rlibkind

From the Kentucky State University pawpaw page PS: The annual Pawpaw festival near Athens, Ohio, was held last weekend. Maybe a field trip next year!

I go with Markk's suggestion. But by no means use a food processor. It will make pate, but that's not chopped liver. For chopped liver, you've got to chop. If you are making seriously large quantities, a meat grinder, with the coarsest blade, is acceptable.

It is frequently available at Iovine's Produce in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market.

Winesaps do make a pretty nice pie, too.

Fugettaboutit. If she doesn't care what types of knives she has now, she certainly won't maintain them with steel and ceramic. You'll still find sucky knives when you visit, even if they're good ones when new.

If you think it is difficult getting Finger Lakes wine in California, it's impossible in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania thanks to our # & + ? $ > * @ ! % & # state store system.

Don't discount the Finger Lakes. Hermann Wiemer, for example, has made a very well balanced TBA (no longer available) and currently offers both late harvest riesling and late harvest riesling ice wine, either of which are worthy.

I find the scrapple served by the Down Home Diner is superb, as noted by Johnny Apple in a NY T imes piece on the Reading Terminal Market a year or so ago: What I like best about the way Jack's scrapple is the textural contrast between the crunchy exterior and the creamy interior. According to Godshall's web site, their scrapple is available at the Chestnut Hill Farmers' Market, and can also be mail ordered. (The Godshall's at the RTM is different ownership.)

I found some Rhode Island Greenings in upstate New York last week (Sook's Orchard, just outside Middletown), my favorite for apple pie. Great tart apple, holds its shape even better than Granny Smith. What's your favorite apple variety for your basic all-American apple pie?

About a year and a half ago we did a taste test of baguettes at the Saturday Morning Breakfast Club, and Metropolitan was the winner, hands down. I picked up a baguette today, and there's been no dimunition in quality. I tend to pick one up every couple of weeks at the Reading Terminal Market stand.

Beer. Especially with anchovy pizza. (My name is Danger.)

I second the suggestion of heading to Place Ste. Catherine. Lots of good choices, very nice to eat outside if the weather is temperate. Although it's a very short walk from the Grand Place, the density of tourists is much less.

Fondue may be a fad, but it's a fad that comes back every 20 years, as each new generation discovers it. Last winter we pulled out the fondue set received as a gift 30+ years ago!

You obviously enjoyed yourselves! The RTM is a one-of-a-kind. There are great markets in other cities, too, and each is unique. But, for overall diversity of food (both for cooking at home and eating there), RTM is tops. I've long praised Salumeria's hoagies (hope you had it with the house dressing and marinated artichokes), and you are dead-on in focusing on the sandwiche's "balance". Oddly enough, many of the meats used by Salumeria come not from Philadelphia, but from Volpi's in St. Louis, which has been in business for more than 100 years. Alas, the cheesesteaks at Rick's are not the best the city offers. They are merely passable, although they do give you an idea of what a cheesesteak should be. The sandwich to go for next time at the RTM is Tommy DiNic's roast pork -- get it with greens and aged provolone. There will be lively discussion as to who as the best in town (I, for one, would certainly not disparage John's or Tony Luke's; I enjoy them both), but Tommy makes a good one. Did you fit in a freshly made pretzel from Fisher's? And next time if you make it for breakfast during normal breakfast hours (I assume you didn't get to the market until about 11 a.m. when Salumeria starts serving hoagies), stop by the Down Home Diner or the Dutch Eating Place and get a side of scrapple with your eggs. A regional treat!

Wow! Cone-top cans! I completely forgot about them. Of course, back when they were introduced I was drinking soft drinks, not beer, and remember C&C cola that way, if my memory serves me correctly.

