Alex

Welcome to eGullet, jm! I get to A² only two or three times a year, so I really appreciate being able to draw on knowledgeable resources like you, tammylc, and mitten. If you haven't already, I suggest browsing the Heartland Gathering thread to see the great time you can have at next year's gathering (I hope).

I can't speak from first-hand experience, but my wife recently had a good meal at Cafe Lebanon downtown. I agree with bushey about Northampton, if you have a car to drive there. This is a good reference for restaurants in Northampton, Springfield, and other nearby points.

The butternut squash recipe is here. I'm making it again this weekend. I'm also going to make Lady T's apple pancake this weekend. (When she made it for our Sunday brunch, she used half-and-half instead of milk. )

Butternut Squash with Corn, Spinach, Bacon, Onions, and Basil Serves 8 as Side. Thanks to MatthewB for turning me on to this simple recipe, which originally appeared in the November 1998 Bon Appétit. I'm sure that it's a given on eGullet, but I'd still like to emphasize that the fresher the ingredients, the better. (The original recipe specified packaged spinach and frozen corn.) Proportions can be adjusted at will. I made this for the 2003 Heartland Gathering in Grand Rapids using thick-cut farm bacon, with the other ingredients coming straight from the GR Farmer's Market. Outstanding! ½ lb bacon 1 large onion (about 2 cups chopped) 1 large butternut squash 9-10 oz spinach leaves 4-6 ears corn or 1 lb frozen kernels ½ cup or more chopped fresh basil salt and pepper Prep: Chop bacon crosswise, ~1/3-1/2" wide. Chop onion into fine dice. Peel squash (and seed, if using round segment) and cut into ~1/3" dice. Wash and coarsely chop spinach, if needed; baby spinach can be left whole. If using fresh corn, remove husk and silk and cut kernels from cob. Wait to chop the basil until it's time to add it. Cook: In a large pot or sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is just getting crisp. Add the onion and squash and sauté until the squash is just tender (10-12 min.). Add the corn. If using frozen corn or older fresh corn, cook for a few minutes before adding the spinach; if using very fresh corn, add the spinach at the same time. Cook until the spinach wilts. Chop, then stir in the basil. Add salt (careful!) and pepper to taste. Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables, American ( RG737 )

Butternut Squash with Corn, Spinach, Bacon, Onions, and Basil Serves 8 as Side. Thanks to MatthewB for turning me on to this simple recipe, which originally appeared in the November 1998 Bon Appétit. I'm sure that it's a given on eGullet, but I'd still like to emphasize that the fresher the ingredients, the better. (The original recipe specified packaged spinach and frozen corn.) Proportions can be adjusted at will. I made this for the 2003 Heartland Gathering in Grand Rapids using thick-cut farm bacon, with the other ingredients coming straight from the GR Farmer's Market. Outstanding! ½ lb bacon 1 large onion (about 2 cups chopped) 1 large butternut squash 9-10 oz spinach leaves 4-6 ears corn or 1 lb frozen kernels ½ cup or more chopped fresh basil salt and pepper Prep: Chop bacon crosswise, ~1/3-1/2" wide. Chop onion into fine dice. Peel squash (and seed, if using round segment) and cut into ~1/3" dice. Wash and coarsely chop spinach, if needed; baby spinach can be left whole. If using fresh corn, remove husk and silk and cut kernels from cob. Wait to chop the basil until it's time to add it. Cook: In a large pot or sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is just getting crisp. Add the onion and squash and sauté until the squash is just tender (10-12 min.). Add the corn. If using frozen corn or older fresh corn, cook for a few minutes before adding the spinach; if using very fresh corn, add the spinach at the same time. Cook until the spinach wilts. Chop, then stir in the basil. Add salt (careful!) and pepper to taste. Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables, American ( RG737 )

To expand the bounds of our experience and knowledge, I recommend additional encounters with klink's smoked prime rib.

The Friday night menu at Chef Joe's, aka Rafaella's By Pagano's: Proscuitto Roulade with Foie Gras Mousse and Fig Comfit (an Art Culinaire recipe) [i[NV Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava Seafood Minestrone (lobster, shrimp, oysters, halibut) 2002 Bertani Due Uve (Pinot Grigio - Sauvignon Blanc blend) Pear Sorbet (with Poire William and egg whites [italian style]) Salmon in Phyllo with Saffron Sauce (salmon layered with seafood mousse and morel duxelles; fish-stock based sauce with tarragon) Asparagus and Turned Carrots 2001 Argyle Pinot Noir Peaches in Port with Chantilly Cream

Did he bring you leftovers or did he eat them all in the car? You have a great husband. And a great houseguest. I wish we had more time to converse, though -- both nights the routine was: come back home, brush teeth, see you in the morning, crash.

