JPW

Yes, it is for real. The liquor laws in Pennsylvania are the worst. There is no point other than the fact that the state makes an incredible amount of revenue from its monopoly on booze. My personal favorite is the part that disallows any liquor sales on Sunday except in restaurants that have to annually (?) prove that at least 50% of their sales are food. I do recall growing up that there were a couple of places that allowed you to BYOB. I can't recall the exact laws, but I believe that it requires a particular type of license for restaurants to allow BYOB.

Sorry for the delay folks, I tend to avoid using computers over the weekend. We ended up at Bacchus on Friday night. It was definately hit or miss. Talking to the table next to us, I was informed that the understaffing was not a surprise, but rather a consistant thing. I don't expect much out of the wine at a small ethnic place, but the best thing that I could say about the glass of merlot I had was "Well, it's wine". The lebanese beer tasted amazingly like Singha (sweet with high alcohol) The dishes ranged from excellent (a grilled eggplant stuffed with walnuts and some type of very spicy vinagrette served cold), to pretty good (kibbeh - fried breaded ground lamb meatballs, schwarma - basically a lamb gyro) to disappointing (the falafel which was dry, bland, and served over an iceberg lettuce salad with something resembling a vinaigrette). The overall experience was OK, but I really wonder how Sietsma recommended it highly. I've had better middle eastern dining experiences at both Lebanese Taverna and Cafe Ole, not to mention the greek place in Crystal City. Not mad or disappointed, just satisfied, nothing more. It would, however, be nice in the summer with the big patio space they have. Thanks again for the suggestions. Walked past Grapeseed and it looked great. Will have to stop in there sometime.

Ah morela, We all need a little magic in our lives.....

BEER

Thanks for the suggestions morela. Never tried any of those places. I, too, have heard Grapeseed was good. But overcrowding has become my pet peeve so maybe I'll hold off until a weeknight. From the outside and from descriptions, there are a lot of places like Grapeseed that, if not real bistros, are described as having a bistro atmosphere. That sounded just about right to me on a cold day like this...

Mrs. JPW and I are running errands in Bethesda after work today (need to return the surplus copy of Kitchen Confidential that I got for Xmas). I was thinking Bacchus, but need a backup in case Mrs. JPW doesn't want mezze. Opinions on any of the bistro-type places? Not really in the mood for Indian or Thai tonight. Made a big pot of curry this week and have had it for leftovers one too many times.

I disagree with you wholeheartedly. I think the argument that serving chicken "undermines" MLKs message is dumb. Sorry you don't like my choice of words, but to suggest that I was aiming to insult anyone is a cop out. Consider the rest of my post, please, then pick any one word you like to describe it. I promise not to feign offense. A cop out? Not to me. I find that the use of words like "dumb" is generally aimed at insulting people. And I am not feigning offense, I was offended. As for describing the rest of your post, my argument has not been that "serving chicken undermines MLK's message", but that it can (and has been) construed by many to be an insult given the trope that exists/had existed in the North relating fried chicken/collard greens to negative views of African-Americans. Especially in the context of an elite, largely white institution in an elite, largely white suburb -- neither of which has had the greatest history of race relations (or at least did not when I was there 10 years ago).

I disagree with you wholeheartedly. I do not think that it dumb at all. There are obviously people who have different, strongly held, points of view on this. They have managed to express their views without aiming to insult people and have been respectful of other people's views. At a certain point in time, in certain parts of the US, there was strongly negative way in which fried chicken/collard greens/cornbread could be associated with African-Americans. To me, this thread may have indeed moved beyond the original link to the student letter, but I have learned a lot about what the state of this association is to various people in various parts of the country.

unfortunately, that link seems to have disappeared

I'm with tryska on this one. The question is - What is the way in which it is being used? In my experience of the South (my wife is from Atlanta, and my MIL's family is still largely in Lynchburg VA) you never really hear the term "soul food". It's just everyone's food - Southern Food. In most of the North, however, soul food is distinctively black food. I imagine mainly because there tend not to be many white southerners who move north of the Mason-Dixon line (with the obvious exceptions of NYC/other big cities). In this context, the term "Soul food" can be used as a celebration of southern cooking, which again is largely African-American in the North, or it can be used in a perjorative sense. In either way, it is pretty loaded.

Darn it hj. You beat me to it. My favorite sandwich as a kid was peanut butter, lettuce, pickle slices, and ridged potato chips (much better than the normal chips). My favorite ones of all time are at Primanti Bros. in Pittsburgh where they are most famous for throwing fries in every sandwich. Best appreciated after midnight.

Suzi, The bigger problem for Silver Spring is that until just a couple of years ago it was a complete wasteland, not just a culinary one. It's downtown was incredibly economically moribund. Housing prices around downtown, while high for normal places, was absurdly low by DC standards for an area with such quality amenities (parks, hospitals). Downtown has a couple of decent ethnic restaurants. The moving in of the Discovery Communications HQ has sparked a huge reinvention. The American Film Institute renovated and opened an old theater and a brand new hotel/office/megaplex is moving in. Unfortunately when they opened a sort of outdoor food court, it was all chains -- Red Lobster, Panera, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Austin Grill (which I kind of like), and Potbelly's Sandwiches. With new businesses downtown, more people want to move into the area. I got my house assessment from the government the other day and nearly plotzed. Hopefully, we'll be able to attract some good restaurants with the newer higher income people moving in.

Ahem - it is now known as Infineon. And I hope you are being facetious about the winery crack! Yes, Carolyn. Very facetious. Hence the smilie.

