Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

wrapped around a date and crisped in the oven!

sauteed and tossed with pasta!

How long does it keep?

Large bowl of pho with plenty of greens and a jalapeno thrown in. Lie on couch watching bad TV until the world rights itself again!

I strongly second the comment about how he acts toward the servers. It's an immediate window into his character because that's how he treats people he's not trying to impress. Even if someone screws up badly, I would want to see the guy stay pretty calm. If he's high-handed and arrogant with them, he'll eventually be that way with you, so watch carefully!

Vino Volo at Dulles, and a few other places too.
http://www.vinovolo.com/

sauteed with brussels sprouts and pine nuts!

Burnt ends from the Black Dog in Urbana, IL.

homemade soft molasses cookies studded with chunks of dark chocolate and crystallized ginger

I took Orangette's recipe for chewy ginger molasses cookies, and added 6 oz. coarsely chopped Scharffenberger bittersweet chocolate (including all the waste and tiny shavings from the cutting board, so they spread through the cookie!) plus chopped crystallized ginger and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. So delicious and chocolatey with a slight burn, it is my favorite fix.