Toliver

Did you see this thread: "Fried Chicken--Cook-Off V, eGullet Recipe Cook-Off Series" There's a couple recipes posted within.

My local drugstore must be a testing site...I am finding all kinds of new goodies there! At first taste, there didn't seem to be enough of that slight bitterness that comes with dark chocolate. But as I continued to nibble (hey, someone has to take one for the team ) the flavor grew on me. It still has that Nestle's Crunch-essence but with a (too?) subtle dark chocolate taste. I guess if I had to choose between Dark Chocolate Twix Bars and Nestle's Crunch Dark, I'd probably stick with the Twix. But I give them an "A" for their effort.

No listing is meager. Throw it down like a gauntlet! One of my favorite "Dinner!" posts from NeroW...Cheerios & Beer: Tell it like it is.

A previous discussion on this: "My Garlic turned blue!, Turned blue after it was baked on pizza" And inside that discussion is a link to another similar discussion: "Lemon Butter Sauce, question" You are not alone!

You should request they stock it. They're new in town and will be eager to please so it's possible you could have some decent jambalaya in your near future.

Make sure you request a room away from any construction going on (See this previous thread on the Del). In regards to dining, Peohe's (Pee-oh-eez) is on the opposite side of the Coronado Island from the Del. It has a grand view of the downtown skyline. Make sure you request a booth/table with a view (some booths are tucked away and offer privacy rather than a view). If the weather is nice during the day, inquire if they're serving outdoors on the patio. It may be too cold to eat outside in the evening but I'm sure they'd have those portable heaters. For dessert in Coronado, there is the MooTime Creamery. It looks like they have a shop in the Del but the store on Orange Avenue has more atmosphere. It's "hand crafted" ice cream and they make their own waffle cones. Point Loma Seafood in Point Loma has been recommended in previous discussions about eating in San Diego. But it's not very formal dining and though they serve beer and wine it doesn't come across a wine-list sort of place. If you want more view, Anthony's in downtown San Diego is right on the water (actually over the water) on the San Diego bay. I believe the ferry from Coronado lands nearby. If you get to Anthony's when they first open for lunch you can get a window table with a nice view looking out over the Bay and towards Coronado. The down side is that it's very touristy and the food is sort of pricey for what you get. They should have a wine list though and if you want more upscale dining, the Star of the Sea room next door to Anthony's is a little more "chi-chi". The Star of the Sea room used to have a dress code but I believe it may be a thing of the past. Not sure if they're open for lunch, either. For the grandest view of all, have (expensive) cocktails at the top floor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego which is next to Seaport Village at the end of the Downtown Gaslamp District. From one side you see the downtown skyline and northern San Diego and from the opposite windows you see the SouthBay and the lights of Tijuana, Mexico. Seaport Village is on the San Diego Bay. It's a touristy collection of stores and a few restaurants but there's a waterfront walkway with a great view of the Bay and of Coronado Island. If you're looking for something the teens can do, there's Belmont Park in Pacific Beach. PB is not close to Coronado and you'd need a vehicle to get there (it's about 20 to 30 minutes to the northwest). It's a small "amusement" area with a great roller coaster almost on the waterfront. On the website, click on "Rides and Other Fun Stuff" for a virtual ride on the roller coaster. In Pacific Beach, there's also the nearby boardwalk with restaurants and homes on one side and the beach on the other side. At the north end of Belmont Park there's a cul de sac that ends at the boardwalk. I believe Hamel's is still there. They rent bikes, rollerblades, etc, so the teens could always do that. If you have money to burn and want another grand view, there's also Bertrand at Mr. A's.. It's actually Uptown. You can see a small picture on the website showing the view from the patio. I don't think I would qualify it as "teen-friendly" since it's more of a "grown-up's" restaurant but the coat-and-tie dress code is a thing of the past and they will definitely have a wine list.

Pshaw on the lot of you! Heinz. The big bottle. Slathered on french fries, hamburgers AND on hot dogs...even ball park dogs. Poured with glee and without shame. So there.

