joiei

Mamagotcha, thanks. Even though I had the opportunity to judge some great BBQ at the Whitehorn Cove BBQ Bash yesterday I was supposed to be with you all. sigh. Maybe next year I will be able to join in the fun if schedules permit. And the dinner at Bluestem, I just can't talk anymore.

Comments from Sidedish in the DMN Side Dish My own personal feeling are how often to you really see anyone taking their own wine into a restaurant for dinner. Not all that often. Otherwise the wine shops would all be very behind this bill because they would be seeing a huge increase in wine sales to people heading off for dinner. Most people just don’t do that including me. If I want wine with dinner I will most times order off the wine list. In 60 years, I have only taken with with me once. Me thinks there is much ado about not much going on here.

The kitchen crew at the Capital Hotel's Bar and Grill in Little Rock are making their own charcuterie. Here is the sous chef's blog with pictures and descriptions. Capital Bar & Grill Chef's Blog I think I might try to find a weekend to go visit and dine.

I agree with this statement. If a restaurant insists on using fruity tea, they need to warn the guest before serving the guest. I have sent the tea back and finished the meal with water.

Yes, I would and I know of one that has worked. Kokoa Chocolatier here in Tulsa opened as a chocolate shop and dessert restaurant. They opened in an area filled with a lot of local restaurants and very few chains. It was already known as an entertainment area because of a couple of popular watering holes with a block or two. It is fun to go somewhere else after dinner at Flemings and get handmade desserts with coffee or after dinner drinks.

The blackening spice recipe in Louisiana Kitchen is much better than the stuff that anybody sells. It does not have anti caking ingredients. It can also be doubled or even timed ten if you want to make a big batch. And there are not really any exotic ingredients. The recipes are very user friendly, at least for me.

Jaymes didn't tell you about Askinoise chocolates in Springfield, MO. I haven't turned her on to that one yet. Saving it to be a reason to get together with her and share a meal in some obscure little town halfway between Tulsa and Houston, oh God, that means Tyler, Maybe I can talk her into Paris.

I picked up my copy at Hebert's Specialty Meats here in Tulsa. (they are of the Turducken fame). Give Ed Richard a call, if he has one in stock he will probably send it to you.

Another one to consider is Talk About Good from the Lafayette Jr League. I use that for reference a lot. The recipes are very authentic.

Chris, if you have not dined at Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana in Ft Worth yet, put it very high on your list. Some of the best food in the DFW.

I hope your experience with the service staff at Stephen Pyles is much better than mine was a couple of months ago. The restaurant is visually interesting, the food was very good, the service was terrible. If you want to know more pm me and I will explain.

Go to W Jefferson in Oak Cliff section of Dallas and try La Palapa Veracruzana. Very good Vera Cruz style seafood. If your into Mexican that would be a perfect place for a taco crawl. Also, the Bishop arts district is very close by with several interesting restaurants.

From my research, there is only the Spanish version and no plans as of now to put out an English translation. Plus it is a $100 investment. A bit steep for me, but I do understand there are fabulous pictures.

I just inquired with my local chocolatier, CFC Chocolates, about signature transfer sheets and Chef Patrick said the one time set up fee is $275 using his source, which he didn't declare. I can ask if your interested.

Your in Hollywood, does that mean you will have a car? Hollywood to Miami can be an hour drive in heavy traffic.

From a quick check with Gourmet Depot it looks like a replacement blade will run you about $40 depending on your model.

Congratulations Chef, keep up the good work.

Judy, does this mean that your moving into publishing?

The Tulsa World has been trying to maintain its lifestyle sections inspite of a few layoffs and changes to the paper such as cutbacks in local reporting and less newswire fed stories in the national sections. Sports is also slimmer than before and in OU/OSU country that is serious.

Other Easter parades - The first to roll is the Historic French Quarter Parade started by the daughter of Count Arnaud long ago. The Parade of carriages and convertibles will leave Arnaud's Restaurant at 10:30 a.m. It goes down Bienville Street to Dauphine Street, Iberville Street, and Bourbon Street. The parade then turns onto Toulouse Street to Royal Street. Participants will promenade in Jackson Square before attending the noon Mass at St. Louis Cathedral, after which they go back to Arnaud's. This was my favorite parade on Easter Sunday when I lived in the City All this info is found on About.comIF you do go to the City for Easter have a great time. And like Brooks said, don't forget your bonnet. As for another weekend in April, you have festivals, the French Quarter festival and the last weekend of April is the first weekend of Jazzfest. If you like music and food, either one will work. Edited to add some pictures of Easter parade riders Easter on the Avenue

If your driving, stop off in Tulsa and I will take you up to Sperry for BBQ at Buffalo's. He was first place overall in the KCBS standings for 2008 and it isn't all that far. I will let him know your coming. Donny can smoke some meat, let me tell ya.

It is hard to improve on a recipe that is stellar to start with. I am also a fan of this recipe over any others I have tried.

In today's Tulsa World is an article about how the Cherokee tribe is working to preserve plant seeds that are "culturally significant" to the tribe. Preserving heirloom plants that have specific links to that group of people. I hope other tribes follow suit, this is just one aspect of preserving a groups heritage.

Hey u.e., long time no talk. thanks for the link, I would of missed it. I will be up soon, keep your calendar open.

When I lived on Palmyra behind Jesuit, we would buy Popeyes on the corner and throw it to the guys on the floats.