MHesse

Many businesses are regulated in one form or another in the name of increasing public safety or global preservation, from agriculture to dry cleaners to wood stove makers to swordfisherman to hedge trimmer makers. Sometimes the benefits are obvious, sometimes they are much less. Often these decisions are politically based rather than scientifically based. In all cases, the marginal producers are the ones who suffer and are forced out of business. That is too bad when the decision is political. It's better when the decision is really scientific. How do you draw the line for safety vs economics? A tough question.

Is milk safe to drink that comes from mad dairy cows?

Here's the press release from Ben and Jerry's that describes Festivus IC. cinnamon ice cream, gingerbread cookies, and a ginger caramel swirl for those with no time to click

Happy Birthday to our founder, Elyse.

Festivus is observed on 12/23. After erecting the pole, the airing of grievances, and the feats of strength, what Festivus dishes do you usually serve?

"IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE" Crushed to the verge of ending it all by a seemingly endless array of dull cutlery, our hero regains the Holiday Spirit once he obtains a custom made knife and is admitted to the Fine Butchers Institute. The movie ends with the merry group happily hand slicing pastrami, frenching crown roasts, and circumcising newborns. Available in special director's cut. Stars: Wally Cleaver David Bowie the one and only Billy Shears cameo appearance by the Swiss Army

I did get my sandwich at the counter. I tipped a dollar as I gave my order. I liked the sample slices he gave me. The sandwich had more fatty slices than the sample. I'm not really complaining; I liked the sandwich and I've read here that some fat is better than all lean, though I'm not sure I agree with that now. I asked the counterman to also get me my soup and a cel-ray. He did, while explaining that his job is just to make sandwiches. Another dollar tip. Having to go to the counter three times: sandwich, soup, soda yesterday in that crowd would have been worse than getting a DVD on sale at Walmart. One half a cel-ray was not enough to cure my thirst. I will asked for extra bread next time. Yesterday I was so happy to have reached the counterman with only 15 minutes waiting and then not having the tray knocked over by the crowd behind me, I considered that a victory. We did sit in self serve. My wife found two seats after about ten minutes. Solo, I would have had a cold lunch by the time a seat opened up. Still, a NY experience. Funny, I don't enjoy NY experiences as much as I used to.

We stopped for lunch at Katz's today after a hard morning of lamp shopping on the Bowery. Got there around 2pm. Place was PACKED, many first timers including my wife. We split a pastrami on rye and a matzoh ball soup. She found a table while I worked my way to the counter. Got served just after the table was found. Pastrami was very juicy, but a little on the fatty side (I didn't want to order lean). Wife said soup was the best MB soup she's had; sandwich was very good, but I need to go back again and see if it could be better. Rye bread of course completely insufficientto contain sandwich. Lots of people ordered on club roll; good idea. The mass of humanity in the place took a little away from the experience. Will go off hours if possible next time. Was thirsty the rest rest of the day.

They are parakeets, not pigeons! I hope no one on eGullet eats parakeets. I probably should use a chameleon as my avatar, since it keeps changing.

1/3 works for me.

1/18 is pie potluck, so I recommend not the 17th - need room for pie. Also prefer not the 24th - not for Superbowl, but for fantasy baseball reasons. I will go with the group, regardless of the date if the fates allow it. Drinking Club at All State was fun today. We didn't drink that much, but took all the good seats at the bar for 4+ hours. All State Amber goes down well. My lentil soup was barley, but still ok. Elyse brought cookies.

If you check Suzanne's profile, you'll see that it's her 29th birthday

the list so far: picaman kirk mhesse elyse bloviatrix r washburn felonius possibles: Lurker a lurker Join us at Allstate (south side of 72nd, tween Bway and West End) this Sunday, 12/14 at 1pm for socializing, imbibing, possible eating. I remember having good fried chicken there years ago.

As stand in event organizer, I'd prefer All State (it's 4 blocks from home). Of the 6 who've said they'll attend, I imagine R Washburn, Picaman and Kirk might prefer Piper's Kilt while me, Elyse and Bloviatrix would prefer Allstate. Inwood could be a long uphill snowy bike ride Sunday. A large clamor from the attendees could change the decision. the list so far: picaman kirk mhesse elyse bloviatrix r washburn Any else want to get together with us?

