Jaymes

I'd love to hear you have this same chat with the airlines. Have you already given the airline your money? Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I misunderstood your point. I thought your argument (do you pay the receptionist extra money? evidence of a single penny extra in costs...etc.) was regarding the principle of cancellation fees vs costs incurred. I had no idea it was in actuality a squabble over whether or not the person that you believe to be in the wrong already had the money.

I'd love to hear you have this same chat with the airlines.

which was? Which was... "We will reserve solely for your pleasure at 8pm our space, our time, our skills, our paid employee workforce, our perishable resources. You can count on it. You can arrange your day, your evening, your transportation, your guests, your pleasure, your manner of dress, your hunger, your time around it. We will not sell it to anyone else, and we will turn them down should they ask. In return for that, we request that should your plans change, and should you no longer wish to avail yourself of our space, time, skill, workforce, perishable resources, do you agree to notify us by 2pm so that we can plan accordingly, such as perhaps sell that table to someone else should we have the opportunity? Or perhaps not to call in extra part-time staff as we routinely do at 2pm when the restaurant is going to be full that evening? Or otherwise rearrange our resources or mitigate our costs as we see fit? And do you understand that if you fail to cancel by 2pm, we will charge your card a cancellation fee? Well, good then. We're in agreement. May we please have your card number for that purpose?" You know, I really think that there are two separate issues here: CAN the restaurant do it? Do they have the moral/legal right? I believe that they do. I think that the original poster is wrong to be indignant about something happening that he agreed to up front. It's exceedingly difficult to keep your doors open when running a small business, and the failure rate of restaurants in particular is spectacularly high. I believe they have a perfect right to attempt to protect themselves to at least some extent against the whims of fickle or rude customers that feel free to behave as they damn well wish, without fear whatsoever of negative consequences. Any damages that might be incurred from their thoughtless behavior are entirely the burden of the restaurant. But SHOULD the restaurant do it? I don't know about that one. I owned a business for many years (in, coincidentally, the travel industry where deadlines and cancellation fees and penalties are a way of life), and often did things for "goodwill." I tried to judge each incident as it arose and make a decision based on those specific conditions.

I think if I were in your shoes and so many people's opinions differed so utterly from my own, I wouldn't be able to resist giving it another try. But hey -- I'm actually thrilled to death with your assessment. For me, it just means two fewer people in front of me in that interminable line.

Dear Phil, Well, I DO think your "list" as to how you suspected we were lured into the purchase was a little patronizing. And as well the comment that you were "underwhelmed." I am certain that Claire was not "overwhelmed" (or even "whelmed" for that matter) by Yellow Tail either. She just said that she thinks it's a good value and works nicely as an everyday "house wine." Defending a cheap wine is always difficult. They are never going to have the marks of greatness of the wonderful ones. But after my friend recommended Yellow Tail as a perfectly drinkable and affordable wine, I went and bought a case of the Cab at $3.99 a bottle. I'm not sure of your budget, but mine is not expansive. It's been, for me, the lap of luxury to have so much enjoyable wine around that I can enjoy a glass, or two, or three any damn time I wish. But thanks for getting back to us about this. It was kind and gracious.

Well -- I hate to point out the obvious, but -- That could certainly be the problem. After all, a lot can happen in seven years. The last time I was there was about three months ago, and it was wonderful. Perhaps you should give it another chance.

Just to answer the same question -- Where did I first hear of it? As opposed to your intimation that I was duped by clever placement in the wine shop; or some such thing... I was at a casual dinner at the home of a close friend. There were about 20 people. The hostess served a traditional lasagne, and buckets of wine. It was a night of loose laughter among friends. Several people (including me) commented that the wine was quite pleasant and very drinkable. Nobody said, "Wow! OH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS FABULOUS WINE? YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE!!" Our hostess got out the bottle and said, "It is nice, isn't it? I got it at World Market, and it's only $5." We all agreed that it was a great little table wine for casual evenings with good friends gathered around a fireplace and sharing chitchat over a pan of lasagne. I don't think Claire ever intended to imply anything else. And I, for one, agree with her wholeheartedly. In fact, I think I'll go have a glass of it right now.

