rlibkind

Hah! That's my memory of Scotland, too! As for my preferences, I split by winter stock between Tallisker and Caol Ila. I like the peppery character of the Tallisker and usually imbibe with just a few drops of water. The Caol Ila 12 ever-so-slighty tames the smoke and peat to offer a wonderfully refined expression of the Islay whiskys; I drink it neat. As for blends, I agree with the earlier poster about JWB; as I understand it, Tallisker is part of the blend.

All four of the butchers (Harry Ochs, Giunta's Prime Shop, Martin's Quality Meats and L. Halteman Family) carry sausages, though Martin's clearly has the widest variety since they distribute to many stores in the region as well as their own RTM retail outlet. Go with any sausage that tickles your fancy from any of the butchers and you won't be disappointed. Dutch Country Meats had some great brats from Rieker's, but they are now out of business. Here's a "link" (pardon the pun) to a list of what Martin's makes, which includes that buffalo chicken sausage. BTW, Martin's proprietor, Martin Giunta, and Giunta's Prime Shop's proprietor, Charles Giunta, are brothers. Both Martin and Charles are carrying on in the family business, which started with their grandfather in South Philly.

Slightly off topic (because it's about foodstuffs rather than restaurants), about a half-hour drive from Milwaukee is Racine, which at one time was home to more Danes than any city in Denmark except Copenhagen. It's worth the short drive just to try and acquire kringle, the ultimate Danish pastry. It's just a coffee ring, but the best one you'll ever try. Comes in a variety of flavors, though the pecan is the classic, and raspberry is a big seller, too. My favorite kringle bakery is Bendtsen's on Washington Ave. (Rt. 20), which has the best old-time flavor and texture (because they use butter and lots of it; the other kringle bakers don't appear to use butter, or as much of it.). I'm partial to Bendsten's almond, which derives its flavor not from sprinkled sliced almonds, but from almond paste. Down the block and across the street is Larsen's, which also makes a fine kringle, but I think particularly excels in their cakes. The third recommended kringle emporium is O&H Bakery which has a couple of locations. The kringle is good, but my wife will kill for the sweet poppyseed rolls. The Durand Avenue store is also known as Danish Uncle and features some other Danish foods, including one of my favorite cold cuts, rollepolse, a brined, herbed, rolled and pressed mix of either lamb, beef or pork flank, or any combination thereof. Except for Berndsten's, which has an adjoining cafe, none are at-in places.

That's what happens to my lemon sorbet when I scoop it right out of the freezer. Yum! Fresh lemon, simple syrup. How can you go wrong?

Lots of butchers call them "riblets". They aren't ribs as in rib chops, but they are definitely ribs. The ribs incude the breast meat. Think of breast of veal; it's basically the equivalent cut from a lamb, which is smaller. If grilling, be careful of direct heat since this fatty cut has a tendency to flare up, whether on gas or charcoal grill. I find indirect heat is best until I'm ready to finish it for serving; then I move over the fire, but watch them very, very carefully prevent charring. I'm not always successful.

