January 28, 2024

Title: BCC ME

Constructor: Nate Cardin

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme Answers:

BEER CAN CHICKEN (20A: Poultry dish named for the vessel it's cooked around)

BLUE CHIP COMPANY (39A: Corporation with a great reputation)

BABY-CUT CARROTS (55A: Mini veggies made by cutting fully grown versions)

Theme synopsis: Each theme answer has the initials BCC.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• COBRA (17A: "___ Kai" (Netflix martial arts series)) The COBRA Kai TV series, which premiered in 2018, is a sequel to the 1984 movie The Karate Kid. In the TV series, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka portray the same characters they played in the movie – Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively – who are now adults.
• BEER CAN CHICKEN (20A: Poultry dish named for the vessel it's cooked around) BEER CAN CHICKEN is prepared by placing a whole CHICKEN on top of a half-filled (half-empty?) CAN of BEER, so that the BEER CAN is inside the cavity of the chicken and the legs of the CHICKEN and the BEER CAN form a tripod to support the CHICKEN's weight. The BEER CAN CHICKEN tower is then grilled over indirect heat. The theory here is that the moisture from the BEER keeps the CHICKEN moist. I've never made BEER CAN CHICKEN, but I remember when it began to be quite popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Although it's a dramatic way of barbecuing CHICKEN, some argue it's not the best method for obtaining juicy, flavorful grilled CHICKEN.
• DEL (29A: Drag superstar Bianca ___ Rio) Bianca DEL Rio won season six of RuPaul's Drag Race. Her 2018 book is titled Blame It On Bianca DEL Rio: The Expert On Nothing With an Opinion on Everything.
• BLUE CHIP COMPANY (39A: Corporation with a great reputation) A BLUE CHIP COMPANY is one that is reputable, well-established, and financially sound. The stock of a BLUE CHIP COMPANY is generally seen as a relatively safe investment. The term "BLUE CHIP" is derived from poker CHIPs. The most basic set of poker CHIPs has red, white, and BLUE CHIPs, with the BLUE CHIPs having the highest value.
• BABY-CUT CARROTS (55A: Mini veggies made by cutting fully grown versions) BABY CARROTS are CARROTS that have been harvested before they reach maturity. BABY-CUT CARROTS are fully grown CARROTS that are CUT into two-inch pieces, and then scraped to resemble BABY CARROTS. Here's a video showing the process. I confess that I am a CARROT snob. I'm not really a fan of BABY-CUT CARROTS. Even though I know they're the same as the CARROTS I peel and cut up myself, I don't think they taste as good. Maybe doing the work of cutting up the CARROTS biases me to think they taste better!
• EGOT (64A: Showbiz grand slam) The acronym EGOT is used to refer to those that have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Academy Awards. To date, only 19 people have achieved EGOT status.  Earlier this year, Elton John became the latest EGOT winner, when he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for Elton John: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.
• AC/DC (8D: "You Shook Me All Night Long" band) Ah, the music of my high school years. "You Shook Me All Night Long" is a 1980 song by AC/DC. The song is from AC/DC's album Back in Black, which we saw in a clue earlier this month.
• ELLA (26D: Jazz legend Fitzgerald) During her career as a jazz singer, ELLA Fitzgerald (1917-1996) earned several nicknames, including "Queen of Jazz," "Lady ELLA," and "First Lady of Song."
• NOUN (27D: Person, place or thing) If you are a regular reader of this blog, when you saw this clue and filled in the answer, you probably guessed that I would take this opportunity to link to the Schoolhouse Rock song. I wouldn't want to disappoint you, so here's a link to "A NOUN is a Person, Place or Thing."
• TED (31D: AFC Richmond Coach Lasso) TED Lasso is the title character of the TV series of the same name. On the show, Jason Sudeikis portrays TED Lasso, coach of the fictional soccer team, AFC Richmond.
• MCRIB (48D: Seasonal fast-food pork sandwiches) The MCRIB, a barbecue-flavored pork sandwich, has made occasional appearances on the McDonald's menu since its introduction in 1981. Since 2006, it is generally available in the fall at most McDonald's restaurants.
• KORRA (54D: "Avatar: The Legend of ___") Avatar: The Legend of KORRA is an animated TV series, and a comics series. It is a sequel to the TV series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Both of these Nickelodeon TV shows are set in a fictional universe in which certain people can manipulate water, earth, fire, or air.

Whenever I BCC someone on an email, it feels a bit sneaky, somewhat like I'm sending a surreptitious message. There's nothing sneaky about this puzzle, with its three excellent BCC phrases. In addition to the answers I've already highlighted, I also especially enjoyed SPRAY PAINT, DECAF LATTE, CYNIC, and the appearance of SATIN and SLICK side by side. Thank you, Nate, for this delightful puzzle.