Jaymes

I've done this sort of thing very successfully with desserts that can be frozen. Pack them straight from the freezer into a well-insulated cooler. By the time they get them to the picnic spot (depending upon how long it takes, of course), they're perfect. And still nice and cool. A selection of cheesecakes was particularly successful.

Another vote for Suvir Saran's Indian Home Cooking. It's been a very interesting exploration for me, as I was not familiar at all with Indian cooking.

Rachel Ray also appeals to folks that have very busy lives, and find themselves in the kitchen at 6pm with a hungry family to feed. Most of her recipes (unlike Sandra Lee) do actually call for real, fresh ingredients, and do involve actual cooking. An example is sauteing onions, carrots, celery, fresh garlic and rosemary and/or other herbs, and then adding that to purchased chicken stock. I think her schtick about 30-Minute Meals is actually the anti-Sandra Lee. RR is saying that with a FEW covenience foods, such as canned or boxed chicken stock, you can still prepare a decent meal from primarily fresh ingredients. Unlike Sandra Lee, who appears not to be able to recognize a fresh food ingredient even if it were lying on the kitchen floor and she tripped and fell face-first into it.

Wow, really? Besides ice cubes and ice cream, I so rarely freeze things. Okay, now that I've actually thought about it, I have bought frozen caul fat in the past, so yeah, why not frozen lard. You know, I have to say, the Mexican forum is so relaxing. I have told you lately that I love you? We love you too, Shelora! And my theory has always been that the freezer is your friend. I came from a big family that moved around a lot. Often we lived at least an hour from a grocery store. The men in my family hunted. And my dad raised cattle. We had a huge deep freezer and it was always full -- at least a side of beef, lots of 'mountain oysters' (since my mother wouldn't cook the things, they just gathered frost, smashed up against their frozen plastic bags), fresh fruits and veggies we bought from farm stands in the summers, freezer preserves, jellies and jams, deer roasts, etc. Then I had a family of my own. I was a wife and mother of three. We also moved around a lot and, because of my husband's profession, we entertained constantly. I needed to have a ready supply of stuff that I could use to whip together dinner parties for 20, 30 and more. Often at the last minute. I couldn't have done it without my freezers. For example, when we lived in Panama, the Panamanian beef was horrible. The "meat barge" came in once a month from New Orleans. We always ordered a side of beef to keep in the freezer. In Alaska, the freezers were full of salmon and halibut and a few moose roasts. Then, one day, I found myself alone. Kids all grown and gone. Husband got dumped somewhere along the way (okay, so it was Austin). And now that freezer is still absolutely invaluable. I can't go through an entire pack of much of anything by myself, so I shop at Costco for stuff that freezes. I still cook for a family of five (and five or more impromptu guests, just in case), but now I carefully spoon it into single or double proportions and into the freezer it goes, carefully labeled as to what it is, and date I froze it. So many recipes don't work, or wouldn't be worth the time and trouble, to make just for one. And I sure can't eat a big pot of, say, chili all by myself. But I've got plastic ziplock bags of the stuff just waiting for me to heat up when I get home on a cold, blustery day. Right now, in my freezer I have individual servings of: pork roast, chuck roast, spaghetti &meat sauce, sauerkraut and ribs, a Moroccan lamb dish, chiles rellenos casserole, chili, vegetable soup, cochinita pibil -- among other things -- like a couple of chicken carcasses waiting for me to turn them into stock. Not to mention that packages of a great many things go rancid before I could eat them -- bacon, butter, lard, bagels, cream cheese, loaves of bread, corn tortillas, cheeses, pound cake, pies, wieners, wurst or sausages -- so I keep them in the freezer. Like I said, the freezer's your friend. It's mine, anyway.

I think you are correct in your assessment of the differences between the cuisines you mention. I wonder if maybe Filipinos are less likely to go into business on their own, compared to people of other nationalities? That's just a guess. I would imagine that certain ethnic groups have more of a business tradition than others. I read somewhere that the Thai government subsidizes Thais that open restaurants in foreign countries. The theory is that getting folks around the world hooked on the food will increase awareness of Thailand, which will, the theory goes, inevitably increase tourism. Although I have absolutely no knowledge that that's factual.

Kir Royales are my number one drink that I serve before dinner parties. I serve them in champagne flutes. I rub a lemon wedge on the rim of the flute, pour a very small amount of Cassis in, and then fill with champagne. Don't know if any of this is "right," but I've been doing it for a very long time and it's always well received. In fact, I bought particularly festive flutes just for this purpose. They are beautiful to look at, extremely tasty, and clearly, blazingly easy. A winning combination.

I've frozen lard. Seems to work just fine.

And, I've been told, if you make it with Champagne, it's a Kir Royale.

Undoubtedly correct. Hotels usually DO cater to foreigners, rather than locals.

