=Mark

Every fool knows you don't try to cook an egg in the microwave, right? Well, I had a plan... If I fill a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup with cold water and put the egg in it, the microwaves will heat the water which will then cook the egg, right? Wrong!!! A couple minutes after turning on the power there was a spectacular boom, and a second later there was a gush and splash as most of what had become a watery egg drop soup (With added calcium from the shell!) came glorping under the door. I can recommend this as a great way to clean a microwave oven as you have no choice but to thouroghly scrub every exposed surface of half cooked watery egg. Not something you would want to leave to the next day...

lucky for whom? For all the people coming southbound...

Luckily the traffic would be mostly Northbound. I'll probably blaze right up on the train...

Am thinking of doing a Thai meal at Mie Thai, Woodbridge in the next couple months. I'm figuring around the end of June. Mie Thai is BYO and is easily accessible from the Parkway, and is located right next to the Train Station. One possibility is a late lunch on a Sunday, then we could retire to the outdoor deck at J.J. Bitting Brewing Company, a brewpub across the street, and watch the trains go by. That or we could just do the standard eGullet Sunday dinner. Just floating a few ideas to gauge the interest in such an event... Check out the Mie Thai Homepage

There is a Mennonite farm in eastern Pennsylvania called Meadowview Farms that specializes in Heirloom tomatoes, chiles and herbs (They host the annual Bowers Chile Festival) Here is some of their wares... Heirloom tomatoes Selection of Chiles I know they aren't technically homegrown, but it does make for a fun day of shopping and sampling! They let you roam the fields and munch off the plants...

I subscribe to a BBQ list that has proven very useful. They compiled a FAQ with more info than most normal folks could ever need! Check out: http://www.bbq-porch.org/faq/default.asp There is also an in depth article on al aspects of brining: http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp

I've owned 3 or 4 gas grills over the years, and without fail those automatic igniters fail within a few months of use. As a result, I've been relying on my own portable battery powered "automatic igniter"

Get to throw some gas on the fire here! :wow: During his radio interview in Vancouver today, when asked if there was a single "must try" restaurant in NYC, Fat Guy recommended Craft... PS - Went to a Warhol exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art several years ago with no particular opinion as to his merits as an artist, and came away with the definite opinion that he was a cynical hack who would churn out a pile of prints whenever he needed to foot the bill for his lifestyle.

I gotta go with MHP brand gas grills. Stainless steel burners and reversable rust-free, energy efficient anodized aluminum cooking grids -- like Calphalon cookware. These aluminum grids heat up faster, eliminate hot and cold spots, and reduce flare-ups. Use the flat side of the grids for searing steaks and chops, and also for grilling delicate foods like fish, vegetables, and bacon (for BLTs). Turn the grids over and use the ribbed side to grill steaks, chicken, chops and burgers.

I have to agree with this, to me if the meat is literally falling off the bone it often has a disagreeable mushy texture. I like my ribs "al dente." Also, for long smoking I prefer spares to babybacks. I know that spares are generally fattier than babybacks, but with long smoking in excess of 4 hours this fat renders off, basting the meat while making them leaner. I don't usually sauce the meat while smoking but have been turned on to a great finishing sauce that can be added at the end or served on the side: South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce 2/3 cup yellow prepared mustard 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 cup cider vinegar 2 T chili powder (I use guajullo molido and ancho instead) 1 t black pepper 1 t white pepper 1/2 t cayenne pepper (I add crushed red pepper and if I want it even hotter I use fresh ground pequins) 4 drops Tabasco (I use Louisiana style hot sauce and lots of it instead) 1/2 t soy sauce 2 T butter Combine all ingredients except the soy sauce and butter in a saucepan and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and butter. May be used as a basting sauce for barbecue meat or as a condiment. I also added the juice of 1 lime and spiced it up quite a bit. Experiment and enjoy!

