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Buffalo Rock is my favorite ginger ale by far but it's getting really difficult to find even in the Southeast. I still see it in supermarkets on occasion when I'm visiting the Gulf Shore but haven't seen it for sale around Atlanta in a few years. Buffalo Rock + Knob Creek + a splash of Heering Cherry liqueur is one of my go-to cocktails; I call it the "Kentucky Buffalo".

@impositon Blenheim's is great but if Kenji thinks Buffalo Rock is a sinus clearer, Blenheim's Hot (pink cap) would probably melt his face. I love a splash of Blenheim in a whiskey drink for the tingly, peppery kick it gives.

I may be weird in that several times a year I will fly across the country or across an ocean to eat at a handful of restaurants that I want to try but I have a hard time getting motivated to drive 45 minutes away to the other side of my city or to the suburbs to check out a new spot that's getting good buzz.

Guest Whiskey: Blanton's bourbon or Michter's rye
Other Guest Whiskey: Wathen's bourbon
Table Whiskey: Knob Creek bourbon

Guest Whisky: MacAllan 25 or Caol Ila 21
Other Guest Whisky: Oban 14 or Cragganmore
Table Whisky: Johnny Walker Red

Thirding Antico in Atlanta. Really excellent Naples-style pies, top-notch ingredients (00 flour, san marzano tomatoes, amazing sopressata) and very hot ovens that give a great "char".

A dozen dreadlock jokes and a Weakest Link reference? meh.

On the other hand, this is going to be the most exciting season of Top Chef ever if Angelo follows through on his claim to "literally become a sniper in this competition".

My summers as a kid consisted of getting up with the sun, picking blueberries from our 5 acre plot for a few hours, packing them into pints and quarts, and hauling them up to the State Farmer's Market for sale. While my parents tended our stall, I'd wander around and sample some of the other amazing produce. While those 6am wake-up calls sucked back then, it's nice to look back on some of the benefits of being a farm kid.

These days I do most of my farmer's market shopping at the Morningside or EAV markets as well as the Farm Stand at Star Provisions. YDFM is great but it's not really a farmer's market per se.

I'm going to buck the obvious answers and go with my mandoline slicer. It greatly speeds up prep time and makes cleaner and more uniform slices than my food processor. It's super-handy for prepping potato gratins, potato pancakes, shredded hashbrowns, french onion soup, quick pickles, and dozens of other go-to dishes.

My wife and I rented an apartment in Trastevere about two blocks from Dar Poeta on our honeymoon a few months ago and ended up eating there several times. Easily the best pizza we had in Rome. The quality of their apps was great too; the melon, prosciutto, and tomatoes were all top-notch and the mozzarella was outstandingly fresh -- it oozed buffalo milk when you cut into it.

There's a good gelato place and a weird-but-fun hookah bar within a block's walk too.

I've had a beard for a decade or so. The trick when eating messy stuff is the same as the trick to eating NY street pizza: lean forward slightly and angle your face down so that any food that misses your mouth lands on the plate (or sidewalk) instead of your chin. I also use my napkin much more than I did when I was clean-shaven, every couple of bites whether I think need it or not. Carrying a handkerchief is a good idea too for when you need a napkin but one isn't available.