Seconding the Court Jester. I fell in love with it in third grade and watched the first day of winter break for, like, five years straight.

(Also, if there is anyone in NYC who needs some slightly loose spicy cornbread dressing, holla. Once again, I have been…overoptimistic…in my cooking.)

All in all, a solid A-/B+ year. Now to try the cheesecake.

- use the extra spicy jelly in your cranberry sauce.

- simmer a smoked turkey wing in chicken broth. Use this for the gravy. Also the confit butter, since the sous vide turkey doesn’t drip (unless you put the extra mayo in, which, as established: no). Cook the roux a little darker than normal.

- you can always use more confited garlic in your mashed potatoes. Even more than that. Do it.

- those clip on air fryer crispy things? Only get up to the stated temperature on the top 1/4” of food. The rest of your corn pudding will remain lukewarm soup. Yes, even after you remember to hit start.

- my cornbread/other bits ratio is off in my dressing. Also need way more butter than called for. Extra jalapenos are a v good idea.

- confit prepeeled garlic in clarified butter instead of roasting. Then use the garlicky butter for the dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, shoe leather, etc.

It’s so good! I love the format and the way it alters the playing field between Michelin stars and, like, the lunch lady. So many new-to-me foods I wanna try now! (Though the skate can still miss me. Will never forget chefs weeping “it burns!” at the fried skate during Hobi’s fridge.)

Thanks to Fridge Show, I’m p sure I remember who wins, and yet I am still yelling at the tv at certain match-ups. And ingredients. And I am HERE for all the team reactions.

Cooking shows are usually at least a little bit horny (the good ones, anyway), but this is like the fine dining equivalent of Alton Brown and his spreader bars: undeniable.

And the two judges being blindfolded and handfed in the second round isn’t inspiring ideas at ALL, I can assure you. The lingering closeups on bared mouths vulnerable to hands of faceless servants, quiveringly eager chefs of all levels, slo-mo chewing whaaaaat.

I don’t think any of us, Namgi included, are emotionally prepared for their first time(s) back onstage and performing. At ALL.

Forget singing while running; I am so impressed he can sound so good whole maintaining that absolute death clench on the balloon ropes.

The Astronaut is truly one of the great concert-finishing belt-along songs. The “there is no one else” and final “and I looooooooooove you”s are just unmatched for feeling grounded in THAT moment in THAT space with a the people around you.

Speaking of unprepared, all seven of these goobers together performing and playing on stage? Affirmatively choosing to be together, bringing more fully rounded individuality to songs old and new?? The future wide open ahead of them??? Nope.

Jin laughing at Army is really the engine that drives this show, and bless his heart for figuring out how to shape an entire concert tour around it.

Nonono, the psychological preparation for being lovingly scolded by Jin is ENTIRELY different than assuming the crash position for this much j-hope chest and hips before 7am. I am UNPREPARED.