Jaymes

When my daughter married, I bought her a slew of cookbooks to start her own cooking library. I know she consulted them from time to time, but nothing really got her sparked. Until I gave her Jacques Pepin's "Fast Food My Way." There are beautiful photos, simple and easy directions (for the most part), menu suggestions, some appetizer ideas that just require assembling -- dishes that look gorgeous, taste great, and appear as though one has been in the kitchen all day. She's busy -- teaches junior high Spanish, coaches volleyball and basketball -- so anything that gets her interested is a plus. The book is now filled with her notes and observations, and there are sticky notes on pages with recipes she's particularly enjoyed and ones she wants to try. "Everything seems fun and 'do-able,'" she says. So, while the other books are excellent references once you get going, this book has been the stimulus.

You know, that's the thing I don't get -- the condescension factor. So some people like one thing, and others another. What is it about that that causes this haughty superiority among the 'mayo only' crowd. As I've said elsewhere, we always had both in the fridge, along with an array of homemade mayos, thinking that each had their place in a varied cuisine. When I married and left to set up my own kitchen, I took that philosophy with me. I was quite stunned the first time I was treated rudely at a luncheon when everyone asked for my recipe for deviled/stuffed eggs and I repeated the recipe that had been passed down to me. It included -- gasp -- Miracle Whip. The MW-haters spoke up quite quickly and loudly and unpleasantly. For years from then on, when asked about the recipe, I always said "and mayo, and only Hellman's (or Best Foods, depending upon where we lived at the time) will do." Then I got a little respect. Except that the eggs didn't taste as good. And I'd invariably get a phone call -- "I made the deviled eggs according to your recipe, but they don't taste quite like the ones at the party. Is there something you left out?" I began to notice that while the mayo crowd didn't mind being rude and insulting, the MW folks just kept quiet. But then later, they'd come up to me and in conspiratorial tones, whisper their confession: "Didn't want to say anything, but I use Miracle Whip too." Odd, really. As though one's choice of condiments makes one a better person.

Other things I enjoyed in my container garden on my balcony: large pots (like those barrel halves) with a big assortment of something. Like bulbs. I had one barrel half that had all of my bulbs. And every year when someone would give me some tulips or daffodils or Easter lilies or something, in there it would go. Absolutely beautiful in the spring. I had some other stuff in that barrel as well, so that it looked good year round. I basically treated it like I did my outdoor flower garden/bedding patch in other houses where I had a yard. My theory was that if the pot was large enough, I should be able to put pretty-much anything in it. In the large pot (and it was really large -- at least 2 1/2' high, and probably the same in diameter) with my lemon tree, I also planted trailing petunias. I picked "pink wave." They were gorgeous -- filled in the soil, and trailed down the sides of the pot. And petunias did fine in that Texas heat, even with full sun. The lemon tree, planted, was about six feet high, so especially in bloom, or covered with lemons, it was spectacular with those hot pink pink pentunias mounding and spilling over the sides. As I remember it, makes me wish I had taken a photo. I had a few roses out there, too. They were harder to keep healthy in the pots. I think roses are just harder plants to grow because they're so vulnerable to pests and diseases and that sort of thing. And it seemed to be worse in the pots. Although I did have two or three that performed well, overall, I decided that they were more trouble than they were worth, and most of the roses I bought eventually got tossed. Also had a small laurel bay. Loved that thing. Ruined me for using dried bay leaves forever, I fear. It was more climate-sensitive than most of my other plants, so I did haul it in and out depending upon the weather. But that's something that now I won't be without. It's the only plant that I hauled with me when I left. Had a big hanging asparagus fern just for looks. They're easy to grow, and the feathery trails looked so pretty blowing in the wind.

I've spent a lot of time in Mexico. Microwaves are very popular there.

divalasvegas, your strength and courage have inspired me. Come Christmastime, I'm gonna start a thread for people that like fruitcake.

