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The Oldie 'Always dance in the kitchen' comp by 13th November
I’m not quite sure what to make of this one. (I can think of much better advice for a happy marriage… ;))
Jayne The Oldie Competition by Tessa Castro Competition no 196. Asked for advice for a happy marriage, a friend was told: ‘Always dance in the kitchen’. A poem of that title, please. Maximum 16 lines. Entries, by post (The Oldie, 65 Newman Street, London W1T 3EG), fax (020 7436 8804) or email (comps@theoldie.co.uk) to ‘Competition No. 196’ by 13th November. Don’t forget to include your postal address. |
I’d been married twenty years or so, and life was lacking spice
Till I got my best friend’s recipe, and followed his advice. We were dancing in the kitchen, and my hands began to rove; There was something spicy cooking, but not only on the stove. As she nibbled on the starter (no, I don’t mean chicken wings), I discarded all the dressing, and untied the apron-strings. And to follow, a carpaccio of tender, well-oiled rump While I let the main course simmer till the breasts were nicely plump. Then the moment came to lay that scrumptious dish upon the table, So I grabbed the bird, and spread the legs as fast as I was able. (All was natural, organic, for we don’t believe in faking.) A voracious appetite soon had us steaming, boiling, baking - But I got a nasty shock as I was serving up the sauce; My wife had come home early, and it ended in divorce. Let me offer you this moral that will simplify your life: If you’re dancing in the kitchen, just be sure it’s with your wife. |
Brian, that's a marvellous poem!
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As bad as the phrase sounds now, I did actually laugh out loud when I read that Brian.
Delicious. |
Lovely, Brian, but I don't think Tessa likes them rude. Lucy is more earthy altogether. So here's something very clean for her. Apart from a bare derriere of course. Could some kind person stick the French thingy on derriere? Jayne?
Always Dance in the Kitchen Always dance in the kitchen If you kiss on the stair. Feel those shoulders a-twitchin’ Knees and ankles are itchin’. Trousers burst through their stitchin’. Shake that bare derrière. When you dance in the kitchen’ Dance away all your care. Always dance in the kitchen. Wear a rose in your hair. Stop that moanin’ and bitchin’. Flyin’ feet are bewitchin’. Park your troubles and pitch in. Print those steps on the air. Dance for joy in the kitchen’. Love means wanting to share. It ought to have a tune to go to. |
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ALWAYS DANCE IN THE KITCHEN
Gordon Ramsay told me once, "To find a happy niche in The world of haute cuisine, my son, Always dance in the kitchen. "Do not prepare a French soufflé Or macerate a mango Without a box step or plié, A can-can, jig or tango. "Don't bake a cake or ginger snap Or render chicken schmaltz Unless you are prepared to tap, To square dance, or to waltz." My first job out of cooking school, I did the bossa nova. Was Ramsay joking? I'm a fool. My short career is over. |
Thank you, Brian.
Here's a version in four-line stanzas. More singable somehow. Always Dance in the Kitchen Feel those shoulders twitchin'. Love means wanting to share. Always dance in the kitchen When you kiss on the stair. Flyin’ feet are bewitchin’. Wear a rose in your hair. Dance, dance, dance in the kitchen When you kiss on the stair. Trousers burst their stitchin’. Shake that bare derrière. Dance for joy in the kitchen When you kiss on the stair. Park your troubles and pitch in. Print those steps on the air. Always dance in the kitchen When you kiss on the stair. It sort of goes to 'Dance around in your bones'. |
John, when I hold down my "e" key, it eventually cries for mercy and gives me 7 choices onscreen:
è é ê ë ē ė ę 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Then I just type the number of the one I want, and it appears in my Sphere post. Similar things happen when I hold down other letters with variants, e.g.: ñ ń 1 2 Do others lack this superpower? When you hold down your "e" key, do you just get eeeeeeeeee? Maybe it's a Mac thing. |
John, the accent has disappeared again from your new version!
Julie, when I hold down the 'e' key, what I get is a string of eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's, so it must be a Mac thing. John again, if you use Microsoft Word, you can get the accents by clicking on the 'Insert' button at the top of the screen, then clicking on 'Symbol' in the scroll-down menu. |
Sorry to hear that, Brian.
When I used a Dell I saved the following toolkit of diacritical doohickeys as a separate document. That way I could quickly find, copy, and paste what I needed, instead of hunting through a bazillion "Insert" options for the elusive ¿ : Spanish: Á É Í Ó Ú Ç Ñ Ü ¿ ¡ á é í ó ú ç ñ ü ¿ ¡ French: Ç Œ Á  À É Ê È Î Ô Û Ù Ë Ï ç œ á â à é ê è î ô û ù ë ï Misc: £ Æ Œ æ œ |
Go here, find the character you want, click on it, then you can paste it where you want it.
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Yes it does seem to have done. However, it is on the version I have for sending. Just imagine it's there.
eeeeeee Yes, Juli. I can do that too. But to what end? |
I was going to say: "Alternatively, let the Fairy Godmother (my new nickname, it appears) do it for you, John", but I've been out all day and you've beaten me to it!
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You can still do it, Jayne.
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John, do take note of the site I just linked to. It has every conceivable letter and typographical symbol. You need only click on the one you want, then return to where you were writing and hit Control-V for that letter or symbol to appear. Try it.
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Yes, Roger, but who wants every conceivable letter and typographical symbol? Personally, I just want the ones I use. YMMV, of course.
Slightly more on-topic: Always dance in the kitchen. Be spontaneous, yet plan ahead and envision every step, A to Z. Always look before leapin’. He who hesitates? Lost! Good things come to the sleepin’ dogs you fail to accost. Don’t reach into the blender when your boat’s up a tree. Neither a borrower, lender, nor innocent bystander be. Be prepared: don't go twitchin’ bin-less. Still, seize the day. Always dance in the kitchen. Congrats! You’re graduates! Yay! |
I shall, Roger. Thank you.
