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I hear rumors it might hit 100 in Boston, MA. I'm in the non-appliance-usage category. Instead, I like to assemble: Caprese salad, beans in vinaigrette, watermelon and feta salad, pate and cheese from Formaggio Kitchen and bread from Clear Flour.

Recently read a 3 parter on a food blog about the culinary boot camp - Beyond Salom Blog

I eat salad every day for lunch. My all time favorites: 1. Chevre Chaud 2. Curried mango quinoa salad 3. Corn & Barley salad 4. Cucumber & lime quinoa salad 5. Salade frisee aux lardons 6. 7. Potato & bell pepper salad in a Dijon vinaigrette

White Castle has a nostalgy factor for me (having grown up in NJ), but I haven't ever had them while sober. I shudder at the thought. Regarding gefilte fish - no thanks. Also I ponder why people eat matzah (jew here). It's like eating cement. Why would you do that to your system? Where did Vienna sausages come from and why won't they go back there? The only thing I've ever seen while travelling and not understood is the canned spaghetti sandwich, first encountered in New Zealand.

How about Naengmyun - a cold Korean soup with pickles, cucumber, hard boiled egg, noodles, beef broth, ice cubes and beef strips?

I have to agree with 9lives heres - Frank DePasquale's empire is a little imposing, but the food at Il Panino is still very good - as is the cheaper alternative at Il Panino Express. Tried the Gelateria this weekend - seems like a comfortable spot, although we took ours for takeaway and snagged a bench elsewhere. D and his brother had tiramisu - excellent texture but it didn't taste like much. J chose lemon which was quite refreshing. The zambaione was excellent - of course I chose the best one .

The fried octopus were really good! I loved the Japanese style breakfast. Western/continental breakfasts have always been disgusting to me, and I was so happy to get grilled fish! I also loved the freshness and variety of seafood and how it varied between cities. The conveyer belt sushi was really fun as well. Unfourtunately I didn't take pictures of some of the interesting teas and fruit drinks we had in the karaoke boxes and cafes - I really enjoyed that aspect of the dining culture as well. I was also struck with the presentation. Something as simple as a fruit plate in a cafe in Harajuku would be turned into a wild sculpture.

The okonomiyaki was actually quite good - though not as much fun as the manjayaki and yakisoba (which we were able to cook ourselves). The seaweed and bonita flakes were great - love how the bonita dances on the hot cake!

Thought I would share some food pictures from a recent 2 week trip to Japan. In chronological order: Kyoto: Sadly I kept forgetting to photograph the food I ate in Kyoto. Beppu: From Hakata to Beppu I had a snack on the train: Dinner: A snack of fried octopus: Bento Box for lunch: Japanese breakfast: Osaka: Snack of Octopus balls: Okonmiyaki: My friend Lisa with a parfait: Scallion pancake at HEP 5: Hijemi: Udon soup: Hakone: Tuna donburi: Yokahama: Pork cutlet donburi and soba noodle side dish: Tokyo: Conveyer belt sushi in Shinjuku: Conveyer belt sushi in Akusaka: Manjayaki before: Manjayaki after: Yakisoba:

In 2006, I will eat anything new and different including food of which I can't pronounce the name. Definitely making progress here. Leaving for Japan on Sunday, which I think will help boost my numbers. I will make a real effort to stop eating cowtails at work. I'm done to a once a week binge. I will find new recipes to make and consume. Been pretty good about this. I will learn how to make cheese cake that isn't ricotta based even though that's the only kind I like. No progress. I really need to try to do this. I will teach my honey to be somewhat efficient in the kitchen. He's been wonderful! I will read a cookbook that I don't already know how to make the recipes in. I think I need to buy a new cookbook first. Sigh. This is the year I will try to actually bake something sweet, including carrot cake No progress here. I made biscuits and that's about it. I will taste wine and understand its complexities before downing it. I will use an apron. I need to buy an apron. I will give D less of a hard time in the kitchen and remember that I'm not a caterer anymore, I'm just a home cook. Check. I will cook as much as possible and stop ordering takeout from the same places. Check. Except Urban Gourmet - their cowboy pie (white sauced pizza with grilled chicken, tomatoes, bacon and red onion) is too good not to order. We will run to offset all the food we will eat - perhaps even that marathon we've been training for forever. Working on it. Bring it on NY Marathon. My kids consist of one 31 adult man who cannot cook. He will learn or die trying in the next year. He successfully cooked mother's day dinner a few weeks ago and everyone was suitably impressed.

