July 15, 2023

Title: A DATE TO THE JEWISH DELI (FREESTYLE)

Constructor: Amanda Rafkin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Freestyle: This is a freestyle puzzle that has a bit of a theme. The title, A DATE TO THE JEWISH DELI, is a nod to:

MATZO BALL SOUP (20A: Starter course known as "Jewish penicillin")

CORNED BEEF ON RYE (38A: Jewish deli staple commonly served with mustard and a pickle)

POTATO PANCAKE (56A: Fried treat often served with applesauce and sour cream)

Things I learned:

• O'NEAL (37A: Country singer Jamie) Jamie O'NEAL is a country music singer from Australia. Her first two singles, "There Is No Arizona"(2000) and "When I Think About Angels" (2001), were both number one hits on the country charts.
• BRA (60A: Gaff and Go undergarment) Gaff and Go is a lingerie brand founded by Robyn Electra. The company caters to transgender women and non-binary people. Although the Gaff and Go brand is new to me, it was fairly easy to figure out that a 3-letter undergarment must be BRA.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TEAM (14A: The Rockford Peaches, in "A League of Their Own," e.g.) A League of Their Own is a 1992 movie that tells a fictionalized account of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. It is the movie on which the 2022 TV show of the same name is based. The TV show is set in 1943, and follows the formation of the Rockford Peaches TEAM. We saw ROCKFORD PEACHES as a theme answer on November 23, 2022.
• MATZO BALL SOUP (20A: Starter course known as "Jewish penicillin") MATZO BALL SOUP has been promoted for many years as a remedy for a common cold, a heartbreak, and whatever else may ail you. There are many variations of MATZO BALL SOUP, but here's one recipe for "Jewish penicillin."
• NCIS:LA (32A: CBS procedural spinoff whose entire title is an abbreviation) NCIS:LA was the first spinoff of the TV series NCIS. It premiered in 2009, and ran for 14 seasons. NCIS:LA is an abbreviation for National Criminal Investigative Service: Los Angeles.
• IN-N-OUT (34A: Burger chain that serves food "Animal Style") IN-N-OUT is a fast food restaurant chain founded in California. In addition to California, IN-N-OUT has stores in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. Ordering an "Animal Style" burger will get you a burger cooked in a thin layer of mustard, with pickles, grilled onions, and extra spread. If you order fries "Animal Style," they will be topped with melted cheese and grilled onions.
• CORNED BEEF ON RYE (38A: Jewish deli staple commonly served with mustard and a pickle) Did you know that in 1965, astronaut John Young smuggled a CORNED BEEF ON RYE onto a Gemini III mission that orbited Earth? Apparently, the sandwich (obtained from a Florida deli) did not hold up well in microgravity.
• KFC (47A: Fast food chain with buckets) That would be buckets of chicken. The initials KFC, which stand for Kentucky Fried Chicken, officially became the name of the fast food chain in 1991.
• UNO (53A: Card game with hundreds of spinoffs) UNO variations include UNO Attack, UNO Wild Twists, UNO Bingo, UNO Dice, UNO Hearts, UNO Spin...well, you get the idea.
• POTATO PANCAKE (56A: Fried treat often serves with applesauce and sour cream) Like MATZO BALL SOUP, there are also many variations of POTATO PANCAKE. I have yet to try one that isn't delicious. Eat them with applesauce? Yes, please. How about with sour cream? Absolutely!
• SIGMAS (1D: Roughly E-shaped Greek letters) Here are some SIGMAS and some Es: Σ E Σ E Σ E. Yep, I can see it.
• KAHLO (8D: Painter Frida who was heavily influenced by Mexicanidad) Mexican artist Frida KAHLO (1907-1947) has been described as one of the most instantly recognizable artists. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that many of her works were self-portraits. Frida KAHLO's work was influenced by Mexicanidad, a Mexican identity that places special importance on indigenous cultures.
• BLEU (9D: "Sacre ___!")  Sacré BLEU, which translates to "sacred blue," derived as a phrase used to avoid blasphemy. It was essentially a way of saying, "Mon Dieu!" ("My God!") without mentioning the lord's name. This clue made me think of Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's Belgian detective, for whom "Sacré BLEU!" is a catchphrase.
• TEACUP PIG (36D: Small domestic squealer) A TEACUP PIG is a small breed of domestic pig that is characterized by a pot belly, a short snout, short legs, and a tail with thick hair at the end. You would need a large TEACUP to fit one of these PIGs, as they weigh from 70 to 150 pounds.
• FIONA (41D: "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" singer Apple) Fetch the Bolt Cutters is the title of FIONA Apple's fifth studio album, released in 2020. The album received a perfect 10 rating from Pitchfork. FETCH THE BOLT CUTTERS was the title of the November 19, 2020 puzzle. 
• CATE (59D: Blanchett who plays Carol in "Carol") The 2015 movie, Carol, is based on Patricia Highsmith's semi-autobiographical 1952 novel, The Price of Salt. In the movie, CATE Blanchett played the role of Carol Aird, and Rooney Mara played the role of Therese Belivet.

Geography review:

• AUSTIN ((3D: Texas city where Eeyore's Birthday Party is held annually) AUSTIN is the capital of Texas. Since 1963, Eeyore's Birthday Party has been held in AUSTIN. The festival began as a spring party and picnic hosted by University of Texas students. Over the years the festival has grown into a day-long festival with live bands, food vendors, and carnival games. It is now organized by the Friends of the Forest Foundation and benefits AUSTIN nonprofit groups.The festival is named for A.A. Milne's character, Eeyore, who in one story thinks his friends have forgotten his birthday, and then discovers they have planned a surprise party for him. (Despite its name, however, the date of the festival is not related to the character's birthday.) The 59th Annual Eeyore's Birthday Party will be held April 27, 2024 in AUSTIN, Texas. (I will not be there because I will be at my daughter's wedding that day!) 

For some reason, I'm incredibly hungry at the moment. Not only do we have the JEWISH DELI highlights, but we also have IN-N-OUT burgers, KFC, and RITZ crackers. This FREESTYLE puzzle is a great example of a "themed-ish" puzzle. There's no wordplay involved, and nothing hidden that needs to be figured out, but there is a definite connection between the three answers MATZO BALL SOUP, CORNED BEEF ON RYE, and POTATO PANCAKE. I am a fan of FREESTYLE puzzles that have connected answers. Thank you, Amanda, for this puzzle that was a fantastic way to start my Saturday.