With the economic situation in Greece, it is getting tougher and tougher to find ergolavi. Does anyone have a good recipe for this type of almond macaroon? Thanks!

Ah, and even at Safeway. I'll have check one out the next time I come to California. So what kind of animals did you show for FFA? The jackets were always cool.

Apple Abba-Zabbas? Hmm, that does sound good. And a Twin Bing. That doesn't look bad either.

Hi Steve and John, yeah I had to look it up on the internet to find out that the Abba-Zabba still exists. I might just have to order a few of those as well, and pull gently on the taffy so that I don't lose any dental work.

Which made me think of an Abba Zabba by Annebelle Candy company. Loved those.

Ah great. I'll give buying them direct a try. Ah, Peanut Butter Bars. I had forgotten what they looked like until you directed me to the company website. White with brown stripes. Yes, now I remember them. Thanks!

Ah and one more...something called a Chickostick. Yummers.

Pixisticks, Likumade (sp?) and something at the Sear's candy counter called chocolate covered honeycomb. I think Cadbury's makes a similar thing to honeycomb called a Violet Crumble. Yum, not easy to find here in New Haven, but sometimes pick one up at the candy store at Dallas/FTWorth airport.

You just really brought back the best memories of visiting San Francisco as a child from the Central Valley. Those 5 rambling buildings that made up Cost Plus...you aren't kidding about the holy pilgrimages. It really did seem like the next best thing to traveling to an exotic part of the world. We don't have any form of Cost Plus here in Connecticut, and Pier One is a rather meager alternative.

Ah thanks. That is what I would like to remember. I didn't arrive in Thailand until the early 1980s, but even then Nick's No. 1 still existed. I tend to get lost when I am in Bangkok now, although it still feels good to be there. I still like to stay at one of the older hotels like the Royal (Rattanakosin) or the Vieng Tai. Fun to splurge on fancier places too like the Banyon Tree or the Sukhothai.

Funny, I just made a grilled cheese sandwich with sourdough and Dubliner. I confess, that I like Cabot better. Dubliner seems a little funkier. Not that I don't like funky cheese, but the Dubliner I found at Costco was a bit different. Anyone fond of the Rouge et Noir Camembert? Yum.

I'd agree with you on both. Grew up in California so preferred Tillamook then, but living in Connecticut now, I'd go for the Cabot.

Ah, and perhaps I shouldn't recognize my Fresno County, CA origins. But I miss Lesterburger!

Wow, did Pioneer Chicken disappear? The parents of a friend had a franchise in San Jose, CA.

Ah, this is great fun. Of course all I can think of are junk foodie sorts of things: Nallyys Tamales in the can, Scooter Pies, Moon Pies, Pinwheel cookies, and while I know they still exist in the Bay Area and I know I could get them over the internet, Its It ice cream sandwiches. Oh and that awful Chung King Chop Suey in the can with a separate can of crispy noodles. Yikes.

Where is Jitlada in LA? Somewhere in West Hollywood near the Thai temple? Thanks.

Yeah, a bit too much description on my end. Nice thing to eat first thing in the morning with a nice cup of thai hot coffee with sweetened condensed milk.

What a bummer. I used to take the bus from work at UCB down Telegraph Avenue to about where the DMV is, and stop at Flint's along the way. It was always hard not to want to munch on the barbecue while riding the bus.

Oh, coconut chive rice cakes? Are they those yummy, squishy khanom khrok sort of pudding like cakes that are cooked in something like an abelskiver (can't spell either) pan? Sort of a cast iron pan with small circular indentations in it?

Ah, yes, now you are talking. I used to go to the Thai temple in Berkeley on Sunday for their somtam and leap. Nice idea. I may try doing that, as I am staying near the airport on Sunday night for a flight back home. Thanks.

Ah, you are talking about serious Lao Isan stuff now. Laap luat or at least laap dip dip? Khruang nai with nam di (actually there must be some other word for bile in Thai or Lao)? Always tastes better with some serious lao khao. Thanks for these suggestions. Next time I am in Berkeley visiting friends, I'll head down to Oakland for some serious Lao food. Hmm, I wonder if Flints Barbecue still exists on Shattuck? or was it Telegraph?

Hi, Sure if I can get there via a BART station? Are there some places that you would recommend that are accessible to BART? Sorry, I do have a car, and could certainly drive, but I am a bit of a woos.

Best, Rich

Hi,
I lived in the Bay Area about 20 years ago, when Thai food was first becoming very popular. I have lived in both Thailand and in Arizona then Connecticut since leaving the Bay Area. If you were to recommend the best Thai restaurant in San Francisco, where would it be? I am particularly fond of Lao/Isan style Thai food (I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Udorn about 30 years ago), as well as regional Thai cuisine. But very authentic Thai is also great. Where would you recommend that I go?
Best,
Rich Richie
24 Bishop Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Hi,
It looks like you spend a lot of time in Bangkok. Great nickname, "Soi Hound"! I don't get to Bangkok very often and have kind of lost track of where to get a couple of dishes, that don't seem to show up on menus very much here in Connecticut. Do you know where I might find good hoi thot or khao na ped? I have a business trip coming up which will give me about a week in Bangkok, and would like to hunt up some great street food including mussel omelettes and roast duck on rice. Thanks for any suggestions!
Best,

Hi,
I don't think I can ever get tired of good Thai food, especially Isan fare, but does anyone remember what happened to Nick's No. 1 Hungarian Inn on the corner of Sathorn Road and Rama 1V? It was in a big old mansion, if I remember correctly, and must have still existed the in the mid-1980s? I think it was supposed to be haunted, and certainly had lots of character.
Cheers,
Rich Richie
New Haven, CT

Hi,
I realize that this is going a bit far afield to get salepi, but I have picked it up a couple of times in Athens at an herb shop called "Elixir". It is a bit expensive but worth it. You might try contacting them through their website: http://www.elixir.com.gr/. I think I ended up buying my mastiha for kaimaki ice cream through the Mastiha Shop in NYC: http://www.mastihashopny.com/. I am hooked on mastiha-anything. And kaimaki ice cream with the recipe from "foodjunkie" comes out great. I think it is time to switch to a electric ice cream maker however, as I think I am the only one who likes sitting outside cranking my old fashioned ice cream maker.
- RR