California was one of the first to ban indoor smoking and I've yet to hear of a bar in the state that went out of business because of the law. Of course, it happened in stages so the public was sort of eased into it.

Yes, Jack-in-the-Box used to have them, as well, some 15 to 20 years ago.

I get hot sauces as gifts. Yes, I am a chilehead but enough with the sauces already! I literally have a cupboard overflowing with the jars and bottles I've received for birthdays, Christmas, etc. Out of desperation to get rid of them, I'm trying to think of some sort of "vat o' chili" recipe I can concoct using up all these hot sauces at one time. On the other hand, my sister-in-law gives me a "goodie bag" every Christmas that I always look forward to opening. It usually contains food items from different places like Trader Joe's, (Cost Plus) World Market, etc, and will be things I don't ordinarily buy for myself like tapenades, pickled green beans, good chocolate and so on.

It's sheer decadence on a baked potato, with some butter and salt & pepper.

Funny you should mention this... Col. Klink just answered such a question in the eGCI. He suggested lining the firebox with fire bricks to help maintain and hold the heat, which I think is a brilliant suggestion. So the bricks would sort of do for the fire what the water pan does for the smoker.

This has been discussed at length in another eG discussion which I can't seem to locate at the moment. The problem isn't the gloves. The problem is with the workers not using the gloves properly. Whether this if from lack of proper food handling training or whether these people are mentally just a taco short of a combination platter, I don't know. As was mentioned in the other discussion, if you are being served by someone who is wearing disposable gloves and they're not disposing of them when they should be (like when they go to serve you) speak up. The stomach you save may be your own.

They think of everything eventually, don't they? "Hefty® Serve ‘n Store™ Tableware With Interlocking Rims" They make a dinner plate, lunch plate and bowl. No more scambling for foil or plastic wrap when taking home leftovers from a party... And aren't I the geek for being impressed by this?

You bring up a good point. A true diner is a self-contained restaurant in a "building" capable of being moved. Some places that call themselves "diners" don't meet that qualification. "What is a diner?" from the American Diner museum website: That being said, I've been to the Salinas Black Bear Diner and I can tell you it isn't a diner. And the food wasn't that remarkable.

Well, I am totally bummed. I went to Trader Joe's yesterday and searched high and low for the addictive Tamari Cashews only to be told that they had been discontinued. The clerk suggested I try the sesame cashews. Okay, does anyone have a corporate email for them?

Some communities have turned anti-Wal-Mart because a lot of the Wal-Mart employees don't earn enough money to make ends meet so they end up turning to government services (Food Stamps, Medicare, etc) to make up for Wal-Mart's poor wages and lack of health benefits. Isn't it great that Wal-Mart is employing almost a thousand people but if it also drains state and local government coffers, is this really such a "good thing"? Some communities have decided it isn't.

Carl's Jr (Hardee's out east) started serving "Texas Toothpicks" which are a jumble of deep fried sticks of onion and jalapeño. You get a little container of their "house dressing" (aka Ranch) to dip them in. I was surprised that some of the jalepeños actually had a wee bit of heat to them. I considered them a welcome alternative to french fries. Anyone else have these? edited to add that I couldn't find any mention of them on their website.

In case anyone has missed it, this is Neil's recipe posted/linked to from page 1 of this discussion: "Strawberry Marshmallows" It also includes two variations: Chocolate and Vanilla.

Susan, Leave it out if you absolutely cannot stand it. Life's too short to eat something you don't like. I've eaten many a mole and "clove-like" would never have been one of the words to describe the flavor of the sauces I've had. Like chilis and stews, there are a million and one variations...every sauce maker has their own recipe with their own adjustments. So forgo the cloves if you don't like it. The recipe you linked to seems pretty straight forward though it sort of goes against what a mole sauce is all about...it is usually a melange of many, many ingredients simmered for an incredibly long time to tranform it into the final magic potion that usually doesn't taste of just one ingredient or flavor. It's a true fusion. That being said, in regards to recipes, I say go with what piques your interest. If a shorter recipe achieves a great sauce in the end, then go with it. By the way, the use in that recipe of a crock pot for simmering the sauce is sheer genius. I had one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" moments when I read that. I will peruse the cookbooks I have and post a recipe if I find anything worthwhile.

Thanks for the great blog! I have shop-envy. Oh, and I found butter rulers online, for those interested in them. Is it just a Canadian thing? All the shops selling them seem to be north of the border, eh.

I tried doing a Google search for the book and found only this reference (click here) of a recipe from the cookbook. It looks like the author's name is Ken Horn. He has also written a Chinese cookbook (assuming it's the same author). My online searches through the many online used bookstores also came up empty. Don't give up hope...it may resurface, yet.

Bon Appétit Magazine Digest – June 2005 “Here Comes Summer” The cover photo of a “Summer Steak Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing” is beautiful and appetizing. This month’s contributors: Cookbook author & Chef Bill Granger; Chef Mai Pham of Sacramento’s Lemon Grass Restaurant; Chef Cindy Wolf of Baltimore’s Charleston restaurant; Cookbook author & food & travel author Kasey Wilson is also the host of Vancouver radio’s “Best of Food and Wine”; James Beard Award winner Chef Alfred Portale. Bon Appétit has a test kitchen now that can be emailed at testkitchen@bonappetit.com. Starters – “Quick Bites from the World of Bon Appétit” by Hugh Garvey “The Great Alaska Morel Rush” - Thanks to big wildfires, Alaska has a bumper crop of morels this year. You can read about the harvest at www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_rn546.pdf. “Lobster Rolls Rock” - Lobster Rolls are the latest “in” thing this summer at restaurants across the country. “Fantastic Fruit” – Freaky fruit are coming to the produce section near you. Fruit like Rambutan, Dragon Fruit, Feijoa (aka pineapple guava) and Tamarillo. I believe eGullet has a discussion going on about “freaky fruit”. “Royale Wedding” – A brief look at some champagne cocktails matched to wedding themes. “The Techie Chef” – A look at Chef Grant Achatz and the new technologies used in his new restaurant “Alinea”. Again, eGullet is ahead of the curve with their front row seat on the genesis of this restaurant. “Paris – Chic Shops, Chic Eats” – Today’s hot Paris eateries are inside the hottest clothes shops. “Prêt-à-Por-Tea” – The Berkeley Hotel in London is serving desserts created by couture designers. “3 Questions for Linda Ellerbee” – A short Q&A with Linda who has a new book out, “Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World and Across the Table”. R.S.V.P. – Readers’ Favorite Restaurant Recipes Recipes: “King Crab Legs with Tequila-Citrus Butter” (Kenai Magic Lodge – Alaska); “Buttermilk Pancakes with Warm Apricot Preserves” (May Lake Camp – High Sierra Camps, Yosemite, California); “Loin of Lamb with Orange and Mint Sauce” (La Faisanderie – Dufftown, Boston, MA); “Mango Tarte Tatin” (Gerard’s – Maui, Hawai’i); “Fettuccine with Goat Cheese and Portobello Mushrooms” (Pastorale – Lakeville, Connecticut); “Fried Chicken with Poblano Mashed Potatoes and Chorizo-Thyme Gravy” (¡Cactus! – Seattle, WA). Entertaining – “Party Improv” Australian Chef Bill Granger sets a menu for 6 with this laid-back summer dinner party. Recipes: “Rice Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Mint and Lime”; “Five-Spice Spareribs with Hoisin-Honey Glaze”. Chef Granger also offers some tips on a simple dessert and cocktails, as well as a timetable. Wine & Spirits – “The Spirit of Mexico” by David Lansing David takes a look at the latest wave of ultra-premium tequilas and offers a list of “Ten to Try”. “Message in a Bottle” – A handblown leaded crystal decanter by Venetian glass manufacturer Salviati. www.fitzsu.com “Captain Cork” –Cruise