KatieLoeb

Where do I sign up for this awesome seasonal gig???

Isn't Torres Gran Orange a cognac/brandy based liqueur like GranGala and Grand Marnier? ← It is, but I find it has a much more "orange-ey" flavor and is less syrupy sweet than the other preparations listed. Some other info I dug up: The Torres Gran is wonderful in a margarita, mixed into a sangria recipe (of which I'm working on several right now!) or used as an ingredient in a high end cocktail. Pretty tasty neat in a snifter too.

Feliz Cumpleanos, Viejo! Enjoy your feasting and stay majadero. Surely there must be somewhere to find some pernil near you today, no?

Wow! I didn't mean to start such a controversy. I'd just never seen a Tuna Melt any other way but open faced. My experience with tuna melts being in the greater New York and greater Philadelphia metropolitan areas. Carry on...

Do you shop at the same Whole Foods Market I do? I think that basket is called the "under $3 section" at the South Street store. The sign attached to it reads "Afraid of commitment? Try these--everything is under $3." I've sampled some pretty tasty stuff from this basket. I still prefer foraging at DiBruno's, though. Bought some very good tomme from Georgia there a few weeks ago. ← Sandy: Yup - we're shopping at the same store. Maybe they vary the sign so the customers don't get bored? I've definitely seen it listed as "Cheese for One", which is why it caught my eye the first time. But now that I know where to look I confess I don't pay much attention to the sign anymore. The basket is always in the same spot, on the southside of the cheese case. Maybe it was a former cheese manager's idea that has gone by the wayside? :shrug:

What a great idea! I'm sure a lot of people are slightly put off buying cheese due to it either being prepackaged in far to large amounts or not wanting to ask for small amounts at the counter, or even the 'don't know how to pronounce it' dilemma. My old favourite cheese shop has shut down now, I have had to start buying it from the supermarket, which is just not the same. There is a french cheesemonger on the market who is ok though - always VERY ripe cheeses, handy for improptu lunches. I do like to support local cheesemakers when I can though. If you can get hold of some, try some Britich cheeses (Jennahan mentions a few good ones) - We do go beyond cheddar and Stilton, although of course good ones of them are excellent. ← In addition to all the advantages you already mentioned, the best part is that most of the smaller pre-wrapped pieces are quite inexpensive. The cheeses I had last night included a nice ripe piece of Robiolo (about $2.00), a Parmesana Fresca (.90 cents) and a small wedge of "Dry Jack" (.65 cents). So for three dollars and some change I put together a cheese plate for one that would have cost three to four times that at a local restaurant. A nice glass of Lancaster Red (a lovely California Meritage I'm quite fond of) and I was a very happy girl. And I'm quite fond of the British and Irish cheeses that I've had the pleasure of trying (love the Sage Derby and Cashel Blue). Wish they were more readily available and less expensive. That exchange rate is killing me!

Invest in a Crock-Pot. They're often at yard sales, or are easy enough to find on eBay. Even a new one isn't so expensive. It makes all manner of truly ONE DISH meals and is fun to experiment with. Plus, you load it up, walk away, and come home to a freshly made dinner with leftovers. What could be better than that?

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.

Glenn: The Horseradish Havarti sounds awesome. I sometimes will mix a little wasabi powder into my tuna salad to get that sushi tuna+wasabi flavor, so I like the idea of using a horseradish cheese for the melt. Horseradish Cheddar would be good too. Another vote for the Italian tuna packed in oil. There's a place here in Philly called Chickie's Deli that makes the best Tuna Hoagie known to man that uses that kind of tuna in it. I'd never had it before that, but damn it's good. You might want to find yourself a can to test drive on your own and see if it's worth tracking down in large industrial sized cans, or even affordable to do so. You could try and find out where Chickie's gets theirs, maybe? Now am I mistaken, or is a tuna melt usually an open-faced sandwich? I have nothing against the panini-pressed version, but I just always thought a Tuna Melt came open-faced with cheese bubbling on top.

Even better than Cointreau if you want that laser beam orange flavor is the Torres Gran Orange Liqueur from Spain. About $23/bottle and very flavorful. I'm playing around with it a lot lately since I've been working on Spanish inspired cocktails and sangria recipes. Muy delicioso!!

Tonight's repast. Buffalo Short Rib Stew. I had two packets of frozen Buffalo Short Ribs from the DDC trip to Hillside Farms in Telford, PA several weeks ago. This afternoon, I dusted them with seasoned flour and browned them and then tossed them into the trusty Crock Pot. Sauteed up some onion, chopped celery, chopped parsnips, some baby carrots and some sliced mushrooms and threw that in on top. Deglazed the pan with a decent spill of leftover red wine and added about two Tablespoons of fresh thyme, a Tablespoon of Dijon mustard and the last of the Worcestershire sauce I had. Put the pot on Auto and walked away. This evening I fished out the bones and chopped up the meat that hadn't disintegrated yet and added a flour and water slurry and a bit of tempered sour cream to make it a bit like Stroganoff. Let it boil for another ten minutes or so and then turned it off. Served it on top of buttered egg tagliatelle. Delicious payoff for minimal effort.

