foodie52

My husband used to be a big diet soda drinker. A couple of years ago he started complaining about forgetfulness and fuzzy thinking.....it was scary. I remembered an article I had read about artificial sweeteners and their effect on brain function. I had him stop drinking that stuff and switch to water and unsweetened tea. The problem went away after a week or so. I'm a believer....

Well, before 9/11 it wouldn't have been a problem bringing it in. But the problem is that the American security guys see it on their Xray screen as a big block of explosives material packed in foil....and they will remove it from my suitcase. So, I've decided to unwrap it, repack it in clingfilm , and bring along a spoon so that I can demonstrate its edibility ( and I use that term loosely....)

If it's a business dinner, why are the kids coming? If it's a gift certificate, then it must be a really special thing :it would seem to me that you'd want to be able to enjoy it, no hassles, no kids, no kidding. If your baby-sitter cancels ( as mine certainly did on occasion....) then postpone the outing! You want to really enjoy the occasion, don't you? Take the kids to cafes....to cafeterias....to places where you can whisk them away at the drop of a hat . Socialize them in kid-friendly places and especially at the family dinner table.

A friend of mine in GB wants me to bring her some Velveeta from the USA. You must have it to make queso! Can you buy it in England? Sure would make my packing easier if I didn't have to bring it over...

Oh good lord..... If you can afford a high end restaurant, you can afford a baby-sitter for the night. And if you have to take your kids everywhere you go, then you have a problem... Give me a break.

I know...it's ridiculous, but I just want to do it. I'm flying to England from the USA next week. My host in England wants me to bring Velveeta so that we can make queso for New Year's Eve. Therein lies the problem.... Another friend of mine put a few blocks of it in her suitcase a few months ago with the intent to take it to our mutual friend. Imagine her bemusement when, on arrival at Gatwick, she found the Velveeta gone and a note in her suitcase saying that her bags had been searched and potentially harmful materials had been confiscated..... I know...Velveeta on an Xray screen looks like a block of some sort of explosive. So my question is, should I bother to strip the Velveeta of its foil wrapper and hand-carry it on, wrapped in Saran, or should I just forget about it??? Any other Flying Food stories out there??

"War of the Worlds" Christmas Meets Hanukkah In this sci-fi flick, two warring tribes decide to call a truce during the festive season and resolve their differences in a civilized manner. The matriarchs of both societies decide to share a kitchen and cook a meal that will cause their families to weep with pleasure and throw down their lasars. Trouble ensues when Grandma and Bubbie begin to argue over ingredients. Grandma declares that mini marshmallows and cream of mushroom soup must feature strongly in all recipes, while Bubbie insists on commandeering the only pot large enough to cook her brisket, for the next 5 hours. Family members join in, and food starts to fly....

I thought that most people who end up in prison are used to eating cheap food anyway. Besides, cheap doesn't necessarily equate with "bad". What's wrong with a feeling of well-being after a decent meal? I mean, isn't it punishment enough to be incarcerated? How can we expect people to decide to change their lives if we don't give them a glimpse of what is good out here? Granted, there are some real scumbags in jail ( my husband is an ex-trial lawyer) but for the most part, does the bulk of the prison population really need to be reminded 24 hours a day how terrible they are? On an ironic note, what's up with the "last meal" concept? Is that schizophrenic or what?

Dave, your Cajun Danish sounds fantastic!

It was a cafe con leche. I didn't taste any sweetness to it, but I briefly wondered if they had used condensed milk , as in Vietnamese coffee because it was so rich-tasting.

Just came back from visiting Tampa. While we were there, we ate at the Columbia restaurant in Ybor City. The coffee in the restaurant was excellent. I'm wondering what makes it so good ( apart from the fact that the roaster was across the street.) Can anyone tell me more about it?

( I simply had to add a reply so that my poodle immediately followed Jason's...I've been waiting ages to be able to do this!) I probably shall never own an Aga, and consequently will always think of it as a wonderfully romantic appliance...the center of the home, the convergence of all that is good about family and food... sigh...

Does anybody ever eat at Henderson's anymore? It was THE veggie place in the early 70's . I used to splurge on their salads and bread once in a while.

We toyed with having an Aga....it IS so British, and comforting. The problem is that it is ALWAYS putting out heat, right? NOT the perfect appliance here in Texas.

Congratulations to Suvir on getting Amma reviewed in this week's New Yorker magazine ( Tables for Two ) , on page 25! I can't wait for my next trip to NYC!

Believe it or not, I once served it as an after-dinner sipping beverage because we had no idea what to do with it, and it tasted so darn good straight from the bottle!!

Nuts in the shell, complete with nutcracker Mulled cider Gingerbread with whipped cream Pate with cornichons and pickled onions Stilton and port English fruitcake Main courses? Goose with red cabbage and potatoes or Cornish game hens with an orange marmalade glaze or Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and lots of gravy!

Thanks to all of you! I had a great food weekend in Tampa. We got to Ybor City at around 6 pm, and had reservations at Columbia : you are exactly right about it. It was the perfect place to take my parents and to visit to get a taste of the area. The bar is amazing, as was our bartender! The food was OK, the atmosphere was great! And the coffee...the coffee was fantastic. We also drove to Tarpon Springs and ate at Mama's - it was so exciting to have Greek food, something we do not get in Texas. We had whole, broiled red snapper...lamb kebobs... flaming cheese... delicious grouper....an antipasti plate of charbroiled octopus, tender squid and delicious smelts. Lots of retsina! We were in heaven!

Is the Union Oyster House not on anyone's list anymore? Is it too touristy? I think the history of the place is pretty charming. I ate at the No Name in the late 70's! And, of course, Legal Seafood in Cambridge.

You can also try to contact Tim Love, at Lonesome Dove Bistro in Fort Worth...he cooked there a few months ago and is a very amiable character. He'll give you tips for sure.

I'll be in the Tampa area next week. I've been told to visit Little Havana, and that there is actually a flamenco place...and good food. Help me find these gems!

I certainly wouldn't rent a car: it will take you an hour to leave the terminal! Get a cab and once you get to your restaurant destination, hire the cabbie to come and get you again to return you to the airport. Otherwise you get to spend the night at DFW.... How far from Ft. Worth is the airport? Does anyone know? If it isn't too far, you can go to the Stockyards and eat there ( Lonesome Dove Bistro is awesome.)

Dirt

Mmmm...Carolyn : all that sounds marvellous! We get pecans down here, but no chestnuts... My favorite chestnut experience was roasting them in the oven...then taking them out piping hot. One of the dropped to the floor...there was a noise like gunshot...and chestnut bits ALL over the kitchen! That nut literally exploded! Fun for the kids....

Eww...you mean calf fries? In 1974 when I moved back to the USA from Europe, I couldn't find veal shank to save my life. Finally a guy in the meat market where I shopped found me some...and sold them to me for around 49 cents a pound. We ate osso bucco at least twice a month for a while! Those were the days.... With the price of beef what it is, I think people are going to explore other meats in the USA...I think lamb is going to become the next sexy meat. And duck....