May 14, 2023

Title: RV KITCHEN

Constructor: Matthew Stock

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

ROOT VEGATABLE (19A: Taro or sweet potato)

ROPA VIEJA (37A: Cuban dish with shredded beef)

RICE VINEGAR (55A: Kitchen staple used in some pickling)

Theme synopsis: Each of the theme answer is something that might be found in the KITCHEN, which has the initials RV.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• MAMBO (1A: Cuban dance performed in "West Side Story") In West Side Story (the original musical and the 1961 and 2021 movies), the MAMBO is performed during the "Dance at the Gym" scene. 
• SCAT (6A: Improvise like Bobby McFerrin) Bobby McFerrin is a folk and jazz singer. He is known for his vocal techniques that include SCAT singing. If you were alive in 1988, you surely remember Bobby McFerrin's Grammy-Award-winning song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy." It was the first a cappella song to reach number one on Billboard's "Hot 100" chart. Fun fact: The original music video for "Don't Worry, Be Happy" features Bobby McFerrin and comedians Robin Williams and Bill Irwin.
• MUG (18A: Hot chocolate cup) and CATS (30A: Some humane society rescues) Hey, it's two of my favorite things! Not surprisingly, I have a lot of photos of both MUGs and CATS.

  

  Willow's advice: Just be you

  
  Here's one of a MUG and a CAT.
• ROPA VIEJA (37A: Cuban dish with shredded beef) Although ROPA VIEJA originated in Spain, it has become the national dish of Cuba. ROPA VIEJA is a dish made of shredded beef and vegetables. Its name, "ROPA VIEJA," means "old clothes" in Spanish, perhaps referring to its long stringy appearance resembling a heap of clothing. (There's also an origin story about an old man that shredded and cooked his clothes because he could not afford food for his family. He prayed over the concoction, and it was transformed into ropa vieja.)
• PIEROGI (41A: Polish dumpling) Typical fillings for the dumplings known as PIEROGI are potato, cheese, or sauerkraut. They are often served with sour cream. The presence of PIEROGI, PHO (27D: Vietnamese noodle soup), and OREO O'S (5D: Cookie-flavored cereal) indicates this puzzle is not solely an RV KITCHEN. Although I've only tasted two our of three of these non-RV foods, I'd be happy to have them in my RV KITCHEN or my regular kitchen.
• ERMA (47A: "Piece of My Heart" singer Franklin) "Piece of My Heart" is a 1967 single by ERMA Franklin. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1969 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. "Piece of My Heart" didn't win the Grammy; it was awarded to ERMA Franklin's younger sister, Aretha, for the song, "Chain of Fools." Fun fact: Aretha Franklin won the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance every year from 1968 to 1975, and again in 1982, 1986, and 1988.
• AED (63A: Defibrillator letters) An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that can diagnose life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, and treat them through the application of electricity that then allows the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
• BONOBO (4D: Endangered great ape) The BONOBO is an endangered species of great ape, threatened by commercial poaching as well as habitat destruction. The BONOBO is in the same genus as the chimpanzee. BONOBOs live in Central Africa in an area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• AARP (24D: 50-and-over org. that actually has no minimum age to join) Did you know that you don't need to be 50 years old to join AARP? I recently learned this interesting fact while editing a crossword for Lil AVC X.

Geography review:

• TIBETANS (44A: Lhasa residents) Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, which is located in Southwest China. "Lhasa" means "place of the gods."
• ZAMBIA (10D: Lusaka's country) ZAMBIA is a landlocked country in Africa. Lusaka is the capital and largest city of ZAMBIA.
• THAI (25D: Like locals near Khao Yai National Park) Khao Yai National Park was established in 1962 as Thailand's first national park. The park is located in the western part of the Sankamphaeng Mountain Range, and includes areas of tropical seasonal forests and grasslands. Wildlife in the park include elephants, gibbons, and sambar deer. A Google doodle on September 18, 2017 celebrated the 55th anniversary of Khao Yai National Park.
• EURASIAN (38D: Portmanteau word for someone from Earth's largest landmass) Eurasia is the portmanteau of Europe and Asia that refers to the Earth's largest continental area. Physiologically, Eurasia is considered by some geographers to be a single continent. The divisions between Europe and Asia are arbitrary.

Welcome to our 15x15 RV KITCHEN, where today's menu includes ROPA VIEJA and ROOT VEGETABLES pickled in RICE VINEGAR. Honestly, I wouldn't turn that meal down. While solving, I had the amusing thought that this puzzle is well-educated, as it has an MFA and a PHD. Other enjoyable answers: JAMBOREE, ARCHITECT, and MADE THE CUT. I always enjoy Matthew Stock's puzzles, and he's also an occasional Sally's Take guest blogger. In fact, Matthew was the first Sally's Take guest blogger. He was scheduled to guest blog on August 23, 2020 (which he did), but ended up filling in earlier and at the last minute when a derecho hit Iowa and left me without wifi and cell service on August 11, 2020. I am grateful for Matthew, and delighted that we got to meet in person for the first time at this year's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Matthew, thank you for being you, and for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Sunday.

Matthew and me