Susan in FL

I went to San Francisco Oven in Ormond Beach. It was quite good -- again, not what Starwich sounds like, but a step in the right direction for the Daytona Beach area. I hope the business survives. They weren't busy when I was there at dinner time. Your order is placed and paid for at the counter, you're given a number, and they deliver your order. It's a nice menu of mainly sandwiches, salads, pizza, and desserts. I got an Alcatraz Roast Beef Sandwich, which was -- besides the roast beef -- smoked Gouda cheese, baby greens, onions, and a garlicky-tasting mayo on sourdough bread. If the roast beef had been slices of freshly roasted beef, instead of what tasted like processed beef slices bought in shrink-wrapped packages, this would have been an awesome sandwich. What was awesome about it was the bread. It was good, fresh bread. I love being able to taste good bread as part of a sandwich. That sounds like a simple matter, but in my experience with store-bought sandwiches, often what's in them overwhelms the bread, or the bread is tasteless. With the sandwich was a choice of chips or pasta salad. I had the latter. It was good, but not much beyond good. I also liked being able to have a glass of wine with it. They had a very small but decent selection of beer and wine. I got a glass of Merlot which was benign and passable. At least it was sold in a wine glass, not a plastic cup! Overall the experience was satisfactory, and I'll go back if I'm working in the area or another time for the sake of convenience.

Slow, without a doubt. I am much like you, Chris, except that I even refuse to rush at work. On the job I don't like just creep along -- actually I am very efficient in my work, but I do take the time I need to do the job well and enjoy what I'm doing. I am slow in just about everything I enjoy. It's a luxury, I know, but since "semi-retirement" I vowed to myself that I will never rush through anything, unless it's an emergency. So in cooking, planning, eating, all my passions, I go slowly. If I had a deadline that would make me have to cut any corners or be in a hurry (or chop real fast like your onion dicing example, Chris ), I would fix something else instead. This discussion illustrates why I want to be only a home cook, and have no desire whatsoever to be a chef, or even a personnal chef. I want to continue loving every moment of it!

Please pardon me while I exclaim. You all are inspiring! The food looks great. I was reminded of how much I like to blanche and then saute vegetables, and tonight did that with broccoli. I sauteed the blanched broccoli with olive oil and browned garlic bits. I don't even smoke and you're inspiring me. My new year's resolution was to do a minimum workout of either running one mile or walking two miles every day. It's February 1st and I have done it every day, so today I rewarded myself with buying some really nice running clothes. I've been so busy during the past few days, I've taken to walking two miles after dinner clean-up -- usually about 9 or 10 PM. Tonight, all pumped up thinking about you all, and happy about my new running outfit, I ran two miles at 9:30 and didn't stop running, to walk, at all! Way to go Marlene with your run/walks, and your busy lifestyle! Susan, I've always thought you are one amazing woman... I don't know how you do it. And Dave, well, I've long admired how much you accomplish and now even more so. To all of you others joining in behind the scenes, my thoughts and support are with you as well. If I encourage all of you in any way, right now I would say make sure you reward yourselves generously for your efforts and your success. Besides my new workout clothes, now I'm treating myself with a 2005 Big Foot ale and a chocolate-covered biscotti. ...Here's to your health. Cheers!

I am impressed. Truly! This is awesome. I had no idea. Actually I had no idea you guys smoked or that you were the three who were doing the blog. It was a great surprise to discover this just now. I can't offer you support by way of sharing any quitting experiences with you -- not my own anyway -- because I never smoked. I think I was born with an aversion to cigarettes. Nor will I list the grandparents and parents and other relative and friends who have died from lung cancer; that falls into the too-numerous-to-mention category. But believe me, I know how difficult it is to break the addiction, and I admire you all for doing it, and especially for doing it publicly. And thanks for doing it publicly, as a Tag Team Foodblog! Soba did you say twelve days?!? People who quit say keeping busy helps. If that's true, you three already always-busy people have the benefit of that, especially in the coming days. Congratulations to you all, Brooks included, on your smoke-free hours so far.

