IrishCream

Sorry to be obtuse but what is PET seltzer? What kind of bottle are you referring to? I have plenty of good solid dark brown micro-brew bottles that I could buy a sealer for but the thought of flying shrapnel turns me off a bit. Also, for any East SF Bay readers, there is a great home-brew/wine-making shop in Concord. Thanks for an interesting course!

Yeah...where are you maui? I'm going to be in New Orleans in a few weeks and would be glad to pick up some Tony Cachere's for you if you can't get it where you live. Your chicken looks great! I'll show those wonderful pics to my husband tomorrow and see what he has to say and share his recipe if he agrees. I know that one of the secrets of really good southern fried chicken is ......... . But it has nothing to do with batter or corn flakes!

I wouldn't be caught dead without this......size of a credit card and about 1/4" thick...it has a functional wine opener, knife, etc. Coolest tool ever I used to carry a Swiss Army knife to do the same things but after they confiscated the 2nd one, I switched to this in my wallet. It's also a great gift for any wine lover.

With no offense intended...McCormick Cajun Seasoning is just plain wrong. To come close to Popeye's it has to be either Tony Cachere's or Zatarains Creole Seasoning, preferably Tony's. I have them both in my spice cabinet but of course they don't really list out the ingredients. Lots of cayenne for sure. It's not Cajun seasoning, it's Creole. I know this because my husband is southern Louisiana born and bred and even lived in NOLA for over 20 years. He slams on the breaks everytime he spies a Popeye's even if he isn't hungry! And he won't touch any other fast food fried chicken. Anything else is an affront.

Why can't you make a good gelatinous chicken broth? When I cook down chicken broth made with lots of bony pieces like wings, it often becomes gelatinous when chilled. I'm pretty certain the soup dumplings I've encountered were chicken broth based rather than pork.

You are certainly not too old! Don't even think that. At 46 you're in your prime. But, waiting is tough, hard, thankless work except maybe in the finest restaurants and they only hire professionals. What about bartending? You'll get just as much tips but not have to cover as much ground, carry and balance multiple plates, or deal with people's weird food fetishes /complaints. Whatever you decide, best of luck!

Kudos on a fascinating blog! And what fun to see you list some of the classic LA good cheap eats as your faves, in contrast to the many fine dining Seattle restaurants you are enjoying. I agree, they each have their own unique appeal...so why not have it all?

Thanks, JAZ... great blog! I guess I'll have to PM you to find out the name of the mall which houses that small farmer's market. San Francisco Centre, perhaps? Also, I am curious about why you got the fixed mandoline rather than the adjustable one.

Thanks, JAZ. Sorry you are having to blog in this godawful weather. At my house this morning it hailed and exactly 60 seconds later the sun came out. My fave Caesar salad is Julia's take on Cardini's which is in "From Julia Child's Kitchen". The croutons are cooked in garlic-infused oil so there is no raw garlic in the salad itself. Julia omits anchovies. I include them (mushed up into the lemon juice and oil) but omit the raw egg. I adore the way she calls for leaving the romaine heart leaves whole and eating the salad with one's fingers.

Why?

Despite all the fabulous advice, it's taken me ages to become moth free. And I don't have faith I am. Saw the last moth about two weeks ago. I spent $100 at a kitchen supply store on plastic bins to store food in...that only got me about 6. I've thrown away everything that wasn't in a can or jar except my spices. I literally can't afford to throw my spices away. I've replaced almost nothing. I used to have over 10 kinds of flour products...I now have one, AP. I have no rice, no beans, no polenta, no cornmeal, no grits, no semolina, no couscous, no barley, etc. This has really taken the joy out of cooking for me. So, I decided to sell my house...but what if I take them with me?

I just read this thread straight through and am very impressed. I think you will be a huge success. I think "Number 9" is ok. I associate it with Revolution #9 and Love Potion #9 both of which have positive connotations for me...wow, that dates me. No idea what kids will make of it though. If you want a catch phrase that incorporates the business name, keep it simple...like "Number 9 Tastes Fine". or "You Can't Beat a Number 9". And for sure, your basic burger should be the "Number 9". Thanks for sharing and please keep us posted.

Thank you, for a wonderful blog. I'm just sitting here stunned that I visit SD at least 5 times a year (elderly parents) and I've never eaten at any of these places. A buffet that has King Crab legs? And all that raw shellfish? I am so there. Hodad's, too. But thank you most for your expansive and welcoming writing style. You made me feel like your guest and it felt good. You're a treasure!

