With nonchain places, you can often get better, more
individual food; on the other hand, you might get
uninspired or incompetent cooking or even stuff out
of the freezer or a boil-in-bag.

As with most any place, unless you know the cooks and cooking, you take
your chances. Especially when in an area where you're just passing thru;

If there's any ambiguity, I make my wishes
explicitly known, and usually a competent kitchen
can accommodate me. Once in a while, though,
there's nothing to be done.

those times you've no idea at all of where a good place to eat is. We'd
been reccommended another place, just up the street but they were closed
on Mondays. Tried Kim's and I think we'd go back if we are in the area
again.

Nice to find a place that suits - one of those
small triumphs of life.

In such a setting crowded is good, though I've
had excellent food in nearly deserted places.

We figured that the crowd would indicate a good place to eat. (G) Had we
come in a few minutes later, it would have been a lot emptier of
patrons.

their problem, not mine - it's not a restaurant,
after all. Most often, one dominant flavor is
good for me (it's most often the protein, which
gets center stage and all the spotlights).

After all, that's what most people are most interested in.

That's pretty much all I'm interested in
most of the time.

Depends on what's with it as far as I'm concerned.

I like to focus.

Buyer beware? Actually, buyer be smart so as not to get

fooled. > ML> Problem is that cheating is so easy, and

detecting it shouldn't be a full-time job
or require special expertise.

Shouldn't have to be but it is.

Which is where (to skate close to the edge of
politics) government watchdogship comes in handy.

Big Brother is watching you!

Which can be scary, but when Big Brother watches
the proper folks, we can benefit.

megabusiness hiding behind every supermarket (just
that term alone conjures up megabusiness) shelf. I

I know it's there.

Doesn't it spook you sometimes?

It can creep me out if I let it. Most of the time I try not to think
about it.

I can't help it sometimes.

I've bought them a few times, but have also bought other brands.I've also grown my own tomatoes for canning or bought from local farmers

for > the same purpose.
It's the Italian brands (the honest ones,
anyway) that consistently outshine fresh
domestic in the flavor and sweetness
departments.

So which ones do you consider honest and why do you consider others as dishonest?

When they say San Marzano, they really should
be from there. One can tell the difference by
taste, though I imagine technologists can fake
things pretty effectively. Cento is the brand
I've always used, as the best balance between
price and quality; and if they're unavailable,
I try to use Redpack (American plum tomatoes).

The New Yorker says that Driscoll has
plantings in 21 countries. This year I've had
berries from Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and now
the US.

I think I've just had US (Florida) ones this year.

It would seem that our domestic ones have
been from California, naturally.

At least they're a bit of protein, even if the taste isn't great. A

bit > of hot sauce or salsa will help the eggs, don't know what might enhance > the sausage.
If I'm desperately hungry and short of money and/or
dinner plans, I'll put that same hot sauce or salsa
on those sausages chopped into the hash browns. Not
much to crow about but fills the belly.

That's one way to add a bit of flavor, and fill the belly.

It really burns me to pay for "free"
breakfast whose cost is actually folded into
the price, even though it's just a couple
bucks extra. It's not unlike the situation
if you went on an all-inclusive cruise or
tour, and they served complimentary booze.
Wouldn't you chafe at that?

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.01

Title: Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
Categories: Pasta, Italian
Yield: 4 servings

1 lb Spaghetti 4 ea Ripe Plum Tomatoes
3 tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 ea Fresh Basil Leaves
1/4 c Chopped Onions 1 tb Fresh Italian Parsley
1 ea Whole Clove of Garlic 1 tb Capers
2 ea Anchovy Fillets 12 ea Pitted Black Olives
1 ea Fresh Chili Pepper 1 x Reggiano Parmigiano
cheese

If fresh tomatoes are not available, use canned Italian San Marzano
tomatoes. Use 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes if chili pepper are not
available.
Cook spaghetti in large pot of salted water until 'al dente'.
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan and saute onions and garlic
until onions soften. Add anchovies, chili pepper, tomatoes, chopped
basil,
parsley, and capers. Stir and cook gently for 8 minutes.
Discard garlic clove, add olives, and cook just until heated. Serve hot
over hot cooked spaghetti. Trim with fresh basil and freshly grated
Reggiano Parmigiano cheese.
Serves 4.
By Chef Antonio Richichi of Ristorante Da Vinci.
From The Gazette, 91/02/06.

