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There's a sign outside the shop that says it will be opening on the 27th.

Rachel, I'd also like to congratulate you on your "World of Inauthentic Cuisine" essay. I came across it on a website months ago and refer to it often!

I'd bet it makes it "cleaner". Microbes have trouble in salty environments, which is why salting is a method of preservation... osmotic pressure does it, I think...

YOU ARE SO RIGHT! Actually there is a certain young woman employee I have in mind who has never been anything but dyspeptic. I've seen her be rude to others too, so it's not just me. I think the rudeness of the customers might well be because everyone just wants to find a place to sit. But the difference between the overall attitude at Hi Rise and a similar place on the other side of town, Flour in the South End, is pretty startling.

try adrianascaravan.com. lots of hot stuff, but other spices and oils too.

Redbones comes up a lot in discussions, I think, because the atmosphere is really lively and fun and it's much more accessible than Blue Ribbon or Uncle Pete's, both of which are hard to get to without a car. Redbones is where to go to have a good time, but if you want ribs stick with UP/BR. Well, if you really want ribs, you're better off in another town. You could also read other threads for discussions on E.C. Grill...

In Germany I remember being able to buy plain plain yogurt, which was very similar to plain supermarket yogurt here, and something called plain jogurt "cremig gerührt", which means it was mechanically stirred for a long time for a creamy texture. This latter type had a creaminess you'd associate with a brand like Yoplait, and a vastly different texture, but it was still just plain yogurt. Could that be the difference?

I didn't mention Bartley's because it is really not off the tourist track at all -- Harvard Yard is across the street and there's often a wait. But their burgers and shakes are great and worth trying if you're in the area. Pho Pasteur is perfectly fine and reasonably priced, but again it's in touristy Harvard Square and I would never call it a hidden gem. East Coast Grill, on the other hand, is more out of the way and a great place. So are Gargoyle's on the Square (in Davis Sq. in Somerville) and Hi Rise. Last time I went to brunch at Hi Rise, J.K. Galbraith was sitting across from me! Totally Cambridge. To add another recommendation, I have gone to Central Kitchen many times, in Central Square, and found it pretty dependable. Also, if you're interested, there is fantastic ice cream next to Bartley's (at Toscanini's) AND East Coast Grill (Christina's).

I used to live in the North End and when Italian got irritating we'd always head for Kingfish Hall. It was a very good and dependable place, much better than it had to be for its touristy location. But it's not a temple of haute cuisine. I have mixed feelings about most of the places mentioned -- No. 9 Park, Radius, the Federalist, L'Espalier, Rialto, and Upstairs on the Square. I think Clio is pretty fantastic though. If you were in Kenmore Square for any reason, you might keep Great Bay (run by the same people who run Radius) in mind as well.

What week are you planning to visit? I ask because that first week in June is pretty hectic, what with MIT and Harvard graduation. I've heard good things about Craigie St. Bistrot. Aspasia is pretty nice. I'd recommend Salts on Main St., too, except I think the chef/owner just sold the place.

Rice and beans is called rice and peas because in Jamaica beans = only green, long beans. Coconut milk is a standard addition. Besides currying goat, you could make a goat stew or, if it's a youngish goat, roast it. But curried goat is by far the most common preparation.

White currants. not to eat, really. They're just so gorgeous. Mangos, for eating.

My mother insists I've eaten this, but I don't recall it. It's basically mashed sweet potato with eggs and spices, baked. It has a lot of the same spices as dark cake (allspice, etc.). It's a special type of sweet potato, not the standard American supermarket type.

Ackee is deadly until it is perfectly ripe. But it's easy to tell when it's edible: it opens up to display these three large black seeds. If the fruit isn't fully open, avoid. Or just buy it canned.

It has a texture, when you fry it up, that's similar to scrambled eggs. And the salty/savory cod is sort of the "bacon" to go with it. I get the concept, but it's pretty, um, assertive. After a while I couldn't even stand my mother cooking it, the smell was so bad (that was more the salt cod than the ackee, though).

My mother's Jamaican. Everyone's mentioned the dishes I love, except maybe planter's punch on a hot day (a drink made from hibiscus) and black cake. I can't stand ackee and salt cod though.

What is unique about KaDeWe is that it shoots for a wide variety of everything under the sun, rather than "the best" of everything. It's not a boutique. There are a lot of products people probably don't want, like Newman's Own Microwave Popcorn and the aforementioned Velveeta. But remembering that KaDeWe stands for "department store of the west" and that the city was divided for a long time, The rare availability of American convenience foods was probably very meaningful. A few miles away, they couldn't even get bananas...

Finally, a mention of KaDeWe! It is, like some other markets mentioned here, generally for tourists and for hunting down the occasional rare ingredient. But if you need Velveeta, a 7-lb lobster, or a choice of 1,000 sausages, you know where to go. Such a good time.

I've tried that Guinness ice cream from Toscanini's, and it's pretty good. I wouldn't order it every day, but it's definitely tasty enough for a theme menu.

sugar mixed with olive oil and ginger. warm it in the microwave and use as a body scrub. smells good too.

Oh yes, but they're stuffed, and called "stuffies"! And for boston, I think baked beans is fairly appropriate, though no one actually eats them.

Christina's is the best! They have 30+ flavors at a time, carrot cake and cardamom and a great champagne sorbet. I also like Herrell's, already mentioned, and JP Licks, Coolidge Corner, Brookline. Has anyone tried Athan's gelato in Brookline, Washington Sq. area? It is also supposed to be great.

Since Hi-Rise was mentioned more than once, I don't know why Formaggio Kitchen hasn't been named yet (it's right down the street, on Huron Ave. in Cambridge). They have a website at formaggiokitchen.com, but seeing all those things in person (and trying whatever you like) is really wonderful. If you are a cheese fan or like fancy food shops at all, this is a must. Craigie Street Bistrot, which someone mentioned, is also very close. Locke-Ober is a really nice place now that it's under new management, and the Lobster Stew is a knockout.

Right around this time you begin to find the coveted winter flavors of Ritter Sport... Bailey's, Cointreau, and Amaretto truffle fillings. In fact there's a whole line of "Weinachtsschokolade" -- Christmas chocolate -- from all the big brands: Lindt, Milka, etc. Mostly they are flavored with coriander and/or cinnamon, but lebkuchen bits are also mixed in sometimes.

Pattimw, even if they don't have figs at F.K., you will be so happy you went, because the're sure to stock something you'll want. While you're in the area, visit Hi-Rise (corner of Concord and Huron) for a sandwich.