Mummer

Beer tours... They really suck. The beers were terrible and the food was worse. If you have a spot for this week, I suggest you cancel. By the way, Rich, if you have any cancellations, I'll be happy to fill that spot on Saturday. Back to reality; I hope that this week's crew has as much fun as I had last week. Charlie

As I salivate in anticipation of next Saturday's adventure, I'm reminded of feeling sorry for Rich and the his two drivers during most of last year's trip. When we got to dinner, however, and most of us didn't really need (or want) to eat or drink anymore, that first glass had to be one of the best damn beers those three guys ever tasted.

With only one place, I'd do John's Roast Pork for their signature sammie with aged provo and spinach (Mom thinks rabe's too bitter) and a cheesesteak loaded with all the glop they offer - I think they call it Italiano. I'd guess they make a good Italian hoagie, too. The bread is certainly a treat.

Bookbinders was so good that it went out of business. Then the other one went out of business also. The old joke is that when one hopped into a Philly cab and requested a ride to Bookies, the cabbie would take him to the on further away.

PHL - RDU non-stops for $198 - mighty tempting. Hmmmm.

Here are a couple of addresses/phones: Varallo Brothers 1639 S 10th Street - Philadelphia, PA 215-952-0367 Potito's Bakery 1614 W Ritner Street - Philadelphia, PA 215-334-2996 I'll have to check them out.

The eight pastries: Isgro's pastries, again Peche Alla Crema - Outstanding! Cappuccino Coffee Cup - Outstanding, ours had a biscotti (biscotto?) rather than a pizzel (their spelling) as garnish. Tiramisu - Outstanding - not shown on their site, a slice from a larger portion. Ricotta Cheesecake Swan - Very good - also not shown, but Holly's page shows a flock of them. Good graham crust, too. Chocolate Deco - Very good - chocolate and white cakes below the dome. Also an almond taste; my slice was to tiny to be certain that was from between the layers. Creme Brulee - Very good - not the shown tart, but served in a foil ramekin. Fruit Tart - I didn't try it, but none was left on anybody's dessert plate. Strawberry Ricotta Cheesecake - ditto above, same base as the swan. As for the cannoli, they didn't travel as wall as others I've bought the day before a holiday. While the filling was delicious, the shells had lost their crispness. Experience had me preferring Isgro's to suburban Termini's, as the former filled the cheese ones to order. Per my initial post, these were prefilled. I passed Varallo's on my way to Snyder for my pork sammie. Thanks for the recommendation; I'll certainly give it a try. My limited Latin backgound tells me that cannoli is plural, but that language would offer one cannolum. (Sounds like a floor covering to me.) I've never ordered two pizzae.

South Philly bake shop, One rigott cannolo, please; She said, "What the fuck!"

I doubt there's a better simple treat than a ricotta cannoli. For years, I'd stop at the local Termini branch for a box of them before heading to my cousins' NJ home for a holiday meal. The tradition is so established that the one generation younger boy said cannoli when I arrived at our Austin familiy reuinion last summer. A couple of years earlier, seeing some in a pasticceria in Italy, his sister said, "I thought cannoli came from Philadelphia!" The Ardmore Termini's has closed, so I no longer can cite convenience for not going to Isgro's. This morning I was there. Due to the holiday, they weren't filling the cheese ones to order. Isgro's cannoli I also picked up a mess of fancy pastries. Isgro's pastries You'll have to wait for that review, but I've had the peach before. One of the best more complicated treats. 8 cannoli and 8 different pastries - $44.25 Swung by John's Roast Pork for their signature sammie on the way back to the office. Goooooooood! But that's another post. (Our friend Holly has pages for both places.) Everybody have a great holiday!

Yes, indeed, that DDC dinner was extraordinary. Since the Uptown Stringband meets near Bristol, I'm planning to go back regularly. Also noteworthy is that they've extended their dinner time and have stopped serving breakfast to the truckers on Route 13. (Holly's site says 6am to 7pm.) There is a lot of breakfast competition (diners, fast food) along that that strip and the Turkish Restaurant haa a superior product for lunch and dinner. Please give them your business. We all want to end that Lipman curse talk.

Way to go Katie. I know we'll be having even more fun around here. Now for a funny (and sad) story. Earlier this week WSJ listed another board among 5 cheesesteak info sites. Somebody posted (on that board) his surprise that HollyEats wasn't on the list. (Obviously, WSJ's usually fine research team blew it.) That post disappeared rapidly.

McMenamin's in Mt. Airy - great beers, very good bar and more upscale food. McNally's in Chestnut Hill doesn't get fancy with food and it's smoke free. Try the Schmitter. My neighborhood's Inn at Penn Valley has an acceptable beer selection (not into micros,) very good food (including upscale things and great soups,) and a very well stocked bar. Nice twist - late night happy hour specials starting at 10. Regarding the earlier posts, Monk's back bar provides a much better atmosphere than the crowded, smoky front.

Grandpop Strolli, I think his name was/is John, pulled out his mandolin late in the evening. Just the thing your Italian Pop-Pop was supposed to do.

