researchgal

Bushey, Nauset Fish Market is right next to Sir Crickets, in fact they are owned by the same people. If you're going to be in the Brewster area and want great seafood, go to the Brewster Fish House on 6a, it's wonderful and worth the wait (there usually is one).

Dali is terrific. Their sister restaurant is Tapeo, on Newbury between Gloucester and Hereford (or the block just before). Both restaurants are very good. For Mexican, Ole in Inman Square (cambridge) is quite good, but not as unique an experience as Dali or Tapeo (incidentally, I'd go to Dali over Tapeo for atmosphere, Tapeo is nice and all, but Dali is much more fun). There are a few portuguese restaurants in cambridge that are supposed to be good--Atasca in Kendall Square in particular. Hope that helps--have fun!!

John Dewar's in Newton, Ma is the best. They supply to many of the top restaurants and markets in the area. Click here

Hi Amanda, some of your writing expands beyond food and cooking--wondered if you ever seriously consider writing non-food-related stories, fiction, other non-fiction topics of interest? Thanks for participating in this Q&A!

Oga's is on Route 9 in Natick. Going west it's on the right side of the road in a little strip of shops just past the exit for route 27. It's been a few months since I was there, but my recollection is that I had their fresh spring rolls, house nigiri platter, shrimp tempura appetizer, and beef rolls appetizer. They also have an extensive sake offering. The owner is one of the original founders of Ginza, he's done a lovely job of renovating the interior of what was a fairly bland Chinese restaurant.

I've eaten at Oishii in Sudbury on several occasions and it is very good. There are other good places for sushi in the Boston area, so it's not b/c there's no competition. I will add, though, that the new Japanese restaurant in Natick that Ming Tsai mentioned, Oga, is excellent, potentially in a league of it's own for sushi and Japanese in this area. It's well worth the trip outside the city to try it.

Sepal, the Falafel place featured in Watertown, Ma is very good. It's kind of amazing that they even found it, it's pretty far off the beaten path. I was speaking w/the owner recently and he is banking on the publicity from the show to give him an enormous boost.

we have the Chantal blue enamel one too, but love it. Boils water quickly and looks great sitting on the stove. Also love the special german harmonica whistle--probably not a good thing if someone in your house likes to boil water before others rise.

There's one in every crowd I had a funny feeling as a typed the word "treatment"...

that sounds good, Jin. What treatment do you give the onions?

fall feast...beef carbonnade using Guinness egg noodles mashed balsamic sweet 'tatoes salad of mixed greens, toasted walnuts, maytag bleu, pears

some good vinegars, in addition to all the fine suggestions above. oh and some large made-that-morning, daily-changing panini that can customers can buy by the piece.

Here be Total: Clickiopolos here

Tommy, if you're going to make the sauce use Total Greek Yogurt if you can find it, it's much thicker and works great for Tzatziki. Mmmm!

Are you sure you're not thinking of Pabst Blue Ribbon? here... Edit to say... but guess what... it was from Pabst Breweries. But its an antique can... either the label is quite old, or its simply been a less well-known ongoing concern. But I can't find references to it as a modern product. Yes, that's it. I think that even is the way the label looked way back in the '80's when I drank it...(does that qualify for antique???)...

Black Label is pretty awful. I remember a beer back in college called Red White and Blue, that was even worse. I also remember Narraganset, but never drank it. Another one from college was called Little Kings--it came in these little green bottles that cost something like 50 cents a piece. That was in North Carolina, anyone remember those?

Just used Applegate Farms thick cut nitrate-free bacon last night, it was delicious and worked quite well in the dish I was preparing. Also have had their various flavored chicken sausages--very good, especially grilled.

A perfect fall meal for the dreary weather here... Coq au vin with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower, and haricot verts. Chocolate macaroons w/the last raspberries from the local farm for dessert

Tommy, I've made a delicious roasted vegetable lasagna (although I think you could use this with many different lasagna variations) where I've used a goat cheese mixture instead of ricotta. In a large bowl combine 1 1/4 lbs room temp goat cheese with 3 eggs, 2tsp minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil and s and p to taste. In this particular recipe you assemble in an oiled baking pan as follows: layer of pasta spread enough tomato sauce to cover pasta layer of roasted vegetables (I use eggplant and zucchini) spread half of goat cheese mixture over veg's layer of oven dried tomatoes over cheese repeat above steps (could substitute a diff roasted veg layer for variety) finish top with a layer of pasta and 2/3 cup tomato sauce, grated parm Cover with foil and bake at 350 1 1/4 hours, uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes. Pour some of remaining tomato sauce over each piece once "plated". I've made this with cooked noodles, but you could probably use the no-boil ones instead since it cooks for so long. As far as the sauce goes, a basic tomato sauce works fine, or add some sauteed red peppers and puree it all together to a smooth consistency. Bolognese with this might be a bit much. Now I'm ready to switch our dinner plan to this instead of coq au vin...

Ick. The Golden Banana, though I've never been myself, is notoriously-divey. My husband was (supposedly) dragged there by his buddies during his day-long bachelor party. Something about it being right on the way home from the Red Sox game????

Slice of cold steak, some crunchy salt sprinkled on it, standing in front of the open fridge. Mmmm

thanks for the pic's and info. Now I know what to look for.

t--is your spice grinder a coffee grinder you use exclusively for spices or is there something that is specifically a spice grinder?

There seem to be som staple items that separate the dives from the non-dives... -Jar of pickled eggs on counter -Slim jims by the register -A grill in the "kitchen" from which you wouldn't dare eat anything -No '90s songs on the juke -Patrons that have no qualms about being seen in the establishment during broad daylight hours -Juice glasses that they serve the wine (that you would never order because you only drink beer in dives) in...

US England Belgium France Germany Austria Italy Greece Turkey The Netherlands Singapore Korea Japan Bermuda Canada So many more to go...and so little time off, it seems...