tommy

from what i remember of spam, they don't taste very similar. the texture, also, is much different. i would hesitate to compare either of the products to hotdogs, although it's often a chopped pork product. still not you friend, tommy

Q.E.D.

in addition to probably being deep-fried, i'm guessing the beans were chinese longbeans, or yard-long beans. they're lots of fun, and often found in thai cooking.

it's good to see brand new members participating and jumping right into the question and answer sessions. always a pleasure to have well-adjusted and socially confident people joining, even if they don't know what fennel is.

doug, could you define "gourmet" in the context in which you're using it? it seems that there are plenty of people who get by and eat well without ever having a hamburger. that notion, to me, seems very narrow-minded, and taints your entire argumentroll.

oh it doesn't taste like spam silly. you're not my friend anymore.

i started a thread on wine glass totes. please ignore.

there was some discussion on the spiegelau glass thread about bringing our own stemware to restaurants. member russ parsons suggests that this idea is just a bit too much. living in NJ, which has many BYO-only restaurants, my contention is that some of the stemware at these otherwise fine restaurants is unsuitable for even water. i can tell you that drinking your favorite wine during a great meal out of a what amounts to a shot glass might quickly change ones mind regarding bringing your own glasses. my wine bag can easily hold a bottle and two glasses. i have a larger one that would hold 2 bottles and 4 glasses, which i'll probably start using. fat guy suggests wrapping a few glasses in towels and throwing them in a bag. are they any solutions that are a bit more, um, elegant?

it's in bad form to make private correspondence public without the consent of the writer. this, is not debatable. second guessing her motives or what she did or did not know is moot. that said, i have no idea if she was asked or not.

dunno. i've only done it with baked. no butter. no evoo. the cheese has enough oil in it already. i use as non-stick skillet. just drop the frozen block in (you can freeze if for months), throw a cover on it to speed the defrosting process, and fry it up. oh man.

can i suggest "reheating" the mac in cheese by frying it? oh man, you don't know what you're missing until you try it.

i wouldn't want it any other way.

oh i knew you'd say that. i just wanted to see if anyone had any interest. i put a lot of thoughts into every one of my posts i'll have you know.

i've found that drinking a boat-load and then leaving before the bill comes works very good for me. actually, i don't think we've ever come up with a very good way of approaching this issue (save the NJ dinner where booze was included for a song). thediscussion of the congee village dinner offers some fascinating insight into the process of addressing this very difficult issue

Absolutely! That is a perfect range. Does this include beverages?? not for *me* it doesn't.

this is becoming an issue for me. more often than not, i'm frustrated with the stemware at BYOBs. i'm considering carrying my own, but it seems like such a hassle. thoughts?

i do believe that it is sometimes referred to as "forbidden rice," having something to do with that story that only royalty were allowed to eat it at some point in history. the texture and flavor is wonderful. all rice should be black, or rather, purple. for those in northern NJ, "my cup of tea" in allendale serves "forbidden rice."

sure sure.

if you have a moment, could you consider explaining black rice to the class. what about it makes is so unique, and delicious?

i remember you recommending them. i've never been, but have ordered take-away from mela. i think samosas might lose something in the journey. i'll be sure to mention your name if i go...and, of course, i'll be prepared to duck.

you and i? i don't recall. as with most things, i'm thinking that there *must* be a way. however, i'm not experienced at all in baking, so i can't even offer half-way intelligent commentary...as opposed to my usual half-informed nonsense that i spout here on a daily if not hourly basis. i'll just order from mela and call it a day.

suvir, do you subscribe to the idea that naan cannot be made at home?

i'm no mind reader, but i bet mark will have some recs.

i've always been a follower. never had an original thought in my head, and never will. always wore the same sneakers as everyone, listened to the same bands as everyone, and didn't read the books that the other kids didn't read. so it follows that egullet is an extremely suggestive force in my sad, meaningless life. so much so, that it often dictates what i eat, and when i eat it. today, for example, we looked at, discussed, and craved blue heron's thai inspired hors d'oeuvre. i then had to have thai for lunch. liza told us about her mousse rubbed roasted chicken. so i had no choice but to order mrs. tommy to prepare this meal for me. which she dutifully did (wouldn't you?). roasted chicken with mousse under da skin. baby spinach with garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice. potatoes roasted under the bird. a reasonably priced if not very exciting santenay to drink. i just just doesn't get any more basic, easy, and wonderful. thanks again egullet. [

the wine avenger has a short book that's geared towards wine and food. he (willie gluckstern) is a no-nosense guy, and he's pretty damned funny. his theories, for the most part, are in line with immer's, and just about every other wine/food professional: acid good, oak bad. willie's book is about 10 bucks and takes about an hour to read. i can't recommend it enough.