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One more suggestion for crud on pans - Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I recently took all of the blackened crud off the bottom of my Le Creuset with it. It's also especially good for removing adhesive residue on pots, dishes, glasses, etc. It works for a gunked up cooktop too! ←

I can't wait to see what other people come up with here!

[i have to leave to go shop and cook in 2 hours, so any advice or ideas before then would be most welcome! ←

I also had a hard time finding Dawn Power Dissolver recently. I finally found some this weekend at Walmart (although I hate shopping there). I bought six bottles. You can also buy it online from Amazon.com. Here is a link to the company's site, providing retail sellers: http://www.homemadesimple.com/en_US/dawn/productlocator.do Good luck! KBJ

That's about the coolest dang kitchen set up that I've ever seen. Congratulations to you. Will you please let us know when you try the fryer? I'd like to know how that works in a residential setting (esp. how hard it is to clean, how often you must change the oil, type of oil that you use, etc.) I often fry 10 -15 lbs of food (chicken, fish) for out of town visitors and relatives and I've thought of purchasing this type of fryer to speed up the process. Right now, I use either 2 countertop fryers or one turkey fryer (depending on the numer of guests). I'm looking forward to hearing how this unit works for you. And thanks again for sharing these great pictures. KBJ

I'm a newbie here, but I vote "not stupid". Salt mills may not be necessary for proper application of the seasoning and agreed, salt can be presented many nice ways at the table other than through a mill. But there is something pleasant about handling a beautiful salt mill. My favorite one at present is clear - lucite, I presume - so you can see the gorgeous salt crystals while you are grinding them. I love salt and thankfully, I have no health issues that would cause me to restrict my intake. I became interested in different kinds of salt after listening to one celebrity chef's continuous raving about the wonders of gray salt - you probably know the one I'm talking about. I did some research and discovered all kinds of salts: black salts, pink, Hawaiian, course, grey, fine, and so on. Presently, I am exploring the wonders of Australian Murray River salt. It is peach in color, with these amazing flakes that just melt onto your food. It has a very delicate flavor. I do not put this salt in the salt mill! Rather, I keep it in a mini le creuset dutch oven (that holds, I'm guessing, 4 oz. or so). Very cute, but not chic like a lump of Bolivian Pink grated with a planer. I'm going to have to search for that one. A few years ago, I was really into a coarse sea salt that had been infused with smoked garlic. Of course, this was not a salt that could be used with every dish but on certain dishes, it was superb. It was phenomenal rubbed onto oiled jacket potatoes before roasting. OK, I could go on and on about salt but I'm straying from the topic. Point is, there are times when a salt mill is just what I need and I'm glad to have one. And I don't feel stupid . . . obsessive and compulsive, maybe, but not stupid. KBJ

Yep, I have ordered from this vendor and I genuinely enjoy "BentoTV" which is actually entertaining as well as informative. I guess the answer to my original question about bento supplies is that ebay is probably the best source for people, like me, who do not have ready access to an Asian marketplace. I complain about the shipping costs, but in reality it costs me more in gasoline to drive to a decent market than it costs to pay for shipping from Japan! Thanks for all the responses. KBJ

You do not have to enter the park to visit Emeril's in Orlando. However, I have been there on two occasions and I was unimpressed both times. I have dined at Emeril's in Las Vegas and had a good meal and pleasant experience. In the Orlando restaurant, however, we had a distinctly poor experience. First, the place is not clean. My sister actually brought the manager into the ladies' room to show him the condition. The floor was filthy and the "decor" including lighting was literally covered with more than 1/2 inch of dust. It looked like it hadn't been properly cleaned since the place opened. With respect to the food, also generally disappointing. My niece ordered a salad which basically consisted of three ingredients. When it arrived, one of the ingredients was not on the plate. It took 30 minutes for them to bring a replacement salad, by which time the rest of us already had our main courses. The soup was so-so. I had a vegetarian plate including grilled veggies. Some were not cooked, some were overcooked. The only memorable part of the meal was a fantastic 2002 sauvignon blanc, by ? & Smith, from Australia. I'm sorry but at the high prices charged and the long wait for a table, we won't be going back anytime soon. My personal favorite dining in Orlando is in the Little Vietnam area on Colonial Drive. Several noodle shops and family restaurants. Excellent food and reasonable prices, but nothing fancy, for sure. Have always had good meals at Charlie's Steakhouse, so I second that recommendation. If you are intent on going to the Universal themepark area, the Latin Quarter (which is in the same area as Emeril's) has pretty good food. Just be aware that in any of the theme park areas you will very likely be amongst large crowds of tourists, and it can be hard to get a table and good service.

