Lan4Dawg

I did not say it was "reasonable". I said it was not "terribly unreasonable" and by that I mean it did not take a huge jump at any point but a gradual rise--which is some what in line w/ a lot of products such as that---ones we do not purchase in bulk lots to get deals and we only purchase about six bottles or so a year. With the euro v. the dollar, the rise of gas prices & transportation, &c we have seen lots of increases in any thing fr/ Europe and that is less gradual than some.

we have Plymouth on the shelf here in north metro Atlanta, GA at $35.00/ltr and $26/fifth. I just checked the numbers and wholesale prices have risen two dollars a year for the past couple of years which is not terribly unreasonable. I have seen liters as low as $27.00 but that is very few and very far between and not very recently.

We need to narrow things down a bit. Unless some one has a better suggestion we are considering: Mansur's Juban's Maison Lacour Galatoire's Bistro Parrain's unfortunately we will only be dining one night (Friday) so can choose only one.

My city has plenty to offer in the way of food, and to suggest that nothing is worth staying in town for is quite frankly ludacris. ← You mis-read my post. I stated that I have personal issues w/ some thing that happened in the city several years ago and the response of the city (gov't and visitors' bureau) to the incident. Since I refuse to spend my money there I would encourage the same fr/ some one else but that is completely up to them. Fr/ what I under stand there have been several rather nice restaurants opened in Knoxville since we last stayed there but due to personal issues I will not be frequenting them nor will I encourage others to frequent them.

We ate at Regas a gazillion years ago and it was nothing special. Their big deal was fish crusted in Ritz crackers. What seriously turned us off of the place is that the waitress started vacuuming around us as we were trying to finish our meal. It took a while and we got her attention and she looked upset that we would have said some thing. There used to be a little dive of a place in old town Knoxville called Lucille's but that was years ago and I doubt they are still open (& if they were I could not vouch for them) besides I refuse to spend any money in that town for personal reasons (an issue w/ the CVB) so I would encourage you to dine else where any way.

I stopped by to see my friends at Tower on Piedmont this after noon and asked if they were having problems getting N-P vermouth. They had a full shelf and said they had no issues at all. I asked who was their distributor and b/c of where they are located in Atl they are represented by Empire so apparently it is only those accounts serviced by NorthEast who are having issues w/ N-P (& due to Georgia law we can not order fr/ another distributor). I do not know if it is a shipment or stocking issue or just what w/ NE but N-P is out there you just have to go out side of NE GA to get it.

Whtiley-Neill is the name of the gin I could not remember! I am really beginning to hate "some-timers". I had the perfect marketing idea the other day for a UGA product; forgot to write it down; am still trying to remember what the hell it was. Any who......I do some part-time consulting for a store up in Flowery Branch (Hall County). If I had people actually request off-the-wall and unusual items I could persuade them to carry more. We had Carpano for a while and it sat there except for what I purchased or convinced folks to buy. We do go through more Lillet than any other store in that area and Noilly-Prat out sells every other vermouth we carry (thank you very much) but our major sellers are Crown Royal and Jose Cuervo. What can I say as it is Hall County.

thx Dave, the rep fr/ Empire keeps telling me that they are out of Rittenhouse Bonded (frankly I do not think he looks) and I ordered the R&W my self. We had the Junipero in at one time and I am about to order Bluecoat and another gin fr/ Ultimate when I talk to their rep tomorrow.

Just a couple of fyi's: There is a massive shortage of Noilly-Prat dry vermouth in Georgia. We can not get it at the store nor can any one to whom I have spoken in/around Atlanta so if you see some go ahead and snag it (& let the rest of us know where you found it). The distributor for this area has been out for weeks and no one there knows when they will be getting it back. Word is that there is not enough Maker's Mark to go around either. I do not know if this is just w/ the Georgia distributor or some thing fr/ the distillery but you might bear that in mind when stocking your bar and snag some extra--just in case. And a question: has any one had any luck finding Torani Amer in the Atl area? I do not even know where to order the stuff.

There are some phenomenal restaurants on the square in Oxford. City Grocery is probably the best known (& arguably the best). Taylor Grocery for fried cat fish is an institution. Just note that every thing is going to be jammed on game w/e's. We usually stay at one of the state parks just o/s of Oxford as finding a hotel room in Oxford proper on game w/e is about close to impossible. Oxford is a lovely, quaint town and the university is a beautiful setting. Having said that tailgating at the Grove has become nothing short of a circus. Hopefully you are not claustrophobic b/c it is nothing but canopy to canopy to canopy to canopy and an absolute crush of people and it is full at the crack of dawn. They also do not allow "open flames" so you have to think about what you might want to take and not do any cooking while there. We usually set up over near the base ball fields where there is more space and less hassle. (There is some thing about Ole Miss how ever: where else would you see an absolutely drop dead gorgeous co-ed dressed to the nines in an out fit costing several hundred dollars and wearing high heels walking along w/ a beer in one hand and pulling a cooler full of beer w/ the other?--except may be Athens.....)

