Jaymes

Sounds very good, but sounds more like a rice salad than fried rice. Do you cook it? The few times I've tried to fry freshly-made, warm rice, it just turned into mush.

I'm easy. As it were. That's what I'VE heard anyway.

ATX? The post was really wonderful, and I will without a doubt try to go to that restaurant someday soon and recreate your meal. But back home in ATX? You're from Atbasar, Kazakhstan?

In our house, fried rice was a lunchtime staple. Cold rice, of course, and then... It usually contained leftovers from dinner the night before - whatever vegetable we had - peas or carrots or whatever, and some chopped onion of some kind, garlic. Best was when we'd had some kind of pork product for the meat - pork chops or ham or sausage or something - even weiners in a pinch. Little sesame oil, always either a beaten egg, or scrambled egg strips or both, and dash of soy sauce. Sometimes water chestnuts, celery, peppers - green or red. It totally varied, really - whatever we were in the mood for - plain or fancy - or whatever we were trying to "use up." And loved to serve it with fresh fruit alongside. I had a Thai friend at the time who always added a dab of catsup. She told me, "That's what makes it Thai." She was serious.

I love this - GREAT one-upsmanship! I can just imagine the conversation later on at the table: "How did he DO that???"

I am almost in tears. The "for sale" sign went up today in their yard. They want a little bigger, closer to where he works, and closer to the larger Hispanic community in St. Paul. There is only one solution. You must go with them. Yes, it seems a little drastic now but for the good of us all, you must do it. It's the only way.

I've just GOT to try that. Like on Fear Factor or something.

Wow. So at least I'll be drinking good. Maybe I'll get me a job there. And Olives? Olive Garden, maybe? Wonder what it could be if not that. I understand it is the home of the "famous Springfield-style Cashew Chicken." Got a feeling I'll be tearing up the highways between Springfield and KC.

So it looks like I'm probably going to be moving there, at least temporarily. From visits, it appears to me to be a culinary wasteland. In fact, I haven't even been able to find Muir Glenn tomatoes in the grocery stores. Does anyone know - is there hope???

No names? That'll make it tough!

More information on Threadgills. Speaking just for myself, there are more reasons I enjoy going to a restaurant other than just the food. There are currently two Threadgills - the original, out on Lamar, and a new one downtown. The original one has been there for years. My former husband went there when he was in college at UT during the 60's. He remembers sitting around and listening to Kenneth Threadgill warble country tunes. And many local and national musicians got their start there on Wednesday's "open mike night," including Janis Joplin. It's in an old gas station. Threadgill opened in 1933 selling good Gulf Gasoline. In those days, it was north of Austin on the Dallas Highway and in the late 30's my father often stopped there while driving north to Dallas to court my mother. Threadgill stood in line all night, they say, to buy the first liquor license in Travis county after the end of prohibition. It's still on the wall - Liquor License #1. The food may not be quite so good there as it has been in the past, but I still go from time to time, and sit in the main dining room and think back to what it must have been like in "them days." The meatloaf is still good, the San Antonio Squash Casserole, the Fried Chicken Livers & Gravy, among other things. I think it's an integral part of old Austin, and I would still recommend it to visitors. Oh - Ditto on Ironworks. Skip it. Salt Lick can be fun with a group, but since they've started emphasizing quantity over quality the general consensus is that the food has gone downhill. I've also heard talk lately that Kreuz's brisket is pretty bad, and that has been my experience my last two times there, although the pork chop is cosmic.

Someone mentioned them quite derisively early on and that probably put the rest of us off. I certainly wasn't going to express my fondness for them after learning that they are simply "starch, cold and unpleasant."

I've never even heard of it. Recipe please? Cornbread Salad 1 box Jiffy Cornbread, baked, cooled & crumbled (or 1 pan cornbread made with your own favorite recipe) 1 Cup chopped tomatoes 1 Cup chopped celery ½ Cup chopped green bell peppers 1 bunch green onions w/tops, chopped 1 Cup mayo or Miracle Whip Combine all ingredients thoroughly, cover and chill overnight. There are a great many variations of this recipe. Here are some others that I have seen: There’s a Southwestern version where you use Mexican Cornbread Mix and to the above list of ingredients, you add some chilies, and canned kidney, pinto, chili, or Ranch Style beans, drained. Several of the recipes call for a can of corn, also drained. Some used 1 Pkg Hidden Valley Dressing mix (prepared) instead of the Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise. Also, ½ cup chopped sweet pickles or pickle relish and ¼ cup sweet pickle juice was popular. There were two or three recipes that instructed: “top with grated cheese (either Cheddar or Parmesan).” One recipe added pimentos and pecans. All of the other recipes included bacon, anywhere from 4 strips up to 1 pound, fried crisp, chopped, and stirred into the salad, often with some reserved to sprinkle over for garnish.

