Gifted Gourmet

and, actually, a few other eGullet Jews who already appear in this thread ... It is our prayer that your wife make a full, complete recovery, FFR, and that you take care of yourself as well, both emotionally and physically as you support her through this period. May G-d grant you both strength to bring you through these tough times.

The only reason I have mentioned the use of the Lap Band surgery and program is that my closest friend had reached 300+ pounds and had numerous health problems which were very serious. This surgery was his last hope. His son-in-law is a bariatric surgeon and recommended someone 90 miles away to do the surgery. At this point, some 2 months into the treatment, he is eating very little and obeys the 'rules' with more self discipline than he ever showed before. He was a huge eater and I am shocked at how well he is doing with the numerous restrictions required. A real diehard foodie who loves cooking ... will be interested to see his progress ... me? Weight Watchers works best for me ...

I have some things to add for anyone considering gastric surgery of any kind for weightloss: (a) give some consideration to the less invasive, reversible LapBand procedure and (b) then read this: Lap Band surgery article from CNN FistFullaRoux, I am sure that your wife will return to good health, and 179 pounds lighter ... you are both in my prayers to give you strength to weather these setbacks, which may well be only temporary.

Are we married to the same man!? When I hear this comment, with me as the dessert, I kinda wonder whether I am a cream puff (soft & cuddly) or taffy (easy & malleable) or apple pie (American & stereotypical) ... detlechef, I roast beets and have never found them particularly "arousing" so, if I might inquire, are you using some sort of seductive sauce? Serving them in some erotic manner?

I must agree wholeheartedly on that! Apparently, with a hot and moist climate, lychees can be grown in many subtropical climes worldwide ... they grow them in Australia as well ...

article from Slate Online To our eGullet wine afficianados, assuming that this is not so much new as simply of interest ... Feedback? Daniel Rogov, you might have some thoughts on this to share ...

Okay, okay, now back to the food ... for lawn seduction techniques, you ought to go to "Better Homes and Gardens", ya'll ...

Yeah, but at least you have a nice, neat yard!

The man who runs this website grows his lychees in Florida

No matter which sex you may be, at one time or another, have you ever cooked a meal with the inner sense that it would be one of your arsenal of seduction techniques for a possible lover? What did you prepare? How was it received by the intended individual? Did it go off smoothly or were there problems which arose? (this can be read on all possible levels! ) Do you believe that this meal and the intent which it carried brought the intended even closer to you? Confessions or even personal anecdotes gratefully accepted!

I have seen lemon jello used with savoury add-ins .. in this case, lemon jello with gefilte fish balls ... and the taste? Gag! Spinach Salad Jello recipe .. yes, really! Now this one has vinegar and chopped onion in it ... As near as I can tell, lemon jello is not too sweet and can be a perfect medium for all manner of unusual items in suspension...

a bit of Americana: cocktails appropriate to the day: Blue Sky Day in the Shade Firecracker Dale DeGroff's Betsy Ross Cocktail Georgia Peach Hawaiian Cocktail Hurricane Liberty Cocktail Mint Julep Raspberry Zinger Sex on the Beach (Pitcher) Simply Refreshing Southern Sparkler Washington Cocktail cocktails for the day from Bartender.com

Yes, it is less invasive and is reversible ... but even that is not without issues ... the one weightloss item which is soon to be on the market is a tiny meter ... this is the meter which will be on the market shortly which is placed in the stomach and indicates to the brain that the wearer is full sooner than the regular digesting of meals.... About the moronic use or abuse of people's weight loss surgeries and insurance: I know how "penny wise and pound foolish" it is to pay for only the most drastic surgery ...

I have a close friend who, in desperation, had gastric LapBand surgery as he neared 300 pounds and was suffering numerous health issues. It is less invasive than the gastric bypass and the Band is tightened periodically to prevent eating much at a time. Now he can barely eat at all but I doubt that I would attempt this type of weight loss. Doing Weight Watchers because it seems most reasonable. Hope for your wife's return to good health and strength, FistFullaRoux.

I, too, wonder at this .. is it perhaps because of the cost to the manufacturer or the difficulty/cost of using metal cans in other countries. Is the United States 'backward' in not using the boxed liquid food containers because they are more difficult to make? Can anyone answer Andrew's question with more knowledge?