I generally distrust directions provided by these software companies as the directions can be pretty whacked. I much prefer directions from a human that is familiar with the area. I once put in a mapquest route from my house near Red Bank to Princeton, which is nearly due west of me, and clicked the "Fastest Route." The directions would have had me take the Parkway up to Rt 287, then to Rt. 1 and down to Princeton from there. Even though it took me like 30 miles out of my way and 3 times the distance, the software evidently computed the route on which I could travel the "fastest" (i.e. 65 mph).

It seems similar to how the word "scampi" has changed meaning in the US. Originally used as a noun to refer to shrimp, it has evolved (devolved?) to refer to sauteeing in oil and garlic. Irks my Bro to no end ("What!? Shrimp shrimp?").

I'll be there! Will you be posting directions? I'll be coming up the Parkway...

If you knew of all the garbage and sh$% that gets dumped on "organic" veggies you'd think more than twice about using them at all...

My Bro & I had a dinner at the Inn several years ago, we drove in from DC and drove back afterwards. For what taxis charge in the DC area a round trip to Washington, Va. would cost more than a room at the inn. Incidentally while contemplating the dessert course of our dinner we asked if we could do a cheese course insted. They said it would be no problem and asked if we wanted it out in the garden, which was beautiful! Cheese, fruits and glasses of Port next to the fountain...

As specifically referring to chiles, the main component in their effect is the heat, which is not related to taste at all. The chemical capsaicin and related alkaloids specifically target the receptors that convey the sensation of heat to the brain. The brain is essentially tricked into thinking that part of the body is being exposed to heat. This has no bearing on the taste buds as this same chemical can cause the sensation of heat on other parts of the body such as the hands, eyes and, er, well you get the picture... There is actually no damage inflicted at the cellular level. This is why the comments about chiles burning out the tastebuds or damaging the digestive tract are false. In fact, once a person develops a resistance to capsaicin, they are able to detect a whole range of flavors that had previously been masked by the sensation of heat. This is why the chilehead is so enamoured of hot and spicy foods. It's not that we can take more heat than other folks, it's that we developed a tolerance for it and can enjoy the myriad underlying flavors. Of course there's also the matter of the endorphins released by the brain to quell the burn...

Hmmmm, you "love" cooking, and your BF doesn't like to cook... Well, it seems to me that one of you ought to do all the cooking and one of you should not. I'll leave it to you to figure it out.

I have to admit I'm really not into sushi. It's not that I have an aversion to raw fish, it's more that I like boldly spiced and flavored dishes and sushi just seems too bland for me. I'll go to a sushi restaurant but generally view it more as an excuse to eat wasabi and pickled ginger. The nuances of the cuisine just seem lost on me... As far as changing tastes, I did not like beets when I was a child and therefore refused to try them again for decades. Naturally I gave them a try a few years ago and found I actually liked them. You can't just assume that foods you hated when you were 8 might taste different as an adult.

I get the impression Robin is female, mainly because I doubt any male food writer would turn the phrase "scrunch up my nose" to describe a reaction to a disliked food. Not only does she claim not to like blue cheese and olives of any type, but raw tomatoes off the vine! As to the pasta dish I feel it says a lot that her perfect meal was a dish of pasta that only tasted like pasta, where virtually no other flavors were discernable.

Have they said when they plan to open at the new location?

It's a cream cheese mixture with chopped nuts, green onions and powdered or fresh chiles depending on who I serve them to (A little cayenne for "normal" folks, fresh AND dried habaneros for the chileheads). The complete recipe is Here.

So how old are you, B or C?

It's just a thin little mint, Mr. Creosote. Shouldn't be a bother at all! :wow:

I'll probably make my special Piquant Salmon Rolls... As seen on the TV Food Network special "Eat the Heat"

There's really no need to use one of those expensive clumsy "Butter Bells" to keep butter at room temperature. Any old butter dish will do. As far as I'm concerned butter left out of the fridge for a few days develops a deeper, more satisfying flavor than the refrigerated stuff. It also spreads instead of inflicting injury upon the bread. For that matter you don't really even need a lid unless you have problems with cats leaving tongue prints on the stick... :wow: