MT-Tarragon

"Baked bads" is the proper terminology for such monstrosities. Similar to the first post, the worst thing I've had (at least that I remember) was an "all-natural" sweet roll, that wasn't very sweet nor very flavorable, but a bit dry and unappetizing. A friend enticed me to try seal oil recently, saying that it was completely horrible, but I didn't find it so -- tasted like grass to me.

Chris, here's an article from last month about PA wines which says that the Zindandel grape won't grow there. As drinking local wines, I do that. But then I guess my state is already known for wine production.

The Tom Douglas restaurants are within walking distance of there. Depending on what you mean by bankrupting, they may not be right. Serious Pie (pizza) is less expensive than Dahlia Lounge and Lola and Dahlia bakery is fine.

Not so long ago, when my wife and I moved into our current abode, my lovely and wonderful wife forced me at knife point to go through my too many shelves of food magazines, clip what I wanted and despose of the rest. So I went out and got a mammoth binder and many plastic pocket insert thingies and began the daunting task of clipping all of the recipes that I wanted to keep and organizing them into a coherent "cookbook". It did not take long to discover that, surprisingly, most food magazines give no thought to the idea that someone might want to remove a recipe from the magazine and refer to it from another place. It was very common for recipes to be spread across multiple pages in various widths and lengths. Also very common was that there were recipes on both sides of a page, so that you had to decide which recipe you wanted to keep and which you wanted to mutilate. Additionally, recipes might be on both sides of the page, continuing for multiple pages in such a state that you might only be able to salvage one clipped recipe from the multitude because of placement. Saveur was the standout for recipe collection. Only very rarely did a recipe span more than one page. If there were recipes on both sides of the page, then they were on different parts of the page so that you could cut out both recipes without damaging the other. I never came across an instance of having to sacrifice one recipe for another. This thoughtfulness really impressed me, and I never would have noticed if I hadn't been going through clipping them out of all of the magazines at once. Anyway, that's one thing that I hope doesn't change with Saveur. My "cookbook" is mostly Saveur recipes because it was such a PITA to staple/clip/etc the recipes from the other food magazines.

On my way into work this morning, I walked past the old University Book Store location at 4th and University and saw Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. The space was empty last time I walked by (I don't usually walk that way). Does anyone know anything about it? Anyone been there? I did find a website for them. Apparently they are in Woodinville and Kirkland, too. I think I remember seeing a post somewhere on the site, saying that the Woodinville cafe was pretty good.

I agree with the U-District recommendations as a living space if you are going to be relying on the bus for transportation. It's hard to beat for bus options. So even if you end up not liking the food options there, it's easy and relatively fast to get to most other parts of town. I really like University Seafood in the U-District. In addition to seafood, you can also get thing like duck, rabbit, quail, chicken, free-range turkey, venison, pheasant, squab, etc. Their display area is small, but they have a lot more in back. If you don't see something, ask them. They're really good about answering questions and cutting things the way you want. The store is about a block from the location of the Saturday farmer's market. There are a number of ethnic groceries on University Way as well, mostly Indian and middle-eastern. Some restaurants also have small grocery sections like Continental (Greek) and Cedar's (Indian/middle-eastern). Definitely get the U-Pass through the University if you're relying on bus system. It is by far the least expensive way to ride the bus. You should definitely be able to get a decent room in a shared housing situation for $500. At about that price you start getting into studio apartment range as well. My wife is in grad school at the UW, too. Can we ask what you're studying? Good luck!

My wife gave me a copy as an anniversary present, yesterday. Unfortunately I won't get a chance to read it until the end of the quarter next month.

This is actually legitimate, though more commonly termed "insulin resistant" or "glucose sensitive." These are people with isulin problems which are not severe enough to quality as diabetics, but if they don't watch their diets can develop into Type II diabetes. The typical diet to treat this is low-carb diet, hence the comment about "wheat and stuff." Starches/carbohydrates are easily converted to glucose in the body. For an insulin resistant person, the more carbs they consume, the more insulin is necessary to process the glucose. This worsens over time until the body cannot produce enough insulin to process the glucose and the person has type 2 diabetes. By eating a very small amount of carbs per day (~30g or so) they can control the condition. Besides leading to diabetes, a high carb diet for these people leads to high cholesterol, high blood triglycerides, high blood pressure and heart disease. Typically patients are told to chiefly avoid sugar, flour and potatoes. Edited to add: It's not an allergy, though, and the occasional splurge in carbs can be offset by a few days of extra frugality.

I'll second (or third or whatever we're up to) the beef, sausage and ribs madness. I'd like to add a vote for spicy chili. Buffalo chicken wings. Ortolan. Anything cooked over an outdoor fire.

