Alex

Keeping it local, a Bell's Two Hearted Ale

asparagus eggs butter radishes ramps or garlic scapes fiddleheads one of the mushrooms (no morels at the Market?)

Does anyone know if there are plans to market this in the US or Canada as a 120V/60Hz unit?

Second that.

Five models of the Bamix are currently on clearance at The Foundary. I don't know how those prices compare to other retail outlets, but they're about 45-55% off list.

That's "schmear." Otherwise it doesn't taste the same. ;-} I'm a purist, too. I also prefer plain, and the brand (usually Streit's) that's in my local supermarket's post-Passover half-price sale. I like using it as a hummus transport vehicle.

I use Evernote for the ones I want to keep track of but don't really want to print. It comes with a browser add-on, and you just click the little button and it saves an actual copy of the page somewhere in the clouds. It's free but capped per month - I haven't yet hit the caps. You can pay to loosen the caps. It also has the benefit that it is the same on all your devices, so if you clipped on your computer and later decide at the grocery store that you want to make the recipe, you can access it with your smartphone.Even with Evernote, I hope you've starting doing regular back-ups, which is a thing to do. Hey, this topic might make an interesting separate thread. Moderators...?

In my understanding, "calamari" is simply Italian for the plural of "squid," although in the US it's become pretty much synonymous with the deep-fried (or sometime pan-fried) version. In your last paragraph, I assume you intended those two words to mean different things. Could you tell us what those are?

If you're with a companion, here's a Groupon for a Chicago History/Pedway Walking Tour. It might be an interesting complement to the the bus tour.

For a special 50th, Everest is a good recommendation. Also formal, and French, is Les Nomades. I'd also recommend Naha, which is a very short walk from your hotel (and a bit more casual, although still clearly high-end dining).

Yes, that one, without a doubt. You'll never regret spending the extra $40.

Yeah, I was walking home via Chinatown yesterday and there was tons of kohlrabi. Any great ideas on what to do with it? Beets have long since passed their next big thing era. Kolhrabi is so 20 years ago.

Sometimes I'll use a bit of soy sauce (Japanese Kikkoman, usually) for seasoning, but I've found that even in small amounts it tends to overshadow the other flavors. I'll often make extra rice just to have some available for our traditional Sunday night "leftovers dinner." This past Sunday I used a mixture of about 3/4 white and 1/4 brown (from Massa Organics), with onion, carrot, eggs, and green peas, seasoned with salt and a bit of chicken stock, then finished with the last of some beautiful (hydroponic?) basil from Saturday's farmers market.

Maybe contact Boar's Head directly and ask them?

I can't help you (yet) with this, but thanks for posting. It's a limited release, so I had no idea it existed. The BLiS main office is a short drive from my house, so I think I know where I'll be going next week. You might try calling or emailing them for suggestions. Steve Stallard, the owner, always has been helpful and courteous when I've spoken with him.

That's what I've always done for gumbo. Works absolutely fine, so long as I keep whisking and don't try to multi-task. Edited to add: I just noticed that this was my (2*11)th post on eGullet. Dare I post again and destroy this beautiful number?

Flay's book is called Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes -- rated 4½ stars on Amazon. There's an interesting little book, James McNair's Burgers, from 1992, that has a combination of well-known chefs' recipes, his own recipes, and winning recipes from the Build a Better Burger Contest.

There's a sale going on right now at La Tienda. Boquerones in olive oil and vinegar are half price: $12.20 for two 2.65-oz packages (75 g drained weight). They keep very well in the fridge, so stock up! While you're at it, there's other good stuff in the sale, like these outrageous chocolate-covered figs filled with a chocolate and brandy mousse. I've also bought excellent cooking chorizo from them. The sale price works out to $11/pound, which isn't bad for such a quality product.

Wow! I never saw anything like THAT in the Washington woods. Brobdinagian morels grow in the midwest! Are they tougher than smaller ones? It's all those nuclear power reactors nearby.

I'd say the best (which I interpret as "happiest with" + "great reception") dish I made last year was just a few days ago, for a small gathering of friends: locally smoked Lake Superior whitefish cakes with an avocado-jicama salsa, accompanied by a Domaine Carneros Ultra Brut sparkler. The kicker was using fresh basil in the cakes.

For a PC, hold down the Alt key whilst pressing 0233 on the numeric keypad (usually written as Alt+0233). Like this: é. Here's a nice resource for using Alt+. There's a link on that page for Mac users.

...she wore a yellow glove?

Natto. Wait, that's rational. Aspic and its (un)savory relatives.

How about pumpkin cheesecake, like this one from Paula Deen. Or this one, from Martha Stewart. Adjust the sugar accordingly, of course. I, for one, would like to read the story of Canned Pumpkin and the Dogs' Breakfast.

Eve, of course. I, too, recommend Vermillion and Brabo, along with The Majestic. All are walking distance from your hotel. If you want to go elsewhere in DC, I wouldn't drive; most of the wonderful places are relatively (or very) close to a Metro station. For special places in DC, Komi has already been mentioned; there's also Little Serow, from the same owner. (No reservations taken there.) Palena. Rogue 24. Marcel's. If you like Indian food, there's Rasika West End (or the original Rasika, which is louder).