That’s the title of Peggy Noonan’s column in the Saturday Wall Street Journal but I’m gonna borrow it for this post. A few thoughts…

1. Go ahead and ask the price of those off-menu specials your server is touting. Even if he/she says, “I’m not sure. I’ll have to check.” Let her/him check. It might save you from gulping when the check comes.
2. Fresh corn on the cob! One of the highlights of summer. Do you put salt and/or butter on yours? Don’t. It’s just as delicious without that stuff. (Or should be, depending on where you’re getting yours.)
3. Been a pulled pork partisan at BBQ joints for the past several years. But had some very good brisket recently and will be drifting back over thataway in the near future. As long as it’s not too dry.
4. We ate at an Italian joint in Moab, Utah. We ate at a Mexican joint in Gatlinburg. Regretted both. In resort towns, it’s probably best to stick with the people pleaser types of places.
5. The most generous tipper I know is my daughter. She works in the industry.
6. I’ve enjoyed some wonderful pizza in my life. But I wonder if I’m the only person who thinks that pizza, in general, is overrated. And, in many cases, way overpriced.
7. I’d wager that most beer drinkers don’t give a darn whether there’s corn syrup in the brew. Is that something that concerns you?
8. I picked up the book American Advertising Cookbooks: How Corporations Taught Us To Love Spam, Bananas and Jell-O at St. Louis County Library. Lots of mid-century promotions for various foodstuffs. Trying to decide if a peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich is something I might want to try. Suggested in a Hellmann’s ad.
9. Here is a list of some of the FRIED things you can get at the Illinois State Fair this year: Twinkies, Oreos, Snickers, Milky Way, Keylime Pie, Pecan Pie, Cheesecake, Pickles, Peaches with Ice Cream, Green Tomatoes, Brownie Bomb, Funny Bones, Bacon Wrapped Oreos, Dough-E-Oreos, More Than a S’More, Red Velvet Oreos, Apple Pie Fries. (From the State Fair website. Fair runs August 8-18 in Springfield.)
10. For the record, I have no problem with Oktoberfest beers being for sale already in grocery stores. I mean, why not?