I find it a bit odd that the researcher mentions calories and fats as the main problems, when it's probably refined carbohydrates that are the real culprit. The average US intake of sweetners has increased fifty percent in the last fifty years, up to 150 pounds per person per year. Other carbs, like flour, are becoming more refined. The more refined the carb, the more swiftly it is metabolized, the faster it turns to sugar in the body, and the faster it turns to fat. Less refined carbs (e.g. whole wheat flour) take longer for the body to process and it is easier for your insulin to process the sugars. Additionally, there are genetic causes that make some groups of people more or less able to process the carbohydrates in their bodies. The current theory about why this is the case relates to when the societies changed from hunter/gatherer to agricultural. Thus, the longer ago that any genetic group switched to an agricultural means of sustenance, the better they are at dealing with the extra carbs. It seems like most of the hysteria over "unhealthy" southern cooking is focused on the fats in the cooking, when the real culprit is probably increased carbohydrates.

Cookies, like crackers or sandwiches, are a finger food. As a finger food, they are not supposed to appear in formal dining. In informal dining, any finger food, once removed from the serving platter, may be eaten with the fingers. I bite my cookies and sandwiches. IANAEE...

I like Bangalore in Gilman Village, Issaquah a lot. I don't know if it's the best in the area, not having tried everything, but it's at least as good Chutney's and/or Cedar's on Brooklyn IMO.

Our company used to provide free coffee in the lunchroom. One day the company president came in for some coffee and the pots were empty. Says he, "If you all can't be responsible enough to keep the pots full, then you don't deserve coffee." So he had an espresso machine installed in his office and cancelled coffee for the lunchroom. I don't think "report covers" works as well in this instance, but, indeed, it is more about tantrum than food.

I would like to pick MFK Fisher and Julia Child, but I worry that I wouldn't really be a part of the lunch conversation. I'd love to sit there and listen, though. I think maybe the two of them and a couple of other friends would make for a great meal. As an alternate, I think that Mario Batali and Alton Brown would make an interesting combination.

Eating an orange in one bite is impressive. Unless it was a mandarin, and you're just holding back on us. I'm afraid I can't top that orange-wise. However, back in high school I was on the wrestling team. In order to make and keep weight I didn't eat much for lunch but an orange. But I ate the entire orange, peel and all. It didn't taste good, but I would lose my appetite after eating it. I have't met anyone, yet, who has eaten as many orange peels as I have. Unfortunately, almost twenty years later, it takes an effort of will to pick up and eat an orange. The memory of orange peel flavor is too strongly associated.

I went for a 25 for $25 dinner there a few years ago with a group of 6 friends, and we were all underwhelmed. None of us have gone back. I hadn't mentioned it before because everyone seems to think they are so great.

BubbleheadChef, Thank you so much for your service and also for this fascinating thread. It has been very interesting reading about your experiences. Since no else has said this, yet, and it is Dec 2nd, I feel it is my duty, having spent some time at the USMA, to say, Go Army! Beat Navy! Do you havy any special food for the big game?

Did I see you in George's bread class? I enjoyed that class very much, but it is the only one that I've taken from Cook's World.

You may be interested in the Bon Vivant School of Cooking. Particularly, it sounds like you might be interested in the international series which is only offered in the spring and is nine three-hour classes. I've taken their basics series and art of fine cuisine series as well as several one evening classes and am very happy with what I learned. I've recommended them to several other people, and they have all been happy.

Okay Pontormo I have to know, what the Hell is EVHS? BTW, I always hated green pea soup because of that well known (red can) national company whose green pea soup was Exorcist vile, but I'd love to have a taste of yours; sounds delicious. ← I think that's Extra Virgin Ham Shank. Since the shank has been refined in the split pea soup, it's now only pure ham shank.

Apples on the ground are typically both culls and apples that have fallen off of the tree of their own accord. Also, earlier in the season the trees are thinned and a lot of small apples are removed and tossed on the ground. These apples are not sold for cider because it costs more to pick up the apples than the grower would get paid for the apples. The pay for cider apples is dismal.

Abra, very nice! Where is that BBQ in Ellensburg? I'm always driving through there and having trouble finding good places to eat. And I wish I had known about the sausages in Cle Elum! I'm voting for French -- Onion soup, stuffed mushrooms, and sauteed chicken with shallots and artichoke hearts (when is artichoke season, anyway?).

I have a very few male friends with whom I can talk food. Mostly, male talk is still "how 'bout them <insert sports team>."

Glazed eyes... mmm, sacrilicious. I've found that there is a lot of talk about food at work. We've got a CEO who likes to keep anyone from talking to anyone else, but when people do sneak in private conversations, it's often about food: who made what; what can I do with X; have you baked anything lately, and so forth.

I once worked in a place where oyster shots were a typical drink - a shot of Bloody Mary with an oyster in it. I had it once, but you can't really taste the oyster in that method. It could have been a chunk of anything at the bottom of the glass.