pennbrew

Any word on the state of the Maine shrimp industry heading into the 2006-2007 season? Thanks! ---Guy

2006 crop report Not a very promising report for the future of the industry. ---Guy

Woo hoo! The season is open! I just got this email: Thank you for your interest and inquiries. Our website is now open and we will begin shipping satsumas on Monday! Our season was delayed this year (probably from the stress of last year's storms). And the season will be short. Not a large crop this year - again probably stress. Thank you, Simon Citrus Farm So go get 'em, y'all! ---Guy

I have one word for you: MACOUN

I emailed Simon Citrus Farm, here's the response I got: Hey Guy Thank you for your interest! Our trees were a little stressed from the hurricane winds of last year. We expect the season to be short (not too much fruit on the trees.) The fruit is still quite green. We expect to test it for sweetness in about 2 weeks and hope to begin shipments late October or early Nov. When the satsumas are good to ship, I'll open the website. Thanks again for your business, Belinda Simon Citrus Farm

Bumping this in juicy anticipation of satsuma season. Brooks, any reports on this year's crop? ---Guy

I miss Shoepeg corn. Is it even still grown commercially? I'm probably dating myself... ---Guy

So when's the Pizza Club caravan coming up the turnpike?

So sad to hear that the Hansens both passed away last year. I haven't had one in at least 15 years, but I hope to have another lemonade Sno Bliz someday........

If Port Matilda is the one near State College, I must respectfully disagree based on the 2 visits I've made. Both times it was awful--I had the chicken leg quarter and pulled pork sandwich. The meat (both chicken and pork) was soggy and stringy, and the pork had an odd gamy flavor that was quite unpleasant. Just my experience there... ---Guy

...and for dessert, a white clam pie from Pepe's in New Haven:

Of course, I had to have a side order of whole clams:

I took a detour in my travels today to the CT coast. I had a much better lobster roll at Johnny Ad's:

On my recent eating trek in CT, I was recommended to Jimmy's by a local. I was surprised to see all the tiny, crawfish-sized tails in the sandwich. Obviously it was mostly langostino. Photo:

Must be ESP, I was just thinking about Kundla's recently and BOOM, there's your post! How was the corn? They're somehow usually able to get very good corn even this early in the season... I want some RIBS! I want some CHICKEN! Maybe next weekend on my way to Wind Gap bluegrass fest again. ---Guy

Yup, real lemon and hot sauce is all I need. No tartar sauce, thank you. And the clams were yummy, other than one or two mushy ones (unavoidable, I guess???) These clams were the highlight of an otherwise rather-disappointing New England food trip. ---Guy

A recent visit to Johnny Ad's:

I'm listening RIGHT NOW as I type at wwoz.org. Wish I could be there.... ---Guy

Disappointing trip. I'm just back from my 700 mile round-trip whirlwind through RI and CT. Thanks for the suggestions, however I was rather disappointed by the food I found. I don't know if my expectations were wrong, my taste was off, or I just had a run of bad luck. I had lunch at Bob & Timmy's Grilled pizza in Providence. I wanted to try Al Forno but they don't open until 5pm. I then headed to Iggy's in Warwick for white chowder, clam cakes and a stuffie. Next stop was Johnny Ad's in CT for fried clams, then The Place for special roasted clams and shrimp, finally Jimmies in West Haven for a lobster roll. The only things I'd rate as "good" were the chowder and the fried clams (and even a couple of those were mushy). Actually the lobster roll was also good (how could anything with that much butter be bad?); however the lobster tail meat was little, teeny, tiny whole tails---they looked like crawfish tails??? WTF? Sigh. And I had been looking forward to the trip all week...... ---Guy

Hi all: I've scanned the other threads, but I have a couple of specific requests for info: I've heard Providence is the home of "grilled pizza". What is it, where is it best? Where does one find good, cheap, not-fancy seafood--fried clams, lobster rolls, chowder, that kind of thing. Thanks! ---Guy

Jason: I'd disagree with one thing in your blog, "sucrose" is the sugar extracted from both cane and beets. Your blog indicates it is from sugar beets only. ---Guy

Now that this bust of a season has ended, have there been any forecasts about the future of the Maine shrimp industry? ---Guy

Just picked up some 2 liter bottles of "real" Coke at the local Wegmans. 79 cents each with a Wegmans card! ---Guy

Anyone see the Kosher for Passover Coke yet this year? If so, where? Thanks! ---Guy

That's called White Castle burgers...