Cornbread Salad - one of my very favorites. And I'll bet not many folks outside of the U.S. have ever tried that.

Fabulous question. I'd like to know the answer myself. Of course, there are are a few obvious reasons - like ignorance on the part of the menu makers and restauranteurs in the States, and the fact that "Cesar" is the Spanish spelling of Caesar..... Actually, since the guy was an Italian immigrant, he probably did spell his name Caesar. But in Mexico, everyone would spell it Cesar and pronounce it "Say-sar." So that may be why the name of the hotel/restaurant is "Cesar's." Supposedly he and his brother immigrated to the U.S. and wound up in San Diego. They wanted to open an Italian restaurant there but because of prohibition, decided to locate it in Tijuana - the original location being a mere block or two from the U.S. border. But I agree with FG. Regardless as to whether or not Caesar/Cesar had his feet in Mexico when he invented his famous salad, it is surely "American" now. But Jason, to get to the bottom of it, why don't you click on the link that I provided above and ring them up and ask them???

If you google Cesar Cardini, you get lots of info.

I've heard that story, but I think it's a myth. If it is a myth, it is one that is perpetuated very enthusiastically by the restaurant itself. I used to live in Southern California and visited Tijuana fairly often. I've been to the restaurant several times. It's a small restaurant in a hotel. "Home of the Cesar Salad" is written all over the menus. And you cannot order ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING without a side of Cesar Salad coming with it. For example - the enchilada plate - two enchiladas, rice, beans, chalupa and Cesar Salad. The waiters are very proud of it, Cesar's photograph hangs on the wall; if they are telling a lie - it's a whopper - and I am certain that the waiters all believe it. They discuss with great pride the difference between the original recipe and the many variations it has produced. They say that it was invented there in the 1920's. And maybe I'm a naive fool, but I believe it. Cesar's Hotel & Restaurant

Wow. Oye your own self. This place sounds so good I'm almost jealous. Almost.

Ditto suggestion about perusing the Austin Food Trail thread. And - since you are downtown, don't miss the bats - ask anyone and they'll tell you how to go about seeing them. I'd also suggest you drive down to Lockhart for lunch one day - go to Smitty's for sure. The BBQ is good, but the main thing is to see that building. Wander through the halls and rooms and imagine the history of the place. It's like visiting a museum of Texas BBQ. Don't have much time to post right now - but will add more stuff later - and I'm sure the other Austinites will chime in as well.

Is it even possible to get decent Mexican food in England? Like can you buy stuff in the stores and make your own? Any restaurants that serve anything close to authentic Mexican food? I'm really a little concerned about y'all.