You can yank those handles out I think. And, although the price is right for the coolers, remember that the reason I started using them was for the tomatoes -- to keep the roots from baking in the hot Texas sun. I was trying to keep the roots cool, so that the blossoms would keep setting tomatoes. I didn't plant everything in them, just the tomatoes. Although I guess you could. Especially if you made them more attractive.....

Never did get the point of being a MW hater. What on earth is THAT all about. It's just a condiment, silly. In my house growing up with my father (who was raised in the kitchens of restaurants owned by his mother), we always had Miracle Whip, Hellman's/Best Foods mayo, and at least four or five versions of his homemade mayos. We certainly were smart and wise enough to learn the lesson that some of these were better for some things. And others for others. I'm with the folks that prefer MW in stuffed eggs, and egg sandwiches -- you know the kind where the egg is warm and the yellow runs out when you take a bite. And BLT's. And Waldorf Salad. And tuna salad. They're much, much better with the tang of Miracle Whip.

Looks very happy! Makes me quite lonesome for my deck.

You can use anything....a little gravel works fine. Just don't use too much. One layer, and don't use pea gravel. Or a piece of pottery. Or a mashed up Coke can. Or wadded up aluminum foil. I've found that with my coolers, and a lot of holes poked with a screwdriver, and good-quality potting soil, I didn't really need a lot of drainage help. It drained pretty well with not much effort.

Hooch. From Hoochinoo, an Indian (Tlingit) village in Alaska, which was famous for the liquor that the Tlingit distilled there. And drank. In great quantities. Just in case anyone wondered....

I'm a sucker for history and tradition, I know, but I love staying at La Fonda. It just is Santa Fe to me, and you can't beat the location right on the plaza. Get one of the rooms with a fireplace.

My opinion on the tomato seed thing.... First, you are container growing and, if I'm correct in my assumption, limited on space. If you buy seeds, you get what -- thousands or something? At least it seems like it. At most, in your containers, I'd think you'd only want four to six plants. Maybe so many as ten, I guess, but not more, unless you have a great deal more space than I did in my balcony. Also, it takes longer to grow the plants from seed so really, if you're going to do that, you should probably have started those seeds well before now. Just saying....

And if he's like most folks, he'll also get a kick out of it in anticipation of receiving a few homegrown tomatoes!

Yes, that's good news. Suspect it's not the way it was, but would be a true tragedy if it hadn't been rebuilt. And as for the bad rap on Panama's cuisine, here are some threads that might be a little more encouraging to you as you plan your trip: Panama's food press Panama - recommendations wanted See you over there!

Over in the "nations with bad cuisine" thread, someone mentioned Panama. Thought I'd add to this thread with some of my favorites. Lived in Panama some years back. Things I remember very fondly: Favorite restaurant in those days was Las Americas. I absolutely loved their corvina almondine. And they sold ceviche to go. We bought it in gallon-size glass jars, which we'd go through in a matter of a day or two. Also loved a restaurant called El Pesco del Oro - the Golden Fish. Pretty sure it's no longer there, but they served excellent seafood, including several versions of a Panamian fish stew. Even though that restaurant is probably long gone, I'm certain that there are others that have taken its place, and also serve various versions of delicious fish soups and stews. Batidas. Not sure if I'm spelling that right, but all over Panama City are small shops that sell batidas -- frothy whipped fruit drinks. You point to whatever fresh fruit you wish -- mangos, pineapple, strawberries, guava, passionfruit, whatever -- and it goes into the blender along with crushed ice, evaporated milk and sugar. Sounds simple, but I can tell you I tried for years to reproduce the exact flavor of those delicious things, but never could quite get it right. Fresh produce at the Chinese vegetable stands. The Chinese were very important in the building of the canal. In return, they were given plots of land on which they grow all sorts of fruits and vegetables. You can buy the absolute most delicious produce at these places. Even now, all these years later, I can smell the heady aroma of those stalls. Chinese restaurants in Panama City. Because of the influence of the large numbers of Chinese, there are many excellent Chinese restaurants. Panama City is now, and has always been, one of the single most important crossroads of the world. It is a center of international commerce, banking, shipping. As a result, there are many fine international restaurants there. One of the best Japanese meals I ever had was at a restaurant right by the Japanese embassy. I'll keep thinking....

