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Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Definitely going to Kansas City and eating as much BBQ as I can fit, and definitely buying that book! (Is Ortolan in there?)
Thanks everyone!
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Wow, thanks for the great suggestions everyone! I only wish I had time to try them all!
For those of you curious for more details, we're leaning towards a central route at the moment, so the St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver suggestions are all awesome. SLC could be the next stop, or, if we have time, we may swoop down through AZ for some of that Mexican and then drive up the pacific coast for avocado and bean sprouts. The Ohio and Indiana suggestions may also come in handy, although Wookie has me a little worried about the latter state! And @tutsi, we're both in our 20s, and thanks for the Kansas City-to-Denver note, now that you mention it, this could be the longest part of the drive. Ride&cook's Shell station Mexican should hit the spot after that.
And @lexophile and others wondering, the 2 weeks are just to drive there. I'll be flying back, while the sister stays in San Fran to start culinary school!
Thanks for all the advice Cassaendra, food-related and otherwise! Now I think I have to go to Cleveland, even if this trip doesn't make it there.
And @yayfood (i like your name) the trip chronicle will be on my blog at eatandgoseek.com. Feel free to check it out!
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Ditto on the cold burritos. And cold fried rice.
Also, frozen grapes taste like candy.
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Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Posted by cupcakelust, August 8, 2009 at 5:14 PM
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The Crisper Whisperer: Acorn Squash Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
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Ballaró Caffé Prosciutteria: Italian Meats, Cheeses, and Panini in the East Village
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
I, too, have eaten Gog Bao Ji Ding in Beijing many times, and it's very similar to our Kung Pao Chicken. Except there it costs about fifty cents. And, as Barry Foy said, there seems to be an overabundance of peanuts and a relative dearth of chicken in the dish pictured. However, Barry, I've had it with cucumbers on numerous occasions. They work surprisingly well. I can't remember if it always had cucumbers (left Beijing >2 years ago) but it was often at least.
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Definitely going to Kansas City and eating as much BBQ as I can fit, and definitely buying that book! (Is Ortolan in there?)
Thanks everyone!
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Wow, thanks for the great suggestions everyone! I only wish I had time to try them all!
For those of you curious for more details, we're leaning towards a central route at the moment, so the St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver suggestions are all awesome. SLC could be the next stop, or, if we have time, we may swoop down through AZ for some of that Mexican and then drive up the pacific coast for avocado and bean sprouts. The Ohio and Indiana suggestions may also come in handy, although Wookie has me a little worried about the latter state! And @tutsi, we're both in our 20s, and thanks for the Kansas City-to-Denver note, now that you mention it, this could be the longest part of the drive. Ride&cook's Shell station Mexican should hit the spot after that.
And @lexophile and others wondering, the 2 weeks are just to drive there. I'll be flying back, while the sister stays in San Fran to start culinary school!
Thanks for all the advice Cassaendra, food-related and otherwise! Now I think I have to go to Cleveland, even if this trip doesn't make it there.
And @yayfood (i like your name) the trip chronicle will be on my blog at eatandgoseek.com. Feel free to check it out!
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Ditto on the cold burritos. And cold fried rice.
Also, frozen grapes taste like candy.
Do Biodegradable Spoons Ruin the Ice Cream Experience?
I'm with the wooden spoon/paddle supporters. Those were fun.
Summer reading and food: Anyone read these two or suggestions?
Great ideas in here, my reading list just got much longer! I'd just like to second "Language of Baklava" -- I read it ages ago but I remember loving it! Also I'd like to add John Edge's "Apple Pie" in the non-fiction category -- I got it as a gift and was pleasantly surprised by Edge's ability to turn a history of apple pie-cum-casual anthropological study into a page turner. (It's also conveniently compact for subway riders.)
Oh and I can't post this without fourth-ing or fifth-ing the MFK Fisher and Ruth Reichel recommendations. Although now that I've gone there, I also have to mention "The Tenth Muse," a memoir by Judith Jones, the editor who "discovered" Julia Child and influenced/was influenced by lots of other important chefs/foodies (don't worry, it has appetizing recipes too!).
And if you haven't read the Omnivore's Dilemma yet, do.
Also good, super quick: "Stuffed" by Patricia Volk. I'll stop now.
