Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Nothing too extreme - calf fries, head taco, grasshoppers. The usual.
I have limits, however; I've swore off McDonald's twenty years ago.

We smoke a turkey every year. That looks like a good brine to try. I prefer orange wood, however.

Kalamata

Two bad experiences will put me off a restaurant forever. In some cases it only takes one. Generally those that get one shot lose because what they tout as one of their signature dishes is a complete bomb. I figure if they can't at least rise to mediocre on what they do best then the rest must be truly abysmal.

I'm beginning to think that America is losing its sandwich heritage. Often as not, when I see a patty melt on a menu it includes American cheese by default. It was a major shock when I was first served that monstrosity. It may be a fine hamburger with a twist on the bread. It is not a patty melt. Any eatery that has to be asked to substitute Swiss for American cheese will end up serving an inferior product. You are better off going with a straight hamburger or having a salad.

Sorry, if I were reduced eating a frozen pie I just skip the aggravation and go straight to Hostess. It's cheaper and has few leftovers to throw away. Honestly, pie is not that hard to do right.

Chocolate souffle at The Chronicle Restaurant.

Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.

taste

The most incredible food I've eaten off of a smoker was at an International Barbecue Championship in San Diego several years ago. Baked Alaska inside a hollow pineapple and cooked on a barbecue is just an example. I've had some mighty good commercial bbq in Texas and Tennessee. Day to day I make do with what I can fix at home.

Do vegan assume those who eat meat products don't like vegetables? I would say that's an extreme level of projection. Even potato chips could be considered vegan as could wonder bread so a good tasting vegetable based dish is not that unique or, necessarily, even healthy; and no one should be surprised that a meat eater might like them. Or not.

Cornflakes