ships now offers fine wines to go with their fine dining. Tasting Panel Report – “American Rosés” Snoqualmie Vineyards 2003 Cirque du Rosé, Columbia Valley ($7) Pedroncelli 2004 Zinfandel Rosé, Vintage Selection, Sonoma ($8) Bonny Doon Vineyard 2004 Vin Gris de Cigare, California ($11) Macari 2003 Rosé, North Fork of Long Island ($12) Garretson Wine Company 2004 The Celeidh, Paso Robles ($18) Tablas Creek Vineyard 2004 Rosé, Paso Robles ($27) At the Market – “White Nectarines” by Grace Jidoun Nectarines are in season and Michele Anna Jordan serves up some recipes that will help you enjoy the first bounty of summer. Recipes: “Butter Lettuce, White Nectarines and Blackberries in Parmesan Crisps”; “White Nectarine Galettes”; “Plank-Roasted Wild Salmon with White Nectarine-Serrano Salsa”. A brief sidebar offers some tips on how to select ripe nectarines and how to store them. Restaurants – “Hot Seat” – The Wynn Las Vegas Hotel. Restaurants – “Going Out” by Kasey Wilson As most eGullet members know, the restaurant scene in Vancouver is hotter than ever. Kasey takes a look at some highlights. Yaletown: Blue Water Café (Chef Frank Pabst); Rodney’s Oyster House; Coast (Chef Sean Riley) Crosstown: Chambar Belgian Restaurant (Chef Nico Schuermans) Granville Island: Go Fish South Granville: West (Chef David Hawksworth); Rangoli, a “sibling” of Vij’s; Cru (Chef Dana Reinhardt) Kitsilano: Feenie’s (Chef Rob Feenie) A side bar offers a look at a couple “tapanese” bars, Japanese tapas bars. “The Restaurant Reporter” by Tanya Wenman Steel Tanya has some suggestions on where to go to eat now. New York: Sapa (Chef Patricia Yeo), Aquavit’s new loacation (Chefs Håkan Swahn and Marcus Samuelsson); En Japanese Brasserie. London: Tom Aikens (Chef Tom Aikens); Rasoi Vineet Bhatia (Co-Owner & Chef Vineet Bhatia); Amaya; The Quilon (Chef Sriram Aylur) Los Angeles: The Hungry Cat (Chefs David Lentz & Suzanne Goin); Chameau (Chef Chagar). Denver & environs: Rioja; The Oven (Chef Brian Cauley); Frasca Food & Wine (Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson). A side bar offers a look at some Tokyo hotspots. Table & Home – “Present Perfect” by Laurie Glenn Buckle It’s a look at some table & cookware perfect for summer gifts. Bon Vivant – “What’s New. What’s Hot. What’s Good.” By Laurie Glenn Buckle Silk pajamas for wine lovers. www.closduval.com Fun polka dot porcelain dinnerware by Arzberg. www.tartontheweb.com A porcelain vase designed by Eva Zeisal from Nambé. www.nambe.com A olive oil hand wash and lotion set by L’Occitane. www.loccitane.com A Lucite “Ghost candelabra” by designer Jon Russell. www.momastore.org. Splurge-of-the-month: “Brittania” silver napkin rings by Asprey of England Silver-studded faux suede vase mats or runners. www.studiochic.com Finely crafter wood and metal pepper mills by Chiarugi. www.cooksshophere.com “First Taste of Summer” – by Alfred Portale Celebrate the change of season with a burst of fresh flavors with this menu for 8. Recipes: “Raspberry Lemonade Coolers”; “Herbed Goat Cheese Toasts with Black Olive Oil and Basil Puree”; “Lobster Salad with Potatoes, Avocado and Caviar”; “Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Roasted Rosemary-Honey Plums”; “Soft Parmesan Polenta”; “Fava Beans with Mint”; “Warm Cherry-Almond Tart”. “A Guide to Asian Greens” by Mai Pham Mai explains why greens play such an important part in Asian cooking. Recipes” “Sweet Potato Noodle Stir-Fry with Choy Sum and Shiitake Mushrooms”; “Roast Chicken Noodle Soup with Chrysanthemum”; “Summer Steak Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing” (Cover