gulfporter

We eat one meal out every day, usually dinner and have done so since we retired in 2003. Service is as important as the food that's served. I'lll forgive a chef whose version of a dish doesn't quite match mine, as long as he/she put some thought, creativity and good ingredients into the dish. But we will leave a restaurant that ignores us for more than 8 minutes after being seated. Yes, we put them 'on the clock' and vote with our feet. It's been our experience that when the initial contact is s-l-o-w, the entire meal service will just go downhill from there. We tend to go to restaurants that offer foods that I don't make at home either because the ingredients are difficult to come by or making the meal at home involves a lot of clean-up, splatter, or mess. We like places that offer at least a few off-menu specials, it's a sign that the kitchen is still having fun cooking (not just cranking out the same-old same-old). We like a range of wine prices by the glass, including a house wine that is no more than $7 per glass. We like small plates and an array of appetizers with a big variety. Eclectic offerings always a plus; we don't go out to eat a standard steak dinner or meatloaf. Outdoor seating is a big draw for us (we live in FL now, prior to that AZ and Central Mexico); even when we travel to colder climates we enjoy eating outdoors whenever feasible. Don't like places that push desserts, extra sides, etc. We always start with a glass of wine before we order food, and it's nice when they bring the breadbasket when they serve our pre-dinner wine so we aren't drinking on an empty stomach. We like friendly waitstaff but it's more important that they're knowledgeable about the menu items.

I inherited a GE double oven at our current home. The upper oven has convection and I recommend the convection for baking. I've only been in this home a year, the oven is maybe 3 years old??? and so far so good.

Update: none of the Whole Foods in my FIL's area (DC VA burbs) carries Realbeanz nor can they special order.

My embarrassing stuff.

FYI: DH quite happy with the Black and Decker Rapid toaster purchase. It is indeed fast.

We always eat it 'straight' sliced thin on a plate with fresh fruit, good crackers.

Re-read the recipe; no hanging. We've made it at least half a dozen times.

My DH has made this recipe numerous times. Super easy. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/duck-prosciutto

Yes, point to point.....and no fair hitting below the point, on the side. Most 'hit-ees' make a fist around their egg up to their point to keep that from happening. My first Easter at my new in-laws introduced me to lamb, and to meat served rare. Never tasted lamb before that and any meat cooked by my family wasn't considered done until the meat turned a suitable gray. My in-laws hid eggs around their yard for the hunt; my family hid the entire Easter basket, indoors. Easter 'duty' was the one day a year my father went to mass (the rest of us went weekly). Back home after Easter mass, the fast was broken with ham (what else!) and eggs and a shot of my grandmother's homemade hooch. Then off to the egg cracking.

One person holds an egg in their hand with the pointy end up. The other person holds their egg in their hand (pointy end down) and taps their egg against the other person's egg. Only one egg will crack. The winner gets to keep the other person's (now cracked) egg.

Growing up, the main courses were ham and kielbasa (pretty much any holiday was ham and kielbasa for my Lithuanian-American family). Always with beet-red horseradish. The main side dish was kugeli (baked potato cake with salt pork). And also a cucumber salad with sour cream, green onions and dill. Easter morning after church we'd carry our eggs (color: all the same reddish brown from onion skins) around the neighborhood for 'egg cracking.' It was fun, but also a bit cutthroat, especially for the men. Any eggs we had after the egg cracking were immediately put into a large glass crock with vinegar and beet sliced to be eaten in a few days, once well pickled.

IF Starbucks had decaf in bottles (it doesn't) it'd be in the 15 mg range which is doable for my FIL. I found data on Realbeanz at a review site, that says there is zero caffeine in its decaf product, but can't vouch for its accuracy. I have sent an email to Realbeanz re: actual caffeine in it. Also, some Whole Foods carries Realbeanz, unfortunately none in the area near my FIL. I have sent the local Whole Foods and email asking about the product and whether it could be ordered for their store.

Realbeanz looks promising; I'll see if I can find in stores and avoid the embedded shipping costs. Thanks!!