Bacon grease
Thanks Susquehanna! If M.F.K says that's the way to do it, I'm sure it works!
Bacon grease
I use it to season my cast iron pans, both on purpose and in a lazier, leave-the-pan-full-of-bacon-fat-on-the-stove-for-a-while way (shhh, don't tell the vegetarians.) But is there any way to clarify or refine bacon fat to make it a bit more pure for cooking other things in? Mine tends to have black bits and gunk in it -- should I strain it? Or does the whole messy ugly thing taste delicious and should I just leave it well enough alone?
Cooking with Kids: Funny Fortunes
It's not quite as good as the kids', but my favorite:
"Coming soon: low-fat, whole-wheat green tea!"
Do You Love Onions?
Whenever I'm chopping or slicing onions my boyfriend--who usually only enters the kitchen to make cocktails--sneaks in beside me and steals some raw slices off the cutting board to eat. Last night he complained because by the time he snuck back in for seconds I'd already thrown them in a pan with some olive oil and red pepper! (Being the pushover I am I fished a still-nearly raw slice out for him.)
Coat Check Tipping in the Recession
I have to agree, I hate the coercive nature of the coat check. In fact, I went to a conference yesterday where I was forced to check my coat, against my will. I was (a) wearing short sleeves and afraid the conference room would be cold and (b) knew I had no cash on me (I was at a conference, not a restaurant!) and didn't want to feel guilty when I retrieved my coat. But left with no choice, even after explaining my reasoning in (a) to the coat check guy, I was forced to check without tipping AND shiver through the conference in front of a drafty window! Next time I'm just going to insist my coat--which is perfectly nice-looking and not bulky in any way--is part of my indoor attire.
I don't have a ___ in my kitchen and I don't want one.
Garlic Press, or I call it, garlic squasher. If I want my garlic squashed, I'll use the side of my knife thank you.
Also most of the other things that have been mentioned. Except a coffee maker, which I do have, and a French Press, which I don't have but do want. And a mouse, which I do have and don't want (even though he's very cute.)
Union Square Falafel Battle: Maoz, Pita Joe, Moshe's, and Rainbow
After my own unscientific taste tests, I think the actual falafel ball at Rainbow is better than Maoz's. Crunchy, complex, delicious. That being said, Rainbow's fragile pita (read: messy fingers) and tasteless light-pink tomatoes can't hold a candle to the topping bar (load up on garlic sauce!) and whole wheat pita at Maoz, so I wind up there much more often.
Soaking Dried Beans: How long is too long?
I tried the boil and soak last time I made chili (which I've always done with canned in the past, but after hearing lots of good things about dried I jumped at the opportunity to carry less cans home) and then had to cook the heck out of the thing to get the big kidney beans soft enough to eat. It worked fine for the black and pinto beans, but I think I'll let the kidneys sit overnight next time.
Plus, soaking the other beans with the black beans made them all kind of greyish - not very appetizing.
I know your question was already answered, so that's just my two cents on bean soaking.
Dinner Tonight: Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd
Delicious pancake recipe, with the best tangy ricotta flavor I've had yet, but I was disappointed they weren't fluffier with all those egg whites. Maybe I overworked the batter, but these weren't even half as thick as my usual buttermilk pancakes. the lemon curd was delicious though, and great on cold leftover pancakes.
Ikea Groceries: Some Assembly Required
Oh Michele, I feel like you just keep coming up with new reasons for me to go to Brooklyn... one more post like this and I might have to do it. Although the boyfriend was so overwhelmed by his last (and first) Ikea experience, I don't know that I'm ever getting him back there... we still have two sets of wrong-sized "BESTA NORUM" drawers that it's probably way too late to return. I'll have to make a friend who likes Swedish superstores so I can get me some of that lingonberry jam.
Be Honest: Are You a Snob?
Haha, I also had a moment of revelation, PumpkinBear. I never used to think I was a food snob, I just only ate food that tasted good - that's the point, isn't it? Then a few months after we started dating, my boyfriend told me I was a food snob while I was extolling the virtues of freshly grated Parmesan or something. I explained my "i eat whatever tastes good" position, but he stood by his. Now after 3 years together and many more discussions about what we eat, I've accepted that I'm a food snob, but he will no longer eat "parmesan" from green cans or pizza from Domino's. And prosciutto and asparagus are now among his favorite foods. So call it snobbery if you like, but there's no denying good taste.
