Kerouac1964

Don't forget health problems can cause issues with odor and hygiene. I'm talking from experience here. Issues such as these may even cause them to use cologne and perfumes to mask such issues. Which would really make it a Catch 22 issue for the offending person. It's also the type of thing the majority of people who know they are having this type of problem cannot discuss with their employer/social worker out of embarassment. Just another remote possibility that many would not consider.

Dive bars of Sioux City, IA - a city famous since the 1890s for a huge number of bars/saloons/taverns to quench the thirst of packing house workers. ~~GREENVILLE/MORNINGSIDE AREA~~ At one time in a single block, there were 4 bars which for Greenvilles tiny size is amazing. Fun would be had on a Fri/Sat night by walking back/forth between them all. A favorite pastime was to catch this guy who would drink beer then secretly try to piss on the bar while standing. The sick bastard did this in about every bar in Greenville. Greenville Tap - Gritty floor, 2 beer Tap long bar. Used to attract the best pool shooters in Sioux City. Lots of In-between card games and drink wagering on pool games. Smell of urine so bad in Men's room you had to hold your breath or go outside. A crusty regular in a wheelchair did just that with his trusty plastic milk jug. Paralyzed from a long-ago shooting in another bar. The old Dodge Inn. A great biker hang out, located smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Gorgeous pinewood floors. The owner a serioius, serious collector of multiple Harleys, bar memorabillia. Destroyed in a fire a few years ago. Reborn in a stockyards location....A damn good man. Miles Inn Tavern. A small shotgun-doored breadbox of a joint. Serving ice cold Schlitz in iced "Schooner" Goblets. Famous in the city for their "Charlie Boy" Loosemeats. Get there by 8pm on a busy night, or risk going hungry. Jungle Lounge. A place selling some damn old fine brands of beer. Hamms being one of them. Cheap '60s turqoise stained carpeting with flaking off Tiki veniered walls. A great dark day-time place to hide in. Has a few rare couches and easy chairs in corners for inhanced comfort, but you got to walk up to the bar for your drinks. Used to be next to a tiny corner cafe. Both now torn down due to City pressure to "renew" the neighborhood. ~~STOCKYARDS Area~~ Sophie's Cattleman Lounge - Tiny tar-papered joint across from the now defunct stocyards. Opens at 8am for those hair-of-the-dog type drinkers to start their day. Great country/western on the Jukebox. Mavericks Bar. The old Marvricks was a breadbox shotgun design. When the front door opened you could hear the cattle mowing and smell them during the day, when the yards were up and running. Favorite hangout of the Livestock wranglers. Free check cashing serves for them. Used to run illegal slot machines. Now is remodelled as a lap dancing place. Owned by an old high schoolmate of mine. ~~OLD 4TH ST. "The Red Light District"~~ Pink Pussy Cat. Mainliner Lounge. Harbor Inn. - Defunct molty collection of Pimp, biker, prostitute factories. The area is undergoing a Yuppie renewal of overpriced coffee bars and a struggling microbrewery. One lone titty bar is struggling to stay in place. This infamous street houses our best porn mag/mini movie house. Frances Canteen. They also happen to deal in used paperback books and probably have one of the biggest inventories in western Iowa. The street once housed the the lone dirty movie theatre. A most unwelcome business, this place reeked of soiled popcorn napkins (although they never seemed to sell any popcorn). Inbetween movies a dancer would com on stage and meekly swing her flabby hips side to side, pasties thankfully in place. ~~WEST SIDE Area~~ West 7th St. was the "black side of town". Great soul music and blues on the jukeboxes. Us Greenville boys would go over to shoot pool there. Sort of a cultural exchange on both our parts. Bob's Lighthouse. Home of the town's longest running illegal card game. Probably fixed. Never had the heart to play in it. Great pool hustling bar. They had a very rare (for the midwest) shuffleboard box long one side of the wall. Big room, with sitdown tables, and they used to have decent bands years ago. Great ecclectic rock on the jukebox. They once sold Great second cigars in plain orange boxes. I snacked on their bar sandwiches alot. The main crusty character was an old black dude, who sat their during the day nursing a drink. He'd get drunk and tell any white person he knew he like white people. Then he'd have this elaborate lengthy, solemn handshake with you to show he meant his word, though a bit drunk. I always believed his sincerity ~~RIVERSIDE Area~~ Located along the Big Sioux river, near the city limits with North Sioux City, SD. Mary's Hideaway - A rockin' neighborhood biker bar. They had a bike area roped off for Harleys before Yuppies started buying up all the new model Harleys. I once walked out of there dead drunk, and was going to foolishly ride my Triumph motorcycle home. Mary followed me out and pleaded in vain for me to go across the street to her house and sleep in her yard. I kicked over the bike and roared off. Drove home without a hitch. Unfortunately, I tried that stunt once too often and hit a car head-on while drinking downtown (already drunk at Mary's earlier). Was told my a passing bystander I flew two full carlengths. Whoops. How does that old song go? "...Those were the days, my friend. I'd thought they'd never end......". Mike aka Kerouac1964 Sioux City, IA

