Pat Hammond's Profile
What are your favorite things to mix into oatmeal?
My stand-by is whole berry cranberry sauce. I begin stockpiling them as soon as they arrive in the markets and should have plenty until Spring. I don't find a need for any additional sweetener.
"Harvesting" green cabbage leaves
I'm going to use the blanching method. I was really glad for first-hand info on freezing. A friend told me about it, but she'd never tried it. I had to admit it sounded easy. Now I can tell her to forget that way. Thanks to all.
"Harvesting" green cabbage leaves
I have everything I need for cabbage rolls. What's the best technique for peeling the leaves from the head without mangling them? Thanks so much!
Anyone have experience with frozen oysters on half shell?
This would be my choice too. Place them on the grill with the flat side facing up, so all the oyster liquor doesn't spill out as they open.
Best Supermarket In USA: your nominations
I'm delighted to be able to endorse Hannaford's in Skowhegan, Maine. Their produce section is amazing. They carry fruit that I don't see here in my Westchester County, NY supermarket, e.g., Rambutan. Great wine department too. When I go home to Maine, I love browsing in that store. And everyone is SO nice and eager to help. Rural Maine is like that.
Kam Sen in White Plains for lunch
Right. This is often true for me when I eat Asian food. That's one of the reasons I limit myself to one lunch a week. But I do love it!
Just Barb's - Stockton Springs, Maine
Thanks for letting us know! Crab rangoon, huh? I never saw that there. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. If it's for sale, it doesn't seem to be reflected in what they're turning out. I'll be in Maine over Thanksgiving and hope to get over there myself!
Kam Sen in White Plains for lunch
Lately I'm in White Plains a couple times a week, just a few minutes walk from White Plains Mall at 22 Barker Ave. Once a week I treat myself to a take-out lunch from Kam Sen. I shop there for Asian ingredients and it's the best I've found around here, and the steam table at lunch time is really good! I turn up there a bit before noon, when everything is really fresh. Any four items will set you back $5.95 and it makes two meals for me. They really pile it into the take-out container. Today my favorite soft bean curd in a semi-spicy sausage sauce was available. At home I added some Sriracha. To make up my four choices, I chose freshly cooked bock choy, some kind of nicely seasoned rice flour vermicelli, and sweet/sour hunks of chicken. There was some good looking squid that I'll try the next time around.
Almost calorie-free savory snacks? Quitting smoking.
Ka.me rice crackers. They're shatteringly crisp, 16 is considered a serving for 110 calories. They come in flavors, and I like the spicy hit of the wasabi. Just nibble away at them. They're a nice snack. Seedless grapes are good frozen. Good luck!
Just Barb's - Stockton Springs, Maine
Sorry if I misspoke about the bar. If you managed to wade through my initial post, you might have gathered I spent my meal somewhat dazed! I do wish your experience had been closer to mine.
Just Barb's - Stockton Springs, Maine
What a total bummer! I wonder why? Seems a fair price for a place with all the equipment and a good clientele. I sure hope someone who can cook buys it. Thanks for letting us know...
Oysters in Wellfleet
Last Saturday I visited Cape Cod for the first time. Lunch was at the Bookstore and Restaurant in Wellfleet. it's a very nice space, across from Wellfleet Bay. On nice days there's outside dining. The menu has lots of seafood options and the Salade Nicoise was one of the nicest I've seen. The tuna wasn't canned, but a nice hunk of fresh tuna. My companions enjoyed that.
I've always thought that Wellfleet must be to oysters what Ipswich is to clams, but never thought I'd be sitting overlooking Wellfleet Bay ordering those oysters. Best oysters I've ever had, harvested out front that morning. The Bookstore manager told me that. (The Bookstore is a whole other (off topic) story. The liquor in the shell was divine, the oysters plump and almost sweet in a salty kind of way. I'll dream of those oysters. So for my main course I had oyster stew, also excellent.
50 Kendrick Avenue, Wellfleet
Drawn butter for lobsters and clams - a tip
I prefer my lobster hot, but the height of decadence for me is a few leftover lobsters in the fridge. This won't happen again until next summer, and then I'm going to make use of this great tip! Thanks so much!
Just Barb's - Stockton Springs, Maine
Thanks, Da Bear! So glad to hear it was "packed" !
Drawn butter for lobsters and clams - a tip
Thank you so much; I'm a fool for ginger. I'll definitely try this! Come to think of it, I dip boiled shrimp in vinegar with lots of black pepper, instead of cocktail sauce!
Drawn butter for lobsters and clams - a tip
I'm in your camp when it comes to dipping lobster in butter, but I tried her butter with the vinegar with a nice bite of claw meat and it was good! I really liked it for my steamed clams too, and will continue to do that from now on.
Just Barb's - Stockton Springs, Maine
You're lucky! It sounds like you drive by more often than the twice a year (if I'm lucky!) that I do. Do stop, next time. If it's on your regular route, try breakfast and let us know about that hash! TIA!!
Drawn butter for lobsters and clams - a tip
I'm a Mainer by birth and have eaten lobster and steamed clams all of my life. While in Maine this summer we had another Mainer over for lobster and clams and served the obligatory little cup of drawn butter. I was well into my meal, when she asked for some cider vinegar. I gave her the bottle and she added some to her butter. I tried it and it's *really* good. It cuts the richness of the butter just enough. Is this news? I'd never seen this done before.