You don't need the acid, though many pickle recipes use it. As Dave Hatfield mentions earlier in this thread there's Bittman's simple recipe, which is exactly how real pickle-barrel kosher pickles are made. No vinegar whatsoever. Just water, salt and approriate seaonings (garlic and/or dill, coriander seeds, etc.) and sufficient time (if sliced lengthwise into a quarter, a few hours to overnight; up to three days if you use whole pickles, depending on size and degree of doneness you prefer. Nothing could be simpler. They'll last for weeks in the fridge if kept in the brine, though the fermentation process will continue albeit at a slower rate. The quickest pickle recipes I use require vinegar, however. Scandinavian-style cucumber pickles come to mind. Thinly slice a kirby cuke (or even a garden variety cuke or so-called seedless cuke), using a mandolin's thinnest setting if you've got one; sprinkle with kosher salt and place in cheesecloth-linked colander, place weighted plate on top and let sit for 30-60 minutes. Then squeeze out excess water, toss with vinegar-water-sugar mix. Season with fresh dill if you wish. Ready to eat; if you must delay, refrigerate for a few hours at most. This particular pickle isn't pickled for longevity, just for taste. You could substitute thinly sliced cabbage or any number of other veggies for the cucumber or combine them; cabbage, cukes, onions, shredded carrot and just a little sweet bell pepper makes what many refer to as a Claremont salad, named after a long-departed North Jersey diner. That salad (which also includes some neutral vegetable oil) is drained after a 12-24 hour pickle in the fridge, but holds up for three or four days in the fridge.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! It's pretty hard not to contain myself this time of year when visiting the Reading Terminal Market or one of the farmers' markets around town. Kind of like the stress-inducing choices She Who Must Be Obeyed and I faced on our honeymoon in St. Martin. Do we sun by the pool? Or maybe the lagoon? Or the ocean front? Decisions, decisions, decisions! Only this time, it's about produce. French Breakfast or Cherry Bell radishes? Snow peas or sugar snaps or English peas? Asparagus or Poke? And which of the many pints or quarts of deep red strawberries should I acquire? Decisions, decisions, decisions! I opted for the breakfast radishes and sugar snaps which will go into a salad along with red onion slices, orange sections and fresh mint from the garden. They will accompany grilled duck breast, followed by a strawberry-banana concoction from "Sorbets!", eGulleter Jim Tarantino's wonderful little compendium of all things icy but cream-less. This is probably the last weekend for poke at Livengood's, collected and nurtured by Sam Consylman. Fair Food's prices are usually a tad dear, but the strawberries are competitive, particularly when considering the quality. All of the vendors at the RTM and farmers' markets have had exceptional berries the last few weeks. A lot of warm, sunny days without too many deluges of rain are the reason. The weather has been a boon to the stone fruits, according to the farmers I've spoken with. A day or two or awful weather could always ruin the crops, but let's keep our collective fingers crossed. Cherries should start showing up in a couple of weeks. The first cucumbers are also starting to make an appearance. Benuel Kauffman had tiny Kirby cukes today, though they were not as crisp as I would like for my pickle-making (just a salt brine with some garlic and dill: no vinegar or sugar for me). One of the Headhouse Square vendors (I forget who) expects to have some this Sunday. Ben was the only vendor at the RTM today with local English peas (both shelled and unshelled). Fair Food is particularly proud of the tiny white Hakurei turnips from Gottschell Farms on sale today; I'm not a turnip fan, but these diminutive beauties looked swell, and can be eaten raw, I'm told. This little piggy . . . Dwain Livengood has added pork to the frozen meats available at the family's stand (Tuesday afternoons at South & Passyunk, Thursday afternoons at 22nd & Fairmount, all day Saturdays at the RTM). The offerings include no-water added ham steak slices and bacon cured by the sole remaining family-owned processor in Lancaster County, Smuckers Quality Meats of Mount Joy. Lancaster Farming had an excellent article on the decline of the small meat processors in April. Fair Food Newsletter If you don't subscribe to the Fair Food Farmstand's weekly newsletter, you can always check it out at their website. for what's in season. You can now find it online; it's usually posted on Thursdays. Just surf over to this link and bookmark it. Crunch Correction Last week I raved about Keystone Krunch, the almond and pretzel studded Cracker Jack-like conconction from the Pennsylvania General Store. Former Saturday Morning Breakfast Clubber Jan McBaker brought to my attention that it's Crunch with a "C". Edited to take out off-topic item (Mojo)

The RTM Board is swallowing the legal fees. ← RTM expects to get at least some of that money back from its insurers (read down in my report on the settlement). How much is an unanswered question. Keep in mind that of the approximately $700,000, about two-thirds was spent by the RTM in defending itself against Rick's suit; about one-third was to press RTM's suit seeking an eviction order when Rick refused to vacate after his lease expired. As noted in my report, the judge would have signed that order today had there not been a settlement. FWIW, the market could have resorted to "self-help", i.e., turning off his gas, etc., the day after his legal tenancy expired. But it didn't.

