NulloModo

A good way to eiiminate most artificial sweetener aftertastes is too blend. I find a blend of Splenda, Stevia, and Saccharin to taste nearly identical to sugar, without any of the characteristic afterastes of the individual ingredients.

Delaware does not allow this either, in fact, you can't even legally be comped a drink at a bar. At any place that does wine tastings, they are forced to charge a nominal fee for the evening, or per glass. I used to think DE has archaic alcohol laws, but after visiting NC and SC recently, where you can't even buy hard liquor outside of a state-sanctioned store, I realize that was don't have it that bad. I still lament that the TJs and the like can't sell wine or beer though.

Tonight was: Creamed spinach, minus the cream. I wouldn've used cream, but as I moved to pour some in, I realized it was spoiled, so it became spinach sauteed in butter, onion, and garlic. and... Chicken breast (skin and bone on) sauteed in butter, garlic, and onion, topped with habanero sauce.

My friends and I used to frequent a local Fridays quite a bit. We knew all of the waitstaff from just going in a couple times a week and it got to the point where we would be comped many things per meal, anything from appetizers to drinks, and etc. It was a good set up, we went in, I'm sure they still made money on us, but the checks were always surprisingly low. Unfortunately the management changed, and it stopped, and then the place rapidly went downhill to the point where it was just another chain in the service and food dept, so we stopped going. I've found that anytime I'm at a place where I am engaging the primary food/drink provider in conversation that comps tend to happen. Almost anytime I am chatting with a bartender or a sushi chef on a slow night I find extra drinks, extra stiff pours, or free fish coming my way. I don't ask, but I certainly appreciate it. When I worked retail we would often cut pretty huge discounts for big customers on used/returned merchandise, often to the tune of $500 or more off of a big screen or stereo system from the already cut prices, it was just a way of showing we appreciated their business, we still made money, and they kept coming back.

Take some fresh greens, tomatoes, red onions, and whatever else you like and toss a bit with the juice of a lime and a dash of tequila, lightly sprinkle with salt and serve, light, tart, and tasty.

Hmmm, I have no metalworking tools... I wonder how something like this would work lined with firebrick instead

Not so much hidden, but I place the good liquor in inconvenient/inaccessible places. After my roomate decimated a bottle of Glenmorangie 10 year on coke and scotches one night (well, someone was with him) I decided to put it somehwere high and leave the bottle of Rebel Yell easily accessible, much cheaper as he will just reach for whatever is closest.

Wow, that sounds really good. I think I know what I am going to be cooking for the big superbowl bash this year... Actually, you know what, that doesn't look like it would be too hard to build... That might be a fun project for when I finally get a place with a ground floor patio.

This is odd. I really love gin, even straight, but I can't much stand vodka, and they are fairly similar drinks... Smirnoff is what I buy to keep around as a mixer though. I once had Vox straight and enjoyed it, but I was three sheets to the wind already at that point.

Hmmm, while I was growing up living with my parents my mom cooked most mundane weekday meals (which often was just hamburger helper or other frozen stuff made unfrozen) and my dad would do the cooking when it came to big things and his specialities: chili, baked beans, collard greens, thanksgiving dinner, pot roasts, sunday breakfast, etc. Each had their own specialties which sometimes came up, but my dad is a master at things that take forever to cook, and can be completed in one pot. So, naturally I became interested in what he made, and can mock up versions of most of those dishes. Incidentally both of my parents actively taught my sisters to cook, while I sort of was just allowed to watch and figure things out, so they learned the more mundane things like how to measure and how important mise is and all that good stuff ;) I just watched and improvised. Now, I cook virtually all of my own meals and thanks to egullet am figuring out some of the instruction I missed out on. Perhaps it is just because I am only 23 but no girl I have ever dated has had any vague idea about how to cook much of anything past making frozen things unfrozen. I would gladly cook for someone I was dating, in fact, I enjoy it, and I like to get the feedback on how things are as I typically am the only one who eats what I make...

Anna - any chance on recipes for any of that? What is peppornata?

Wow, the food in this thread just all looks incredible. I very much admire those who can cook asian dishes... the delicate balance and the artful presentation just completely befuddle me.

