tommy

well, the bear turned out pretty tasty. as i said, it was prepared in an asian style. more like thai than chinese, though. the texture was not all that different than beef. most of the pieces were thinly sliced, which made them quite tender. the flavor was beef-like, and just a little gamey. all-in-all it was pretty good. although it felt a little odd eating meat that was shot and butchered by someone i know. but then again, i don't know many people who hunt. i've never felt so much like Ted Nugent in my life. but, i think i'll stick to animals that are slaughtered by the thousands in big factories that exist in places that i know nothing about.

it might be just enough to push someone who was considering vegetarianism to make that decision.

perhaps menton1 will offer to scoop the poop of all of the geese.

when i brush the grates, i brush the inside of the lid. i rarely have an issue with flaking unless i don't keep up with it.

yeah, they must have some cheap-ass coffee!

right. and i'm guessing marlene doesn't get a lot of "drunk shmucks" ringing her bell. i dare say that if someone wants to get in, the chain isn't going to do much. one kick or a hard blow from the shoulder and it's history. a peephole and deabolt are probably the best defense.

the weber, at the very least, has no paint on the inside of the lid. the flaking is harmless carbon.

would you eat a white M&M? here.

definitely go to the aquarium. i think they even have an imax thing IIRC. the riverboat is always fun, although they can take a few hours. but you can go down to the engine room, and i've seen plenty of kids enjoying themselves. and don't be afraid of a horse and buggy ride. i can't imagine kids not liking that, and, if you're nice to the horse guy, he'll let you run in to that bar, which is the oldest bar, like, in the world, on the way (i forget the name). maybe they'll like a cemetary tour? i sure did. edit: oh yeah, fifi suggests a streetcar ride. if it's the one i'm thinking of, it goes past the "real world" house, which looked like a haunted house last i was there, and it goes up to that diner place with the good burgers (i forget the name). that would be a nice trip for a kid-friendly lunch.

for those who aren't familiar with weehawken, NJ, the first shot shows the lovely, but mediocre, Chart House out on the water. a fantastic view of the city from that restaurant.

if that was common knowledge, i'm sure they'd sell a lot more miller light. even i drink miller light when i'm feeling nostalgic. but never when i want a decent beer.

varmint, if you even come close to approximating a babbo pasta (and i'm sure the experts will tell us how easy it is), make sure you post the details here. i'd be very interested. addtionally, if varmint invites all of egullet, it's a clear sign that he's finally lost his mind.

because vodka and soda isn't beer, and tastes less like beer than low-carb beer. personally, i hate the stuff, and i've had my share of the best vodkas available.

rlibkind, where is the smoke coming from? if it's a self-clean oven, one cycle should burn all of the burnables out. in fact, that's how i clean my stone (if i forget, i'm in the same boat with the smoke the next time i use the oven). i'll ask again, though, if we think the 100 degrees are so makes a big difference with a pizza stone or ceramic tiles. i'd be interested in a side-by-side test.

i can't imagine not answering the door, unless i'm asleep. i guess i don't have many random strangers knocking on it.

i just don't see the connection. those kids are clearly being influenced by their parents. their parents, i'd imagine, think hunting is reasonable (and i'm not going to pass judgment). however, if you show my child a picture of a skinned rabbit, prepare to hit the pavement, face first. just my opinion. i could be wrong.

speaking for myself, i think the bar offers a completely different experience. there's something to be said about getting 2 experiences out of one restaurant. given the choice, i'd try both at any given restaurant. but i do enjoy the "social" aspect of the bar.

all of that, an no friends to speak of. talk about overkill.

other than not heating up your kitchen, what are the advantages to using an outside grill? i considered doing it the other day, but then realized that everything i needed was in the kitchen, and going outside, even though it was mild, seemed more work.

i've just been told that the bear is already cooked. asian style, with onions, i suppose soy sauce, stuff like that. so, i'll heat it up gently.

i have rarely if ever seen bear on menus in the tri-state area. although, i probably haven't gone to the places that might serve this type of thing. it might even be illegal. i'm not sure. in other words, i have no idea what i'm talking about.

how are you going to cook it? what cut did you get? this will be very interesting. it's already marinated in an "asian" preparation. not sure of the details of that, as i haven't opened the tuperware. i'm not sure what cut it is. i'll ask when i see the guy again. but i'll be sure to report back. i'm not sure how i'm going to cook it, though. when i take a look at the meat, and inspect it for marbling, toughness, and whatnot, i'll decide. any suggestions?

a friend of mine took down a 300 lb bear. he gave me some of the meat today. i'm looking forward to trying it tonite or tomorrow. mmmmm.

enquiring minds? nah. just you and menton1. ok, and maybe 1 or 2 others.

great summary and pics! thanks for the report.