Sunny Simmons Steincamp

Ugh. I have them this year, too. It all got started over Beltane weekend when I had 50 people camping on our property and mounds of fruit sitting out in the kitchen for all the kids. They're STILL not gone, and I have a tight-fitting lid on my compost bucket, no food out since (I, too, put away even things I normally leave out, like onions & taters & such,) a trash compactor that doesn't seem to be particuarly interesting to the critters (maybe because all the food waste goes either to the dogs or into the compost bucket,) and am a manic kitchen cleaner. I didn't invest in or assemble any fancy traps, but found that leaving out a bottle of wine with just a smidgen in the bottle does trap a bunch of them -- though not enough. Another homesteading friend of mine recommended pouring ammonia down my sinks (which I hate to do, considering I'm on a septic system, but was desperate enough to try,) to no real noticeable avail. The past few days I have finally started to see a drop in their numbers... coinciding nicely with my hanging up of horribly unsightly, but apparently effective, fly strips. No pictures of it getting in my hair, but I had a devil of a time scrubbing the goo off the base of my paper towel stand after it got bumped up against the very bottom edge of one. I'm crossing my fingers that this will continue to get them. There sure are a ton of 'em being caught there, that's for sure. Good luck!

I pretty much did an all-day thing once several years ago when I still lived in Memphis. I met an old friend at the Peabody Hotel for their Sunday brunch at 11:00... and stayed all the way through until they were literally picking up chairs around us, at 3:00. Not willing to end our visit (we hadn't seen each other in years and years,) we walked the couple of blocks over to the river, fueled by much good food and champagne. When we began to feel peckish again around 6:00, we headed to the Rendezvous (NOT my favorite barbecue place in town, despite its fame... but it was within easy walking distance.) It was pushing 9:00 when we left there, walked *back* to the Peabody, and had a nightcap in the lobby bar before going our separate ways. Needless to say, I had to call the ex to come pick me up, as I was unwilling to drive out of downtown Memphis and all the way to the other side of town to our house after an entiire day of eating & drinking! But it was a lot of fun.

I found <a href="http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=25&t=74934">this thread</a> from last year, on eG. Scroll down a bit and there is a link to an article about a bar that makes their own, and a bit more discussion about the idea. I've wondered about this myself, because I like tonic water, but it's always too sweet (and the diet type is disgusting.) I'd love to hear how it comes out, if you try it!

This would be my solution, too; make the coffee at night, refrigerate it, then transport it (or keep it at hand, if you're not running off to work) in a thermos (one of those seemingly forgotten or under-used gadgets that I still adore.) I make mine with extra-strong coffee, sugar, and evaporated milk (my very Southern grandmother made it this way, and nothing else quite tastes right since, to me!) If you keep it in the thermos, and don't drink it out of a glass the size of a Big Gulp, you will have nice, cold iced coffee with no wateriness at all. If you have to buy it, can you ask for it without ice, then put it into your own thermos?

Sounds like an ambitious, but fun meal. I have just one suggestion for you. I feed 35-50 people a week, every Saturday night (mostly the same crowd,) and people get spoiled after a while, and I find that I try to outdo myself, etc. etc. It's fun, but a lot of work... and it was only because a very wise friend cared enough to point out that on my own birthday weekend, I should probably design a meal so that I could actually have the time and energy to enjoy my friends and my party. Do as much as you can ahead of time, and enlist some help with the last-minute preparations & the serving if you can. What's the point of wowing your guests if you're soo busy that you don't even get to enjoy "that look" on their faces -- the look that says you've locked in a culinary memory for them? Have fun, and happy birthday.

I had that fear when I found the cake I made in the banquet hall kitchen surrounded by all manner of odd things. Thankfully it was only in there for a couple of hours. I, too, hope you'll update us after the SUCCESSFUL transport!

I haven't played bartender much yet this year, with the exception of old standards. Today I opened the fridge to see a bag of mixed fruit my mom had brought home for me, leftover from a catered tray she had at a board meeting on Friday. Knowing it needed to be used like NOW, and seeing as how it was <i>almost</i> 5:00pm, I decided to whip up a cocktail, as simple as could be. I tossed the fruit into my blender with some home-grown dried mint, a pinch of sugar, and some Perrier (also mother-donated).... <img src="http://www.amarisse.net/tempimages/mintedfruitblender.jpg"> ... stirred in some vodka and lime juice, and wound up with two variations. One, I just poured as-is: <img src="http://www.amarisse.net/tempimages/mintedfruit3.jpg"> the other, I mixed with a little more Perrier for a fizzier concoction: <img src="http://www.amarisse.net/tempimages/mintedfruit1.jpg"> I'd share, but somehow both disappeared within minutes. Must have been faulty glassware.

