Andrew Fenton

Yeah, I don't think that the crumbs would stick to the marshmallows very well; they'd get mushy and fall off. I envision a pot of chocolate with a graham cracker scum floating on top. Still, rolling marshmallows in graham cracker crumbs is a neat idea. Maybe served on ice cream, or with some sort of hot fudge sauce?

I like sriracha on pizza. And I agree 100% that it's the must-have go-to seasoning for pho. Where does it get its name, anyway? Googling shows that Sriracha is a port (and I guess, city) in Thailand: is that it?

I was hoping to head down there tonight after doing some errands: where on Columbus Ave is the store?

I suppose we should be specific then, that this is about people who haul 700-pound crab pots around in icy, freezing arctic weather, while riding 40 foot waves (sometimes the boats are almost riding sideways, I believe) in search of Alaskan King crabs. These guys work from four to twelve days just once per year, in order to pay for an entire year of living expenses, and are probably dead drunk the rest of the year. Oh, I realize that we're talking about a whole 'nother kind of crab and a whole 'nother kind of crabbing here. With blue crabs, you either set out a pot or just dangle a chicken neck on a string: no danger, no stress. Also, I'm more likely to be dead drunk while crabbing than after. Well, after too.

Really? Because I saw those too (don't know whether they were chopped or not) and thought they were cool: also 'swamp rabbit', whatever that is. Now bags of chopped circus animals, that'd be a different story. But we know that those only go into hot dogs and elementary school lunch meat.

Wow. I'm totally gonna watch that. The irony is that I've spent some of my most relaxing, lazy summer afternoons on the dock crabbing for blue crabs in Savannah and the Jersey Shore...

You mean May 3rd, right? Because if so, that sounds terrific. I still haven't tried Marigold. But the wilder the better, says I!

Holy mackerel, Katie! Okay, I'll go buy some of the Burgess after work today. Hope there's some left...

handmc, I'd say if you're going to drive into town for barbecue, go to Sweet Lucy's. It's better, cheaper and parking will be a lot easier for you. But if you have a smoker, why bother? Just about all the homemade barbecue I've had has been better than anything I've had at a restaurant. I think it's the sort of thing that really takes well to personalization, and as you say, doesn't take well to sitting around at a hot temperature.

I went to Tommy Gunn's for lunch today. I had a brisket sandwich, a side of corn salad and a side of fries. The fries were frozen and forgettable (and french fries aren't really barbecue food anyway; not sure why I got them). The corn salad was terrific, though: basically just whole kernels with a little onion and bell pepper in a light vinaigrette. I also liked their fountain drinks: on tap, they have cane sugar cola (not corn syrup!) Yum. (Stay away from the iced tea, though: it's wretched. TG's really ought to invest in good, homemade iced tea, but that's another story.) Anyway, the proof is in the meat, and the brisket, unfortunately, was dry and didn't taste at all of smoke. Very disappointing: it basically tasted like Grandma's brisket, and that ain't a good thing. It's a shame, because I really want to like them (for one thing, they'll deliver to my house, and for another, they're open so! darn! late!: perfect for summer debauchery). Maybe they're just inconsistent, or maybe other things are better. I'll give them another chance...

I'll second the welcome: howdy, Jeff. I agree that Sweet Lucy's is the best barbecue in the city. I'd hesitate to compare it to the BBQ temples of Texas or the Carolinas, but it's really good. For what it's worth, though, their sauce is the one thing I don't like: it's a little astringent for my liking. but whatevah...

Two pieces of advice. These work every time: 1. Don't have anything to eat that day. That way the beer won't overfill your stomach and slop over, causing you to get drunk. 2. Drink quickly. This will force the alcohol to pass through your system without metabolizing. edit: Oh wait. This is all coming four days too late. Sorry, disregard.

I haven't tried this, but it sounds very similar to another Sicilian sandwich, vestedda (made with spleen, not lung, but with the two cheeses). I've tried one (in New York). Pretty good, but the organ tastes oddly... functional, somehow.

Hooray! More free tables at other restaurants for me, now.

I'm sorry, too, that you didn't like the Faidley's vibe. Last month, I was there for the first time and just loved it: it's such a defiantly old-school place, tradition in the best possible way. I guess I can see how people might be turned off by Lexington Market, but I liked it fine.