Thx Kim; if you knew the full story about the sea food "Sloppy Little Joe's...." you would definitely appreciate it but it is some what involved. Fuss likes the early games and eating afterward but I dislike it as there is so much to do in such a short time (not to mention a group of vultures standing/sitting around just waiting for you to finish cooking!) UGA has banned deep fryers fr/ university grounds b/c of potential issues (& in some ways I can under stand as I had to put out more than one fire fr/ idiots who had no idea what they were doing when trying to fry a turkey.) but I assume you mean you will make them at home and then transport (hence the "cold"). You could do assorted grilled sausages--playing the Trojans.....get it? ":^) I did an omelet station for breakfast tailgate once. It went relatively well as I prepped every thing and just had to cook eggs at the site. Another time we did french toast w/ assorted toppings--mixed fruit, whipped cream, pecans, assorted syrups, &c. and that worked well but on the whole I agree w/ you about breakfast. It is not really tailgating. Good luck w/ the tailgate and the game and have a safe trip to NC.

We will probably be looking for a new tail gate spot up there next season. We were informed that some of the school's neighbors complained about alcohol on their grounds so they were planning to forbid it completely next season (how they are going to do that w/ all of the motor homes parked there is beyond me but....) Any suggestions are more than welcome. The folks at Vandy proper are not real accomodating. HDHD

You should "road trip" to Baton Rouge (et noir). We will be there and hopefully in our usual spot under the oaks in front of the student union. Six Feet Under "used to be"? Have they moved already? I thought that was not until later in the year. And just the Grant Park location if memory serves. Where is this place b/c I might be in the need for a good po' boy in the near future and can be persuaded to head to Grant Park.

new menus for 2008 season.... heading to Arizona is going to be an adventure (esp. since I do not fly!) note: I do not have access to tickets but you are more than welcome to stop by for a visit--especially at away games. Menus for 2008 Georgia Southern Eagles: Athens, 30th August Smoked Golden Eagle Salad on Pita w/ Vidalia Onion Aioli and South Georgia Vegetable Slaw Chenin Blanc/Gin Southern Cocktail (2 oz gin, ½ oz curacao, dash org bitters) Central Michigan Chippewas: Athens, 6th September “Chippewaed” Beef on Toast Points, Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry Malbec/Indian Cocktail (1 ½ oz sloe gin, ½ oz dry vermouth, orange bitters) SoCar GameCocks: Cola, 13th September GameCock-a-leekie , Spinach Salad w/ Garnet Dressing (sun-dried tomato vinaigrette) Beaujolais/Columbia Cocktail (1 ½ oz rum, ½ oz lemon, ½ oz raspberry syrup) Arizona State SunDevils: Tempe, 20th September Sun-Devilled Ham Salad, Sun-Devilled Eggs Washington Pinot Gris/Fire-Eating Devil Cocktail (1 ½ oz Sloe Gin, ½ oz Sw & Dry Vermouth, Orange Bitters, Lemon Twist) Alabama Crimson Tide: Athens, 27th September Sliced Elephant Trunk (pork loin) in Crimson Cabbage Cotes du Rhone/Alabama Cocktail (3/4 oz lemon juice, ¼ t sUGAr, 1 ½ oz Brandy, ¼ oz Orange Curacao, Orange Twist) Philbillies: Athens, 11th October Grilled Beef Ribs w/ Big Orange and “Smokey”ed Paprika Sauce, Orange Scented Couscous Tempranillo/Rocky Dune (1 oz Gin, ½ oz Cherry Heering, ½ oz Dry Vermouth, ¼ oz Kirsch, Lemon Twist) Vanderbilt Commodores: Athens, 18th October “Show us your Black / Show us your Gold” Pasta Primavera (use black and gold pasta) Domestic Sauvignon Blanc/Commodore Cocktail #2 (3/4 oz Lemon Juice, ¾ t sUGAr, 1 ½ oz Bourbon or Rye, orange bitters) LSU Tigers: Baton Rouge (et noir), 25th October Tiger Shrimp Etouffee, Cajun Slaw Gewurtztraminer/Bayou Cocktail (1 ½ oz Brandy, ¼ oz Peach Brandy, ½ oz Mango Nectar, ¼ oz Lime, Peach Slice Garnish) Florida Gators: Jacksonville, 1st November Friday at CR: NOLA Shrimp, Okra, Tomato Sauté over Polenta (?) Saturday: Gator Sausage Gumbo Ya Ya, Alligator Pear Salad Shiraz/Syrah/Alligator Cocktail (1 oz Orgeat, 1 ½ oz Gin, dash Lemon Water) Kentucky Wildcats: Lexington, 8th November Kentucky Bourbon Marinated Flank Steak w/ Bourbon “Gravy”, Mashed Potatoes and “BlueGrass” Salad. Cabernet Sauvignon/Kentucky Bourbon Manhattans The aubies: Auburn, 15th November War Eagle, Tiger Shrimp, and Plainsmen Sausage Jambalaya, Caesar Salad Sangiovese/there really is an Auburn cocktail! (1 oz OJ, ½ oz Galliano, ¼ oz Cr de Cassis, 1 oz Vodka) The blight: Athens, 29th November In light of the fact that the blight hired a former Navy coach and his “spread” offense along with the problems of our friend Little Joe… Sea food Sloppy Little Joe’s Spread over Yellow Corn Bread with Old Gold and White Sautéed Potatoes and “Drunken” Green Beans Domestic Viognier/Golden Hornet (1 ½ oz Gin, ½ oz Scotch, ½ oz Sherry, Lemon Twist)