I think before beginning this, I'd want to know whether he enjoys eating dark meat chicken ... it is, after all, not so dissimilar ... simplest duck recipe is here .. enjoy! However this one is even nicer Divine Duck to die for!Balsamic, Orange, Honey, Maple Syrup Glazed Duck

This is beginning to make me feel extremely guilty (of course I am Jewish, so there is no surprise here! ) .. Hey, folks, I simply wanted to share this article .. not wish anyone an early demise because they sucked the succulent juices from some ripe, sweet peach of summer ... So, suck if you must, but peel when you can, I guess is the message ...

article on Soto from Atlanta Creative Loafing Verrry interesting article which fits in with some of the posts here and the exquisite photographs by our members ...

Here you will find the collection of digests for a number of media which are located in the Southeastern states. (Some do require a free registration to access articles) This week's Southeast Forum Digest includes, in alphabetical order, by city ... leading up to, you guessed it: Father's Day ... The Asheville Citizen-Times has a virtual wealth of articles worth your time to peruse .. check these out: * What's your 'cue IQ? * THE BEER GUY: Coors comes up with new throwaway case 'cooler' to stay hip in changing market * DINING REVIEW RECAPS: Enoteca a warm, friendly place with a cosmopolitan feel * QUICK BITES: 'Taste of Black Mountain' set for Thursday at visitor center * Cook flavorful chicken, with ethnic flair * VERSATILE VEGETARIAN: Experiment with menu can result in a winner * WNC Tailgate Market Roundup * Fruity bars are easy to bake, make good snacking * AFTER 5 COOK: Skillet dish benefits from use of whole chicken * FAST LANE COOK: Keep cooked chicken handy for easy enchiladas The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has as its lead article thia week Real men cook: Events showcase guys' culinary spirit By ELIZABETH LEE website for Real Men Cook with information galore! Recipes include: Phi Beta Sigma's Wings With a Ting and a Tang Row da Boat Curry Pineapple Shrimp Pecan Pie Muffins Banana Ban-Chi Quick Spicy Collards access Atlanta of the AJC has some new restaurant reviews these days: This week's review of one of my favorites: Canoe: Recent local restaurant reviews include: Real Chow Baby Eno Red Peppers Com Vietnamese Grill Muss & Turner's Sala Ria's Bluebird Thumbs Up Diner Atlanta Creative Loafing offers some divine inspiration for meals around town: * Time For A Fixe: Soto mixes up his metier with both prix fixe and à la carte menus BY BILL ADDISON more details on Soto's tasting menu can be found in the SE Forum ...* No Missing This Link BY SUZANNE WRIGHT * Go for the Dough BY KIM O'DONNEL * Grazing Mail Call Reader feedback, plus first bites at Taste BY CLIFF BOSTOCK Charleston Post & Courier has some interesting items worth looking over this week: Chicken with a kick: Entries in a national cooking contest reveal a taste for spicy and international recipes. .. recipe follows ...This week in the Food section of the Charlotte Observer you will find a highly interesting article by eGullet's own Kathleen Purvis: To market: You might not find a fat pig at today's farmers markets, but there's plenty else There is a complete, long list of local farmers' markets in the Charlotte area in this article ...Charlotte Creative Loafing articles this week: * The Soy Next Door: Mizuho warrants return visits by tricia childress * Go for the Dough by kim o'donnel I'm the kind of cook who cooks. Baking bread is better done by others - or until I have the time to learn to be patient. I even had pizza lessons in Italy, but all I got... * The Big Scoop: Summer screams for ice cream by tricia childress School's out, the thermometer is rising, and lines get longer at area ice cream parlors. Who doesn't crave the creamy cold sweetness of ice cream on a summer's day? The ice cream cone is thought to have... * It's Picnic Time: Go casual or classy - just go outdoors by linda vespa It's not officially summer for another couple of weeks, but for all intents and purposes, summer started on Memorial Day. And summertime means picnics. The word "picnic" comes from the French word picque-nique, which first appeared at... * Way of the Sommelier: Only the best students attain the rank of Master by taylor eason It's a word that strikes fear in the hearts of those who have to pronounce it: Sommelier (SOM mel YAY). French for "wine butler," this person is in charge of wine at a restaurant and can be... In this week's edition of Memphis Commercial Appeal, you will be able to read such articles as: * Buffet dominates at Medallion Driving on Central by the University of Memphis, as I frequently do, I