Rebecca263

Well, my #1 boy has always insisted that I wear "that cookie perfume" when I run out of Cartier. He LOVES the smell so much! It's actually just cocoa butter sticks, for my sensitive skin. He didn't know that, though, for almost 23 years! And, he never would have known, if he hadn't been caring for me during my radiation last winter! How could I hide the cocoa butter sticks, when he had to do the shopping?Ah, the mysteries we women keep!

My car was broken into and my entire collection of cloth tote bags was stolen. That was ALL that was stolen! 20 years of collecting, gone in a moment. I would rather the thief had taken the stereo, it would have been far easier to replace. Now I am left with 2 totes, an immense black luggage fabric Tupperware tote, large enough to hold a car trunk worth of goods, and a slightly smaller Ikea tote, which I can say for a fact holds 18 boxes of Pepperidge Farm cookies, a frozen Pepperidge Farm cake and 3 boxes of tea alongside. (We're having a tasting- or should I say a critique of taste?). So, I have looked on ebaY, and there is a plethora of canvas totes up, with good prices, and of plain design, so they can be decorated to your taste. Hey, I'm a cheap date, ebaY is my go to shop. Perhaps, though, we eGulleteers can use this thread as an opportunity to support our beloved society, by purchasing THESE ! The eGullet-ote! I can't afford these lovely bags, but I know that many of us can, and they are beautiful!

Are poeple saying that the restaurant wasn't paying it's rent? I saw that the landlord was the issue, but I didn't read anywhere what the exact issue is. Let's just wait and see, and hope that we get the opportunity to eat Chef LoPinto's food again soon.

Pam's basic recipe is the right way to get an awesome sausage. You need to go heavy on the chicken skin and fat. I, however, do a completely different seasoning. Because my Kiddle really likes Italian sausage, I use fennel seeds, garlic, salt, parsley and a spoonful of sugar. I like it with cracked peppercorns, but Kiddle doesn't care for pepper, so usually I will split mine and broil them with the peppercorns atop. I've never used casings, I'm too cheap to bother with the equipment I would need for that. So, my sausage is not as wonderful as it could be. But, it tastes GREAT. And, I've bought kosher chicken sausages many times, it is very rare that I have gotten a product as luscious as a chicken sausage could be, with enough fat.

Please, I SO needed this laugh! You can have that death match at my house, I haven't had a chicken pot pie, EVER.

Just to let you know, Marlene, there is a photo of you and your brother (may he rest in peace) sitting outside together, a few years ago on a camp trip, both smiling, right before you smoked him with the grill-that photo, well, it sits in my mind as a touching testament to the love you share. And then, you wrote about a trip you took with your son, and the great conversations that you had while he experienced his first lamb. I think about those posts whenever I think of you. Bless you, dear!

Many homeless people have been fed fast food meals by my daughter and me, over the years. AFTER we'd scored the accompanying toy! Also, I PRAY for Cap'n Crunch cereal to have a promotion so that I can justify buying some! We buy MANY items for the promotions, and then give away (or sell) the items themselves, after revelling in the "free" stuff!

Here are some different kinds of towels, in a box! Here is another place, that I like to order bulk items from. I sometimes give towels in bulk as housewarming/business opening gifts. You never forget the person who gave you a great supply of towels! Heck, it was one of the better traits of my exhusband... aside from the Kiddle and the... well, the Kiddle and the towels, that's about it!

My daughter has made mayonnaise a few times with whole eggs. It happens. And, if you like um, what is it called, Miracle Whip, you will like the sugar addition. Personally, it's not my thing. But, I also leave out the mustard, oftentimes. I'm just WILD like that, you know!

I just made a drink with some gin, 2 1/2 ounces, with the juice and some pulp from a lime, shaken with 3 ice cubes, and poured into a small tumbler, that I rimmed with kosher salt. I liked this. It's probably already got a name, but as a plebian drinker, I don't know it. I wonder if a drink made with some tequila and pickled ginger would be good with salt, too. But, I've just had my drink for the week, so that will have to wait.

...have you tried it sauteed with fava beans and a nice chianti? ← Isn't that for the liver? I prefer a nice butt roast, myself. Well, ahem, I'm just sayin' I BELIEVE that I would, if it were a socially acceptable and legal foodstuff. I, of course, although I have been known to break the social laws, would NEVER break any legal taboos. No, Nope, I wouldn't. Not me. I'm just as simple as I seem, honest!

Chicken soup, and potato something. We don't know what it is, but it looks like mashed potatoes. Kiddle believes it to be kugel, which she has never had, and is always looking for. EVERY unknown food we are given become the ever elusive kugel, until it is identified. I intend to make a noodle kugel after Passover, just to satisfy her curiosity. I am going to need guests, because I am pretty sure that Kiddle will not like the kugel. We're in NJ, send your friends. Shabbat Shalom, and Hag Sameach! We wish you all a peaceful and joyous Shabbat during Passover! edited by me to add: This IS a kugel a potato kugel. Not a great one, but made with love. Melissa, I have found YOUR potato kugel recipe, on Flick'r, and we are going to make it on Sunday!

I LOVE my side towels. However, I also LOVE my oven mitts. Because, I HATE getting burned by my clumsy self, when reaching into the ovens! My side towels are white with blue or pink stripes running down the edges, I got them at a jewelry supply company, a lifetime ago. I say, keep whatever works for you!