Single serving bottles/cans is what we need. The caregiver leaves my FIL at the house between lunch and dinner, with a small cooler at his chairside (he has one of those lift chairs/recliners)....with bottled water, fruit, yogurt, juiceboxes, Ensure...stuff like that. My FIL is ambulatory but relies heavily on his walker and the less steps, the better. I was hoping to add a new drink to his supply, for something different. I make him iced coffees in the blender when I'm there, using his decaf brew. I really find it hard to believe that with all the bottled coffee drinks out there (even Krispy Kreme has joined the ranks), none are decaf. I will contact Trader Joes and Whole Foods and see if they stock iced coffees sans caffeine.

Like I said, we don't want to put any extra burden on the caregiver. She is in her 60s as is her husband who does the home maintenance/repairs, transports my FIL (wheel chair and walker) to appointments, also the lawn care, snow shoveling). They are trustworthy and dedicated to my FIL (long story short: my late MIL sponsored this couple from Central America to the US in the 1970s). We fear their retirement will put an end to my FIL's ability to stay in his own home as finding affordable and trustworthy in-home care in DC Metro may not be feasible. So, no new burdens on the caregiver/spouse that aren't critical to his care. I was just looking for a treat that I know he'd enjoy that I could stock in the fridge. Nothing powdered at the Starbucks website and again, nothing DECAF at Starbucks website in bottles. It's not like it's just the aged that have to limit caffeine, but evidently the bottled iced coffees are part of the "energy drink" market, hence the caffeine.

I have not seen DECAF in any of the coffee drinks in our local groceries (Central Florida), including the Starbucks' offerings. I googled DECAF for Starbucks and looks like they don't bottle any (I find that hard to believe, but their website doesn't show DECAF in bottles). My 91 y/o FIL loves iced coffee, the sweeter the better, but cannot have caffeine. His foreign-born caregiver doesn't really understand iced coffees and we hate to burden her with another chore. I was hoping to buy a case of prepared DECAF coffee drinks for his fridge (we visit every 6 weeks or so). He is in DC-Metro so I'm wondering if there are some items that may be carried there (often better selection in DC/VA stores than here in FL). Anyone know of any DECAF bottled iced coffees (mocha, frappaciino...that sort of thing)?

Thanks BKEats; we posted simultaneously. I like the peas idea; so instead of aspargus, maybe a pea salad with some mint. Lamb will be on our table for Easter (up north with family) which is just around the corner (4/5).

Thanks for all the suggestions and links. Going with smoked salmon on Irish soda bread: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-on-irish-soda-bread-with-chive-butter-recipe.html mainly because I sampled some Irish soda bread at a local bakery and it was quite good. We'll have a platter of chilled asparagus on the side. Not sure if asparagus is "Irish" but it is green For dessert, my DH opted for Irish Coffee with Jamesons and fresh whipped cream.

Dang, wish I'd thought of crawfish pie, too. Let's see. Pizza: round, has a crust.....yes it's a pie. Though growing up in NE PA, the pizzas were always rectangular and were called 'trays.'

Sadly, we've yet to find decent corned beef locally. Grasshopper pie?? It's green but is it Irish

The traditional boiled corned beef dinner or a steak & Guinness Pie will be too heavy for us this year as we're in Central Florida with highs in the 80s. I have access to excellent smoked salmon from a local fish-only smokehouse; also have access to fresh salmon at local markets. Is there any particular Irish fashion to serve smoked salmon as a meal; i.e., with soda bread (??) and other specific condiments?? Or any interesting but light meal with fresh salmon that's an Irish tradition? How about a light(ish) Irish dessert idea?

ElaineA....you can get a similar effect with the top crust:

The mathematical expression of Pi is celebrated on 3.14 every year, so it's next Saturday. I'm planning to make two Pi's....one savory (a samosa pie topped with puff pastry) and one sweet (fresh strawberries over a lime curd). What are you making for Pi Day? PS: Our local airport in St. Petersburg has the FAA airport code of PIE and on Pi Day they give away hand pies to passengers in the terminal.

I was skeptical but it worked perfectly! http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1056102

DH went with the Black & Decker Rapid Toaster....the name says it all. Has good reviews at Amazon.