Rick's Steaks Exits Market Oct. 31 Rick Olivieri has until Oct. 31 -- Halloween -- to serve cheese steaks at the Reading Terminal Market. Under the terms of a settlement announced in court before trial was to begin this morning, Olivieri will avoid being on the hook for nearly $700,000 in the RTM's legal fees if he vacates the market peaceably. (Olivieri's own legal fees are understood to be in the six-figure range, also.) The settlement also frees him from nearly $27,000 in rent penalty fees he held back. The sole issue that would have come to trial if the settlement had not been reached was Olivieri's claim for restitution for improvements to the Rick's Steaks stand in anticipation of his lease being renewed. Under the settlement, Olivieri receives $1,500 for those improvements without any admission of guilt by the market. Throughout the morning in Judge Mark I. Bernstein's courtroom, Olivieri appeared confident and smiling, with his family by his side and more than a half-dozen fellow merchants seated behind him. In speaking with reporters after the settlement was announced in open court, however, he needed to take several brief breaks to compose himself. Olivieri said he considered market management's actions toward him "despicable," repeating his charge that he was singled out because he had aggressively represented merchants as president of their association during lease negotiations. RTM spokesman Kevin Feeley denied those charges, saying Olivieri had sought lease terms for his own business that were different than those he negotiated for other merchants. Olivieri became most emotional when speaking of his five full-time and four part-time employees. "I've got employees who've been with me for 20 years. It's like a family," he said. The cheese steak scion is looking at potential locations for when he leaves the market, but admits "you'll never find a location like the market. But I've got a good customer base, and people will seek me out." He also will continue his license agreement for the Rick's Steak stall operated by Aramark at Citizens Bank Park, at least through the end of this season. When asked why RTM agreed to the settlement, Feeley, the market's spokesman, said management "wanted to do this as humanley as possible. The judge was ready to evict him today." He added that as part of the lease, tenants are responsible for legal fees the market faces when tenants sue them over lease and related issues. Of the nearly $700,000 in the market's legal fees, about $250,000 were for the market's suit against Olivieri seeking his eviction, and $445,000 for the market's defense of Olivieri's suit against the market. Feeley and RTM Board Chairman Ricardo Dunston made a point of stating that the legal fees incurred by the market will have no impact on the rents charged to merchants or market capital improvement programs. Those fees which are not reimbursed by the market's insurers would come from the non-profit corporation's contingency reserves, they said. As for who will be a new cheese steak vendor at the market (Spataro's in center court also serves cheese steaks), Feeley said that since the market now knows it will have the Rick's Steaks space available after Oct. 31, it can seek a new tenant. He noted that all discussions with Tony Luke's ended when Olivieri filed suit last July, and that Luke had said he would not entertain opening in the RTM until Oliveiri's dispute was resolved. Dunston and Feeley emphasized that the market's by-laws preclude any leases to franchises.

There was a bagel place when I first started shopping at the market, a year or so prior to the beginning of the rehab in conjunction with the convention center project. I don't think they made them on site, but it was pretty much just a bagel bagel-sandwich retailer. I've mentioned to Paul Steinke recently that would be something to consider luring to the market, if it made business sense for someone to pursue. About the same time, Moises Addison Street Bakery used to sell lots of great breads, rolls and bagels; iirc, it was located about where the seating area to the north side of Flying Monkey now resides. A good, central/eastern European style bakery, or a version of a good old-fashioned neighborhood bakery, would be an ideal addition to the market. As much as I enjoy what Metropolitan and Le Bus produce, there are a lot of baked goods (breads and sweets) that the RTM doesn't currently offer. Bieler's, the Amish baker, just doesn't cut it for me. (I've never been fond of the overly-sweet Pennsylvania Dutch commercial baked goods they sell) Let's bring a little bit of the Northeast to Center City!

