Deepster's Profile
How much are you paying for milk?
$3.16/gal-1% here in W. North Carolina. This is down about $1/gal in the past month. Prices do vary from store to store, but I tend to buy all dairy/eggs from one particular store which always has the lowest prices.
Outback vs. Texas Roadhouse
I've not eaten at TR yet, but I'll go out of my way to avoid OB. The problem is just as you have stated, othervoice. But, steering (no pun intended) clear of the steak at OB is a guarantee of nothing. My experience on numerous visits there is that EVERYTHING is oversalted. This is not a dietary issue for me. It's simply a matter of taste.
Instant Coffee
Well, MrsRosencranz, we all live to eat(or in this case drink) our words!
I now live in a very remote mountainous area where my water comes right out of the ground. When I have no electricity, I have no water. I have to use a propane camp stove to heat/cook anything in these instances. During the winter particularly outages can happen often. Going into last winter, I decided "instant" may be the route to go becouse I'd only have stored water to use. I bought 3 brands of the tiniest bottles of the following....Taster's Choice, Maxwell House, and Nescafe....figuring I could use them in cooking if I didn't drink them. Well, as it turns out, I tested all three, and the handsdown winner was Nescafe. I think if I were in your shoes, I'd probably be checking out alternatives to the prees, too! I still keep one of those small jars around just in case of such an emergency. I do limit my consumption of coffee to one cup in the morning now, so it wasn't bad for the period that it "had to be done". I am one of those people who still feels for whatever reason that I just can't start my day without that one caffiene injection :0. I'd go with Nescafe.
Instant Coffee
sasha1....I'm not sure there is an "ideal" solution. However, I can tell you what I did the last year or two before I retired. First, I had coffee...uhhmmm... available at work too...disgusting stuff. Though I worked downtown in a major city there wasn't a SB or anything approaching it nearby. We did have a rather upscale retail area on the ground floor of the building, but decent coffee just didn't exist there. I bought one of those "bullet" thermos things. I would french press my coffee before leaving for work...adding cream and a bit of raw sugar, and I could at least "make it thru the day".
At least the coffee wasn't burnt, nor did it go downhill to the point that it was undrinkable. This was not the "best" coffee, but it sure beat the heck outta that rancid mess that was available for free....or worse for purchase. I do like nathanac's idea, but somehow that never really occured to me. I'm not sure it would have been worth the somewhat messy inconvenience, and I'm sure I would have forgotten "the works" everyday. Whereas with the thermos, I just kept it in the bag I carried my unbrella, emergency food supplies, and other misc. stuff that just couldn't go into a briefcase or laptop bag. I just don't think I could bring myself to drink instant coffee for any reason.
McDonald's Confession
I stopped at McDs this week while out doing grocery shopping, as a result of these recent posts. I ordered the FOF meal and it was a total dissapointment. The fish was barely warm, but was crispy. The "quarter" piece of cheese made it about 1/2 onto the sandwich and the other half mostly on the bun....barely touching the fish. The tartar sauce was pretty good as usual. Fries......just above room temp, and just short of being cooked enough.....the bun.....room temp. Aside from the wonderful sweet tea, the meal was a loss. I really wanted my 4.16 back to I could go to Wendy's. I hope someone here posts something about their fish sandwich 'cus I'll sure be trying it before going back to McDs again. Wendy's is my fave of the gigantic burger palaces anyway.
Morning beverage?
I drink a lot of hot apple juice/cider...100% juice, no added sweetners or other ingredients. Though I'm not much of a hot tea drinker either, at least on it's own, I do drink a lot of tea in the winter time using apple juice as the sweetner(2/3 tea:1/3 apple juice, or 3/4 tea:1/4 apple juice). You can heat the apple juice in the microwave to add to the tea. You can use regular tea, or decaff, or for me herbal teas, such as lavender, chamomille, peppermint, etc. I also often will have hot tomato juice or V-8. I buy neither. I make my own in the blender 1/2 gal at a time using low sodium canned products, organic whenever available. Hot milk with a tbsp(or to taste) of organic honey, and a drop of vanilla extract is also another favorite(you can also add a "chunk" or morsels of your favorite chocolate to this....again, to taste).
your fridge and pantry-anything to eat in there!?