And she often teaches classes at the Central Markets in Austin/San Antonio/Dallas, which I have taken. She might indeed have some good tips. Or you could call Central Market and see if they have any ideas. Edited to add: Just got off the phone with Fernando Garcia, the general manager of Gabii's, a wonderful store down on the border (on the US side). He takes buying trips all over Mexico. He says that clay comales are no longer popular in the northern states of Mexico because "we're too Americanized." So they're hard to find up here. But, he does take buying trips all over Mexico, and is going to Oaxaca in November. It sounds like, unfortunately, your best bet if you want one before November is indeed to order one from Nuestra Tierra or other such high-end retailer. But, Sr. Garcia was very knowledgeable and personable on the telephone, and I think he'd be a great contact for anyone that's interested in acquiring upscale Mexican items. As I said, the store is Gabii's, 956-825-9557, and when I was in there last week, they told me that they ship all over the US.

As others have pointed out, breakfast buffets in Europe are quite likely to look more like what we'd consider a luncheon buffet in the US. All sorts of cold cuts, pates, salmon and other smoked and/or marinated fish, assorted cheeses, sliced tomatoes, olives, and breads. And those wonderful machines that you throw an orange into, and out comes fresh juice. Boy would I like to have one of those in my kitchen. In southern Europe this is very different. In Northern and Eastern europe, these big buffets you talk about is always there. But in like Spain, France and Italy Nothing more than a cup of coffee is ussually eaten for breakfast. But the breakfast buffets at hotels are still there. In modified form though! Not with the meat, cheese and vegs. In France you'll get served piles of sweet croissants, pain au chocolate, ussually dry french bread, beure and sweet maremlade.In Spain, breakfast is just some white bread with olive oil and a cup of black coffee. Italian hotel breakfast is dried out cookies, biscotti, marmelata sweet things.. more dessert than breakfast. It's hotel breakfast buffets I'm talking about. I have traveled quite a lot all over Europe over the last few years, and found these types of breakfast buffets to be ubiquitous. I particularly remember a hotel in Granada a few winters back, watching families in ski gear loading up before heading off for a snowy day in the Sierra Nevada. I've not been lucky enough to enjoy breakfast buffets in anyone's home. But the large hotels where I stayed usually featured buffets that included the sorts of things I mentioned. I wouldn't say that they were necessarily "big buffets," but what was on them, as I said, reminded me more of luncheon buffets in the US than breakfast buffets. And frankly, I quite got the hang of cheese and pate for breakfast pretty quickly.

Here's my take on it. I've lived in some 37 places, including states as far north as Alaska, south as Florida, and several foreign countries, in rural areas as well as densely urban ones. And I agree that in rural settings you often can find wonderful small restaurants serving excellent local fare made from the freshest local ingredients. But there's usually just one. Two at the very most. So should your fantasy come true, you'd be going back to that exact same spot, and having that exact same hearty steak and kidney pie and pint of ale. And discussing things with that exact same crowd of locals. Over and over and over. Until you're sick to death of all of them. What cities offer you are choice and variety. Which cannot, in my opinion, be overestimated.

Beats me. It was just the most expensive brand I could think of in order to make the point. One of my favorite bars in Tucson uses Tuaca in their Margaritas. Very tasty.

As others have pointed out, breakfast buffets in Europe are quite likely to look more like what we'd consider a luncheon buffet in the US. All sorts of cold cuts, pates, salmon and other smoked and/or marinated fish, assorted cheeses, sliced tomatoes, olives, and breads. And those wonderful machines that you throw an orange into, and out comes fresh juice. Boy would I like to have one of those in my kitchen.

At least you're learning your way around town. (For some reason, I got the idea you just moved to Austin recently. Is that right? Or am I all mojada?)

Boy do I ever agree with that. The better the ingredients, the better the final product. Of course, there is a law of diminishing returns, and I wouldn't use Porfidio's single-barrel Barrique at $500 a bottle, of course. But I can definitely tell the difference between cheap barwell tequilas, and the better brands in my Margaritas. And I VERY MUCH prefer the better brands in my Margaritas. Although I probably didn't need to point this out to y'all. Just like abadoozy says, it's preaching to the choir. But felt the need to chime in.

PS -- But if you want more comales before you have a chance to hop down to Mexico, you really should check out some of the myriad Mexican stores in Austin. And San Antonio. Cannot imagine why you'd even consider ordering one online, and paying for the shipping, before you check around a little in your own 'hood. You're now in the heart of Mexican/Texican country, you know.