R&G is my fave in Chinatown for sure. Have been there many times, and can't remember what all I've ordered, but everything has been just fabulous. I love that place. Often I'm the only white face in the joint. As opposed to other Chinese restaurants to which I've been dragged, into which it's clear no real, self-respecting Chinese would ever set foot. Much less lift a chopstick.

Of those of you that said you've found NO jarred sauces worth your time, I'd like to know how many have tried Mom's? How about Timpone's? I keep some of each on my shelves just for those late-night emergencies that FG describes. That's because I sometimes get a little kvetchy myself.

All I've got to say is that when you entered into the agreement with them (they'd hold the table for you; you'd cancel by 2pm in order to avoid a cancellation charge if you weren't coming), I feel pretty certain that you expected them to hold up their end of the bargain, right?

No kidding. And I've even seen it on sale at World Market for $4. It's very drinkable, and at that price, what's not to like? It's certainly got a 33.2 percent share of MY market.

Pastel de Tres Leches is very traditional in Mexico. It is probably the number-one cake served at celebrations of all kinds, particularly weddings and birthdays. In fact, I have seen it called "Celebration Cake" at various places in Mexico. It certainly doesn't HAVE to be "too sweet." I don't care for it so sweet, either. The best versions make the milk the star. And especially when strawberries are added, the tang of the fruit cuts the sweetness. Rick Bayless' version in "Mexican Kitchen" has an orange and almond and caramel (cajeta) flavor. Tres Leches is probably my favorite cake. I think it's wonderful when done correctly.

Many Tres Leches cakes are garnished with fresh strawberries. They look pretty and taste great. And whoever said to serve it well-chilled is right. And not too sweet. That wonderful whole milk flavor is just sublime (to lapse into cliche). Rick Bayless has a recipe using cajeta for one of the milks. I've also made a delicious version with rompope (a kind of Mexican eggnog available in liquor stores), which gives it that boozy flavor someone mentioned.

Actually, I got asked that same thing a long time ago. So it's there.

Ah, pancakes. Haven't made them since the kids left home. We ate them a lot in those days -- at least three or four times a week. Did try out lots of things in order to avoid boredom. Some things I used to do: Sourdough pancakes. When we lived in Alaska. That was a favorite for years. Served with just-picked blueberries was best. Buttermilk. Ditto the folks that said that. Always good. Buckwheat. Yum. And 7-Up. The kids liked that. Did make them sorta light and fluffy. We also preferred our pancakes on the thin side. One of my kids called them "tirepatches."

