During this pandemic we are watching more streaming content, so we wanted to talk about what we're watching. We don't always agree on what to watch together, so we search for our common interests. We've been watching "Whose Line Is It Anyway", the BBC improvisation comedy show, on Amazon Prime but they only have seasons 2 and 9 available for free. The latter seasons are more what we remember, including the intro animation and the regular players, so the season 2 feels weird to us. Once you finish a show on Netflix, and before you start a new one, you fall into the show hole. Tom has started watching Nickelodeon's "Haunted Hathaways" just to fill the gap, and though it is quite bad he can't stop watching. When the conditions are right to capture Melody's attention, Tom has been showing her the Netflix show "The Queen's Gambit". Chess is important to Tom and he has good memories of bonding with his grandfather while learning the game. Melody however hates chess, because she admits she is not patient enough to plan her moves ahead.

If we can't agree on what to watch, we can always watch the Harry Potter movies. We are both big Potterheads and though Melody started reading the books earlier, we finished them together. Melody appreciates the historical research that the author used in her writing. Tom is a Ravenclaw, Melody is a Hufflepuff; we say "is" because it's more of an identity than just the team you're on. Seeing all the memes on social media about Bernie Sanders has been heartwarming, as we Feel The Bern, but then we asked what Hogwarts house would he be sorted into. A Facebook post showed everyone had a different opinion, but Melody has strong reasons for placing him in Gryffindor. It is worth noting that the author's stance on trans people is wrong: trans men are men, trans women are women. Before the quarantine we frequented the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort. The Diagon Alley and Hogsmead portions of the parks are very themed, immersive, and indeed magical. An interesting phenomenon in Diagon Alley is to watch other fans enter the area for the first time, watching their eyes light up with sheer joy. Non-fans however can sometimes not even find the entrance, and have asked us how to find "Harry Potter Land" while having gone right by it. The highlight of our visits is enjoying the food and drinks specially butterbeer, a non-alcoholic creamy butterscotch beverage. The flavor is available in different forms, cold (the original), frozen, and hot (the best but seasonal), and also as soft-serve ice cream, potted cream, and fudge. If you want a good idea of the flavor your local supermarket may carry Flying Cauldron, though it is a little more butterscotch than cream soda and the one in the theme parks is the opposite. Otherwise you can try to make butterbeer yourself by following our first YouTuber Shout-Out, "Tasting History with Max Miller". Max will make a recipe from the past and explain the history behind it, and did an episode on "buttered beere". Our other shout-out goes to "Super Carlin Brothers", who do research into Harry Potter lore and other fandoms, coming up with interesting fan theories. The brothers Jay and Ben also take quizzes from the Internet that would stump even the most devoted Potterhead.

Shifting from "the boy who lived", Melody gets on her soapbox to present a public service announcement. Before we all had to cope with the pandemic, we overloaded ourselves in such a way that we did not prioritize our health, a very American thing to do. The lockdown forced us to simplify our lives, which allowed us to prioritize health and sleep. Melody is determined to not go back (completely) to our pre-COVID habits, and urges our listeners to keep health a priority as the world returns to normal. As Melody enters the full elimination phase of the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP), we discuss an incredibly versatile recipe (included below) that has been very useful in her journey. She has been trying to diversify her nutrient consumption by incorporating more "superfoods" like mushrooms, though she does not like the term because it often gets exploited for marketing. Her final elimination before starting full AIP is dairy. While making her breakfast hash one day, Tom discovered that he likes roasted kale even though he had always dismissed it as health food. He enjoys the delicate airy crunch and the seasonings that Melody uses, and had her make him a batch of kale chips.


*** Roasted Breakfast Hash ***

4 cups (480 mL) chopped leafy greens
2 cup (240 mL) diced starchy vegetable
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter pats
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
2 tsp (10 mL) onion powder
1 tsp (5 mL) garlic powder
1 tsp (5 ml) pepper

For AIP compliance, substitute palm shortening for the butter, and for pepper use and 1 tsp (5 ml) kelp flakes and a pinch of galangal powder. For starchy vegetables, Melody recomends potatoes, cassava, or plaintains. For leafy greens you could use kale.

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Boil your chosen starchy vegetable for 3 minutes. Strain them in a colander, then place them in an ice bath. Sprinkle olive oil into a caserole dish. Place strained starchy veggies into the caserole dish with the leafy greens. Top with butter pats and the seasonings. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring halfway.


*** YouTuber Shout-Outs ***

Tasting History with Max Miller
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsaGKqPZnGp_7N80hcHySGQ

Super Carlin Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/user/SuperCarlinBrothers