flourgirl's Profile
Teaching children to behave at restaurants
We've been taking our son out to eat with us since he was about 3 or 4. Yes, we made sure to choose places where we knew we'd be able to order things he would probably eat. But we never once asked a single restaurant to accomodate special requests to suit his palate. We ordered things that we figured we had a good shot at getting him to try and eat and we shared with him. He never once yelled, threw food, jumped up from the table or ran around the restaurant.
So early on he developed a love for dining out in nice restaurants and by the time he was 8 he was asking to eat at very good restaurants for special occasions like his birthday.
Dining out is one of our main sources of entertainment and where most of our entertainment dollars go. We have made wonderful memories sharing those experiences with our son and now he will be a life long lover of fine food and fine dining experiences.
I guess my point is that I really don't care what parents of 40 years ago were doing. I would never allow my child to disrupt others or allow him to misbehave like that in public. But if he could behave himself and enjoy the same food we were eating, than I was more than happy to have him along with us. And I don't regret a minute of it.
New Artisan Bakery and Pastry Shop in Clinton
+1 for Bobolink breads. One of their breads and a couple of hunks of their cheese and I'm in Heaven.
Salute ( glen ridge) vs, Rose Mediterranean ( west caldwell)
I'm not saying you're wrong about prices being charged in NY- I'm saying it sounded like you are saying that those prices are too high for NJ. And I know prices too, and there are tons of restaurants in NJ that charge those kinds of prices for entrees.
Salute ( glen ridge) vs, Rose Mediterranean ( west caldwell)
$27 entree = NYC prices? I don't know about that, I live in Hunterdon County and I see prices like that quite frequently, on both sides of the river.
Pizza stone on a Weber charcoal grill [moved from Home Cooking]
Yes, but the OP is talking about trying to avoid heating his house during the summer by using his oven. The pizza may only take 10 minutes, but it takes a long time to get the oven hot enough, and he might want to make more than one pie.
Jersey Shore Food Truck Wars
I want to go to this so bad!!! My son plays travel baseball and of course we have a tournament that weekend - but I am going to do my best to squeeze this in somehow...
BREVILLE COUNTER TOP SMART TOASTER/CONVECTION OVEN
The unit does get hot. In fact, the manufacturer suggests that the top of the unit can be used a plate warmer.
But as for my kitchen heating up, this unit doesn't affect my kitchen temperature nearly as much as my full-sized range does. That's one of the pluses, imo, especially in the summer.
Are Sub Zero refrigerators worth the price?
Everything you said is true - but people are ALSO allowed to have their opinions about it.
Are Sub Zero refrigerators worth the price?
I'm not arguing about the SZ's functionalty (although it is generally acknowledged that they do not have a good over all repair record, easily verified on line). My argument is that they are vastly over priced for that functionalty and I would never pay it. And I CAN afford it. I choose to spend my money other ways, like on food. And I don't personally need a fridge that will keep food fresh for weeks. I buy what we need for a few days at a time, use it and buy some more. It's a lot cheaper than buying a $6,000 fridge, with potentially VERY expensive repairs in it's future to boot. I need something that will keep food cold, period.
Are Sub Zero refrigerators worth the price?
LOL, not being fooled, 1POINT. My whole point is that I think most people buy stuff like this because of what they think it says to others about their financial situation. I live in the land of McMansions, many of which are nearly empty because the people who bought them can't afford to furnish them. Believe me, I am more than familiar with people who buy stuff they can't really afford. In fact, IMO, that is a very big reason why the country as a whole is in the trouble it's in right now.
Are Sub Zero refrigerators worth the price?
I've never once hooked up the ice makers in any of refrigerators we've ownd that included one, and the reason I don't is because they are constant source of irritation for people and often need repairs. I just don't see how it's a big deal to pop ice cubes out of a tray. (The only reason I buy fridges that have them is it is getting almost impossible to avoid without giving up other features.)
While I have no experience with commercial units, I know lots of people who have had their sub-zero appliances repeatedly repaired - and they almost always have to wait a long time for parts. I just don't see the justification for paying such a ridiculous sum of money for something that is designed to keep food cold.
Of course a lot of people who HAVE spent the money are going to be inclined to bend over backwards to justify the expenditure. It doesn't impress me.
I think a lot of people buy SZ's just so that others will know that you not only have enough money to throw around to buy it but an even bigger wallet with which to fix it.
Are Sub Zero refrigerators worth the price?
I can't believe anyone pays that much for a refrigerator, period. Not unless it came with a heck of a long term warranty that covered everything including labor.
What Food Trend are You So Sick Of?
I make a great homemade mac & cheese - and over the years I've tried some variations (never lobster though) and i've come to the conclusion that I don't like them. Every time I did it, I was sorry I hadn't just made plain old mac & cheese instead. The only variations I bother with anymore are varying the types of cheese it's made from. That's it.
How do you part with Kitchen items that you rarely use?
