judiu

This is gonna be FUN! Beef Stew for a covered stove top braise; maybe lamb shanks for a baked braise, roast chicken for sure, roast cauliflower, or asparagus, or artichokes, or brussel sprouts, veggies on the grill to go with BBQ meats, maybe a day of cold salad things like a super good tuna fish salad, egg salad, potato salad, etc. For your "absolute Basics", how to cook rice, blanch a vegetable or fruit so it can be peeled, how to cook potatoes until done but not dead, pasta the same, roasted potatoes cooked with a roast (maybe the chicken?) I could keep going, but I'm out of breath! HTH!

and ice cream, and maybe a good brownie with chocolate sauce, or maybe just chocolate puddin' cake with tons of whipped cream, or maybe even gingerbread with my Nana's hot lemon sauce (whimper...) The blt is, however, manditory!

What link was that? It sounds like a very interesting drink!

Do any of these paragons of carniverousness happen to have web sites where we can see/order these goodies? This thread is making me hungry, and lunch isn't for another 90 mins!

The cocktaildb got most of its recipes by scanning "Jones' Complete Bar Guide". I had thought Jones got most of his recipes by way of Duffy, but it looks like they went through the intermediate step of the 1948 Trader Vic Bartender's Guide, as a few recipes, like the Caprice and Atlas got added that weren't in Duffy. Sort of like a game of telephone, though, the further they get from the originals, the more likely they are to be distorted. For example, the Caprice in Trader Vic is: 1 oz gin; 1/2 teaspoon Dry Vermouth; 1/2 teaspoon benedictine; 2 dashes orange bitters. In Jones it is 1 1/2 oz gin; 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth; 1/2 oz Benedictine; 1 dash orange bitters. ← Ahhm, maybe bigger glasses?

LOL Judiu! I know, I know. I'm one of the few people that don't lose their appetites in heat--I baked it after the sun set, so it was only about 95 outside Cali! How did you like it? I like mine even better today after it seasoned up a bit. ← Recipes for the Pimento cheese, please?

Shelby, it's THAT hot and you BAKED a lasagna? You're a better cookie than I, Gunga Din! (Apologies to Rudyard Kipling)

Golf & country clubs often do not accept tips, even in their restaurants. Although I'm not sure if this actually qualifies for what we customarily refer to as "restaurants" (being typically members-only). Are service staff at clubs that don't allow tipping paid higher wages than restaurants that have tips? How do servers make up the difference? ← Not necessarily. My sister worked at a Golf and Country Club. The members were told that they were not to tip as the wait staff was paid well and tipping was not required. The wait staff got minimum wage. Eventually she quit and let a few members know the what the wages were. Apparently there were a bunch of complaints to the management once the truth was out there. ← Was she paid minimum wage at the standard rate, or the rate for "tipped employees" ? It makes a huge difference; the minimum wage for "tipped employees" here in Florida is somehing like $3.00 an hour. ← She was paid minimum wage for regular employees. It is higher than minimum wage for tipped employees but far lower than anyone can live on and far lower than anyone would reasonably expect to make with a low hourly wage plus tips. The members were told they were not to tip but when they found out how pitiful the wages were they were upset with the management of the club. ← Well, then, all I can say is good on the members!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mock-Lobster/Detail.aspx This from All Recipes; I first heard of Mock Lobster from a fishing friend here in Florida, and he always sited monkfish as the basis.

Golf & country clubs often do not accept tips, even in their restaurants. Although I'm not sure if this actually qualifies for what we customarily refer to as "restaurants" (being typically members-only). Are service staff at clubs that don't allow tipping paid higher wages than restaurants that have tips? How do servers make up the difference? ← Not necessarily. My sister worked at a Golf and Country Club. The members were told that they were not to tip as the wait staff was paid well and tipping was not required. The wait staff got minimum wage. Eventually she quit and let a few members know the what the wages were. Apparently there were a bunch of complaints to the management once the truth was out there. ← Was she paid minimum wage at the standard rate, or the rate for "tipped employees" ? It makes a huge difference; the minimum wage for "tipped employees" here in Florida is somehing like $3.00 an hour.

It's interesting that you say this. I recently read an article stating that McDonald's is considering raising its prices on their Dollar Menu. The article said that menu accounts for 14% of their revenue, which, if you do the math, is quite a lot of money. It goes on to say they're testing higher prices in some markets for the Double Cheeseburger, the anchor product of the Dollar Menu. My guess is that they'll find some customers balking at paying the higher price but, overall, it'll fly because consumers tend to resign themselves to price increases. They've done this before. They used to run specials like 2 Egg McMuffins for $2, which eventually became 2 for $2.22 and then 2 for $2.50. The last special I saw was 2 for $3. ← Oddly enough, down here in South Florida the McDonald's still have the 2 for $2.00 breakfast thing going. The specials change about once a month, but it's a pretty good deal, really!

Erm... "personal" life changes? I know my tastes changed when I was going thru it, and again when it was totally done... HTH!

Chufi, darlin', of course they were better; they're FRIED!

By me, split pea soup should be thick enough that a spoon will stand up in it; ditto bean soup. Yummy!

We love you and will dearly miss your talented influence! Keep up the good work, and keep your health strong!

Thanks a LOT, Dave Now my favorite steaks are only going to be that much harder to find! By the way, some times you'll see these called "Chuck Mock-Tender" steaks here in Florida. Thanks for the cooking tip!

Talat_kas, that salad looks beautiful, but the link does not work right. Thanks! ← Here is the recipe for you: Preparation time : 15mins | Serve 4-6 persons GREAT! Thanks so much! Ingredients for Vegetable and Chick Peas Salad: ½ cup onion (julienne) ½ cup tomato (cut in small square pieces) ½ cup cucumber (julienne) ½ cup cabbage (julienne) 3-4 green chilies (chopped) 1 cup chick peas (boiled) 3-4 tbspn olive oil Salt to taste 1 tspn black pepper 2-3 tbspn lemon juice Procedure for Vegetable and Chick Peas Salad: 1. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl and put in fridge for 30mins. 2. Delicious healthy salad is ready to serve. You can add vegetables of your own choice. ←

Talat_kas, that salad looks beautiful, but the link does not work right. Thanks!

Hmmm, odd choice of words, there, jsmeeker!

I kind of have to agree with your server, Bryan! Floating Island is, to me very meh. Dessert is supposed to be a bang with which to end the meal, not just plain, bland and vaguely sweet.

I think this is the prettiest dessert I have ever seen! ← Wow! We are not worthy! Beautiful cake, beautiful picture. The fruit just glows!

Bryan, this is a wonderful trip you're sharing with us! Thanks

What do you mean, "down side"? Enroll Scud in the Summer session, and get him to train you!

My second hand microwave died, and now I'm discovering how much more tasty even "microwave" entrees are cooked in a real oven! I like even Hot Pockets, but they're so much better when they're baked than 'nuked'. I LOVE roasted veggies, and the microwave just doesn't cut it! Feelings?

Bruce, make that same cabbage recipe, doubled, cook a pound of little bitsy shell macaroni and stir it all together, so that the shell scoop up some of the stirfried cabbage. Heavenly! Even better if you grate the cabbage, rather than shred it!