MarketStEl

All casual, all the time, except on four occasions: Thanksgiving Christmas Easter Whenever I invite someone who doesn't come by often to dinner On those occasions, the table is set and I pull out the cloth napkins. Otherwise, it's clear space on the coffee table, pull out the TV trays or balance the plate in your lap.

Hey, I also ate lots of McDonald's hamburgers growing up. And this was in a city that boasted the world's best hamburger (or so said Calvin Trillin, writing in Life in 1971 about Winstead's just off the Country Club Plaza. Of course, Trillin also wrote, "Anyone who doesn't believe the world's best hamburger is served in his hometown is a fool"). I don't think the experience has left me brain-damaged, numbed my taste buds or caused excessive weight gain (I blame alcohol and cheese for that). I hadn't heard that certain kinds of food were beneath our discussion. Sometimes, a Mickey D's burger is all that and a bag of fries. More often, it's not. So what? It's still food.

If you tried the link in my initial post and couldn't get through to the site, try it now. I've fixed the problem. While you're there, go to his home page and check out all the trivia and ephemera on New Yorkisms and New York references, including a bunch of foodstuffs and food-related terms and phrases. There's even one for the "New York System" hot dog, which is unique to Providence, R.I. ...and, of course, there's a listing for the "New York Cut sirloin steak." The term, it appears, originated in San Francisco. In most of the material in this entry, the steak is never referred to as a "New York strip"; for the definitive reason why (and a vindication of my own peckishness when exposed to the term), I offer a letter from a New York Times reader that ends this entry:

Over in the Pennsylvania forum, there's a discussion about a popular rye bread that has recently reappeared in some area supermarkets. Some of the posters in the discussion speak of having purchased Pechter's rye bread at their store's "appy" counter. I've encountered this term only once before, when I shopped for groceries at a Pathmark supermarket in South Philadelphia. The store used it to refer to its deli counter. Now, I know what a "deli" is--it's a shortening of the German word "delicatessen," which in the US was used mainly to refer to stores in Jewish communities that sold sliced meats (if they were kosher) and cheeses (if they were not). So where did "appy" come from? This article on a New York web site gives details about the origins of "appy", but it seems that it described something different from yet related to a deli. How did the two terms become interchangeable? And how did they manage to migrate to Philadelphia? Is "appy" used anywhere else? (Edited to fix error in link)

I think there's a suitable-for-all-ages version where the action takes place at a lunch counter and the panda has a gun. Not really, though I might if I hang around my current assignment (at a very creative Center City Philadelphia ad agency, the one responsible for the "Philly's More Fun When You Sleep Over" tourism ads) long enough. But it seems the word "branding" gets bandied around a lot in these sorts of efforts. I remember scratching my head (internally) when the word came up in connection with graphics and logos for the University of Pennsylvania. Then it hit me: Penn benefited from its association with the most powerful "brand name" in higher education--the Ivy League. Now it was trying to position itself as part of that brand's top crust, which consisted of three schools which were brand names in themselves: Harvard, Yale, Princeton. Branding--and much of the fuzzy sort of marketing that includes this Mickey D's campaign--is not directly about stimulating demand for the product or service; it's more about creating good feelings about the provider of the product or service, which in turn may lead to greater demand. In this case, McDonald's has already established itself as a recognizable brand. People have definite and strong associations attached to the name. I think that what this current marketing campaign is about is convincing those who already have positive associations that their feelings about the company and its products are justified more than it is convincing its critics that their food is better for people than they think it is. After all, Coca-Cola Company products are still carbonated sugar water, Kraft cheese is still processed, and so on. (I could head out on a limb here and note that Nieman Ranch beef is still red meat, but you get the idea.) Certainly, that very funny Mike Luckovich cartoon cuts to the quick about both Mickey D's efforts to present itself as concerned about health and the quality of its food and what really concerns most Mickey D's customers. It's as cynical as any of the posts I've seen on this thread, if not more so. --Sandy, who succumbed to the lure of the brand name himself when it came time to decide where to go to college; he had been leaning towards the University of Chicago

"And now," according to the shmooze on said website, "it's wrapped in a vibrant new look that reflects your own exciting and unique lifestyle!" I'm not exactly sure what a soft-drink can design reflecting my unique lifestyle would look like, but I'm pretty sure neither the new or old Fresca can design is it. ← My lifestyle may be unique--I haven't been able to test this proposition empirically yet--but I would hardly call it exciting. Do they have a Fresca can that reflects my unique and boring--or maybe my unique and terrifying--lifestyle? I might consider buying one of those.

