mzrb

One of my biggest pet peeves: When you've put money down with the check and it's obvious you need money back...like, say, the check is for 11.00 and you put down a 20 and the server asks you if you need change back. Uh, yes, please. No matter how fantastic a server you are, don't ever assume you're getting a tip...and before we get into a discussion about how servers live on tips (i know, believe me!)...IT'S JUST PLAIN RUDE TO DO IT THIS WAY! Just say 'thanks, i'll be back with your change in a minute." phewsh. that had been on my chest a while. thanks...

I picked up an order from them last weekend and am so happy that Chengdu is here. Since moving from NYC I have bemoaned my suburban status for many reasons, but the lack of real Chinese food was a major part of my unhappiness. Okay, I still miss NYC, but the prospect of chengdu makes me v. happy. I had lunch there recently by myself after the lunch rush and couldn't decide what to have. The owner said to trust him, asked me what interested me and brought a lovely dish of velveted chicken with chinese greens that was mild (my request) and subtle and perfect. I'd lost the menu for take-out, so followed many of the recs here. The sichuan dumplings were a treat and the surprise winner was the Shrimp in Sesame, which was not the nasty fried shrimp in glob sauce you usually find around here. The sauce was delicate and rich with chopped garlic. The shrimp themselves were perfectly cooked and just the right amount of salty. I look forward to eating there with a big crowd soon, so I can try more. Hmmm...maybe that's where all us egulleters should meet?

After my snarky little entry, I feel I have to say something very important--and it shouldn't be an afterthought (i'm just not focused enough today, sorry!): her cupcakes are much better than you can get at any bakery anywhere around here. The quality of the chocolate in the icing alone is beyond comparison of anything around here. So, I don't mean to rain on her parade, I just wasn't there on her best day, I guess.

I went today and found myself alone in the store with the owner who only looked up after I said "hello," which I will say upfront puts me off a place, especially a small storefront like this one. I was pleased, tho, with the selection of cupcakes. I bought a variety of types, plus some biscotti. The double choc biscotti were good and had nice texture; the coffee biscotti was stale and probably would've been a lot nicer when it was fresh as it appeared to have fresh ground beans in it, which is a nice idea. The cookies and cream cupcake was a brilliant notion and was glormed down by my daughter. What she left me to try was nice, moist, flavorful and had a nice crumb. Unfort., two of the other cupcakes I had had were way too dense in the middle--not normal dense, but not enough leavening/too much moisture collapsed dough dense. They were very nice flavors (strawberry milk and french toast), and probably would've been enjoyable had they not been misfits. I also had some of a key lime cupcake with chocolate frosting, which wasn't too strong on the key lime flavor, but had an okay dark chocolate ganache. I think it's worth a visit, as I am sure the density problems were just today's issue. Will I rush back? Probably not, but that's only (at the risk of sounding like a princess) because I'm a pretty decent baker myself. But, if you like cupcakes, and don't bake for yourself, then I think it's definitely worth a visit. and maybe you'll be more successful at getting a smile out of the owner!

Couldn't agree more with the previous post that claimed this the best Thai in the area. Esp. when compared to the ones in Montclair that make such a fuss about themselves. We get take-out from here at least once a week. I can also recommend the dumplings, which were esp tasty last night. They do nice things with vegetables, too. Eating in is a treat since they redecorated, as well.

Unfort., I don't know where i read this originally--but my memory is it was a really reliable source--but scientists said it was okay to leave pizza out for a couple of days, as the high acid level of the tomato sauce kept bacteria at bay. So, neurotic as I am about getting things into the fridge (I am from the "when in doubt, throw it out" school of thinking), I am happy to leave pizza out.

FYI: Just back from LBI and noticed that the mexican grocery looked shuttered and closed for good. could this be true? and one other note: Holiday Snack Bar (the place with the burgers in my previous post) has the a first-rate slice of key lime pie. and real whipped cream. not the aerated nonsense.

