Jeff L

Stan, this thing looks a lot like the beer can chicken deal. Last summer I bought the weber take on this product for my smoker. Works great and provides a whole lot more stability to the bird while smoking/roasting

The reason their clam pie is so amazing is the obvious use of fresh clams. Delorenzo's uses canned clams, it makes quite a difference.

I must agree with your choice of Pepe's as the best. I'm often in that area of Connecticut on business and have tried all the joints and hands down, Pepe's is the best. Dare I say their clam pie is even better than Delorenzo's on Hudson in Trenton. Tomato pie isn't even close though.

HYSTERICAL. I (obviously) had no idea, as I've never been! ← It's actually pretty good but not the best in Newark. There are plenty other better places for Rodizio in the ironbound.

Funny, that's exactly what I thought while reading his review of the Lancaster Red. By the way, I found this wine to be terrific, bringing the whole taste subjectivity issue into question again. Forgetting the value proposition for a moment, I will say the Chairman's Selections have introduced me to a wider variety of wines that I might not otherwise have been exposed to.

I guess I'll be the one to tell you, Rich...Newark and Elizabeth are NOT considered Central NJ! New Brunswick and below normally qualifies as Central (but those of us up north think it's all SOUTH after that!) That said, I know lots of people who love Assagini di Roma as well as Tony De Caneca's, both of which are in Newark. ← I always thought Tony De Caneca's was Portugese not Italian. It was Portugese when I ate there last

V, let me second the motion. Enough already

Just an fyi, she already has retired effective 12/31/06 and wasted no time availing her considerable talents to Cozen O'Conner See news release here http://www.cozen.com/attorney_detail.asp?d=1&atid=991

I can see both sides on this one. Absent any formal policy or monetary caps on travel and lodging, I think as a state employee, regardless of rank or title, fiscal restraint should be used. Clearly he could have stayed in less expensive hotels and not missed any of the things he was there to do. Now on the other hand...being paid just $65,000 for the top job, compable to other Presidents or CEO's in the private sector, the case can be made that he should be able to stay in the same hotels that his private sector counterparts stay at.

Front page story about Newman's propensity for luxury hotels while on PALCB business. Some rooms topped $500 per night. This is not good as it will surely cloud all the good he's done for the consumers and the state by way of profits. He says that the events he was going to had the hotels pre selected and that is where the meet and greets were held. This is true as most industry events have pre packaged setups but you are certainly not required to stay at those hotels and typically all the networking usually occurs at the bar after hours. One must really wonder about the timing of this piece, but he doesn't deny the charges and they are well documented

Well done Rich for bringing this testimony to the forum. Well done Jonathan for having the balls to stand up to the bullshit all around you. It's a shame there aren't more real people who bring a passion to what they do in Government. I've had the pleasure of attending one of the dinners Newman spoke about and to everyone there, it's clear how passionate he was in making fundemental changes in the PALCB. It's now abundantly clear to me why we just lost a really good public servant. I hope this testimony produces something and not just a $150 k per year patronage job for a guy who quite probably doesn't really need it.

Can you really make this case? Have you ever tasted cat's throw up? IMHO, this thread is getting a tad much!

Would you be referring to farms in Lancaster County and environs?

I just got a gift of a box of these truffles and while not an expert on matters of chocolate, I must say they are damned good indeed. Perhaps some of the best I've had outside of France and Belgium.

Same here James. My wife wouldn't care if we ever ate steak again but since I do all the cooking... well you know, gotta have one every month or so. Usually we'll have ribeye or porterhouse from Genuardi's premium stuff. But when I'm really in the mood to open a nice over the top red wine and fresh local peas are in season, then I need to amp up and get the dry adged stuff.

What was the wine you had? It is really unusual, as Katie states, to have this much sediment in a vintage so young. In any event, the restaurant simply did a piss poor job of wine service and you should tell them so in a way that won't cause you any discomfort. My standard in these situations is to place myself in the restaurant's shoes. Would I want to know if a situation like yours took place in my restaurant -certainly, and further, how would I appreciate hearing about it.

You should consider that a really great price for dry aged beef. Around here, McCaffrey's in Yardley has their own dry aged beef for $22-$30 per pound depending on cut. As much as I love a really good steak, I can't see paying this much on a regular basis.

I'm not familiar with Eberly but wonder how much better than Bell and Evans it is. A quick look at their site indicates Eberly is carried at the following Philly places: Wholesale: ASHLEY FOODS (Phila. PA) ESPOSITO'S (Phila. PA) EXCEPTIONAL FOODS (Phila. PA) GEORGE WELLS (Phila. PA) LEONE'S MEATS (Philadelphia, PA) RETAIL: GUINTA'S THRIFTWAY (West Chester, PA) GERARD'S INTERNATIONAL (PA) GODSHALL'S (Phila. PA)

Should have known it'd be a Malbec. In my opinion, maybe the most underated varietal in the world, but as long as it keeps selling four $4 bucks, let's keep it a secret ok?

I know the town of Ho-Ho Kus but am not familiar with this store. It's pretty far north and I won't likely get there anytime soon. There is a really great thread on the PA board about the PALCB and all the envy we PA residents have about buying wine in a market driven, competitive state like New Jersey or Delaware. While the Chairmans Selection program has been a stellar success, the fact that PA "controls" alcohol in the state is bothersome to say the least. Four bucks is really sick for a decent wine, what was it, do you remember?

i've been drinking the shit out of this wine for the past few years after a tasting at Carlo Russo, and i agree. a great, reliable not-overly-fruity red, and availabe at Bottle King and Carlo Russo in Ho-ho-kus, and elsewhere if you ask. a great introduction to Grenache and Spain, if you're not already convinced. Buy a case, because you and/or your friends will drink it with a smile. ← Tommy, I popped open a few bottles during the ill fated Eagles playoff game last week and all my wine loving friends were like "what the f... is this shit? I don't know about you but I get a real kick out of telling people about really great wines that can be had for less than $15 bucks let alone $10!! BTW, what/where is Carlo Russo?

Time to kick this thread back up and to compliment Byron for selecting the Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos. After reading Craig Laban's review of the 2004 vintage in the Philadelphia Inquirer recently, I decided to pick up some at my local Canals in Lawrenceville (although I live in Bucks County PA) Well, I just went back and bought 2 more cases of this truly amazing wine. Folks, run, don't walk to Canals in Marlton (most of the other Canals will match the price with proof of the sale) and pick up what Wine Spectator deems one of the top 100 wines and Parker (2004 vintage) rates a 91...all at the ridiculous price of $9.99.

The controversy continues... Today's Inky has an article entitled "State's wine deals: Beyond Compare? Suggested prices for PA only Chairman's Selections can be difficult to judge" The article goes on to mention specifically the Whitehall Lane cab fiasco along with the privately blended Silverado Cab. The jist of it is 1 or 2 misteps in a 500 bottle program is a pretty good track record. I tend to agree with this but misleading consumers is a breach of public trust if done intentionally. I have no doubt that it was not done intentionally.

Actually, Newman indicated that is still is in fact against the law to bring in even a gift of a bottle of wine to PA from out of state. Now as to how aggressive PA's finest would enforce such law is of course another question.

Agreed, and in no small way just one of the many formidable obstacles to privatization.