Ted Fairhead

But what about railroads and subways? They just about all use welded tracks nowadays.

One checker at Treasure Island in Chicago asked my wife who was buying Bird's Custard Powder (a British creme anglais), "Do you really feed your birds this stuff?

I love the way they handle this problem in France, at least in the stores I've seen when visiting. You have to put a Euro in a slot by the handle to release it from the line of carts. Then when you return it and push it into its place, the euro pops back out. Its a small amount but it does encourage cart returns.

Somewhere back up-thread somebody suggested that individual mussels might be used for ravioli. I apologise to the poster for not being able to find the suggestion but I just wanted to say I did it. I had mussels cooked in wine on Tuesday and as there were so many (my wife doesn't care for them) I saved about half. I strained the cooking liquid and stored it in the refrigerator Tuesday's dinner Then on Wednesday, I made ravioli. For me even using a pasta roller machine is an arduous task But what the hey, one has to suffer to get the good things in life, right? By the way, I used Mario's recipe for basic pasta. On Thursday I reduced the liquid to half, about one cup, and added some crushed garlic. Made a roux, then added the mussel liquid and finally some cream. Waaay too salty. I had to rescue it somehow so I added a spoonful of sugar and a splash of marsala. Cooked the ravioli in boiling water until al dente and then added them to the sauce. It was fine but next time I think I'll make the sauce without the cooking liquid Thursday's dinner Before anyone asks, yes those are my nighttime pills by the glass

Local papers are a joke as far as writing critical reviews, in my opinion. I think you are right about them being community boosters rather than true critiques. I have lived in all four corners of the U.S. and find that it is a uniform practice. Restaurant reviews by local writers are usually done it seems, mostly by volunteers who are only too happy to spend the paper's money on a free meal. Our little town sounds like yours, Carrot Top. The so-called "high-end" places would be considered mediocre in a larger, more discriminatory market. Is it the paper's fault or the dining establisment's? I say it is the paper and readers really should write to the editor more often, as they might be more likely to change their practices.

Venetian Scallop and Shrimp Serves 4 as Main Dish. The key to this dish is really fresh seafood. 1 T Butter 12 Med size sea Scallops 1 lb large Shrimp,peeled 1 T olive oil 2 tsp Garlic, finely minced 1 Shallot, finely chopped 1/2 c dry White wine 1/2 c Chicken broth 1&1/2 cups diced tomatoes(canned) 1/2 tsp Saffron 1 tsp Fresh Basil, shredded 1/2 tsp lemon zest Preheat a large skillet or saucier over medium high heat. Saute garlic and shallot in oil and butter over medium heat only until softened. Add lightly floured scallops and sautee until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side, then remove and keep warm. Deglaze with wine then add chicken stock, tomatoes and saffron. Bring to a gentle boil, and cook until liquid has reduced and thickened slightly, then add shrimp and cook for three minutes. Return scallops to pan and cook for a further two to three minutes. Plate the dish with fresh basil and lemon zest lightly sprinkled over it. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Italian ( RG2016 )

Tonight it was Venetian Scallops and Shrimp. Fresh off the boat courtesy of our neighbor friend Followed by "Nightscotsmans" EGullet recipe for Apple Dumplings with a scoop of Gourmet Vanilla Ice Cream

As far as was shown on TV.....nada ← I thought I read somewhere the guest judge was responsible for the quick challenge prize. I guess he was cheap whoever he was, the name escapes me. Also I didn't care for his comments. They sounded very nasty and unnecessarily sarcastic. From their respective blogs, it would appear that Tony Bourdain and Rocco de Spirito have patched up their differences. Both blogs are very good, well written and insightful commentaries.

Growing up in England, we never had bread with dinner. Dinner was generally the midday meal by the way. My Mother wouldn't allow us to drink much during a meal either! Maybe a swallow of water but that was it. My own kids always drank during a meal except when she was visiting....."It'll spoil their dinner" I can still hear her say.

Amanda Rivkin of the Associated Press reported on the "2006 Alba Quercus Reserve". A salt-cured ham that will retail for about $2,100 per leg or roughly $160 per pound. Apparently connoisseurs all over are lining up to get their names down for it. Can it really be that much better than the best Prosciutto de Parma at about $30 per pound?

My newspaper today says that research has shown that 50% of dinners eaten by overweight children are consumed in front of the Tv. It suggests that turning off the Tv and involving kids in the preparation of meals is one answer, and that children who eat dinner with their parents have higher intakes of essential nutrients and vitamins. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the typical American family spends over $2000 in dinners in restaurants and ten percent of that in fast food establishments. Do you involve your kids in cooking? Is the Tv on at dinner?

