Jaymes

And enough comfort food to fill up even the hungriest trucker. But they allow smoking, which most of the truckers seem to do, so the air is always extremely unpleasant, which is why I never stop there. In case that matters to any of you folks reading along, be forewarned.

Not sure I understand your post. "Too bad there is no way to search based on route..."Yes there is. As you go on to point out. It costs money to get the maps, and there really is no convenient way to figure out if any of the places you can see on-line are actually along your route of travel. If you poke around in your state or a state you are familar with, you'll notice that some places don't really meet one important definition of "road food". Close to the highway. What I'd like to see is to combine route planning with an option that says how far you are willing to deviate from that route to get to a place (i.e. 1 mile, 2 miles, etc.) That would make it more useful.Yes, it costs money, but I find the site very easy to navigate, the maps extremely useful, the information helpful. After you click on one location along your way, a local map pops up that clearly shows the location and how far it is from the highway in question. Often, while I'm driving along, I'll call my children, one of whom seems always to be sitting at their computer, and ask them to find me something on the road ahead. I've subscribed for several years and, for me anyway, $20 per year is easily worth it.

Not sure I understand your post. "Too bad there is no way to search based on route..." Yes there is. As you go on to point out. The only thing listed on the route from Dallas to Lubbock is in Ft. Worth.

Of course, for some of us, that's the most excitement we get all week.

I've often seen a big barrel or box next to the corn. And I do sometimes see people that completely husk the ears, then drop them into a plastic bag to take home. But more often, it seems that they just do a little husking -- the outer layers, etc. I don't care what method folks use, peeking or poking or whatever, as long as when you find the cobs are okay, take them with you. Don't think, as so many people seem to, this one is fine so the lot is probably fine, so I'm going to buy some, but I don't want this one that I've opened because I know the drying-out process has already started since I opened it so now I don't want it. Personally, I find that the longer you can keep the thing sealed and intact, the moister the final product. Using the suggestions shared here, i.e., smell, feel, selecting the cooler ears from the bottom of the stack, etc., I almost never go wrong. Not to mention that although there are many ways to fix the corn, one of the quickest and easiest, and therefore the one we use most often, is just to stick the entire thing, cob and husk and silk and all, having done exactly nothing to it, into the microwave for a few minutes. Thought of this thread yesterday as I stood before the corn bin in the local super. Selected six ears. Got them home and, winners all, I sliced off the kernels, dropped them into a skillet, sauted them briefly with a little good European butter, finished with salt, pepper and a dollop of heavy cream. Served up with slices of home-grown tomatoes, it was gorgeous, late-summertime magic on a plate.

I believe in your neck o' the woods they call them 'diners.' My son and his wife and two kids moved out to San Jose, CA, a while back. Son told me that they were having a hard time finding a neighborhood diner where the family could go for a good breakfast, or casual and affordable home-style dinner with the kids. Even though they had asked around, nobody knew of any. But then, a year later, he called me with the news. They had found the restaurants they had been searching for. "We finally figured out," he said triumphantly, "that out here they call them 'family restaurants.'"

I smell for freshness as well, but don't rely solely on that either. As JanMcBaker says upthread, it's really a combination of everything, including her tip to reach down into the stack for the cooler ears.

I use the 'feel' technique. I don't mind if others use the "pull back" method, as long as you buy every single ear you've ruined. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen some jerk come up, pull back the husk on an ear or two, and then, after deciding that the lot is good enough, select four or five or whatever OTHER, closed ears to purchase, tossing the ones they've ruined back into the stack. I wish I had the nerve to go throw the ruined ones into their cart and tell them, "Hey, you forgot these, since now that you've ruined them, nobody else will buy them."

This is the way I do it and it works great! Doesn't take long at all to fill the eggs when you reach the venue.Not to turn this into the 'deviled egg' thread, but this sounds like such a good idea, I want to know a little more. like, how do you transport the whites? Do you put them into your deviled egg serving platter, or a plastic container or what?

