Holly Moore

The Taylor Pork Roll Sandwich. Don't Forget the Taylor Pork Roll Sandwich. Otherwise, well done.

Just follow I-95 north and get of at just about every North and South Carolina exit. You'll find BBQ within a few miles. If you have time, turn left on I-85 through to Charlotte or Greenville and then head home cross country. You'll have access to far more BBQ than you can handle. On the bbq section of my site, thanks to the suggestion of someone here, I've included which interstate the Carolina BBQs are closest to. What FG says is true, though. You'll arrive home with an expert's knowledge of the various Carolina style BBQs, but only Carolina style BBQs. I don't see at the bad thing. Next year a road trip to Owensboro KY, Memphis and Kansas City. Year after that, eat Texas.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Strawberries and Chocolate Cashews and Chocolate Coffee and Chocolate Warm French Bread and Chocolate Raisins and Chocolate Chili and Chocolate (mole) Grasshoppers and Chocolate

From Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer, an article on an attempt to certify genuine Neapolitan pizzas. There are only a few places in the U.S. that have earned this certification. Inquirer Article And the certifying association's site: VERACE PIZZA NAPOLETANA

Some may remember Johnny's Hots when it was just a shack on the east side of Delaware Avenue just above Spring Garden. "Hots" refers to Johnny's jumbo grilled hot sausage sandwich. Not an Italian hot sausage, but a large hot dog with spicy heat pumped into it. Anyhow Johnny has moved across the street and a couple of blocks north to sparkling new digs. Along with the Hot Sausage, Johnny grills up hot dogs and what is known only in Philadelphia as a "combo." A hot dog with a fish cake mashed on top of it. Johnny calls it a "Surf and Turf." As far as we can figure out it started at the long departed and greatly missed Levis' on South 6th Street. But we have no idea why. Just another quirk of Philadelphia's tradition of fine dining. Johnny's Hots at HollyEats.Com

The comment about Monday night was more intended to communicate that on a typical restaurant Monday night, empty four tops are plentiful and therefore there is no problem seating two at a four top. You have every right to decide why you will or will not return to a restaurant. I can't say you're wrong. I'm just explaining why the restaurant was cherishing that remaining four top. And had a party of four walked in, as often happens on a Friday night, the resaurant would have a table at which to seat them. I on the other hand rarely go to a dinner house sort of place that doesn't take reservations. I understand the greed that leads to that sort of policy and refuse to accept it.

I almost always come down on the side of the customer, but not in this case. Friday night, running pretty full, I'd hold out the larger table for a three or four top. Restaurants need to make their money on Friday and Saturday. I might relent if a promised 15 minute wait turned into 30, but I wouldn't offer up the four top right off the bat. Come back on a Monday, and you can sit anywhere you want. You can even change tables between courses if you so desire.

Is it intentional on their part that whenever I hear the name "Bullfrog & Baum" I'm thinking Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder or Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick work there?

I've told this tale before on eGullet, but that never stops me. I was staying the night in a small town in NC, off I-85. Drove around looking for BBQ. No luck, but knew there was some nearby. In NC there is always BBQ near by. I drove past the sheriff's dept. Bunch of guys standing around in khaki uniforms. Figuring these were deputies I walked up and asked them for suggestions. They gathered round and we hashed it over for about 5 minutes, settled on a couple of places. I thanked them and, as leaving, saw a couple of real deputies heading my way. Turned out the guys I was talking to were from the county jail on work detail waiting to be picked up after cleaning the sheriff's office and the courthouse. Of course no problem using the link. Always looks better when someone shills my site for me.

If the road is an Interstate or a Turnpike the first thing I look for is a reasonable alternative route on a state or US highway. For example, just drove roundtrip from Chicago to Philadelphia. After the Pennsyvania and Ohio Turnpikes I had to escape the monotony. US Route 20 pretty much parallels the Indiana Turnpike. I got onto it just after crossing the stateline and stayed on it until just before arriving in Illinois. Along the way, a couple amish communities, many downhome non-chain/plastic eateries, a smokehouse specializing in Jerky and a guy selling "The Best Popcorn in Indiana." Had to slow down going through towns, added maybe an hour to my time in Indiana, got stuck behind the ocasional truck. Didn't bother me at all. Took the same route on my way home. Insterstate rest stops are pretty much gastronomic disaster areas. Only decent sustinance beyond bottle water are the Starbucks now found in many of them. Nothing like a tripple tall latte to keep me going til I can escape the Interstate. Along the road, come meal time, I always look for non-chain restaurants. (Egads FatGuy, Subway? Say it ain't so.) As I say on my site, I check out the parking lots. I look for the full parking lots, preferably more filled with dusty, rusty pickups and old chevy's than shiny buicks and volvo's. Hand painted signs are encouraging, as are a promise of home baked pies. Along the road I have asked police officers, firemen and, unintentionally, a convict work gang for local recommends. Hotel/motel desk clerks are the worst possible source. As to the TA summary, Cheap gas is good, but convenience and sparkling clean rest rooms aren't all that important. Nice but not critical. With the exception of turnpike rest areas, friendly is rarely an issue.

One thing to consider Tony. Many correctional officers, fearing rather disgusting recipe substitutions, pack their own lunch rather than trusting the wholesomeness of food cooked by vengeful inmates.

I stopped by Ron's on the way home today. Ron's brother was outside, but they weren't open. He says they were open last weekend and will be opening weekends for the next couple of weeks (don't know if that includes Sunday) and then will open regularly after that if things continue smoothly. "Same menu, same sauce."

Yes, and hurry before Martha beats you to the punch.

And my company will be glad to provide the appropriate attire. The Shill's Company

I'm not all that impressed with your psychic abilities, Holly being a guy and all.

I take my Shepherd's Pie very seriously. Speaking of lamb's testicles - had me a plateful a while back at the Cattlemen's Steakhouse in the Oklahoma City Stock Yard. Lamb Fries on the menu. Breaded and with a marinara type dipping sauce. They look like breaded condoms.

Yup. Bull testicles for gaucho pie, perhaps.

Ok, a hint. For cannibal's pie, a man's testicles would be appropriate.

Never, ever would I have the balls to criticize anyone else's spelling.

Testicles

Yup, knew you're "right here" when I posted. Just feeling a bit playful and sent in a correction letter in that vein.

Chef, in fact a very smart chef - coming up with a 9-5 corporate gig, megabucks, full benefits, company car and fat expense account.

I'm saving that for the Times. I'll share it if they decline to print. But I will say, "Anthony Bourdain watch out."

Perhaps no one from that hotbed of mediocre chain blight, the suburbs, reads the Times.

I feel compelled to take issue with an article in today's Times Food Section. Not sufficiently compelled to actually post a letter, but am in the mood to send a scathing email? Thing is I can't find the email address on their site. There is letters@nytimes.com but that seems to be for the op-ed page. Anyone know if it's the same for the food page and, if not, the proper address?