"Chef!" seasons 1,2, and 3, are on DVD. Neflix lists them. Very very funny and Lenny Henry as Gareth Blackstone, an irascible chef with staff problems is totally believable. One imagines Tony Bourdain was sitting on the shoulders of the writers whispering in their ears. Season 3 did drop in quality so I suppose that is why it did not continue. BTW, I did rent "Kitchen Confidential", both discs and we found them funny and very watchable. Perhaps a little lightweight but deserving of a place on the otherwise dreadful schedule of Tv fare.

My favorite server story was when my wife and I were returning from a weekend at the beach. We stopped at a fast food joint because that was all there was on route 50 back to Virginia at that time, and we were extremely tired. It was a "Sambo's", (I believe they changed the name as being grossly un-PC) which had an open kitchen. We ordered sandwiches from the slick plastic laminated menu with pictures of each of the offerings. When it was prepared it was passed to a kid who was obviously brand new to this establishment. I heard him questioning another staff member how the plate should look and they replied, "Just look at the picture!" He studied the menu then moved thing around on the plates and as a final touch, BIT OFF a couple of pieces of parsley from a large bunch and proudly garnished the sandwiches!

We had a lemon chicken "rotissed" on my gas grill, accompanied by parslied potatoes and a fresh garden salad. Followed by a vanilla creme brulee

I remember there being no fresh foreign fruit in the greengrocers, fruits such as bananas, all citrus fruits, and peaches. Kids like us livimg in the East End didn't taste fresh citrus for about six years. It was widely rumored the black market had small quantities available, but we certainly didn't get any of it. It was true that restaurant food wasn't rationed but again the rumors were that the product was questionable, horsemeat being served for steak for example. Actual rations at the time were bacon or ham 4 ozs-Sugar 8 ozs-Cheese 3ozs-Preserves 2 ozs- and butter or margarine a total of 6 ozs, but this could not exceed 2 ozs of butter. Fresh eggs were intermittently available and were generally rationed to one per person, although we usually could buy dried eggs, and there were many recipes for using them. Meat varied widely depending upon supplies but usually came out to about 1-1/2lb. These quantities were for one adult per week, however the Ministry of Food would adjust the amounts allowed per ration book coupon, depending upon supply. All canned goods, dried fruits, condensed milk, and biscuits were strictly controlled and required "points". Home grown fruits such as apples, pears and strawberries were not rationed but rarely available in the shops. Meat remained officially rationed until 1954, nine years after the war's end! Bread was never rationed during the war but was rationed to everybody's disgust in 1946. It was extremely unpopular and did not last too long. There were also some differences depending on the type of ration book one had. Children and expectant mothers received a special allocation of cod liver oil and small bottles of concentrated orange juice. Every year there was a special allocation of sugar during the fruit harvest period for making jams and jellies, and brides-to-be could also obtain a one-time special allocation of sugar to make the wedding cake and pastries that the British love to have for a wedding celebration. Generally speaking, farmers and country inhabitants did better than city dwellers as home grown meat and vegetables were more available, but bomb sites in the cities were frequently turned into allotments to grow vegetables. There were some horror tales of evacuees being taken in by country people and then living on starvation diets while the hosts were enjoying having another set of "coupons" at their disposal. but I believe this was very rare and most city kids benefited from their enforced country stays. It is true that the population was a lot fitter and healthier at the war's end than they have been since.

What?! That isn't really true, is it? Is he really that influential? More than Julia Child??? JULIA FREAKIN' CHILD???? ::dies:: Now that I've gotten that out... I don't know, this article didn't really seem to quite "get it," IMO. Am I missing something? ← Yes, I'm sorry but I think you are missing something. The Food Network serves the vast majority of viewers in that it entertains as well as generating some ambition to get in the kitchen and cook something rather than ordering pizza or going out to a fast food joint. Yes, its elementary to you and all of us who like to think of ourselves as "foodies" and I think its a little like a 10th grader sitting in a third grader's class and being contemptuous of the teacher. As for Emeril being more influential than Julia, the writer is probably accurate when you think of numbers alone of the viewing public. I doubt if very many of her fans ever really tried to cook the dishes she showed, even though we were all in love with her and thoroughly enjoyed her personality. Remember too, when she first started there were no sources of upscale products like Jacques Pepin said in his interview. Even today, if you live in a food cultural backwater away from the delis and markets found in the larger cities it is easier to turn to meatloaf, stews, fried chicken and other so-called comfort foods than to be original and cook haute cuisine. My humble efforts are decried by my neighbour as being too fancy and "frenchified"! I love to read Anthony Bourdain and I agree with him re the obnoxious Ray but I do believe that we are in the minority of viewers.