No Reservations - Cajun Country
I took lots of notes while watching. It was that kind of show!
Just Barb's - Stockton Springs, Maine
A week and a half ago, ten of us had lunch at Barb's before going our separate ways. Excluding the children, we'd all been there at least once. It's as good as I remembered. I had a bowl of the clam chowder, still wonderful. Since I'd been snacking a lot that morning, I grazed around the table to round out my lunch! The star of the table was the crab roll with slaw and those fabulous fries; the scallop platter was a close second. The berry pies this time of year are a must. My grandson surprised us by ordering cheesecake! I wasn't fast enough to get a bite of that!I. I need to get there for breakfast one of these trips; corned beef hash!
Eating in Ellsworth, Me.
I've eaten at the Lobster Pot two or three times, just not this visit. Sure wish I'd known about Finelli's! We very nearly stopped for pizza, instead of The Mex, but didn't know where to go! I'll keep your invitation in mind. Thanks for that!
Eating in Ellsworth, Me.
Riverside Cafe
Ellsworth is the closest town to where we stay. Breakfast at the Riverside Cafe has become something of a tradition for my family, during the time we vacation in the area. The kids love their pancakes with chocolate chips. The short stack is plenty for our biggest young eater. I usually get sunnyside eggs with home fries and bacon or a sausage patty. The homefries are terrific, nice and crisp and perfectly creamy on the inside. Toasted homemade bread is SO good, along side. My sister is a fan of the omelets, really a big meal. Poached eggs with Hollandaise, are my son-in-law's annual choice. It's a great place to hangout for locals and tourists. I've never been disappointed by the food, service or atmosphere. They serve lunch too, and the menu looks really good, including "old-fashioned" milk shakes. Brunch on Sunday.
151 Main St
Ellsworth, ME 04605 (Map)
(207) 667-7220 (Phone)
The Maine Grind http://www.mainegrind.com/menu.htm
For a quick coffee and a good muffin on the go, The Maine Grind is a fine spot, just up the street from Riverside, on the left. You can eat in, for breakfast or lunch, though I never have. I do love their coffee. It's a comfortable place to just sit!
The Mex http://www.themexrestaurant.com/
After a long day at Acadia National Park, we wanted something different besides seafood (I can't believer I said that!) Anyway,we knew we had leftover lobsters in the fridge back at camp. If you have little acquaintance with Mexican food, it might suit you fine. I've been spoiled in my part of NY State.
Recommendations for the Cooking Channel?
I don't get the channel but I catch it when I can, here and there. I like Annie Sibonney's "From Spain with Love". She knows Spain and the and food and she can sure eat!
One woman's journey to her last meal
Here's her piece in the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/opinion/sunday/i-wont-have-the-stomach-for-this.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all%3Fsrc%3Dtp&smid=fb-share It's truly inspiring to those of us who can relate, as well as those who hope never to have to. She's quite a woman.
No Reservations - El Bulli...
Thanks, Coll. I'd need some time to get up and walk around, at the very least. They probably allow for that.
No Reservations - El Bulli...
Yes, I'm pretty sure you heard correctly and you're not a wuss! I could probably get through it, but that wouldn't be a meal I'd want to just "get through". I wonder how long the meal lasted?
No Reservations - El Bulli...
He and Jose Andreas are great together. I loved the opener when they went to TICKETS. A favorite line was when Bourdain tasted that sheep milk torta with morels and said he'd like to "snort it up my (expletive deleted!) nose"! He was clearly humbled by his visit to El Bulli. And the food, *such* food! Adria was the perfect host and all around nice guy, it seems. Great episode, which I'll save to watch again, and probably again. I rarely have any complaints about No Reservations or Bourdain. I guess I'm like an indulgent mother, in that way!
201 Market, Skowhegan, Me (cheese, wine, fresh seafood, and lots more)
If you find yourself on Route 201 in Skowhegan, maybe heading for a day of white water rafting, or on your way to Canada, or, like me, visiting home, keep an eye out for a new business called 201 Market at 226 Madison Avenue (aka Rt. 201). It's a cheese, wine, seafood shop with other goodies, pie and baguettes, and whatever else you'd want for a very fine picnic. They have live lobsters, but will cook them for you for $1. We bought 3 small ones, but they were hard-shelled and full of meat. You can point to the lobster you want and they'll catch it for you. We bought a bottle of Gewurztraminer ($10) that was perfect. All of the fish looked first rate, hand-picked crab meat, too. Have a look at the cheese selection. One especially nice variety is a sharp cheddar that's layered with a stripe of Stilton. They'll have produce too, undoubtedly berries, corn, cukes and tomatoes, once the season gets rolling.
Phone: 207-474-3960 for hours. I believe they're closed on Mondays.
Westchester County Farmers Markets - 2011
Pelham starts on the 28th, which will be a big improvement. The last couple of years it was on Sunday and hardly anyone was out and about downtown. I think we very nearly lost our Farmers Market. I know my favorite vendor closed up shop before the end of the season. I'm really looking forward to it, too!