Three favorites: Rosario's in Watchung Plaza, Montclair makes top quality Italian sausage. I'm sure you will see many other "best of Italian sausage" postings from around New Jersey...best Rosario is the real deal--a caring butcher who also makes homemade mozzarella 3 times a day. Truly sublime. But: he also makes an organic chicken sausage that is always juicy and flavorful and worth trying. In New Providence, NJ, it's worth seeking out Barth's Pork Store. They've been around since the 1940s, using the Barth family sausage recipes some nice family member brought with them from Germany. They have their own smokehouse on the premises. And, as the wife of an Englishman, I have to point out that Whole Foods, for all my love/hate relationship with them, sells Irish Bangers from a company called Hans, that are near perfection as far as a banger is concerned. Hope this helps. What a nice meal it will be. I may follow suit. Let us know what YOU decide.

not to mention, imho, that the flavor of coldstone ice cream is just plain odd.

Some day, when the dream comes true and maybe I open that little fine cheese shop that also sells wonderful cookies and brownies here in montclair, don't you think I should have one of those little automated donut fryers to cook up from-scratch donuts every morning? this is beginning to really intrigue me! (thanks for daydreaming with me)

Oh, Maggie. Your story got me all moist-eyed...I remember the the feeling of success/hope when my dad finally requested some "real" food and enjoyed it while he was going through chemo. His staples were Papaya King (yes, the nyc hot dog joint) papaya drinks and waffles with austrian raspberry syrup. The raspberry syrup was a total throwback to his days as an alpine mountain boy in Austria. It's funny how that works, isn't it? (anyhoo, he's much better now and i send your family good thoughts for a speedy return to health). And as for toast, well, for all the waxing on I could do on this site about the finer points of whatever it is...when it comes down to it, warm toast with melted butter. Maybe some kosher salt sprinkled on top.... My most comforting snack is toasted rye bread, slathered in butter and then rubbed generously with a cut half of raw garlic. It's what my grandma used to eat, too. thanks for your post.

you guys are great. thank you for all your info. and have you made the epi recipe for limoncello and approve? would love your opinions!

Spent a couple of weeks down there last summer (on either end of the summer season) and found our greatest ally was the Pearl River Market for really good take-out salads and sandwiches and really great crabcakes. I can't rec the mayonnaise-y salads or that sort of thing...but if you call in advance they'll steam you lobsters for your lunch or dinner -- bearing in mind that they close at 8. they also had a killer crab/cream cheese dippy thing that I enjoyed overlooking the beach at sunset. they also stock a lot of great local seafood if you feel like cooking yourself. We had local flounder that had practically jumped off the boat into my frying pan. They also have great breakfast burritos and egg sandwiches if you make it out of bed early. Nice to ride your bike down there and sit out under the umbrellas. Anyhoo, it was our source of much happy food. Can anyone remember the name of the great olde time round-shaped burger joint that serves simple burgers, grilled cheese, maybe some wings and really good, homemade, not fake, chocolate cakes and good pies (key lime was our fave.) It's a bargain and a thoroughly enjoyable trip in the time machine. No kobe-beef joint this one...but a great "down the shore" summertime experience.

Mmmmm...veal loaf. hot veal loaf made by a local german butcher shop. esp when it gets a tad overheated and the ends crisp up. rye bread is a nice accompaniment...but just rolled up with a touch of mustard is delicious.

Way back when, when I was little (!!) and worked at SPY magazine (the original, "funny years"), we had a feature in nearly every issue called "Logrolling in Our Time" which featured just this sort of back-of-the-book-blurb-backscratching. It's always been this way and always will be. and hopefully, one day, one of your friends will do it for you! it is, indeed, the way it is often done.

