Kouign Aman

Yeah, but studies have been done on what's under cat claws vs whats in dog's mouths. I'll take dog spit any day. Plus, studies have been done on what wooden cutting boards do to bacteria. Results surprised the heck out of everyone, at the time.

While I would prefer cooks not dip their tasting spoon into the product after its been used once, its the rare family cook who is carrying anything so nasty that it will make the rest of the family sick from eating the food. And if its one meal being cooked, odds are small that the donated bacteria would have time to grow into spoilage. Airborne molds would probably do the trick first. Typhoid Mary was real, and an excellent example of why good food hygeine is important, but if you kiss your mom, or share a bite off her plate, you arent getting anything worse if she tasted the food with the same spoon twice. Circumstances do matter. If I had to choose, I'd rather have dog-licked biscuit board than cat-feet on counter. Now to hope I never have to choose.

Cumin. Cumin smells like "Mexican Food", the way that barbecue smells like "The South".

Its also a candidate for the obscene sandwich topic. Looks so fabulous.

Popcorn, unsalted butter, Lawry's. Its good. Spike is better, but Lawry's is good.

I used this article for inspiration when testing cooking time for medium eggs (a size I've never used before) with perfect set-whites, soft-yolk to completely-runny yolk, to be peeled and marinated in a water/mirin/soy mix (3:1:1). Its freaking impossible to peel an intact egg if the whites are not fully set. It deforms and destroys itself. I will stand by that statement until and unless someone provides hard documentary evidence and a demonstration to the contrary. I eventually ended at 3:50 minutes, for a product like Parmhero's. I love that picture!

I like to mix the hot cheetos with regular cheetos, to get that cayenne / cheesy flavor. Toliver, I love the way you scan the bags & post the pic.

Wow! Thank you. I will try to dig up a copy at below the current going price. I wonder if he was involved in finding the cause of death for 3 hunters, found dead around their morning campfire? Turns out they'd left the coffee pot out overnight, and in the am, first one up just heated up the leftovers, and all drank. All 4 died - the poisonous salamandar/newt that had crawled into the pot overnight, and the hunters that it poisoned inadvertently.

I read the original post as a general theme/design question, not a specific on blackboard yes or no or other. Pastrygirl offered this:clean modern design, even that industrial/reclaimed aesthetic. If a place has great wooden beams from a century ago and vintage brick I enjoy seeing them exposed I'm wondering if its soon enough for the wicker/greenhouse look to make a come-back. The cushions can change for two looks - summer, vs winter. Its comfortable and attractive (and made of plastic). A local place is using black wrought iron and chintz, but they've a big patio and are tying the indoors look to that. Might not work so well in your neck of the woods. If chalkboard as actual chalkboard, I like the idea of printing a copy of the specials and inserting in menus or placing on tables. I hate getting up and walking back to read the board. Good luck!

I have GOT to get this book !

Tropical Star on Balboa sells a maracuya batido that I love. FP - thanks for the trip to City Heights. Saturday am is such a sensible time for a market. The one nearest me is on Wednesday afternoons, and that's not gonna happen! Linda Vista is opening a farmer's market soon too.

Yum. Did you follow that cream feast w gateau? How ever did you manage without a cooler in the car to carry apples and cheese and crisps, in case of need? And of course, a new chocolate bar variety for each new day.

Yup, always we always clean the counters because there's no guarantee the cat didnt journey thru when no one was looking. Blech. Cant always keep the beasts off, but can do a lot to discourage it or mitigate it. Still, tho I had to toss the butter & reset the table, it was hilariously funny to see the cat stretched to her limit, front paws on the table, lick, lick, licking it, as we got ready for dinner.

I agree: if it would be safe in the fridge at that temp, starting from warm, then its safer in the freezer at that temp, starting from frozen. If you want, you can calibrate your sense of cold as in 'cold to the touch' by checking temp of your fridge and how those things feel. Think of it as an excuse to eat a lot of stuff that would otherwise sit in the freezer.

Oh my, those are some pretty passion fruit. I usually wait til they are shriveled and wrinkly before opening them. You?

The poorly dressed schmuck could instead thank profusely, and tip ridiculously high, and that will be remembered, thus improving service next time. Not saying the pds should do such a thing, but it is an option. And it does work (been there, done that, when not-returning was not an option).

Hola, Pedroinspain. Nice first post. Me, Im astounded how the tip crept up as a % of total. As prices increased, so did the value of tips, while remaining at 15% of the check. But now, "20% is the new 15%", plus the meal is 15% more expensive, so waitstaff wages effectively went up >30% over the past few years. Be interesting to know how many people order less or more cheaply, in order to keep the tab at or below about where it was, so they can afford the increased tip, thus netting the waitperson no increase.

Best meal-while-newly-in-love was at Vincent's Sorrino's in Escondido. My love had been dining there several years, and was served exactly what he wanted, even though it was no longer on the menu. He asked nicely if it were possible, the waiter checked and said indeed it was, and so it happened. And of course, as a qualifier for this thread, the food was excellent.

Pretty! Have you tried the farmer's market in City Heights yet? Some of their stuff comes from a local community garden. Its a nice idea, but I havent been to the market to see how it works out.

Not as much as third world power plants do.

Low slow electric oven? Commercial dessicant?

What is the reasoning behind no cheese?

Often, the error or annoyance will be quickly corrected if brought to someone's attention. Try it, and if that doesnt work, dont come back. Do write the manager a polite letter explaining why you wont come back, and why you wish it werent that way. "I ate here Tuesday. The food is so creative and good that I really regret that I wont be returning due to being seated under a leaky ceiling, and not being moved once it was brought to the staff's attention". Worst case, they round file it, you made your point and you moved on. Best case, they send you a nice "we're sorry, please come back", you do, and its lovely. Really bad service, ask to speak to manager. Maybe the waitperson's kid was hospitalized that day and they are more distracted than they realize. There are times I dont tip, but first I ask to have it made right. I agree with this:

Yum, Kim. Your report is making me nostalgic and hungry. Did you get to try cream donuts? (Cream, not 'creme'.) Black pudding? Sausage rolls? All that, and you cooked too!

At the more expensive places, there's usually been an offer to make some kind of pasta dish, rather than a standardized kid's menu, in my experience, heidih. I turn that down ,because if she wont eat something prepared specially, that's a real drag. At least if she doesnt eat what's ordered off the menu, there was no special fuss involved. G - what a fabulous breakfast that would be! We're dragging the munchkin up to your corner of the world in a couple days. I took notes off your blog, but it wont be a food oriented trip, so may have no control of where we eat. Still, I can hope.