Jeepers. I have no advice, but will send you good energies. I can't even *imagine* how hysterical I would be. I made my first-ever wedding cake for a friend's handfasting on April 1. I tried to tell her that just because she likes my food doesn't mean I can pull off a wedding cake, but she insisted, so I obliged. With great trepidation. Sixteen hours worth of work (for a three-tiered cake <i>without</i> columns; I just wasn't that brave!) netted me what I thought was a pretty respectable result (along with a hilarious, Batman-themed groom's cake) and an instant ulcer as I contemplated transporting the cakes... a whopping 15 minute drive across town! I had my friend arrange for transportation, and freaked out when she sent two of her *male* friends (yes, it was sexist of me, but they were musicians, NOT foodies!) to pick up the cakes in a mini-van. We tried to get the cakes settled, and one of the guys rode in back with them, but not until I arrived at the banquet hall and found that the cakes had, indeed, arrived unmolested did I relax. I hope you get some good advice, and that everything goes perfectly for you. Let us know how it turns out!

Wow... those look seriously wonderful. I'm feeling industrious and just might try these. I'm a sucker for any sort of wrapped concoction... from meat pies to pasteles, turnovers to tamales. I've never had (or even heard of!) these, but I can't wait to give them a whirl. Thanks for such terrific instructions!

I must have tried a dozen very different recipes before I found one I liked, and it's been foolproof ever since. I even make it on the propane stove when we go camping (because eggs benedict is a "must" for my family on those trips.) I take along drawn butter and soften it over a burner on low, and use a stainless steel bowl over another pot of hot water to mix the butter & egg yolks together. One question *I* have is this: why is it that almost every recipe I find calls for about three times as much lemon juice as I like? Is my taste just that "off," or is it akin to recipes for martinis calling for about a hundred times too much vermouth? When I eat out, hollandaise tastes like hollandaise, not lemon sauce, so why do recipes call for so much?

Well, I confess to altering this recipe when I made it... just thought you might want the original. What I did was make homemade lasagna noodles, rather than fettucini, and I did, indeed, layer & bake it. I kinda followed the sauce recipe, but we like vodka sauce, especially if there's seafood involved, so I did that. I wanted cheese, but was afraid mozzarella would be too heavy, so I used coarse-grated myzithra instead. I thought it was pretty amazing, personally... and Mom loved it. The potates were an unusual complement to lobster; I wasn't sure about it at first, but gave it a shot and it worked well, I thought. I don't imagine it came out extremely authentic, with all my changes, but we enjoyed it... and that's what matters in the end, right?

Not a restaurant (although there is a deli,) but there is a fun store called Foods of All Nations that you might check out. The address is 2121 Ivy Road, but if memory serves, it's on the same street (Rt. 250) that's called something else across Rt. 29 by the University. That's not very helpful, I know... *grin* I live in the boondocks, so shopping/dining/whatever is done either in Charlottesville or Richmond -- usually Richmond, as I have family there -- but after reading this thread (rather late) I think I'll have to finally talk the husband into driving the C'ville for our next shopping foray, and try out one of the restaurants that have been mentioned. I'd always heard that the C'ville dining scene was impressive, but have yet to actually make the trip.

Here's Mario's Lasagna Sarde With Lobster, Tomatoes And Saffron recipe. I think it's the expired one you were hoping to find? I made it for my Mom's birthday, after I got my first pasta roller. (I was a little late on the bandwagon of making my own, but have been making up for it ever since!) Thank goodness I'm a recipe packrat. 2 spiny lobsters, 1 1/2 lbs. each, steamed 10 minutes and cooled 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium red onion, in 1/8" julienne 2 ribs celery, in 1/4" pieces 1 medium potato, in 1/8" dice 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/2 lb. overripe tomatoes, in 1/2" dice 1 cup dry white wine 1 pinch saffron 1 lb. DeCecco fettucine 1/2 cup finely sliced chives Remove lobster from shells and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Bring 6 quarts water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat olive oil until smoking. Add onion, celery, potato and garlic and saute until golden brown. Add tomatoes, wine and saffron and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 1 minute. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain. Add lobster to tomato sauce in pan and toss through. Add hot pasta to pan and add chives. Toss to coat and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings

That sounds awesome! Let me give you a suggestion about this. I do it all the time with bottles & such. Go to a craft store (like Michael's or Ben Franklin) and you will find textured spray paint in a terra cotta color that is supposed to look like suede. I suppose it does, but the texture is hard and very much like terra cotta... wine bottles sprayed with it look like they're made of clay. It would very likely stick to the styrofoam just fine, too... and it's easy to apply, being a spray paint. When I thought about planting something in one of my coolers, I have to say the only thing I didn't like was the thought of how the white styrofoam would look, and the first thing I thought of was spraying the cooler with the suede spray. I love the idea of painting colors on top of it, too... very nifty! Hope you'll take pictures when you're done!

