I used to buy chunks of Parm at either Costco in Union or Wine Library in Springfield for about $13.99. Both have jumped to $19.99. Does anyone know of a source that still has it at competitive prices? Thanks.

I am a homesick San Franciscan and I am coming home in early April (4 to 12). I can't remember the dates for the Dungeness crab season. I know that the season started late this year, and I am thinking that it might run late, too. Can anyone let me know the end of the commercial season? I can only find recreational season dates online. Thanks.

Ferris, you sound smart enough to be more creative with your cooking ideas. Very often you can do a simple dish, and then add a couple of more ingredients for a more special recipe. Examples:

Make the simple tomato sauce for them, and top it with some fresh ricotta or goat cheese for you. Or saute some sausage and add it to your portion.

Do plain or marinated chicken breast for the folks, and but rub yours with a spice rub before cooking.

Make plain macaroni with a sauce of some kind for them, but turn your portion into mac and cheese.

Do simple fish fillets for Mom and Dad, and serve yours with garlicky cole slaw, chopped tomatoes, and warm tortillas for fish tacos.

And not to sound like an English teacher, but could you come up with another phrase for b*rf? While it isn't a cuss word, shouldn't we try to keep things appetizing around here? You made your point in your first post. No need to mention it again.

hae, have you ever tried baking brioche in the traditional brioche tins? I am a professional baker, and it seems to me that baking brioche in canned soup tins is not such a great idea, unless you want a particularly large brioche that is good for a particular recipe. Otherwise, a brioche baked in a 13-oz volume can is going to be very big, and certainly more than one person would eat in a serving (Again, I can see that this might be needed for some recipes, such as a "stuffed" brioche.) I just make brioche this weekend, and scaled the dough about 2 3/4 ounces each. I baked a dozen in a muffin pan because I had lent out my brioche tins. They were gorgeous and the perfect size. I am also not a fan of recipes that require you to go out and buy and cook canned soup (yech) must to collect the tins, which are not made for reuse. OK, at a buck-something each, they are less expensive than brioche tins, I grant you, but it still goes back to the size of the finished baked goods: HUGE. Let us know how the recipe turns out. Karen is a very talented pastry chef and I hear good things about the book.

I was raised in the Bay Area, and now live in NJ. You are not likely to find what you want, any more than you would find fresh-cracked Dungeness crab and real sourdough in New York. When visiting SF and I want a good steak, I go either to San Francisco to Harris's on Van Ness or Izzy's in San Ramon. Are either of them worth a trip for you from Los Altos. I'm not sure... But you should have some good meals searching!

Thanks everyone. I am staying very near Ghirardelli, so I checked it out. Yes, the only have the thin "baking bars," but in a good variety of semisweet, bittersweet 60%, milk, and white. Each bar is $1.85, so a full pound only cost me $7.40. Can't beat that! (Although I am not a Ghirardelli lover, my family won't care that it isn't El Rey.) Anyway, I decided that, considering the price, the tradeoff of taking the time to unwrap the bars is worth it. Also, the thin bars chop easily, and when you have 10 pounds of candy to make, it is a consideration. I definitely will check out the other venues so I am prepared next time. THANKS!

I am visiting from the east coast, and need to buy bulk chocolate for my family's favorite candy, rocky road. I tried Trader Joe's, but they only carry Belgian bittersweet with almonds in it, unlike my local store in New Jersey, which carries it plain.

I am off to Ghirardelli Outlet in San Leandro, but frankly, they aren't my favorite (too much of a dark roast edge). Any comments on Rainbow Grocery? Also, are the prices good at Spun Sugar in Berkeley? I'd prefer shopping in the East Bay. And it doesn't have to be Valrhona or Scharffen Berger.

Thanks to all.

What they mean is golden bakers' sugar. You can find it at specialty markets and online. India Tree is the usual manufacturer for this in the US. You can use regular superfine sugar or even granulated sugar without any ill effects. The golden bakers' sugar is very expensive--$3.99 a pound average, which is only about 2 1/4 cups. I am a recipe developer by trade, and I often have to sub granulated or superfine for golden bakers' sugar, so I know what I'm talking about! The idea to grind demerara or raw (turbinado) sugar is a good one, but the granulation may not be the same, and demerara doesn't cream well with butter.

Our favorite place for casual and very tasty Italian is Le Zie on Seventh near 20th. It is Northern Italian and doesn't have the usual fare, although we are partial to the veal canneloni special. Also consider Korean in the West 30s. No recommendations in that area because I simply have forgotten. Also, if you want to go very cheap, Grand Sichuan on 9th and 24th has very unusual Chinese with the usual fare. You'll have enough leftover cash to have dessert and coffee at Rafaela's down the street on 9th near 18th.

Any recommendations for dim sum near Maplewood, NJ? We are meeting friends for brunch, and we all have a craving, but can't make it into the city. We have done China Gourmet on Eagle Rock in West Orange, and found it only so-so. Any other suggestions? Should we try Noodle Chu in Parsippany, even though it is a schlep?