Hello Kitty Vibrator with wine clip attached Ms. Kitty: Ms. Kitty with clip:

A little bit of everything that's left over from Saturday (minus the bourbon, wine, sidecars, etc. ), so you can relive the entire experience.

I always rinse my dried morels in several changes of fresh water both before and after soaking. In addition to the above-mentioned suggestions (all wonderful), I'd suggest trying them over salmon. Saute in butter, add a little white wine and reduce, add salt and thyme, add a little cream and reduce, taste and adjust. As suggested, morels with red wine, glace, and butter make an incredible sauce for steak or veal chops. I sometimes add dried cherries that have been soaked in port or red wine.

A Sunday dinner with ingredients left over from yesterday's trip to the farmer's market and subsequent Heartland Gathering eating and drinking extravaganza: Soup made with butternut squash, leeks, carrot, apples, chicken stock, and Indian spices (50-50 garam masala and curry powder, both from Penzey's) -- puréed and poured hot over chopped fresh spinach and leftover chicken thigh meat. Pears baked in butter and balsamic vinegar, served with goat cheese and topped with honey and black pepper (an epicurious recipe). Concannon Viognier.

With tammylc safely back in Ann Arbor, fresco and family most of the way to Toronto, the Points West delegation nearing hamburgers and malteds in New Buffalo, and MatthewB and S.O. probably deep in the middle of a well-deserved nap, I just wanted to thank everyone for the first of what I hope will be many memorable multi-in-person, eGullet experiences. I knew there was a reason why I moved to the Midwest. Recipes to follow, I'm sure.

Scrambled eggs (very fresh, free-range) with grated Manchego and thyme mixed in. Lots of coffee and herbal tea. Good company. I love eGullet people. They're already talking about where they're going to go for lunch on the way back to Chicago. The second pancake is about to come out of the oven. Gotta run!.

Things are hoppin' at Michele's! I just dropped off fresco after heading from the Farmer's Market (yes, they call it that here, too) to Martha's Vineyard (the store) to pick up good Chilean cabs and even better port, then to D & W to get live mussels. He'll be making a curry-seasoned mussel-potato salad. Everyone else was slicing and dicing and coordinating like a professional kitchen. I'm back home about to make Sautéed Corn (the last of the fresh local corn ) and Butternut Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Basil.

Just remember to keep all relevant body parts away from moving machinery! Does he have a habit of placing his relevant parts near moving machinery? Um, on second thought, I'd rather not know.

You're a lawyer. Make one up. Ok, so jeans, a sweatshit, and some fleece are cool for dinner tomorrow night? Good! If pajamas are also cool, I will consider that too. Pajamas would be very cool. Especially ones with feet. Or Hello Kitty.

Rather than you dragging chairs from Chicago, might not it be better for me to rent some folding chairs? It's quite inexpensive to do so. (I think I just answered my own question. ) We can use my dining room and extra chairs (9 total). Let's talk before you rent.

Here you go, Maggie. Overnight shipping gets it here in time for dinner tomorrow.

Just wear what's comfortable. I've seen patrons wear anything from cutoffs to prom dresses. A tiara would be good, but only if I can wear it for a little while.

Pre-cooking, I'd wash and spin-dry before chopping rather than after. During cooking, I'd try to stir constantly. (I don't know if that'd help, but it sounds right.) Actually, I wouldn't cook the pasta and spinach together at all. I'd drain the pasta, return it to the pot with a little of the cooking water, then add and toss the ingredients one at a time -- the butter until it melts, the spinach until it wilts, then the cheese. Crispy shallots sound great.

Sent me a PM with your address.

I talked with the hayride people today. They're real laid back about # of people, time of day, etc. All I'll need to do is give them a call Saturday morning and let them know whether we need them to get some sticks ready for marshmallow roasting. If folks decide that morning that they'd rather just hang out or do something else, that's ok, too. Today's GR Press had an article about West Michigan farmers markets. Available now = many varieties of apples + cider; winter squashes; late harvest grapes; red raspberries; various greens; broccoli; mushrooms; kohlrabi; leeks and onions; sweet potatoes; "a smattering" of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and lettuces; fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, rosemary, sage); honey; flowers. Cubs. Tomorrow's Yanks-Red Sox game should be a classic, though.

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

150g?! Yowza! My favorite uses? Let me count the ways: 1. A rub for pork tenderloin (I add fennel pollen to the mix) before browning and roasting. 2. Toss with roasted potates for the last 5 minutes of cooking. 3. A topping for pan-roasted salmon. 4. Seasoning for omelettes, esp. with goat cheese and roasted peppers. 5. In a marinade for lamb chops.