This has been a fun thread. I'm really happy to say that there's nothing, food-wise, that grosses me out or about which I have a phobia.... except <i>chocolate</i>. Ugh, nasty, blecch. I do not understand the attraction. Granted, I'm not real big on sweets in general, but most everything else I can at least appreciate in small quantities... just not that disgusting brown stuff.

I've wondered about similar things, myself, and the only thing I could come up with is that the better quality of liquor used, the less "cutting" it needs. In other words, you'd be unlikely to want to make "cocktails" with a $140 bottle of single malt scotch; you'd drink it neat or, at most, on the rocks. And as for the weak and sweet thing, what comes to mind is tequila and margaritas. If I'm lucky enough to get the husband to spring for a bottle of Porfidio or Gran Patron Platinum, I'm going to want some fresh juices, a dash of Cointreau (a personal preference,) and just a drop of simple syrup. If I'm making an 8 gallon batch of margaritas for a huge Saturday night bonfire party and am constrained to use Cuervo, I'll be doing so with a full-fledged sour mix. I'll make that sour mix from scratch, but it's going to be stronger and sweeter in order to compensate for the lesser quality of the tequila than what I'd use with the better liquor. This may or may not be what you're getting at, but it's what leapt to my mind. It could, of course, be something as simple as that some folks think it's "sissified" to add sweetness or to weaken the alcoholic bang.

I saw something that looked delectable in a back issue of Saveur magazine (a friend moved and gifted me with eight years' worth recently.) I can get the details and pass them along tomorrow (I let my brother borrow & peruse some of them,) but basically they were beautiful little bites of avocado & crabmeat mixed together and molded into rounds the size of a jumbo sushi roll and topped with caviar. I haven't tried making them yet, but they're on my short list. A staple appetizer for my family get-togethers is a really simple "caviar pie." We whip up cream cheese with a bit of mayo, a drizzle of Tabasco, a smidge of lemon juice, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, then put it all in a small springform pan and chill until firmed up. When chilled, remove from the springform and place on a serving plate that's wider than the pie by a couple of inches, then arrange in concentric circles chopped parsley, chopped hard-cooked eggs, and chopped red onion. Top the whole pie with as much caviar as you can pile on there, then dot with capers & serve with crackers. My mother, brother, and I can demolish a whole one of these made with 16 oz. of cream cheese! I never get tired of it.

Of course, I've never tried growing in coolers, but I use rock or broken pottery in the bottom of my flowerpots, so I can't imagine why gravel would be a bad idea, unless there was going to be a lot of moving around that might damage the styrofoam. Screen would be kind of a pain, I'd think, especially if you have something else lying around that would work. And I'm always for earthlike, witchy girl that I am. Of course, styrofoam is not so earthy itself, but since I "rescued" these coolers that I have, I'm all for recycling them into growing containers. They're getting a little battered from campers & festival goers here, anyway...

I so agree! Could be, could be... I'm certainly entertaining (to put it mildly, and on good days) to my Christian friends. They still like to come out here and eat with us, though.

Most of those single friends I mentioned *are* male... hehe. Sorry. About the only thing I can think of to recommend about transplanting tomatoes is this: if the plants start looking spindly, you may have to repot before you transplant. I start my seeds in tiny containers (I've been collecting those rectangular plastic baby food things from friends for a couple of years, now,) then move them to standard veggie-sized cans, then (if necessary -- and it has been, up here in the Great White North of Virginia) to medium-sized flower pots. Yes, that's a lot of transplanting, but I've had far fewer losses than when I tried going from seed-starting cubes to the out-of-doors. Of course, since you're doing containers anyway... maybe you could just start your seeds in the coolers themselves? Too bad you're not nearby. I have about 15 styro coolers sitting in the basement, rarely used. I'm tempted to try growing in coolers on the deck, myself just because I've never heard of doing it before. I've been known to try far, far stranger things...

Hee. Sorry; I have an instinctive matchmaking bent. Ask all my single friends. Glad you found a helpful nursery! About growing tomatoes from seed: it's trickier than buying seedlngs, but it's not as hard as some people seem to make it sound. When I started gardening in earnest, it was because I was a young, single mother and <i>needed</i> to grow my own vegetables (cheaply!) if I wanted my five little children to have fresh foods... the produce department is a budget-buster when money is tight. Even the seedlings were too pricey for me then, so I started out with seeds for everything, and it wasn't until much later I learned that it was supposed to be "hard" to do that with tomatoes. Of course, there was no internet back then to discourage me!

