birder53

Hog's Breath Inn - Clint Eastwood's place in CA. I saw a local ad for Fantasy Pizza. Sounds bad to me

I love cilantro! I've never cooked any Indian dishes, but use it with Mexican/soutwestern and Thai dishes. "Hot Barbeque", our favorite summer grill bible uses it in most of their recipes. I use the leaves and the stems.

Fencing is a very passionate sport! (Four years spent on my college varsity team ) Glad to see your son is willing to try something completely different. It is a wonderful sport to participate in. I don't know if non-fencers can enjoy watching it or not, but I still get all wound up if given an opportunity to reminisce about my fencing days. En garde!

Loin of pork with with a saute of sweet potato, apple, onion and ginger - finished with cider vinegar. My first time using loin of pork. I feared it might turn out dry, but it was quick to cook and quite tender and juicy.

Wegman's in Bridgewater has a fabulous olive bar. We picked up small amounts of green olives mixed with red pepper flakes, a cajun mix of green, dark(?) and pink olives in a wonderful spicy brine and a morrocan mix of green and dark olives (not pitted!) with cinnamon stick and other wonderful spices. We were back there yesterday to stock up on the cajun and morrocan olives. They were great with some thinly sliced manchego as a pre-dinner cocktail nibble. The liquor store doesn't have the low prices of some of the local stores, but they have a corner devoted to northeastern wines from New York, Ontario and New Jersey, to name a few. We picked up a bottle of Inniskillin reisling. They also have some unusual beers, ales and liquers. Worth checking out just for the items not usually found in other local stores.

I also grew up with "Joy" in the house. I used it mostly for reference - the foods we heat, the foods we cook, the conversion tables, etc. I bought my own copy when I go married 25 years ago. I replaced it when a new version came out, about 2 years ago. I still find it very helpful in learning about the ingredients I use, especially when I need to make a substitution. It has a lot a good basic information that I can rely on. The "new" edition contains many ethnic recipes not popular 25 years ago.

This was my first cookbook too. It was a Christmas gift from my parents when I was 12. I spent hours reading over recipes and deciding what to make. Breakfast for my younger sister and brothers was always from that book. I loved the "Surpise" muffins with the jelly hidden in the center. My mother still swears by the meatloaf recipe they had. I baked and cooked and guarded the book against theft from family members who wanted to steal my secrets. No one was allowed to use the book without my permission! I finally passed this beloved, though worn, book on to my 12 year old niece, who has been taking cooking lessons in her home ec classes. Her younger sister and brother already have their favorite recipes marked for her to make. I did see a newer version of this book, but I really love the photos in the 1965 version. The sketches of various young cooks and their comments on the recipes is still a part of my memories of browsing this book. It was well written, easy to use, fun and the dishes were actually very good. Great thread! Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

I found Total Greek whole milk yogurt with honey and with strawberry at Wegman's. I tried it with honey and it was wonderful! It's so rich and creamy that 5 oz goes a long way. I didn't see a low fat version, but I'll ask at Wegman's on my next trip. I also tried Brown Cow whole milk yogurt. Love the cream at the top! This search for a new yogurt seems to be defeating the low fat diet I was attempting - but these rich versions can certainly be added as an occassional treat. Stoneyfield is good, but the low fat has a better consistency than the no fat. I'll trade a few days of no fat for the treat of Total Greek or Brown Cow. Thanks to all who suggested these brands!

This is wonderful! The recipe appeared in the NY Times Sunday Styles section on 2/2/03. Bella Donna Cinnamon sugar 1 oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum 1 oz Amaretto di Saronno 2 tablespoons fresh sour mix (combine 1 tablespoon each of sugar, water, lemon and lime juices). 1. Rim martini glass with sugar mix 2. Share rum, amaretto and sour mix with ice. Strain into glass and serve.

I love the wonderful mix of flavors in Indian food. It's a shame many people decide they don't like Indian food without ever trying it. Some "know" it will be too hot. Friends refuse to try it because they "don't like curry." I try to explain curry is only one part of the cuisine and I have never ordered anything called curry in an Indian restaurant. When I worked in NYC, co-workers from Queens decided they hated Indian food just because they lived in apartment buildings with Indian families and didn't like the smells from their kitchens. I wish folks would at least try a new cuisine before writing it off! There are a lot of timid palates around here. I don't enjoy food that is too spicy, but I like a bit of a kick. Too much heat in any dish just kills my tastebuds.

Tangy is good! But chalky! That sounds awful. I actually tried Stonyfield strawbery today and liked the texture. I'll have to try their plain to see if it has 'tang'. I bought Master Choice, the A&P store brand, to try and ended up dumping it in the trash after two spoonfuls. It was pretty awful and I should have known better than to try the store brand, but one never knows... (Now I know!) I will pick up some Axlerod as part of my search!

Cathy, Where to you find this brand. I've never seen or heard of total before.

After being loyal to Dannon yogurt for over 25 years, I am searching for a new brand. I did try making my own back in the '70s with my Salton yogurt maker, but it never seemed as good as what Dannon was making. They have added thickeners and lost that great yogurt "bite" they used to have. Yogurt has always been an easy breakfast and/or lunch for me, so I need to find a replacement. Any suggestions? What brands do you enjoy?

The Bridgewater Costco does not have liquor. Their meats, bakery and other foodstuff were great. But the large sizes meant we only bought them when we were entertaining. We dropped our membership after one year and went back to BJs. Costco didn't carry many of the household and grocery products we buy in bulk. BJs also takes manufacuturers coupons and just about any method of payment. Since we cancelled our American Express card we probably won't consider going back to Costco. That said, Ellen Shapiro's thread on Costco around the world got me thinking about all that I was missing! And who would have considered visiting Costco's on vacations???