I have been to two large Chinese banquets. Both were "interesting," to say the least. One was in Hong Kong - a big business banquet in honor of a friend that I was dating. It was in a private home - a mansion high on Victoria, overlooking Kowloon and the harbor. Many interesting things. First of note was that in the large room which appeared to me to be intended for parties and banquets there were at least four or five rounds of ten. I was the only woman at the dinner table and it was explained that because I was a friend of the honoree, I was a distinguished guest. It went unsaid, but was obvious, that because I was a woman, they had made an exception in allowing me to be seated in the main room. Other women (wives, etc.) had been in attendance at the party (and the hostess greeted me warmly), but when it was time to eat, the women all went into a different room. I don't remember much about that aspect of it. They were there, and then all of a sudden they weren't. And the other most notable thing about this banquet (and I've mentioned it elsewhere on these boards) was that I had no clue what I was eating at any particular time. At one point, a large bowl came 'round containing what appeared to be creamed pearl onions. Since so much of the stuff was quite exotic, I was pleased to see something with which I was familiar. So I had a rather generous helping. But as soon as I bit into them, I knew they were no onions. My date had been seated at a different table, and to either side of me were Chinese gentlement obviously selected because they did speak some English. "So," I inquired politely of the fellow at my immediate right, "what are these?" He blushed and giggled. "I don't know how to say in English," he said, and turned his head and said something in Chinese to the man at his immediate right. Who also blushed and giggled, and repeated it to the man at HIS immediate right. On around the table it went, like some sort of Oriental game of gossip, with everyone now wanting to be in on the joke. The giggling turned into laughter, and the table was abuzz with Chinese back and forth. Finally, one man directly opposite from me, cleared his throat, and made it obvious to all that he knew how to relay the information. He glared at everyone to settle down, which they did. All were now watching him and me with an air of extremely interested anticipation. Then he took a deep breath and, nodding his head in academic fashion, he said, "Madam, they are rooster testicles." Whereupon any sense of restraint or decorum vanished immediately and the whole table burst into laughter at the look on my face. The second large banquet was in Taipei. I was 22 and I and my sister, who was 17, were vacationing there with our family. In the hotel there was a jewelry store. Its owner took a liking to me the very first day, and had begun following me around. On the 3rd day of our stay, he asked me if I would like to attend a large and fancy wedding reception for a friend of his who was prominent in Taipei business circles. I was a little reluctant and said that I wasn't sure my parents would approve. But he was determined, so he asked my father who decided that it would be a "good learning experience" for me. The next thing you know, the fellow said that he had also rounded up a date for my sister, Robin. So Robin and I get all fancied up, and here comes our dates. They looked like a traveling Asian comedy team - a sort of Oriental Laurel and Hardy. Adding to the effect was the fact that they wore Western-style suits - with vests - and bowler-type hats. My date was a big man, tall and broad. Robin's was about 5'1" - small boned and kind of wild-eyed, with a black mustache. Now Robin is a tall girl, so this fellow was just about titty high on her. And he was Japanese and spoke not one word of English. First, they gave us gifts - momentos from the jewelry store to mark the occasion - gold and jade pins which they placed upon our bosoms. Then they took us to a formal portrait studio to have our pictures made. This studio had several backdrops available, and after considerable discussion they selected a very formal "Oriental garden" scene. Robin and I sat on an ornate park bench, while the men stood behind, hats cradled in their arms, in the manner of those official photographs you see of turn-of-the-century couples. Of course, the men were not smiling; but rather, have very serious and important expressions. Robin and I, on the other hand, look as though we are about to explode with barely-contained mirth. Which of course we were. And then off to the wedding banquet. Their were several things about that banquet that I recall. One was that on the table there were large bottles of various soft drinks. Entertainers came around from table to table, playing music, reading fortunes, juggling something, and caligraphers that gave us large scrolls containing our Chinese names. And absolutely everything that came out on the large dinner platters included the heads of whatever had given its life for our gustatorial pleasure. Robin and I were not accustomed to seeing the head of the duck, or fish, or turtle, or whatever, and the glassy eyes staring off into nothingness unnerved us. So to our immediate right there was a German couple that found our squeamishness amusing. Their response was to remove the heads of everything and place them on one large platter, all staring at us. By the end of the meal, we had an entire menagerie of dead things with glazed eyes, chickens and ducks and entire schools of shrimp and fish and eels watching us take every bite. Afterwards we went home. And my "date" offered my father a considerable sum of money if my father would allow me to marry him. It would work out great, he told my dad, as he already had a job lined up for me teaching English.

I just get a broken image here. Bigbear is also in charge of Tommy's avatar. And it's not working either. Hope BB is okay.

Stella - is the comal something you put on your stovetop? Or how do you use it? I see the big ones in the markets and restaurants, and they are all over some sort of a fire. What if all I have is an electric stove?? When I lived in Panama, we could not get any kind of tortillas at all, so I made my own with store-bought masa my family sent me from the states and a tortilla press, frying them on a big pancake griddle. So, for the corn/masa you describe above, in the States, what would you go into the store and buy? Would you start with the corn or buy some sort of masa?

Stella - what a remarkable post. Loved it all, especially the waitresses with the "crooked smiles." And as I think I've told you, I took a class here in Austin with Susana - and found her to be a really compelling person. Can hardly wait to find myself in Oaxaca. Of course, I'll hardcopy your post and stick it in my purse to have it at the ready!

I, too, love cold summer soups. In fact, they are my very favorite starter during the hot months. They are the perfect thing to take to picnics. You can keep them nice and icy cold in a thermos, and then pour into those cute little plastic cups at the picnic site. Easy and good and so refreshing. Years ago, I had a recipe for cold cherry soup that was excellent, and really easy. You started by pouring a can of cherry pie filling into the blender, and added other stuff - one of which was orange juice. Then you served it in a cantaloupe half with a dollop of sour cream on top. I've lost that recipe, and do now make cold cherry soup from scratch, but would love to have that "quicky" one back again. I've come up with some things, but it just doesn't seem to taste as good as when I had that recipe. Does anybody have a good, quick recipe for cold cherry soup???