slbunge

Though I know that this thread is focused on Philadelphia, I see the same thing in Minneapolis and Boston where I spend a lot of time. Oddly, Milwaukee has the chain thing going on in the suburbs and the downtown restaurant scene is very home grown. I'm not interested in these restaurants because when I travel, the last thing I want to eat is something I can get replicated (exactly, mind you) at home. That said, I think that I (and Holly and bleachboy and many others here) are the exception and not the rule. I guess I don't have a problem with the chain invasion in theory but I get a little prickly when the big corporate entities work hard and are successful getting local governments to fund their moves into center city. Seems like local money should go to public works that make the centers of cities more desirable drawing the crowds that make it attractive for chain restaurants to move in to capitalize on these people who are their demographic. That way, if a chain fails (and they sometimes do) the public still has the nice landscaping, improved sidewalks, etc. Perhaps the city fathers/mothers are smarter than I am and understand that the TIF money is well spent. But things aren't right unless we all play the armchair politician once in a while.

Some sources say that Grade C is Grade B; that they are both marketed under the Grade B label. A google search led me to believe the same thing. Then, I read that Grade C (Commercial Grade) is actually illegal to retail in VT, but I am having a hard time finding reliable information on this. Anyone know whether or not it's true? Wow. I wonder when they changed the grading rules. I'd say we bought the big jug of syrup perhaps 12 to 14 months ago. Now I won't get upset if I can't find grade C when we soon run out of our stock.

I was a Grade B fan until I found...Grade C! What I like about the lower grades is the smokier, more intense maple flavor. Grade A has a cleaner taste but without all those maple impurities I taste too much sweetness. Maple syrup goes very well with peanut butter on waffles. Using a bit of dijon and maple syrup as a glaze for roasted Brussels sprouts is fantastic. Had a tiny bit poured over home-made ricotta 'ice cream' a couple of weekends ago.

I loved saltines (mostly topped with a dollup of peanut butter) but haven't had them in years. We also did the four-quarter-fold of the Kraft Singles to top four saltines. I remember the 'tin box' that we had in the cupboard. The light blue top, the reprint of the Nabisco box on the label. It was battered but survived my whole childhood...I need to call mom and see if she still has it. Another memory was the first time the red psudo-twist-tie thingies appeared on each plastic sleeve so they could be resealed. That was progress.

Rats! I recently moved from Milwaukee and Lakefront was my local favorite. If you are ever in Milwaukee, the bar/restaurant at the brewery (officially called the Palm Garden) is a great place to have their whole line on tap and quite fresh. It will also give you a chance to peak into the brewery and see the old Bernie Brewer house, slide, and beer-mug from County Stadium where the Brewers used to play. Their lawyers won't let the public use the slide though. I like all of their beers but my favorite summer beer from Lakefront is Klisch Pilsener. Malty throughout with a clean, hoppy finish. Anyway, now that I'm on the east coast, I've been running through Harpoon's selections. Their summer beer is a Kolsch (can't figure out how to do an umlaut) I believe and is quite tasty. Drinkable and slightly fruity with no sweetness. More exploration to come if I find a store with a decent local selection.

I love the tour. I don't get OLN so I have been relying on the BBC live coverage. I think it is better than what is posted live on the official TdF website. A food related aside, I've always been curious about the nutrition side for the riders. Were there any interviews or side stories about what the riders eat before, during, and after? How many nutritionists do the teams take with them? Etc. Early in this year's tour, I do remember seeing a picture on the NYTimes online edition of Lance with some sort of rice-cake shaped thing between his teeth while riding.

If you like steak houses, Davio's might be a decent choice. There are three of them (two in the Boston area and one in Philadelphia) so it's sort of a chain but it there isn't one where you live. I haven't eaten at Davio's but I have read decent things about their menu and service. What really comes to mind is accessibility for your father. I jog past the place all the time and it is on a corner where you can get a cab to stop virtually right in front of the doors and there are not stairs between the sidewalk and the dining room. They have website here that might be of some help. In terms of location, Davio's is not all that far from Capital Grille. It is essentially two blocks south (or south-east) from the south-east corner of the Public Garden. Hope that helps.

Chautara is the name of the other Himalayan restaurant on State Street and I agree that Himal Chuli is far better. Next trip, try Sophia's on E Johnson for breakfast. The sit-down stuff is pretty decent but the real treat is their baked goods (you can get them to go). Excellent muffins (usually two kinds on any given day) and great coffee cakes.