I keep an old pressed glass bowl full of rolled up towels of varying types, on my counter. UNDER my kitchen sink I keep a bucket full of torn up 'rag' towels. Too useful for cleaning(we don't use paper towels or paper napkins, for that matter!), too ugly for the countertops!

Um, imbibing too many glasses at once? Just kidding, a little.

I'm thinking that maybe this would be too salty as a jerky. How about you dry it and use it as a flavoring, similar to when people use bacalau?

Bryan, thank you. I am still ruminating on the sea urchin... and I'm amazed that you both ate so much! I would have been overwhelmed by the myriad things at almost every meal. It's great to have YOU keep track, and inform us on everything! Was the texture of the squid in the pea/chicken soup more chewy or silky?

There is nothing scary about it, corn syrup is a cheap form of sugar, and simple syrup has become an almost extinct idea. Too bad, because if you do a taste test, other glucose syrups do far better on the tongue than corn syrup. Glucose, fructose, it's all SUGAR. Natural means nothing. Cobalt is natural, but I'm not eating it!

Good friends will find somehing to eat at your Seder, even if you don't make special dishes for them, there are bound to be even vegan options at your table already. Charoset is pretty dense nutrition, you know! That said, I think that you are great for thinking of making foods that will satiate and tempt them, too. That is the sign of a great host, and you get an A+ for caring!

We just cleaned out the kitchen for Passover, and found film in the back of the tiny freezer, and a small container of duck livers. Yay! In the 'pantry' cabinets, we found, LOTS of forgotten foodstuffs, such as 12 pounds of whole wheat pasta, ulp. Kiddle and friends will be eating pasta for dinner tonight, and pasta will be our take-it-home favors for the non Passover celebrating part of the gang. Although I have been informed that the non Passover celebrants are expecting matzoh brie for brunch this week. As we have received eleven pounds of matzoh so far, and there are only 2 of us, I think that I can accomodate the requests.

Can I admit something here to my dear fellow eGulleteers? I can't drink ale, beer, lager, or what ever you want to call it. I just can't! What I do, is, if someone gets one for me, I add some fresh juice to it. Then, it tastes tolerable. But, I find those beverages taste too much like fermented bread for my taste. I am assuming that my deficiency in this area is due to my own parents never drinking the stuff, and most people I was with during my formative drinking years found wine and hard spirits to be much more entertaining. I mean, I don't even remember seeing beer during my dating years, and the one man who ever brought me beer, turned out to be the horror story of my life! Still, I am game, and do take a sip from time to time, hoping for the epiphany.

Nothing against the conglomerate here, but how Thai is corn syrup? And, please, someone, help me get over that psuedo Euro name, Haagen-Dazs? It's always irked me to no end. I've never cared for folks pandering to perceived pretentions and that one takes the crown! If Breyers can afford sugar as opposed to corn syrup, why can't the US$4 a pint Haagen Dazs? Oh, and don't tell me the old chestnut about manufacturing and corn syrup, it doesn't fly, factually. edited:ie,ei, it's all the same on a morphine drip!

Wow. OhMyHolyOats. How did you manage to eat all of that in such a short time? Are you and your lovely g/f bulimic? I'm quite able to binge eat, yet even I feel sick, just imagining the timing and size of these meals! The food is just relentless, one course after another, one meal after another. Kudos to you, for managing it all, so far, without any serious problems. I'm noticing that a lot of the dishes seem VERY highly decorated and garnished. Did you feel this way when you were experiencing them?

As usual, our posts reflect our own outlooks on life, don't they? Actually, one really wonderful sushi place (aside from the very high end and fabulous places that DO abide in South Florida, like Shoji) is Matsuri, in Miami. I lived in South Beach, and had a studio in downtown Miami, for many years, and still made regular visits to Matsuri, which is located in a strip mall on Bird Road. It's best to go early, as they fill up with many Japanese who seem to only dine in large groups, Marc Jacobs wearing UM students, and artsy fartsy types, too. The uni is incredible, always good, or it isn't available. They also make wonderful tamago, which to me is a true indication of a good kitchen. Try the specials, too. The chefs have a great repertoire, and always offer unusual things. As I said, a lot of Japanese frequent the place. In fact, we were introduced to the restaurant by a Japanese client, many moons ago. The sushi chefs slice sashimi beautifully, and the presentation is old school, no fat American chunks! Very nostalgic if you're a long time sashimi eater, and very delicious, too! There are a lot of toher great places for sushi in Miami, but this is really my favorite. The bar is small, though. We almost always end up at a small table, and the place is not really quiet, either.

I had a bottle of vodka here in the house for the longest time. I'm not a vodka drinker, per se. However, I discovered an amazing drink. Beef and onion broth, with vodka. I went through the entire bottle in a week, drinking that lovely beverage. I even tried it with a broiled cherry tomato as a garnish (OK, I was alone in the house for too long, I admit it). So cute! But, the tomato did nothing for the drink, either way, really. The drink is delicious. I used 2 ounces of vodka to each mug of broth. I think that it would be really sweet looking with a tiny skewer of broiled beef chunks as a garnish. I also tried chicken broth this way. DON'T. It was awful. edited: bad spelling!