Got a link? I actually have had really good service every time I've been. But then, I've never been to the Chestnut Hill location, only the Wilmington one. Though I've never been to the one in Chestnut Hill, I've heard that its prices are higher than the location in Wilmington, so how overpriced it is may depend on which one you go to. 'Forgettable' is too strong a word in my opinion. The entrees aren't fantastic, but the raw meats they use seem to be of good quality, and the relaxed pace of the meal (due to the fact that you cook it yourself at the table) is something I enjoy, but only once every six months or so. What I really go there for are the cheese fondues and the chocolate dessert fondues. The tray of fruits and goodies you get with the dessert fondue is usually excellent. One thing I hate about the place is that they only have one beer on draft, usually the ubiquitous, forgettable Magic Hat #9. Boo. ← I thought that chains were supposed to be consistent in price and quality from location to location. This sounds like the Melting Pot doesn't follow this axiom. Their Center City location is opening in the next week or two, in the 1200 block of Filbert Street between Maggiano's and Chili's. For a brief moment, I thought this might be a Brinker International trifecta, but the Melting Pot is not one of their nameplates.

I find that this sriracha principle applies with all foodstuffs: tortilla chips, pork chops, raisin bran, flan, s'mores.... ← ...and cottage cheese, which I usually douse with Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Not every hot sauce goes well with cottage cheese. Tabasco's vinegary taste clashes with it, for instance. Trappey's Red Devil is a bit too weak. Tapatío goes surprisingly well with it. Using Dave's Insanity Sauce on cottage cheese is, well, insane. But sriracha? The more you use, the better it is on cottage cheese. As for piazzola's comment: Check the ingredients list. Sriracha sauce uses no MSG. You may not find the combination of sweetness and a little sass to your liking, but don't blame that Chinese-food staple as a culprit.

This sounds good. I think I'll try this--along with slicing the steaks in half--for my next attempt. I'm still open to other ideas, though. Thanks to everyone who's chimed in so far!

1. Thickening: If you look at my standard chili recipe--in truth, the recipe I used for the batch I made last Wednesday, posted upthread--you will see that I used canned diced tomatoes. I did drain them, however, since when you cook in a slow cooker, you have very little reduction in the liquid. I usually add no liquid beyond that found in the puree or drained tomatoes, plus whatever is left after draining the canned beans, and I also add a small can of tomato sauce to my chili, which also helps thicken the stew. Even so, my slow-cooker chili usually comes out a little more liquid than I prefer, though thick enough to be satisfying. My preference for nearly pasty chili is probably a byproduct of growing up on Rice's chili in a chub roll. The R.B. Rice Co. was a Kansas City pork processor that made the leading brand of breakfast sausage in the area. They also made a very meaty heat 'n' eat chili, packaged in a roll like their sausage. It was very dense, the consistency of a thick paste, and the hot variety was very spicy indeed. 2. Sage: Substituting sage for oregano? Hmmmmmm.... I suspect this would alter the flavor more than you might have thought. How did the resulting chili taste? (I usually do not use oregano in my chili. I suspect that adding it might reduce the hint of sweetness I find in my chili.) 3. Grease: Skim off the grease? Heaven forbid! Stir it back in!

Well, I'd like to cook them until they're no longer pink. And they're about 1.5 to 2 inches thick. Edited to add: Did I say pink? Make that brownish-red.

Other than that your photo's out of focus, and it looks like you have way too many beans in it, what was wrong with this batch of chili?

I'm calling on your collective wisdom to help me with a small problem. I have in my freezer four thick tuna steaks, the remnant of a larger purchase I made at a fish market on 9th Street three weeks ago. Two weeks back, I grilled four of the pieces on my countertop grill. I did not marinate or season them in any way. They tasted okay, but were dry. I've had grilled tuna dining out that wasn't dry at all, and less bland than these. I assume that what I need to do is perhaps marinate the steaks before grilling? With an oil-based marinade, perhaps? Or are there other tricks I can perform on the fish to get it to come out moist and flavorful? I eagerly await your responses.

I guess I really should make my own soup more often. I've got a jug of chicken stock from my last roast chicken quietly aging in the fridge. I suspect it is probably at the point where I can't do anything with it, the roast chicken in question having been made three weeks back. With my partner now on a restricted-sodium diet, I certainly can't buy canned soups any more.

BTW, this probably wouldn't be a good idea for you, but: If you go over to the "Chili: Cook-Off XV" thread in Cooking, you will see my post about a large batch that I prepared on Wednesday, with accompanying recipe in RecipeGullet. I have a partner, a roommate and a couple of frequent guests for whom I cook. Partner, roommate and I have all eaten at least three bowls of the stuff apiece. One of the frequent guests just had a little. There's still about two small bowlfuls, or one large, in the fridge. Chili is one of my favorite Crock-Pot calisthenics.

I don't think he's going to.

Finally saw the commercial today, during "The Price Is Right" (along with "Jeopardy!" and "Millionaire", my only game show addictions). Oh, yeah, Lithgow's way over the top in this one, bordering on self-parody like the fiber supplement ad a few years back in which all these super-buff bodies with sparkling teeth were dancing on the beach and pumping too much iron to a super-bouncy jingle that caught everyone up short when the singers got to the word "fiber". I prefer him as the Snack Fairy myself.