It is a fairly small amount, and I'm not sure if he toasted them or not, I never actually sat through watching the entire process, just enjoyed the end results, and have never attempted the feat on my own.... I should ask.

I hold my fathers baked beans recipe as the gold standard to this day. Unfortunately I don't have an exact recipe, and I'm sure he never did either, but it included the following: A ton of bacon sauteed in a big stockpot till the fat was rendered A lot of red beans a full jar each of honey and ketchup some chopped onions a bit of garlic some crushed pecans for texture

Just got back tonight! Unfortunately due to travelling companions not being much interested in dining, the food choices during the trip were limited to what could be fit into the schedule. We visited two BBQ joints: Flips in Wilmington, and Parkers in Wilson on the way back up. BBQ was also sampled at a variety of places not specializing it, and surprisingly, wasn't half bad at an unplanned lunch at a Golden Corral. However, Parkers was definately the best of the bunch. About the closest we got to fine dining was a seafood dinner at the Oceanic, on Wrightsville Beach, also in Wilmington. Great view, very fresh and tasty seafood, but pretty standard fare. Still, I would recommend it. A couple nights out resulted in tasting some good bourbons and scotches at various bars in Wilmington, and if anyone ever stops by the area, I highly recommend sitting down for a drink at the bar in Circa 1922, Cynthia, one of the bartenders, is very well versed in what to do around town, and offers great drink suggestions as well.

What do fried sage leaves taste like? I've never seven seen whole leaves for sale... but I love the taste of ground sage as a spice...

When something is brought unrequested, it had better be free, because I am not going to pay for it, no matter what the circumstance. If something is offered by the waiter/waitress and it is clearly printed on the menu how much this item costs, then I will pay whatever it ends up being on the bill, even if I was dumb enough not to see it. If something offered is obviously not free, I will ask how much it is, and take it if it seems reasonable. If something is offered that logically should be very cheap, or free, such as a condiment, I will not pay the charge if it is indeed not very cheap or free, or take it out of the tip, after all this amounts to poor serive on the part of the waiter/waitress by not informing the diner.

Oh, I definately forgot about the ImmortAle... That stuff will knock you back pretty hard, but it tastes darn fine doing so.

Oh really? Holly gave it 4 stains, so I thought it must be good. Trip has been recheduled to leave out tomorrow morning, so, any recommendations I guess I would need today ;). We leave out of northern DE on I-95, take that straight down till it intersects I-40 in NC, then head East to Wilmington/Wrightesville Beach, which will sort of be our base of operations for the trip. There might be slight excursions to Myrtle Beach and Sout of the Border/Cafe Risque as well.

Hey, Stateline!, you are in my neck of the woods. I live right across the line in Bear, DE. I love that store, generally good prices, good selection. Is Liquor de Malt just MAlt Liqour? I thought Midas Touch was their high-gravity stuff. Looks like a nice haul, report back how they turn out.

A little snooping on Hollyeats.com has led me to think PArker's might be where we stop on the way down, any comments for or against? Anything not on Holly's site I should really consider?

Hiya, A friend and I are about to embark on a little roadtrip from DE to Wilmington, NC (and possibly points south) to visit his parents and just get out of town for a bit. Is there anywhere in this area where we should stop to have some of the best BBQ (any style, although my personal preference (and dietary needs) require the stuff that is not smothered in sugar-based sauces. Mustard/vinegar/hot-sauce based are all fine, as is just smoked meat), or any other southern cuisine? Trip leaves out tentatively tomorrow, so let the recs flow ;).

I always use Bombay Sapphire for gin and tonics. Some of the gin snobs will say that Bombay Sapphire is not for true Gin lovers, but I think it tastes plenty ginny, and the botanicals add a lot.

I used to be quite fond of two from a local sub-shop, Capriotti's. One was the Capastrami - nice sub roll, warm pastrami, really tasty cole-slaw, russian dressing, and provolone. The other was their turkey dinner sub: Fresh roasted turkey (they roasted turkeys and baked bread fresh every day), tart cranberry sauce, warm stuffing, mayo, cheese of some variety, and I think something else that I can't quite recall.... I believe some people call this type of sandwhich a 'White Horse'.

Oh yes? I have a good bit leftover, how do you prepare it, do you use anything else?