suzilightning

well, gordon ramsey is being promo-ed to be on Live with Regis and Kelly for their "Grilling a go-go" segment tomorrow ...

We go through New Braunfels occasionally, usually either on our way to Lockhart for BBQ or to San Marcos to shop at the outlet malls. I may have been missing out on the German experience in New Braunfels. Only good food I have had there is from an old bakery in their kinda historic downtown-ish area. Any particular places in New Braunfels that you would recommend? I'm sure good German food would be worth traveling for. you probably are thinking about Friesenhaus Resturant and Bakery. they do make hearty old world style breads. i really liked the leberkase and john went for the pork schnitzel. we were staying near the New Braunfels Smokehouse and between the bread from Friesenhaus and the smoked meats from here we tended to have a very moveable feast while we were out birding. i kept being drawn back to the smoked jalapeno wurst and john really liked the venison and pork sausages as well as the weisswurst.

somewhere i have a recipe for a chocolate zucchini bread and one of my former employees used to make what she called martian cookies - chocolate chip and M&M zucchini cookies... must see if i can find those recipes

no, you are a future engineer! the OCD does kick in. tupac - just hike a bit north to new braunfels for german food including bbq and smoked meats.. i don't remember sausages when we lived in Hooks but oh, my goodness - open pit beef, catfish, chicken fried steak with gravy, frogs legs. if you like i remember a book where i work that talked about the history of bbq in texas. i have to go in tomorrow for in-service training and i can research it. oh- and i WILL fight you for the burnt ends. since you are a PROUD son of the GREAT STATE of TEXAS have you tried any of the bbq joints in the city and, if so, what are your thoughts on them?

i was thinking of Luzzi's as well but not sure how far you are willing to travel. here are a few possibilities though staying away from my favorite thai: Spain Rincon in Wharton on Richard Mine Road. they don't have a website but you might try something like ardore: http://www.ardore.com to find a link The Quiet Man in Dover http:http://www.quietmanpub.com/ Cerilli's in Randolph (Old Brookside). if they are still in business - check ardore Black River Barn in Randolph (Rt. 10 W) http://www.blackriverbarn.com/ Rosie's Trattoria in Randolph(Sussex Turnpike). this used to be Patricia's - ardore again La Dolce Vita in Wharton next to the Shoprite - BYO If you want to go a bit further maybe Bell's Mansion in Stanhope (Rt. 183) or Zoe's by the Lake in Spsrta which sounds more like what your mom and you would like http://www.zoesbythelake.com/

i've been making coleslaw with a cooked dressing for years. it comes from The Old-Fashioned Cookbook by Jan McBride Carlton it uses equal parts sugar, water and cider vinegar(1/2 cup), 1 Tbsp cornstarch, t tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, 1 beaten egg and 1 Tbsp butter. i have added 1/2 tsp celery seed to it. you combine sugar, cornstarch, mustard and salt in a saucepan. stir in everything except the butter and celery seed an cook until thickened. stir in the butter and celery seed and chill.

in each car's glove box there are chopsticks, plastic cutlery and a corkscrew and church key. on trips i pack sandwiches, cookies, chips of some sort and water and a sports drink - inevitably 1/2 an hour after we start out i hear "what do we have to eat?" from johnnybird during the hawkwatch i have in my trunk a small box with: South Beach Diet cranberry almond bars, fruit snacks like fruit leather,cookies for when john stops by, granola and the very important chocolate - in our case fudgy bourbon brownies. i bring for my breakfast and lunch vanilla soy youghurt, fresh fruit, the makings of tomato sandwiches or chicken waldorf salad and water - or in coleer months - a thermos of coffee. the rest of the year there is dried fruit, the cranberry almond bars and fruit snacks along with bottles of water.

in that case try it on ritz crackers - almost orgasmic and i agree with you on the swiss and tomato - though i am a texture chick and like my bread toasted

i have learned to bring my own small jar of miracle whip up when forced to visit the inlaws. i have got to try to make it myself since i find even the regular seems to be a bit less vinegary than it used to be. ohhhhhhh, sandy. i have got to try that catalina dressing - my favorite since childhood when drizzled over slices of tomatoes that have been sprinkled with mouth watering blue cheese. i can make a meal of that!!! or a piece of toast with mw and tomato slices.... oh, god when will the good ones come in!!!!?????

i, too, have been abused for my love of miracle whip. i grew up with it. johnnybird grew up with mayo. i make mayo from scratch but do not get between me and my miracle whip(light these days). it is the best in a chicken waldorf salad, my mom's stuffed- no mustard- eggs, a turkey sandwich on portugese sweet bread with cranberry sauce, potato salad with onion, chopped eggs, peas, relish and miracle whip, very chunky blue cheese salad dressing. tuna salad with celery salt, minced shallots and miracle whip on toast or mixed into macaroni salad with red and green peppers, a piece of toast with miracle whip, a fresh jersey tomato slice and a piece of swiss cheese...... viva la whip

A good bread shouldn't have to be served warm ← Unconundrum, I agree completely with you. And I do like to use a good fava bean spread occasionally. ← but it shouldn't be served ICE COLD as i have, unfortunately had it in many north jersey restaurants - ok - i will take it room temperature but i don't want it cold!!

guys, the original question was about SIMMERING not BOILING in plastic wrap. unfortunately my data entry addled brain can't remember the article i read recently(NYTimes mag, Saveur, Cooking Light, or on of the other cooking mags at work) about creating poached chicken rouladen in plastic wrap that the chef demonstrated and his dishwasher did at home the next day. it basically is a version of a ballotin(sp). what mags does the wife read?

