Milt

Several times we have found a bag of frozen cranberries in our freezer over the years. We have used it the same as we would fresh cranberries. It has had no adverse effect on muffins, bread, salad, etc. - whatever we have chosen to make.

For last evening's meal, I prepared a large cheap pork roast - eight pounds counting the bone and fat. It was delicious. To accompany the pork, I made deviled eggs and a wonderful rice accompaniment from a recipe in The Rice Book. Long grain basmati cooked in chicken broth with green onions, coriander, cumin and tumeric. A fresh spinach salad and glasses of water and we ate well. I forget that sometimes simple is best. This was a good reminder.

A few weeks ago, this or some similar post on some board got me excited about making deviled eggs. I grew up with deviled eggs, but haven't had them at home very often in recent years. At pot luck dinners, I always am drawn to the deviled eggs. It must be this thread which motivated me, because I remember the discussion regarding deviled versus stuffed eggs. I didn't know there was a difference, since I have eaten and have enjoyed both. It's nice to know the difference. Recently, I have tried various recipes for deviled and stuffed eggs and have done some experimenting on my own - using the printed recipes as guidelines. So far, the most popular presentation at my home has been when I simply mixed six egg yolks with three tablespoons of honey mustard dressing.

I am a novice. I have only been cooking, with any seriousness, for a few years. Recipes are vital for me. Occasionally, I will compare several for the same dish. Usually, I will pick the one which sounds best - but I do combine or blend the recipes occasionally. My confidence is greatest around ingredient substitutions. I can make minor changes now, where a few years ago I religiously went by the exact recipe. Winging it totally is something I only dream about.

My children are 38, 34, 24, and 20 - so my experiences with them as small children are a bit dated. When the oldest were young we generally ate Chinese and shared. As they got older, we ordered more food and still shared. With our youngest - our pickest eater - she frequently ordered an appetizer when the children's offerings didn't suit her. She also loved Ryan's when she was young because she could go to the buffet and pick her own food. We only insisted that she keep her intake balanced. What meat and what vegetables wasn't particularly important to us - so long as she didn't fill up on desserts or bread or meat to the exclusion of all else. Last year, my oldest brought her family to Atlanta on vacation and, since her husband is South African and had never found a South African restaurant in the US - we took them to 10 Degrees South. They had no children's menu which caused my daughter no concern. The children were 9, 7 and 5 at the time. She ordered one adult entree and two extra plates and they were thrilled to be eating adult food from Daddy's country. Between adult entees, appetizers, children's menus and to go boxes - we were never particularly worried. Behavior - now that's a different issue.

When I have extra eggs on hand, my thoughts immediately turn to deviled eggs. Within thirty minutes, the eggs are boiled and the yolks and other ingredients mixed and the whites filled. Endless variety is available by varying the ingredients. Some view deviled and stuffed eggs differently, and technically they are correct. Just the same, I collectively view them as all being variations on the same basic recipe. My last batch was simply to boil six eggs and mix three tablespoons of honey mustard dressing with the yolks. I usually sprinkle the finished eggs with paprika, but that is a matter of choice.

Okra is my favorite single vegetable. I enjoy it boiled, steamed, stewed, with tomatoes, pickled and fried. I have not found a method of preparation that was not enjoyable. Growing up in OPklahoma and New Mexico, I occasionally had okra as a child - but not very often. I really discovered the delights of okra as an adult. When it is available in a restaurant - that is usually the vegetable that I choose. My wife even noticed that when we lived in New Mexico and ate at Furr's Cafeteria, I would sometimes buy two different forms of okra - usually fried and boiled with tomatoes - when both forms were offered. My wife is not particularly fond of okra, but eats it when I fix it. She particularly has an aversion to cut boiled okra because of the slime. Small whole pods are what she prefers. She also enjoys some fried okra. I have found that the method she prefers most - for health and looks - is when I bake small pods in foil with lemon juice and salt. She also has no problem with okra when it is included with a soup or stew. If you truly don't care for okra - don't worry about it. There are too many other foods to choose from. If you haven't tried okra in its many forms - experiment. Sometimes, it is the particular recipe and the cook which make a great deal of difference. Overcooked, greasy fried okra is just plain bad. I wasn't born enjoying coffee, but I thoroughly enjoy it now.

