suseyblue

Poke don't stink! (I'll grant the ramps.) What, are you boiling old leaves for half a day?! I like the smell of durian, it reminds me of carob trees (which some people find urine-y). And the taste is ok. But Artificial Durian Flavor (I had cookies, but I imagine the candy above was probably the same) tastes like dog poop smells. I actually had to take the package outside (my hens ate it, but then they'd eat dog poop too). My kids were eating them: "Mama, this cookie smells! Munchmunchmunch. They are evil.

Oddly enough, when I made hazelnut tartlets for the last bake sale I participated in they flew right off the table. People can get bored with the standard offerings. (Of course, being in an area where pecan pie & chess pies are standard & beloved items didn't hurt.) Fresh bread is always a winner (and the ingredients are cheap enough).

Oddly enough, when I made hazelnut tartlets for the last bake sale I participated in they flew right off the table. People can get bored with the standard offerings. (Of course, being in an area where pecan pie & chess pies are standard & beloved items didn't hurt.) Fresh bread is always a winner (and the ingredients are cheap enough).

Oddly enough, when I made hazelnut tartlets for the last bake sale I participated in they flew right off the table. People can get bored with the standard offerings. (Of course, being in an area where pecan pie & chess pies are standard & beloved items didn't hurt.) Fresh bread is always a winner (and the ingredients are cheap enough).

Oddly enough, when I made hazelnut tartlets for the last bake sale I participated in they flew right off the table. People can get bored with the standard offerings. (Of course, being in an area where pecan pie & chess pies are standard & beloved items didn't hurt.) Fresh bread is always a winner (and the ingredients are cheap enough).

Re: Mae Un Tang (spicy korean fish stew), Kent, where can I find a recipe for this? I was addicted to the version at this local Japanese/Korean spot in Pasadena (Fuji? I think so), but since moving to Nashville none of the limited amount of Korean restaurants serve it. I am dying for it (though the first time I ordered it I got the ubiquitous "You no like." Yes, I like. "Much spicy, have head." "Yes. Please, feed me the spicy heads. I like). It has been nearly twenty years. Sigh. I never ate the eye. Hmmn. I have some excellent international markets with good fish head availability (the only decent seafood to be found this far inland). I do like the crunchy shrimp eyeballs of ama ebi though. Oh, for entire live shrimp thrown on the grill like those at Coriya (a wonderful Monterey Park restaurant- I wonder if it still exists?) Sucking heads. The awful crawdad heads here are a poor substitute. Brains, I can get behind. I am getting very nostalgic.

Hard boiled eggs can be pickled in vinegar (old British bar staple) - and the pickle certainly penetrates the egg, so presumably there is some permeability which is presumably two-way (where are the food scientists out there?). Like a tea egg, perhaps? Actually the pickled egg thing gave me the idea, boiled quail eggs playing the role of pickled onion in a Gibson? Your Baconeggtini in a glass, & you needn't concern yourself with boiled egg protein- add shortly before serving. My sushi bar does a miraculous quail egg shooter that kills what ails you, come to think of it. Maybe raw would be the way to go.

I have been inspired to create (it's been a name without a recipe) 'Velveeta Loca', a fiery yet creamy slushy drink- crushed ice, Bloody Mary mix, white tequila, and the eponymous cheese-like trout bait itself. I would blend it up right now but wake the kids? Not even for a Wini-Tini.

'I would probably opt for either a good Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc, both for cooking and to serve the fish with.' 'If you do the Sauv Blanc, make sure it is a more acidic example of the genre. The saltiness from the prosciutto and capers and the acidity from the lemon need that balance. I'd suggest a Gavi or an Orvieto from Italy, an Australian Semillon or a Gruner Veltliner from Austria as other possibilities.' My first thought was the Sauv Blanc, but I was actually thinking the acid might be too much, with the lemon. Now I'm lean towards the Chenin Blanc (but I think the Semillon might be nice too).

And don't forget a nice shmutz for your muffaletta. I can find room for some Lindsay's black olives with the greens & kalamatas.

I am just glad to be forewarned that there are some places who put the Devil's Own Condiment on my beloved Patty Melts . I never think to check, I've been fortunate so far. Burgers are a crapshoot, although since food allergies have become so shockingly prevalent, at least people don't try to scrape crud off & then serve it to you as untainted.

I am still trying to find an olive like the ones my Calabrian grandma used to make in the fridge (from a tree of unknown origin in the yard). It took weeks, & I know lots of salt (and garlic!), but they were the best. Green, wrinkled, oily- she used brine & oil (and maybe lye, for all I know). Sicilian ones are the closest, but still not there. If I lived in Cali still (with a source for uncured olives) I'd give it a shot (I'm nothing if not an intrepid experimenter). Sigh. (Thanks for bringing up 'olive fingers' That is a fine memory.)

