alacarte

my first thoughts were pizza, burgers, and fries (I jotted them down BEFORE scrolling thru the thread!)

hey bud, what's with this part of your menu? chicks don't get cigars? men don't merit chocolate? Is it still 1952 in your house?

Thanks! We're staying in Needham -- won't be getting into Boston this time, alas. I agree there are many wonderful restaurants in Boston, which I think is vastly underrated as a food town. Ideally, I'd love to find a really good brunch spot, and maybe an upscale restaurant for dinner. Someplace with great fish would be ideal. Last time we were in town we tried a restaurant called Fava, which I liked very much.

thanks for the suggestion, newsbabe does the overall dearth of suggestions imply that this area of the 'burbs is as great a culinary wasteland as I suspect?

I have a stack of cooking magazines from the 1930s and 40s and am considering doing a Thanksgiving meal from one of the issues. The WWII issues are just amazing, and include a group of meatless Thanksgiving menus. I don't like turkey much, so that would suit me just fine. But the apt point was made earlier in this thread that most people prefer traditional dishes at Thanksgiving -- not sure my inclination to experiment will be appreciated! I'm debating skipping cooking altogether, though. My sister is expecting a baby, and her due date is Nov. 30. Likelihood is high that turkey day will be spent in the hospital waiting room!

I am impressed by your self-restraint.

Baby Got Back Bacon (with apologies to Sir Mix-A-Lot)

If Fat Guy dines at Mix often enough, he shall be dubbed "Sir Mix-A-Lot." (I shall ever-so-tastefully omit reference to the Sir Mix-A-Lot classic about big butts. I live in a glass house and I can not lie. ) edit: clicking thru is not recommended for those with *delicate sensibilities*

I'll be here visiting the relatives. Can anyone recommend good places to eat? **T*H*A*N*K*S**

Great post, thank you for sharing. I can picture it all. I received a brochure in the mail for cooking schools in Sicily and Oaxaca, I think it's called "Cooking in Grandmother's Kitchen," or something like that. One of the available courses took place during mushroom-foraging season. The package included a guided mushroom-picking tour, cooking classes, and board in a guest house at the hosts' home. My husband, a closet lover of luxury, did not understand why I was so charmed by the idea. His take: "You want me to go to MEXICO with you to PICK MUSHROOMS, COOK THEM MYSELF, and SLEEP IN THEIR HOUSE, not even a hotel???"

I have a version from the Moosewood cookbook that includes fennel seed, which gives it a subtle and unusual flavor. The fennel seeds are sauteed in olive oil at the beginning, along with any aromatic vegetables you're including in the soup.

Inspired by Burger Club, I dragged my husband to RARE last night, which is on 37th & Lex, in the Drake Hotel. The burgers were OK, although didn't hold a candle to Molly's. Thick patties, small circumference, served on a brioche, with sour dill pickles, lettuce & tomato. They had lots of variations on the "RARE classic": mexican burger w/ black bean spread, fried egg toppings, seafood burger with crab and shrimp. My husband tried the salmon burger, which thankfully was not ground salmon shaped into a patty -- rather, it was a full salmon filet, topped with toasted sesame seeds and wasabi sauce -- I tried it, and it was good. He liked it too. Oddity: the menu also included a "frickle" -- a deep-fried pickle. I thought of the eG deep-fried Twinkie thread. Highlight: a kick-ass key lime martini! Lowlight: The french fry sampler was surprisingly disappointing. Three different kinds of fries, three different kinds of dips, all overspiced and kind of tasteless. Too bad, as it sounded great on the menu. Edit: I forgot to mention one other noteworthy: they have a truffleburger on the menu, priced at $22.

I did take home a bag of the chocolates. They were pretty good, if I remember correctly. I especially liked a spicy version that had a nice chili bite to it. Lots of competition on the chocolate scene in NYC these days it seems. I'm a big fan of Payard's chocolates, and recently was given a box of chocolates from a place called "Marie Belle" that were also fantastic. But those are topics for another thread. The thought of burgers and chocolate is making me hungry. I'm going to make another pilgrimmage down to the Lunchbox place and give it a second try soon. Hmm, how about a chocolate cheeseburger?

I'm waiting for the reference to some cattiness in the kitchen, or among patrons, reviewers, etc. the inevitable punchline: "Meow Mix."

I think we are on track to have more clubs than available meals. but seriously? I do like the idea of a chocolate club. I've been dying to go see (read: eat my way through) the Jacques Torres chocolate factory in B'klyn.

I agree that sorbet would work. Maybe mint sorbet, to complement but not overpower the chocolate.

Takeout Aloo Gobi. I'm regretting the hot sauce I absolutely had to have.

Lyle's mom?

I'm in. Personally, I'd love it to be Super Bowl Sunday, so I'll have something fun to do (and good to eat) while the rest of the world consumes mass quantities of beer and Cheez Doodles while their eyes glaze over watching foo'ball on their supersize TVs.

Love the "burger gothic." Sorry I missed it, sounds like everyone had a blast! I'll be there next time... I'm especially sorry that I missed the Chocolate Bar. If anyone wants to form a splinter group of Burger Club called Chocolate Club, I am so there.

Mamster and Hey Jude are related by blood -- I don't think that's a secret. this is a fun game. it almost merits its own thread.

Ouch. That's rich. "it's half milk, half...something else."

Spaghetti Western. I have no idea what they serve. Italian food? Western omelettes?

mmm, peanut butter frosted Pepsi cake. I love this thread.

I bet Dave Leite's site has some tidbits.