Day trips: In Conway is a seafood shack called Jonathon's - tasty fried seafood and lobster rolls. They have a hot fried lobster roll that is also good - daily shipments from the coast. Conway is around 45 minutes from Lincoln. Also in Conway is the Moat - mostly known for their beer selection. In Osipee is a place called the Yankee Smokehouse - I would probably only rate this as 3 grease stains, but it's whole lotta smoked pig for your money. See my recent post. Up in Jackson, NH is the Red Fox Pub. Very family, with a hysterical salad bar, decent pub grub and good beers on tap.

I could not have picked a worse reply than my first one to this post. I don't know the first thing about Lincoln except that it's on the Kanc. Sorry and good luck!

Count me as another one that orders fried foods out. Also ice cream - we don't have the machinery, electrical outlets, space, or patience to make it at home. Other than that, really time consuming dishes - braised short ribs or smoked meats for example.

Could you tell us a little more specifically where in the White Mountains you'll be? I don't want to give you recommendations for Lincoln if you're going to be in Conway. Thanks.

Stopped off at the Yankee Smokehouse in Osipee, NH on the way back from a long weekend up North. As the waitress said, it's all about the pig. Not bad for the money, and I've had leftovers for lunch for days now.

The usual for steak - regardless of budget or location: Brasserie Jo. Capital Grille - dry aged beef: Kona Crusted Sirloin or Porterhouse. Mortons: Porterhouse or Cajun Rib Eye. Smith & Wollensky. Abe and Louie's. Here are the less steak-centric, cheaper recommendations near Fenway: Eastern Standard - hopping bar scene, compentently made drinks, decent food, down the street from the park. Petit Robert Bistro - reasonably priced French food. Trattoria Toscona - had an amazing Tagliata Di Manzo Al Rosmarino grilled beef steak perfumed with rosemary and olive oil two weeks ago - reasonably priced Italian trattoria set in the fens.

I am pretty much in love with anything that tastes earthy, grassy and green, so when fiddlehead season (week) happens in the Northeast - watch out - for I will elbow you to fill my bag at the grocery store. Anyway, besides the de rigeur blanching and sauteeing in copious amounts of garlic, butter and red pepper flakes, I like to dress soups, make a salad, and pickle them. With tweaking, some of these recipes aren't half bad.

Beyond Salmon La tartine gourmande

YES YES! That's it! Thanks!

Perhaps someone can answer this question for me. We used to have a condo in Sugarbush, and loved a restaurant nearby (not in Sugarbush, but perhaps in Waistfield or Warren). It was an inn, but also had an excellent restaurant. On the grounds wanderered sheep, perhaps some turkeys, I don't really remember. Am I thinking of the Pitcher Inn? Thanks!

You beat me to it! I was just about to ask what the hell the lazy susan is for if not for the ease of sharing dishes? Has common sense just flown out the window with these people??

This is basically how my mom raised me. My parents had me later in life and their friends' children were already in their teens and twenties when I came about. My parents entertained at home an awful lot and I was always expected to not only be a serving wench but also sit with the adults and behave myself. On a few occasions my parents would have grandma watch me so they could go out to father's company bashes and such, but for the most part, we were never in the seen and not heard camp. I've said this before and I'll say it again, how on earth are children to learn their manners and their social graces if they're not put in these types of situations? I don't have kids yet, and neither do most of my friends so this really isn't an issue for me. However, if your children are well behaved, I'll welcome them into my house at all times, as long as I don't have to sit around and talk about how damn cute they are. Seriously. Ill behaved children will be thrown into the basement, however, and their irresponsible parents too!

slice in half, remove the seed, fill hallow with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Eat with a spoon.

Thanks for the suggestions! The company is actually supplying the beer. Looks like I'm making some flan.

Finally tried out the lobster roll at Neptune last Saturday - drool worthy - seriously drool worthy. $19 gets you the meat of two chicken lobsters, hot and buttered, on a toasted buttered brioche roll. The fries are actually quite good too. Definitely moved up as my favorite lobster roll in Boston (I didn't say Maine though, Holly!)