Alysha

I thought of another one: foie gras. We were having a chef's tasting at Striped Bass in Philly and this was one of the courses he served. I had never tried it and didn't particularly want to, but I then I decided that if I was going to try it anywhere, this was the place. I actually liked it pretty well, but it was very rich and I didn't eat much of it. It's not something that I am likely to eat again, but I was surprised that it didn't repulse me the way I imagined it would. I'm another one who has tried to like cilantro but am having a hard time - it tastes almost metallic to me. I've also tried to like beets, but I don't know if there is anyway for me to get around the fact that they taste like dirt. I'm not likely to try to prepare them again myself (we threw them all out), but I would try them if someone prepared them for me.

For some reason I thought I didn't like aspargus. I don't even know if I had ever tried it, but I thought I didn't like it. Now I love it! Maybe the last asparagus I had was canned - canned vegetables almost never appeal to me. Yuck. Avocado. This I had tried and didn't like, but again, now I can't get enough of it. Yummy. The jury is still out on brussel sprouts. I've only tried cooking them once and I didn't HATE them, but still not sure I like them. I think many likes and dislikes can stem from preparation. My husband used to dislike most vegetables, but that was at least in part due to the fact that his mom would boil everything to death and not really season it. Ugh. It can also be a matter of, as I said above, fresh versus canned or even real versus fake. I used to think that I didn't like Parmesan cheese, but all I had ever had was the stuff from the green can - a far cry from the real thing. I know there are other things, but I can't think of them now.

Mmmmm...thinly (1/8-inch?) sliced sweet potatoes tossed with EVOO, salt, pepper, chipotle powder and Penzey's Northwest Seasoning. Bake in a single layer on a baking sheet at 450º for about 20 minutes (?), turning over slices halfway through. Delicious! Also, cubed, skin-on, red-skinned or Yukon gold potatoes, tossed with EVOO, kosher salt, pepper, and minced garlic - add whatever herb you like - rosemary is nice. Again, a single layer on a baking sheet at 500º for about 15 minutes or until desired doneness. Cooking at this high temp gets a nice, crusty outside. Yummy!

We've done a fajita BBQ with great success, but that doesn't really address your silliness requirement. However, this might.... We attended a fundraiser last September that was themed "Margaritaville". I'm not a big Jimmy Buffet fan, but the theme sure did lend itself to plenty of fun and silliness. Sort of beachy, tropical theme - a bit like a luau. Dress was casual and many people got quite creative - creating their own parrot-head hats, etc. The music was upbeat and fun, margaritas and Coronas were the main beverages, along with some sort of rum punch thing. Food - well, cheeseburgers would be the obvious choice, but I think they served some kind of pork. Hmmm....I suppose this theme is fun, but may be lacking as far as getting creative with the food? A pig would certainly fit in nicely, though. Sounds like you put on quite a party - I'm sure it will be great, whatever you decide!

I use roux and roux only to thicken gumbo - no file (I'm afraid to use it because I hear it can ruin it if you don't use it correctly) and no okra (don't like the texture). Roux is important not only for its thickening power, but it also gives the gumbo a gorgeous, deep, brownish/reddish color. Sorry, I don't know of any other uses for file..... Mmmmm....gumbo.

That's the other thing I like about Biaggi's. It's nice enough to go and have a meal with your spouse and enjoy a nice glass of wine, but they are also kid-friendly. Of course there was the time I ordered their grilled chicken panini with the goat cheese, bacon, roasted red pepper and tomato-basil salsa. I think they forgot the goat cheese and the bacon and maybe a few other things. How hard can it be? All of the ingredients are listed on the menu! I also like places like Panera and Au Bon Pain pretty well too. We travel the Ohio Turnpike quite a bit and they have begun to replace their tired, worn and permanently filthy rest stops with much nicer rest stops - it was VERY refreshing to have Panera as a reasonably healthful alternative to the usual OH turnpike fare like Hardees.

But isn't the difference here that those working at a fastfood counter in say, a mall foodcourt or a Starbucks are earning a full salary, unlike those working in a restaurant? If the person behind the counter is earning at least minimum wage or more and is simply pouring a drink, I see no need whatsoever to offer a tip. He/she is already getting paid to do what they are doing. I'm a bit of a scrooge when it comes to tipping. I tip well in restaurants and other places where the folks depend on it for their wages, but I get seriously grumpy about other kinds of tipping - especially all the advice that "they" (who are "they" anyway?) offer for tipping around the holidays. You know, those people who go on the Today show and give the run-down for what everyone "should" be giving - $50 for the doorman, $25 for the garbage men, $25 for so-and-so and on and on. Give me a break. I don't like being told what I "should" give anyone. But back to the topic at hand.....I don't tip for takeout for most of the reasons already mentioned.

That's exactly where ours is located - a nice outdoor mall. It is mostly upscale, but they let a few questionable stores in like Payless. Who needs another Payless??? I agree with Robyn. Independent and/or upscale restaurants are not necessarily more healthful - they throw in LOTS of butter, etc. I just think the fat is more subtle - instead of dripping obviously off the fried sandwhich thingy, it actually enhances the flavor of the dish. But it's still there....

Chain restaurants serve their purpose, but they are not what I would choose when I got out for a nice dinner with my husband. If we are traveling and need to stop somewhere reasonably quick, it's kind of nice to have a chain restaurant where at least you know what you're getting. It's also nice to have a place to take the kids out where you don't have to spend a ton of money, but you do get a break from cooking and get waited on - that's part of the allure of eating out - no muss, no fuss, time to relax and just talk. It also depends largely on where you live. Yes, chain restaurants were a welcome addition to our rural midwestern town because there were very few choices, chain or locally run. It gave us a place to for a night out with the kids or a night out with the girls/guys - a place to meet, chat and eat decent food. We do have a couple of restaurants that do food quite well, but they are also pretty expensive, so not something we do all that often. However, if I lived in a place like Chicago, I doubt I'd EVER eat in a Ruby Tuesdays or Applebees for the rest of my life - there are so many other fantastic choices - expensive, inexpensive and inbetween. We don't have that luxury here. I also don't go to a chain restaurant expecting a nice meal - more like good pub fare. If I go to a chain restaurant, I order stuff they do well - like buffalo chicken strips or something like that - not for things they will never do well like a good seafood or steak dish with interesting sides. Not going to happen and I don't expect that kind of thing in a chain restaurant. There is one chain restaurant that I like quite well. Biaggi's. The look is not like most chains - crammed with all kinds of memorabilia <big yawn> - it's more upscale and nicely done. The menu is creative and well-priced. There are not that many of them, so they are "barely" a chain. One of my favorite dishes : Fresh fillet of moist and flaky Chilean sea bass brushed with herb-garlic oil and seared on iron. Served with a roasted red pepper cream sauce, sautéed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. So, not your typical chain fare. Yummy. So, I'm in the middle. I don't hate them, but I don't love 'em either.