We moved to Georgia from New Mexico twenty-two years ago. What quickly became evident to us was how much more emphasis was placed on vegetables. This area does vegetables better, with more variety of recipes as well as vegetables themselves, than anywhere else, to my knowledge. Barbecue pork, grits and sweet tea seem to be what stands out most to others, but there is much more to the south than just those three stereotypical dishes.

This brings to mind a Chinese restaurant in a city where I formerly lived. I discovered this restaurant a few months after the owner bought it. He had just moved from Hong Kong. His wife and older children waited tables, his daughter-in-law was the cashier, the younger children bussed the tables, and he acted as host - handing menus to those who entered and telling everyone, with a pleasant smile, to "Sit anywhere you like". On what I believe must have been my second visit, I needed to visit the restroom. I approached the owner and asked where the restroom was. He smiled and said "Sit anywhere you like". Over the years his English got much better.

I hadn't thought about it previously, but there is definitely a difference between urban and suburban dining. Here in the Atlanta area, Richard Blais has correctly chosen to stay in the urban area with his concepts. It is also more central (accessible) to the entire metropolitan area. Cutting edge suburban food would be, in my view, pot roast using bison rather than beef - as an example. Familiar food without being frightening to the typical suburban diner.

There have been a few (very few) times when I have been offered a meal, a dessert, a drink, a room, etc., as a thank you for various reasons. I have always inquired upon arriving, to make sure that all appropriate staff know of this. I also ask if there are limitations on what I order. Is it any dessert, or is it the restaurant's decision? There still have been awkward moments, but far fewer than might have been otherwise.

The reaction of your waitress, when she learned of your time constraints, is what would have killed the tip for me. The problem probably did start in the kitchen, but the tip reflects what the waitress did or did not do. Your tip was appropriate. Nearly forty years ago, I regularly ate lunch at Bernie's Restaurant in Farmington, New Mexico. Bernie and I were in Jaycees, and my wife was in her last semester of college in Durango, Colorado. She left early and spent the day in Durango - so I was on my own for lunch. My lunch was from 1pm to 2pm and Bernie's lunch crowd was slowing down by the time I got there. The oilfield was booming and employee turnover was tremendous. I saw a new face or two among his staff nearly every day. Bernie frequently brought a plate over to my table and joined me for lunch. One day he inquired about how long it had taken me to be served. I started paying attention to such details and passed the information on to Bernie. To this day, I look at my watch when we enter a restaurant. If we are given a time estimate for a table, I compare that to reality. How long does it then take for a server to appear with menus, water, etc. if they weren't left by the hostess? How long does it take to come back to take the order. How long does the meal take to arrive after the order has been placed? Do we need to send someone to find our server, or do they check on us from time to time? Service at Bernie's was always impeccable once Bernie arrived at my table. Because there was so much turnover of staff, my waitress frequently didn't know that I was a friend of the owner. Service was less than impressive on occasion, but professional restauranteur that he was - Bernie found an opportunity to learn how his staff handled their duties. He never fired anyone because of my input, but he, on several occasions, used this information to help the staff learn to do their jobs better. I just remembered a Chinese restaurant in Durango, Colorado - long gone, I am sure. We were aware that they were notoriously slow and always planned accordingly. If we were in a hurry, we ate elsewhere. One night while we were waiting for our dinner, the owner noticed that some guests had vacated a table near us. She was irate and let everyone in the place know about it. I still can remember that she told anyone who would listen that they had only been here an hour. Of all the nerve! As others have suggested, when we have an event to attend, we always let the server know - even when we think there is plenty of time. Just in case. They usually assure us that there will be no problem, but they are aware. Sometimes, we come closer to having no time to spare than we wanted - but we don't miss our meal or our movie/play, etc.