Just wanted to thank you for all your help. Esp alanamoana...and her tip about seeing if the pan fit in my oven. D'OH! wow. who has no brain cells in her head? ME! anyway...i returned the 16" and bought a 14" instead (and was interested to see that Sur La Table's prices for pans were 2 dollars cheaper than craft store ACMoore, FYI. Anyway, did a dress rehearsal of the cake today and it baked like a dream. Iced it with two kinds of whipped ganache (used different chocolates/one batch had cognac and butter in it along with the choc and cream) to see which I liked best. Now I have a 14" humongo cake downstairs, and I guess, some very lucky neighbors... Here's hoping I can have a good dress rehearsal and a good performance. Thanks for all your help.

i cut this recipe out of gourmet back 1996 and have loved it ever since. here's a link to it on epicurious. if you have trouble with link, let me know and i'll input the recipe for you. enjoy. total yumminess. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/11797

I feel I am in a safe place! Able to talk about ice cream so soon after breakfast; and I know none of you would flinch if I told you that I wanted to eat ice cream right now, instead of lunch. If I didn't need to be at a meeting this afternoon, I would be mapquesting my way to Denville. Thanks for the write-up.

Now you've whetted my appetite.. Tell me more about the Denville Dairy already! Stop teasing me!

Oooo. That sounds like a really easy way out. I wish I knew a supermarket around here that was as good as yours, tho. I've never seen the Nestle melts. I live in NJ; any ideas on where to find? Thanks!

Hey there! We're talking about ice cream here...and I just happen not to love Holsten's. I found there sauces to be really corn syrup-y, etc and the chocolate chunks weren't the good melting kind. (To be honest, Breyer's has the WORST chocolate chunks, so you got me there). Anyway, Breyer's makes a nice vanilla. No need to try to insult me with talk of Magic Fountain or Carvel. And certainly not Cold Stone. or Cold Cash creamery as we call it. I cannot abide the place. And, while we're talking: Gruning's was one of my favorites growing up. I still dream of the toasted pound cake sundaes with their stellar hot fudge sauce.

SHE said!!!! (but thanks for defending my need for ice cream in a nearby venue!) (and if i ever get to denville, i know what to do!)

And the Danish Go-Rounds memory spurred me to thinking of some of my favorite childhood sugar-rush memories: Morton's used to make frozen honey buns, that i would bake up in the oven and they were a sugar-donut fantasy...basically giant yeast donuts, heavy on the cinnamon and the glazed frosting that was soooooo hot fresh out of the oven but irresistible. And that memory reminded me of the Sara Lee pecan danish we used to get on special occasions...also with scalding hot sugar swirls on the top. And then that reminded me of the Entenmann's cheese danish twist with raspberry jam. Which they still make and sell at my local grocery and i walk by it with longing. ...and then THAT reminded me of the Entenmann's cupcakes of Days Gone By that had at least 2 inches of frosting on the top of them. 3 chocolate and 3 vanilla. Nowadays they are these anemic boiled-y sugar icing tops that even my sugar-fiend 4 year-old daughter rejected. Oh, yes, I trained as a chef, and oh yes, i can make a killer cupcake...but if I could eat a REAL Entenmann's cupcake, that would bring me some junk food joy.

I am making an enormous batch of smiley-faced decorated cookies for an event and found myself having more and more questions than I probably should...but you guys are so generous with your answers, it makes me feel better. Anyhoo, after icing the cookies with royal-type icing, I plan on putting the smiles on the cookies using chocolate because 1. royal icing is so blah and 2. chocolate is so wonderful. It dawned on me that I might need to do more than melt the chocolate and put it in a pastry bag to put on the decorations. Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Should I add some crisco or a tbspnfull of oil or something? I want the chocolate to harden so the decorations don't smear when I travel with them. All help and thoughts appreciated. Thanks!

The hot, sunny weather of today has reminded me of one of my great living-in-Montclair laments...no decent ice cream. I know there are people out there who think Holsten's or Applegate is just the best thing since, well, ice cream, but I don't. I think I can get a better quality ice cream from Breyer's, to be honest.... So maybe someone out there knows of a reasonable ice cream place. Sure, in my dreams it's all homemade and natural and seasonal, but I am a realist...And would love to know where people go 'round here to satisfy their ice cream cravings. And after my snobby little comment about Holsten's/Applegate, I will qualify my request and say if anyone knows of a good soft-serve experience 'round here, well, I do have the kid-in-me-summer-time side of my palate to satisfy as well. I am looking forward to your answers!! So are my kids!