Thanks for the fast responses. I have purchased some Bento items on ebay. The shipping on so many things is very high. I won an auction for a Bento box set, and the shipping ended up being more than the cost of the item!

Hi Folks: I live in a small community without reasonable access to Asian markets. I am looking for a good website carrying a comprehensive inventory of bento boxes and accessories such as rice molds, sauce bottles, food cutters, etc. Not looking for high end accessories, just things to make the student's lunch more interesting. Any references in this regard would be most appreciated. Thanks. KBJ

Thank you both! This is more useful information than I have found to date. I especially like the jelly beans suggestion. I live in Florida and it was suggested elsewhere to bring Disney memorabilia. Not my style! As I will be visiting in July, I don't think the lack of hot food will be a problem. I will be visiting the Rila Monastery, and I will look for the yogurt stands. I've heard about the shopska salads and I'm looking forward to those as well as eggplant dishes that have been recommended. I'm not a meat eater so I'll be passing on the organ meats (I know, I know, Anthony Bourdain is disgusted, but if you saw his show detailing his trip to India, he admitted that vegetarian food can be quite good). I love coffee, must have strong coffee everyday, or my day is all wrong. I'm hoping to find someplace serving espresso or turkish coffee. Between the not smiling and shaking of the head up and down means no (not yes), I can see where a tourist would get the wrong impression of Bulgarians, who I hear are very hospitable. Thanks again for these tips! PS Rick/Panini man, your post was not boring in the least.

I'm traveling with a group of musicians to Bulgaria for a three week tour in July, 2007. I'm interested in learning more about Bulgarian food and traditions. I have done some research (lonely planet, Rick Steves, other travel books, etc.) but I'd love to hear firsthand reports of the best/most memorable Bulgarian dishes (and those to avoid, if any). We will be visiting the northwest region of the country for the most part, with a couple of days spent in a fishing village on the Black Sea. In addition, since I will likely be staying with Bulgarian families during at least part of this trip, I would like to know what is a suitable gift for host families? Are there traditional host/hostess gifts? Thanks in advance for any advice, tips or general info!

The website for Select Appliance has some information about range hoods that I found useful when remodeling my kitchen (I went with the 48" Zephyr Tempest II over my 48" Bluestar cooktop, so far it works great). Here is an excerpt from the website: Do you know... How much hood and CFM's you need? Ventilation is a bit of a passion for me, but I don't want to confuse you more than you already may be. There are two important factors when choosing your hood: Capture volume - the area inside the hood canopy, above the cooking equipment, to capture heat and smoke as it rises, while the fans remove it. CFM's - cubic feet per minute - the rate of the blower(s) ability to move air. Lots of things change the equation, like duct diameter, number of turns in the duct before it exits the house, the type of cooking equipment you are using, the height above cooking surface that the hood is mounted, the shape of the hood canopy and more. My general rule of thumb formula, which works in most cases, is: Length of the hood (in feet) x width of the hood (in feet) x 100 (If against a wall and no stovetop broiler is used) Length of the hood (in feet) x width of the hood (in feet) x 125 (If against a wall and a stovetop charbroiler is used) Length of the hood (in feet) x width of the hood (in feet) x 150 (if in a peninsula or island and no stovetop broiler is used) Length of the hood (in feet) x width of the hood (in feet) x 175 (if in a peninsula or island and a top broiler is used) Example: Against a wall and over a 36" - 6 burner range, you install a 36" wide by 24" deep hood, then 3' x 2' x 100 = 600 CFM minimum required. Example: In an island and over a 48" range with 4 burners, 12" grill and 12" charbroiler, you install a 60" wide by 30" deep hood, then 5' x 2 ½' x 175 = 2,187 CFM minimum required. This is usually achieved with a roof-mounted blower. Again, there are some factors that could reduce or increase the CFM's to do the job, but this formula will work. You should always consult a local HVAC contractor to check for how well sealed the home is, what kind of heating or air conditioning system you have and how the hood may affect it and also if you have a fireplace nearby to be adjusted for. Remember, your contractor is always welcome to E-mail or call me with questions about ventilation.