I love that story, Snow. Really what families are all about.

There's some information about cacti here

If you like it, in my opinion you should keep it. After all, the silver doesn't know who bought it. But should it continue to bring back unpleasant memories, I suggest you find another pattern you do like, and then go to Replacements.com, and sell the MIL silver, and buy the new pattern. In essence, you'd be 'trading.'

And that's exactly what everybody's "gotta do" during long, cold Alaska winters. You look into parking lots, and at least half of the cars are idling. Everybody has two sets of keys and if they're only going to be in a building for a half-hour or so, they leave the car going so it will be nice and warm when they return.

Yes. My mother died four months ago and the entire responsibility of everything fell on me. I cooked for three days to take care of the 22 relatives that stayed at our house for two nights, and the night-before "visitation," and the post-funeral reception, also held in our home. I could eat nothing. However, the relatives and neighbors and friends seemed to have no problem.

And for your next trip, I recommend this book: Traveling New England with a dog.

Which reminds me of an amusing little story. A while back, a neaby air force base got a brand new drug dog. It was the dog's job to check cars that were coming onto the base. Part of the job was to leap into the cars and sniff for any possible contraband. But they had to get rid of that dog because of his fondness for McDonald's french fries. If there were any in the car, or had been any in the car, or any had spilled down in the seats, or under the floormat, or anywhere else, the dog promptly lost interest in searching for drugs. It turned out to be a fondness from which he could not be dissuaded. And, interestingly enough, only McDonald's french fries. Other brands didn't seem to entice him at all. It's been a while back, so probably the beef tallow they were cooking their fries in at the time had a lot to do with it.

I cannot believe I missed this episode again. I spend a lot of time down on that border, and was so looking forward to it. My cable went out just before it aired last night and although I'm thrilled to death that it came back on in time to catch the Beirut episode, I missed the border one. The first time around, the TIVO just didn't get it, for some reason. I suspect that this was my last chance, but if anyone knows if and when the TC might possibly rerun it yet again, I'm begging you to tell me. Please?

This looks like a great book . Actually, the book is funny enough, and helpful enough, that anyone would be entertained by it. Consider this excerpt regarding advice to someone that wants to be certain their funeral draws a big crowd. The authors have noted that St. James, a local Episcopal congregation, seems to do particularly well in that respect, and it's recommended that you join. "Nobody wants an ill-attended funeral, and St. James' turns out in full force for one of its own. However, for a really big funeral, membership in both St. James' and Alcoholics Anonymous is the ticket. Episcopalians who have belonged to AA attract a standing-room-only crowd, without increasing the liquor bill for the reception." And Marlene, in so far as finger food before the mains go, according to the book, regardless as to whatever else you have, you've got to ihave stuffed eggs. They're just expected.

THIS is so true. And it's interesting to see the ways in which we comfort ourselves. Be it cooking, or sitting down to a bowl of mac & cheese.And I'm hoping that Tony will give us the recipe for that delicious-looking meal he cooked. The meal that prompted one of his crew to say, "Tony, I think you should go back to your day job."

Marlene -- deepest condolences on the passing of your brother. Such a very sad time for a family. And for those of you that might be interested in a book on the subject, I recommend: Being Dead is No Excuse, the southern woman's guide to throwing the perfect funeral. Not only does it actually have helpful advice and recipes, it's a pretty lively read.

