KatieLoeb

Just came up with a Spiced Pear Sangria-tini drink for a Spanish menu. Dry white wine, spiced simple syrup, pear nectar and Belle de Brillet Cognac. Very delicious. The Belle de Brillet Cognac has to be the most delicious stuff I've ever tried. Not inexpensive, but marries the best of both a fine Cognac and Poire Williams together smoothly. Mmmmmmm...Yummy! I have to go buy myself a bottle of this to have at home.

In agreement with all he said. We had a lovely dinner we couldn't finish that hardly put a dent in our wallets. Probably put a bulge in our waistlines though! Everything was delicious, fresh and vibrantly flavored. The assortment of chalupas was excellent. Gives you an idea of what their basic "meat mix" is should you wish to order a taco or burrito in any particular flavor at another time. I was particularly fond of the Enchiladas pork. Very tender and flavorful and nicely spiced. The chicken on the toastadas was shredded and also nicely spiced. The shredded lettuce gets messy, but hey, this ain't Le Bec Fin, y'know. The steak was very good and a huge bargain at like $12, I think. I could have lived without the perfectly rectangular vision of melted pre-sliced cheese on top, but aethetics of presentation aside it was very good. I really liked the sauteed veggies that came with the steak which included some thin shreds of jalapeno, onions and red peppers. We were smart enough to sit right by the kitchen so we could see all the food coming out (side note: we discussed how most folks would think that's a lousy table, but being true eGulleteers we loved it!). Many of the other dishes looked quite appealing like the towering mound of nachos, the sizzling platter which I have to assume was fajitas of some sort, and the enchiladas mole which I will definitely try next time. My thanks to Philadining both for the charming company and for taking the time to post the pictures.

There's plenty of great pizza in Philly, in every sector of the city. Sometimes you may have to travel to get there is all. West of Broad - Mama Palma's East of Broad - Rustica 2nd Street South Philly - Marra's, Franco & Luigi's, Stadium (also owned by F&L's) Port Richmond - Tacconelli's Trenton - DiLorenzo's (admittedly a hike, but well worth it. No worse than heading to DiFara's from Manhattan) I think the comparison to NYC is not fair. The difference is that here, many of the best places aren't "slice shops", you either go have a whole pie or not. For the most part the overwhelming number of NYC pizza "slice joints" are mediocre as well. But when we get it right here, its REALLY good. I most recently ate at Tacconelli's just last week and it was awesome. Undoubtedly, some of the best pizza known to man. Mama Palma's did not disappoint on my most recent visit either. There's much good pizza in Philly. It just might not be fast food.

Another nice add-in is a canned (seeded, or it's too hot) chiplotle with a bit of the adobo sauce from the can. Makes for a spicy and tasty hummus. I also like well drained and rinsed artichoke heart for an artichoke hummus.

I just came up with a Passionfruit-Melon margarita for a client of mine. Passionfruit-Melon Margarita: 1½ oz. lime juice 2 oz. gold tequila 2 Tbs. Passionfruit puree (the frozen kind) 1 oz. Melon liqueur ½ oz Triple Sec Shake and either strain for up or serve on the rocks. Garnish with skewered melon balls. These are quite tasty.

For me it's about deep dark fruits (black cherry, plum, cassis, blackberry) with cocoa, cedar, and a lighter (but still present) component of "earthiness". I like very subtle hints of herbal notes like licorice or mint, a recognizable but not overwhelming dose of pencil lead and really love the occasional floral note in the background of violets. Silky tannins and balanced acidity crucial to my enjoyment of the wine. Alcohol content doesn't matter if the balance is there. It can be anywhere from 12.5%-15% alcohol as long as all the previously mentioned bases have been hit. A big honking rare to med-rare steak is the perfect thing to have with it. The 2001 Lancaster Estate Alexander Valley Red is a pretty good example of what I find to be a very sexy and delicious (mostly) Cabernet. I'm a big fan of winemaker David Ramey (who also makes his own spectacular wines under his own label) who assisted with production of this wine.

Brooks you continue to amaze/amuse me with your Never Say Die attitude (that's AT-ee-tood if you're from Philly) and ability to find humor in any situation. I remember my older cousin Robert having some C-rations around from his stint in the Army when I was just a kid. He brought them over and I was fascinated. Until I tasted it, anyway... Even then I knew it was pretty bare bones sustinance. The MREs look a whole lot better. And what couldn't be improved with a wee bit of Tabasco from a wee bottle?

I make a tasty summer salad of watercress, baby spinach, walnuts and strawberries served with a very thin lemon aioli dressing. Just make a homemade mayonaisse with extra lemon juice, a bit of sugar and a bit of lemon zest and dress the salad. The peppery watercress is a great counterpoint to the sweet berries and lemony dressing.