This thread really stikes a chord with me. I am definitely a "hoarder" of great magnitude. As someone has already mentioned one of my greatest pitfalls is canned beans. I have every kind of canned bean on hand that is available where I live, and several of the same kinds of some beans. And, as another poster mentioned I do use these often for dips or spreads(very healthy and versatile). I am as bad if not worse when it comes to canned tomatoes......whole, diced, crushed.....plain, with cilantro, with basil and garlic, with chilies, etc., etc., etc.,......and God forbid I should find them in a "discount" bin!!!!! LOL!!! Other things on my "hoarder" list are pastas....of every size, shape, flavor, available. Then, there are the numerous flavored cooking oils. Then, because, I stay on a very high protein diet, I have so many cans of tuna and salmon it sometimes blows my mind when I come home with more because it's "on sale"! I do "rotate" things as newer items are added to the pantry, but dang I LIVE ALONE! I'm sure I could eat very healthy for at least 3-4 months without ever setting foot in a grocery store. I LOVE to grocery shop though. So, that just adds to the problem! I eat lots of fresh veggies, meats, and fish, but it seems I'm way over attracted to things with a long shelf life.
Question re: regional cola preferances.
I grew up in E. N.C., and Coke was always the beverage of choice, of course with the exception of an occasional RC cola. And, BTW, does anyone recall the Lotta Cola that entered the NC market back in the 50s? I lived most of my adult life in Atlanta, so of course Coke was the prevalent cola there. I did have a good friend who moved to Atlanta from Pittsburgh, and would drive 10 miles out of her way to buy Pepsi products.
What to do with all these Omaha weiners?
This is really "sub-par", but I loved it as a kid, and still take this notalgic walk on ocassion. Cut the wieners up and mix with mac 'n cheese. They're really best this way if they're fried first. For this "comfort food" I'd only use the blue box mac 'n cheese dressed up a bit. I'd never wreck my fave, and somewhat costly mac 'n cheese recipe for this. I also love them pickled from time to time....Bar Franks they're called in some places. I keep a small jar of them in my fridge for those nights when nothing will hit the spot but a pickled wiener, a boiled egg, a pickle slice, a chunk of cheese, and a piece of good crusty bread! Not very healthy, I know, but sometimes you just have to get past that to put out a flame of indulgence ;)
whopper freakout?
LOL!!! I gotta get me one 'a them red wigs for when I go to Wendy's then. Maybe I'll get special treatment there, too. Or then again I might get treated as stupidly as those commercials.....My God, where, oh where are the heads of the folks who thought up THAT retarded commercial approach?
Am I the only one who loves SOS?
Your photos are right on, crt. As a matter of fact I'm almost certain that the hamburger(real SOS) came first in my home as a kid. My dad was in the Navy during the latter part of WWII, and this "food" was never called "SOS". The actual words were spoken :) I was born not too many years after the war ended. I do recall him speaking of this being served in mess halls. I think it was my mother who subterfuged the "real" ingredient when jarred chipped beef became available from Hormel in the grocery stores. I'm sure she also wished that dad would quit using "SOS" to define the dish....LOL!
Am I the only one who loves SOS?
SOS....I LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! It was a breakfast staple food at our house when I was growning up. It was sometimes made with chipped beef, but more often than not it was made with hamburger. I think that being kids, we just preferred anything made with hamburger over other meats. I still make this stuff about twice a year just as comfort food. I must say that the Stouffer's product is excellent....if you can deal with all the sodium. But, what the hell.....I say if you are going to eat such foods on occasion go for it with gusto, and for that once in a blue moon breakfast/lunch/dinner, make it the way you love it and forget the fats and sodium. Would I make this every day? No way! But, when do make it, I have no reservations about going "all the way" with a side of greasy home fries or overly buttery grits. White bread is a must:) Also, LOTS of pepper!
dunkin donuts, vegas
Agreed, irishnyc.....for the coffee, yes, for the doughnuts, no. Of course I am from KrispyKreme country, and have eaten them all my life. Thus, I'm sure my concept of a "good" doughnut is tainted. There are those who don't like KK. I think that because I have always eaten KK, I find the texture of the DDs is just not to my liking.
whopper freakout?