I actually DID live in Panama, where we had five avocado trees in our yard. An embarrassment of avocados, to be sure. And another embarrassment is to admit that I have been making guacamole for some 40 years. Often I do just make the basic: avocado, lime, salt. But after years of trying, experimenting, stealing others' recipes, this is the one that I like the best, and the one which garners me the most compliments: (NOTE: To whomever said that adding tomatoes makes it watery -- the trick is to remove the tomato water before you add it to the mashed avocados. I cut out the core, and then "shake hands" with the tomato to remove the water. Then I cut it in half and lay the cut tomato on a paper towel for a few minutes to drain even more moisture. My Guacamole is never watery.) Guacamole (ingredients) 1 large avocado, just soft to the touch, not mushy 1 large, ripe, flavorful tomato, water removed, chopped 1 small yellow onion, chopped (or half a large one) 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste 1 T salsa de jalapeno (see below), or to taste juice of half a lime Selecting the avocado: many people much prefer Hass. Obviously that depends entirely on where you live and what varieties are available to you. Just be sure you select a flavorful variety that you like. If they're hard when you buy them, close them up in a paper bag for a day or so. Salsa de Jalapeño (ingredients) 6 whole pickled jalapeños (buy them in cans - Herdez sells them - among other brands - the label should say something like "Jalapeños en Escabeche" or similar) 1/2 c tomatoes (I usually just use canned for this) 1/4 tsp garlic salt Methods: Slice the avocado in half, lengthwise. Hold the half with the pit in one palm and with the other hand, whack a sharp knife into the pit. You should now be able to easily lift and twist out the pit. Give the knife with the pit stuck to it another whack on the side of the sink, and the pit will drop. No muss no fuss. Now slice your avocado halves lengthwise once again. This will give you four long wedges. Starting with the narrow end, you will most likely be able to peel them just as though you were peeling a banana. Place the peeled quarters on a dinner plate and with a fork or potato masher, mash the pulp until it is "smoothly chunky." If you have a molcajete, obviously you're using that and you already know all about this and don't need any more directions from me. For the rest of us, add the remainder of the ingredients onto your mashed avocados and stir to combine well. Taste for seasonings: salt, "heat," lime, and adjust where needed. Many people put cilantro in guacamole, but I don't. For me, cilantro has a very strong flavor and I think it overpowers the avocado. Also, I invariably serve my own homemade cooked, red "table salsa" alongside, and it has lots of cilantro in it. People can (and do) add some of that to the guacamole if they want cilantro flavor. A few more thoughts: Some people add a pinch of sugar; they claim it brings out the flavor of the avocados and smooths the bite of the chiles. If it's going to be awhile before you serve it, here are some tricks to keep the top from going brown. Remember that it is contact with the air that darkens the avocados, so anything you do to reduce that will reduce the darkening. After the whole thing is ready and in the serving bowl, spread a very thin layer of mayo over the top, and then right before serving, stir it in. Or do the same thing with the lime juice. Don't add it until the end, squeeze it over, rotating the bowl until all the dip is covered with the juice. Stir it in just before serving. But what I usually do is to take some Saran/Glad/Whatever Wrap and place it directly on top of the guacamole, pressing and smoothing until there are no air bubbles. This also works with cut avocado halves. (To me, the "pit" thing is just silly. It's never worked for me and it looks dumb and makes me feel as though if people see it there they'll consider me to be the sort of person that'll believe anything and is probably still looking for Madam Cleo to give me romance tips. So I eschew it.) ~~~~~~ Salsa de Jalapeño Remove stems from peppers. Put whole peppers, tomatoes and garlic salt into your food processor or blender and process until ingredients are thoroughly blended, but do not pulvarize seeds. It'll make it bitter. Note: This is not a "salsa" like you're accustomed to - it's more like nothing but ground up pickled jalapenos. It's really hot - much too hot for most folks to use for dips, etc., but it's great for flavoring foods. You won't use anywhere near all of it for the guacamole, so store the rest in a jar in the fridge. Use it when preparing other foods like roasts, soups, eggs, etc. And please don't try making my guacamole without it. It only takes a minute and it's just not as good and you'll be upset with me.

Well, they certainly make no pretense to be anything more than they are. I haven't been to a Pancho's in years. But when I had three hungry adolescents to feed (two of them "bottomless-pit" boys), we went there a lot. It was filling, tasty and cheap. And dining with that bunch, Mom took particular pleasure from the Margarita machine. I mean, to everything there is a season (turn turn turn) and a time for every purpose under Heaven. Right? So therefore, if someone says to me, "I really love good Mexican food...where shall we go?" I'd never suggest Pancho's. But when my neighbor tells me that her sister and brother-in-law and their four kids are coming from Atlanta and the whole crew needs a place to eat that's quick, tasty, affordable, and where they won't be embarrassed by a raftload of rambunctious, easily-bored kids, what would I suggest? I'd say, "How's about Pancho's Mexican Buffet?"