Why are British/Austrailian accents so prominent in these infomercials? I guess they are better than those American Testostorone Screamers that hawk edged weapons/sporting memoriabilia. LOL I have to admit, I'm a real sucker for that Wok infomercial. And I already own one!! LOL Mike {Proud owner of the worthless Titanium-coated Ginzu chef knife }

Tony & All -- This site looks promising as a good all around general food guide for Rio: http://www.planetrider.com/travel-guide.cf..._de_Janeiro.htm Mike Sioux City, Ia

Rachel - It sounds like you had such a wonderful time there. And...you were there during my Birthday. I can't really travel because of health reasons, so I've been living vicariously thru this thread! hahahaha Well, at least I know of a place I want to travel to someday. May I ask a few practical questions? I have to travel with a slightly oversized wheelchair due to arthritus and was wondering what the handicap nature of the island was like? I am mobile for about 100 feet or 15 min at a time, but must stop for rest due to heart problems. Best Regards, Mike aka Kerouac1964 Sioux City, IA

Damn! this thread is a terrifying one for me, personally. I have a weakened immune system from a lengthy battle with a leg infection followed by a near fatal battle with congestive heart failure. There are many more immuned-weakened people out there. Standards should be improved and put in place. I also think if people die, the parties responsible should do prison time and be banned for life from the food industry. Yikes !!

Dave - I agree with you here. Another thing that I notice is the "Essence" he uses somehow differs than the stuff he is selling. It's a finer grind or something? I guess I'm starting to wonder what he's left out of his commercial seasonings. I am turned off by the twigs/stalks that seem to inhabit the original Essence formulation. What is so strange is the smell is rather a pleasant one. I've just re-examined the contents and their are a lot of yellowish dry leaf threads with no flavor to them? My least favorite in terms of taste would be his Italian concoction. Admittedly, I am a heavy user of his Asian & Southwest Essence blends. The Asian I find particularly suited to chicken based soups and pork. I have a copycat recipe of Essence, but have not tried my own formulation using a finer grind. In terms of recipes and care in cooking, I always preferred Emeril's first tv show. He hadn't quite developed his Schtick. His techniques were more crisp and demanding. He really botches some of his dishes on his new show. Although I admit to secretly enjoying this aspect of tv chefs. It shows they too are human. Sarah Moulton isn't afraid to laugh at her on sloppiness on occasion when she is rushed for time. My vote would be for Mario in terms of his tv work and his restaurant dishes. Granted, I haven't had the great fortune to visit his places yet. Paul Pruhdomme may be another example of this. I'm glad to see his name mentioned with a bit more frequency on the board.

