KathyP

I second Prince's Hot Chicken. When coming to Nashville I stop there and pick up an order to go to the my hotel. Excellent chicken. Stick with mild or medium for first trip. Last time I was there a gal was selling tasty cake slices as well. All very reasonable. Another place to try is Nick & Jim's. It's on Charlotte Pike (west of N-ville right off I-40). It's a chain, but their food is excellent and their mini cheese biscuits with honey butter are heavenly.

Generally, the cocktail cherries will do if one is to soak them in bourbon, but fresh cherries sounds interesting. Like the Manhattan, why not road test each.

Thanks to this thread 8 years ago I learned about Cerdon-deBugey. It been a favorite of mine ever since when I can get it. So I'd like to ask, what sparklings are you drinking this holiday season? Same criteria as before: good values that may be overlooked.

If you've got a bottle of Maker's Mark laying around, I'd go a City Sidecar. It's equal parts bourbon, Frangelico and a little bit of orange juice. You could also soak some cherries in the Maker's and throw them in. Rim the glass with some sugar. The Frangelico is also very versatile in other drinks so it probably wouldn't go unused.

A friend told me he had an Orange Manhattan cocktail at a local restaurant the other day. Sounds intriguing. I love both bourbon and orange. Does anyone have a recipe(s)?

LindaK, I made these meatballs last Friday. They were a big hit. I also had some leftover meat, so I made a burger for my husband. He didn't think he'd like it, but he did. Thanks much for the recipe.

I'm having a few friends over on Friday for movie night - "Shirley Valentine," much of which takes place in Greece. Among other appetizerss, I decided to make Greek style meatballs and went searching for recipes on the net. I found one using ground veal and turkey; another using ground lamb and beef. However, when I got to the market I forget which meat went with which recipe and bought both ground veal and ground lamb. I'm now thinking the lamb may be too overpowering to mix with the veal. What do you think? Save one or the other for another recipe or give it a try? Or can anyone recommend their favorite recipe for them. Thanks.

Sitting at my local wine shop/bar one day, a local distributor's rep had an especially tight (his words)bottle of red. He pulls out a hand held blender and a pitcher from the shop and goes to town on it. Remarkable difference in before and after taste. I seem to recall seeing this done on a TV show somewhere, too.

Baby back ribs and Saratoga chips - OK they're from Montgomery Inn in Cincinnati (I cheat) macaroni and cheese being brought by friend Appetizers - spinach/fontina cheese bruschetta and also spinach dip from the Knorr soup package dessert - strawberry cream cheese tart Whenever we entertain, people always want to bring stuff. I tell them to bring wine or beer, not to bother with food. Never works. As a result, this day, especially, there is always way more food than can be consumed.

Yesterday at Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, OH, I found a closeout on bottles of Hiram Walker's Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice liqueurs at $5.99 each. Too good to pass up so I bought a bottle of each. Now, what to do with them? Aside from sipping straight, anyone got some recipe suggestions?

I chose the side of caution and threw out the can. Regret it now. Guess I'll have to get another and store it for 13 years. Stay tuned. And thanks for the opinions.

Had to ask, thanks for the response. Will definitely toss, but it was quite a surprise to find it there. Makes me wonder what else is in the pantry. Time for a good cleaning over the holidays.

In the back of my pantry today, I found a can of Eagle Brand condensed milk. It's use by date is 1/1998. Can is in good shape. How long can canned good realistically be kept? Is it safe to use or should I pitch and buy another? Am planning to make that bar cookie with choclate chips, nuts, coconut and whatever else it calls for. Thanks.

The worst: White Castle bacon cheeseburger, followed by a double cheeseburger. And they didn't even taste good. I just had a craving for them. The other item I just threw out: Land O'Lakes fat free half and half. I read the label and it had all kinds of ingredients in addition to milk and cream. Didn't know what they were, but just didn't sound like something I should ingest. I'm sticking to local/regional dairy 1/2-1/2 from now on. Only 2 ingredients in those.

I really don't have a 'beef' with Lagasse. I do take note of that can label, though. "Real beef." As opposed to what? Horsemeat, tofu?

I was given a bottle of this for Christmas, but I"m not sure what to do with it. Anyone have any suggestions besides using as a dipping sauce. Thanks.

Aside from my kitchen itself (original to house built in 1963), the oldest thing is my Tupperware pastry sheet and rolling pin. The end of the rolling pin screws off so you can add water/ice. I still use the pastry sheet from time to time. The rolling pin, not so much. The items date to 1967, the year after my daughter was born.

My Cincinnati Trader Joe's has several products I love: Basmati Rice Medley (white/wild rice with herbs and veggies). Wonderful aroma. Yum. Goes great with... Orange Chicken from the freezer case ($4.99). More yum. Great for a quick meal. TJ's nan bread in the freezer case. Much cheaper than nan at Whole Foods. Just as good. But the best item is Volpe Salami. Comes flavored with red (chianti), white or rose wine. $3.99 at TJ, a real bargain and it tastes great. Murray's Cheese shop within our Kroger markets here is $7.99. Same stuff. Go figure.

When I was a kid I'd eat anchovies and sardines. Now, I can't even stand to look at sardines and I avoid anchovies in salads and other foods.

toss with Old bay and a bit of lemon juice; cocktail sauce on the side

When I retired a few years ago, one of my to-do list items was to go to the Aspen Food and Wine Classic. I got busy doing other things and now looking into festivals I find the South Beach festival and one in New Orleans and others. Now, the question is, which one is the one for me? I'm not a professional, just a lover of good food and wines. Any recommendations?

I searched for some recent information on this place, but no luck. Is it still around and if so, how is it now that things have settled down? I'm looking at a few days in NYC next month and would love to try it if....

My husband and I ran into something similar when his son was married several years ago. He was in the USMC at the time so his intended did all the planning. We were told where the rehearsal dinner would be and how many would be coming - virtually all from her side of the family. This was in addition to the boatload of $$ we had contributed to the wedding costs. That being said..... You say you were 'informed' you'd be on the hook. Not asked to contribute to the reception or even for your input? WOW. I wouldn't even call it 'odd.' How crude. I guess I'm just an old-fashioned old woman. Is money an issue with the bride and her parents? How many guests were you planning to invite for your side? I think your best bet may be to keep the rehearsal meal to sandwiches and/or appetizers as was suggested. Or perhaps have it at your home and catered from a local deli. Out of town guests are not required in attendance.

Cerdon de Bugey - a sparkling pink from the nearby slopes of the French alps. Several years ago someone posted here that it tasted like strawberries. And they were right. Low alcohol - about 7%. I found some in NJ at the time, but haven't seen it in about a year anywhere. Any ideas where to get now?

Dale J - a local wine store here in suburban Cincinnati sells one called "Royal Bitch." It's a red wine, somewhat mellow. Black label. Don't ask the winery or the grapes involved. I don't remember. But I will go back and find out. It was quite good.