Susan in FL

A "menage a foie"? Good One!!

I really do appreciate it when those of you who have been here for a long time give us links to previously discussed topics. So thanks, Beans, and any others who often do that. However, I also see the merit of discussing something again. In a live, in person conversation, we as humans often repeat ourselves, and enjoy an updated discussion. With a site of 10,000 members like eG, it is likely that comments will be made that have been made before. We will rehash, rather than search before posting to see if a particular topic has already been discussed. And not everybody wants to read an earlier 8 or 10 page long thread, before posting a couple of sentences. Thanks. I just wanted to get that off my chest.

I don't have more to contribute about where to order or buy it, but will say... I love arrowroot. I use just a teeny bit for thickening sauces, so they aren't gummy-starchy, as kind of a secret ingredient. Sometimes I use it when cornstarch is called for. Great discovery.

I, for one (and maybe the only one), so agree with you.

Yes, absolutely, on trilliums's suggestions, especially the fresh water chestnuts which I can find at times. I'm not sure I'll be able to find the bamboo fresh, but I'll give it a try. And thanks for the ideas on what to have with the meatballs. As soon as Bike Week is over, I'll check out that Asian market. What are schwarmas? P.S. PJ, we're hoping to see you soon after Bike Week! Work is progressing on the project.

My favorite are beer floats, currently stout and either vanilla or vanilla fudge ice cream.

Sara Moulton is my favorite. I can't stomach Martha Stewart.

TRAGEDY!!

Yes, this was in Melbourne. I meant to say that. Russ had the Anniversary Ale. It was real fine. It reminded us of a good home brew, actually.

Tonight: Creamed Grits with Sauteed Shrimp and Thyme, ala Vidalia, in DC Kale cooked in olive oil and garlic, with tomato-ginger relish Australian Chardonnay Yum!

That was my first thought when I saw this recipe, but porcupine meatballs, as I know them, are made from mixing in the rice throughout, rather than just on the outside. I love porcupine meatballs! How nastalgic... when I was a kid, I went to an elementary school that actually had really good cafeteria food. The lunches were cooked from scratch, and porcupine meatballs were on the menu about once a month. I've made them two or three times in my adult life, for old times' sake. Hi PJ! Thanks for the tip. I have noticed the grocery store on ISB and wondered about it. There is an Asian market in Deland where I have gotten some good stuff. Glad to know about this place, in addition. P.S. Now is probably not the time for you and I to meet in person for that hamburger, huh... Is it a royal pain in the butt this week for you, traveling to and from work? Jo-mel and All, I appreciate the info. I will modify this recipe with the suggestions and ideas you all gave. Sounds good! Thanks for writing out your recipe, Jo-Mel. Now, what to have with them.... ?

I've been remiss in noting what different places we've hit on our Friday night happy hours. Mostly we've been in the west part of the county, since most of my work has been in that area recently. It's Bike Week, and so that is a good thing for the time being. This weekend's pick was in the Ugly category. We went to the bar of Doc's Place, in the Howard Johnson hotel by the route 44 exit off I-4, because I had seen a sign that said piano bar. NOT. It was dark and dingy and they were smoking in there. I saw nothing that resembled a piano bar. Maybe that was in the restaurant part, which had a sign on the door that said, "We are open, come on in." That was at 4:30, 5:00-ish, and they were telling everybody going in that they don't open until 6. I quickly drank my glass of "white house wine" and my husband quickly drank his beer and we got out of there. We stopped by the Applebee's close to our house for nachos and beer before going home for dinner. On recent Friday nights, we had better luck in Deland. We did happy hours at Fish Tales and the Artisan, downtown, and in a shopping center on 17/92, Gator's Dockside. The appetizers and wine were good at Fish Tales, and there was live music. At the Artisan, they have some free happy hour food available, and a decent wine selection as well. Dockside is a typical race themed sports bar, with pretty good "bar food" and OK beer. There we got an appetizer sampler which included the best conch fritters and gator bites we're had at a bar. Who knows what next weekend has in store, since it will still be Bike Week, but a bit of good news is that a new Stonewood Grill and Tavern has just opened on Dunlawton Ave. in Port Orange.

Finally reporting back about The Cellar, after a full meal there... A colleague and I are dining buddies and went there this past week. I found out that they were closed briefly, and they used to be open just for lunch. I hope their dinner trade will be good enough to keep them open. At last, a Daytona Beach restaurant that falls under the Good category. It is in an historic building, 220 Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach, and most of the seating is in the cellar. There is also dining on a porch, but the evening weather has been too chilly this week for that. It is an appealing atmosphere and service was excellent. I had carpaccio as an appetizer. What there was of it was tasty, but I'm used to a more generous serving. I guess paper-thin is a good thing, but I would have preferred a little more thickness. It was served with shaved Parm-Reg, arugula, and fennel, and very slightly dressed with balsamic vinegar and EVOO. There was more Parm-Reg than beef. My main entree was Boneless Roasted Rabbit, Served with Gaeta Olive, Orange Zest, and Walnuts... However, I asked that pine nuts be substitued for the walnuts, which they gladly did. It had a touch of flavorful sauce with it, along with roasted rosemary potatoes and green and yellow squash. It was absolutely perfect. With the substituted pine nuts, I wouldn't change another thing. We had a bottle of 2000 Raymond Estates Cabernet which was very good and reasonably priced. My friend had a roasted portobello mushroom over baby greens, with Gorgonzola and a balsamic glaze, followed by Risotto with Sea Scallops, Shrimp, Peas, and a Touch of Tomato. She enjoyed her meal, as well, and I loved my taste of the Risotto. For dessert, we had a little round warm dark chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream, and espresso and Port. All good!

