daniellewiley

I gave Mr. Max some roasted cauliflower last night and was rewarded with a super gassy baby who slept terribly. He does love real food though. He'll only eat the jarred stuff if I make it super-thick with multi-grain cereal.

What about the suburbs?? If you could pick any suburb (one with an easy commute to Manhattan), which would you pick, based on the food alone?

First, I think there is another thread about this somewhere if a moderator could maybe merge? Second, I have had quite the opposite experience. I loved the concept, especially given the fact that I am a single working mom with VERY limited time. However, I have been really disappointed with the quality of the food (could be a reflection of the fact that this is a brand new franchise?) and the time involved in preparing. Yesterday my meal took an hour and a half. I could have made something a hundred times better on my own (in less time). Here's a little summary of what I've prepped so far. Sorry for linking out, but didn't want to retype everything!

dang! you eat well!!! now I want chicken milanese for dinner tomorrow.

ooohhhhh - bacon, egg and cheese on a roll. one of my all time favorite things to eat. it's also great with salami instead of bacon. megan - want an unhealthy breakfast tomorrow???

Oh yum!!! That looks awesome Megan - I also love chopped salad. I think that's my dinner tomorrow night - I even have a lovely leftover steak.

Megan, Do you get together with other eGulleters in NY? I'm so jealous of the number of eGulleters out there!

I'll second that recommendation! I know, it looks scary, but the feeling of getting the gunk out is just wonderful and it helps increase circulation and healing in the sinuses. And, to keep this food related, a clear nose means you can actually taste what you're eating . ← I'll third the neti pot recommendation - you will instantly be able to smell, taste (and even hear) better. And, it uses salt - keeping it food related.

Yay!! I was hoping you were the blogger! I will try to think of some NY things I miss that I'd like to see through your eyes. Any chance you'll be going to Pegu? That's a place I'd really love to visit.

My dad grew up in Brooklyn in the 40s with very little money. One of his favorite treats was the "smoosh"; a hot dog bun with mustard and sauerkraut. No hot dog - he couldn't afford it! Now, he can afford the hot dog, but doesn't eat red meat, so he still enjoys smooshes.

Chiming in from Toledo... Packo's is great, if not entirely authentic. Be prepared for a ton of kids. If this will bother you, try going on a Sunday afternoon, or a weeknight, and sitting at the old fashioned bar. Best bets are stuffed cabbage and their famous Hungarian "hot dog". For duck blood soup in Toledo, my Polish acquaintances swear by Busia's Narozny. The original Polish town location just closed, but they still have an outpost on Laskey, I belive. If you are around in the summer, Toledo hosts both a Polish festival and a Hungarian festival, complete with authentic cuisine. (There is also a very rowdy German American festival in August)

Shalmanese - try my strange refrigeration method (toss potato chunks with seasoning and olive oil, throw into ziplock bag, refrigerate for a few hours). I think the salt really does permeate this way, though I don't know why.

I don't brine them, per se. But, when I will be pan roasting them, I often season them in advance and put them in the fridge in a zipper bag. They release quite a bit of liquid, and the seasoing kind of soaks into the potatoes. They get sort of translucent and soft. When they are roasted, they still crisp up, and the flavor is dispersed throughout, not just sprinkled on top. The seasonings I use for this include salt, pepper and smoked paprika.

Hey, next time try this: click!. It really works! I love the company that makes it: Casabella. (they make the world's greatest rubber gloves). If only they had some kind of tool to magically get rid of the gnarly jars in my fridge.

I hate cleaning the refrigerator. Just hate it. And, thus, I haven't done it in ages. I hate pulling out old jars of stuff and emptying them and rinsing them. Hate scrubbing muck off of shelves. Bleck.

Yeah. What's the deal with that? Assholes. Want to come to my place for LOTS of wine and chocolate, Diva? ETA: You're invited, too, Danielle. It's a PARTY. ← Oh, I'd love that!! I'm in NY in April - maybe we need to have an Easter party, LOL. OK, back on topic.

yeah, you don't really notice all the valentine's dinner bullshit until you are without a valentine, eh? stupid open table. Cruzan dark is on my list of things to buy - seems like a good thing to have around the house.

Malarky is the nice word for it. I've had the same nonsense pulled on me, and responded by bursting out crying in the pharmacy. Good on you for a more civilized reaction!! A trick is to have the doctor call the insurance company instead of faxing. Often, it's the faxing that slows things down. Worth a try at least... Dr. Pepper =

I love eGullet.

I get them here in Toledo - I love them. And, I love that they are dark red enough for my daughter to eat. She told me she'd only eat red delicious apples (b/c they look like an apple - four year old logic), but those gross me out. So I trick her.

Nicotine is not the problem. Though it's an extremely powerful drug, the physical addiction is pretty weak. After all, smokers go through a five-to-eight hour withdrawal every night, and it doesn't wake them up. Compare that to heroin withdrawal, where the physical manifestation is severe. Having said that, I think you ought to use whatever works. ← and also, "the patch" doesn't sound as eGullet appropriate as "cold turkey"

My stepmother quit in September after about 40 years of smoking. Her biggest problem was that she associated EVERY activity with smoking. Even cooking, b/c she would always leave a lit cigarette outside the kitchen door and would step out to take a drag in between every step of the cooking process. So... she took up knitting. Knitting had no smoking association. She is a knitting fool now, and my kids are constant beneficiaries of her handiwork. The more complex the pattern, the better.

I like Amadeus quite a bit - the dill pickle soup is excellent!

OK, this is why I'm getting a divorce. In 7 years of marriage, I never ONCE got felt up or goosed while cooking. Back on topic, I'll buy fig jam, but never guacamole. I'm also fine buying bread crumbs instead of making my own. And Megan, I'm with you on lettuce washing - it sucks!! Even with my salad spinner - I hate cleaning that thing.

Well, my favorite way to have asparagus is roasted, which is pretty rich. So, with the rich short ribs, I think I'd opt for the green beans. Maybe lightly sauteed with almonds and garlic? ETA: I love this blog's concept. Thinking of you all and sending successful quitting vibes.