You are right on! First, I did not grow up eating mustard on hamburgers, so I don't want it on a burger.....a hot dog yes....burger, NO! Second, I do love pickles, but not on my burgers. There's just something about "warm" pickles that I find distasteful. So, my orders are always "special", and rarely do I get a bad one. I don't really like ketchup on anything, so there's another "special order".
McDonald's hiring "Baristas"
I agree, Tay. People who go to McD's go there for one reason.....CONSISTENCY!
Unlike a lot of chains when you pull up to McDs you(for the most part) know exactly what you're going to get. Is it the best? Probably not. But, it's always the same, and when I want "the same", I'll go to a place that does it. I'm not fond of most of McDs products, but I do like their McMuffin sandwiches....and they're always the same. IF they put out a decent, affordable, "consistent" cup of coffee, why would I want to stop somewhere else for a nearly equal product at double the price? It seems like Starbucks initiated the feud and McD may be who ends it.
whopper freakout?
I agree with alkapal! I get the Jr. Whopper.....just lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo......I don't often eat at any fast food places. But, there are times I just have to whip into BK for a quick fix.....especially if I'm on my way home, and just KNOW I don't feel like cooking nor eating anything I already have prepared. To me, at those times the Jr. Whopper is the "real deal". As has been pointed out, sometimes you just don't get what you'd hoped for when it comes to FF joints.
What is the shelf life of canned tuna, chicken?
Generally 5 years for tuna....here's a chart and some "deciphering info" you might find useful
http://www.y2kkitchen.com/html/can_code_decoder.html
Best FF fish sandwich
I'm a BK fish sandwich friend,too! I recall the horror of all FF horrors back when you could not even GET a fish sandwich at McD's without that wretched stuff they call "tartar sauce". I cured me of McD's fish sandwiches for life! I must admit that I'm not a big fan of the BK's "shredded" lettuce fetish. But, alas I suffer! LOL
ATL - Benedetti's Closing
I have no recommendations. I do want to say that I have had some truly great dinners at Benedetti's. This is a sad loss! Though I no longer live in Atl, the 30+ years that I did I ate at Benedetti's often. Like someone already mentioned, it was more of the "buzz" of the place than it was the food. And, I must add that the food wasn't all that bad either. I have other friends who have now also moved from Atl that will also be saddened by their closing. Thanks for sharing.
tiny bone in cooked fish. Is that bad???????
I agree with you, Quine. To say the least, a person who will not eat fish "bone-in" is certainly not a "foodie" in any sense of the word. Speaking of words, as another poster noted the word that comes to my mind is "silliness". 'nuf said.
Kosher Salt-Iodine Deficient?
I agree with you 100%, goodhealthgourmet.....as you obviously do with me....with one exception. WHERE do you think those animals GET that iodine? Vegetables are MOST ASSUREDLY a reliable source of iodine PROVIDED you eat a variety of vegetables, and eat other foods as well. Animals do not produce iodine on their own.....they get it from the foods they eat, and thus, it's passed on to the consumer. Vegetarians have their own issues. In addition, anyone taking a regular one-a-day vitamin supplement is in all likelihood getting as much iodine in their diet as would ever be required.
Kosher Salt-Iodine Deficient?
Unless you live in a Third World country, or you do not eat meat, vegetables, fish(highly unlikely, as you are still alive) LOL.....it is VERY unlikely you are deficient in iodine in your diet, as it's present in all of the above. It's in the soil, and particularly the ocean. Though "sea salt" is not a significant source of iodine, all seafood products are generally rich in the substance. Since(assumedly) you do eat vegetables, you are probably getting all the iodine your body needs. Additionally, since "most" animals bred for commercial consumption eat grass, grains, or other veggie products, again, you are ingesting iodine. I use primarily sea salt, and even when buying the "regular table salt", I purposely buy "un-iodized" as the addition is simply not needed in a normal healthy diet.