I will, Byron. Thanks! I'll try to find an excuse for my work to take me to Ormond Beach this week, and will report back.

With all the talk and articles and so forth about the Starwich stores in New York and planned elsewhere, I've been wondering what's available in other towns and cities around the world that is similar. I'm sure it will be a cold day in Florida before we see anything like Starwich, and meanwhile I'm envious. The best my town offers in good restaurant-quality sandwiches and salads served in a fast-food style is Panera. I like the soups, too. I've read rants and raves about Panera, but here, we're happy to have it and hoping it's a sign of things to come. There are also a couple of restaurants who cater to lunch crowds, and make guarantees about getting you in and out within a certain time, but neither they nor Panera have the fresh, fine quality of ingredients that Starwich claims, or the amenities. Are there any other sandwich, soup and salad businesses where you live, utilizing this concept? If so, what has made them a success or a failure? If not, would something similar be successful in your area of the world?

On one of my days off this week, this was my breakfast of Rapa brand scrapple, a fried egg with some drippings that I had left from some dinner (Percy made me do the drippings thing, thank you very much ), and tangerine juice. For the photo I unashamedly set it by the window.

Brunch this was morning BLTs. We didn't have any loaf bread, so we used these rolls. ...Different but mmm-mm good, and with it, diet pepsi for Russ and tangerine juice for me.

Ahhh, here perhaps is a place to ask this question. I'm surprised nobody has asked yet. What did you have for dinner last night? ...Or any night at home this past week (or what's for dinner tonight)? Here's a link to another thread for you to take a look at in all your spare time. As you can see, there are many of us here who, like Priscilla said in her post which in 2002 started this now-418-page thread, are very interested in what others cook for dinner. Fortunately, I'm going into work late today, or else I would have missed my chance to submit this one last question, and would have missed the chance to thank you again, before the Conversation is closed at 2:00. "Thank you" hardly seems enough. This has been the greatest, and the time you have taken to answer the many questions and to join in on the great discussions is appreciated so much. I'm sure I speak for all when I say it's been an honor to have you with us this week. I hope you will find some time to check in with us now and then, and take part in some of our topics. I wish you the best at PBS, and in all you do.

I love grocery shopping, especially after I have put time and care into menu planning. Seriously! We often stop on the way home from work for the produce part, but I sure would be interested in learning more about "proper medium- to long-term storage methods for fresh produce." Do you know of a thread on this somewhere on eGullet, or another guide online somewhere? I want to be able to get maximum life out of my fresh fruits and vegetables. I pretty much just put them in the produce bins of my fridge and that's all.

I love Triscuits, too. And, I have another crazy sort of "confession" that I'm a little embarrassed to share... but, guilty pleasures... This is a taste combination that blew my socks off: Triscuits topped with prosciutto. Indescribable.

I think they're just regular palm sugar.....hehe I just copied off the label on the packaging. but they do taste just like the regular palm sugar, i just didnt know what they're generically called in english. ← Maybe a little nitpicky, but a good question, and good answer. Thanks! Bill, I see your Sriracha sauce in the photo. How is it? I bought a bottle of that brand yesterday without looking closely at the label. I've done some reading that says it's only "real" Sriracha if it was produced in the Sriracha region of Thailand. The bottle I had prior to this one was from Thailand and delicious. I haven't tasted this kind, from the US yet, but I am expecting that a Thai person might not think it is Sriracha sauce. And, I'm not much for hotness; I much prefer to taste the flavor. That's why I liked the kind I bought before. Whatever, it was only $2.99, so if it isn't as good, I can keep it on hand and go buy some Thai produced Sriracha. Please excuse me if I offend anyone about brands. If my husband reads this, he will say I am being a snob. I mean no offense. I did the cook-off tonight, but I am not near ready to post the photos and write it up. I'll be back!

...Awesome, all of it! Especially And thank you for the offer to weigh in on ideas about what we would like to be covered. I am giving that some thought!