Oh my... The 'interior' of that restaurant looks like one of the dungeons down in the 'boot' of the old part of Panama City...the holding cells where they kept prisoners before shipping them out, or hanging them, or letting them drown when the tide came up. Is it? And I asked you elsewhere (I think in the Belize thread), but before you went you made a comment that you had been told that the food in Panama was even worse than that in Belize. Now you've been to both places, so... Is it?

just goes to show you, different tastes ... i ate there last year (irresistible name dropping: with my old friends joe ely and jimmie dale gilmore) and i was REALLY disappointed. meat was pretty good, but the sauce had pineapple or something pureed into it. interesting, because afterward both joe and jimmie said that it wasn't their favorite place, but they thought i'd like it because it was "something a little different." of course, i grew up on texas bbq at the original stubbs bbq in Lubbock, and EVERYONE knows that was really the best place that ever was or ever will be. And I used to live about fifteen minutes from the Salt Lick and I agree with Kent and Russ that the Salt Lick is definitely second rate now, if that. It is simply riding its reputation. When we moved there, the old man that started the place was still alive. The 'cue was MUCH better than it is now. Yes, the Salt Lick still has a great ambience, and it's a fun place to go with a crowd, or to take out-of-towners. And the sides haven't changed. But the meat is not as good as it once was. The son is running the place now, and I don't care whether or not he is "one of the most talented pitmasters in the field today," it appears that he's spending more of his time bringing in busloads of tourists, catering weddings and bar mitzvahs and selling coozies and hats and tee-shirts than he is worrying about the declining quality of his barbeque: Get yer "smell our pits" shorts r'chere. When it comes to barbecue, I never say this place or that is the "best." To me, it's more like a tier thing. Top tier, second tier, etc. I think it's impossible to determine "the best" when it comes to a product as variable (not to mention subject to individual preference of the taster) as barbecue. This reminds me that a while back, somebody on eGullet (who was visiting from elsewhere in the country and said up front that she knew nothing about barbecue), went on the typical 'Central Texas Barbecue Expedition.' After giving us a brief sketch of everywhere she went, she said that she wasn't going to "tell" which one was "best" because that would "spoil it for anyone else" that wanted to conduct their own search. I'm still laughing. Like after one trip, she's gonna settle something Texans have been arguing about since the first piece of goat fell into the fire. And Russ... The guy that started the Salt Lick on his family's ranch had married an Asian woman -- either Japanese or Hawaiian, I forget which. And she put an "Asian twist" in the sauce. That's the fruit that you taste. And frankly, back when the meat was worth eating, the sauce was kinda good with it. But now that the meat is second-rate, the sauce just bothers.

Both of you are more than welcome. I love that carnitas recipe as well. There are many ways to make carnitas, of course, but to my taste, that's the one I like best. It's based on the method that Diana Kennedy explains in her books, so I can't take all the credit. And frankly, I can't take all the credit for the salsa, either. I've been really lucky through my life to count several Mexicanas among my close friends. That salsa may not be the absolute best "gourmet" salsa you'll ever put in your mouth, but for ease of preparation and all-round appeal, in my view you can't beat it. As I've said elsewhere, I raised a big family, and we went through gallons of salsa each week. I needed something quick and easy to keep up with the hunger pangs of foraging teenagers and a Texan husband. So I'm glad you enjoy it, too. And thanks to each of you for letting me know.

Oh my goodness, thanks for letting me know! Sounds like you had quite the adventure. I know what you mean about the tortillas. I used to live in Panama, and although most norteamericanos think that everything south of the US/Mexico border is Mexico, or some version of it, that's decidedly not true. And the Panamians don't eat tortillas, so the only ones you could find there were either, as you said, inferior ones in a "Mexican" restaurant (which for them was just as foreign as a Thai restaurant), or ones that came in cans in the imported food section of grocery stores. So I had a tortilla press, and my family sent me masa harina. I'm sure you're right about the guacamole. Probably there was the chunky stuff we're all accustomed to, and a thinner avocado sauce that they pour over some meat and fish dishes. But I'm glad you had a good time, and found what you're looking for. That neighborhood is a lot of fun. Especially on Mexican festival and holidays, when they ride through the streets honking horns and blaring Mexican music and waving flags. And again, thanks for letting me know. I wondered all day if you had gone and how you liked it.

I particularly like it when good-looking waiters ask me if I'd like a kitchen tour, and then while we're lingering in the walk-in, sneak a sly kiss. Sadly, that's only happened once. But I continue to hope.