It's easy to discuss problems. But I often find writers neglecting to offer possible solutions to the problems. I did learn a bit about fine dining. Being a total novice (awaiting many future pleasures - I hope!!) I did not know that menus given to women in France had no prices. Could anybody explain the proper manners for when the Head Wine dude comes to the table to display the selected wine for testing?? Thanks in advance! Mike

FG -- I enjoyed your article! BTW - how long did it take for you to research that article? Did you have to pace your self? I would hate to think a reviewer could get burned out from too many similar meals !! I will certainly be using the edge method next time I pan fry a steak or chop. the Boneless pork chops here are particulary rimmed with fat, so the technique should be well suited for them.

I have a wonderful Loose Meat recipe for your next ground beef meal. And it works perfectly on the stovetop! Charlie Boy Loosemeats 5 lb hamburger 1/8 cup black pepper 1/4 cup horseradish 1/4 cup yellow mustard 1/2 cup catsup 1 cup minced onion 1 cup water In a large, deep skillet, brown hamburger, drain grease and set it aside. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1/2 - 1 hour. Stir frequently. Can also be cooked in crockpot on high, until liquid evaporates for the proper loosemeat consistency. Note, if hamburger is lean, add back some grease to better flavor meat. The two key flavors are the black pepper for spice and the horseradish for background heat. Adjust to your personal taste. Salt to taste. Leftovers will taste even better the next day after a night in the fridge. Enjoy on buns alone or over hotdogs. A good chewy Kaiser style bun would work good here, letting you saturate the inside bun with some grease, while staying together and letting you keep the meat inside for more efficient eating. Beverage suggestion: Frosted mugs of your favorite beer. Woo Hoo!

Just wanted to drop a note of appreciation into this thread!! I love pizza, and have yet to buy my own pizza stone and peel. The pics were mouthwatering and objects of love! Pizza is such a good thing! Whether it be the worst frozen version tasting of cardboard or in better times woodfired oven baked!! I leave you with several poems on pizza by 2nd graders: ------------------------------------------------------ Crazy for Pizza Fetch me a scrumptious delightful pizza. Let it have tons of melted cheese. With crispy crust, nice & fluffy! With hot bubbly sauce. Make it boiling hot So it burns my mouth when I eat it. Hmmm, give it to me now! by Ashley -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Best Pizza Ever Sizzling in the pan the tender delicious pizza pie is pulled from the oven. As the waiter brings it to the table the cheese is dripping on the floor. As the family looks at it, the cheese is dripping. Covered with pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, spice, tomatoes, and black olives. The little girl picks up a slice and sticks it in her mouth and it is so gooey and good she gobbles up 15 triangular slices of that delicious pizza in just 5 minutes. by Jenny -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Pizza Feels Hot and cheesey guess what it is? Squishy, mushy, what can it be? Delightful, crunchy, well what is it then? I guess it's Pizza!!! Yuuuum!! by Alyssa

Somehow I feel like Fredo in Godfather II, and you are my drunken wife trying to make a scene. Where's the moderator when you need one to escort you away from the table?

In terms of historical context, I think the key is usually novelty. Back when world's fairs were big things here in the states at the turn of the century, Food vendors started getting alot of competition from like-minded menu driven competitors. Also, the themes of many of these fairs is progress of some sort....so "cutting edge" and futuristic also drove vendors to twist taste or form into something unique and unheard of. Back then inovations would also be reworkings of the same foods, such as how hot dogs were served. First plain, then on a bun, on a stick, battered, etc. I remember years ago, when mini donuts were a big deal...or donut holes...Wow!!!! Now-a-days vendors want a unique novelty....something that goes past the former item. Hence, the growth each year in the number of food vendors and food courts. A couple of examples....continuous thin-sliced potatoes [deep fried of course]. I'm surprised it took a while for others to do sweet potatoes this way too...next it'll be blue pototoes or some other exotic color. Eventually the shock-novelty wears down, then they are marketed mainstream, such as Iowa State Fair Brand Corn Dogs. Available in IA supermarkets [not bad pan-fried I might add]. Another that comes to mind, funnel cake kits and makers. State participants enthralled with the world fairs, decided to hold state fairs, then even counties would get into the act. Also, I think many of these gatherings are hold-overs from harvest, seasonal celebrations passed down thru the ages in Europe. I'd be surprised if their wasn't some scholarly works out there on Fairs. I have many fond memories of the Iowa State Fair as a kid.

