[The Lost Art of Grocery Bagging]

Boy, did this strike a nerve! It's not only the lack of bagging skill,

but often just a general disregard for the way the items are handled

during the checking process. I've had plenty of bread, rolls, fruit

destroyed by ham-fisted checkers who seem to think that moving

the stuff as fast as possible across the scanner is the goal.

I _always_ bag myself, and at certain markets that offer self-checkout,

generally opt for that as well.

I have nothing but praise for the teen cashiers and baggers at

Caputo's. The cashiers can identify produce -- most Asian and Mexican --

that, um, even I can't, and they can know before you open your mouth

if you're a native Spanish, Italian, Polish or English speaker. Heck, they

can look at your basket and figure out if you're Vietnamese or Thai.

Wow! I'll have to pay a visit next time I am in your area...

Trader Joe's has good baggers too

this is my experience as well... and the few times I've had stuff bagged

for me @ WFM it was also well done.

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mark

[Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 4)]

just got a near-new 1975 Merle Ellis 'Cutting Up in the Kitchen' - definitely looks to be a keeper

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mark

[The naked truth about bare aluminum cookware]

...

Now, the thing that makes me think is cast steel, not the stainless kind but cast steel. Makes you go hmm.

Edit: I think it is also referred to as crucible steel. Very light, not shiny, durable, great heat conductor.

I may have to steal Mom's one day.

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"white" carbon steel, like these?

I have been tempted to try one...

mark

[Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 4)]

66 here - most recent, "Master Class at Johnson & Wales" (thanks suzilightning!) (she confirms it has not yet been counted here).

2 editions of "Joy", do both count?

How about food-related audiobooks (Reichl, Pollan, Bourdain, Trillin...) - if so, you can add 8 more...

mark

[Top Split Hot Dog Buns]

Freihofers also make these - their website allows you to search by zipcode for recent delivery of a specific product.

While I can't get them in northern NJ it looks like there are a number of markets in Philadelphia that carry them.

I have an inordinate fondness for these - probably has to do with grilling those crustless sides in butter

[Haloumi Cheese]

I've done haloumi on the BBQ on skewers with some good olives and cherry tomatoes. Very nice. The cheese has a mild slightly salty flavour and it browns up nicely without dripping at all.

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Sounds great!

Saganaki grills up delicious as well, place on the edge of

the grate and turn once or twice...

[Charcoal Grilling Question]

My old Weber pre-dates the flip-up openings - there's just a small opening beneath each handle on the grate. I've always just dropped handfuls of unlit (lump) charcoal in at intervals, and have had great success with indirect cooking of small turkeys, large roasts etc. for many hours.

It takes some experience to figure the intervals at which to add the coals, though - for my grill/charcoal, about 40 minutes was right.

good luck!

[Burnet BBQ]

I live within smelling distance of the Stuyvesant Ave location.

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Me too - great stuff. Some nights the whole of Union smells of BBQ...

Daniel, they use Cowboy lump charcoal.

While I more often go to Stuyvesant, I agree that the original

Burnet Ave location may be a bit better. My potuguese friends

tell me that the firebox is not as deep there, so the rotisserie

is closer to the fire.

[Sakura Bana, Ridgewood]

Sakura Bana Restaurant

43 Franklin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

(201) 447-6525

Fresh Uni. It was still moving.

←

Wow. I think I just got a glimpse of Heaven

Spectacular photos , Jason.

It's a bit of a trek, but based on the opinions here, this will definitely be our next sushi outing. I'm blessed (or cursed, when the bill arrives ) to manage at work a team of sushi lovers, so our business dinners are invariably japanese.

I have one in the group who does not partake - anything on the menu for my less adventurous friend?

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mark

[Blood orange novice]

I stumbled upon this thread from a link on the 'Dinner' thread, and since I just bought some blood oranges a few days ago, thought I might make my first attempt at food photography.

These are some Sunkist-branded Moro oranges:

The flesh is beet-red, the juice a deep magenta. These are very sweet and juicy, with just a hint of sour/tart flavor.

Though I've bought them infrequently for a few years, I too am a novice - until recently I was unaware of the different varieties. This article in the NY Times Magazine gives a brief but tantalizing taste of Sicilian blood-orange cuisine with some recipes I intend to try (and will try to post results

Those pictured above are destined for a simple salad of orange segments, sprinkled with coarse salt and red pepper flakes, and drizzled with EVOO.

Anyone know of a source for the Tarocco variety?

mark