Now there's a snack fit for a pagan. ← I confess to being one of those people who dares tamper with the Holy Bagel, and have ever since I learned to make them myself. Of course, I didn't grow up nor have I ever lived anywhere near anyplace even vaguely resembling "bagel country." I've put all manner of defilements in my bagels, some of which were wonderful, and some of which weren't. I'll spare you the gory details, since this seems painful to many of you, and Good Southern Girls don't consciously cause others discomfort. I have few food snobberies, but those I do have are deep-seated. Please don't tell me if you put sugar on your grits; in fact, if you think sugar belongs on grits, you probably haven't HAD grits done properly. (They are, IMHO, one of the most under-appreciated and underestimated foods around.) I'd really rather not hear "barbecue" and "beef" in the same sentence (I'm from Memphis, not Texas, and I'm not Jewish.) I don't comprehend gumbo made without file powder or crawfish or okra (although I keep running into odd things like "chicken gumbo." HUH??) And ice cream of almost any form is, to me, seriously inferior to homemade frozen custard. Please don't get me started on cornbread. I also have to fess up to liking some quirky food combos & condiments, too, and some of them are probably regional. I like mayonnaise on hamburgers... and on blackeyed peas. I put Tabasco on my hot dogs. I like Swiss cheese on my cheesteaks (but have enough self-preservation instincts and friends from PA never, ever to call them "Philly" cheesesteaks thusly assembled.) I'm not much for potato chips, unless they're pickle flavored. In than vein, I like fried dill pickles. I want cheddar cheese on my apple pie, black pepper on cottage cheese, and crave banana and mayonnaise sandwiches with embarassing regularity. I'll gleefully put just about anything you can imagine on a pizza. And bacon & cheddar bagels sound like something I'd like to try. Of course, that might just be because I *am* Pagan.

I've heard of a romance that started from a very, very similar situation. *grin* Hope all goes swimmingly for you.

I like online menus for several reasons, some of which have been already mentioned. My family is a bunch of geeks... who happen to live in the sticks. And boy, do I mean <i>in the sticks</i>. To go out for dinner on purpose entails over two hours of driving, plus eating, plus (usually) trying to combine in-town erranding needs, so having the ability to scope out restaurants to see if they seem to be places we'd enjoy is valuable. As an example, when my husband and I were looking to go out to dinner for our anniversary last year, we decided to forego our usual sushi place and try something new. Our daughter-in-law suggested two seafood restaurants in a nearby town, and I checked out both. One billed itself as preparing "Cuban-infused" seafood cuisine; the other was more generic. While I was all for the former, after looking over their menu, my husband (who is, granted, a more persnickety diner than am I) couldn't find a thing that looked even remotely pleasing to him, so we 86'd that idea and had a pleasant, if somewhat unremarkable, meal at the latter. Having the ability to see what was offered kept my husband from not enjoying our anniversary meal, and I just waited a few weeks and hit the niftier place with my Mom. Another reason I love finding a restaurant has a website is something akin to judging a book by its cover. Because the husband and I are both web designers, we look at any company's web presence as a yardstick for its ability to adapt to the technology of today, its awareness of the needs of its potential clientele, and its (for lack of better word) pride. We've found that sometimes this judgment holds true... and sometimes the restaurant would have been better served by putting the money spent on the website into other, more consumable, considerations. And our favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Richmond has no web presence at all; the owner and his clan spend most of their time at work... and the rest with their family, and he has told us before, when we asked specifically, that he thinks word-of-mouth is better for business than some web page. Interestingly, he also said that having an online menu (which they apparently did for a short time) caused customers to be disappointed or even angry when they discovered that the restaurant didn't deliver. (It's a very small, family-run place in the heart of a business district in the West End of Richmond, VA.) Lastly (and sorry for the epistle-length post,) I find online menus to be like... well, if not food porn, then at least foreplay. I have a list on my computer (and periodically updated into my kitchen notebook) of dishes I found on restaurant sites & online menus that I hadn't thought to make, or combinations that I found original, or dishes that I plan (or even just dream of) developing for myself at some point. Because I feed a big family every day, a gaggle of folks every weekend (we have an open-house drum circle on Saturday nights,) and significantly larger crowds at periodic festivals on our grounds throughout the year, I'm always trying to find dishes that go beyond the norm for such occasions. I find online menus inspiring and exciting and just a whole heck of a lot of fun. Of course, I'm pretty easily amused...

Hee hee. I can relate to this attitude. Generally I can pull it off but I've been consistently stumped by what appeared for all the world to be a straightforward preparation of salmon in a hot pot that is my husband's absolute favorite thing at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Try as I might, I'm stumped. I think I might need a clay crock or something. That's one thing I *always* order out, now... still trying to analyze what I'm doing wrong. Pizza, subs, pitas, naan, french fries -- all those I can make better at home (with an awful lot of trial, error, and just plain practice.) I never buy bread in a store, or pasta (except for tube-type pastas.) But the elusive salmon, along with sushi (no access to sushi-grade seafood,) and, of all things, fried mushrooms (I know, I know...) serve to keep me at least somewhat humbled. Great. Now I'm craving that salmon...