Eat For Eight Bucks: Paprika-Braised Chicken with Chickpea Puree and Crispy Shallots
This looks great! Simple but not boring. Ingredients will probably cost almost double this in NYC (not your fault!) but I'm looking forward to making it just as soon as I get a food processor. Can't wait for the rest of the series!
Newman's Own's Wins 'San Francisco Chronicle' Soy Crisp Taste Test
Only the San Francisco Chronicle would hold a Soy Crisps taste test
What's your fast food guilty pleasure?
I'm with the Taco Bell addicts. What is it about that uniformly orange cheese sauce? ....So bad yet soooo good.
Coffee with Something Added: Way or No Way?
I went black but came back. Didn't like coffee until college, and have to admit I started out on girlie espresso drinks like Starbucks peppermint mochas. Then started drinking brewed coffee with milk, but no sugar. Then eventually I started drinking it black, although I don't know why. That went on for a while, until one day I realized I liked it better with milk. About 3/4 of an inch per cup is delicious and makes it a beautiful color. Took me a while longer to switch from skim to whole milk - the creaminess is worth the calories. But still no sugar, or anything sweet. Ruins the coffee entirely. :)
Seriously Delicious Holiday Food Giveaway: Russ & Daughters
Mimosas + Coffee
(separate cups!)
'Top Chef' Season 5, Episode 6: It's a Wonderful Kitchen
OMG PerkyMac, I'm glad someone else sees it! Took me five episodes to figure out he looks (exactly) like Chase and not someone I know.
Cook the Book: 'The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook'
Pork chops w/ mashed potatoes and homemade apple sauce. And sometimes something green.
Or pasta with sausage, peppers and onions. Tomato sauce if I have some in the fridge, lots of parm if I don't.
Top Ten Worst Halloween 'Candies'
I disagree about a lot of the candy items mentioned here.
I, for one, LOVE the fun-sized (or mini, if you prefer) candies. It's a tiny bit of something insanely tasty, enough to give pleasure without causing tummy pains. When I was a young'un and I went trick-or-treating, one house gave out mini Clark bars. Yum-o-delish! I polished those off first.
I think the chewy peanut butter kisses taste absolutely divine.
Candy corn, I think is plenty of tasty, as are the candy pumpkins made of candy-corn base. Think little dollops of hardened cake-frosting.
As for apples and raisins, those I didn't mind in the least.
However, some items, I do agree about.
Toothbrushes -- a boring reminder
Religious pamphlets -- disappointing and WEIRD to boot.
Packages of "normal" food -- oh, for crying in Manhattan, what kid wants to receive a can of baked beans or a box of oat bran in his little plastic jack-o-lantern.
One time I received cough drops -- and not the Ludens or Pine Bros or Smith Bros or F&Fs, which are tasty and could pass as hard candy (as can the Ricolas). These were nasty little green pellets that were -- and tasted like -- MEDICATION. Like I said, for crying in Manhattan! For crying in Manhattan, Chicago, and San Francisco
Oh well. At least I didn't get a ROCK
Top Ten Worst Halloween 'Candies'
If I didn't live in an apartment building with no kids in it I'd be giving out and full sized candy bar AND a red bull to every kid. HAHAHA!!! HALLOWEEN IS FOR KIDS! SUCK IT PARENTS!
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
Authenticity bores me. I enjoy things that taste good and use their ingredients properly.
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
My favorite is definitely cold szechuan style noodles with a peanut/tahini/chili sauce (Bittman's recipe is my basic starting point). A relatively simple dish with a lot of elan and layers.
And, btw, I thought peanuts were of African origin, and I thank you for a new piece of knowledge today!
That's Nuts: Is Kung Pao Chicken Authentic?
Legend goes it was invented by this guy, and named after his title.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ding_Baozhen
The picture is authentic - and very close to the original Sichuan version in fact. There are many regional varieties, but the main ingredients: chicken, peeled peanuts (the one with cashew nuts is actually a different dish), cucumber, spring onion and spices are all present here in this photo.
Chilli is the primary taste factor that makes most of the difference.