Another thought... From what you've said about DH, I suspect he might get all funny about driving your car across the border. Tell him to just calm down. For one thing, you're only going three or four blocks. Your insurance undoubtedly covers you up to 5 miles into the interior. Most companies do. And it's absolutely no comparison as far as shopping goes. That stuff is heavy. It's unbelievably easier to just keep putting it into your car. If you have to keep hauling it back and forth across the bridge, never mind going back and forth through customs and immigration, it's hardly even worth it. If your DH refuses to take the car across, after you get there, start pointing out to him all of the cars with Texas plates. And make him carry all of the crap you buy. That should cure him.

Just don't rent the film Touch of Evil before you go!DO rent Touch of Evil -then you'll know what to expect!!!Thanks, you two. You're a huge help! First, your DH's experience in El Paso/Ciudad Juarez.... I lived in Southern New Mexico for a number of years and went to Juarez frequently. That's NOTHING like going to Progreso. There are over 2.5 million people in the El Paso/Juarez/Las Cruces area, and it's a major point of entry/exit for both nations. Progreso is tiny. There CAN'T be more than a few thousand people there, if that. And most folks have never even heard of it. El Paso/Juarez is on a number of major highways leading to and from each country. It's a main traffic artery for all sorts of commerce, legal and illegal. What roads there are out of Progreso are narrow, inconvenient, and not particularly well-maintained. There is a myriad of activity and industry going on in Juarez, a huge, busy city. Progreso is nothing but an eating/drinking/dentists/shopping center for norteamericanos. That's its sole purpose to exist. It's small, clean, and safe. And the prices are much better than at the larger and better-known border towns. So. This is what you do. There is a little hotel in Nuevo Progreso, Pitayo's Inn. You can stay there, and I have, but it's no giveaway at $50 a night, and it's a better idea to stay in Weslaco, on the US side. Especially now. I usually stay at the Best Western Palm Aire Resort. It's about 5 miles from the border, but a straight shot. And it's a great place. And affordable. We usually pay about $60, and that includes a full breakfast, which is delicious. There's a pool, tennis courts, bar....everything. And a wonderful gift shop that offers items from all over the Americas. So, you make your reservations at the Best Western, and you get on the road early from Austin. Like I said, depending upon how fast you drive, and whether or not there's a lot of traffic in San Antonio, it'll take you 5-6 hours or so. You arrive at the Best Western, check in, stow your stuff, and then head for the International Bridge at Nuevo Progreso. On your way to the border, you'll notice several large shops on the US side. A particularly wonderful one is Gabii's. It's new, and they are trying what is really a bit of an experiment: offering very high-end Mexican products. It's a beautiful store. They have exquisite clothing, jewelry, and a terrific selection of pottery, including the black pots from Oaxaca, and Cocuchas, the famous pots of Michoacan. Actually, that's where I just got two Cocuchas for my best bud, Mr. Lucky (so-named because he's lucky enough to have a friend that's willing to drag two of these pots across the country for him). Gabii's is rather expensive, more so than the stores across the border in Mexico, but their merchandise is wonderful, and you should check it out. Directly across the highway from Gabii's is another pottery store selling the more typical, and cheaper, types of pottery -- chimineas, garden pots, etc. But you can visit those stores later. Now, you're getting to Mexico for drinks and an early dinner. Drive directly across the bridge and into Nuevo Progreso. Begin looking on your left for Arturo's Restaurant. It's on a corner, a couple of blocks in. It's a beige building. The sign that says "Arturo's" is up high on top of the restaurant, so look up. They have a big, fenced-in parking lot immediately adjacent to the restaurant. As you come down the street from the border, the parking lot is on the far side of the restaurant. As soon as you pull into the parking lot, the attendant will spot you and begin waving you to a place. He'll give you a parking chit, which you take with you. Get out, lock your car and go into Arturo's. This is sort of the "student union" for trips by Gringos to Progreso. It's kinda your headquarters. The bathrooms are clean, and I don't know about the men's, but the women's loo has an attendant there all the time, so take a few pesos to tip her. The deal is that the parking is free if you spend at least $10 in Arturo's, which ain't hard to do, believe me. We usually start with Arturo's sangrias, and the Coctel Campechana. Right there, you've got your $10, which will free you up to have dinner elsewhere, if you'd like. Hand your waiter your parking chit, which he'll validate. Once you're relaxed and have gotten your bearings, you can head out into the streets. There are MANY excellent restaurants in Nuevo Progreso, along with a lot of wonderful taco carts that extend down the side streets. The key there is to look for a cart that has a lot of people around it. Not only do the more popular of these stands offer the best food (obviously), but the high turnover helps to ensure that the food is fresh. My favorite restaurants are Arturo's, La Fogata (which is a grilled meat place that has the best Charro Beans I've ever tasted), and the small restaurant in the hotel I already mentioned, Pitayo's Inn. But there are quite a few other restaurants, and I've not tried them all. As you shop, you can return to your car and keep depositing stuff. If you buy something really big and heavy, like a large pot, or chiminea or something, tell them that you need help, and a supple lad will appear. They'll wrap the pot for you and haul it to your car for a buck or so. Shopping -- there are a LOT of great stores, and I don't really remember the names of most of them. Just take your time and stroll and peek and poke and peruse. You'll find them. Although I guess one to mention is the Canada Store. Have no clue how it got its name. It's in the next block down from Arturo's, and across the street. Also, there's a very large store that I don't remember the name of, several blocks back toward the border from Arturo's, and also across the street. I was just there a few days ago, and saw several comales (although I've noticed them in lots of the stores). There is a restaurant over the Canada Store (as there are over several of the stores). I think it's called Garcia's. Some people love it, but it's not one of my favorites. Although to be fair, I've only eaten there once, so didn't really give it much of a chance. Now -- a quick word of caution. I am a 60-year-old woman, and I go there ALL THE TIME BY MYSELF. So clearly I think it's perfectly safe. However, I have lived all over the world and didn't get this old by being stupid. So, here's my current caveat. With the recent, well-publicized troubles on the border, even as comfortable as I feel in Progreso, which I do, I still try to use good sense. The drug traffickers come out at night, so, even though Progreso doesn't have a reputation of having a drug problem, given the current climate over the past several months, I do try to be back on the US side by dark. Especially since your DH is skittish, I'd recommend that. After you've shopped for a while, have dinner. And then head back across the border. Because Progreso is out of the way, and not on any major highways, it is not a big commercial port of entry. So you won't find a lot of trucks backed up at the border, trying to get across, like you do at Nuevo Laredo, for example. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes at Progreso. But do be sure to empty your car each time you arrive back at the Best Western, so if the US customs guys want to go through your car, they don't have so much stuff to look through. And also, since checkout time at the hotel is 11AM, if you want to go back across for lunch and a little more shopping before you head for home (we always do), don't take your suitcases with you. Leave them with the front office at the hotel. Not only does customs seem to be more likely to search your car if you have suitcases, but it's harder for you to convince them that you're not coming from the interior if your trunk is full of personal baggage. It's not a huge problem, but it's just easier to leave your luggage at the hotel and pick it up on your way out. You can leave Weslaco at 3pm and easily be back in Austin before 10pm, even if you stop somewhere for dinner. And finally, be sure to take some sort of proof of citizenship. Even though it's the border, you ARE leaving the country. The chances are excellent you won't even be asked, but take something anyway. If you have any other questions, fire away!