I don't think I've heard this one mentioned. When I eat too many salty snacks I sometimes will get a litte painful pimple like thingy on my tongue. Takes at least a day to go away. To make matters worse it sometimes needs popped or lanced to release the pressure like it either swells or infects. Ouch!! One last sad story: a guy I'd known since kindergarten had the ultimate food mishap. He started choking on a piece of meat, and he fled the restaurant, refusing people's help of a heimlich maneuver. Died in the parking lot.

Suzanne: I think the temps are basically the same. My mom did the frying both times. The pretzel coating gives you a nice dark brown color, and of course the salt is already in the breading. I love corn nuts! Never thought of trying them. Yummy. Wonder if they wouldn't crunch/spice up a corn fritter as well? Perhaps add unique texture to masa harina dough-paste for tomales?? Hmm.....nacho cheese flavored ones in corn muffins.... oh, yeah! Umm...the scary thing is Bobby Flay may like it!

Would a peanut oil be too light for poaching? We have nice farm-raised catfish, Tilapia, and trout here in local grocery stores. Of course the best is finding some fresh caught Walleye. Oh, My!! I like the idea of poaching in butter. I just wish I could afford or find fresh lobster in Sioux City, IA. The specimens I've seen in the past look very travel weary and scrawny. A different type of batter tip for your next frying session: Try you favorite hard preztels ground in a blender or food processor. This makes a good general flour seasoning for any meat. I recently saw this from a show by Sarah Moulton and it was quite good. One can also use mustard in the egg wash - if going for a dry/wet/dry type of battering. My pretzel recommendation: Rold Gold Parmasean nuggets. The seasoing on these things is just divine!!! Just opening the bag for smelling purposes is pure joy. Sometimes the ordinary company's test kitchens can produce an extraordinary product. They also have other pretzel flavorings soaked into big pieces like oils, Making for a very efficent way to use their broken pretzels from other bake-runs, I imagine. Very ingenious. Part of the trick may be getting the freshest bag possible. The crisp crunch and yeasty odor of those Parmaseans.....well I digress. My apologies. One last tip: Ground pork rinds [original or spicy] for a low carbohydrate alternative coating. This is very good for cutlets. Mike

I'd like to see the look on Dr Revenue's face when he follow's the thread he started. BTW - I've just experienced a "Kevin Bacon" moment. I clicked in to view Fat Guy's article on Sex, Food and Fat Guys and came to the realization I had read the same such article on SALON.COM. And...to understand why the hairs on the back of my furry neck are on end, that was the single and only time I had logged in there. The Net is truly a Karmic Wheel of wonderment! P.S. Thanks SouthernGirl for the info. I'm located in the Midwest -- Sioux City, Iowa. If I ever do get to NYC again for a third visit, it will have to be at least a week-long stay to try and get all my fantasy dinners and luncheons in! Mike Gambler, Budget Gourmand, Amateur Sausage maker and Winemaker { 5 Gal. of Blueberry currently in my Primary Fermentor }

Southern Girl -- Would it be appropriate for you to name these two chefs and their establishments? I for one, would love to put them in my Restaurant log as places to visit. To all: When I first saw that chef's picture I couldn't help thinking - "so there's the problem. He's a German Leprechan and he's having a tough time with his vegetable cooking." Mike

Oops...LOL I just realized Suzane is an EGULLETier....hehe.... I may have inadvertantly proved my point to some extent. Emails are such flimsy things and at times too barren to flush out context and meaning of the original sender. Mike

