sourmango

Ahhh... good ol' Han ah rheum... I used to go there nearly every day when I was stationed in D.C. last...N.Y.C. anyone? U.E. ← Uh...there's a Hanh Ah Rheum on 32nd Street between 5th/Broadway. Try checking there.

I believe Dufour makes an all butter puff pastry. You can find it at Whole Foods.

Unfortunately, the Soup place has closed down. Word is that the "Soup Nazi" is trying to market a line of canned soups. That said, I started working around the corner from his former joint right before he closed two years ago for the year. I tried the Seafood Chowder, the Lobster chowder/bisque, and some other seafood cream soup. It really was quite good but at $10/container, it was a once in a while treat.

I am going down to Chinatown this weekend to pick up some fresh pork belly. I'm thinking about braising it in my thermal pot.... Anybody have any tips for me? Or, perhaps a favorite recipe?

This thread is so timely as I just purchased a Zojirushi Thermal cooker. I haven't used it yet but am excited to get going on it! One question though - do you have to modify the recipes you use in them to use less liquids?

Well, this thread and my recent discovery of Jamba Juice smoothies is really making me consider purchasing a Vita-Mix. At $5.00/smoothie from JJ, I figure I could recoup the cost of the Vita-Mix by the end of the summer. So..Does anybody have any suggestions on a model?

Agree wholeheartedly with Jason. I love Tater Tots! After a long workout, there's nothing more satisfying than deep fried Tater Tots. Along the Indian tip, I love frozen Paratha. Specifically, <a href=http://www.e-qualityfoods.co.uk/info.asp?cat=50&product_id=975>Pillsbury Paratha</a>. I usually have a friend in Jackson Heights, Queens bring a few packages to me when she comes over. I've also been finding non-Pillsbury paratha in the freezer section of a few of my favorite Chinatown stores (both Manhattan and Brooklyn). Also, I've been buying frozen shu mai and frozen spring rolls from my favorite Chinatown butcher. Made in house, they're the perfect late night snack. Finally, Amy's. Relatively healthy and tasty. My favorite is the Santa Fe Bowl.

I used to drink 3-5 cups of coffee a day, starting the day off with a strong cup of French Press coffee. However, I also used to get stomach aches from the coffee and horrible sleep. I decided to make the switch from coffee to tea and have been much happier with my quality of sleep. Also, the stomach problems have gone away. I do, however, long for coffee. But, I know once I have one cup, I'll start drinking a whole lot of it again. So, I treat myself to good teas from mail-order sources so I don't get tempted with coffee. Also, when I quit coffee I had a headache for about two weeks. And, was all around cranky for about a month.

Thank you for the welcome! This is music to my ears as I already have the sand pots I need to make some beans! I'll get right on it this weekend!

I thought I would revive this thread because I'm getting more and more into the idea of cooking dried beans. My question is: can I use the Asian style sand/claypots to cook beans in the oven? Or, stove top? Or, should I go for one of the old school <a href=http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=10117&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=bean+pot> NE Style Bean Pots</a> ? Any suggestions on cookware would be appreciated!

I bring lunch to work everyday. Usually I bring leftovers, although recently I've also started to bring sandwich makings and assemble the sandwiches right before I eat them. Luckily, we have a fridge (and a Whole Foods in the building) so I can store all the condiments (mayo, green olive paste, cheese) that I purchase at Whole Foods. Since I'm watching my weight and eat a few meals a day at work, I usually bring some homemade food, make myself a sandwich in the afternoon, and snack out of my snack drawer. Snacks can include anything from: chocolate covered Spanish almonds, organic Turkish figs, dried cherries or Total Greek yogurt.