Big Show Highlights Monday, February 8th

Wow this study was eye opening for me....love to hear what you think about it. Group Publishing commissioned a survey that showed that less than 18 percent of Americans say the church is the friendliest place in town. The church ranked second behind "my home," which 35 percent of Americans listed and low number indicates that what is generally considered to be one of the safest havens in the world isn't seen as that friendly by most Americans. Even among self-declared Christians, less than a quarter named the church as the friendliest place, only seven percent of non-Christians agreed. Chris Howley is director of research at Group Publishing and said, quote, "What the survey revealed for us is that people are really starved for relationship when it comes to what they're looking for in the church."

We need more people like this! Check this story out..A police officer in Montana went out of his way to help a family in need last weekend. Officer Marek Ziegler purchased food for a man and his family just minutes after arresting him for shoplifting. Ziegler was called to a local supermarket last Friday after receiving a report of shoplifting. The 33-year-old encountered a man who had stuffed food, pens, and markers into his coat to give to his kids. The man told Ziegler he was forced to steal for his family after falling on hard times financially. Ziegler had to charge the man for the crime, but he decided to swing through a nearby Wal-Mart and purchase some groceries for the man's family. Ziegler remarks, quote, "Obviously, as a police officer, I have a job to do, but we're still human too."

Alton Brown is my favorite Food Network personality. He just published an article and he names 5 cookbooks that EVERYBODY should have at home. Here is the list and a brief description of each book.

1. The Joy of Cooking By Irma S. Rombauer
1936

Every recipe is written in the book's unmistakable style, with ingredients and amounts seamlessly integrated into the instructions. For me this is still the quintessential American cookbook.

2. The Frugal Gourmet By Jeff Smith


Jeff Smith was the Julia Child of my generation. When his television show, "The Frugal Gourmet," made its debut on PBS in the 1980s, it conveyed such genuine enthusiasm for cooking that I was moved for the first time to slap down cold cash for a collection of recipes.

3. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking By Marcella Hazan


At last I had found a way to recapture the flavors of Italy that I had known. But I had also found an appealing cooking companion. Hazan's tone and manner put her right there with me in the kitchen. She didn't beat me to death with hard-to-find ingredients, she wasn't snobby or fussy—she was just a nice Italian mama showing me the ropes.

4. Outlaw Cook By John Thorne


This is the only cookbook I've ever read that understands how men really eat: over the sink, in the dark, greasy to the elbows. It has chapters on "Meatball Metaphysics" and "Perfect Pecan Pie"

5. Ratio By Michael Ruhlman

"Proportions form the backbone of the craft of cooking," Michael Ruhlman says. "When you know a culinary ratio, it's not like knowing a single recipe, it's instantly knowing a thousand. Here is the ratio for bread: 5 parts flour : 3 parts water." In "Ratio," Ruhlman emphasizes "the simple codes behind the craft of everyday cooking,"