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One of my fave additions to guac is something I picked up at Frontera Grill (needless to say, them make a great guac!) is chopped up sun dried tomatoes mixed in, then topped with chopped white onion, and coriander of course. The tomatoes are chopped so that when you bite into one you know it, but not so large as to take over... maybe a 1/4 inch dice... slightly more? Excellent.

Bourdain is soooo right on. PD is the worst, well, except for Rachel Ray. And by the way, have you ever seen her "restaurant" in Savannah? People are LINING UP to eat "food" from a steam table buffet line!! How dumb is that? Paula Deen's "food" is ghastly, it's that simple.

This is a seriously delicious cocktail that anyone who enjoys a Last Word should try. As a matter of fact everyone should try this. I cut the Chartreuse to one ounce so that the mezcal would be a bit more forward, but I am sure it is fabulous just as published. YUM!

I concur completely with the comment on gold tequila... it's just the cheapest tequila with caramel coloring added, as well as added price and profit for the company. Get a good 100% blue agave silver or if you want something aged a bit, a reposado, but really the silver would be best with this, no doubt. And I made the Gourmet recipe the other day, it's pretty good, am looking forward to doing this one soon too.

Vietnamese first, then probably Lebanese and then Korean

And of course, I should have thanked Stephen Remsberg for sharing his wonderful recipe, so Thank You Stephen!

Hi all.. just read thru all the comments, and it's kinda interesting at this point since there are so many now to try to get a handle on it all.. but first is there someone out there who can support basketpam's comments above on manure etc.. or disprove them? She is bringing up a very interesting point, and one that I had never heard of or thought about.. and I think it would be a really good thing if someone who really knows about this stuff could comment. She may be absolutely right, or not.. (no disservice to basketpam, just want a second opinion.) But back to the original question... and the comments. The main thread is that there are far too many chain restos serving far too many dishes that are basically indistiguishable. (And isn't it interesting that if this survey had been suggested 30 years ago... what would we have seen? Probably even less to distinguish even tho there would not have been all these chains.) So my knee jerk reaction is.. avoid them. (I am aware that this can be a bit difficult in some parts..) But there has got to be somebody out there wherever you are who is making good food at a reasonable price and not doing exactly what all the corporate boards think we should be eating... or what will make the most profit. I've spent the last 25 years constantly out on the road (I live in a large east coast city) going to both large and small communities all over every single part of this country and there was only ONE time on one trip where I was forced to eat at a chain because there was nothing else available (airports not included!! - but even that is improving.) I have eaten at chains by choice (it's quick for lunch - sometimes etc.) but as I say, only once was I forced to visit a chain when I would have preferred something else, and come to think of it, I may have been able to avoid it even then. Probably got lazy.

My ex mother in law was Finnish and she taught me to love Limpa, for which I will always thank her. So a great recipe for that is the one I used one time to surprise her, from Beard on Bread. She loved it. And you will too.

From the horse country of Virginia I would like to add that Pimms makes the scene at many a race and polo match, as it should, of course. I love to take a couple of bottles along for a full afternoon of races, and believe me everyone who stops by leaves smiling. My recipe involves making my own sour mix of simple syrup, lemon AND lime juices, then pouring in a bit of that for each drink, add the Pimms, top with soda water, stir with the cuke. YUM.
Will be trying out adding mint and strawberries soon, sounds wonderful.