Beef spare ribs baked at 300 degrees with a bottle of bbq sauce poured over as it started to bake. Healthy potato salad (and delicious, too) from Five Star Cooking Light - one of the best recipes in that book. Tossed salad and fresh relish tray Banana nut bread Spicy Oatmeal Cookies

Somewhere along the way, many years ago, I was told that one should never give away what they sell for a living. If you start to give away some of your product, where do you stop? Obviously, a comp because of a screw up in the kitchen or by staff is different. That is an attempt to lessen the impact of a negative experience and, therefore, encourage the customer to return. A certificate for a free meal or appetizer or dessert is an attempt to do the same thing. A frequent buyer discount or freeby is different. Every six or tenth cup of coffee or sandwich or whatever is free as an inducement to have the customer choose that establishment over the competition. When I was in retail, I gave away calendars, pens, litter bags, etc. - but never the product that I supported my family by selling. A couple of times, in restaurants that I have regularly patronized, the owner has given me an item to see what I think of it. Should we add this to the menu? How does $4.95 sound for this? I view this more as a paid appraisal than as a gift to a good customer. Just a few random thoughts - worth everything they cost you.

Mine is a Terraillon (white) with a 3 kg or 6# 10 oz. capacity. It is operated by a 9 volt battery. There is a switch on the bottom for pounds/kilograms. The removeable box/dish on top is plastic and dishwasher safe (top shelf). The scale will zero out when it is turned on, so as to weigh only what is added. Sometimes I will remove the box from the top and put a plate on the scale, then turn it on. Very versatile - I have had mine for about three years. The battery had been replaced once. This was a gift, and later I was shocked to find out how much it had cost - even though I had asked for one. I'm thinking it was around $70, but I'm not sure.

Recently I prepared dinner for some relatives and in-laws. The in-laws are Muslim, so I bought a kosher brisket (the nearest halal market was over an hour away and kosher was five minutes), which they were comfortable eating. I have eaten out with Jewish friends, and generally have abstained from pork during those meals out of respect for their faith. I grew up in a largely Mormon community, so what to serve at a community activity frequently caused this question to be asked. Generally, we would offer coffee, tea, and colas and make sure that non-caffeine drinks were available for those who prefer them (including my non-Mormon wife). One good friend who was a Mormon bishop, always asked where his cup was when a group was being served coffee. He always asked for a cup and spoon (kept empty) and stirred his empty cup while the rest of us were stirring our cream and/or sugar. To me it always seems a pleasant, even humorous, way to subtly make us aware of his beliefs without having to say a word.

First time I've looked at this thread. 229 pages is a bit intimidating , and something always makes me want to review all postings prior to adding my own. 229 pages allows me to make an exception. I have read this page only. Our dinner last night wasn't that well received. I prepared a Meatless Main from Southern Living's "Five Star Cooking Light" - Beans and Rice and Pesto. I enjoyed it more than the other three, but it would have been better as a large side dish than as an entree. Live and learn. This is why we began adding notes to recipes when we prepare them. It was hard to give myself permission to write in a book, but it is an excellent practice. Each time a cookbook recipe is used, we post the date and our response - along with any thoughts on adjustments which could improve the dish.

Putting energy into knowing what would be appreciated is the key here. I would prefer olive oil or balsamic vinegar to shortbread - but that's me. Any ingredient, a prepared food, a cookbook, a utensil, a magazine, wine - even a gift certificate - might be appropriate and appreciated. It just depends on the recipient.

We ate at RiceSticks on Friday evening of their first week in business and it was excellent. Lovely decor (very important to my wife) along with excellent food (important to both of us), I can comfortably recomment RiceSticks to any who have not yet been there.

We seldom order anything without knowing the price. If the "Fish of the Day" sounds interesting, we inquire as to the price if the price has not already been mentioned. Here in the Atlanta area, most do not mention the price - and some servers actually excuse themselves to go and find out the price when we ask. How's that for being prepared? When drink prices are not shown on the menu, I have learned that they are usually higher than in the restaurants which list the prices of tea, coffee, etc.