cast my eye toward the carved inscription atop the Holiday Inn - Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management - and say to myself, "How hospitable is it?" » * Keep it cool: It's Hurricane season. No, we're not talking about destructive storms with names like Charley and Francis, but the potent tropical cocktails that look and taste cool. * Diet detective: Elsa giving Barbara a run for her money Diet Detective rated cookies in an early column and became a big fan of Barbara's Bakery Old Fashioned Oatmeal Crisp Cookies. It's a super 60-calorie, 1-point cookie and still our favorite. * Kelly: Chefs line up to help fund-raiser Asking a chef to cook on a night off is like asking a bear to share his honey. But Karen Blockman Carrier said the all-star lineup of chefs signed up for the second annual "Commemoreat" were downright sweet about the chance to dish at this event - a fund-raiser that honors the memory of Kelly Wilson. The Nashville Tennessean has some articles you might enjoy: * Jim Myers' Other articles: Thigh-high marks (06/13/05) It'll bring tears to your eyes (06/13/05) Butter wrappers put to use with potatoes (06/13/05) Restaurant leftovers enhance meals made at home (06/09/05) Pie birds make their point in the crust (06/06/05) Cooking with hunks (06/06/05) It's picnic season (06/06/05) Breakfast on the go (06/01/05) Cooking with pride (05/30/05) The Raleigh News & Observer articles for this week include: * Beer opener is set to pop Last month the state House passed a bill to lift the cap on beer alcohol content. * Taste this! If you're a devotee of soft shell crabs, you probably know that cool weather has delayed the season this year. And you're probably tired of nursing your habit with the frozen specimens that are the star ingredients year-round in Japanese spider rolls * Got a paunch? Get a pooch If there's room in your heart for a four-legged friend, a dog might be the best fitness investment you've ever made. * Fruit bar packs energy in lunch bag If you're looking for a wholesome, homemade snack that has more nutritious value than many "junk" food items, you may wish to try this recipe with its blend of grain ingredients. * Classic salad from archives at Bogart's Chef Colin Auchincloss retrieves recipes from the restaurant's files. * Grilled shrimp spice up weeknights I love to cook out on the grill - especially at this time of year. But I don't necessarily wait for the weekend to have a cookout. Nope, I cook out on weeknights, too. * Blanching times This chart giving the blanching times for vegetables was inadvertently omitted from the June 1 story about freezing summer produce. * The world is their buffet A prevention program at the Girls Club of Raleigh uses food to discourage teen gang activity. Participants prepare a buffet. * The Wine List Each week, a Triangle wine shop recommends wines in three price ranges: * Find pearls in small towns Smaller towns on the Triangle's outskirts have been busy expanding their own culinary horizons. * Veal vs. beef: It's a matter of age Q. When does veal turn into beef? Have a wonderful week and check out this SE Digest next week for new articles to whet your appetite!

If you are in your twenties, thirties, or forties now, you may well have missed the bonvivant who was Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet. He was quite the cook and charmed the ladies with his protechnics on the set as he cooked with all manner of alcohols and heavy fats. He and his wife, Treena, his producer at times, found religion which gave their lives meaning apparently but he also changed his entire method of cooking for his wife Treena when she had an early heart attack, diabetes, and general poor health issues. Look on the right side of the page for a link to the FPS (food preference sheet) A good husband, an excellent cook, and one of my televised culinary teachers .. an inspiration as an individual ...a bit of the Kerrs' background ...

As my therapist said, after treating me for a year, "perhaps living isn't for everyone."

Because both raspberries and mushrooms take on water like the Titanic ...

Now that would "put me off my food" for some time ...

While this article won't alter my eating habits drastically, I just made a fruit cup for lunch and looked with great apprehension at the peaches and peeled them to fit in with my newly raised consciousness ... This certainly puts me in mind of Mae West's famous decadent request from the 1933 movie I'm No Angel: "Beulah, peel me a grape."

You realize, of course, that you have just advertised on the World Wide Web for a new, incredibly inviting B&B in your home, therese ... you do provide afternoon tea? and 'turn down' with a mint upon the pillow each night, no?