This made me laugh. I'm going to trust your judgement rather than try this combination of flavors myself.

Yep, you got me. I went to Harvey Mudd, and there was a bar set up in one of my friends' suites, so we were at Liquorama pretty often. I assume that now they are listed in winesearcher all the obscure dusty bargains are gone... How funny. One of my oldest friends (we grew up together in Madison, WI) and his wife both went to Harvey Mudd. They would have been there considerably before your time (85 through 89). I remember stories about a big, honkin' warehouse liquor store they used to frequent. I'll have to ask him if it was the Liquorama.

I'm new to living in Boston but I'll throw out a few ideas. I think Suzanne has hit the mark with spending some time exploring the North End. Some food highlights of the North End: Maria's (46 Cross St, accross from the remnants of the big dig, just down from the corner with Salem) for Italian pastries and baked goods. Very fine examples of sfogliatelle and cannoli. Less touristy and crowded than Modern Bakery (257 Hanover St). Polcari's Coffee (105 Salem St) has the best lemon slush that is perfect for walking around on a warm day. Think 'Italian Ice' but far less sweet and with a very intense lemon flavor. The stuff is kept in these antique looking coolers on the stoop where you enter the store. Go in and ask them to scoop one up for you. Dairy Fresh Candies (57 Salem St) has a huge selection of candies, nuts, spices. Great old store that is worth a peak for hard to find stuff used in baking. Salumeria Italiana (151 Richmond St) has some fun, hard to find Italian food specialties. They also have a deli case with olives, cheeses, and meats for making a picnic lunch which might suit your price range. Antico Forno (93 Salem St) is an inexpensive restaurant for lunch. They have a wood-burning oven for pizza and baked pasta dishes. Daily Catch (323 Hanover) is supposed to have very good seafood but I have not been there yet. I have heard that lunch is the time to go because it is a very small restaurant. Copp's Hill Cemetery (I think it is on Snow Hill St) is a great place to poke around if there isn't a huge bus full of tourists around. Fun to just walk around and attempt to read the tombstone. Getting out of the North End, a few more ides for inexpensive lunches if you find yourself in these areas. Chinatown: Mix Bakery (36 Beach St) has Bahn Mi that I have heard about several times but I have yet to try them (maybe this week?). Have heard that they are quite inexpensive. South End or Cambridge: Formaggio Kitchen (268 Shawmut in South End, 244 Huron in Cambridge) are great cheese and specialty food stores. Nothing is cheap but you would likely be able to put together a very nice lunch of cheese and bread. The store in the South End is just south of Downtown and adjacent to Chinatown. I haven't been to the Cambridge store (I think it is likely much larger). In general, we have found the Boston area to being very friendly for exploring on foot, with the subway to get farther afield. I'm sure you will have a great time. Let us know what you find.

Thanks for taking the time to join us here. Has there been any changes (relaxation or tightening) of the US FDA importation rules for importation and sale of raw-milk cheeses? Do you think US cheesemakers ever be allowed to sell young, raw-milk cheeses? Similarly, is there anything afoot in the EU that suggests that raw-milk cheese production will be affected by the drive for uniformity in export policy?

Great blog. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has shown up at work in the summer with a whole tomato in his lunch bag. When they hit their peak, there is nothing better than cutting and eating a fresh, unadorned tomato. Not food related, exactly, but I'm curious about your Frank Lloyd Wright avatar. Looks like a closeup of a piece of pottery...maybe? Perhaps you have explained it elsewhere.