forget tasting notes at the wine store. I am just going to search for the POS that says, "makes you wanna get N-E-double K-by God-I-D" ":"^)

thx folks. We appreciate it. We are staying not too far fr/ the air port just South of Scottsdale proper while in Phx but are willing to drive/explore as this is probably a one-time trip. It looks as if the Bev-Mo is not far fr/ the hotel.

UGA is playing at AZ St this fall and a group of us are heading in that direction. Fuss and I are taking the entire week and making a vacation but meeting folks over the w/e for the game. I have gotten some great ideas fr/ some of the posters over here but want some specifics and assistance in making things definite. Plans are for the two of us to head straight for the Grand Canyon and dine at the lodges Tues & Wed nights (unless a better suggestion is offered). We will need to find a good (well-stocked & cheap!) liquor store some where between the airport and the highway out of town. From there we head over to Holbrook area and have no clue as to what might be there for decent food so are at your mercy. On Friday we meander our way down to Phx/Tempe/Scottsdale and hope to stop for lunch at Tortilla Flats just to say we did it. We will meet friends (there will be 6+) on Fr for dinner and want some thing w/ a local flavor (some one suggested a place called Richardson's and I wanted to get opinions there or if there is a better "local" spot). We are also looking for some thing relatively close to Sun Devil Stadium for before the game (usually we would tail gate but having to fly limits us to what we can take). Any suggestions there would be most appreciated. Most folks will be leaving on Sunday but Fuss and I are staying until Wed and want some suggestions for Sun/Mon/Tues pm. I know Sun/Mon is restaurant hell so any help there is definitely appreciated. We will try to hit Binkley's on Tuesday b/c of the recommendations fr/ the board and would love to try Cyclo and Zinc Bistro but can not find their hours/ days of operation on their web sites. Looking forward to the trip and to any suggestions.

Hmm. I guess that is what I suggested, but it's not what I meant. I've been to Palm, Morton's and Ruth's Chris, all several years ago and always on business. I've also been to the highly-touted Bern's in Tampa. I don't find any of them memorable, which is why I started this topic. Six months or so later, I do remember Bone's, so maybe that's something. There's only one dry-aged steak on the menu at Bone's, the 16-oz. strip. I didn't have that, I had the bone-in ribeye, a cut I much prefer to the homogeneous strip. Yes, the waiters trot out the prime line ("the top one percent of all beef"), but I just didn't detect a noticeable bump in quality from high-end choice like CAB or Coleman's. Neither did I notice a great surface from the broiler. I do know what dry aging does for good beef; I used to work in a restaurant that served it by the cow-load. What I was trying to say was that 1) I've had better steaks, and while I agree that steakhouse steaks are usually better than steaks at otherwise excellent restaurants, I'd say that's either changing, or it's a matter of you or the restaurant choosing wisely. Restaurant Eugene serves a terrific hanger, for example. 2) most of the better steaks I've had I made myself. I don't have access to prime beef or an infrared broiler (something else a steakhouse will boast of). I just have good choice meat and I practice a lot. I'll take your word for it that Bone's is head-and-shoulders above the rest (in Atlanta, anyway), but that only increases both my disappointment and my conviction to stick with cooking steak at home. ← I tend to agree w/ you and do not under stand the popularity of the steak house concept--be it Bone's, Chops, Morton's or Outback, Longhorn's, et al. If you look you can find prime beef (Costco now has it in the frozen section) or if you shop you can get some really, really good choice. I can get a cast iron skillet red hot or a grill of hard wood and charcoal at just the right temperature. I also have an oven to bake potatoes and access to butter, sour cream, chives, bacon, & cheddar is not that difficult. Steamed broccoli w/ butter is a simple chore as is creamed spinach. And if I wanted to go the trouble of breaking out the fryer for onion rings or green tomatoes I could do that. I have a decent wine collection but if I wanted some thing truly special I have a number of good wine stores w/in a short distance and I happen to make a very good martini (& use orange bitters and Noilly Prat vermouth which I guarantee most of the places mentioned do not). The way the smoking laws are set you can not even enjoy that fine cigar w/ your after-dinner cocktail at the table any more--just like at home. AND at a quarter (if that) of the price. I used to find it amusing how people would gush over the steaks at Morton's, Palm, Bone's, &c and I would watch the same Buckhead Beef truck go fr/ our place to each of the others dropping off the same cuts of beef. I even had a few calls fr/ such places begging tenderloin, rib eye, strips, &c b/c they had mis-ordered or needed some last minute and hoping I would share. Granted dry-aged beef is some thing un to it self but even that can be had at certain Whole Foods.

