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Yeah, but you're in the Philadelphia area.

Becca, your desserts look great. Since I love rhubarb, I'm particularly loving your strawberry-rhubarb crisp! One question: What's in the filling of the black and blue pie?

It isn't? Seems pretty popular in New York, and it's definitely spread beyond Chinese neighborhoods. The Saint's Alp on 3rd Av. between 9th and 10th here in the East Village is very popular.

And I still think of the Macedonia di Frutta con Gelato that I used to have at Bar Il Palio on the Campo in Siena. But we ain't in Italy anymore, Dorothy!

By the way, I had two great cocktails at Chinatown Brasserie when I was there a few months ago. Their dim sum items were great (though very expensive)!

Jan, Sharon had a series of symptoms associated with diabetes, and as far as hemorrhages are concerned, you left out a major (the major, I'd think?) cause for them: Chronic or untreated high blood pressure, which is associated with heaviness in many cases. And yes, I think it does matter if someone is obese because of emotional reasons and can't stop stuffing herself when she's been diagnosed with diabetes, instead rationalizing that just sleeping and eating were good for her. That's like a smoker who can't quit when she's in the hospital for lung cancer, and I've met someone like that. Living is an automatic death sentence! But you have to ask yourself how many obese octogenarians you've met. I haven't met many. With all the risk factors in my family, I've had one relative who lived to 96 -- my great-uncle (I also had a great-great grandfather on my mother's side who lived to 104, but he died in the 1950s). He was in pretty robust health until he was 94, and always slim. You know any obese 94-year-olds?

Where'd you go for Dominican food, Fat Guy?

To be sure, my earlier poo-pooing of Il Laboratorio was based on one visit. But, it sounds like I'm certainly not alone in the observation on service. As for their gelato, I wasn't impressed. Yes, you do! I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on Il Laboratorio/GROM post-Capogiro. ← Never been to GROM and don't really intend to go, based on the comments here and in Chowhound.

I miss the East Village Teresa's. I have a cold and wish I could call them for chicken soup delivery. Enjoy them, you Brooklyn Heights people. If you're willing to walk a bit, consider going to Junior's. Such a pleasant place!

Sounds like they need to fire some of their counterpeople. I'll add that I've been back since then and got a combination of Cinnamon and -- darn, I can't remember what the other flavor was! Was it their Hazelnut? Can't remember. Anyway, service was fine. It just seems like there are some bad employees there. Its location isn't out of the way to me, though: It's no more than a 15-minute walk. And I like the gelato. So I'll continue to patronize it from time to time. I'll have to go to Philadelphia and try Capogiro some time.

Eh? Seriously?! ← Yeah. I was going to suggest rambutan, but manggis will do. Other cooling things are melons and cucumber, as I recall. (My mother did surveys of our neighbors -- mind you, a few hundred of them, if I remember correctly, not just a few -- on which foods they considered "Hot," "Cold" and "Medium" [sederhana in Malay].)

raji, I haven't been to Chanto in almost a year, I think. They used to have fabulous desserts when Seth Caro (sethro on eGullet) was Pastry Chef there. How are their desserts now? And what about their savory dishes? I liked them, but the star of my meal was the King of Kimchi. I assume they're still making that?

Lemon seeds? I always spit those out. They're bitter, and I thought they contained cyanide.

I'm suspicious of Aspartame, but the main reason I avoid it is the same as what Bueno posted above: It tastes TERRIBLE! I find stevia perfectly OK as a sugar substitute, if you need one.

This is a very unpleasant shock for me, probably because I knew fifi only from eGullet and wasn't in touch with her. We need a crying emoticon for situations like this. fifi was a great colleague when we were both staff members. I could always count on her and confide in her, and she worked hard. She also made a large number of terrific posts, which speak for themselves. I could never do them justice through description, but one of the things that sticks in my mind is her attachment to and appreciation for nature. There have been many foodblogs, but only one is all about gathering wild things. Linda was a caring person of great humanity. She stood up for her opinions but could still have not just tolerance but warm feelings for people from different backgrounds who disagreed. I'm glad to have known her and very sorry she's gone.

That's 80th, isn't it? There's also one on 65th St. between Broadway and Central Park West.

Excellent!

FYI, Greenwich is either an avenue, a street, or a city in Connecticut. What are the cross-streets of the place you booked?

Yes, and for a good reason, as your quote explains. But doesn't it confuse some of their customers into thinking there's no need to pay an additional tip?

The juice and zest of kaffir limes is delicious! Use it the same way you'd use the juice and zest of other limes, and enjoy the wonderful perfume!

I agree with the others. Bok choy isn't supposed to be very bitter at all. It has just a slight amount of bitterness, but mostly just tastes good. Something like broccoli rabe is much more bitter.

Thanks for replying, zELi. I've passed Ashkara by several times. Now, I know to walk in and order felafel. Truly a recommendation I can use.

It's happening this year (as opposed to other years in the past when they haven't put it on) but it's on Sunday. ← Don't they always put it on on the Sunday following Bastille Day (if 14 juillet comes during the week)? Which years did they not run it at all?

What about Chinatown Brasserie? When I went there during the winter, I had a couple of great cocktails there, and my dim sum items were great!

I haven't been to Langer's. So I take it you consider their pastrami superior to Katz's? Is there any way you could describe how?