Meat! Smoke! Pork! Beef! Even damn chicken! (I'm a KFC alum from college days. There are many things I'd rather eat than chicken.) I've only eaten Memphis BBQ once. I was returning from a family reunion in Austin this June. I had an Austin beef BBQ at their airport - certainly the last place you'd trust for food - but I had it none the less. Philly was hours away. My connections became frazzled. I was on a plane to Memphis. I arrived to find that my gate was adjacent to ??? Famous Memphis BBQ. All of the airline staff was in line. I had eaten two hours earlier. I asked myself, "What would Holly do?" That was the answer. I got in line and bought a chopped BBQ sammie. It was very good. A yellow roll and a mound of good meat, stacked with slaw and Memphis BBQ sauce. Again, it was very good. But it was very sweet. That, I propose, is the point here. The Cackalackies feel they've reduced the sugar appropriately. Others disagree. Eat whereever you want.

Since they have one of those neon orange liquor licensing signs in the front window, I revisited Roosevelt's at 23rd and Walnut this afternoon for a burger. There was a "Pardon our remodelling" sign on the front door also. Seems more of a painting/papering project than something major. Still a great bargain. $2.95 plus fiddy cents for each extra. Billed as 8 oz., you must order a beverage for the deal. Standard includes lettuce, tomato and a diagonal slice of a good pickle. Extras were several cheeses, 'shrooms, onions, chili, BBQ sauce, bacon, peppers perhaps more. I ordered mine medium rare with fried onions and provelone. (Bleu wasn't an option, else that with bacon and the onions.) Tasty hunk of pink on the inside meat, good kaiser roll, large portions of the extras, good onions. Not as moist as the one I get at Cynwyd Club, but that's members only and $7+. The included flaccid fries were disappointing. While not worth a road trip, it was good food at a great price. With the previously posted happy hour, it's a bargain drinks and dinner if you find yourself on the west edge of Center City early some evening. And, most certainly, a good deal for one on a starvin' student budget.

Astral Plane is a wonderful place! Deux Cheminees is, too, but Holly provided the qualification. Philly has many byob places that can help you keep your budget as you enjoy an excellent meal. Are location and/or transportation issues? If so, qualify your geography and we'll do our best. The locals will steer you to many favorites in Old City, South Philly, Rittenhouse Square, Society Hill, Manayunk, etc.

Me too! I had a ball hanging with the Chicago (and elsewhere) kids last weekend, but I need a home weekend before heading to VT for parents' weekend the following week. My sister did some time at Grand Valley in GR. My kid bro' lives in the Detroit 'burbs, so I've some good memories of the east side of Lake Michigan, as well as the west and south. We share the same birthday, G-man, but I've never had a birthday dinner like yours! Awesome! Party on, Heartland! It will be much quieter without an accordion.

Holy Cow! What if I hadn't been clobbered by an ambulance on Thursday evening? Fortunately, nobody was hurt in Philly (or Raleigh.) As for the accident, I've already done the Prine song and talked with the rental company's adjuster and my insurer. Hopefully, everything will blow over. There's an ugly species called Philadelphia lawyer, but I've a witness.

Yeah, yeah! other Dean. Still sorting our the Thursay CRASH rental with the other one that, serendipitously, brought Katie an' me to NC. John Prine is my hero; behind 'Cella! There might be another Varmint's Pig Pickin' - "would ya come?," but give that sucker a break! If we're lucky, we'll convince him, years ahead, to do it again.

I've gotta say that justice done past the Brunswick stew! Pig & Southern hospitality must rest stop here: That boy Dave set about creating an amazing stew and, Dad gummit, he done good. It's an awful shame that one had to make Sunday to chomp those moist critters that made this smiling boy's bowl. Sunday's VD stew was among the finest things I've eaten in my life. BTW, our host never passed out onto the floor. Most certainly, he needed a nap, and, as the father of the four Li'l Varmints, he took it. If it weren't for his wife, he'd be my hero.

I dropped Katie off in Philly around 9:30 and got home a little after 10. More later, but I salute the Varmint family for their Southern hospitality and the not too many cooks for their excellent broths. We rocked!!!

Better than a freshly decapitated Mummer. Ouch! Hasta manana, baby! ETA - late afternoon, assuming the forces that screw up I-95, I-85, etc. aren't too much into play.

Varmint - do we have directions from the motel to the Varmint residence? (I don't really want to read this entire thread to check.) Katie and I spoke last Friday; we're getting psyched! See ya' Friday.

Roosevelt's (it's at 23rd and Walnut) still does the bargain burger, as long as you order a beverage. M-F, 5-7, they have happy hour - $5 for unlimited domestic brews (mostly the mass market swill, but they include Yuengling lager) and well drinks. While inexpensive, I'd put it below either of Katie's tiers.

Dunno if Varmint's still in negotiations with Southern Culture on the Skids, but somewhere on this thread is talk of making music. Martin or Fender was the issue, as I recall. Still coming? A musical contribution would be much better than anything coming from my kitchen. Unless Katie convinces me to bring the roadster, I'll have a keyboard and a fake book or two. Subject to Varmint's approval, of course. (SCOTS are booked in FL.)