I use some scissor-like metal tongs with ends that look like old fashioned bottle cap removers. I also use these to serve hot corn on the cob. I don't know what they're really meant for. SB (maybe lifting eggs ) ← Ar these the tongs to which you referred? My wife has had these for many years and she insists that they simply predate the ubiquitous tongs found in every kitchen nowadays.

Of the several dumb episodes I have watched this one has to be the most stupid. WTH has working in a "roach coach" to do with being a Top Chef? I understand the idea of creating feelings of disappointment or even anger by dashing their hopes of going out on the town, to create a mind set that a chef might experience on any work day, but then putting them to work in a mobile burger stand was ridiculous. (Except for Sweatie Howie-he was very much at home!) The judges apparently also factored in the ability to work as cheerleaders for a drunken crowd of partygoers in their final judgement. What utter nonsense.

My heart goes out to all of you facing chemo/radiation. Yes the original diagnosis is the most frightening thing but my belief is that once you have found a good oncologist that you trust, you just simply follow his direction. I was so lucky in having a Gastroenterologist who was caring and yet agressive, who put together a fantastic team of specialists for me with the medical oncologist being the "Captain". I did not listen to those so-called friends who had stories of horror, or of ghastly side effects, etc. I had 6 weeks of pre-surgical chemo and radiation, followed by 16 weeks of post-op chemo. Appetite loss was very prevalent but I looked "simply mahvellous" as I slimmed down, and my 'bad back' didn't bother me at all with the loss of avoirdupois. I loved good coffee before (several cups a day!) but totally lost my taste for it. I too developed a craving for citrusy drinks. Fried foods were totally out as my mouth always felt greasy. Wheat Thins were my only snack, and the occasional salty peanuts. My oncologist gave me no limitations on types of food, except for cutting out red meat, but merely said eat what you feel like. It has been 5 years since the diagnosis, and apart from frequent check-ups I am o.k. Fat again, I'm sorry to say, but I am really gonna do something about that! Soon!

Kerry Beal(above) suggested the one thing that I have always loved...Shepherd's Pie. I guess I qualify as a Ol' Geezer and my version is ground beef sauteed with onions, a few chopped carrots. After beef is cooked and onions and carrots are soft add plenty of Bisto gravy or another package gravy with strong beef flavor, then a good handful of frozen peas added at end of cooking in the pan. Put the whole thing in a pyrex dish and cover with package mix mashed potatoes. Then place under the grill for a few minutes to brown the potatoes. Easy on the washing-up too! I also love sage and onion stuffed hearts but I haven't seen hearts on sale for years. How about Toad in the Hole with gravy, using very mild (english if you can get 'em) sausages baked in a Yorkshire pudding batter? I too will have baked beans on toast for a quick easy to prepare dinner. Our pediatrician, many years ago, assured us that our youngest daughter would come to no harm if that is all she would eat. ( BTW, her "fad" lasted for several months, and numerous cases of Heinz Baked Beans, and she didn't come to any harm)

You raise a very good point. Are there any experts out there who have knowledge of how store policies are developed who can enlighten us on this? Like CtznCane, I miss the lesser cuts and their prices.

Ted-I would love to have the recipe for your port wine reduction sauce. ← Gladly, its from "Cuisine At Home" magazine- here it is; 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped carrot, 1/4 cup chopped celery, 1T tomato paste and 2 bay leaves, sauteed in butter, until softened. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup of port. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of low sodium beef broth, bring to a boil and immediately turn heat down to a simmer for about 10 minutes, then strain. Mix 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 T water and whisk into strained broth after bringing it back up to a boil, stir until slightly thickened. Finish sauce with 1T red currant jelly and 1T butter. Season to taste. The original recipe calls for truffle butter but thats unobtainable here in the hinterland. I think the type of port would also make a considerable difference. The recipe called for a "Tawny" port but I used a full bodied dessert type so the sauce is probably a little sweeter than intended, but we liked it.

Sunday's dinner was a Chicken Wellington. The partially cooked chicken breast was placed on a Portobello Mushroom with a wilted spinach, chopped maitake mushroom mixture and fresh minced garlic on top. The whole thing then wrapped in Puff Pastry. The sauce, of which I am very proud, was a port wine reduction. and for dessert we had a small cherry preserve turnover made from scrap puff pastry