pax

I have given up all hope of feeding my kid. She eats to her own drummer. It's all about texture for her, and tangy savoury as opposed to sweet. Pickle peanut butter sandwiches? Ok, kid, have at it. Lemons diped in yoghurt? Ok kid, pucker on. At six, she in finally able to put together her own terrible combinations of food, and she dictates to me, the short order cookie, how she wants her things cooked. Since she is mostly about crispy veggies dipped in just about anything, incudling stuff that makes *my* mouth hurt, I've let her have at it. She's healthy and growing normally, too bright for her own good. She knows how to make sandwiches, scrambled eggs, warm tinned soup, make toast, and popcorn in the air popper, with supervision.

Isn't that funny, I dislike TCM's lay out. In an effort not to get sucked into the hair potions and face lotions with my teen, I hurry up the rest of the groceries, and then inevitable forget to go back and swipe up the shampoo. If I leave her in the potions aisle at TCM, there is all kinds of stuff between me and her, and the door is on the other side entirely. If I let her drift in the beauty aisle of MOM's, I am between her and the exit, which makes me way more comfortable. She's at that age, you know, where she's desperate for some glop to make her beautiful. I keep telling her the only way to make herself truly beautiful is to be happy. She thinks maybe glop is easier. We reached a compromise on cruelty-free organics so I lke to let her dream. Also, when I fill up on my normal weekly stuff, with appropriate substitutions for brands carried, etc, I do better for my money at MOM's. But I am way, way bummed about mising my little bit of bread and butter. Crazy, isn't it? I hate the parking at Proof's and having to get there at day break to get anything. *grand theatrical sigh* Way bummed. *sniffle*

We moved up from Bethesda, where we went to the MOM's in White Flint, and I waited for a whole YEAR for you guys to open up in Frederick! Whooohooo! I was disappointed when I went in the other morning to find the Springs Mills section being dismantled. I love their cinnamon twist bread for french toast. What are you putting in that space?

I raised the lamb myself. It's free, and sitting in my freezer. It needs a job. I reckon if people think it's an odd choice, they can contribute their own entree.

I've got two legs of lamb in the freezer. I've never cooked lamb. I need to clean out my freezer...what would you all say to leg of lamb for Christmas dinner? And what would you serve with it? Normally I do a roast bird...goose or turkey or duck. This would be an adventure.

A loaf of crusty bread. A palatte of cheeses. Sun warm, vine ripened tomatos. Sweet onions. Course salt. A basil plant at hand. On George Clooney's Lake Como balcony. At sunset. Red wine. A girl can dream. There was a nice interview with the author of this book on KCRW's Good Food. It's a free podcast on iTunes, the episode from 10/27.

Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven $4.99 How to Read a French Fry, by Russ Parsons $4.99 Sheila Lukin’s All Around the World $5.99 (who could leave it for $5.99, I mean, really?) From My Mexican Kitchen, Diana Kennedy...$7.99 All in like new condtion, because in addition to used books this place does a lot of close out. I have been itching to get my hands on Vegetable Heaven, the others are just a bonus. I cruise on in there every once in a while hoping to score a Rose Levy Berenbaum (sp?).

Oh dear Rockwellians, I have left my introduction too late. I found you all some monthes ago and lurked happily, guzzling up ideas and suggestions and some yummy calories. I finally started posting recently and really enjoying this place and this week my husband came home and told me he'd been offered a buy out and an early retirement. He's taking it and we are bugging out of here as early as January. Washington has been good to us. Thanks for all the fun, and if any of you know anyhting about Brattleboro, VT, please feel free to contact me or start a thread, if Don doesn't mind. Slan!

*timidly raises hand* May I just put in a plug here for your local shelter? When it gets cold they often have extra tummies to fill. If you don't know where your local shelter is, try any house of worship/faith, they would be able to tell you.

What is triple spacing and why is it bad? I can't promise not to do it if I don't know what it is.

