Frankly, I think it's heresy to dine anyplace but home (mine or a family member's or a friend's) on a major holiday like T-Giving or (perish the thought) Christmas. New Year's Eve - not so much, but I'd rather be at a house party than at a bar or restaurant.

I know people do it but it doesn't make sense to me how someone could opt for a meal that doesn't seem...personal at such times. Home is like a magnet to me on holidays and I find it hard to even consider a restaurant meal for these days of familial significance.

Thoughts?

Is there a way to preview a talk topic before you click Start a Talk Topic? If I'm including links and formatting text, I have to trust that my fingers aren't half asleep or daydreaming about kneading bread or something.

TIA! :D

I found this story in the NYT very interesting.

It's about time. When I was a kid, there was "peach season, tomato season, artichoke season" and "asparagus season." I hate to sound like an old fogey ("We had to walk 23 miles to school, uphill, in the snow!") kids today have no idea what's in season and even less of a sense of what's local. I live in FL and it's extremely frustrating to see citrus in supermarkets from every other country with an orange tree given so much of it grows here.

While a global economy might be nice (and I'm not completely convinced about that, either) it will do us all good to remember what comes from where and when...naturally. It seems like modern transport gave us the ability to pay a lower price for something grown halfway around the world during the off-season, we lost our grasp of what happens in our own backyards.

OK, I'm ready to get serious about stick blenders. I gave one away many years ago because I didn't find a need for it very often.

I'm out west at Canyon Ranch and I tell you, these chefs have stick blenders growing out of their arms.

Do you have a favorite brand? Is there any difference in RPMs or anything? BF has one by Cuisinart that comes apart which is nice for storage and cleaning but not so much when you're using it. If we were going to invest in one, I'd like to get it right the first time.

Any thoughts? TIA.

Last night, I enjoyed yet another perfect meal at One If By Land TIBS. Now guys, I'm hardly a Kennedy or Madonna, so I don't think any of the staff were put on "best behaviour" for my sake. Still, I have yet to have a bad meal there; nor have I experienced lackluster service. One of our party was disabled and they were very accommodating with his wheelchair and our seating.

I've been going to OIBL since (IMS) somewhere around the mid 80's. I've been there for business dinners and romantic suppers alike. I don't ever remember being treated shabbily or having one morsel of food that wasn't picture perfect.

Until such time as I receive the "horrible" service about which I've read, I will continue to pimp them as a favorite and a relatively risk-free, higher end NYC restaurant.

Can someone who has written them off tell me what happened when you dined there?? What went so horribly wrong??

Wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th. We're doing salsa, queso, guacamole, pulled pork, baked (well, crocked) beans and a fruit crisp for dessert. Whatever you do - enjoy your weekend and be safe. And make a toast to our freedom!!

Chic and Easy - I've only seen one ep, it was kind of playing in the background.

My personal opinion = She's trying out to be the new Sandra Lee. Not so much in the "instant food" category but in that Yeah, I know I'm too cute to really cook! vein.

My primary complaint = She's got that babble thing going on. She feels she has to fill every second of air time with some repetitive, fluff-riddled gibberish.

I couldn't get past that stream of John Moschitta fast talking to really form an opinion of her cooking technique but I did hear her say more than once, "I'm going to turn this down" after adding food to a way too hot pan.

Come to think of it - anyone got an opinions on any of the newer TVFN shows? Clear winners? Turkeys?

Ricotta was never not a "big cheese" in Italian kitchens.

I love it when the rest of the world catches up.

I'm strictly a wooden cutting board type of girl. I clean them thoroughly after each use (no matter what's chopped, sliced or diced on them). Lately I've come to love the bamboo boards as well. Just can't warm up to poly.

Do SEers have a preference?

The NYT published an article many years ago that had me just about dancing in the streets. Wood v. Plastic Cutting Boards

I'm curious to know - any preference?
Reason for preference?
Feel of the knife on the board?
Sanitary issues?

