Forest

I think this might be existenze (sp?)...There's a scene where someone makes a weapon out of bones in a chinese restaurant??

I always remember being fascinated by the by the smazeny syr – a big hunk of deep fried cheese served with a side of fries…that can’t be healthy! (but it hits the spot sometimes.) And, of course, on the drinks front as opposed to food, there’s a huge beer culture there. (I think lager originally started there). And, the Czech spirit Becherovka is kind of interesting. Maybe you’re looking for something more unique or out there, but those are the first things that come to my mind!

Thanks, Felice! But, don't go to the trouble of calling about on my account. It was just that Pierre45's post reminded me that I had wanted to try one of the Saturday wine tastings, so I'm going to try and get over there this Saturday or next for the informal tasting the Dernière Goûte.

Usually I just voyeuristically drool over everyone's dinners, but tonight I've decided it might be fun to join in. I (purposely) had a lot of mashed potatoes left over from a dinner party last night, so tonight I made myself a plate of mashed potatoes, some brats, and greens with yummy chunks of blue cheese. I'm not as good as the rest of you at taking nice food pics, but you get the idea!

Thanks Franci - that pretty much confirms my suspicion that the answer is to stop trying to cook medium roasts in there!

I wanted to try the tasting at La Dernière Goûte this weekend, but from something I read on the internet just now, it looks like they don't do it in January/Feb? Any other suggestions on similar weekend afternoon tastings? Thanks!

Thanks Luham! I will probably either be staying at the Whitesands or the Mombasa Beach Hotel. I don't know if either of those are close to my places, but I'll look into them. Have you spent much time there? Are there any particular dishes that are particular to Mombasa or the general area that I shouldn't miss?

Thanks for the input! That's exactly what I thought...that it should get more tender! The problem with continuing to cook it, is I want it medium to medium rare in the center. okay...yes, I asked the butcher about it last night and he said 1.5 hours. But, there's no way it could stay in there that long and still be pink on the inside. So, i ignored the butcher's advice and brought it up to full pressure and cooked for 25 minutes with the reduced heat. It was medium-rare in the center and done on the outside. However, it was still not all that tender. So, I think the answer may just be for me to stop trying to make roasts in the pressure cooker! (they just seem like just an easy way to do a dinner in the evenings after work when you just don't have a lot of time to prep.) And, i think you are both right about the continuing to cook...I think maybe the answer actually is to stop trying to make medium rare roasts in the thing.

hello DERF... Okay, you've got another secret rum and coke lover lurking in the corners here. I stopped ordering them a long time ago because I got tired of my friends making fun of me for ordering a kiddy drink, but lately I've decided to hell with it! I'll order a rum and coke when and if I want! I'm just really devil-may-care like that, you see! I was in Belfast a couple of weeks ago and I ordered one - and the guy brought me a a malibu and coke. I explained that I didn't want malibu - and he told me that was the only rum they had. I pointed out that there was a huge bottle of Bacardi on the shelf at eye level. He looked surprized that it was rum...has Bacardi marketing become so effective that people no longer realize it's a brand of rum but a liquor unto itself like Q-tips or Rollarblades. (or then again maybe I just hit the one bartender in Belfast who didn't have a clue.) That's my rum and coke story for the day. Edited to fix rum/rome typo...sometimes my fingers work faster than my brain (most of the time, really!)

It's not 9 1/2 weeks, is it? the honey/ice cube things sounds like something that might have been in it?

No joke! But apparently I don't have the will power to leave on my own...someone will have to drag me out kicking and screamin!

Have anything to do with A Fish Called Wanda? I'm remembering the angel fish...and a green fish, but not sure on the chips, part....

Sourdough toast with butter might be my favorite food of all time...not very exciting given all the choices out there, but it's really pretty high on my list. But, moving beyond the butter, I liked a little chedder cheese with green tabasco on it, too!

As always, thanks everyone for lots of good info. I can't wait to get to pureeing and milling! Menon - I don't know what brand it is (and I'm not in front of it now to look) but I imagine it is French because it was already in the kitchen of my apartment in Paris when I moved in. Apparently, the lady that lived here before me was a little grandma - so it probably is pretty old (and, yes, totally retro, which I like!)

I imagine that would be forrest gump. Apparently, I can only get the easy ones. That have the same name as me. Guess that won't happen too many more times!

BRM - that sounds good! Eggs and Bacon sound nice, too! I did these once as an appetizer and really liked them - simple, tasty and enjoyed by the guests. (I think you have to click on the link in the page that says 'spiced quail eggs' because there is no direct link to just that picture.)

rmillman - sounds good! (And this is probably a stupid question, but...) you mean you cooked them in the shells? then peeled them?

Thanks! All good to know!

Thanks, Dave! Darn...how will i ever peel those little strawberries now?!

Okay, I'm a little scared to post this because I'm think it might be something really basic that everyone knows and I'll get a dozen posts telling me that "it's a strawberry peeler, duh! Everyone knows that." But my curiousity has gotten the better of me, so can someone tell me what this is? My roomie says it's for making ground beef, but I don't believe him. (he doesn't know that I don't believe him, though, so if I wrong, no big deal! ) I just don't want to think there's some very useful thing in my kitchen that I don't know what to do with! Or some very useless thing I should get rid of! Thanks!

Wow, Rachel, thanks for such an informative post. I was planning on making quail eggs as an amuse for a dinner party tomorrow and thought I'd just peek here before attempting - very glad I did! Kent, I liked your idea of the eggs on the eggs, so as you can see, I used it! Thanks! The watch is obviously there for scale - and won't be part of my amuse bouche tomorrow!

ah, thank you...someone got it...i was beginning to think i was weird for posting something that no one picked up on. there's actaully quite a lot of bad food in that movie! But, i still find it funny anyway. and then she finsihed with "and to drink, peru!"

no kidding...I think I'd explode! good movie, though!

oh, insomniac, you just reminded me of another one...has anyone mentioned 50 eggs!? (probably way to easy now!)

Hi Everyone... I haven't forgotten all the great beef stew tips you've given me and am sitting down this afternoon with a better bowl of beef stew thanks to them. Thanks to your suggestions, I've, among other things: -stopped flouring before and add a butter/flour mixture to thicken at the end -carmelized the tomatoe paste -added wine (which makes a HUGE difference...don't know why i didn't do this before - maybe I'm always too busy drinking it? ) I haven't had a chance to try some of the other suggestions like the cracklings, the dumplings or the demiglaze, but will do so when I have more time! And, here's the stew today: