Jaymes

Recently saw a magazine layout about new kitchens. One couple hired a restaurant designer to put in the kind of stainless steel countertops you see in commercial kitchens. They absolutely love it. They said they couldn't believe how easy it was to keep clean. And it has a great, sleek techno look.

I have a Skinny Dick's Halfway Inn. What a place!! Yep. Nuthin' but the classiest joints for me.

I have a Skinny Dick's Halfway Inn.

Thanks Miss Mabel. I appreciate the vote of confidence. Here's the website: HERDEZ.COM. In addition to listing products, etc., there are some great recipes -- Cream of Poblano Soup, for one.

Common wisdom and most folks in the know say that the very best food in all of Alaska is at the Gustavus Inn. I've never been there....but one of these days. Oh, and the Chena Pump House in Fairbanks is very nice as well. Great atmosphere, and nice deck overlooking the river.

Herdez products are very popular with Mexicans. If you have a section of town with stores that cater to them, I'd be quite surprised if they don't carry Herdez jarred and canned salsas and chiles.

Slap some moose-turd earrings on me and call me a tourist if you want, but I like the Salmon Bakes. The salmon is always good, and that fried halibut is heavenly. For dessert, the cake with blueberry sauce is wonderful.

I'll second the Rogue River. Great place to visit. But I'd suggest that for summer, when you can take the jet boats.

I've shipped Herdez salsas to friends in other countries. Don't know if they're available where you are, but they come jarred and canned. I particularly like the salsa casera, and the salsa verde. The small cans travel well. They are excellent products.

Austin does have pretty good food. When they built the airport, they promised to use popular local restaurants only, no chains. It's not the best food around, but it's really not bad at all.

I'll tell you what's just as interesting as seeing everyone's storage ideas.... And that's seeing what everybody's got stored! Such an eclectic collection. Some jars I recognize immediately as being old friends, but some I don't. What's that they say....make new friends, but keep the old? Fascinating thread all the way around. Plus, Snowangel, great title!

Don't know if you have a "Rudy's BBQ" in Houston, but they use them to load up your 'Q and fixin's. If you have one there, you could undoubtedly ask them where they get them. Or try a restaurant supply house. I'm sure Houston has several large ones. I find restaurant supply stores to be absolutely invaluable for everything from cheap plates and glasses to snazzy chile pepper chef's pants.

Actually, in small kitchens, I do cup hooks on the underside of the cabinet, dangling over the counter. And I do big cup hooks. I put my bulky soup cups or mugs on them. That way, the cups are out of the cabinets, which are always jammed.

I have moved over 37 times in my life, and many of the kitchens were small and awkward. My favorite 'pimp out' trick was to buy fake beams at the hardware store. Stain them or paint them whatever color seems to best match your kitchen. Install them in your ceiling. And hang stuff from them. I don't currently live in a house where I've done that so can't take photos. And it may be sort of hard to understand. But it looks great and adds a lot of storage space. You just want the beams running one way. Often I had a long, narrow kitchen. What looked best was short beams going across....kind of like a ladder. Depending on the length of the room, of course, you'd want two to five. I hung herbs and baskets and pots and utensils and all sorts of things from them. VERY handy, and it looked spectacular. Wish I had a photo.

I love Sweet Potato Pie and Pecan Pie and they're easy to make. If I were hosting the BBQ in the winter when you can't get good fresh peaches, I'd offer both pies. But, you said it's a 'teaching affair' and you're already in the south, so I'm sure those folks are very familiar with each of those pies. I'd go for the Peach Cobbler, made with frozen peaches. It's more traditional "Hill Country."

By contrast, when I returned to this country I went on a binge to find restaurants that served them and all I found were the boiled version. That was a tremendous disappointment and my conclusion was that eating boiled schweinhaxen was about as exciting as eating boiled ribs.I'm not doubting that what you ate was "about as exciting...." But like I said.....

That'll show him. I think I'll try to find that recipe online somewhere but, if not, might PM you for it.

I've had them boiled and they are quite insipid. And I've eaten them boiled all my life and they were never insipid. If yours were, then I'd say they were prepared by an insipid cook. Most things, if simply dumped into non-flavored water and boiled, turn out insipid. That's why you have to add some flavorings. Edited to add: After that silly 'insipid' crack, I've thought about it a little more seriously. When I make my hamhocks & blackeyed peas, I usually boil them in chicken broth to which I add a little beer along with the seasonings. Insipid indeed. Honestly. And one other thing. I lived in Germany for four years, and still travel there frequently. I agree that the roasted versions are delicious. I don't, however, believe that it's an "either or" proposition. I frankly believe one can have both versions, depending on the occasion. Or one's mood. Or both.

In the American south, 'hamhocks and blackeyed peas' is one of the most-beloved dishes. They are boiled. You season the water with celery, onions, green peppers, bay leaves, oregano, garlic....etc......whatever you want.....and you boil the ham hocks along with the blackeyed peas. You serve them with cornbread and greens and some hot sauce, like Tabasco.

that's funny, I have NEVER EVER seen a box mix of lemon bars on a grocery shelf!I think lemon bars were around way before box mixes. Lemon bars were one of the first things I learned to make when I was a child, and that was during the 50's and the dawning of mixes. The cooks I know these days who take shortcuts or use box mixes, even they make lemon bars from scratch, because the recipe IS so simple. You are correct that "lemon bars were around way before box mixes." Like most things, the real deal comes first, and then the 'box mix' companies cash in. I think the box mix is bought by folks that have eaten, but never prepared, lemon bars. They don't know how simple they are. They just like them, and when they see the box for sale in the grocery store they figure that however one would make them from scratch, the box has got to be easier.

This is a GREAT idea! Thanks for sharing the 'secret.'

Wanted to add that the La Fondue in Saratoga also features an upscale, interesting decor. It's a perfect place for a nice birthday dinner. Here are some of the reviews (from their website): "Best Restaurant and Best Dessert" --Best of City Search 2004 "Best Restaurant" --Metro 2004 "Best Restaurant - 2003, 2004, Best Romantic Restaurant - 2003, Best Restaurant For A Splurge - 2003" --San Jose Mercury News "Line up for a no show at this popular Saratoga restaurant." --Sunset Magazine 2002 "Indulgence Incarnate", Very Romantic & Very Fun. "A Harry Potter's Delight" --Zagat Review 2002 "The Best Places To Kiss in Northern California." --"A Romantic Travel Guide" "A wonderful place for dinner" --Fodor's 98, San Francisco

My son and his wife live in San Jose and when I visit them, they always round up a bunch of their friends and take me to the La Fondue in Saratoga. My son and his friends are all early 30s, and it's one of their favorite places. We try to get at least 5 or 6 folks to come with (so we get two burners) and we order the "Fondue Feast" for everyone. Thus far, everything has been very, very good, and it's fun. For dessert, we get two kinds of chocolate fondue. Don't remember what they are, but one has booze in it. http://www.lafondue.com

In the summer, I always make a large fruit tart. I use a sugar cookie recipe which I bake on a pizza pan as the base. Then spread with a cream cheese mixture, then top with fresh fruits, and a light glaze. It always goes over great. Not only is it extremely tasty, it looks absolutely gorgeous.

Here you go... Parsnip Cake This has been our house favorite for about 5 years now. How interesting! Can you taste the parsnips? How does this differ in texture, flavor, etc., from a "regular" cake?