Funds permitting, I'd love to join in. I'll let you know closer to the date.

Okay, my turn. I made my first cook-off batch on Wednesday, according to my standard recipe, more or less. Since no two batches are exactly alike, consider the above recipe a rough guide. The proportions are those used in Wednesday's batch. Sorry, no mise-en-place photos. I can tell you that I used Furmano's diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime and America's Choice chili beans. Because I used a 39-ounce can, I balanced it with three pounds of ground beef. The result, photographed partly eaten the day after I made it: And in the bowl: Finally, topped with cheese: This batch was on the mild side by my standards. There's still some left as I type.

Well, probably the "Zona del Oro" establishment that is best known outside the neighborhood is Tierra Colombiana (4535 North 5th, near Wyoming Avenue), a Cuban-Colombian restaurant that has gotten many good writeups. (I think the owners of this place have a stake in Mixto, a very popular Cuban-Colombian restaurant on Pine Street in Wash West.) There are also Puerto Rican, Mexican and Brazilian/Portuguese eateries in the general area, which is roughly where North Philadelphia meets West Kensington. I haven't been up there to eat at any of these, so I can't give you specific names; sorry. (I have been to Mixto, which is a couple of blocks from me. It's pretty good, but I've been told Tierra Colombiana is even better.)

Sandy's Standard Chili Recipe Serves 12 as Main Dish. The measurements given in this recipe are suggestions only. Please feel free to vary them according to your taste or whim; I do all the time. The one thing you must do is make lots of this at once. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers; chili is always better reheated. 3 lb ground beef or chuck, 80/20 2 medium onions, chopped 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped 22 oz can diced tomatoes, drained 39 oz can seasoned chili beans, drained 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 dried chilies de arbol, crushed 1 T ancho chile powder 1/2 T chipotle powder 2 T cumin 6 oz can tomato paste 1 bay leaf shredded Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese for topping (optional) Sour cream for topping (optional) Brown ground beef in skillet; drain off fat. Place all ingredients except bay leaf in Crock-Pot; stir. Add bay leaf. Cover and cook 8-10 hours on Low or 6 hours on High. Keywords: Beef, Beans, Main Dish, Easy, Hot and Spicy, Crock Pot ( RG1465 )

1) Lower Northeast Philadelphia. This area has seen an influx of Russian immigrants over the last decade or so, and now boasts a slew of good Russian eateries. The city's only Armenian restaurant/take-out is also in this area. I'd love to get my hands on some lahmejune. 2) "El Zona del Oro" -- the stretch of North Philly that centers on North Fifth Street from roughly the 2700 block (Allegheny Avenue) to the 3700 block (Erie Avenue). This neighborhood is home to the city's best Latin American restaurants. You're also sure to get a table many nights, as the only people who eat in them are the neighborhood residents and adventurous types who aren't worried about the area's unsavory reputation (one of the city's worst drug corners throughout the 1990s is located three blocks west of this strip).

"Arbitrarily"? I know there are lots of food products that list absurdly low portion sizes (e.g., one slice of thin sliced deli meat) on their "Nutrition Facts" label to make the numbers look good, but I don't think that 1 cup liquid volume is that low. Consider that a 10-ounce (dry weight) can of soup combined with an equal volume of water produces not much more than two cups of soup, and often one can of reconstituted condensed soup is divided into two servings.

So, I have purchased both the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato as well as the Butternut Golden Squash .. trying them both this week ... they do look good .. more on the soups Golden Butternut Squash Blended Red Pepper Black Bean Creamy Portobello Mushroom Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Italian Tomato with Basil & Garlic .. good variety ... ← 1) The excerpts you cite here convince me that Campbell Soup has engaged Lithgow precisely for his comic gifts, which are considerable. 2) He's not the Soup Fairy here, is he? 3) That New York Times article is locked behind their Times Select pay-per-view/subscription barrier.

And that city is...? As of today, and for the foreseeable future, a 25-minute commute on SEPTA will take an hour and a half or more...on foot. The commute by car will also be longer. I don't know why I'm suddenly moved to ask this, Karen, but: Are you giving your Crock-Pot enough exercise? Besides soup and salad dressing, I'd like to learn about more fun things you can do with miso. Check your PMs. then we could survive on an all-pot-roast diet? Yes, it's possible, and I'd certainly encourage the leftovers route (I have a difficult time convincing a roommate that eating leftovers is a normal, healthy thing that people of all classes do all the time). But I wouldn't fault Karen for trying to do variety on a make-ahead basis. If they were thinking of this, entire sections of the supermarket would be rendered unnecessary. Now, to further counter your amazement, consider the following two quotes: "Journalism is the first rough draft of history." --Philip Graham, publisher, The Washington Post "History repeats itself because no one was listening the first time around." --Anonymous Which means that journalists must constantly repeat themselves, over and over and over and over and over and over again.