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
I LOVE eating canned vegetable soup straight from the tin. Somehow it just isn't as heavy, and tastes waaay better.
Frozen beans and peas are aways good. Pieces of raw potato are good too. Don't know if that counts as the wrong 'temperature' but I know it counts as yummy!
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Eating cold leftover spaghetti as I read this!
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Microwaved Marshmallows with a sprinkle of rock salt! Extravagance: add a bit of chocolate (S'mores-style) or a piece of a 3 Musketeers Bar, then zap! Melty, yumm...
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
I love pulling meat out of the red sauce from fridge in the middle of the night and eating it cold with my hands - meatballs and especially sausage.
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
On chilly mornings, my mom used to microwave orange juice, which we had to finish before we could leave for the bus stop. The metamorphosis made me gag.
These days I sometimes eat canned Indian food (Jyoti's Punjab Chhole—cue Homer Simpson-like "ohhhhh") at room temperature, right out of the can. And I eat yogurt out of the freezer. It's like nutritious popsicles without sticks.
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Cold sausage & cold sausage rolls. I love nothing better than a nice sandwich made with cut up cold sausage and fathers favourite sauce. Though finding a nice English style sausage and FF sauce now I'm living in Indiana is a bit of a stretch. I also love cold steak in sandwiches the next day. Oh face it any cold leftover meat in a sandwich is my idea of a great lunch.
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
El Taco Rey in Colorado Springs, CO. Avocado Pork burritos.
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Frozen peas and frozen corn make a great snack! And frozen blueberries too. Pretty much anything small and frozen. My boyfriend thinks I'm strange...
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
My mom would always make an extra meatloaf so that we could have cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day...My SO thinks it's the nastiest thing ever--I think he's missing out. I also like cold pizza and frozen green grapes, they turn into sorbet after sucking on them for a bit--so good in the summer.
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Baked potato sweet or white cold out of the fridge!!!
Favorite foods eaten at the 'wrong' temperatures?
Cold chinese and pizza leftovers!
and cold oatmeal, kinda disgusting but I love it.
And I always let my icecream melt.
And my little sister used to only drink Sunny Delight if it was warm & had hot water added to it...gross.
Do Biodegradable Spoons Ruin the Ice Cream Experience?
I definitely think that metal spoons are the way to go and this blog, (or at least the comment section), has inspired me to carry my own utensils when I go out. (Easy for a girl since we have purses!) And I have a friend who has a metal issue with wooden spoons. It's not exactly a phobia, but he gets serious hee-bee-jee-bees when someone, anyone uses a wooden spoon!
Down with plastic!!! I can't wait to go yard sale-ing this weekend to find some cool utensils!!!
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
My list of favorites:
Willington Pizza, Willington CT. Get the red potato pizza with bacon & broccoli (or not). It's the best white pizza in the world.
Dr. Mike's Ice Cream, Bethel CT or Newtown CT. Freshly-made ice cream and all the flavors are wonderful, especially Chocolate Lace.
Chuy's, Austin, TX. My fav is the Smoke Chicken Soft Taco.
The Salt Lick, Austin, TX. Great BBQ. I'm a fan of the brisket sandwich
Tea-licious, Marble Falls, TX. Only 2 reasons to go here: the best chicken salad and unbelievably good sweet pickles.
China Chen, San Jose CA. Noodles are their specialty. Get the shrimp wonton with noodles, it's the best you'll ever taste. At $6 a bowl (it's rather large), it's a very good deal.
Henry's Hunan, San Francisco, CA. Very popular with the locals and very very good Chinese food. I'm totally addicted to their Smoke Ham with String Beans.
Sushi Sam, San Mateo, CA. This is the real deal which is probably why it appears to be almost recession-proof right now. The owner gets fresh fish shipped daily from the Tokyo Fish Market.
Do Biodegradable Spoons Ruin the Ice Cream Experience?
Redfish,
A couple thousand plastic spoons X all the people on earth WILL destroy the planet.
Do Biodegradable Spoons Ruin the Ice Cream Experience?
