Heather

Are you f&*%ing kidding me?

Order the pineapple upside-down cake.

Is the new menu online? I couldn't find it - we're going for dinner on Friday night with friends and I wanted a preview.

We'll already be there for an early dinner.

I've taken my pop there several times. It's nice, but nothing that will knock your socks off.

CAtherine Plagemann book is wonderful but not for beginners. Try The Joy of Pickling, Preserving the Harvest and the Ball Blue Book (which is not actually Blue anymore ), which is published by the folks who make the jars. I am canning blueberry jam, strawberry jam, pickled peaches, vidalia relish, pear/sour cherry chutney, pickled dilly green beans, hot pickled carrots, Indian spiced cauliflower, and sour cherry preserves. And this might be the year I make my own catsup.

Mike are you canning or freezing the preserves? I have not picked up Mes Confitures yet. It's on the list. Do you have Fine Preserving by Catherine Plagemann? It's worth picking up if you can find it used. On topic: Dinner tonight is steak on the grill, corn on the cob, and haricots vert with vinaigrette. Some Jadot Morgon - Bellevue? - or another picked up at Sutton Place a while back.

I would but I'm heading to Meriweather Post Pavilion tonight. Anyone have any recs near there for snacks and drinks?

Joe, what recipe do you use?

Jennifer, did anyone at Dupont have sour cherries yet? I want to put up some sour cherry preserves this year.

Addie's isn't exactly close. Jean Michel, or that spinoff of Geppettos (can't recall the name...Oak something?) might be what you're looking for. Or if you don't mind the mall ambiance there's Legal Seafood at Montgomery Mall - but if you go absolutely stick to the simply prepared.

And Breadline sandwiches don't hold a candle to eating tuna fish sandwiches (made with Hellman's ) with Lay's potato chips while watching my kids experience the beach for the first time. Context...

Same here. Real mayonnnaise was gross until I got to cooking school and had to make it. The estimable Mr. Dente said it best. If it tasted good, why get offended? BFD.

I grew up on the stuff because it's what my dad grew up using. My dad's family was from the OK panhandle (moved from the "dust bowl" to LA), and MW was more popular that mayonnaise there - probably because it was cheaper. My mom was in the mayo camp but bowed to dad's preferences because that is what one did in the early 60's. I don't use it a lot, but certain things just taste like "home" with it. It certainly doesn't keep me up at night wondering about my "foodie" cred.

Thanks everyone, good suggestions. Nadya, I like the way you think.

Didn't make your own pasta? On a weeknight? After working all day? How dare you! Funny about the cookbook. I much prefer the Babbo book - gave Simple Italian Food away.

Thanks for the report. We have reservations on the 18th and I am really looking forward to it. Can you talk about the wines a little?

Cross posted on eG... We're leaving the kids in the 'burbs with my mom and have booked a room at the Westin Embassy Row for the weekend of 6/17-19. In addition to sleeping in and ordering room service for breakfast we have a goal of eating several good meals. Dinner on Saturday night will be at Corduroy, and Friday we will probably hit Firefly for drinks. Citronelle would be an obvious choice but we're saving that for my birthday in July. We're considering several options for Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, and Sunday brunch - among them 2 Amy's for lunch and BdC for brunch. We will have a car, but would prefer to cab, metro or stumble back to the hotel. Any other suggestions? We might just skip a formal dinner friday and ramble around. (Not food related but worth mentioning: I booked the hotel through hotwire.com. What an incredible bargain.)

Guess we won't be bringing the kids that night!

Bill, that omelet looks delicious. After gorging at the picnic yesterday all I had room for was some nonfat Total yogurt with a handful of walnuts and a drizzle of honey. On the menu tonight - spaghetti with Italian sausage and meatballs. Mmmmmmmm.

We left after the kids were good and sugared up. The highlight was the ventworm cake, but the pork (both kinds), chicken skewers, sausages, salads, ice cream, cupcakes, cheeses, wine, and brownies were great too. The company wasn't too bad either. We should do it again sometime.

And is music verboten?

We have lots of plastic cutlery, napkins, cups and plates. I will throw it in the car along with trash bags.

There's cookie dough chilling, and I'm off to the store for orzo. Should I pick up a case of water?

We will be amply stocked with kid beverages (for ours and others' ) - water and lemonade most likely. We'd be happy to throw a 12 pack of sodas in the car too if need be.