wkl

"Let me hasten to add that this does not mean that all of the LCB deals are bad, or that you should not try them. I try them myself, and often find interesting things to acquire." Above is a quote from the Squires article.He is not denigrating all the chairmans selections and I don't see where he is coming off as a snob. I really think he is just stating an informed opinion on the offerings from the PLCB.

amazing pictures jeff!

In my neck of the woods, the Mid Atlantic, Moore Brothers fits the bill.Sounds very similiar to the shop you describe.Moore Brothers also goes the extra step of shipping wines and keeping the stores at a constant 55 degrees. It's always fun and educational to drink Cahors, Marcilliac, Cru Beaujolais, Madiran, Irancy, etc. Than be force feed the latest Cali fruit bomb. I believe they are still on target to open a store in NYC.

they certainly did take shots at him when he was on the air.they called leaving adny on short notice a lame move, and said not respecting an employee giving notice akin to being a jerk.you should listen to it again.

how do you know they leave quickly? just wondering.

the interviewers certainly aren't pulling any punches.

quick stir fry question: can i readily substitute chicken thighs when breast is called for in a stir fry recipe? do i need to cook it differently, ie longer at higher/lower temp? i ask because the flavor is better in thighs and they are so much cheaper.but i wonder if the higher fat content and texture of the meat will work as well as breast meat?

i need enough to feed about 20 people.probably a mix of boneless breasts and boneless thighs. do i need to call this in?

can someone direct me to the perfered purveyors of chicken? i don't get to rm as much as i would like, but am planning a trip this friday. i need to buy quite a bit of chicken for a party this w/e. thanx.

I read the article and it kind of goes against the thinking here that women don't want to/chose not to cook anymore. If women are reverting back to the traditional stay at home mom types, wouldn't their interest in cooking be more prevelant?

is vespa still around?

My father can't cook a damn thing either, but I still love him.

Must be a guy thing.... or a Duke thing..............

Or as my supremely intelligent, non-cooking by choice, career dedicated girl friend says when I have put my foot in my mouth: You should really stop talking now.

That's a pretty broad brush you are using after speaking with only one girl. I also imagine that conversation could have happened with many a guy ona college campus.

John- I was thinking of starting a seperate thread on my experience. I just need to figure out how to post photos. I 'll try and do this soon.

Just back from vacation in Paris, and while there took a full day hands on course at Le Cordon Bleu. I thought it was worth the 130 or so euro price. At the end of the day you get to take home a substanial portion of the main course you cook yourself in the "hands on" session. In my case it was sea bass over over a bed of squid and pepper surrounded by a saffron broth. I learned alot and had a great time. I'd highly reccommend it. I have pictures and the complete menu if anyone is interested in a more detailed post.

As a point of reference for tapas pricing check out www.jaleo.com. This is a very successful (and very good) tapas restaurant in DC. The website lists all their tapas, hot , cold, and seasonal with prices. I've eaten there a couple times and don't think you can get out of there for less than $25-$30/ person. (Three tapas and a glass of wine) And three tapas orders probably wouldn't fill you up. To follow up on Andy's previous post, I just got back from two weeks in France and was astounded at the wine pricing in the Loire Valley. For 6 euros you can drink very good Chinon. It's no wonder wine is part of the daily regime for those prices.

Bravo, Jim!

I read your reply with a grin on my face Bux ! So, no apology necessary. I think what I was trying to get at was; As a tourist I'm trying to get a feel for what it may be like to be a native of wherever I happen to be visiting. In that vain, if we go to France and eat at starred restaurants, or fill up on foie gras and expensive cheeses, all washed down with premier cru wines are we really experiencing France? This trip I'm staying in a small gite outside of Tours where all the meals will be prepared by the owner , so I am hopeful to eat some Loire "home cooking".

At the risk of highjacking the thread, I am now wondering, how a tourist visiting france (as i will be in 10 days), should experince French food as the typical Frenchmen would? Can this be done in a bistro/brasserie/restaurant? Or do I need to purchase food at a market and prepare it myself? I ask because on my previous visits to France, I have either eaten in restaurants or had meals prepared by a chef in a private setting. These meals, while delicious and memorable, tend to be a little heavy. Now I am wondering if I am missing out on something. [Moderator's note: You know what they say, "if you think you're at rist of hijacking a thread, just start a new one." We've taken that post and moved it to it's own thread for those who wish to contribute to this thread without fear of hijacking another thread.]

We will be in Saumur for two days and nights in early October and am looking for lunch and dinner ideas. We are looking for regional cooking both high and low end in terms of cost. Also, very interested in a place with a wine cellar showcasing older vintages of Vouvray and/or Bourgeil/Chinon. We are staying outside of Tours for four nights and our meals are included at our Inn. But, I am wondering if it is worth the drive back to Tours from Saumur for Jean Bardet? Any suggestions of local markets, where we could put togethor a picnic lunch?( A suggestion of a scenic place to eat is also welcome!) Also, wondering if anyone knows of the address to Francois Chidaines wife's wine shop in Mountlouis. Thanks!

Sunday evening we took out of town guests to Ralphs for some local flavor after sweltering through the Phillies game at the Cit. We've used Ralph's a couple times recently for the same purpose. What was disapointing was that the basics weren't that good.The red sauce on the orders of spaghetti and meatballs was bland and watery.At the bottom of the dish the sauce had pooled into a thin watery liquid.The sauce didn't cling to the pasta very well.The pasta tasted, I'm not sure how to describe it, stale, I guess.I knew we weren't going to get fresh homemade pasta, but what we did get wasn't on the level of say De Cecco's (sp?). The meatballs were a little dry, bland, and salty.Bottom line was I didn't get that warm content feeling you should get from this type of comfort food. One of our guests had a veal special and liked it very much, I didn't get a taste but it did look good. An appetizer of roasted red peppers with mozzerella would have been great if they hadn't run out of mozzerella.One of our guests wondered how an Italian restaurant could possibly run out of mozzerella. An order of clams with red sauce had shells in every other bite.Otherwise it wasn't bad. All in all, we still had a good time.The waiters are good, funny, personable guys that give you the impression they live around the cornor.The atmosphere is priceless, and the interior of the building itself should be on a historic register, if it isn't already. You really feel like your eating with a large group of neighbors and family.That's one of the best things about Ralph's and they always deliver on that. I wouldn't dissuade anyone from going to Ralph's, however we had a similiar experince when we were there a couple months ago, so I don't think this was just an "off night". I'm trying to be as fair as possible here, I know they pump out alot of meals on a daily basis, but since my first visit there 15 years ago things seem to have slipped.

Saw the post on the dc forum and can second the Teasism suggestion.Great for an inexpensive lunch.

After dinner with some out of town friends at Ralphs, ( I can't bring myself to post how mediocre, okay bad, the food was. I mean everyone there is so nice and all......) I noticed a closed for renovations sign on Mezze.It had a reopening date but I don't remeber what it was.Not far away though. Anyone know what they're up to? I ate here twice and really liked it.