As others have noted, the RTM is open on Saturdays and Sundays. Although some of the vendors don't open on Sundays, at least one who carries grass-fed beef does: the Fair Food Farmstand. Charles Giunta's Prime Shop used to handle grass-fed beef, but doesn't any more, although his beef is raised hormone-free. But it is, at the very least, finished with grain. (FWIW, I've found Giunta's steaks to be excellent, particularly the hanger, skirt, and various rib steaks sub-cuts (delmonico, "cowboy", etc.) Livengood's, in addition to selling Saturday at the RTM and Tuesday on South Street, also sells Thursdays, 3-7 p.m., at Fairmount & 22nd Street. The $3 parking (for two hour max; after that regular rates apply) is for the Parkway Corp. garage between 12th & 13th streets, which has entrances on 12th, Filbert, 13th, and Arch. Be sure not to use a credit card upon entering; instead, just take a ticket. Have the ticket stamped by one of the merchants (if you spend less than that at each store, show one merchant your other receipts and you can get it stamped), then use the pay station machines to bail out your car. Do not use the garage with entrances on 11th and on Arch just east of the Market over the Hilton Garden Inn; they do not participate in the market's reduced parking program.

Sounds like if Alaska fishery officials are correct, we may yet see a decent harvest and prices relent just a tad. Let's hope so.

Rick's Trial Begins Monday Summary Judgments, Pre-trial Orders Back Market On All Major Issues The Whiz might be flying when the dispute between Rick's Steaks and the Reading Terminal Market finally goes to trial Monday, but as far as the legal issues are concerned, it's all over but the shouting, of which there may be a lot. A review of the report of docket entries on the Court of Common Pleas web site (you can read them here and here) leads one to the conclusion that the Reading Terminal Market has won on each major point of contention through a series of summary judgments and rulings on pre-trial motions from Judge Mark I. Bernstein. Last summer, each side sued the other in this mess: Rick's Steaks proprietor Rick Olivieri sued the market alleging various misdeeds relating to the non-renewal of his lease; the RTM went to court seeking an order forcing his eviction. Back in February Judge Mark I. Bernstein dismissed all save one of Rick Olivieri's original complaints against the market, its board chair Ricardo Dunston, and its general manager Paul Steinke. Earlier this month, Judge Bernstein entered a partial summary judgment into the record on the RTM's eviction suit, finding in favor of the market on three counts: ejectment, breach of contract, and trespass. The judge also dismissed five counterclaims filed by Olivieri, including one charging conspiracy. In February Judge Bernstein said Olivieri's attorneys can try to make the case that the RTM owes him any money he spent on renovation in anticipation of his lease being renewed, according to earlier press reports. However, the judge concluded the cheese steak scion could not seek punitive damages. Bernstein ruled Rick's Steaks failed to offer any evidence of wrong-doing by the market, including claims of breach of oral contract, fraud, and failure to negotiate in good faith. He also dismissed Olivieri's complaints against Tony Luke, the market's prospective tenant to take over the prime space on the 12th Street side of the market, the main drag used by convention goers between their hotel rooms and the convention center. Of course, after the trial is over and the judge issues his final decisions, Olivieri might be able to extend his tenancy until any appeal process is concluded. No matter your views on the righteousness of Rick's cause, or the market's, things look bleak for Olivieri. It's hard to imagine it is mere coincidence that a rumor just reached the surface in the last couple of weeks, a rumor that's been fed to reporters as well as merchants: Tony Luke's wasn't going to operate at Rick's, but someone else would under his name. In other words, it would in essence be a franchise, even if it wasn't called that. Why is that rumor a big deal? Because if true it would be a clear violation of the intent of the market's "operating policy guidelines". The relevant portion of the guidelines reads: I put the question directly to RTM General Manager Steinke this week, and he stated flatly: "We do not lease to franchises." Yet before talks ended when Olivieri filed his suit late last July, the RTM had never held discussions directly with Tony Luke Jr., but with parties the market believed represented him, according to Steinke. "We always felt we were dealing with him." That may be the case, but Steinke's response has as much fudge in it as the display cases at Mueller's Chocolates and Pennsylvania General Store. Steinke said "All discussions were shut down before they got very far by Luke himself. I know he had interest in becoming a tenant here, but once the lawsuit was filed those discussions were terminated and, by his own decree, won't restart until the legal issues are resolved. We haven't had any discussions with Tony Luke's since last July." Any rumor, he said, "is speculation at best." So, why did the TL franchise rumor appear just a week or so before the trial? It's mere speculation at best on my part, but Olivieri's only hope is for politics to save his bacon . . . I mean, cheese steak. Where do the merchants stand on all of this? I've yet to find a merchant who supports the market's decision to oust Olivieri, but every one I've spoken with thinks it should never have reached the litigation stage. At least a couple are puzzled why Olivieri continues to spend big bucks fighting a losing battle (he's complained to many, including me, about his legal bills). All the merchants I've spoken with support the general direction and management of the market under its current leadership (board and manager), even though they remain critical of Rick's ouster. What confidence the merchants do have in market management would be undermined should it try to bring in a franchise or any business that smells of franchise, even if it isn't a franchise in legal form. Unless there's a weekend surprise settlement (never an impossibility as a trial date nears), it's come down to Crushing Your Enemies on both sides come Monday's court date.

