Steebles

Love the candle idea. I'll have to try that!

Thanks for this thread :) A LOT of good suggestions I want to look into. I only started to cook after my divorce 8 years ago.. I wasn't actually *allowed* to cook during my marriage. I couldn't boil an egg. Anyway.. the first book I picked up on the subject was Bittman's "Everything..." and, perhaps because it was my "First", it's still my favorite stand-by cookbook. I liked that it was huge and seemingly exhaustive, and I appreciated his sense of humor and willingness to allow an occasional shortcut. Plus, absolutely everything I've made from this book has come out wonderfully. (Although, he would have me poke a hole in an egg before boiling.. I found that *very* difficult to do. Where's the How To Boil an Egg thread?) I own "Joy of Cooking" too but it really feels very 40's - 50's to me.. very Eisenhower... not Jello Mold 50's but I don't really find myself gutting rabbits very often. Anway.. my 2 cents from someone who's in similar position. Gonna check out some of the other books mentioned. Steve

Me and the SO stumbled (literally) into the Menger bar one night. Maybe the most Woody bar I've ever been in. We were informed that the slight disfigurement to the bar between us was wrought by none other than Carrie Nation, her righteous self. With her little axe. We thought that was the grandest thing ever and happily toasted Ms Nation for the rest of the evening :) Thanks for the tortilla soup recipes! Will be making this this weekend :)

Cherry Pie. When I was 11 or so, I went to stay with my grandparents for a whole month in Lubbuck. Grandma asked me there was anything special that I liked and I mentioned Cherry Pie ... 'cause at the time I loved Cherry Pie. By the end of the month it was all I could do to choke down yet another piece ... All my other childhood food phobias I've gotten over ... liver, spinach, lima beans ... but just the smell of cherry pie makes me queasy still. The Warrant song didn't help.

Strawberry Jello with chopped Peyote. (wasn't *my* idea....) Hey.. there's no "Cooking with Peyote" threads on here...

Yahoo yields this on Manwich: MANWICH is thus a virtual simulacrum of the American cultural simulacrum. Which is what I was thinking.

Big Man: Isn't that what popcorn is for?

Love these stories :) I can really relate to the champagne one: In the 70's, when everyone was freaking out over disposable pop-tops on beer and soda cans littering the highways, various "solutions" were perpertrated upon us the hapless public. One solution involved a smallish circle on one side of the top that could be popped in (there were even Tools one could get to facilitate this) along with another even smaller circle opposite to provide a bit of airflow. Like a gas can. Anyway, at a party I managed to squidge my tongue (God knows why) into the larger hole and it got *very* stuck. Last week at the movies ("Signs"), I shoved some popcorn up my nose during a particularly startling moment. Timing :) I licked something off a really sharp knife...... once.

I keep forgetting to remember to go to Lucky Dogs. Never heard of Wild Ginger but will definately be checking it out. Speaking of small casual Italian, there's Italian Garden. Waaaaay north, after Mopac becomes 1325(?) but well before Round Rock, in a small white nondescript strip mall. Good food, served in courses, moderately priced, intimate but not stuffy, presided over by a largish Italian woman with a tiny sing-song voice that we just love hehe.

If you have to get "fancied up".. I don't go there :) But the only time I've run into that is when Dan McLuskey's (sp) on 6th St wouldn't let my bf in wearing shorts. I'm sure there's some other High End spots nowadays that are somewhat strict. I'll take Ray's over McLuskey's anyday anyway. I'm in 183 area myself. We like Z'Tejas (great for brunch) in the Arboretum area. Rudy's for bbq on 183 is usually awfully good (the *best* creamed corn.. and I don't even like creamed corn hehe). Fond of Le Madelienes (sp) as well. Kerbey Lane Cafe is on 183 also, though kinda hidden and always crowded, but very Austin (whatever that means anymore).

Hello E-Gullet! first post :) Jorge Arredondo's place is called AusTexMex and is still on 26th and I-35. My fave enchiladas in town.. for awhile he moved around so much I felt like a stalker trying to keep up. :) Not sure if Enchililadas Y Mas on Anderson is related to Jorge's or not.. it's pretty decent tex-mex too. As for Migas.. Star Seeds Cafe! Around 32nd and I-35 by a dumpy old motel. Very Austin Hippy Funky w/ the best migas and pancakes in town. IMHO :)