Does anyone here make a conscious effort not to eat out on Mother's Day? When my brother and I were kids, we used to take my mom out but quit doing it. The last MD dinner we had out really convinced us to find another way to entertain mom.

1) Reservation meant nothing - We waited anyway along with a throng of other patrons.
2) Limited Menu - That "favorite dish" to which we were looking forward wasn't even offered that day.
3) Quality falters - I remember being served FROZEN cheesecake.
4) You get rushed out - It's all about turnover.

One year my mother didn't feel well so bro and I prepared dinner for her. Even feeling ill, she had a better time that MD than at any prior MD "restaurant" dinner. That was in the early 80's and we never again went to a restaurant on MD.

Now that I'm a mother, I demand the same - Spoil me - YES! But no restaurants, please. Thoughts?

BF and I are enjoying some R&R in Key West. Loving the crazy chickens that have the run of the place and will do some touristy things over the next 10 days or so.

With the dazzling array of restaurants in Key West, we certainly weren't hurting for choices. A bit of serendipity brought us to El Meson De Pepe. For an appetizer, we enjoyed Calamares a la Criolla with the absolute best creole sauce I have ever put in my mouth.

I had Pan con Lechon - Pressed pork sandwich. The pork was marinated in mojo and we asked the waitress for extra mojo. She brought us not only the mojo but a wonderful hot sauce that tasted like "home-made" tabasco - kicked into high gear. BF had the Pan con Bistek (steak) and we both had a side of the plantains.

You can hardly judge a restaurant on three dishes but I'd recommend this cavernous, historic restaurant for its delicious food, excellent atmosphere and local Key West flavor (a chicken walked right past our table!). Patrons at the next table had dessert (which looked divine) but we're pacing ourselves... :D

...Boggles the mind. We went to Wild Oats (which was purchased by Whole Foods but the store front has not yet been changed). The sausage we got was...less than perfect.

I sent them this e-mail at about 9:00 a.m. today:

Whenever we get to the Tampa WF (still Wild Oats) we grab a selection of the sausage. This is the first time I need to tell you that it was not satisfactory. We purchased two kinds of chicken sausage - Apple and one with Mexican flavors on Friday, 4.18. The meat was ground way too fine and did not include enough dark meat or fat. When grilled, these sausages turned into hard logs. Worse, when we tried to grill off the remaining sausage only two days after purchase (Sunday, 4.20), they were definitely off. We wound up discarding about 6 links of sausage.

We absolutely love Wild Oats/Whole Foods but I wanted to let you know about this.

At 9:25 a.m., my cell rang. It was the Team leader and he fell on his sword so hard, I thought his pancreas would come through the phone. Long story short, next time I go in, I am to request three or four pounds of the sausage of my choice on the house.

They didn't have to work that hard but it was nice they did!

I'm not Jewish but I found this article profoundly moving. The ingenuity necessary to survive the experience notwithstanding, some even found ways to make matzo and keep the Passover holiday. I wish the article had been longer.

...Not that I don't check everything when I come to SE. :D It's nice to know where to "file" things that might be broadly categorized. Looking forward to e-mail alerts of comment additions.

Did I mention this site rules? Well permit me to do so now.

Some might not even think this worth mentioning but it drives me absolutely nuts. Pizza Hut is advertising something called Tuscani Pasta with (breathe...) "Meaty Marinara." This is impossible because there is no such thing! It's the equivalent of saying "meaty hot fudge sundae." Marinara, or in the style of the mariner, was taken on ships because it would not spoil as quickly as sauce containing meat. That's where it gets its name. I could scream every time I hear that commercial! Thanks for letting me vent...LOL.

Required reading for any serious foodie NYT Magazine article on James Beard with recipes! (Hope this link works...)

When I'm eating meals, I find that about halfway through I decide what will be the last thing I eat. What morsel will be the final thing to pass my lips - the item on the plate that will be responsible for leaving the lasting impression.

e.g. During today's leftover homemade chix pot pie with leftover kale, I ate all around the crust of the pot pie until the crust was the only thing left in the plate. I savored it at the end of my lunch.

