald
Philodendron Silver Sword
Philodendron Tortum
Philodendron Xanadu
Pilea Moon Valley
Prayer Plant Red
Rhaphidophora Decursiva
Syngonium Ice Frost
Click to Shop the Collection
New items won't show until they go live at 12pm EST on Thursday.
Aglaonema Sparkling Sarah
Alocasia Black Velvet
Alocasia Pink Dragon
Alocasia Polly
Alocasia Sarian
Calathea Rattlesnake
Dracaena Janet Craig Compact
Fern Leslie Bird's Nest
Fern Pteris Tricolor
Ficus Audrey
Ficus Triangle Variegated
Ficus Umbelleta
Hemigraphis Purple Waffle
Monstera Dubia
Orchid Cactus
Peperomia Angulata
Pepermonia Golden Gate
Philodendron 69686
Philodendron Goeldii
Philodendron Red Emerald
Philodendron Silver Sword
Philodendron Tortum
Philodendron Xanadu
Pilea Moon Valley
Prayer Plant Red
Rhaphidophora Decursiva
Syngonium Ice Frost