No problem. It can't be all that expensive can it? Hmmm, maybe I need to look for or start a rack of lamb topic. It's been ages since I've made it. ← i'm doing lamb burgers tomorrow if you can make it...... end of july johnnybird is gone, i'm painting our bedroom and i can grill some lamb.....

johnnybird and me???? perhaps, chef, we should take this into pm heaven and do some finagling to do a get together? or if not pm me and we could do something........

susan and paul - happy anniversary!!! ok- no cabin - boo-hiss!! this is a big one. a really good bottle of wine/champagne to accompany whatever you want. cheese and crackers? some smoked fish - want me to fed ex some Perona Farms salmon - choose your flavor.? i buy it out the back of the building since i work in town. since you didn't send me any of that wonderful fish paul caught did you dry or freeze any? or you could go old school with herrings and deviled eggs. really good sandwiches? muffaleta? steak sarnies? i know you really kick butt - in more ways than one- but do you have anything in the freezer that you can feed to each other? chocolate covered rasberries? chocolate covered strawberries? any chocolate? and sweetie - get a room then suprise him with a new..............pm if you have to! have a wonderful time

Ahem. That's Marlene to you. I've got a period coming up with the boys away. I'm thinking rack of lamb would be really good one night! sorry marlene <hangs head in shame>. how much is a quick trip up to canada these days? i can be your kitchen helper... for rack of lamb. i am a good dishwasher...

john has been trying to finish his 35's and become a member of the club:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catskill_Mountain_3500_Club since his trips tend to be 2-3 days at the most i send some hard boiled eggs and dried oatmeal with him for breakfast. lunches tend to be pita bread and peanut butter. for the first night it is a hamburger/carrot/pea/onion/potato stew that i make and freeze. it thaws out on the hike in and can be cooked retort or in a pot over the msr/whisper. for trail noshes he really likes Pemmican turkey jerky and a trail mix of blueberries, cherries, dark chopped chocolate, oatmeal that i bake in the oven with honey, sunflower seeds and almonds.

But is it better than the same tired old bread tray introduction to a meal ? ← gg- i don't mind bread (warm thank you) with olive oil or a lima and parmesan spread(one place we used to go did this - when they saw john walk in they knew to send out two ramekins of the spread)or an interesting mix of breads(one local place here in nj, An American Grill has the most diverse bread basket i have seen). i have, however had some horrible chicken liver served on a cracker with some sort of a jam made with fruit, garlic and eggplant rollatini - emphasis on the garlic, and even mini cheese burgers. nice but it doesn't exactly set the mood for the roast pork, venison or even pasta i will be eating later. in my taste mind it can many times be a clash. since i have had some bad times now i usually ask what the amuse for the night might be and if it doesn't fit in with my head's flavor profile i will just say something like "i'm sure it is wonderful but please save it for someone who might appreciate it more".

i'm with maggie - lamb, lamb, lamb, lamb, lamb. the only time i can cook this at home is when johnnybird is away. (hmmmmmmmmmmm he's down in GG's neck of the woods this week. i say lamb burgers are in the future). french fries. i'll do oven baked fries, though. sushi - specifically rainbow roll for the birdy i need lamb now...........in an onion pita with raita and sauteed onions - bye

nothing hot unless it comes off the grill - though on a positive note i am compiling a list of foods i want to make and the recipe boxes have been pulled out... buffalo chicken salad cobb salad gazpacho fruit soups one trick from many years ago - i always try to poach chicken or tuna steaks very early in the morning - they become salads for the evening meal with pasta or greens and when they come in the freakin New Jersey tomatoes for the BEST BBT's - bacon, basil and tomato.

i would prefer NOT to be amused most of the time - many times what is presented isn't necessarily something i would even order off the menu. if i want something to amuse me i will order it - unless it is cheese - ohhhhhhhh, cheese...... good cheese doc - it isn't even high end but medium to medium low end that seem to feel like they have to send something out....

not as of two sundays ago and that's about 25 minutes from vernon. went to a private function and ate salad and fresh fruit because everything else really didn't look good or smelled horrid(is poached salmon supposed to smell?!)

chef- friends who are from up there like: harpoon bay on 94 in Warwick http://www.harpoonbay.com/ 10 railroad ave also in warwick http://tenrailroad.com/ i like yesterdays on main street http://www.yesterdaysnet.com/ peasant on 23 in hamburg restaurant latour has gotten very good reviews. i wanted to go there for my birthday last year but with a broken ankle johnnybird couldn't sit too well http://www.nj.com/dining/reviews_ledger.ssf?20286?20286 and finally gigi's folderol II in wettstown http://orangecountynyrestaurants.com/folderol.htm personally i love the dogs that the DQ serves!!! hope this helps - oh, and stay away from chumley's - it sucks big time

daniel - we need pictures, man!!

this may fit your criteria: i was listening to the food network special on diners(hey, i do live in jersey where they are thick on the ground - 2 in my town alone) while entering hawk data and they mentioned The Modern in Pawticket, RI which seems to be really upscale on the weekends with up to 35 specials on the weekends only. during the week it is regular diner food... tim russert is interviewing tom brokaw - gotta go. hope this helps