-----
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.DOCSPLACE.ORG (1:123/140)

Hi Michael,

With nonchain places, you can often get better, more
individual food; on the other hand, you might get
uninspired or incompetent cooking or even stuff out
of the freezer or a boil-in-bag.

As with most any place, unless you know the cooks and cooking, you

take > your chances. Especially when in an area where you're just
passing thru;

If there's any ambiguity, I make my wishes
explicitly known, and usually a competent kitchen
can accommodate me. Once in a while, though,
there's nothing to be done.

Just have to suppfer thru it. I usually make special requests known--no
egg on my salad at TR, dressing on the side, water with lemon, etc.
Usually easy enough to accomodate requests but every so often, a bit of
an "odd" one, tho most often can be worked thru by a competent kitchen.
That is, if the wait person writes it down properly.

those times you've no idea at all of where a good place to eat is.

We'd > been reccommended another place, just up the street but they
were closed > on Mondays. Tried Kim's and I think we'd go back if we
are in the area > again.

Nice to find a place that suits - one of those
small triumphs of life.

Considering we saw a lot of fast food places on our way in, it was a
nice surprise to come across this place.

In such a setting crowded is good, though I've
had excellent food in nearly deserted places.

We figured that the crowd would indicate a good place to eat. (G)

Had we > come in a few minutes later, it would have been a lot emptier
of

patrons.

their problem, not mine - it's not a restaurant,
after all. Most often, one dominant flavor is
good for me (it's most often the protein, which
gets center stage and all the spotlights).

After all, that's what most people are most interested in.

That's pretty much all I'm interested in
most of the time.

Depends on what's with it as far as I'm concerned.

I like to focus.

I try to balance carbs/proteins, meats/veggies most of the time.
Starches are usually lower down on choices as they're high carb.

Shouldn't have to be but it is.

Which is where (to skate close to the edge of
politics) government watchdogship comes in handy.

Big Brother is watching you!

Which can be scary, but when Big Brother watches
the proper folks, we can benefit.

Just have to make sure his eyes are properly focused.

megabusiness hiding behind every supermarket (just
that term alone conjures up megabusiness) shelf. I

I know it's there.

Doesn't it spook you sometimes?

It can creep me out if I let it. Most of the time I try not to think about it.

I can't help it sometimes.

Agreed.

It's the Italian brands (the honest ones,
anyway) that consistently outshine fresh
domestic in the flavor and sweetness
departments.

So which ones do you consider honest and why do you consider others

as > dishonest?

When they say San Marzano, they really should
be from there. One can tell the difference by
taste, though I imagine technologists can fake
things pretty effectively. Cento is the brand
I've always used, as the best balance between
price and quality; and if they're unavailable,
I try to use Redpack (American plum tomatoes).

OK, I've used Cento off and on; it hasn't always been available where
we've been.

The New Yorker says that Driscoll has
plantings in 21 countries. This year I've had
berries from Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and now
the US.

I think I've just had US (Florida) ones this year.

It would seem that our domestic ones have
been from California, naturally.

For you, yes. We'll be getting NC berries shortly.

If I'm desperately hungry and short of money and/or
dinner plans, I'll put that same hot sauce or salsa
on those sausages chopped into the hash browns. Not
much to crow about but fills the belly.

That's one way to add a bit of flavor, and fill the belly.

It really burns me to pay for "free"
breakfast whose cost is actually folded into
the price, even though it's just a couple
bucks extra. It's not unlike the situation

I'd rather pay for something I can eat than not pay for something that's
so carb loaded that I couldn't eat any more carbs the rest of the day.

if you went on an all-inclusive cruise or
tour, and they served complimentary booze.
Wouldn't you chafe at that?

I'd turn down the booze, even if I had to pay for a soft drink or water.

---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net FIDO 1:396/45.28


... If you think you are confused now, wait until I explain it!

--- PPoint 3.01
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