"Incest and Morris Dancing" by Jonathan Meades. Here is a synopsis from Amazon: "This book is the work of 15 years: weekly restaurant columns in "The Times" and over 100 weeks spent in provincial British hotels. Meades, more than any other British food writer, has tried everything and everywhere once and this book is the record of that gravy-stained odyssey. It isn't always pretty but it is the authoritative record of the alleged British gastronomic revolution of the past 20 years. But much more than that, this is a treasure trove of Meades's singular and audacious prose, a heady mix of acute social observation, architectural and topographical commentary, deep satirical humour and an unshakeable commitment to telling the truth, whatever the consequences."

The first time I went to Luke's I had a fabulous pizza. Since then, my experience has been the same as yours. Sad.

I can't give you food advice but I can give you trailer advice, because I drive a dually and a 40 foot horse trailer all the freaking time. Banks on weekends are THE place to park your trailer. Grocery stores are a good second. I would check Holly Eats or the Road Food people's web site, too. When I was a little kid, my mother took me and my pony to a horse show in her new trailer for the first time. At the gate, the guy said, "Just go around here, lady, and back it in there." "Oh," says she, "I don't back up." (I do.)

S'funny, I'd have thought that the repeated steamings would kill off any nasty little buggers. I can see congealed egg getting stuck and wreaking havoc, though.

I am in awe. I can't even get espresso out of the thing half the time and you're serving a complete breakfast.

I am craving a good hot dog. Fried, soft but buttery toasted bun, yellow mustard, small diced raw onion. It's nice if there are good fries, too. Medium handcut and extra crispy. You know, not that I want perfection or anything.. This is a rare treat for me so don't worry about salt, fat, grease, et al. No veggie dogs. Nothing with chicken. I want it down and dirty. I want to feel my arteries chug for a couple of hours. ETA: I would not snub red onion sauce like you see in the NY area.

There is a reason we have a fire extinguisher at every cooking appliance we own. The only rule I've made for myself is never ever to fry anything. Other than that, cook on!

Brand new at the Williams Sonoma outlet in Leesburg. They only have "Williams Sonoma Green" left, which is more kelly than forest, but for $249, I can live with it cheerfully. And there were only 3 or 4 left on the floor.

I just turned my lap top upside down. Thanks for the heads up, I'm going down there today and I'll give it a shot. Mexican is just about my favourite. No, maybe Indian. No, maybe Italian. Eh, today I guess it's Mexican. Cheers quote name='Lydia R' date='Oct 30 2007, 10:45 PM' post='92875'] [[ I realize the menu is scanned upside down - I'll fix in the AM ]]

I went into the one in Frederick and the theme is cute and all, and would make a great destination spot on the Boardwalk or on a holiday, I just don't see it being my sinful doughnut of choice. And I think it's odd not to have cashed in on the coffee crazy with something really nice.. I mean, who doesn't want great coffee with their doughnut? Also, the location is in a strip mall which is a bit seedy looking. The Atomic Hot Dog place next to the Prune has been closed and had paper over it's windows for a year. Meh. I really wanted to love it.

Ginger-carrot-pineapple juice blended with ice for a smoothie and Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies, which is the most unromantic name going for these little chocolate oatie drops of chewy goodness. I think she should change the name and I'll take my royalties in a copy of all of her books. And uh....thoushallsnack's Latke Crisps. Yeah, it's that sweet and salty spicy thing happening.

PIZZA! Let them cut up their veggies for toppings and arrange it all. You might want to check with their Mom that the scary bit when the Army puts ET in the tent won't be too much for them. It looks like he dies, remember?

Hot air popped popcorn, with enough butter to coat but not to pool, Spike, and nutritional yeast. Oh baby.

I stopped by there recently for lunch with a friend. It certainly cured my pizza jones. I had a sausage and onion pie that was out of this world. The service was a little stiff but once I got the kids to crack a smile, they were really wonderful. The space is inviting. Big tummy rubs from me.

Thanks! (and bump!)