I adore you. As you well know. And I ain't just whistlin' the Eyes of Texas, neither. Meet you in Elisabet's front yard.

I'm sorry, I thought this thread was about good places to eat in Austin.Oh no, I'M sorry.I thought that most people agree with me that dining in this particular restaurant or that is about more than just the food -- things that one should keep in mind when one has been asked for recommendations for something so subjective as "good places to eat." There's also service, ambiance, mood, menu, a sense of place, time, history, etc. Especially with people "on this board, obviously" since they dissect and discuss and argue about such intangible and peripheral and (apparently) superfluous and unimportant things endlessly. And that traveling and visiting places is about more than just the restaurants. And making an effort to learn about and understand and appreciate a destination, and the people that lived there, and the history and traditions and culture that shaped it, helps one to more fully understand and appreciate the restaurants and foods and individual dishes and preparations that that particular destination offers. I should not have made those assumptions. I guess it's not easy for me to so casually separate the great "town IN GENERAL" from the people that live there (and in fact even to be dismissive of them; i.e., "Personally, I am not fond of the 'Austin Institution' restaurants... I know it's so Very Austin to go to these places... I find the city sort of pretentious when it comes to evaluating its own merits...."), the reasons why they find it special, the places they're proud of, the things they do, the common history they share, the restaurants they frequent, and what they order and enjoy when they get there. And why on earth they'd go to someplace so awful again and again and again. Yo, that's a lot of words to defend someplace as dreadful as Threadgill's or Chuy's.Well, I was trying very hard to help you understand.Maybe it's just an age thing. By 'Very Austin' do you guys mean funky, old, dirty (FILTHY), bad service by hipper than thou ex-grad students? TaKe Magnolia, Kerbey lane (like the new one on the drag that OPENED with a mildew smell), Starseeds (I would need serious sedatives to survive another trip), The old Gaud (sp?) Complex, etc. I am NOT a well dressed yuppie- rather a 33 year old science teacher who loves to cook and get my clothes dirty- but keep my kitchen clean. I have no problem with BBQ joints, diners, and the like- they are the places I like to eat. But why put up with rudeness and dirt when you could go to a place like Hoovers and get cleanliness, laid back, polite (polite! that's not what you find at Magnolia cafe etal..) service and good food carefully made?Sorry for the rant, but much of this old Austin I keep hearing of is mannerless, ramshackle, half-assed laziness masquerading as some kind of worthy culture. Sorry, ranted in my apology! If you're talking about me (and it was my last post that you responded to), um, nowhere have I ever recommended Kerbey Lane or Magnolia. Or, for that matter, Stubbs, or the chicken fried steak at Threadgills, or "Starseeds blah blah blah, or The old Gaud (sp?) Complex." But frankly, people that avoid things that are "so Very Austin" (in someone else's so Very Condescending words) just because they're "so Very Austin" are pretty obviously, it seems to me, upset about something besides just the food.

If you find a really good nursery, there will always be one or two people working there that know their stuff. You have to cultivate them, though, just like you do a plant. First, you have to sort through all of the college kids and other temps that are just working there for the summer and don't know that much. You have to find somebody that really knows what they're doing. They'll be busy. They will, in fact, be the busiest persons at the nursery. And everyone will be buzzing around them like bees, also wanting information and advice. So you have to be patient and slowly make them your bosom buddy. Once you have, they are invaluable.

Those sites do indeed look very helpful. I've never planted basil in a mixed container because we use so much of it. Always needed at least one nice big pot with nothing else, and sometimes two. Although I have mixed various types of basil. It's just something we love and we go through it by the handsful.

