I love Fiddler's Hearth. The Chicken and Leek Boxty is delicious! I've been to Ireland, and this place makes me feel like I'm right back in a real Irish pub with great beer, live music, and much better food than you would expect!

I have had excellent Chinese from Ho Ping House...though the egg rolls are not their strongest suit,

I always either brine, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, throw into a sizzling cast-iron skillet with a little butter, sear each side (about 2 minutes), and then keep covered off the heat for 10 minutes or as long as it takes me to make a little pan sauce, OR butterfly, pound out, lightly bread, and then sear.

I like them pretty rare, though, so take that how you will.

I find I generally get better results when I buy a whole loin and cut my own chops (usually to a 1 1/2-inch thickness), plus it's a lot cheaper by the pound this way, and they freeze well.

Any little bit that looks like a crispy critter is doomed to meet my mouth before it meets the table.

woops...I meant starchy, not starching!

No fry should list Scotchgard in the ingredients!!

The brown-ness you refer to could be due to FG (or whoever) reusing the fry oil over and over without proper straining. Any little starching bits that remain in the oil can burn, breakdown, and cause a darkening of the oil and the items being fried in it. This can also impart an off-flavor.

I don't know if FG is guilty of this, but could be....

"Homemade style fries are for when you were 10 years old"

You must have been a lucky 10-year old.

For me it was either the golden arches or Ore-Ida.

What kind of fries do it for you these days?

Haha, Wendy's oughta cost a lot less than half!

....Unless of course you order the entire value menu like a certain husband of mine.

Speaking of Wendy's, talk about fries that have gone from limp and gross to pretty darn tasty!!

You (and everyone) must try Beehive Cheese Co.'s Barely Buzzed. It's an amazing, firm cheddar, rubbed with a mixture of coffee and lavendar buds--sounds strange, I know, but trust me: when you first cut into a new wheel, the aroma and taste are just about the sexiest things in the world. You just might need a change of pants.

Just munching on chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano and slowing sipping Chianti can be an amazing Italian getaway.

Mmmm...Chaource...in my happy place now.

In my experience, Five Guys has been excellent as long as I eat the food immediately. If I take it to go, it is always a let down. The hot dogs travel best of anything I've tried.

Chili's Quesadilla Explosion salad and Ruby Tuesday's Blue Ribbon Boston Burger.

Also...soup, salad and breadsticks at the Garden. Can't help it.

Everything Chick-Fil-A...sorry if that is controversial these days...but best chicken nuggets and chicken biscuits ever. Fries. Polynesian Sauce.

And Whataburger. I have a constant craving for a Junior Whataburger with cheese, but I sadly (or fortunately) can rarely indulge, as there are no Whataburgers where I live.

Way to go McDonalds for real honey. Color me surprised.

Ew. So true. Now Iam imagining a whole fast-food-based PRON film, featuring the phrases, "100% all-natural beef" and "Super size this."

I've never held expectations that fast food is "all-natural."

I'd swear I saw Santa coming down the chimney before supposing the "buttery" biscuits at fried chicken chains contained real butter.

But I always assumed the honey packets served along with the biscuits were actually honey.

Grabbing a bite at a KFC with family in Texas not too long ago, I gazed at the honey packets sitting on the counter and almost added a biscuit to my order, as I find the thought of drizzling the sweet, golden goodness over the white, fluffy flesh of a freshly cracked biscuit eternally tantalizing.

A few minutes later, we laughed as we realized the packets did not merely contain honey, but "Honey Sauce."

The ingredients read: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Honey, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Caramel Color.

At least honey is an ingredient in the honey sauce, which is more than can be said for most "maple" syrups.

Still...honey sauce...I can't stop laughing.

Yes! Let's stop the insanity and save a few dozen hunks of deliciousness from a trashcan-dwelling fate. Cheeses are incredibly nuanced, and artisan cheese makers dedicate immense time and resources to cultivating just the right strains of bacteria--yes, bacteria--to deliver the perfect union of flavors, textures, and aesthetics to their creation. Blue or white "growths" on most cheeses should not be cause for concern. Sadly, however, retailers are often forced to trash cheeses (that are likely just reaching their peak of tastiness) because customers are weary of a little blue or a little squishiness. For all cheesehounds, I suggest checking out the websites of two amazing American artisans, Cypress Grove Chevre and Vermont Butter and Cheese Company: http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/ and http://www.vermontcreamery.com/

So good!!

Does anyone know if the the Williams-Sonoma ice-cream machine has a gelato-making setting?

The product details claim it makes ice cream and gelato, but true gelato cannot really be made in a ice-cream machine because standard American models incorporate too much air, which drastically alters the density.

I've been wanting to buy a gelato machine, so if anyone has any recommendations of a good model, I'd love to get some suggestions.

These recipes sound so delicious!!

I am in deep, dark, chocolate-covered love with Jimmie's Chocolates in Dania.

The box of goodies I left with on my first visit contained only crinkled wrappers by the time I completed my 10-minute drive home, so I knew I would have to stock up--and gift wrap--if I wanted any chocolate Christmas gifts to actually make it to their intended recipients.

Whether shopping for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice, Jimmie's has gift sets galore, and the accommodating staff is more than helpful if you need suggestions or help creating a custom box.

I left with truffles in seven flavors of adult beverages, plus peanut-butter fudge and even a bottle of wine theoretically designed to perfectly complement chocolates.

I am officially dipped in chocolate and done with my holiday shopping!

On another note...has anyone tried Jimmie's Cafe?

Your beer-in-the-front idea for Martin's is genius. I have to say I am sad to hear they're moving, even if it is just across the street. Of course I'm glad they are doing the heavy volume of business their food merits, but it will be tragic if any of their magic is lost. I hope they keep the Christmas lights out front and the Kenny Rogers records on the walls--the atmosphere makes the food taste that much better!

If you've made it to Joey's already, then you are likely well-acquainted with the eggplant parmesan and Joey's Special pizza (featuring artichokes and strips of eggplant parmesan and chicken parmesan, among other yummy things); however, if you haven't made it over there yet, I highly recommend these items.

I am new to the area and I am trying to find my new favorite buger place.

Who do you think has the best burger in town?

So far I have only tried the Quarterdeck, which was great, but I am not ready to give up the search...who else should I check out?