My first experience with goat was in Kansas City about thirty years ago. A church friend had an annual goat roast at his dental partner's home - more spacious grounds - and they invited church friends, dental clients, dental staff and neighbors of each. They did a whole goat in the ground, much the same as a pig roast. I could not tell much difference in goat and pig at the time. The goat was tasty, moist and tender. Since moving to Georgia, I have eaten goat in a stew type dish at both Indian and Dominican restaurants. In both cases the meat is very tender and tasty - but lots of bone relative to the amount of meat. I'm sure the cut is why the bone/meat ratio is so high. For some time, I have been wanting to prepare goat at home, but living in a subdivision I don't feel that a pit would be appreciated. Doing something in the oven seems more appropriate - or possibly on the grill. The above comments have reawakened my interest in preparing goat. Any additional comments or suggestions would be most helpful.

I realize that the above comments have all been about shrimp tails, but what about when the shrimp is served in its shell with or without the head? Yesterday my wife and I stopped at So Kong Dong in Doraville (suburban Atlanta) and ordered a bowl of seafood soup and a seafood pancake. The soup had unshelled shrimp with the head on in the soup - four large shrimp. The seafood pancake had much smaller shrimp which had been shelled - no tail. My understanding is that the shell is left on to provide additional flavor. I am a very neat eater. I have an aversion to bbq ribs, unshelled shrimp, chicken with the skin on, mussels, etc. on my dinner plate. Just the same, I more and more am deciding to get messy and have a more tasty meal. Some time back I read a local review of a Nicaraguan restaurant whose seafood soup was superb. I went and ordered it, only to find unshelled shrimp in the bowl - as well as a whole crab. I must have used forty napkins trying to keep my hands dry, clean, etc. The table was a mess when we left. It was one of the most delicious meals I have ever consumed. Next time I go, I will wear a short sleeve shirt because juice was literally dripping off my elbows. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. I am convinced that the shrimp and crab shells were partially responsible for the tremendous flavor of that soup.

We had planned to do a major revamp of our kitchen, when the icemaker on our refrigerator began to leak and earped the floor. It seemed wasteful to repair the floor and rip it out a year later - so we did the kitchen two years ago. Our redo included more as we progressed. Initially, we were just going to do the kitchen - cabinets, floor, countertops, appliances and lighting. While we were at it, we added hardwood floors not just to the kitchen, but to the half bath, dining room, living room and entry hall as well. With all of that torn up, we decided to put new tile in the utility room - so we wouldn't have another mess later on. Some of the old kitchen cabinets ended up in the utility room - since it was torn up anyway. The rest were taken to the garage and installed there. My wife credits luck with much of our kitchen success, but I beg to differ. She did her homework. She contacted friends regarding their kitchen remodeling, looked at model homes, talked to contractors, checked prices, read voluminously - and it worked. Our project was estimated by our contractor to be a three week job. Had there not been a cabinet shipping error, he would have finished on schedule. The replacement cabinet arrived within the week and the kitchen work was completed within four weeks of having been started. Final details, paint, paper, drapes, upholstery, etc. for the dining and living rooms (which weren't a part of our original plans) are still being tweaked - two years later. As upsetting as delays are, I suspect that the additional time to plan will serve you well. Our actual kitchen job came in about where we expected it to be. The additional costs were the add on projects, which were less expensive overall by doing them at the same time. I kept getting reminded of how much we were saving by spending it all at once.

Sorry to hear about Binigi's closing. We tried twice (going and coming) to eat there on our last trip from Georgia to New Jersey. After returning home, we received better directions (thanks Richmond eGulleteers), we were pumped up about getting to eat there on our next trip through. It sounds like we still have many excellent places to choose from. Are any of them convenient to I-95?

I believe that you are describing gyoza - which I enjoy at Umezono, Windy Hill Road @ South Cobb Parkway (US 41) about a mile west of I-75.