Tht goes to the same tune, Julie. More or less. |
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PS-- Or if you want to spare yourself the bother, set their "Classic" set as your default page. It looks like a very good collection without too many obscure or extraneous entries. ✌ |
Can Stand the Heat!
Always Dance in the Kitchen
I’m dazzled by her dance across the floor, her beat the rhythm of a racing heart. With restless energy, she makes her start, glides to the kitchen pantry to explore. With whisk in hand, she whips to slowly pour some eggs with parmesan, the crucial part. She tempts me with her culinary art and sashays toward the oven’s open door. Hips shifting high and low, a cheeky sway, she slides her bright frittata (potatoes, eggs, red peppers, onions) into our new Mugnaini. In close embrace, caressing with my legs, I dip her deep to stimulate romancing and sweetly spicy after-dinner dancing. |
If you could bear to change "deeply" to "deep", the line would sing sweeter.
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Ann, thanks! While you were helping that line, I was reworking it. I hope for the better.
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Okay, Roger, I surrender:
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Not sure, Ralph - I think you've scuppered the scansion now.
I like the dipping deep because of the (additional) dance image - a lovely waltz move - I see Ginger bending over backwards (so to speak!) while Fred holds her, safe but at his mercy... |
Ann, you're absolutely right, so thanks again! I had him behind her in the previous line, which would make for an awkward dip, so also changed Behind to Closer.
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“Always dance in the kitchen.” That is really crap advice!
I did a Boogaloo and spilled a two-pound bag of rice. While waltzing with a pan of oil I slopped some on the floor, then trod in it and nearly did a cartwheel through the door. I rumba-ed while I peeled the spuds and tango-ed as I stirred some soup, but did my back in and I thought: This is absurd. “Here’s how to have a happy marriage:’’ someone said to me, “Always dance in the kitchen.” I can’t see how that can be the way to wedded bliss. I grilled some sausages and jived, but burnt myself so badly it’s a wonder I survived. The kitchen is a place to cook, and wash up; that is all. It’s not for dancing in; eventually you’re bound to fall. I haven’t even mentioned knives – I just can’t bear to think of slipping while you do a quickstep straight into the sink. You foxtrot, samba, cha cha, all you like – though I’ll ask, “Why?” I’ve done a Risk Assessment and the danger’s far too high! |
The night I first laid eyes on you,
You hesitantly looked at me. Fate must have deemed our love was true; We danced in the kitchen from supper to three. At making love ... mere amateurs, And now that ember barely glows; But in out hearts the flame endures As still we remember those passionate throes. Our kids have grown and moved away; Careers we cherished, laid to rest. If starting over, I would say I'd do it again, since you are the best. There's no disgrace in falling ill, And growing old is not a crime, When every dawn repeats the thrill Of dancing in the kitchen that very first time. |
Always Dance In The Kitchen
Hey, good looking, I've sampled your cooking, and flavor is not what it's rich in. Your soup was near fatal, so put down that ladle. From now on just dance in the kitchen. |
Nice pithy one, Roger. Typo For for From in Line 6 ?
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Roger,
Some of this can be sung to the tune of Cole Porter's "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". Maybe you can expand on it a little in that direction? |
Thanks, Doug. I thought short was better, you comment caused me to try an expanded version:
Always Dance In The Kitchen Hey, good looking, I've sampled your cooking, and flavor is not what it's rich in. Your soup was near fatal, so put down that ladle. From now on just dance in the kitchen. I shouldn't have swallowed. The nausea that followed! I'm grateful you wanted to pitch in, but pay heed, my sweetie, to this, my entreaty: From now on just dance in the kitchen. |
Roger,
Ahh .... the more, the merrier; especially Lines 10 and 11. |
DANCE LORE
Always dance in the kitchen, Never sleep in the hall; Waltz away on the balcony, Don’t let your love affair pall. Chassé on past the sofa, Don’t drop off by the fire; Skip and zoom round the dining room - Passion’s fruit surfeits desire. Quick-step up on the staircase, Never slump in that chair; Pirouette on the landing, yet Love’s a sure-footed affair. Paso doble the bathroom, Never pause by the glass; Tango instead, swiftly to bed - Dance partners’ rhythms have class. |
Another Kitchen Dance
I could have danced all night beneath the kitchen light where we had danced before. My partner tapped her toes, minced an Italian rose soon bopping in the oil. The eggplant was exciting, aromas so inviting, we danced a pas de deux. I only know when she agrees to cook with me, we dance, dance, dance all night! |
ALWAYS DANCE IN THE KITCHEN
Dance in the kitchen Since what is romance for If we only cha cha When loose on the dance floor? Come, cook on the dance floor Since it's my ambition To switch on your burners While not in the kitchen. |
Always Dance in the Kitchen
Dance in the Kitchen as a Rule of Thumb
Utility and improvising meet. |
That Grind We’re In
It’s dancing near the kitchen stove. It’s love. The foodies’ dance that raises stakes: It makes— when entrées for their tastes abound— their hips grind round. Those who dance in kitchens sound like famished couples having fun, and frisking so they’ll soon be one. It’s love: it makes their hips grind round. |
From Whence Does Your Sprightliness Come? (The Kitchen Dance)
From Where Does that Sprightliness Come? (The Kitchen Dance)
I know now where your sprite is from,. |
One Stodgy Philosopher's Advice to a Friend
Don't dance! Don't even step one foot in. |
Keep Out, nor Dance in the Kitchen: a Chef Apprentice's Warning)
Don't Dance in his Kitchen |
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