Our experiences with dining out on Valentine's Day have convinced us to make it a special evening at home. The restaurants are overwhelmed and it shows in the service and food. It probably also depends on where you choose to dine. If the restaurant limits the reservations it accepts to what it can realistically handle, it could be a lovely evening. We also decided to eat out at the last minute one mid-week Valentine's Day at a local place we frequented. They were accepting diners without reservations. Big mistake and we should have known better. It was mobbed, but we waited and finally ate. The waitstaff were racing around the room like it was a track! The kitchen was slow, they ran out of several dishes and the atmosphere was manic! My worst Valentine's Day dinner was in Chicago in the early '80s. I had a business trip that landed me and a female co-worker in town around 5:00 PM on Valentine's Day. We ended up waiting a long time in the Watertower(?) mall outside some chain restaurants until our name finally came up on one of the lists @8:00 PM. It was a Mexican restaurant. We were surrounded by loving couples in a dimly lit room feeling more than a bit out of place, but very hungry. Our server began a long, romantic recitation of at least 6 "specials for two" that evening. We each received a rose. I think we were the only table to get two roses We drank a lot, which helped, and laughed hysterically by the time the special "desserts for two" were recited at the end of the meal. Our server was a bit unnerved at this point. We didn't care at all! I was not happy to be away from my husband that day and the situation we ended up in was comical, but I remember it every year. Moral of the story - stay home!

I never thought I would be adding to this post. On the rare occassions that I did cook, I felt that the results were rarely worth the effort. Tonight was different. I made a chicken stew from Fine Cooking magazine. It's a family joke that I have a subscription to it and have only tried a recipe once before. (I really love the photos!) I am known at home as the one who knows the best restaurants, not the one you hope will cook a meal! This stew had chicken, black beans, chipotle, lime and cilantro, among other things. How could you go wrong? I even bought the Shiraz-Cabernet they suggested and the results were truly awesome! My husband was shocked, as was I, at how delicious the meal was. I have been encouraged by this success to try the recipe for chicken stew with braised fennel and sausage next. I'm even going to start checking into this Cooking section. (I usually avoid it since I don't usually cook unless forced to!) Maybe it isn't as daunting as I thought.

NSM, You are definitely destined for greater things and a better audience for your culinary delights! Follow you passions and you will be happy with your lot in life. Best of luck to you.

Lunch and breakfast are merely a way to survive until dinner! I bring yogurt and fruit from home every day. It's boring but I'm trying to save the calories for the weekends. Come Friday night, I eat and drink whatever I wish. Sitting at a desk all day and never getting any serious exercise demands watching the diet - unless I want to replace all my clothes with the next bigger size. Age hasn't helped the situation either.

Nightscotsman, do you have a mostly male or female office? I notice that the speed at which food disappears is directly related to the number of men in the office. They also devour the store bought items before venturing near anything too unfamiliar. Maybe some of your co-workers are just too intimidated by your works of art - which is exactly what that beautiful blueberry cake was! What about a small card describing the ingredients for those who might not want to try something they do not recognize from the supermarket? At any rate, you are certainly wasting your goods deeds on this group! You need to find a better class of people to work with.

I grew up on pretty standard fare. My mother was adventurous, but the rest of us resisted. One aunt was known as a good cook and would have big buffet parties to show off her skills. As a kid, we usually tried to find something that looked and smelled familiar! We did leave a lot of her food uneaten, but I know now it wasn't just because we were ignorant of "up scale" cooking or new foods. She was a bad cook! Her last family party was two years ago and we left looking for a good meal. She truly enjoys cooking and trying new recipes, but either her choice of menu or her skills are wanting. My opinion of her cooking is the same as it was 30 years ago! I'm not trying to start trouble, but could some of the food in question here not really be as good as the cook thinks? I fear posing such a thought to this group, but I'm basing it on my own experiences.

I'm glad Rosie paid more attention to her billing notice than I did. When they shipped the first part of my order they billed me more than the total order was quoted to be. They requested that I contact them again when the rest of the order is shipped and they will correct the billing error. I don't see why they don't just fix it now. I wonder if this is some sort of glitch their system has with the super saver deals. Even though I have been shopping with them for years, I don't recall taking advantage of this type of offer before. Maybe a billing program needs some tlc! Thanks for the heads up, Rosie!

My dream kitchen would have two ovens - gas ovens! We have no gas hookup right now and electric is not as responsive. I'd also like someone to clean up after me when I'm done. That's the part that drives me to eat out instead of cooking in!

We are lazy diners. We tend to decide at the last minute where to eat, so that limits our choices. Our regular haunt for Italian food is Torino on Mountain Blvd in Warrenville (5 minutes away) . We can always walk in at 6:00 PM on a weekend without a reservation. The service and food are good. We usually have apps, entrees, coffee and split a dessert for about $60, including tax and tip. We also like Il Mulino in Flemington, but that requires advanced planning for a reservation. For non-Italian we like Thai Thai in Sterling, Pooja and Jose's Mexican Cantina in Warrenville. Stage House Inn is a favorite for special occasions.

We've been to Casa Bianca twice. The service was pleasant but uneven both times. We also felt the prices were a bit steep for a casual restaurant. The prices do not match the service or atmosphere. The food was good, but not great. When we asked our server for the prices of the recited specials, he replied that he did not know. Very strange. The food does not live up to the expectations one has after reading the menu. It's not worth the ride for us. There are better choices closer to home. The portions are huge and maybe that is why they are priced higher than expected, but I'd prefer a smaller portion that I can enjoy in one sitting.