Which Frozen Dinner is your favorite?
It's been years since I bought anything frozen, but when I did Stouffer's SOS was definitely at the top of the heap for me!!! I'd even have a side of their apple dish....whatever it's called, and pretend I was eating healthy....LOL!
Peanut Butter
Definitely PB swirled with Grandma's Molasses, sopped up with soft white bread or a hot buttermilk buiscuit(more likely an English muffin, now days). Just had to go make some PB & molasses while reading this topic......I love PB!!!
ATL--any good BBQ ITP?
ATL foodie.....I grew up in E. N.C. and probably grew up eating the same type of BBQ you did. The ONLY place in Atl that I would ever eat BBQ is at Dusty's on Briarcliff Rd at Clifton. Get their chopped pork sandwich. They'll add slaw if you like. Their sauces are not of the "ketchupy" type that most folks seem to associate with BBQ. The original owner...."Dusty" grew up about 20 miles from me in N.C, I miss having them close by. When I was in Atl, I ate there several times a month. Give it a shot!
10 Best Southern Hotdogs?
Can't believe no one has mentioned "Zestos" in Atlanta! Unquestionably the BEST in the city. Hit the one on Ponce de Leon for sure! Order the "chili dog basket" with cole slaw on the side. Grease up to your elbows, but a definite winner!
Hibachi Fusion, in Ladson, SC
What's the expression Alice B. Toklas coined regarding even Oakland that "there's no THERE, there"?
Savannah GA
mikeh......I respect your opinion, though I also respectfully disrepect it. The "Cracker Barrel" has it's somewhat "squat" opinions of it's own Southern Flair, it is certainly no bastion of Southern cruisine.....tho, I admit, it has a few high points.... Yes, you can get better "up and down the highway" on your way to or from the "Pirates House"........avoid it at all caution!.....Service, lackluster, food mediocre at best, and ambience, blue-haired to the hilt. As I said, a place "resting on it's laurels". This is no longer, nor has it been a "great food "place" of Savannah. Unless outsiders want an outright assault on the senses, it should be avoided at all cost......and I mean ALL COST.....'cus that's that what this place is......COST.....nothing refined, nor "CHOWHOUND" about it.
Savannah GA
It has been a few years since I visited the venerable(huh, huhhh) Pirate's House in Savannah. It seems that what I have read leads me in no direction back. When I was there......A Sunday Dinner....I don't even think there was a buffet then, nor am I sure there is now. The service was non-existent. Waiters, water-pourers, ashtray cleaners, etc,, etc., etc., were flighty and totally "inabscentia" mentally. The food came in "questionable" sequence, and the food was totally horrendous....."squishy" overfried seafood sopping in grease.....veggies cooked to a degree that would make even the most "over-cooking" grandma demise. The place was so over-lighted as to make you squint.....al la Long John Silvers, or such! Drinks(wine) delivered at deplorable temps, and the pouring was "shakey" at best. Food? Cold, overcooked, and short of walking out, trash. I must admit that I did write the owners of my experience and was sent a $50 gift certificate to return. Unfortunately, the first experience was so outta whack that even $50 could not have gotten me back in the place. Hope it's changed. As I pointed out the the owners then, "you are resting on some terribly misplaced laurels", and I suspect they still are.
Wine shop/Liquor (Scotch) near Duluth/Norcross, GA?
torotoro.....a LARGE and varied selection of wines can be found in any MAJOR grocery store. For the liquors, your best bet it Tower Liquors.....I'm almost certain that there is one in Doroville, which is pretty close in proximity to your area. They will most definetly have almost anything that could fall into your realm of "desirable to cannot be found elsewhere". Check the phone book(Yellow Pages), or just google Tower Liquors Atlanta. Greene's would be your second bet, but I'm not sure where they all may be located. Holiday Greetings! Also, any major drive near a shopping center in Duluth or Norcross should surrender a good number of smaller purveyors.....but still with decent selections.