Dinner at Audrey Claire this evening. A last minute but very worthwhile evening spent sitting at the outside tables on a lovely cool evening Between the four of us we tried: Baby arugula salad w/fresh berries, French lentils and warm goat cheese Grilled octopus w/extra virgin olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs over field greens Steamed littleneck clams w/jalapeno, pancetta and shaved garlic Grilled artichokes Great apps! Everything was delicious and the clams had some serious spice kickin'. Grilled artichokes were awesome! The Arugula salad was good but paled compared to the other choices. Entrees sampled: Market herb crusted pork tenderloin w/melted roquefort papipillon and roasted beet-baby arugula salad Crispy duck breast w/moroccan couscous w/dried fruit and ginger and cherry-olive jus Grilled Atlantic salmon w/calamata olive tapenade and tuscan potato-artichoke salad Very tasty entrees. The duck was cooked mid-rare, which was just perfect for this entree. Pork loin was moist and tender with a very tasty sauce and the beet salad was a sweet acoompaniment. Salmon was moist and tender and not a morsel left behind. Dessert was a bit hit or miss. Two of us ordered the citrus arborio rice pudding and that was delicious. The other choice of "peach" bread pudding was light but not peachy in the least. Our waitress asked for our honest feedback on the bread pudding since it was a new dessert and we told her the texture was great but it needed more flavor. We suggested a liquor component of some sort. All in all a lovely meal with great company and a bargain, I've always thought Audrey Claire to be one of the more consistent BYOB's in town and they did not disappoint. Chef Paul was very helpful when no one was answering the phone for a reservation earlier today and I stopped by in person to try hook up a table. His advice to just stop by was welcome and indeed we were seated speedily and at a prime outside table on this lovely cool night. It was a pleasurable dining experience and the food and service were top notch. Audrey Claire's menu was not dumbed down for restaurant week in any way. It was just a bargain!

Here's more info and a list of participating restaurants for Philadelphia Restaurant Week 9/18-9/23/05

I'd certainly find that more appealing than baking bread, which is what they usually tell you to do before prospective buyers stop in.

You won't be open late enough to attract the "riff-raff" after the bars close down and folks are seeking the prophylactic hangover cure in some greasy eats. The whiney neighbor in the article is a self-centered jerk. His family doesn't eat meat and might get nauseous from the smell? So now no legitimate businesses that might be cooking meat can open anywhere near his precious home? Even the onions and garlic from the bagel shop seems to upset his sensitive system. I think he needs to send his whole family to the gastro-enterologist and get them medicated for their delicate conditions. Or move to the top of a mountain in a hermetically sealed bubble.

All in all I found Pho Ba Le to be solid. I really liked the specials we tried - the mini pancakes were delicious and definitely reminded me of Egg Fu Young (in a good way), but in hor d'oeuvres sized portions with a tasty shrimp on top. The rotisserie chicken was very moist and tender and the soup was good, if a bit bland as mrbigjas has already attested. I had never tried Vietnamese Beef Jerky before and I liked the smoky bits in the papaya salad. Dressing for that salad was pretty tasty too, as I recall. The Grilled Grape Leaf Beef rolls were standard issue, but I really love that dish and order it everywhere. This version stacked up just fine and I don't remember them as tasting burnt to me. I only tried a few bites of the Summer rolls, but the ones I tried were quite good. The crispy fried Spring rolls were yummy too and I really like Ba Le's version of Satay dipping sauce. It's thick and very peanut-ty. Grilled Pork and Grilled Beef were, well, grilled. Again, pretty standard issue, but tasty. Much to my surprise the Spanish white wines were a decent compliment to our meal. The Peitan Albarino was crisper and overall a better wine than the Muga Rioja Blanca, but both were refreshing with the food. Thanks to all for letting me borrow their palates for "research". I like Pho Ba Le. I'll certainly go back there again. There's parking, it's close to my house, and the food is tasty and very reasonable. If I'm jonesing for particular dishes I'll still hit Pho Xe Lua, my personal favorite Vietnamese restaurant in town, but Ba Le has a lot going for it that will likely send my business to them at least part of the time in the future.

The fillings usually include tomatoes, bean sprouts and chunks of pineapple. At least in the versions I like.

OK - now we're getting somewhere. A Patty Melt is NOT a Cheeseburger by another name. I stand happily corrected and edumacated. But a Tuna Melt is still open faced.

And that Rioja Riserva is a BIG jangly pair of earrings! Ones that would go with your flamenco skirt, of course...

Your recollection is correct, Andrew. I just got back from that Super Fresh and they have a small selection from the UK and Ireland: Not in photo, but to the right of the peas, are baked beans. Yes, that's marmite on the left, as well as two types of HP sauces (regular and fruit), Branston pickles and canned mushy peas. ← Nice pics rlibkind! That Delaware Ave. Überfresh never ceases to amaze me. They really do have an amazing selection of ethnic groceries of all sorts. Great Mexican foods section too (large selection of Goya products and Jumex juices if IIRC, as well as the aforementioned Polish foods. Really good Polish jams and preserves as well as that mineral water you mentioned. I confess I'd never really noticed the British foods before having not really had any burning desire to find them myself (think of that great scene in A Fish Called Wanda where Kevin Kline is sticking the fries up the guys nose), but it's nice to know that they're there. I think I'll go get me a jar of those Branston Pickles everyone keeps talking about and see what the fuss is.