Jan: My sincere condolences on your loss. Your memories are precious and that you were able to give your dad a lunch that he clearly appreciated so much is a wondrous thing. You and your sister are very good daughters. And if there's corn and tomatoes in Heaven, I've no doubt they might be from Lancaster County.

My local Whole Foods always has a basket labelled "Cheese for One", which has small pre-wrapped portions of cheeses that are a more manageable commitment for someone shopping only for themselves. When I'm in the mood, I always buy a couple of small pieces and make myself a nice cheese platter for dessert with no waste whatsoever. Like I'm planning to this evening!

Well - I did it. As promised, I stopped by Koch's today to lend support for the re-opening. Brother Barry Koch and his wife Abby were there to oversee. They told me that they're opening with the limited hours previously mentioned until they get it back together. Understandable given the short notice with which this tragedy struck. The employees were doing their thing, as usual. Samples getting handed down the line on slices of waxed paper. Jokes being told. Large and delicious sandwiches were being constructed (and that really is the only word for it) and wrapped up to be handed into eager hands. Here's a look at my lunch: Spiced Beef, Chicken Salad, Swiss cheese, Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing on an Onion Roll. Yessiree. That is one bangin' sandwich. I'll be e-mailing a link to this thread to the family. I thought they'd want to see it.

So it is... I have learned something new today.... http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/how_to/f...y/entry?id=5087 Evan ← Evan: Here is a better definition and a source. One literal translation is "Green Juice". Sadly this vintage is sold out, but Navarro Vineyards makes an excellent verjus I've seen more than once professional chef employ. Here is what's available at Amazon.com Gourmet Shop.

You know I'm a huge fan of Pho Xe Lua in Chinatown, and that's where I'll usually head when the jones hits, but sometimes Washington Avenue is closer and easier to deal with when feeling lazy. I recently had a pretty good bite over at Pho Ba Le, which is now where Le Cyclo (Bizarro) was. Menu looks really good as well, as did all the plates that passed by me while I was there. What are you doing next week? Care to meet there and compare dishes?

I wish I'd said that. Hey, Carolyn, welcome back! I was about to add your name to my "whatever happened to" list. ← Thank you -- I went away for a while to concentrate on becoming a full-time writer instead of a part-time, freelance writer. As I type this, I have two hours left working at a winery that has been my life for the past two years. By this evening, I will be gainfully unemployed, except for whatever writing comes my way (or I hunt down and kill), sipping a vintage 1990 Champagne to celebrate... ← Well Cheers then! Congrats on the new direction. Which Champagne is the celebratory quaff, if I might ask?

What is ratafia? Sounds interesting. And please report back in the Limoncello thread on your results with the Meyer lemons. I'm quite curious how that would turn out.

This is what I was thinking. The flavor in a "-cello" is from the zest, not the juice, so I'm not so sure how something like Blood Orange would translate, given that the flavor is in the fruit.

Welcome Alec! Glad to see you posting. I look forward to your insights. Your post about Haru has changed my mind about where to have dinner tomorrow night! Thanks for the warning!

Beverage Director. A position I've held myself. It's the other side of Sommelier unless you're running a wine only bar. I'm certainly not too proud to get behind the bar myself. In fact, I like to see that perspective as often as possible.

I've always thought that the food at Panang had good flavors, but was much too oily and heavy. I inevitably get an upset stomach every time I eat there (I no longer do). Glad to see my experience isn't a "just me" thing. I also thought the Roti Canai was the only edible thing on the menu.

I dare any HR person out there to use this in an interview. ← Pasta and sauce. Simple and straightforward, adaptable and capable of dressing up or dressing down depending on the situation. Sometimes lusty like a good Putanesca, sometimes elegant like a smoked salmon and cream concoction, sometimes a comforting old familiar friend like Bolognese. Yup. That's what I'd be. Sightly OT followup. One of my favorite interview questions is "If the movie of your life were being made, who would you cast as yourself? Who would your family or friends cast as you?" Always gets revealing responses.

I actually usually don't eat dessert, but I too have a Peach Cobbler on the counter that I made from the gorgeous peaches purchased at the Raleigh Farmer's Market on the way home from the Pig Pickin' last weekend. Actually it's more of a cross between a cobbler and a crisp because it has both a batter and a crumbly topping since I couldn't decide which I wanted. Maybe a Crispy Cobbler?

This is great news. I'd always said the only way it would survive was if the employees took over. No one else "gets" it. It won't ever be the same without Lou or Bobby, but I think Larry will keep their spirits alive as much as is possible in their absence. I plan to make a visit this weekend and show my support. I'll have my usual, the "Katie Special" - Spiced Beef, Chicken Salad and Jarlsberg cheese with cole slaw and Russian dressing on an onion roll. Try it - it's delicious!