In My Defense!

INGRID THOFT
Earlier this week, Julia led a staunch defense of the joys of Miracle Whip.  She had a few supporters in her campaign, but not very many.  In the same post, I admitted my preference for Mrs. Butterworth's over real Vermont maple syrup.  I know!  It's sacrilege!  I'm from New England, for goodness sake's, but I can't deny my love for the sweet syrup that comes in the creepy woman-shaped bottle.  Something about real syrup just seems off to me, so like Julia, I will energetically defend my right to ingest the buttery goodness.

So tell me, Reds, is there an experience, a place, a book or movie (you get the idea) to which you have absolute loyalty despite a majority of naysayers?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Well, that is a pretty interesting question. I love the movie "Point Break." Does that count? I put real sugar in my coffee in the morning--does that make people wince?  I have um, watched Survivor. I got some great gray Keds, that's probably not cool. Twizzlers.  Costco.  I WOULD happily see "Mamma Mia 2," but Jonathan won't go. And let me say, I have never tasted maple syrup, in a creepy bottle or not. OR baked beans. You can have mine. And I like Big Macs. Not that I've eaten one any time recently, but I would. AND I love shopping at the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving .It's terrible, but it's hilarious. Because we are all in it  together. Hmm.  You really have me thinking.

JENN McKINLAY: Hank, I love "Point Break," too! It's the best sort of campy fun, plus hot guys. Things that I enjoy that my people find appalling, hmm, this is a tough one. I defend my need to comfort eat Hostess Sno-balls, I love the Bee Gees, and I think it's perfectly acceptable to break out a sweet pair of leather boots as soon as the thermometer drops below 80 degrees even though the rest of the world is in flip-flops.

RHYS BOWEN: I cried in "Mama Mia 2"! I sing along to the Sound of Music. I can watch my favorite old movies over and over (and still cry at the sad parts ). I love to get a hot dog at a ball game, smothered in mustard and relish (which often splashes onto my light trousers and won't come out). And I still love the magical things of my childhood--driving around seeing the Christmas lights, swinging on a swing at the park. I guess I'm the female Peter Pan. I don't want to grow up.

HALLIE EPHRON: I love "The Princess Bride." Can watch it endlessly. And will grab any opportunity to quote: "My name is Inigo Montoya. You keel my father. Prepare to die." In the same vein, I adore "Shrek" ("Let's get some parfait."  "You know, not everybody likes onions.") Also the movie "Babe."That'll do, Pig, That'll do." A movie which for some reason gave my daughter nightmares.

And Lipton onion soup and sour cream dip. With or without potato chips.

INGRID: I don't think your choices require much defending, Hallie!  Who doesn't like onion soup dip?

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Still saying Miracle Whip is the greatest. I love my house, despite the fact that the sane thing to do wold be to sell it and move someplace both newer and smaller. I love the foods of my childhood that are made with canned cream of mushroom soup - it feels as if everyone is making their own white sauce or something for those dishes, but the grocery store still sells giant cans of CoM, so maybe I'm not the only one...

And I don't care what everyone says, I liked the remake of "Annie" with Quvenzhane Wallis and Jaime Foxx. Although even I draw the line at Cameron Diaz's performance of Miss Hannigan.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I did see "Mamma Mia 2," and cried until my popcorn napkins were soggy. "Christopher Robin," ditto. And I have always liked ABBA. I like butter (make that butter-flavored goop) on my movie popcorn. I think Rob Schneider's "Deuce Bigalow: American Gigolo" is hysterically funny.

I like Saltines with chili. I don't like books where all the characters are creepy. And I do like books to have at least sort of happy endings, which I know is very un-literary.  So there.

LUCY BURDETTE: I'm always in for dressing up in goofy costumes, whether it's Halloween or not. This is a photo of our daughter and me, which is quite typical.Also, before I started visiting a naturopath to help me with my meniere's disease and learned that it could be adding to my congestion, I drank a big glass of milk with every meal. My family would be drinking wine, and I'd have milk. I love the stuff!

Do your family and friends give you grief for one of your favorites?  Tell us!  We'll be kind!

And Karen in Ohio, you won the Liese O'Halloran Schwarz giveaway!  Please send your mailing address to ingrid@ingridthoft.com.