Do you do this? If so, what are some "save the best for last" items you find yourself reserving until the very last bite?

If I had to elect one Valentine's Dinner as Most Fab - it would be the year I prepared beautiful Filets Mignon with port sauce and mushrooms, potato gratin for the side. Also a raspberry marzipan cake for dessert. Naturally, champagne was served.

Memorable Love-Day Feasts? Either prepared or served at restaurants. Dessert-Only courses may certainly apply ;)

OK, I'm unabashedly treading on Aunt Jone's coat tails but did anyone have weird pregnancy cravings?

For me it was - Kraft Blue Box Mac & Cheese (not even the one with the liquid cheese, the powdery crap!); Frozen Blintzes...and here's the kicker...Canned Ravioli. Remember, I'm Italian and that's sacrilege!!

I love lamb but couldn't go near it while pregnant - and the smell of bacon which is usually perfume to me made me dash from the room.

Pickles & Ice Cream anyone? Midnight runs for strange food?

'Fess up! :D

We all have those things happen in the kitchen that leave us "#*@^@!!!!" For me, it's when my expensive LeCreuset rubber spatula gets ripped because I used it to scrape out my FP. The thing is heat proof to eleventy jillion degrees but one swipe on that blade and it's toast!!!

You hate it when.......?

During T-Giving, what we do with our leftovers starts just as many topics as how we prepare our turkeys or what sides we choose.

Did anyone do anything with Christmas Leftovers?

I made December 26th Lobster Risotto which has become almost as strong a tradition as Christmas Eve seafood. I usually do it with mixed seafood but this year I had all the lobster claws from Christmas Eve so it was lobster only.

Today I'm crocking Great Northern Beans with the ham bone from Christmas Day. There was plenty of ham left so that will be warmed and served alongside the beans.

You?

I called a local seafood place (**cough, cough Ward's Seafood**) to make my Christmas Eve fish order. They have been around FOREVER and most locals swear by them.

Q: "I need 14 whole, live lobsters. How much do you get for lobster?"
A: "$18.99 a pound."
Me: "That's obscene."
Clerk: "That's been the price for six months and it's not even locked in for the holiday."
Me: "So I can show up on Monday morning and it can be more?
Clerk: "Yes."

Go online... Superpages "Fish Market, Clearwater."
Find another place: Harr's Surf & Turf.
Call Harr's.

Q: "What do you get for lobster?"
A: "$12.99 a pound."
Me: Get someone on the phone who can take an order.

I escaped gouging by the skin of my teeth. You?

Every year on Christmas Morning, we have cinnamon rolls. It's the one day of the year we awake to a calorie-laden, unapologetically sugary breakfast. After the gift unwrapping, hugging, shouts of glee and sugar fest, we usually crash into naps at around 10:30 a.m.

Traditional Christmas breakfast for you?

On most pages I visit, clicking a link on the page will result in a new browser window opening to display the new link. I notice here at SE, clicking a link navigates the user away from SE instead of opening an independent browser window. Was this done by design? Just curious... :D

My company Holiday Party was last night. I got this party exactly eight days before it was to happen, as the original girl planning it unceremoniously quit.

# of Employees - Approximately 200.

Well, the whole thing came off without a hitch and I'm so tired, I feel like I ran a marathon. The hotel where the party was held did an amazing job with the party location and the food - and the 3 bars kept the good cheer flowing. Main courses were Beef Wellington and Roast Turkey. One of the hits of the evening was an incredible mushroom bisque. Starbucks coffee bar and rich desserts followed the meal.

The higher-ups decided things were going so well, they extended the party an hour - it went on till after midnight. The band was a real find and cranked music that kept the dance floor packed all night. The hotel staff was stellar.

I gave all employees and guests a gift. It was a beautiful fine coffee mug with artisan chocolates and a single truffle - all in a cello bag tied with a gold bow.

Everyone had a great time but I must confess, I'm glad it's over. What's your employer doing in the way of a holiday shindig???