lindag

Denny's. Bad food, bad service, bad everything. People eat there because it's cheap. I actually was in a Denny's on Maui where actually the food is not bad. However, while we were waiting for our breakfast I had the experience of watching a family of locals at a nearby booth; during their meal, Mom whips the baby up onto the table and proceeds to change its diaper. Thought I'd never erase that memory from my mind. How bloody clueless!

Since we're having record-breaking temps here in the Northern Rockies these days, I read this thread with interest. I love good iced tea, with lemon, very, very lightly sweetened. I used the SE method referred to above; 48-ozs. water, six tea bags and into the fridge for five hours. Turned out just like I like it. First I used Earl Grey tea bags because that was all I could find in the cupboard but that was too fruity. Then I found a box of good old Lipton and that was just right. Like Goldilocks.

By the by....if you haven't tried Johsonville Smoked Brats (the pre-cooked type only), you're really missing out. I love them!!! A nice soft bun, some minced onion and a shmear of mustard is heaven to me.

I bought a few cans of this in my supermarket a couple months ago then it just disappeared from the stores altogether. I was very surprised to find it available in cases at Amazon. Imagine my surprise when I put the product in my shopping cart and then I was told it was not available to be shipped to where I live! I contacted Amazon to find out that Lipton doesn't have a distribution outlet in my state (or in any state with a smaller population). Frankly, I loved the sparkling tea, I love carbonation and this had the right combination of bubbles and flavor and all the flavors were great. I don't care if it has a little more sugar than average, I only drink one can once in a while. I just wish I could buy it where I live.

At home I will have my hot dog with lots of diced onion and mustard only. At a 'hot dog place' I might add some relish. That's all it needs.

I think there are people who have made up their minds and they don't want to like 'different' foods. And then I think there are people who want to like everything. Therein lies the difference.

I do not understand the people who are picky about what they will and will not eat. I was brought up to try everything and, as a result, I like most foods (even if it takes several tries to do so). My (late) husband was the same way. There are few foods I will not eat - aside from the really weird stuff. Yet, I know people who turn their noses up at milk, all seafood, yogurt, meat that is not well-done, rice and the list goes on and on and on to the point that it seems as if there are more foods they don't eat than those they do. I don't get it. So they had fish once and didn't like it. Why do they assume then that all fish is going to be the same? I could not live with someone like that. Could you?

Erk. No, I have not yet cooked anything sous vide since I first posted. Still standing at the precipice.

I've been making http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/potato-wheat-bread-recipe for some time now. Love the fabulous rise and oven-spring. A really great mild-tasting whole wheat bread that's good for toast or sandwiches or whatever._

"Sticking with gin/Campari combinations, if you could find St. Germain you could make a Bitter Elder, or with Cointreau a Robert Hess Jasmine. If you like grapefruity flavors you'll likely enjoy either of those." Craig, Thank you. I LOVE grapefruit but can't have it because of bp medications so the Robert Hess sounds perfect for me. The mixer section of my local liquor store is SO SMALL I have no hope of finding anything like Punt e Mes or Frenet (sp?) or anything at all out of the ordinary. But I do have a large collection of liquor and I like branching out with new drinks. I'll look for elderflower next time I stop in but can't get my hopes up.

Paul, I did just what you suggested and increased the gin by half - gin is really my favorite spirit. I liked that combination a bit better. Should I try it with dry vermouth? Keep in mind that the selections at local liquor stores are pretty basic.

I knocked one of my favorite stemless wineglasses off the counter and onto my tile floor. Had to go get the broom and dustpan.

It's an old saying that my Mom used to use.

Thank you. I tried this (it was also the recipe on the back of the Campari bottle) and it was good, not great, to my taste. However, I'm willing to tinker and try it a few times to see if it's true that it has to grow on me; it is quite different.

Ok, I stopped and picked up the Campari, now I could use a suggestion as to how to mix. where I live we have only simple ingredients. I have the Campari, several of the common brands of Gin, Tribumo sweet Vermouth and Gallo dry Vermouth. Can I make a decent drink with what I have?

Well I've never had a Negroni cocktail before but after reading through this thread I've become convinced that I've been missing out. Compari is on my list for the liquor store.

Is this just a flash-in-the-pan kind of thing? I got my Anova circulator several weeks ago and still haven't found anything I want to make with it. Is it just me or are there others out there staring at theirs?

Looking for a good tasting tequila. Not too expensive and not too exotic because we don't have 'exotic' in the smallish town where I live. Since I'm a bit tired of G&Ts and I'm not allowed to have a Salty Dog I've decided it's Margarita time, especially since warm weather is here. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I love a dirty martini but find that I can only drink one lest I get silly. And I make a wonderful Bloody Mary but sometimes that's just too heavy a drink. Haven't had an Old Fashioned in years and I'll have to look up the recipe now, but that could be a candidate. Gin Rickey sounds good, I do love gin.

Thanks for that, I do have a couple of different ryes on hand and I'll definitely try it that way. And one thing I really like is the Salty Dog, but dagnabbit, my pharmacist tells me I can't have grapefruit in any form ever due to the BP meds that I take. That was really disappointing to hear. I'll check around for sours and see what I can come up with.

My drink of choice during cocktail hour is nearly always a Gin & Tonic. This has been going on for years! I need to branch out but I don't know what to make. I seem to have many bottles of Rum and Vodka and Whiskey and Bourbon and everything else I can think of. But I don't want to make drinks that take lots of different or exotic ingredients I live in a pretty small town and don't have access to the fancy liquors, just the average stuff. I tried a Manhattan last night using Jack Daniels and that didn't ring my chimes. I'm really not picky; got any suggestions for me?

To update: Yesterday I spoke with my HVAC rep about adding a vent to my existing equipment. I have an over-the-range microwave with a recirculating vent system. He tells me that they can open up the wall behind my existing m/w and create a down-draft vent into the crawlspace and out an exterior wall. Despite that down draft vents aren't nearly as efficient as a true hood, I'm thinking this would be a very good solution where there really isn't anything else I can do. Any thoughts?

I have one of those too, and they are useless. Basically mine just blows the vapor and grease onto my cabinetry.