This is a wonderful thread. I see so many similarities with how we raised our boys. Plating isn't always formal, and family style isn't always casual. I plate most of the time... It's just the common every day way for us, and there are always either flowers and/or candles, or some kind of centerpiece. It's just our casual way, second-nature to us. Formal would be fine china and sterling silver (if I had it), much ceremony and ritual, and getting dressed up. Actually, when we serve family style, it's much more of a special occasion because it's so different. To me that is more formal. I am eager to see Sara's response here and the continued discussion.

You taught at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, now called the Institute of Culinary Education... How did you like that job? I am assuming you taught there early on and he was still living. Was he visible, playing an active role in the operations of the school? I am quite a Peter Kump fan, and was so saddened when he died. Back in the olden days of the now defunct Prodigy online service, on the food boards, we had Peter as a "Guest Chef" -- kind of like a smaller, older version of your being here on eG with us now. In a regular thread, separate from the question and answer area, I posted a recipe request for new ideas on first-course pasta dishes. Much to my delight he responded, and that recipe has long been a favorite of mine, with variations and modifications through the years. (I've been meaning to post that recipe in RecipeGullet. Maybe the thought of it now will prompt me!) Do you know if his memory lives on in the ICE today?

My ex- father-in-law had that for his garage fridge. We have an "energy saver" upright freezer in our garage here in FL. My husband and I argued about whether it would raise our electric bill significantly. He said no, and he won. This was one instance when I was glad he won an argument.

Yetty, what is ginger coffee??

They really look good in the photo, Jmahl. The soufflé appealed to me when I saw it in the magazine. A few years ago my husband and I got on a kick of cooking smaller and quicker dinners on weekends, and as soon as we were done and cleaned up, we would cook a dessert soufflé. This recipe (chocolate, with orange caramel sauce, on my... ) made me think we should revive the kick. Now I'm fighting an urge for a sweet treat. I am looking forward to seeing what you cook this weekend!

That post has been going for years. It amazes me that they have kept it going for so long... and people keep posting joking comments! I have traced it back to 2001, and there continue to be current posts! It may go back earlier than that. I guess it's infamous. I've been taking a look at it every now and then for a couple of years. What a hoot.

Nice to meet you, Darcie. My mother-in-law lives in Charleston! Wow... two blogs in a row with which I have some kind of connection. Mom lives on MacCorkle Ave. She's in her 80's and has become a snowbird now, living with my sister-in-law down here for a good part of the year. Do they still have the Regatta on Memorial Day weekend? We used to go visit every year, to attend the festivities and for my husband to run in the race. I like the orange and dark chocolate combination. Any chance of something featuring that? When I pick my birthday cake (for my husband to bake), it's angel food with some sort of chocolate icing.

Thank you for the recommendation of that sandwich. We have a Panera Bread about a mile from my house, and I haven't tried that particular sandwich yet. I wish it was a Starwich that we had, but for us Panera is progress.

...Taken from the post linked by Katie, above.I so identified with that sentence and the entire post! Katie, you reminded me how I would post, when/if I ever get to meet Sara. I am so thrilled that you're here, Sara, and I'm trying hard to maintain some degree of refinement and restraint about it, and not gush out with my own fanatical ramblings! So I hope you and all the viewers of the Spotlight Conversation will pardon me when I ask you something that Katie's post reminded me about, and something that is probably a typical fan question. How tall are you? Are there times when you are doing cooking demonstrations or other appearances and you have to stand on a platform or anything like that? Being a short person too, I've often thought I would like standing next to you.

Great minds... Sara, I see that Elie Nassar ("FoodMan") and I almost cross-posted. In separate topics, we both asked you about the role of Gourmet's Executive Chef. Please feel free to reply to either/or, and not obligated to reply to both!

Thanks, and here are the two from Epicurious/Gourmet: January 2003, and January 2006. Also, I found the recipes for the 1993 Three-Cheese Pizza, and the updated recipe.

I can't believe I am saying this... I vote buffet!