The fig tree worked out okay. It looked great, and it did get figs, but most of them fell off before they reached maturity. Had a feeling it might have been because the variety I tried wasn't quite right for the climate. Decided that I'd try it again another time, but research the variety a little more thoroughly. It was big, true, but looked wonderful. They're deciduous, you know, and it was fun watching it leaf back out every spring. I did cut it back so that it wouldn't take over the entire balcony. I reckon you could do it if you have room but suggest that you discuss which variety would be best for your area with your county agent, as Sunny recommends. I also tried artichokes. It looked gorgeous when I first planted it -- in one of those big barrel halves. And I even got two small artichokes. But, eventually it didn't work out. Waaaaay too hot. Don't live there anymore. I'm in southwestern Missouri helping to care for my elderly parents, so no time for any gardening. But I did love it, and am certain I'll get back into it as soon as my life returns to normal.

Tomatoes require full sun, so don't shade them. Get some of those 'tomato cages' and stick them right into the dirt in your coolers. They'll grow up inside the cage, and you'll be just fine. They make several varieties. Look for some at your local nursery, or order some from these nice folks: Vegetable and tomato cages.

The books are good guides to that, but I always had one big herb pot with thyme, oregano and chives. You need to be sure that the plants require the same kind of soil -- sandy or not, alkaline or not, etc. -- and the same kinds of fertilizer. And also that they are compatible in other ways, like one of them not being too agressive, like mint, because they'll just strangle something less agressive. And make sure about the sun requirements -- you can't plant something that needs full sun under something bushy and fast-growing, like tomatoes.

More thoughts on drainage trays -- Get the biggest ones you can find -- like the great big round ones that go under the biggest 'tree size' pots -- and group several smaller pots in them. That works much, much better than having just one for every small pot. The groupings look good, and you can scoot things up closely. Also, the one big drainage tray holds more water, and the plants can suck up the water according to their own needs. And it makes watering much easier, too. And you don't have all those smaller trays of varying sizes to worry with.

Just read Sunny's post and had a couple of thoughts... First, Sunny, don't know where you are, but my own experience with cilantro was that it did fine in the spring and fall in Texas, but just burned up in our hot summers. I finally gave up on it. I don't think she'd be able to keep it going in Georgia, either. And that's funny because I used to live in Panama, and it grew wild there. But even though Panama is in the tropics, it never got hotter than about 91 or 92 degrees, whereas Texas routinely hits 100 in the summers. And I agree wholeheartedly about the rosemary. Grows well, smells wonderful, and is very useful. In fact, I sometimes break off a small twig and leave it in my car just for the aroma. And ALWAYS have had a pot of mint. Even when I had a yard, had a pot of mint right by the back door. Usually several varieties. Even if you have a yard, it's better to grow mint in a pot because it'll take over any yard. And you can't kill the stuff, either. The roots send out underground runners which are all capable of growing more mint that sends out more underground runners. Even if you start pulling it up, you'll leave one or two small bits of root that grow more plants that grow more roots. If you MUST plant it in your yard, first bury some sort of deep border that you plant the mint inside of. Or, much easier, just put it in a pot. And keep an eye out for the roots that inevitably will come sneaking out of the bottom drainage holes when you're not looking. Just keep pinching those buggers off.

Put drainage trays under everything and you should have no problems whatsoever with the water draining down to your neighbors. My plants were on a wooden deck, and I didn't want the water rotting the wood, so I was very careful with the drainage. Trays solve your problem. Not to mention that they trap the water, which the plant then sucks back up, so you don't have to water so often. If you don't have drainage trays, you'll have to water at least every day, and maybe more than once per day in the middle of the summer. You DEFINITELY need drainage trays. Meyers Lemon trees will grow practically anywhere. Read somewhere that Martha had four of them on her patio at Turkey Farm, or Creek, or Run, or Trot, or whatever she called that place. The only thing is that if it gets too cold in the winter -- if you're going to have a freeze or something -- you can either roll them inside like Miss Martha said she did (into her greenhouse...you DO have a greenhouse, right?), or cover them, which is what I did when Texas had a hard freeze. Do not let that stop you. If you'd like a Meyer's Lemon, and you should, definitely get one. They're actually fairly freeze-hardy, and you'll have no trouble.