Diedre, Thanks for the explanation about the PLCB's relationship with Two Hands. As I said before, I'm a fan of their wines, and it sounds like something that has worked out just as it should. (Side note: I've also-- briefly-- met Michael Twelftree, and he is indeed a very nice guy.)

We had dinner last night at the Royal Tavern. I'd never been before, and really enjoyed it. Two things stood out. One, I ordered fish and chips, which were quite good: nice beer-battered style fish, and excellent fries. Also, they ran out of fish after me, so I got like an order and a half worth of fish. I shared with the wife, who'd ordered just a salad. Score! Two, I was really impressed by the beer list. Lots of good offerings on tap, for one thing. I had a Sly Fox Weisse and an Arrogant Bastard. But even more than that, I liked the pricing: beer on tap is $4, but a Heineken or Corona is $4.50. That's as it should be, my friends.

Drinking a glass of the Lucky Country right now. Not bad at all: a touch of fruit flavor balanced with tartness and tannins. On the downside, it seems like there's some residual bitterness that builds up when you drink it straight. I'll make sure to drink it with food: pot roast tomorrow night, yay!

Here's a question for Diedre or somebody else who knows about these things. I stopped by the 12th and Chestnut store last night and noticed a big display of various Two Hands wines. It's not the first time, either; they seem to be promoted in this way pretty regularly (though never put on sale, alas...) This isn't a complaint-- the Two Hands folks do a great job, and I'm happy to see their products pushed-- but I'm curious about who makes the decision about what to promote. Is it a decision made by the manager, or a higher-up? I noticed that the Lucky Country is imported by a Philadelphia company: does that play a part in this case? (I picked up a bottle of the Two Hands "The Wolf" Riesling, which was an amazing accompaniment to Chinese food last night. Think I'll go pick up another bottle or two to grow on...)

you could also turn on your oven to 550 with a pizza stone in it when you order the pie, and when you get back to your house, just toss each piece on the stone for a couple minutes before eating it. like they do at a pizza place when you order a slice. i don't know how it would work, but why not... Okay, I did a test on reheating a cold slice on a hot stone and in the toaster oven, and mrbigjas is right: the stone works way better. More even heating, which means no burnt edges or toppings. (Of course, it takes a lot longer and uses more energy, too: but this is pizza we're talking about. It's worth it.)

Two weeks ago, I split three pizzas from F & L's-- spinach and mozzarella, plain, and a tomato pie, so I can't comment on the sausage-- and the cheese distribution was fine. (Well, except on the tomato pie, duh.) Had to get takeout, so the crust was softer than I'd have liked. What are you gonna do? edit: oh, and welcome, serpentine!

Hmm. Sounds like just the place to head before a big date. The perfume comes for free: and if yer date doesn't like it, well, they're probably not worth it anyway...

Well heck, I just hate to see all this unanimity. Just for fun, let's see if we can't come up with a better argument against the amuse-bouche. We'll break it down into three parts: 1. The amuse-bouche is a fad, and is played out. Admittedly, this is a bit subjective, but amuses are something that, like tall food or any other trend, were interesting and unexpected at first. Now that they've spread like so much kudzu across the restaurant landscape, they've become de rigeur, and all too often, boring. 2. An amuse-bouche isn't really free. That seared scallop costs something, in labor and ingredients, and you're paying for it one way or another in the other dishes you order. 3. An amuse-bouche is a distraction from what's really important about the meal. 3a. The chef and the other employees are devoting time and energy towards something you didn't order; that's time and energy taken away from the items on the menu. 3b. It's aesthetically displeasing. Unless the amuse is part of a set menu that the chef has planned in advance, it may well not fit into the overall scheme of the meal. Adding an amuse is focusing on the trees rather than the forest, as it were.

And the only thing I get there are the onion rings. Again, they're not cheap: like $5 for an order, but they're probably the best onion rings I've ever had. Mammoth chunks of sweet onion, nice crisp crumb breading, and enough food for two or three people.

Thanks. I'll be there for a year, and living in Monteverde Vecchio, just up the hill from Trastevere. I'll keep everybody posted: I've set up a blog, on which I intend to post about my experiences, culinary and otherwise. I'll link to it when the time is closer and I actually have some content on it. I've actually been to the McD's in Rome, when I was living there about ten years ago. I had a beer and kept my homesick friend company. Me, I just liked drinking a beer in a Mickey D's.