Ok, misducky. This is absolutely NOT a crisp pork belly recipe but it's the best pork belly I have ever tasted and I adore belly. This is Pim's recipe. I was lucky enough to taste her version, and an entire dinner table of people swooned. And it's fairly easy. Here is a link to the recipe on Chez Pim: Scroll down to Caramelized Pork Belly recipe If this is not the right time to try it I encourage all to try it at a later date.

I am just floored by how wonderful your blog has been so far. I haven't missed SD since I left at 18...until now! You know things about that town I never dreamed of. Your pictures of the landscape are stunning. Please keep showing us markets if you can. I find them much more interesting than restaurants...they are more universal. And I love your fridge. Looks just like mine. And by the way, Zappa was my hero...I have every album and saw him in concert many times. Oh, I miss him. Thank you, mizducky!

And one last huge thank you. Long time fan now even more impressed by your cooking and writing abilities. Not to mention the cooking abilities of your very lovely wife, Mary. Wishing you both a wonderful year.

Great start to your blog. I loved meeting you last summer but I'm still not sure why Steingarten/Rosengarten gave that place on Convoy such high reviews? Your green onion pancake looked better than anything we had that day. It's so fun to read about San Diego through your discerning eyes and think about how different it is today than when I grew up there. But Filippi's? Was my fave restaurant at 16...as soon as I got my driver's license that's where my girl friends and I went for dinner on weekends. That was like 100 years ago...can't believe they are still in business. Looking forward to reading lots more. Thank you, misducky!

One of my secret slummin' dinners: toast a slice of bread. With a fork, gently but firmly mash raw ground beef onto it about 1/3-1/2" thick...and cover every bit of the bread or it burns. Season well with fave seasonings, I use Tony Cachere's and ground pepper. Put in a 350 oven til just just a bit of pink remains and still juicy. Top with cheese of choice til melted. I then like to top it off with chopped green chile.

Thank you, Bordelaise and Marlena for saying such nice things about my blog. And here is the funny thing...when I left Greece after 3 weeks, I said to myself, "Ok, I've done Greece and don't need to go back." And I believed it for about a year. But now I can't stop thinking about it. It's like a siren call...which is one of the many reasons I have so enjoyed your blog, Marlena. You feel it and you DO it! Thanks so much for sharing your food with us this past week. I'll miss your blog and I'll miss Helena's, too. It was a nice contrapoint.

Your thoughts about why people don't eat turnip greens or artichoke stems sure resonate with me although they are two of my favorite things. I can't resist linking to an entry on my blog right after I returned from Greece. Turnips with Greens So in Greece they would use olive oil rather than bacon...fabulous either way.

Thanks so much for this blog! I have learned alot...and realized how little I really know about Japanese cooking. I guess I'll be spending more time on the Japan forum.

Your description of this sandwich gives me fond memories of traveling in Mexico. I always ordered this sandwich, sans the sausage, for breakfast. It's called Molletes and is baked on a Bolillo roll. It is a lifesaver for me since I don't like eggs and most Mexican breakfasts are egg heavy.

Manresa Craft Boulevard Chez Panisse Peter Luger's Katz Rioja (Denver) Lupa La Roca (Nogales, MX...the atmosphere and service propelled this into the top of the list) Lotus of Siam (Las Vegas, the food is great and they treat me like visitng royalty ) High Hon. Mention to the San Cayetano Dining Room at Esplendor Resort in Rio Rico, AZ and the Foundry Grill at Sundance Resort in Utah

I'm pleased to say that I was one of the ten people who bought the book back when it was first published. It has served me in good stead on days when I felt uninspired and too lazy to go to the grocery store. Very useful cookbook! I read the Mac N Cheese article in the NYT this morning and guess what's baking in my oven right now? Doesn't it make sense that people who love Grilled Cheese would also adore Mac N Cheese? Works for me!

I knew I adored you for very good reasons! First, I am a grilled cheese fanatic and tried to put that book on my Amazon wish list for Xmas...for some reason they didn't have it. Second, I spent 3 weeks in Greece last year...by no means long enough. But Greece spoke to my soul...the people, the food, the landscape. I hope you'll share many of your Greek experiences with us.