I find it utterly fascinating that, despite jbonne having said many times that this is NOT a TOP ten list, everyone still thinks it is. And is reacting accordingly. That's a lesson regarding the impact one person can have on popular culture, ain't it?

And frankly, even if they are a bit green, they'll still taste terrific in a salsa. So stop worrying. In fact, I even prefer them that way, myself.

I've never heard of D&G, but R&G Lounge does take reservations and depending upon which night you go, and what time, and how many of you there are, I'd definitely recommend them. Oh. And while you're down in Chinatown, go to Golden Gate Bakery. Do not be reticent there or you'll NEVER get waited on. Favorite things to get are the tarts -- egg custard especially. And coconut. Get a dozen. Eat at least a few of them right away, while they're still warm. They frequently run out fairly early in the day so try to get there no later than early afternoon if you can.

I like R&G Lounge. Never disappointed. Place is always packed with Chinese -- a very good sign.

I'd suggest you go back to Mexico and get some. Along with whatever other large, breakable, cumbersome items you couldn't get on the plane. According to your profile, you're in Austin. It's 230 miles to Del Rio and Ciudad Acuna. You can do that in a day trip. Which I've done on more than one occasion. It's about an hour or so more to Nuevo Laredo, although there's trouble there right now, so I wouldn't recommend that until things settle down. But I just got back from Nuevo Progreso, in the Valley, which takes about 5-6 hours. We did it over a long weekend. It's a great little town, clean, safe. We left Austin around 9 in the morning, and were there by 3pm. Spent two nights at the Best Western in Weslaco, and just hopped over to Progreso for meals and shopping. Great fun! And you can haul back all the comales you want. Along with other pottery, dishes, Talavera, glassware, jewelry, foodstuffs, clothing, leather goods, booze, etc. Load up the car. God knows we did. If you don't want to do that, get into your car and go to Fiesta Mart at 38th and I35. They probably have quite a nice selection of comales. PS -- If you decide to go to Progreso, let me know and I'll give you a blow by blow account of exactly how to go about it; i.e., where to park, eat, shop, etc.

That 'ice cream thing' is a great idea. You could show up with some cute parfait dishes, which the family could keep. I have a friend that's dealing with home care of a terminal relative. I am going to do this exact thing. Thanks for taking the time to share.