Recipe); “Shrimp Curry with Yu Choy and Kabocha Squash”; “Lemongrass Pork with Vietnamese Table Salad”; “Grilled Halibut with Tatsoi and Spicy Thai Chiles”. Throughout the article, side bars discuss the different Asian greens and herbs, as well as some suggestions for the well-stocked Asian pantry. “Soft-Shell Crab” by Cindy Wolf Cindy takes a look at this short-seasoned summer star and offers up a new take on the old favorite. Recipes: “Cornmeal-Crusted Soft-Shell Crab with Lemon Brown Butter”. A side bar offers tips for buying, storing and cooking soft-shell crab. “Dinner by Twilight” by Amy Sessler, Nina Elder with photos by Wyatt Counts With a little help from friends, a New York couple takes the food and fun outdoors. Recipes: “Minted Sugar Snap and Lima Bean Dip with Toasted Pita”; “Shrimp Fritters with Serrano-Coriander Vinegar”; “Grilled Chicken with Walnut-Pomegranate Sauce”; “Tomato, Cucumber and Green Pepper Chopped Salad”; “Carrots in Cumin Dressing”; “Orange-Cinnamon Rice Pilaf”; “Grilled Peaches and Apricots with Almond Crunch and Sweet Mascarpone”. There’s a side bar with a recipe for a pineapple-infused vodka martini. “Party Cakes” by Elizabeth Falkner with gorgeous photos by Mark Thomas Summer goes exotic with these fanciful dessert creations. The picture of the Persian Love Cake is wonderful. Recipes: “Persian Love Cake” (with organic sugared rose petals and pistachios for decoration); “Blueberry Hill Cupcakes”; “My Kind of Chocolate Birthday Cake” (a flourless chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and crunchy hazelnuts with a hint of orange). “Spellbound in Sweden” by Raphael Kadushin Raphael explores the land of the eternal Summer Day, with suggestions on where to stay, what to see and where to taste the best in Sweden restaurants. Recipe: “Braised Lamb with Red Wine, Coffee and Cardamom”. “Fast. Easy. Fresh – Quick dishes for every night cooking” Recipes: “Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri and Bell Peppers”; “Linguine with Steamed Cockles in Saffron-Tarragon Sauce”; “Apricot-Raspberry Pavlovas with Sliced Almonds”; “Farro Salad with Peas, Asparagus and Feta”; “Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Cherry Chutney”; “Speedy Gazpacho”. “Too Busy to Cook? – Fast and Easy Favorites from Readers” From Alexis Watson in Irvine, CA: “Lemon Crème Brulee with Fresh Berries”; “Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons and Balsamic Dressing” From Leigh Vickery of Tyler, TX: “Spicy Grilled Shrimp: End Page Q&A with actress Aisha Tyler…she loves making cassoulet! There’s an interesting ad in this issue for McDonald’s new Apple & Walnut salad. It’s a two page pop-up ad with two coupons for the new salad. There’s another ad for a new line of Sargento’s pre-shredded cheeses with herbs & spices: Cheddar Salsa with Tomato & Jalapeño Peppers, Mozzarella & Asiago with Roasted Garlic and Mozzarella with Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil.

Wow! It looks like they have pre-made lasagnas and other dishes in the cooler. What was in the main case? It looks like some cheeses and sauces, too. Are those pans of pasta at the bottom? Never in my life have I ever seen a pasta shop. The things you learn and see on eGullet! Thanks for sharing this, CaliPoutine!

Here's a recipe for a make-your-own onion soup mix: "Scratch Recipe for Lipton Onion Soup Mix" It has pretty much what everyone else has suggested. The dry minced onion is also known as those dehydrated onion flakes you can buy in the grocery stores. I usually get the large canister from Costco since I use them alot in marinades.