I disagree with you there Sam. I think the Mazto ball soup is the appropriate analogy (especially with the comments the student made in the letter) because the focus is brought not upon Dr. King's works, but his race. So the Matzo and Brisket focuses not on Eintein's work, but his religion. Yes, I agree somewhat that there can be a little over-sensitivity to this issue. But again it's context. Fuzzy Zoeller, in just about the whitest sport around - professional golf, at a tournament that fairly excludes elitism - the Masters, makes a joke about race and food groups that was clear enough that most of the country understood just fine. He didn't mean to come off as a racist, even Tiger said so. But the rest of the world didn't know Fuzzy, to most he was just a guy on TV saying something that is generally viewed as pretty racist. As a white guy, I say things around African-American friends that I would never say around African-Americans I don't know. Strangers have no context to judge beyond my words. I sincerely doubt that the NU food service commonly serves fried chicken and collards for events. Their explicit inclusion on the occasion cannot help but be interpreted badly. Especially given the Fuzzy incident of just a couple years ago.

I think that the student letter hits at the crux of the problem -- stereotypes. I'm not sure if Dr. King liked fried chicken and collard greens. But that is rather tangential to the issue. In the context of events honoring Dr. King, the menu of foods that are often stereotypically associated with African-Americans does indeed cause problems due to the context. 1) I don't know if it is purely regional, but growing up in the Northeast, when people would talk about the "fried chicken/collard greens/watermelon" eaters, it was done in a distinctly perjorative way by both white and black. The mental association was a particular picture of uncivilized, poor, and uneducated people, along the lines of some of the worst cartoons you might have seen. 2) Northwestern is a decidedly Northern place. It is also a decidely white place. As noted in my first post, the proportion of students of African-American descent is under 7% - about the same as when I was there during the reign of Bush the Elder. It was a very segregated place and homogenous enough that, having grown up in a big city, it made me feel uncomfortable --- and I'm white. Imagine how it made most African-Americans feel. In fact, I recall the black drop-out rate as being very high compared to other racial groups. The administration of Northwestern (as is the case in most universities) has always been EXTREMELY white. Put it all together, and in spite of intent, you have the perception of a very powerful, largely white, institution attempting to disparage the leading figure in promoting minority rights by evoking the stereotype that he, and people who happen to share his skin tone, are nothing but savages. Would it have been the same problem if a white southern private school did it? A southern public school? A historically black college or university (HCBU - the Department of Education official designation) ? I don't know.

Oy!!! On behalf of all NU alums - my apologies. It just goes to show that NU which continues to have a black student body that is a whopping 6.8% of all undergraduate students, continues to be led by an administration that is VERY white -- not so much racist, but clueless. I would think that somebody in the admin would have remembered the Fuzzy Zoeller incident at the Masters.

I, too, had never seen tomato paste in a tube. Excellent. I'm sick of throwing out the half cans of paste that sit in my fridge with only a couple dollops gone.

Jenny, I know you like prosciutto as well, so try a saltimbocca. Essentially any meat cutlet (veal, chix breast, whatever). Pound out to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Put a slice of prosciutto and a sage leaf on one side fold over like a sandwich.Secure with a toothpick. Dust with flour and then fry lightly. Before end add shallots and mushrooms. Once these have sweated some add a fruity red wine (something without too much tannin) and stock. Reduce and serve. Others may frown, but I like this with a side of long pasta to help mop up the delicious reduction.

My memory is of going the other way. At one point in the late 70s, my mom decided to go on a "no butter" kick and used to make us eat popcorn with the butter-flavored salt. Most disgusting stuff ever. Needless to say popcorn consumption in my house went way down (at least when mom was home).

If they're such great drivers, why don't they ever turn right? Actually they do. They race two tracks that are "road tracks" Watkins Glen in upstate NY (absolutely beautiful spot and there are some wineries up there that make great Gewurztraminers and Rieslings - see esp. Hermann J Wiemer) Sears Point in CA (don't think there are any good wineries there)

Yeah, these days in NASCAR it's gatorade (doesn't really go to well with dessert). Unless of course the driver is sponsored by another non-alcoholic beverage, in which case it is funny to watch the driver's PR man scoop away the gatorade left on the car in victory lane by the NASCAR PR guy and add coke/pepsi.

Green Eggs and Ham ! What else?

Originally that was case. These days everything is custom made for the track. Only the outline of the car "appears" to be the same as the mass market vehicle.

Please excuse my provincialism in assuming that NASCAR was universally understood. NASCAR = National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Stock car meaning that, originally, these were cars that were sold by dealerships and then modified, as opposed to Grand Prix cars that were designed specifically and only for the track. These days the bodies of the cars still look like Ford Taureses, Chevrolet Monte Carlos, etc. but that's about it. Everything else is race car specific. Stock car racing has its roots in the moonshine runners in the southern US during prohibition. To evade the government agents the moonshine runners "souped up" their cars. This inevitably led to racing on small unorganized circuits. Following the repeal of prohibition, the organization that governs the sport - NASCAR - began to organize and put the smaller race organizers out of business. NASCAR, as an sport's governing body is unusual in that it is owned by one family - the France's. Until the late 1980s NASCAR was largely still southern and all-white (hence the stereotype). Over the last 20 years, Bill France Sr. and now Jr. made great efforts to widen the fan base. They have succeeded wildly. Of course, they have inevitably alienated some of the older fan base by moving NASCAR away from it's roots.

Ah yes, the steroetype that all NASCAR fans are fat white bud drinking racist good ole' boys. In fact the demographics of the NASCAR fan base are increasingly urban ethnically diverse and rich. Recent years have seen new tracks in Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, and LA. In addition to their dropping of RJR tobacco as primary sponsor (Winston Cup) in order to broaden fan base, there has been a huge controversy about the schedule change taking away the traditional Labor Day Southern 500 race from Darlington SC and giving that prime weekend to a race in California. I know that you were just trying to be funny, but in the mind of this NASCAR fan you failed miserably.