Oh Jesus it may be an old post but it is still so true. Thankfully my gmil likes Sweet Tomatoes, there are demonstrably worse choices. And you don't even want to know what my fil did & said when we said we were on our way to a Greek seafood joint in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea (we ended up driving around the Boca Mall for three hours looking for TGIF as he specifed, which doesn't exist, then HE threw a public tantrum at us for daring to consider eating without him). Oh, the drama. Anyway, -our last night we ran away from everyone & went to our Greek joint (Athena's) & pitiable us, it closed at 11- too bad, it was exquisite. HOWEVER, Mulligan's next door- totally unpromising looking pub... Calamari, marinated in garlic & fried in olive oil (yes, sigh, 'evoo'- just assume from now on if I ever mention olive oil in a post unless otherwise specified that's what I meant), a turkey club with two entire avocados, remoulade with the fish that I could drink in a glass it is so good (and sucked up with the wonderful fries). Everything fresh, homemade. On the pier of A1A. Mulligan's, with a Bass on tap. Stagger to the ocean & watch the waves. It was worth days of bad Boca food to get there. Do go & try Athena's, too, but don't make my joints too damn popular or I'll never get in. Best food I've had all year. The problem as stated is that if I tell you about a place you'd like - your parents/inlaws will not want to go there. And - if they do go - they will complain throughout the whole meal. My husband and I (late 50's) are from Miami (don't live there now). My parents (80+) live near Boca - and we go through this several times a year. We have developed a workable game plan. We arrive at the Marriott at Boca Center Friday night. We go to Big City for a stiff drink. We eat at Uncle Thai's (which is adequate - particularly if - like us - you're from a place like Jacksonville with no edible Chinese food) because the only alternatives my parents will go to are smaller more local places with early bird specials that the restaurants bought at Costco. It is the only place where my mother will eat a dish that is overly salted and not die from congestive heart failure. My parents go home early. My husband and I have a couple more stiff drinks at Big City. My husband gets to see many surgically enhanced breasts. He is happy. I am drunk. The next morning - my parents - starting at 9 am - will give me 10,000 reasons why they cannot possibly go out to lunch and/or get there by noon. Nevertheless - they will somehow manage to get ready and dressed by noon. We go to Legal Seafoods at the Boca mall (another adequate restaurant). We will discourage my mother - who doesn't eat real fish - from ordering the calimari because last time she sent it back because some of the pieces weren't totally round - they had legs. I do not drink before the evening - but sometimes I wish I did. The mall is great. I have fun spending money. My mother complains that everything costs too much. Saturday evening my mother makes her special dinner. Reheated BBQ chicken. My father BBQs chicken - then freezes it - then they reheat it. If any of you have seen the movie "Mother" with Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds - you will appreciate the significance of the freezer in contemporary senior citizen life. I can manage to get down the dark meat. My husband needs massive quantities of liquid to get down the white meat. We have a light lunch at my parents' house on Sunday - and then we are free to go to Miami - where we eat good food and have fun. Sad thing is - there are actually some ok restaurants around this neck of the woods (although I do not recommend Mark's on the Park - Zemi's is better - but it's the kind of place where you wish you just had appetizers and dessert). Even an Indian restaurant near my parents' house was ok - except it was the first time my parents ever ate Indian food and they swore they never would again. So if you're making a dutiful child visit to parents - I feel your pain - and recommend the very large martinis at Big City. In some ways - it is easier with my father-in-law - who lives in a nursing home near us. When we take him out for lunch or dinner - his standard line is - "don't you know any moderately priced places" (which applies to any restaurant where a lunch main course is more than $5 and a dinner main course is more than $10). I hear this again and again - even though dinner is always on us. Still - he doesn't get to pick the restaurants - so we have a fighting chance of getting a really good meal (only variable is the local restaurant scene). Anyway - I think we need a good shrink as much as a food critic in this thread. Robyn ←

[ I wish I'd read this before ordering the bavette. It truly was dreadful, a pale, angry thing that demanded to be put out of its misery. Much was good there, although the server who thought it would be a fine idea to shove the tray in my throat was an irritant (my dd used to work in an unnamed Disney restaurant, & tells me that they scorn the food plan customers & treat them badly, knowing the tip is guaranteed. Too bad; I would've tipped broadly on my considerable booze bill in addition if I hadn't been repeatedly half-strangled). Re: prefabbed, well, I had the sirloin steak the next night in MGM's Prime Time cafe & it was superb, all a steak ought to be. Note: Both Food Plan & The Prime Time Cafe were not my choices. The first is bad news- the second was underrated & actually quite fun. The onion rings though- pass.

I got my kitsch on in Waikiki with that guy-from-Hawaii-5-0's luau once & never looked back. I guess the 'Spirit of Aloha' is ok. (I much prefer running into the Kona Cafe- take the boat- while at Magic Kingdom for the excellent bisque & a Mai Tai, but that's me.) No poi (that I recall). That may be a plus for some. Jeko (at Animal Kingdom Lodge) and/or Cali Grill, of course. I always miss the timing on the damn Epcot festival, but I have 10 Epcot lb to lose from last time before I can even think of going back . Have fun! PS If you have a female companion (and PARTICULARLY if you have small children accompanying you) make sure to send her to the spa (ALONE) at the Grand Floridian for a day. It will return to sanity the excessively Disney-fied.