I'll chip in until Elyse is out of the kitchen. I updated the list in my "quote". How about 1 pm Sunday? It's soon enough to still be lunchtime for those who eat late and late enough for those who've eaten earlier. We should perhaps think of a place without a loud football crowd so we can chat. All State works for that (I think). Haven't been to the other places E suggested. Right now this is an informal drinking club event, rather than burger club. Anymore people thinking of joining us? Alternate times or locales?

I think about things like that. And highway dynamics too. Why does the LIE come to a near stop at points when there is no obvious cause? I think there are a few people around that get paid to think of answers to questions like that. I wish I was one of them. How about long subway corridors? Fluid dynamics would tell you theat the velocity of a fluid is highest at the center and zero at the walls. Not true with people. How about the Chase Corporate challenge races in the park? Why do walkers line up at the front of the crowd and stay in the middle? Why do people stand in front of me waiting for a green light even though they walk so slowly I re-pass them withing seconds once the light changes? I rant. Please return to the topic.

The Chocolate Bar (8th Ave and 12th St) serves a fine spiced hot chocolate.

I dread all obligations and responsibilities. Grocery shopping is one of them (see the Why I Never Go to Fairway Anymore thread. At least when it's over I have food to eat. So, it is better than ironing.

Too late for this Sunday -- afternoon is gone. Next Sunday works.

I'm up for the imbibing club. Is there such a place that isn't loud? I don't like loud. Where's Art Bar?

Gotta agree wih Pan on this one; banging into people on purpose is not a good long-term NYC survival strategy. Eventually you will encounter someone really crazy who may well try to kill you. This is less likely to happen at Fairway, but I still try to be a good person. I just have a non-confrontational personality. Now disembarking from an escalator leaves no alternative to bumping into a non-understanding soul; that's just physics. I try to shop at Fairway early mornings. I bring my own shopping cart, which I park in a usually clear space, like across from the frozen pastas, and run around collecting things while the countup to my deli counter number proceeds. Familiarity with the store layout helps tremendously.

We used to schlepp Philadelpha brand cream cheese to people in Florida. Maybe not in the category of great food, but it was better than the locally sold product.

I also can get overly angry at 'below normal traffic dynamic skilled people', though I have never referred to them by that name before. I think they honestly believe the universe ceases to exist beyond the range of their peripheral vision. Why else would someone stop at the top of a flight of subway stairs or worse, just off an escalator? Fairway is worse than most spaces though. A significant portion of the shoppers have had previous bad experiences and arive and shop with a bad attitude. This is compounded by families with stollers, elderly with walkers, Fairway employees moving food or carts, among others. We still shop there regular for good selection and prices, and skilled checkers. It seems that more NYers in general are walking around with their elbows out waiting for a chance to use them. Perhaps one should need to earn a 'pedestrian license' similar to a drivers license before being allowed on the streets.

If you schedule it, we will come! (with apologies to Field of Dreams) And if the non-burger aspects are good, I'd come back for the burger. edited to add last sentence

Every month, a group of my high school alumni meet at the Old Town for food (usually brugers) and beverages. Tonight was the night, but the upstairs room was booked for a party. So we ended up 2 blocks east at Pete's Tavern. I had a burger there. Without the official form in front of me, here's my account. Big burger - 10.5 ounces, served on a toasted roll. Hard to fit in mouth. One alum removed her reading glasses so the large burger wouldn't scare her. No thermometer, but served hot. Ordered medium rare, but received rare. Good layer of char. Nice meat flavor. Curiously not juicy -- mine at least -- others were using multiple napkins. Served with pathetic tomato slice and one lettuce leaf piece and a pickle spear. Also thick, butcher cut fries that were done, but I like my fries well done. $8.50 for plain burger. What else? I don't remember, still jet lagged from sleepless Tuesday night redeye flight from California. Double Diamond on tap. I like DD.