Holey, Moley... I didn't even know there was such a thing as spoons made from corn. Boy, those Iowa farmers sure know how to promote a product!!! ;^)-
'Course I don't go out much for ice cream... freeze it myself in that place I keep the frozen veggies and ice cubes in. Doing triple duty with the freezer compartment and tastes great... AND I know what ingredients are in it. (I do remember vaguely how the wooden spoon made the flavor of the ice cream taste different... way back then... in my rapidly receding youth. (sigh)
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
All these suggestions sound good. You should also get Michael and Jane Stern's book, "500 Things to Eat Before You Die," just published, which is a cross country survey of local American specialties.
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Oh man, SO much fun!
Definitely visit Chicago for the deep dish pizza, hot dogs, or Italian beef sandwiches. If you're in Kansas City, try Gates for their BBQ. So delicious!
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
A few more Kansas/Kansas City comments. If you are like me, you can't always plan your schedule around meals. Instead of packing the cooler, I will try to give you some places across the state near I-70. Here is a website that lists some of my favorite spots: http://www.kansassampler.org/8wonders/cuisineresults.php
I have eaten at all of them except the Hays House. I can tell you they are all good and the reports about HH are excellent. Brookville Hotel, a re-creation of an old Kansas landmark is right off I-70 in Abilene and serves family style fried chicken dinners. But check the hours. They only serve lunch on the weekend and are closed on Monday and Tuesday as I recall. Both Lawrence restaurants listed are excellent. The Cozy Inn in Salina and Bobos in Topeka are good but very different burger places. Cozy Inn has the small "sliders" and Bobo's is just an old fashioned hamburger joint.
Now as to Kansas City BBQ, if you ask 50 different Kansas Citians their favorite BBQ places you would get about 65 answers. I would skip Arthur Bryants unless you are a big Calvin Trillin fan who wrote many years ago that this was the best restaurant in the world. Maybe it was then, but I think it is past its prime. But if you want to go there, you now have a choice to go to the Bryants on Brooklyn or the Bryants on the west side of KC at the Legends--I-435 and I-70--where I ate a couple of months ago. If you have time in KC, go to Oklahoma Joes or Jack's Stack. Both are a little off I-70 but the original OK Joes is in a gas station only a couple of miles south on Mission Road. Gates is a big KC chain but also, in my opinion, a better bet than Bryants. It is close to I-70 at its 12th and Brooklyn location or in KCK at 10th and State. Or you could buy a sandwich or ribs from both Gates and Bryants on Booklyn and compare for yourself.
Happy eating. Enjoy your trip!
Do Biodegradable Spoons Ruin the Ice Cream Experience?
Count me in the camp of those who like the mouth feel of the Blue Marble spoons. I'm also not a metal spoon lover; they do conduct too much cold sometimes, and sometimes I feel like I can kind of taste the metal and/or the soap used to wash them.
And knowing the spoons are from corn (along with their velvety feel) makes me want to attempt to eat them for some reason. (Yes, I know they're not edible like that.) I'll take that as a sign that I need to up my order from two mini-marbles to three!
Recent Posts
Road Trip! Where's the best food between Boston and San Fran?
Posted by cupcakelust, August 8, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Recent Favorites
The Crisper Whisperer: Acorn Squash Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce
Posted by Carolyn Cope, November 3, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Healthy & Delicious: Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip
Posted by Kristen Swensson, October 19, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Ballaró Caffé Prosciutteria: Italian Meats, Cheeses, and Panini in the East Village
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BYOB of the Week: Sigiri, Your Gateway Sri Lankan Restaurant in the East Village
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Dinner Tonight: Chickpea Salad with Feta and Mint
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Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough Recipe
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Eat For Eight Bucks: Paprika-Braised Chicken with Chickpea Puree and Crispy Shallots
Posted by Michele Humes, January 8, 2009 at 2:45 PM
Dinner Tonight: Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd
Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, January 12, 2009 at 4:20 PM
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About cupcakelust
Website: http://www.eatandgoseek.com
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I, too, have eaten Gog Bao Ji Ding in Beijing many times, and it's very similar to our Kung Pao Chicken. Except there it costs about fifty cents. And, as Barry Foy said, there seems to be an overabundance of peanuts and a relative dearth of chicken in the dish pictured. However, Barry, I've had it with cucumbers on numerous occasions. They work surprisingly well. I can't remember if it always had cucumbers (left Beijing >2 years ago) but it was often at least.