RTM Butcher Closing Dutch Country Meats is throwing in the towel at the Reading Terminal Market. A combination of poor volume, management issues and personal concerns has caused proprietor Jake Fisher to shut down his operation after this Saturday. Jake took over the business from prior owners about a year ago. Jake has tried to make a go of it, bringing in German wurstgescheft specialties from Rieker's of Oxford Avenue (including the snapper soup which won him a market-wide competition this winter). He also had featured selected baked goods from Haegele's Bakery of Mayfair/Tacony until another RTM purveyor complained. So, for the time being at least, to obtain those goodies you'll have to make the trip to one of the Northeast's great neighborhoods. It's too early to figure out who will replace Dutch Country Meats or how long the space will be vacant. Although Steinke will make another effort to lure Rieker's to open under their own name, they've shunned the opportunity in the past. He doesn't have unrealistic expectations that they will jump at the chance now. Another possibility is that the market just can't support another butcher. With Harry Ochs, Martin's, Giunta's and L. Halteman all doing well, there simply may not have been enough business to go around. The space Fisher is vacating has been problematic at least since the rehabilitation of the RTM in the mid-1980s as part of the convention center project. It was briefly occupied by Moyer's Pork Products following the reconstruction until Bob Moyers and his family decided to concentrate on their processing, catering and retail business in their home village of Blooming Glen. (I miss those deeply-flavored, home-smoked, no-water added hams; a road trip is in order, especially since Bob now has a BBQ tent in front of the store!) After Moyers departed Charles Giunta held down the stall selling pigmeat for a while before trying the wholesale business as a sales rep; he's been doing much better since he reentered retailing with his wide range of meats across from Iovine Brothers' Produce. Jake's predecessor owner of Dutch Country Meats also gave up the ghost after a few years concentrating on pork products; they added German-style cold cuts after Siegfried's closed in the space that is now the Little Thai Market. Fair Food Expanding The Fair Food Farmstand, which sells much of the same produce from the same farms as many of the farmers' markets around town, is bursting at the seams. They'll be expanding their retail space by building out to the next column in the Arch Street side seating area. They've already increased their cold storage ability, including a new walk-in refrigerator with 50 percent more capacity to hold goods before bringing them out to the retail floor. Best gets closer One large stall that should be filled sometime this summer (one hopes) is the former Margerum's / Natural Connection. Jonathan's Best has placed signs on the space saying they'll be coming soon. Translation: they'll sign a lease and begin refurbishing the space as soon as their financing comes through. The upscale grocer has been in business in Chestnut Hill for a couple of decades. Amish Leases The market has concluded all lease renewal negotiations except with the Amish merchants. Steinke said the market is committed to allowing them to maintain their current market hours and product lines. At least a couple of the Amish merchants still don't like the idea that other merchants can be open on Sunday, even though they are not required to do so. The Amish vendors are there Wednesday-Saturday, closing at 3 p.m. Wednesdays and 5 p.m. on the other days. Steinke said Sundays have not been a stumbling block. The Amish merchants, he acknowledged, are one of the market's special attractions, "so we're trying to preserve the status quo". Steinke won't get into details on the remaining issues, but believes the leases will be concluded soon. Because of the special issues involved with the Amish vendors Steinke said he left negotiations with that group for last. Pennsylvania Dutch Festival The Pennsylvania Dutch Festival is scheduled for August 7-9. Last year the Amish merchants shut it down over the Rick's Steaks brouhaha. It's doubtful market management would have scheduled the event if they thought the Amish would repeat their boycott. The Ice Cream Festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 12.