I am interested in the opinion of you experts on oriental food... how does this recipe look to you? Ever made something like this? Rice-Studded Meatballs

LOL! ...One of those problems it feels so good to have.Coming to Florida!? ...PM or email me if you might want to meet and exchange toast dope!

I thought this was a mini-chain, but apparently not. For some reason, I thought we found a place called this in Fort Lauderdale. Anyway, we stopped here for a beer last Saturday morning on the way to Jambalaya Jam, and it was pretty good. By the way, Jambalaya Jam had Red Hook Blonde Ale on tap, so at least we didn't have to drink Bud Light, or the like, all day. I asked the girl what their hoppiest beer was and she said a pilsner! So I got Patrick Pilsner, and it was very drinkable, especially since we had a whole day of eating and drinking ahead of us. Not bad for Florida.

I guess I really am a fan of this stuff! Check this out... tonight we fried some ripe plantains and I used it. I breaded sliced plantains using some flour, matzo meal, toast dope, and a little cumin, and sauteed them in butter. Yum! ...A really nice mix of sweet and savory.

I've been busy for the past couple of weeks and had a few business meetings over dinner, so I'll just hit a couple of the highlights of dinners we cooked recently. A Mojito-marinated fish dish (mahi? ...I can't remember) was really good, accompanied by a salad of edamame, asparagus, and arugula with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Tonight we roasted a goose, David Leite style, and seasoned it tropical/cajun/southern style. With it we had black beans over rice as a side-dish, and a yummy mango and avocado and etc. salsa, and fried ripe plantains. One night I made up a dish of an avocado half, topped with shrimp and a salsa mixture, garnished with some of those yummy guacamole tortilla chips. More to come, if/as I remember...

Thank you, Lloyd. I'll contact you via PM or email.

We've appreciated and enjoyed this discussion about salmon, and as always on eG, have learned a lot. Thanks for your responses. We will be asking more questions about what we're buying, and will hopefully learn what our favorite kind is. After reading all this, I might even try poaching it!

Sue, Russ just missed Millenium. It was bottled last week. Is it selling fast, Lloyd? The next trip one or both of us make up north will probably be at the beginning of the summer, or end, at the latest. Hopefully our home in DE will be sold soon and we will go up for closing. I'm wondering if we should find a way to get some Millenium before then. We drank a 120 Minute IPA, and I liked it least of the three, at this point. It really needs age. If it was more affordable, I would get a dozen or so bottles and drink one once a year!

In Australia you can either buy your oysters either live (unopened) or shucked. Both are entirely safe to eat raw. When I buy live oysters I actually do place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes, flat side up. This seems to loosen the muscle and make them a hell of alot easier to shuck. I also do this with clams and cockles. Works like a charm Regards Tom We do this all the time with big chowder clams, and wondered if it would work for oysters. In fact, we keep chowder clams frozen until ready to use. Thanks for mentioning it. Next time I don't have my husband to open oysters for us, I'll be placing those babies flat side up in the freezer!

Ian, the answer to such questions about shucked oysters would probably depend on where you live and what kind of store. I see you are in Chicago, so probably, if the shucked ones are in a supermarket, they are going to be OK as in safe, but tasteless. Lots of times when we buy half a bushel or a bushel of oysters from the seafood shop we use, we also get them to shuck us a pint or two, just to give my husband a break. Then, they are the very same as the just-caught ones, only we're paying them to do some of the work! Those containers in the super markets, though, are pasteurized, aren't they? When I've used them for oyster stew or something in an "emergency" they are nowhere near the salty oysters we love. Here's how we served some of the already shucked ones, with shallot-wine-vinegar dipping sauce, a couple of weeks ago.

That would be what Kristin said. I have had a jar go "bad" before, and I've had it lose it's flavor -- the flavor that was there other than salt, that is. I don't use it often, and I want what I have on hand to be good quality. The only good stuff I've found to buy here comes in fairly large jars. So, I'm really glad to hear about freezing it! Thanks, all, for the information I needed.

First reply the best, in my opinion, Marcella's lemon chicken can't be beat. I like it the most using Kosher chicken -- better, actually, than brining it myself. Nancy, is that you, from the old Prodigy board?! That sounds wonderful!I love spatchcocked, too. What to drink with roast chicken? I vote for Beaujolais.