Alex

Advice #1: Don't cater to the picky eater. Hunger + peer pressure is not necessarily a bad thing. I'd warn the person in advance, though, in case they want to bring their own protein bars, snacks, jar of peanut butter, etc.

Yes. Based on personal experience, it's worth it, so I'm guessing it's the former. However, if you're short on time, you can slowly melt some store-bought caramels then gently pour them over the leeks.

I've been to My Loup in Philly (worth it), and Lehrhaus is on the short list for my April trip to Boston/Cambridge.

I was going to buy one, too, until I checked and saw I already owned one. And I'm not a shearoholic, at least not yet. I'll probably need another 5-10 years here on eG before I get to that point.

Welcome, neighbor. I'll sometimes drive to Dune Park to catch the South Shore Line to Chicago. I'm guessing you've already located the chocolate-related threads -- including the one about the eG chocolate workshop near Toronto.

Not I. Sleeping in was—and still is—just about my very favorite activity in the whole world. More than sledding. More than eating pancakes with a side of French toast. :-}

Yes, this one.

"Vancouver restaurant closed temporarily after allowing guests to dance" (link)

I seem to remember reading that "Have you eaten rice yet?" or simply "Have you eaten?" is a standard greeting in parts of east Asia, including southern China. Is that still true?

Wouldn't surprise me

No idea, sad to say

Thank you! I just requested the one copy in our entire statewide library system. Several years ago, at a used bookstore, I picked up a copy of the excellent For Cod & Country (eG-friendly Amazon.com link), by Barton Seaver, which also focuses on sustainable fish and seafood. (It's currently only $4.63, including shipping, via abebooks.com).

Well, I watched the episode; no brûléed mustard was seen.

Indeed. I used to crumble or finely chop it (I can't remember which) and use it instead of meat in red sauce for pasta.

You're welcome. We have Philo, and now I'm curious, so maybe I'll see if the episode is available by me.

All I saw at first in a quick Google search was a subreddit entry: "Revival" would mean the 2018 reboot; Episode 1's challenger specialized in German/American cuisine, so this could well be the source. A Google search for <Iron Chef America Season 13> showed that it's still available for streaming on Discovery Plus, fuboTV, Max, Philo, Hulu, Sling TV, and Amazon Prime Video (the last three only with a premium subscription). If you don't have any of those, I can watch it and see what shows up.

https://xkcd.com/2778/ https://xkcd.com/2767/

Thank you! Quimet & Quimet looks very appealing. It's a bit of a far walk, about 3 km, but only 12 min by subway. Dry Martini is definitely walking distance from where I'm staying. A cocktail and a few croquetas sounds like a pleasant way to start an evening. Also walking distance is Sips, recently rated #1 of The World's 50 Best Cocktail Bars.

None as yet, but I'll be in Barcelona next month, so we'll see if I have any Catalan-related adventures.

Does anyone have a brand of kinako they've used and can recommend?

Amazon says "Manufacturer: Del Monte Foods Inc.", which probably means that Take Root is, at least in part, a marketing ploy. It also explains how it achieved such a wide distribution in such a short time.

Re your first question, I'm wondering how anyone can give you any sort of reasonable answer w/o knowing the town -- and even then, any sales numbers someone here could provide you (assuming they're willing to do so), would apply only to their location. Re your second question, I'm wondering why you haven't simply contacted the companies directly.

Aw, heck. Just stick a little Italian flag on it and you're good to go. Or use an orange gel instead of strawberry, and white chocolate dyed green for your caviar, and it's even patriotic Italian.

In The Guardian: "Taste the screen: the enduring appeal of food movies"

Lamb shanks (local, certified organic), osso buco-style Risotto alla Milanese (local marrow and stock) 2004 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Locally made peppermint patties (dark chocolate-covered peppermint fondant, sprinkled with crystallized mint)