Very good (though, since I don't cook them regularly enough, I tend to overcook; mine turned out just a tad beyond medium rare, and I like them rare). I'm not sure I'd add the filet mignon next time, it added a tad to texture but not (as expected) to taste. The previous time I added some short ribs to the basic chuck. What I'd love to try are porterhouse tails, since that was the cut my favorite hamburger restaurant from my youth used. Just plain chuck works well (I prefer it to sirloin, but that's a point upon which reasonable people may disagree), especially if you ask for it to be ground to order, as most butcher shops will. When I want meat for braised or simmered ground meat dishes, I usually ask for a single grind; for burgers, a double. (The better supermarkets will grind to order, also.)

Ice House Inn in Austintown (just a couple hundred yards north of Exit 223 off I-80 in Ohio, just over the border from PA) is a loud, large, noisy, roadhouse. When I ordered a slab of ribs there a few years ago, I basically got a huge hunk of belly. If you're in the mood, makes for a great dinner stop. Just go straight to your motel room afterwards, depending on the number of beers you've consumed.

The Fair Food Farmstand offers berries at three different prices depending upon provenance. The conventional berries, from a Delaware grower, sold for $3.50/pint or $6/quart. "Chemical free" berries from Rineer Family Farm were $4.50/pint. Organic berries from another grower were $5/pint. Fair Food also continued to sell snow peas at $4.50/pint. Local strawberries were also in evidence at Iovine Brothers Produce for $2.50/pint and Kauffman's Lancaster County Produce for $3.50 a half pint or $4.95/pint. L. Halteman also featured local berries ($3.99/pint) and scallions $1.29 bunch). My Memorial Day weekend grilling consisted of chicken in a coriander-cumin rub (Friday), partaking in a block party Saturday (we supplied cupcakes), hambugers Sunday (ground to order from Harry Ochs, 1.25 pounds chuck + six ounces filet mignon), and hot dogs Monday (the five-to-a-pound "Syd's" kosher style beef dogs from Best Provision, Newark, only available by making a trip to the plant). We met friends for brunch at the RTM Sunday morning, but by the time we arrived at 10:30 a.m., Hershel's East Side Deli had sold out of all varities of bagels save one, the "everything" bagel. My hand-sliced belly lox was yummy on the salty bagel. If you like Cracker Jacks, you'll love the Keystone Krunch sold at the Pennsylvania General Store. It's not inexpensive ($9.99 for a large bag which has about six normal servings, though the nutritional info label says the bag holds four servings), but it's far superior, even if you don't get a prize. The caramel covered confection includes not just popcorn, but almonds and, true to Pennsylvania style, pretzels. Great when watching the Phillies crush the opposition, as they did the last two days as I was enjoying Keystone Krunch. (Pennsylvania General Store created the blend and originally made it, but they've farmed the manufacturing out to Asher's.)

With the holiday weekend, traffic seemed just a little slow at Headhouse Square: not dead, mind you, just a tad less frenetic. Which doesn't mean there weren't wonderful foodstuffs to acquire. Blooming Glen has been back at Headhouse for the past couple weeks, displacing Weaver's Way as the anchor produce vendor at the Lombard Street end of the shambles. They featured a humongus crop of French breakfast radishes. A more peppery, larger elongated French radish could be had at Weaver's Way. Talula's Table also returned this Sunday after a brief hiatus. Another vendor which missed the opening few weeks but is now a regular is Buoni Amici of Hammonton, selling greens, spinach, veggies, berries, beets and other produce. A.T. Buzby's strawberries were selling for $5 a quart. Culton Organics has been featuring baby artichokes recently; I didn't check the price this week, but the week before they were two for $4. Can't image Andrew Fenton didn't purchase a few after I ran into him there the prior week. My purchases at Headhouse this past Sunday included some wonderful looking frozen pork steaks from Natural Meadows Farm. They only raise Tamworth hogs, a heritage breed. Although comparatively lean compared to other heritage breeds, it's still considerably better marbled than today's factory pigs. The steaks I purchased looked suitably, but not too, fatty. We'll let you know when they get et. I'm also going to try my hand this season with some kitchen herbs, which I purchased from Youngs' Garden and planted yesterday: sage, chives, thyme and peppermint.

