ranitidine

What is the limit in NJ these days? If its been lowered to 0.8, I'm not sure the amount of consumption you alluded to is well within the limit.

I see our agent made contact with you.

Priscilla--Did you have wine with your steak frite? If so, what?

Like I say, SA, I'll let you know.

SB--If you really want to pick a fight with your sister, or maybe open her eyes, tell her one of our house's favorite expressions: "Some things you judge, some things judge you." Of course I have occasion to use that bon mot on she who taught it to me wirh regard to just about any beer. Do you think drinking the live stuff in England or Belgium might really convert her?

I'll let you know after I've roasted it. This will be my maiden voyage roasting as Sandy (who loves celery root pureed with potatos by the way) will undoubtedly refuse to participate in any enterprise involving celery.

Well, someone's got to stand up against all this slander. I do not like celery in salads, but I do like it cooked, in tunafish and just plain, eaten out of hand like I eat raw carrots. So there.

Sandy points out that we're all trying to convince Kim that beets are good but that no one's trying to convince her or Toby that celery is good. Actually, I gave up trying to convince Sandy that celery is good years ago. Come to think of it, once I learned to eat eggplant, there were no vegetables I didn't like.

Marcella Hazan's Squid with Tomatoes and Peas (yes, frozen peas, boxed tomatoes ) Polenta. Salad, dressed with hazelnut oil vinaigrette. Balthazar baguette (not as good as Pain Quotidien). Fritz Winery Saubignon Blanc, 1999 (Sonoma) Eau Chateau Bloomberg

Kim, I find your reaction to beets fascinating. I absolutely do not know what you are talking about when you say beets taste like dirt. I simply don't taste any such thing. Obviously, we have very different body chemistries regarding something that is in beets. Sandy points out that there are many people who simply do not find it possible to eat coriander because of a body chemical reaction (maybe in their saliva or taste buds?)that makes it totally unpalatable to them. Could be that you'll never be able to eat beets. Oh well, more for me.

Only if they've kept you waiting at the bar for a half hour, Tommy.

All the tablewear wrapped up together in the napkin and "do you need change?"

Do you provide information to the police about people and activities at your premises?

Kim--PG Tips is a tea made by Brooke Bond for the UK market. One sees it here only in stores that specialize in British goods. It comes in gauze bags. Our Brit posters probably consider it common supermarket stuff but I think it beats any of the weak U.S. supermarket stuff. Your brother-in-law reminds me of the trial supervisor for my division when I was a NYC Assistant Corporation Counsel. He had never tried a case before a jury. But he was an absolutely brilliant attorney, who I make believe is still editing me whenever I write a brief.

I've caught the miserable cold that Sandy had earlier this week. So we had to cancel our reservations for a jazz workshop at the Hilton to which we had been invited by Vikki True, a sensational singer who is one of the performers. We stayed home and Sandy made the perfect meal for a sick person: grilled rib lamb chops, baked potato and spinach with garlic and nutmeg sauteed in olive oil. I washed it down with a health beverage: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Soon there will be Sandy's rice pudding with PG Tips tea.

Really impossible to say, because on any given day in the right season any piece of any kind of fruit can be supurb. Nevertheless, four that stand out are Peruvian mangoes that we bought many years ago from Robert Is Here and ate with lunch at one of the picnic tables in Flamingo; the Hand melons you buy in August on the way to the races in Saratoga; the first time I ever tasted a comice pear about 30 years ago and the dried organic dates we've been buying lately on 30th Avenue in Astoria.

No silly, its not Sandy's alternate name, its her husband. I become ranitidine every once in a while when I slip into a phone booth. By the way, I forgot to include radishes on my list of favorites.

Beets any style whatsoever, same for Brussels sprouts and spinach, cooked any style, but not raw.

I was just talking to my son who made a very interesting observation. In French and Japanese movies, people on screen are always eating as part of life. In American movies, eating is only shown for purposes of comedy or product placement.

I'm bringing butter.

Yes, the Grand Ticino did close a few years ago, but it had nothing to do with the restaurant of the same name in "Moonstruck." That restaurant was a set, and it was supposed to be in Brooklyn. By the way, have any of you seen the wonderful "La Buche" with Emmanuelle Beart as someone who would make a great egulleteer and (the movie being French, after all) knows you can do other things at the market besides shopping.

Stefany--Please include me in. Your friend, ranitidine

I don't go to ballgames much anymore. Whenever I do, however, I always make and bring the same sandwich. In fact, in our house we call it a "baseball sandwich." Take half a crusty Italian bread. Pull out some of the crumb. Pour olive oil to taste and rub it in. Crush a clove or two of garlic and rub it into the oil. Put in as much Genoa salami and provolone cheese as you wish. Pour some red pepper flakes on top of the salami and cheese. Fold the bread closed. Wash your hands as you don't want to rub your eyes after having used your fingers to spread the garlic and pepper flakes. Wrap the sandwich. Take it to the ballpark. Eat it and follow it with fresh, roasted peanuts. Wash the meal down with cold beer. You won't care if you ever get back.

I've been to both Becco and Firebird and can recommend them both. My first choice, however, would be Grand Szechuan at 9th and 51st. Order the kung pao chicken listed in the back of the menu. Its different and much better than the one listed up front. In fact, if you go, order all your dishes from the rear portions of the menu.

I have always found it to be somewhat bland. There used to be a restaurant on West Street called Howe's Bayou that served it. In Florida, I've had it at The Oar House in Lake Worth, on Congress Avenue, which is a dark, narrow, cinderblock place with very fresh fish, an enormous beer list and consistently the best key lime pie there is.