I've even sold some of my old stuff on Amazon - much less hassle than ebay and no need for direct contact with total strangers. For example, I upgraded from a Donvier Ice Cream Maker hand churn model to a Cuisinart. I sold the Donvier for quite a bit of money on Amazon, which paid for a good chunk of the new machine.
How do you part with Kitchen items that you rarely use?
"...this tool suddenly became very useful."
I do get rid of stuff that I KNOW I will never use again, which usually consists of tools/equipment which were upgraded. But I tend to hold onto stuff that I still like but don't use very often, because I tend to hop around from one kitchen interest to another - and it may be a long time before I find my way back to the particular activity that requires the particular long unused equipment. For example, right now I'm doing a lot of canning, which I just started doing, even though I owned some of the equipment for years and it was going unused - mostly because it took me a long time to work up my courage to get past my fear of processing sealed glass jars in a large pot of boiling water. I go through periods of baking a lot of bread, making ice cream, making pasta, etc., etc., and in between these periods, the stuff sits around unused. But I'm always glad I didn't discard the equipment needed for each particular activity. Fortunately I have a large basement to store much of this equipment in.
Things kids think are "normal" these days...
I grew up in the 70s/80s and I never ate fast food as a child. I mean never - not until I had my driver's license. My parents took us out to eat at good restaurants about once a month or so, we had the occasional chinese take out, and once in a while my mom picked up these awesome sub sandwiches from a local shop - but that was it. Otherwise, everything was prepared at home.
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
buttertart, I couldn't agree more. And I really like Martha's books - they rarely disappoint. I have most of them.
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
I love this sale, I look forward to it ever year and I always make some great finds. And yes, I'm already having fun with my new finds. It's a very rainy day here in NJ - perfect for curling up on the couch with a mug of tea and my new books. While a pot of chicken and veggies cooks on the stove in preparation for tonight's meal of chicken and dumplings - also perfect on a cold, rainy day. :)
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
I've purchased a lot of books from bookcloseouts over the last few years - but I always check Amazon/half.com/bookfinder before I do because I find I can often buy the same book for less from a reseller, even factoring in shipping costs. The very best deals on bookcloseouts are when they have their sales. I've obtained great books for almost nothing during those sales. They take place a few times a year and i believe they will notify you via e-mail if you are on their mailing list. (The reason I'm not sure is because I check the site so frequently, I can't really recall just how it is that I become aware of the sales.)
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
Caitlin, thanks, that's good to know! :)
It looks interesting and informative, and it was brand new. I figured for $2, it was worth a chance.
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
It's that time of year again - my local county library's annual book sale.
This is what I came home with:
$2 each:
The Art of Mexican Cooking, Diane Kennedy
3 volumes of the Good Cook Series: Hors d'Oveuvre, Snacks and Sandwiches, Lamb to add to my collection
Salsas That Cook, Bayless
Flavored Oils - Chiarello
Skewer It - Barber & Whiteford
Herb Mixtures and Spice Blends - Maggie Oster
Louisiana Tastes - Paul Prudhomme
The Key to Chinese Cooking - Kuo (I already owned this one, but for $2 I got a copy in much better condition)
and for $3:
France, The Beautiful Cookbook
I'm very happy with my haul. :)
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
After reading this, I just had to check out that LEON book on Amazon. It sounds like it combines 2 of my passions - great books about food and pop-up/"movable" books. Do I need to add that it's on its way to me and due to be delivered on Friday? Can't wait to see it.
You know you're a foodie ("food nerd", "chow-der", etc.) when.....
Thanks. :)
I was deciding between roasting and a soup and I think I'm going to roast them.
You know you're a foodie ("food nerd", "chow-der", etc.) when.....
I think getting excited over little things like that is one of the secrets to a life well lived and the key to happiness. I myself got similarly excited just the other day because, believe it or not, I've never tasted a sunchoke and I FINALLY found some in a local store. I haven't decided what to do with them just yet - but it makes me happy just knowing they're sitting in my fridge.
Gettysburg
We were just in Gettysburg and had dinner one night at La Bella Italia. I had a stromboli - and was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I live in NJ in an area with a lot of great pizza places with very good strombolis - and that stromboli was one of the best I have ever had.
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
Thank you! That explains it. :)
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition! [old]
"Keep in mind that since Ripe is simply the American edition of Tender"
Hmm, that's interesting, because Amazon.com is describing "Ripe" as the sequel to "Tender" and even the cover of the book mention that Slater is the author of "Tender". My impression is that Tender is about vegetable-based recipes etc., and Ripe is about fruit-based recipes etc.
A depressing ripoff mistake
*Shrug*
What can I tell you except that it doesn't say very much for the tastes of a whole lot of people in the Bay area.
Good Eats near Stanhome Way, Orlando
Thanks, he figured that out & ate most of his meals there. He's home now, though. :)
Tacos Cancun-- Lambertville
We ate at El Tule a few weeks ago - and it was the worst restaurant meal we have had in about 16 years. I posted at length about it elsewhere but suffice to say, we will not be going back there.