Great idea Dave & thank you. Just a side note on liquors, &c. Most reputable liquor stores will be more than happy to order "off-the-wall" or unusual items. You just have to find some one at the store willing to do it and expect to pay a little more (but in today's world of gas prices it is some times cheaper to pay a couple of dollars more locally than drive to Buckhead). It helps if you know the distributor as the Southern Beverage Guide is some times no help what-so-ever.

If they did not mention the "Big Chicken" it is probably not on 41. At least not on 41 any where near Marietta. ":^)

well my oh my oh my oh my..... have we not started a rhubarb of epic proportions--yet again! I can not believe this ancient memory was dragged kicking and screaming fr/ e-gullet heaven (or hell depending.....) and brought back to see the light of day. To be clear--and since I started the mess I feel obligated to put away the broom and just add another heaping, helping to the mix--I make white sauce w/ shredded carrots, celery, and onion b/c I learned that fr/ a chef friend who felt it added to the flavor of the sauce. He would essentially caramelize the vegetables in butter before adding the flour so you get a bit of sweet texture in the sauce. No one ever complained about his white sauce and no one has ever complained about mine so we must be doing some thing right--if a tad unusual. As for the bread crumbs I realized that I add them for a hint of texture simply b/c I am used to bread crumbs in my mac & cheese fr/ when I was a child. My frugal Mother--and w/ three growing boys and a husband to feed she had to be--would stretch the food budget by adding lightly toasted bread crumbs to a lot of things including macaroni & cheese. I just enjoyed the added bit of texture and continued to make it that way. I have been known to make a crust of bread crumbs in the pan as well as sprinkle some on top for a bit of delightful crunchiness--no finger nails have been harmed in my making M&C (except the one time while grating cheese....but I fished it out). Of course all of it is moot as it is June and we turned on the air conditioning which means we do not turn on the oven. As far as I am concerned you might as well store un-used dishes in the oven during the summer months as I turn it on only in an emergency situation (like when I have to have a Fuss biscuit or the Rev requires a coconut cake for Fathers' Day) and then only at night when the temperature out side drops to a reasonable level. That means we do M&C on the stove top (I like Alton's receipt for that) and no bread crumbs....but I do like a little bit of horse radish added to the mix so light in to that one why dontcha!

er....RE.....arah see is fr/ Columbus, GA. (sorry I could not pass on the alliteration). Granted it is now owned by an int'l corporate beverage maker but Claude Hatcher blended Chero-cola--soon to be Royal Crown Cola--in 1905 in Columbus, GA. Now Pepsi on the other hand.....interestingly enough it was "invented" in North Carolina but for some reason Coca-Cola seems more Southern than Pepsi. It is definitely more Georgia than Pepsi.

Country Captain is a Savannah original and a must try if you haven't had it yet!! -Mike ← How could I forget about "Country Captain"? It was Franklin Roosevelt's favorite dish when he came to Warm Springs. Some where I have the receipt his cook used.

oooh, oooh, oooh! May I play? The one w/ the mother/daughter sitting at the table deciding they need a little some thing extra on what ever dessert type product they are eating so in comes this bizarre super-hero type character called "Captain Reddy!" The bozo looks like a drop out of Hammer and Nail technical school in tights, mask, and cape w/ holsters full of some sort of non-dairy whipped acetylene type product (if memory serves it is Reddy-Whip). Just the thought of the commercial makes my skin crawl and my nerves jangle. Honorable mention goes to the Wendy's commercials w/ the guys wearing the Wendy flip up red wig. Some times you just ask your self, why? Dave Thomas would be doing somersaults in his grave. If I was in charge of marketing for Wendy's I would simply bring back the old Dave Thomas ads and at the end of every one flash, "in memory of Dave Thomas". People would flock to the joint.