cakewalk

No, it doesn't. Plain and simple.

Oh great, you mean now I can't even get my nails done without having to listen to some kid whining and screaming? I mean really. Just because your kid was quiet that time, do you think it really means every kid is going to be quiet every time? (Yours included.) Getting your nails done is maybe half an hour of pure relaxation. Please leave the kids out of it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Had to get that off my chest. Anyway, I don't understand why the owner of the bar was so unable to just tell you straight out that they have a "no laptops" policy, you're welcome to stay as long as you like but please put the laptop away, if not, please leave and we'd love to have you back when you don't have work to do. The situation demands a decision, and since he wouldn't make one you had to. It was unfair of him to place that burden on you. And you seem to be more offended by his wishy-washiness than by the rule of no laptops. (Although I may be wrong on that.) I agree that the owner probably wants to create a particular atmosphere in his own bar, and laptops do not play a part in the atmosphere he wants to have. Personally, I'm with him on that. Laptops are definitely disturbing, IMO. The light is disturbing to peripheral vision (which is not really peripheral in many respects); it is a distraction. And while you were doing work that involved writing, and, as you noted, writing and bars have gone hand-in-hand for a very long time, it would be foolish to think that everyone with a laptop is writing the Great American Novel. Most of them are playing solitaire, or surfing the web, or sending e-mail, or watching a movie, or whatever. And I think it creates an atmosphere of isolation, which I guess is not the atmosphere he wants his bar to project. (A lot of bars have TV screens all over the place. I don't go into those bars either.)

I dunno. If someone really wants to do something, but doesn't do it because (fill in the blank): I'm too tired, it's too far away, it's too difficult to get to, I don't have a car, etc., etc. -- I'd say they're lazy. But I don't see anybody talking about how much they'd really love to go to NJ to try this or that restaurant, but they don't go because ... fill in the blank. So the issue isn't laziness (car or no car.) Seems to me you're approaching this from the wrong angle altogether. I have good friends in NJ, I'm a New Yorker and I don't own a car (I don't even have a license, I don't even know how to start a friggin' car), but I go to NJ pretty often to visit them. Because I want to. If I really wanted to go to a particular restaurant there, I would. I think others would as well. The issue is not laziness.

Linzer sables. Boy are these ever good. That cookie dough is among the best I've ever eaten.

Why does this make me think of purple cows? On a coincidental note, I just found that eggbeaters blog this morning and liked it a lot. (Didn't see the pumpkins though.)

I don't know if this has already been mentioned, but I recently ordered this book for a friend of mine: "A Drizzle of Honey: The Life and Recipes of Spain`s Secret Jews." It arrived a couple of days ago and I've looked through it only briefly. So far it seems that its history is more interesting than its recipes (but then, my friend doesn't cook much. He can, however, trace his family back to the 1700s to Spain and Portugal, which is something that amazes me.) Apparently one of the ways in which the Spanish authorities found people secretly practicing Judaism was through information their servants gave regarding how/what/when they cooked particular dishes and/or used particular ingredients.

My current favorite is the HD pomegranate ice cream with chocolate chips. They really know what they're doing over there.

My cousin bought me Madeleine pans. So what's a girl to do? (Some are lemon and some are orange.)

"For the love of God" is exactly the reason, at least if you keep kosher... ← I'm not Jewish, but I thought butter/dairy was OK. It was just mixing it with the wrong stuff (meat) was bad. Is butter really not Kosher? ← You got it right. Butter/dairy is perfectly okay -- as long as you're not using it together with meat products in any way, shape, or form. A lot of people, if they're having meat, will use margarine to smear on their bread, or to cook with, instead of using butter with that meal. So if you're having meat, you're not putting butter on your vegetables. (Although I'd rather do a lot of things with my vegetables rather than put margarine on them.)

Or a few drops of orange oil. That stuff really makes a cake zing.

Does anyone have an apple pie recipe that does not use sugar? (No sweeteners, either.) The pie of course would be kind of tart, but I like them that way. Thanks.

I simply can't see George Eliot in the kitchen, never mind actually creating a cake. (Did she really work as a housekeeper?) I'm wondering if it was perhaps something she mentioned in one of her novels?

Bridge Creek Fresh Ginger Muffins. My favorites. (I have some more photos I will try to post. I got a bit trigger happy.)

You are not alone! I usually eat Quaker Oats (but not instant), but I make them in the microwave. Half a cup of oats, one cup of water, and a bit of salt. When they're done, I add some milk, about 1/4 cup or less. And that's it, I don't like them sweet and I don't like to find chunks of anything in my oats!

Ay, there's the rub. Great blog, looking forward to more. (And patiently waiting for my coffee!! )

It's the triangular pizzas you have to watch out for. They are evil.

Rye is great in Honey Cake. ← So is brandy. Or scotch. The Moist and Majestic Honey Cake (which has become part of my Rosh Hashana ritual) includes either of these in the recipe. It really makes a difference.

Mix a bit of tehina with some honey. Instant halva. (Eat with spoon.)

Beautiful photos, and wonderful sentiments. I'm curious as to where your family, and your family traditions, are from. (I'm guessing yours is not a standard Ashkenazi meal!) I love the sense of continuity in the photos -- your mom and aunt, and "the girls." And in many years' time, there will be a new photo of "the girls," but this time the caption will read, "my mom and aunts," and there will be new "girls." I'm going to try to make Taiglich this year. I've never done it before, but my hands have been itching to try this.

I think Gwyneth is along to give Mario a bigger audience. I want to see if she gains weight after about three months or so of filming.

But . . . will it be kosher?

And just because they go to Columbia University does NOT mean they are New Yorkers! (harumph!!) (But I'm sure the food in Kansas is very good. )

Only Friday nights (challah.) Never with other meals except maybe Sunday brunch, but that's because the bread was an integral, if not the main, part of the meal (read: bagels, onion rolls, bialeys, etc.), but bread was never on the table otherwise. Re Judaism: you can say a full grace without wine, even without salt. Bread is the only necessity, and that would include just eating a sandwich. Often bread will be eaten at a meal, even just a deliberate bite, in order to be able to say the full grace. And the opposite is also true: people will avoid bread if they don't feel like saying the full grace (it's kinda long.)

I'm amused by the juicers I keep seeing: an orange one to juice oranges (presumably), a yellow one for lemons, and a lime green one for, well, guess. The orange is the largest, the yellow a bit smaller, the green is the smallest. Very cute and all, but are three different sized (never mind colored) juicers really necessary? What would happen if I juiced an orange on the yellow juicer?