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Perhaps ebelskiver, the Danish filled pancakes?

It is important to note for the uninitiated that the slaw at Primanti's is not mayo-based. It's a vinegar and oil slaw, and its crunch and tang helps make the sandwich.

I also agree that the pastrami and the corned beef are the best choices for first-timers. If you are already drunk, add a fried egg.

I miss Pittsburgh!

As a recent transplant to San Francisco, I was eager to test Joe's burgers. While they were tasty enough, I was appalled by the prices. My husband and i each had a 4-oz. burger, shared an order of fries and a vanilla shake, and I believe a Diet Coke. Our check came to over $40!!!!! Needless to say, we won't be becoming regulars at Joe's, despite our love of burgers and the restaurant's proximity to our house.

Beware the increased iron supplements-- they can give you that most dreaded of pregnancy symptoms, constipation. Make sure you are drinking LOTS of water.

Believe me, I have learned this the hard way. Pun intended.

Hungry Man TV dinners in the aluminum trays. Nothing was better than the crispy bits of fried chicken skin and brownie crumbs that stuck to the scorching-hot metal.

Totino's Party Pizza
Carnation instant Breakfast and Breakfast bars
Cherry Coke & Cherry 7-UP (I wish they still made Cherry 7-UP!)
TCBY
Magic Shell
The Taco Bell Chillito
That orange "cheese" popcorn
Fruit Rollups
Ranch-flavored everything
Cookie Crisp cereal
Toblerones
New York Seltzer
Reese's Pieces
Gummi Bears/Worms
The McRib
Purplesaurus Rex Kool Aid
Jello Puddin' Pops
The Crossainwich
Waffle Cones
JOLT Cola

Can you leave the crockpot full of water heating overnight so you have some nice warm water for your morning bath?

I can't judge anyone for eating dog when I enjoy burgers, pork chops, lamb shanks, and chicken breasts on a regular basis.

Nonetheless, I could never eat dog or cat myself. It's a cultural prejudice, I understand that, but I just don't think I could bring myself to do it.

@Susquehanna:

My husband and I were at the Bourdain lecture last night too. I was also seated in the second balcony, right in front of a group of restaurant folk who were so rowdy they made it hard to hear his responses during the Q&A. I think anyone who has read his books or watched NR fairly often has heard what he had to say before, though he certainly has his schtick down pat! We did enjoy the lecture despite the lame Q&A.

I moved to Pittsburgh 9 years ago, and I have come to love this funny, green, friendly, unpretentious group of neighborhoods that we call a city. The Philly folks mock us, and the NYC and Bay Area folks consider us below condescension, but there is a lot of good food to be had in the Burgh, at prices that can't be beat. Here are my recommendations.

1. Groceries: any ethnic ingredient from Middle Eastern to Korean can be found in the Strip district stores and stands. Produce is abundant, tasty, local and often organic at the Pgh City Farmers Markets, open from May to November every year. Farmers@Firehouse is an organic farmers market in the Strip, with veggies a-plenty and locally raised, hormone-free, etc. meats. We have a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's as well, and the Giant Eagle grocery chain has put a valiant effort into broadening their selection.

2. Local specialties: Pierogies from Pierogies Plus in McKees Rocks cannot be beat. The Primanti's sandwich is a classic, best sampled drunk at 3 am with a side of Iron City. Halushki, galumpki, and kluski can be found all on one plate at Bloomfield Bridge Tavern's Polish Platter. Natural casing hot dogs by Silver Star Meats in Coraopolis have a great snap and spicy flavor and are the official hot dog of the Pirates and Steelers.

3. Holes-in-Walls: Josza Hungarian Restaurant in Hazelwood requires you to walk through the kitchen, endure the worst decor ever visited upon restaurantkind, pee in a cubbyhole in the cellar, and eat whatever the owner decides to cook that night, but you won't regret anything once you start eating. The Park House on the North Side is a Pittsburgh bar that seems like it never left the 1940's. The chicken-on-a-stick lady in front of SamBok on Penn Ave. in the strip makes irresistable kabobs and mung bean pancakes. Tram's Vietnamese Kitchen makes great pho, and the owner will shout at you if you choose poorly from the incomprehensible menu.

More to come...

Grits and polenta are the same thing-- ground corn. They are NOT what we think of as "corn meal," the soft flour-like kind used to make cornbread, etc.

Often polenta is a finer grind than grits, but you can use them interchangeably (see the Good Eats episode on grits). Hominy grits are specifically those made from nixtamalized corn, that is, corn that has been treated with lye. These are less common than regular grits.

The secret to really creamy grits is to use high quality stone ground grits (Bob's Red Mill is a nationally available brand that is quite satisfactory), a ration of four parts liquid to one part grits, and low and slow heat. Real grits can sometimes take up to 45 minutes to cook completely.

I use 2 cups of water, two cups of whole milk (you can use 2% but don't bother with skim), and one cup of grits. Combine the water and milk in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the grits and boil for about three minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to as low as your stove will go, cover the pan, and cook the grits, stirring every three minutes or so, until the liquid is absorbed and the grits have a soft, creamy consistency. As mentioned, this might take up to 45 minutes.

Herbsaint and Cochon, no question. We were there in July and had fabulous meals at both.

Casamento's for oyster po boy.

Jacques-Imo's.

Pascal's Manale for bbq shrimp.

Central Grocery for a muffaletta.

Tropical Isle for a Hand Grenade (only have one, trust me!)

Commander's Palace for bread pudding with whiskey sauce.

Emeril's NOLA is a really good restaurant, and the service was the best we had on our whole trip.

Have fun, but be prepared to see some disturbing things. The Big Easy has not recovered from Katrina, no matter what the tourist brochures may tell you. It is not the city I used to live in, that is for sure. Thank you for going, though-- the city needs you!

Here's a great no-knead sticky bun recipe from another food blogger, Jaden of Jaden's Steamy Kitchen:
http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2008/01/12/caramelroll/