Also, can you have a fire pit and a wood fire? Usually, when I go out for a five day canoe trip, we take some perishables to eat in the first 24 hours. I've had facsimile of burritos using instant refried beans, boxed dirty rice, with tomato, tortilla, and shredded cabbage (the cabbage does far better than lettuce without refrigeration). Have also had cabbage and tofu in a peanut sauce (the peanut sauce was a dried mix). Pasta is pretty lightweight and makes a good evening meal. I often take a bit of cheesecloth for draining. Rather than buying the freezedried sauces, I bring in a small amount of homemade pesto and some smoked fish for adding to the pasta. Instant pancake mix and instant oatmeal are typical for breakfast. Use powdered milk for the oatmeal if you want milk. Also occassional pop-tart can be a real treat. A few of the staples I usually take in for cooking: small Nalgene bottle of cooking oil (olive or canola), plastic insulated coffee cup for eating everything from pancakes to oatmeal to coffee, one-cup plastic coffee cone with filters and ground coffee, salt and pepper, wine poured from the bottles into Nalgene and kept closed until drinking (a real treat on day three or four but it adds weight), homemade oatmeal cookies with dried fruit and nuts for a little pick-me-up when you are on the move. If you can make a wood fire consider making upside-down pear (or peach, etc) cake. Jiffy instant cake mix and a small can of pears in syrup. Mix up the cake batter with water, pour the pears and then the batter into a camping pan with a tight lid. Put the pan into the coals trying to get coals on all sides including the top. Monitor and handle carefully. The pears and syrup will carmelize on the bottom. Another popular dessert is scrambled brownies. Add water to instant brownie mix in a skillet. Put the skillet on the heat and stir. They end up quite a bit softer than brownies but still quite tasty. Hopefully you aren't leaving too soon and have a little time for menu planning. I think there are lots of great ideas out there if you are willing to break out from going to the outfitter and buying freeze-dried meals. Edit: Clarity

I've never been to Wisconsin, but I know in Missouri the ice cream is already better than the east coast product by a large factor, so Wisconsin ought to be a slam dunk. Cold Stone ice cream is pale and lifeless compared to locally produced offerings here in Wisconsin. I'd say if you really have a hankering for M&Ms, for heck's sake buy a bag at Target and eat them. If you want a frozen dairy treat, do yourself a favor and get a frozen custard.

This is an interesting thread. The elevated gas prices makes me aware that my food-lifestyle was set up in a 'gas is cheap' framework. I routinely make 10 trips (by car) to various grocery stores in the area each week and rarely plan more than a few meals in advance. None of the stores are far away so we still (likely) drive less than the average American but still, it makes me think about my habits. I think the same 'gas is cheap' drives my food lifestyle in other ways that bolster lala's point about buying locally. I would be far better at cooking seasonally if there was some pain involved in getting fruits and veggies in the winter imported from Chile. Perhaps this winter, if fuel prices remain high, I'll be feasting on more root vegetables...also may need to increase the number of quarts of tomatoes I can this summer.

I found a link to a symbol 'dictionary' here. Not quite the pilcrow but similar. Edited to add: Congratulations and good luck chefg.

D'Oh. I have one of those and it never even dawned on me that it is nearly perfect for wine! New experiment for my next trip.

In my opinion, canning is the way to go. One recommendation: get a propane-fired burner and do the boiling outside. Seems like the tomatoes are always hitting during the hottest weeks of the late summer when you don't want all that heat in the kitchen. Since tomatoes tend to be right on the line of acceptable acidity for long-term storage using hot-water bath technique, be sure to add a little lemon juice to each jar. Nothing like pulling a jar of summer off the shelf to make tomato sauce in the dead of winter.

When the weather first warms I usually seek out a Kolsch (can't figure out how to type an umlaut). Refined and light while still having a nice malt flavor. Refreshing.

Actually, if you want to buy new bags with replaceable spigots, this site has them for $3 plus shipping. Edit: found better link.

Yep. This is the ticket. Have done it and it works well. Another source for mylar bags with pour spouts is Starbucks. They sell coffee in mylar bags (~2L?) supported by boxes (at least they did last summer). They cost about 14 bucks (full). I have also taken decent red wines in Nalgene bottles when going wilderness camping. If you leave them sealed until you drink them they last a few days. They are fairly expensive to purchase. I noticed a box of australian red wine in a 3L box last week when I was at the liquor store. The notes from the staff were something along the lines of 'best boxed wine yet'. I can't vouch for it but it sounds promising. Might be worth a shot to purchase and if it is not great, have a sangria party before you leave to give it away to friends.

And to confirm what you say about small dishes being universal, after you go to Jaleo (or before) go to Zaytinya for very well executed small dishes with Greek flavors.

Well said. It would be a very enjoyable afternoon, indeed, to knock back a few cocktails while getting the low-down on the rules and the scoring system. Wonderfully complicated.

I also enjoy a good Pimm's punch in the summer. Other favorites included spritz Campari (Campari with cold Prosecco); beer with fresh lemonade; gimlets (gin, of course).