Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I am completely meh on CI. I may be shallow but I find the aesthetics of the magazine off-putting and only pick it up if a headline grabs me --maybe once a year or less. I think the last one I bought had an article on adding flavor to the no-knead bread (Jim Lahey) recipe the NYT printed.

I like a magazine that makes me want to cook and eat, not one that offers to help me conduct an experiment to solve a problem I'v never had.

Wishing you a long and happy life together!

Nothing -- no cookbook, no cooking tip from a buddy, no cooking show I ever watched -- ever made me enjoy cooking more than the first time I used a really good sharp knife. It's a wonderful thing.

I love my magnetic knife strip almost as much.

I am definitely a Whole Foods girl ... mostly because I love shopping in a clean, well-lighted place, but also because it is the most convenient store for me -- there are two of them within about a mile of my house.

I really enjoy the produce section and the cheeses and breads. I usually have a nice butter from there for slathering on bread. I love the grain and bean bins. I'll pay more for good eggs. It is the only place I buy chicken and I am often very happy with what's behind the fish counter.

On the other hand, I much prefer the beef and lamb at Costco. If I am at Costco, I also pick up whatever produce looks good there -- they have recently been carrying these "artisanal" lettuces that are both beautiful and really flavorful. I always pick up a big bag of spinach there, onions, citrus, coffee, and maybe some bread. Costco is also my go to store for chicken stock and frozen fish (usually just the tilapia and tuna) for weeknight meals. On the other hand, I don't care for the olive oil or butter at Costco.

I am completely uninterested in the beauty products and prepared or convenience foods in either store. Other than the breads, I am underwhelmed by the quality of the baked goods at both Costco and WF.

I generally dislike TJs although I will run in for a selection of olive oils if I am driving by (it's not really close by); otherwise I pick up a large bottle of Colavita at my local A & P where I also buy my Land o' Lakes butter for baking, other dairy, and staples like flour and sugar.

Bacon. Fried. On a plate. With o rwithout eggs.

I am fine with bacon chopped up and tossed in a pan and used to add flavor to a sauce or a braise. Even on a BLT. Fine.

But plain old bacon on a plate. Nope.

I watched it once -- not my cup of tea.

You lost me with the opening analogy. Tired of raunch whether it's here at SE, in a thirty minute "sit-com" (always some variation of the same "sit" with next to no "com"), between the covers of the New Yorker (in an article describing the new female raunch films -- "yes ladies, men will want to see you drunk, slutty and stupid"), or coming out of Snooki's mouth.

I don't know if it is good since this will be my maiden voyage into dandelion land. But the way it was described it is supposed to be sweet -- here is the link to the recipe I'll be using.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/urban-forager-dandelion-wine-no-jelly/?scp=1&sq=dandelion%20jelly&st=cse

Different strokes I guess -- I loved it and read probably six other books by Bradbury. On the other hand -- hated every page of the Vonnegut I was assigned. But now I am far afield.

I understand the restaurant's point of view, but I find that I don't have much tolerance for waiting at the bar much beyond 15-20 minutes. But what I am looking for in a night out is, I suppose, a little different from what the majority of restaurant patrons (other than Serious Eaters perhaps) are looking for.

I prefer cooking at home and we only eat out once a month or less. When we do, I pick a place we've been wanting to try and it is generally at a higher rather than lower price point which is more affordable since we go out so seldom. We are there for the food and wine not the scene (we stopped being cool aeons ago), and look to order things (both food and wine) we want to try at home.

At that price point, I expect to be able to make a reservation and to be seated within 15-20 minutes of that time. I am not interested in spending more than that length of time at the bar as I don't want my palate dulled by alcohol beforehand. I'm not much of a drinker anyway beyond a glass or two of wine with dinner.

Do we miss out on some things? Yes -- e.g. I'd love to try April Bloomfield's new place but it's not going to happen unless and until they take reservations.

I think I've seen this post before. Not a post similar to it. This EXACT post -- same title, same wording, even the same poster maybe? I'm not sure butI think so.

This salad -- posted here at SE last year -- tastes like spring to me. Really good and seasonal.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/06/dinner-tonight-shaved-asparagus-pea-and-prosciutto-salad-recipe.html

I would rather have eaten Mike's food.

I hope Richard is more mentally stable than the show's editing would lead me to believe.

I never use cake mixes (brownies yes, cakes no), canned soup or vegetables, or boxed mashed potatoes. I stopped using bottled salad dressing a few years ago just because it's fun (and fast) to come up with my own vinaigrettes.

On the other hand, I could have Kraft macaroni and cheese for lunch everyday. And those Madras lentils are a pretty fine lunch as well.