But what about a patty melt? I've never seen one that wasn't 2 sided. Edited to wave Hello to Sandy! ← Not to be argumentative... A "Patty Melt" by any other name is a freakin' cheeseburger!! Isn't Patty Melt just a silly Cheeseburger alternative name? Is there something different about a Patty Melt that makes it not a cheeseburger?? I'm deeply confused now...

See here's my problem with this. Melkor's sandwich looks delicious, but I would call it a "Grilled Tuna Salad Sandwich". The sandwich Mr. Mooshmouse made upthread is a Tuna Melt. The word "Melt" implies that there's melted bubbly cheese on the top of the open-faced sandwich. A Turkey Melt is the same and another item I've seen on diner menus in the past. I realize this may be a regional thing or might be purely semantics at this point, but the two sided sandwich definition isn't working for me with the word MELT in the title.

How much do you suppose Martha, or her sponsors, care what people who don't like her think of the show? We're all entitled to express opinions, but it's unlikely many minds will ever be changed by discussion board threads, and cyber envy is no more becoming than the real thing. SB (who's Marcia Cross anyway?) ← I'm completely confident they don't give a rat's ass. But when the ratings suffer because the show format is forced and Martha doesn't play well when she isn't being purely instructive and pedantic or without heavy editing they'll care very much. Their Nielsen numbers will fall and their ad rates will go down and that will most certainly be worthy of their consideration. Regardless of how I feel about Martha, it seems that the "Martha Redemption Tour" isn't playing well thus far. At least to a live audience. She can spin and joke all she wants. It seems and sounds forced and it doesn't come across well. As jhlurie pointed out, she doesn't seem to be buying her own schtick. Does it still count as living a lie if no one believes you? Marcia Cross is a former star of Melrose Place and is currently one of the Desparate Housewives. Her current character, Bree Van de Kamp has been described as a cross between Martha Stewart and a Stepford wife. Where've you been for the last decade of prime time television soap operas?? And for the record, I'm respectful of Martha as a business woman. She's brilliant. Envious, not really. And I certainly don't think this new program is going to succeed without some major retooling. But that's my opinion. Only time will tell if I'm correct.

Welcome gmw! Glad you've decided to come out and play! I'd suggest checking the aisles at Whole Foods to see what items they might have available. There's certainly a good tea section that ought to have something. There's also House of Tea on 4th Street below Bainbridge that should have all your heart desires in loose teas. The Earl Grey with Violets is fabulous! For curry and pickles there's a decent Indian grocery section at Whole Foods but there are also Indian markets up west of Penn's campus in West Philly. I seem to recall one at 41st & Walnut and another at 44th & Chestnut. Good luck and keep us informed of your finds.

I think you mean Bisquick, and yes, I love this stuff too. Flour already mixed with baking powder. Great for pancakes, biscuits, cobbler batter, etc. I recently found out it's in the supermarket aisle with the pancake mixes, NOT with the "Baking Supplies" like flour and sugar. At least at my local Smack-me. ← Smack-me!!! Glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that! Bisquick has been one of my culinary secret weapons on car-camping trips--the variety of baked goods you can persuade that stuff to make is mind-boggling. It's also pretty darned useful when you're making strawberry shortcake in quantity for fundraiser dinners. ← I call it the Smack-me (rather than Acme) because the help is usually so rude.

One should always have a healthy respect for where their food comes from, be it protein or vegetable. That being said, much like brain surgery and rocket science, there are trained professionals to handle the more unpleasant aspects of acquiring said food. There are farmers that raise the critters, there are folks that slaughter the animals and there are those that butcher and package it into those mercifully impersonal styrofoam trays that are wrapped in plastic, weighed and appropriately labelled. Works for me. I don't have to think about it too much. I'm certain if I had to do it myself I'd be much more of a vegetarian. But I'd probably still wear leather shoes as long as I didn't have to do that the hard way. There are also trained professionals to handle your mouse problem. They're called exterminators. Unless you decide you wish to live with disease carrying rodents (don't forget it was the rats that carried Bubonic Plague and wiped out close to one third of the European population in the 14th & 15th centuries), I strongly recommend availing yourself of one of these fine professionals.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! Joking! I repeat, just joking! (*Powdered* sugar, though? Wow. That really does kinda blow my mind a little.) ← [scooby Doo Voice]Whu-uuuuuuhhhht?????[/scooby Doo Voice] Powdered sugar??!!??

I dunno. If the prison experience has humbled Martha in some way then that is definitely "a good thing". However, from what I've seen of this new program, even though she personally seems a lot less uptight than the old Martha, the show format is poorly thought out and the two guests thusfar have seemed very uncomfortable, as has Martha. I have no doubt that both Marcia Cross and David Spade have told their agents, "Don't EVER book me on Martha again! That was excruciating." Martha always reminds me of the great quote by Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind