dls

I also recommend the Weber Performer gas fired charcoal grill which I have along with a Weber Genesis gas grill. I use both frequently, interchanging based upon my needs and mood. If I only had a choice of one however, it would be the Performer. Also, if you intend to smoke, I think you're better off with charcoal. My attempts to smoke/cook on a gas grill have been a waste of time. Either way you go, spring a little extra money for the rotisserie attachment. It's a great thing to have.

Though I'm certainly not an expert on this subject, I do recall hearing the following: 1. Both use sugar and salt, along with other spices and pepper in the cure. VA uses primarily salt. Ky is primarily sugar. 2. In the past, VA pigs subsisted entirely on a nut diet, primarily peanuts. Today they're grain fed. KY pigs eat a mixture beans, acorns, and clover. Finished the last few weeks on grain. 3. Both cure from 6 months to over 2 years. Overall, KY hams are cured longer than VA.

Drop down a little further on the same Amazon page and you'll see what appears to be the same 8-pc set, though with copper bottoms, for $80 (huh?) Note that one reviewer said that the bottoms were copper coated

Richard - Check out one of my favorite sites http://www.congocookbook.com/. Use the search function and enter "Kenya"

Just as you cannot get a good cheesesteak in Chicago, you are not going to get a good Chicago Italian beef sandwich in Philadelphia. I have lived in both cities and have resolved myself to the fact that "It ain,t gonna happen". Adapt or move. BTW - I lived in Philadelphia 10 years before moving to Chicago 20 years ago. Sandwiches, in addition to the cheesesteaks, and especially the hoagies, in Philadelphia, are much, much better. Get out there and enlighten yourself. Gonnela bread sucks compared to some of the breads in Philadelphia and Pat Scala, who once was a client of mine, agreed that Philadelphia had the best Italian oriented sandwiches in America.

Gnaw Bone is right up there with 2 other interestingly named towns in southern Indiana... Floyds Knob & French Lick

Some towns in Florida not previously mentioned upthread....... Cocoa Village Coconut Creek Citrus Ridge Duck Key Fruit Cove Fruitville Madeira Beach Mango Mayo Orange City Otter Creek Pigeon Key Quail Heights Salt Springs Snapper Creek Sugarloaf Sugarloaf Key Tangerine Stretching it a bit, there's also - Land O Lakes

I understad your concern about repeating an ingredient, but you may want to consider Spam with scalloped potatoes as a veg side. Or, you just may want to reserve this for another feast. http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/recipe.asp?id=951

Something for dessert from the somewhat "serious" Hormel Kitchens Cookbook. Savory International Spam Cheesecake http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/recipe.asp?id=814

I agree. Sounds pretty good. Can't say it's from a "serious " publication, but you may want check out some of the recipes referenced in the following link. If you can't find something here to truly revolt your guests, you (or maybe they) are beyond help. http://bertc.com/recipes.htm

Tarpon Springs FL

To the best of my knowledge, it's the only (and probably official) resource. All other sites that I'm aware of eventually link back to Trenitalia. Trains between Firenze and Bologna are numerous and depart about every 30 minutes or so. Travel time is about an hour. When I do a day trip to Bologna, I generally leave about 09:00 - long lunch around 15:00 - return around 19:00. If I recall correctly, the last train from Bologna back to Firenze departs around 22:30

I've always used a ratio for 1 cup cornmeal to 4 cups liquid for polenta. Though I've never tried it, I have seen reference to "soft" or "creamy" polenta with a 1 X 5 ratio.

From what I've been told, Poutine originated at a small restaurant in Warwick, southwest of Quebec City.

Grand Rapids - Lake Perch

Tampa - Cuban sandwich

I've been traveling to Mexico City 3-4 times a month on business for the past 15 years and am amazed at the recent surge in very good new restaurants. Isidora's & Isote are 2 of my favorites. Others in Polanco that I would recommend are La Galvia (Nouvelle Mexican), T Cla (Nouvelle Mexican) and Fonda de Santa Clara (Pueblan) In addition to the other restaurants mentioned a few more recs would be.... Ligaya - Colonia Condesa - Nouvelle Mexican Ixchal - Colinia Roma - Asian / Mediterranean Fusion Cicero Centennario - Centro Historico - Traditional San Angel Inn - Colinia San Angel - Traditional BTW - where is your brother staying? Suprisingly, many of the hotel restaurants are very good.

In Palma, I would also recommend Tristan and Koldo Royo. Porto Pi, which normally adds a few game dishes to the menu in the winter, is usually very good. Also, look into Convent de la Missio in a hotel of the same name (not open to the public on all evenings). For tapas and casual fare, try La Boveda. If you get to Deia, Olivo, Ca's Xorc, and Es Raco d'es Teix are all good choices.

I do this frequently with pork sholder, ribs, and even brisket. Just an initial sear then a long low heat braise with whatever aromatics or additions that you desire with a finish on the grill. Did something similar last weekend with a 6 lb shoulder. 3 hr braise then 2 hrs in a wood smoker. Fantastic.

God - I miss the smelt days. A number of years ago, during the seasonal smelt runs in Chicago, a large group of us would go to the rocks or piers off Lake Michigan at night. Besides a great all night party excluding spouses/significant others, we would catch 100s, if not 1,000s of smelt and prepare them as we caught them like your dad did (group rookies [carefully selected] had the cleaning chore). Sort of a male bonding kind of thing. Reached a point where I had to declare the following day a holiday at my office since nobody showed up anyway. Brought the annual smelt party to a conclusion when we we had to go in limousines due to heightened DUI laws. Just didn't seem right.

Florida protects their stone crabs more than they protect their children. There's a little place close to my secondary residence near Sarasota that has a couple of boats and fresh stones,several times a day, every day, in season. Had a couple of beers a few years ago with a local commercial fisherman who told me they could only harvest ONE claw of a certain size or larger (other is left for for protection). He got a little aggresive - lost his boat, 5 year ban on his license and, a $50,000 fine. I've had a lot of stones, and am not overly fond of them unless they are fresh out of the water. Anything more than 6-12 hours out of the water are a waste. Frozen are terrible and places like Joes in Miami are grossly overrated, overpriced, overcrowded, overnoisy, and overetc. A tourists paradise. My all time favorites are Carribean or South Florida soft shells or those little fresh ones you get in Venice.

I'm a believer that there are not many cheeses that can't used for a good grilled sandwich. I ocassionally will even use limburger withfreshly grated horseradish (pungent but tasty). My standard is dark rye + very old cheddar + a sprinkle if grated parmesan + dijon mustard + carmelized onions + a sprinkle of worchestershire. Brush outside only with melted butter or olive oil. Cook in a small skillet over a very, very low flame about 10 minutes per side. Cover during last half. For additions (if desired), a couple of thick slices of cooked bacon or, my favorite, finely diced and sauteed chicken liver. Serve with dill pickles. Also, though I'm not very fond of Campbell's standard tomato soup, it seems incomplete if I don't have some with grilled cheese. I just add a dash of curry for flavor.

The name Pussers is a corruption of the word purser. The ships purser stored and rationed a daily "Tot" of rum Royal Navy crew mwmbers, starting in 1655. The practice was discontinued on 07/31/70 - known as Black Tot Day. In 1979, a fellow on Tortola in the BVI negotiated with the Admiralty and secured the rights to the name, blending info, etc for production and sale to the public. In return, a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the rum are donated to the Royal Navy Sailor's Fund. Link below for more info http://www.pussers.com/rum/history

I didn't intend to buy it. I just thought that the timing of your article and the flyer in my mail was an interesting coincidence. On the other hand however, I'm doing lamb shanks this weekend and it might make a decent braising liquid.

Enjoyed your article very much when I read it yesterday. I also agree very much with you as my experience with bargain priced Barolas has been 100% negative. The ones that have not been too bad generally end up in braises. Got home last night and there was a flyer in my mail from the local Trader Joes that might be of interest. Among the ads was an offering for... "Argento Barola - A Noble Red Wine" As stated in the ad... "Argento Barola has been called 'The King Of Wines' and 'The Wine Of Kings,' because this splended Piedmontese red is considered one of the world's best red wines. It is made entirely from the Nebbiolo grape, the oldest and most noble red variety in Piedmont." Sold only at TJ for a grand sum of $10.99.