If you're hitting the Ohio border just three or four hours after leaving Chicago, don't you mean western Ohio (not eastern, as your post states)? If it's western Ohio you meant, you might want to try Country Fare at the Montpelier exit of the Ohio Turnpike, just south of the next close to the Holiday Inn Express. We had dinner there on a Sunday night about a year ago, and it was certainly better than any fast food joint. The food was decent, but not much more than that. Then again, I don't expect or want anything exceptional from a roadside stop: I want to be tastily fueled. Typical home style café cooking in a homey and humble setting. I didn't eat breakfast there, but I'll lay odds that's their best meal of the day. The pie was a decent homemade one; far from the best I've ever had, but it was homemade and good.

I wouldn't hesitate going to XYZ. Where did you find mixed reviews of XYZ on the 'net? I've looked and so far haven't. You might enjoy this Boston Globe article from not quite two years ago.

Our own intoxicologist, Katie Loeb, authored an article on how to go about staging your first cocktail party in the current issue of Inside, the quarterly lifestyle's magazine of the Jewish Exponent. Alas, there does not appear to be a web version I can link to. Nicely done, Katie!

Except in Wisconsin.

Definitely a bad start to the Copper River salmon season, which opened last Thursday for a 12-hour period. Here's what Alaska's Division of Commercial Fisheries had to say about the haul: That meant prices were sky high: $30/pound for whole fish, nearly $40 for fillets in Washington State, and virtually none reached the East Coast. Apparently high winds and waves kept the fishermen from setting their gill nets with any degree of efficiency. Maybe they're doing better today, which state officials established as a second 12-hour season. The current weather at Cordova, where the Copper River fleet is based, is reasonably mild, with only 8 mph winds, clear skies and mild temperatures. This Wednesday at 2 p.m. Alaska time, state officials will announce the parameters of the next permitted day for fishing.

Photos from today's trek to Clark Park: University City High student enjoys a taste of his labors Landisdale Farm tables Fahnestock Farm, tables laden with tomatoes, berries

Clark Park Offers Choice Choices With more than half a dozen vendors selling fresh produce this early in the season, Clark Park Market in University City/West Philadelphia offers plenty of choice. I stopped by at opening at this year-round farmers' market sponsored by The Food Trust for the first time and was impressed by the quality. Flower vendors and bakers supplemented the produce stalls, and expect more farmers to sell their goods as the season progresses. Two vendors today offered strawberries though one, Landisdale Farm (Jonestown, Lebanon County), was basically sold out by the official 10 a.m opening (get there early). Both Landisdale's and Fahnestock Fruit Farm's berries were fairly tasty and sweet for early season berries, priced at $3.50 and $4.25 a pint, respectively; the berries from Fahnestock (Lititz, Lancaster County) were bigger (ideal for topping a shortcake), but both were tasty. Most of Fahnestock's stock today, however, was devoted to tunnel tomatoes, $2.50/pound iirc. Landisdale's tables groaned under a wider variety of spring vegetables. Other produce vendors at Clark Park today: Pennypack Farm of Horsham, with vegetables and greens; University City High School, with spring root veggies, herbs and flowers; Margerum's with spring veggies, herbs (fresh and dried), and dried beans and fruits, among other products; Keystone Farm, from way up north in Rome, Bradford County, selling not only veggies, but eggs, beef, pork and lamb, and cheese from the nearby LeRaysville plant; and Eden Garden of Dillsbury, York County, selling greens. Other vendors included two flower stalls (Triple Tree Flowers, Lancaster, and Heinsohn's Greenhouse, Bangor, Northampton County) and two bakers, Slow Rise of Lancaster and Forest View Bakery of Lancaster. Slow Rise offers artisan breads while Forest View sells traditional Pennsylvania Dutch pies, cookies and other sweets. If you live in Center City, Clark Park is an easy subway (Routes 13 or 34) or bus (Route 42) ride.