How about Hague's Shakes & Curds in honor of one of Jersey City's own, Frank "I Am The Law" Hague. The logo could be a money bag with grilled cheese sandwiches falling out. Some sample grilled cheese sandwiches: The Tommy Gangemi, with provolone, named after the mayor who had to resign when it was learned he wasn't a U.S. citizen. The Edward I. Edwards, with blue cheese, named after the one-term governor Hague elected who later turned on the boss by founding the State Police (the first commissioner, who pursued the Lindbergh kidnappng case, was none other than Norman Schwarzkopf Sr., yes, father of the Gulf War honcho). The Bret Schundler, American process cheese food with Oscar Meyer ham. The Thomas Whelan, with only one slice of cheese, because he was removed from office. The Gerald McCann, with the other slice of cheese, since he, too, was removed from office.

I haven't been to Lakeside in a while, but to the best of my recollectioln, it was dim sum to order, as opposed to cart service.

Veal cheeks are just that, meat that comes from the cheek, as opposed to meat that comes from the leg, or breast, or shoulder or rump. As fror gelatinous, think braised short ribs, just a lot more delicate and tender and unctuous.

Sounds like you enjoyed some Aquavit, Rob. Great stuff! If you ever seek out the non-homemade version, you might want to try Linie, a Norweigan Aquavit aged in barrels aboard a vessel which must cross the equator (Linie) out and back. The name of the vessel is on the back of each label. Denmark and Sweden make some good Aquavits, too.

A friend in Red Bank is seeking "digestive" biscuits such as Peak Freans Sweetmeal and Carr's Biscuits for Tea or Wheatmeal. Does anyone know where in the immediate Red Bank area they may be purchased?

Kibbitz is okay, but I wouldn't make a special run there. The pastrami is overly salty, and not at all NY style; in fact, the pastrami is supplied by Vienna Beef of Chicago. Not that it's not a quality product, it is; but it barely resembles a good NY-North Jersey pastrami sandwich. Unless your niece has a hankering for that type of food, I'd stay away; if you want to show her good corned beef and pastrami, take a ride on the NJ Pike to Harold's in Edison/Piscataway, or Goodman's in Elizabeth or, for that matter, Katz's or the Carnegie or the Second Avenue Deli. As stated previously, the RTM offers the most food excitement and variety for someone of her age. A trip to the Italian Market on 9th Street may work, but on a Saturday, as someone else noted, it can be a bit overwhelming. I reviewed all the messages here and am surprised that no one has mentioned Capogiro. It's only a few blocks walk from the RTM so, if for some reason you pass up Bassetts and their raspberry truffle, waddle over to 13th and Sansom for some killer gelati. The only problem your niece will have is deciding which of the myriad flavors to select. Also, Capogiro is open in the evening. If your niece likes Mexican food, El Vez and another Mexican (I forget its name) are just across the street.

Go directly to the Reading Terminal Market. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. But do not go on Sunday, when they are closed. If you want to introduce her to lots of good and fun food, this is the place. See my previous posts for details, but among the highlights: Tommy's Roast Pork Salumeria hoagies Scrapple for breakfast at the Down Home Diner or the Pennsylvania Dutch Eating Place. Freshly made Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels Bassetts Ice Cream (one of the world's great ice creams -- try the raspberry truffle) Delilah's mac and cheese (tell her Oprah sent you) Take a ride on Philbert the Brass Pig The Pennsylvania General Store for Keystate State manufactured items, like a Slinky! And lots, lots more, including the picture-postcard cute 10-year-old Amish boys who work at their family's stands, like Kauffman's Produce.

Peter Binzen's Column in this morning's (Aug. 16) Inky described a hot dog venture in suburban Wayne. I've never heard of his hot dog supplier, US Foods of Allentown. Does anyone know of them? How do they compare to other manufacturers? Particulary my fav, Best Provisions of Newark. Has anyone tried this joint?

An article on this subject appears in the August 16, 2004, New York Times. It will only be there for a day, so buy the paper or read it now. You may have to register (free) to read it on-line.

I normally do the bacon fat in cast iron skillet routine, with buttermilk or yogurt. But for the eGullet NJ pig roast, I have volunteered to supply cornbread, and one 10-inch skillet will surely be an insufficient quantity. I figure on making the cornbread in large aluminum foil baking pans, but has anyone had any luck using a cast iron skillet recipe (the fat in the pan, not mixed in with the batter) in such a pan? Or should I stick with a more basic recipe?