Eating Raoul In which Mr. & Mrs. Bland go to great lengths with a cast iron skillet in an effort to save up enough money to open a restaurant.

Absolutely correct. You entered into a contract with them. They told you the terms and asked if you accepted them. They didn't try to "trick" you or coerce you in any way. They were completely up front about it, and you agreed. If you didn't like the terms, you should have asked, "If you resell the table, do you still charge?" And if the answer was affirmative, you should have said, "I'm sorry, but I don't choose to take that risk. Don't hold a reservation for me. If it works out that we can come, I'll take my chances then." You never hold the moral high ground when you agree to something, and then go back on your word just because the original terms are no longer convenient.

My daughter and her soon-to-be husband had the fabulous good fortune to eat at Amma on January 2nd. Suvir treated them like royalty, and they're still talking about the amazing food. They had: Amuse bouche - Spinach and lentil cakes served with a cilantro chutney (like salsa verde) and a sweet and sour tamarind chutney First course - Crispy Spinach Chaat Crisp whole leaves of spinach served in layers with a salad of sprouted mung beans, red onions, tomatoes, mint, cilantro and chaat masala (a blend of sour spices like ground green mango peel, ground pomegranate seeds and toasted cumin seed powder) Second Course - Crispy Okra, Tandoor grilled Sri Lankan Jumbo Prawns and Stuffed Chicken Breast The okra is cut lengthwise, not the usual way, into thin juliennes that get very crisp, it is then tossed with salt, cilantro, red onion and tomato juliennes and lemon juice. The Shrimp are huge... And fresh and grilled in the tandoor and have a simple yogurt marinade. The chicken is a breast of chicken that is stuffed with spiced minced chicken and a whole spinach leaf and then grilled in the tandoor Third Course - Lamb Chop with Jackfruit Biryaani The lamb chops at Amma are legendary. They are grilled in the tandoor and have a yogurt and ginger marinade. The biryaani (a layered rice and vegetable casserole) is made using Jackfruit, which is a fruit that is close to the Chinese Durian fruit but is void of the nasty Durian smell. It is very meaty and gives the impression of being chicken or some other meat layered into the rice. The rice is very fragrant and has saffron in abundance as also whole garam masala (a blend of whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorn, cumin and fennel seeds). The plate also had a pear chutney that is sweet and spicy. Made with pears, jaggery (a very raw form brown sugar made from Sugar cane), fenugreek leaves and fennel seeds. For dessert, they shared the Mango Cheesecake, which they said was absolutely marvelous. They were arguing over who got the last bite. And the sommelier Bikky, paired wines with each course. When I asked them which of these marvels they enjoyed the most, they positively waxed rhapsodic, mentioning first one thing, and then another, and then a third as being the "favorite": "The lamb was the best thing I've ever tasted...no wait, I think it was the prawns...no, maybe the chicken." That evening at Amma will remain in their memories forever. And, as I told Suvir, it's not everyone that can provide people with such a treasure as this.

Have you ever been to Merida? Each plaza in the city hosts a free concert one night of the week. So every night, you can attend one. I heard a world-class tenor there one evening. It's just magical. Yep. And if you're interested in renting a beach house for a couple of weeks or months, Merida is the place to do it--or, rather, the beach area around Progreso about 30 km away. There are tons of places owned by people in the city, who usually only use them in the summer months and at Easter. We rented a place a few years ago, right on the ocean, completely furnished, with a guard/handyman and had one of our best holidays ever. Yes, Progreso is a nice little town. And I also like Celestun, with the flamingos. But my daughter is getting married in Cozumel, and Progreso and the Gulf Coast are too far away for me to make the wedding arrangements from there. PS -- Owen, thanks for the Cozumel link. I have gone there and emailed them for information about renting a house. Looks like lots of good info on that site. Thanks again!

Have you ever been to Merida? Each plaza in the city hosts a free concert one night of the week. So every night, you can attend one. I heard a world-class tenor there one evening. It's just magical.