Perhaps another perspective. If you considered him a friend, as I assume he does you -- perhaps you both owe the time invested in your acquaintance to at least discuss this in person with one another. Life is way too short to keep bad feelings or to lose a true friend to such a problem. If he sent you just the one sentence, that may also indicate he may have been preoccupied with other business concerns...heck, perhaps he was fuming at just having balled out the staff. The brevity of his message may also indcate that he expected to discuss this with you in person when you return to his establishment. He may have felt that a true apology should be done in person with a handshake and an opportunity for him to treat you with a special meal or wine. I think he worded his message poorly, perhaps from distraction....haste at answering many other emails? Who knows? When you fired back that second email, I'm sure was hoping you would call or come in person to discuss it further. He surely would be afraid to call you or approach you at this point, as you are displaying a huge amount of frustration at this situation. In a sense the tone in your second email would surely have made him pause before emailing you again. I just realized your original email was addressed to "Suzane". How do you know he even personally read your first email?? He was responding by what Suzane told him you wrote. Perhaps she did not convey your email to him verbally in a clear manner. Hence his ambivalent, short reply. So, that brings a person into the argument loop, so to speak. Correct? Seems to me you should speak directly to him, in person to get everything straightend out to your satisfaction and I'm sure his as well. Best of luck, Mike Sioux City, IA

Perhaps they adapted the design of the forge bellows they used from Iron work into hand models? -------- Found on Google ---------------- Iron smelting in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) made further progress, as indicated by the appearance of various kinds of furnaces, the use of refractory materials and bellows which were made of leather and powered by human strength. Bellows drastically increased the temperature of the furnace, and further promoted metallurgy. http://www.china.org.cn/e-gudai/4.htm -------------------------------------------------

I couldn't wrap a tomale to save my life in the next Mexican Revolution!

Update - attempted my first batch of extra salty pistachios. It wasn't a total failure, but I did make mistakes. Here was my procedure: 1 - Unshelled 1 lb bag of Planter's Pistachios [i actually prefer Sunkist for a commercial brand] 2 - put the meats in a plastic bowl, and misted them with water. Unfortunately my mist bottle wasn't cooperating....I slightly waterlogged the nuts. 3 - tossed fine-crushed Kosher salt on them. 4 - Spread them out on a baking sheet, and dried them in the oven on lowest setting [took about 15 min -- checked them every 5] Taste: I bagged them up in a ziplock [that I had used to crush the salt with]. The rubbing action in the baggie took some of the salt crust off....but, they still had the start of a saltier flavor...not quite what I was shooting for. --------------- My suggestions for my second batch: Pre-heat the nuts, before misting with water....might help not waterlog them...? Will be trying another seasoning with the salt / perhaps some garlic powder?? Yummy! will also be trying the sweet/salty combo soon. ---------------

Oh my! I'm so sorry to have mentioned Nebraska! I guess we rate an east coast snub, but mention PA or even FL and everything is hunky-dory. LOL Besides, the majority of my message was aimed at the general discussion on the different ways to cook different sized burgers. I did consider posting over to the Heartland forum, but ... as you may or may not know....posts are scarce, few and far between. Let me get this straight, since I'm not from the a particular region -- NJ, I shouldn't post in a particular forum? Life is too short to fret over cliquish decorum bullshit on a message board. This will be my first/last comment on the matter. Mike T. Sioux City, IA

There is a small town in NE Nebraska that serves a 5 lb burger. They had a challenge like the place in PA does. Have not had the good fortune to visit yet, and unfortunately I've forgotten the little town's name. Regarding the cooking methods for a burger: I find a steamed burger is better when done on top of minced onions like White Castle does. Makes for a juicy experience. I'd think a good fat ratio would do nicely here as well. If a burger is made up of a leaner ratio, toppings are probably the way to go, with grilling & charring enhancing the flavors as well as sealing in its scant juices and fat. Recently I've been experimenting with salt brine basting my meats during grilling and it really seems to enhance steaks and burgers. Happy Eating from the Heartland! Mike T. Sioux City, IA