thistle

I'll be coming, w/ 3 kids (11 & 14), an out of town guest, & possibly my spouse, so that ups our headcount right there. Still planning on bringing picnic type accoutrements-canopy, camp stove, prep tables, coolers, etc. & food contributions to be determined...Thistle/Linda

I second this-I have 6 EBs (5 for tomatoes, 1 for peppers) & I would not garden w/ out them. The large water reservoir lets you go for 2 days w/out watering, if your tomatoes were in the ground, you'd be watering 2x/day. This year, I don't have a huge variety in my EBs-just Sungold, Beefmaster, & Supersweet 100s. I have mucho nacho jalapenoes & habaneros in the pepper box. I try to cover my butt & plant extra tomatoes & peppers out in the garden beds, & herbs-vietnamese coriander, thai basil, fennel -all my rosemary, thyme overwintered. Hoping to get my garden mojo back & plant alot more stuff for this season...

Love the new commercial, regular folks dancing around, sometimes I wish I had got a Weber grill, but I love my cut price Camp Chef stove-got a childs' bday party coming up this weekend, don't know that I'm confident enough to grill, but I do have that super-cute world market pig grill, maybe s'mores?

Last night's dinner was a very basic version of a bean dish-pink beans, soaked overnight, cooked the next day w/ some leftover sauerkraut & bratwurst- a bit salty, but really good...

I'm also relieved that agm is volunteering to roast a pig-I've brought smoked pork to a few picnics, but since my smoker's broken, I don't have the patience for overnight oven or crockpot roasting (& it's just not the same). This is an opportunity to celebrate a properly roasted pig, while bringing side dishes that will complement the pork. I'm close to Ft. Hunt & can bring a canopy, a camp stove (for folks who want to cook onsite), a water cooler-food to be determined a little later (I'm thinking about it). I'm REALLY looking forward to the picnic, despite the fact that I'll be coming in from a sleep study & leaving for a lacrosse game...Thistle/Linda

I really miss the Bozzelli's that was in the Ft. Belvoir Home & Garden Center- I used to stop by & get the perfect cheese sub, loads of cheese, lettuce, tomato-I'd order it plain & go home & slap on my own salsa/mayo-the place that replaced it is lame, they don't have any kind of cheese sub....actually eating almost anywhere on post is kind of bad, although to be fair, I haven't tried the lunch buffets at the gold course or the officers' club...

My first visit to Eve today (although I've wanted to go for ages). I had hoped to hit the 'Lickedty-Split' lunch w/ a friend, but we got there at noon, & it was already full, so we dined in the bistro. We both got cocktails (I had some absolutely perfect rum drink w/ tamarind & she was more adventurous & got something w/ cynar & pickled apples). We split an app of the papri chat (which was REALLY good), I got the seafood chowder (great, but a little salty) & once again, she was adventurous & tried the sweetbreads (I had a taste & quite liked it). We were both too full for dessert, & while it was a bit more than I would usually spend for lunch, it was totally worth it-it was nice escaping the '+ kids' dining, I felt like such a grownup, the service was excellent, & it was great to catch up with a friend in a relaxed atmosphere. I'm definitely going back (I'll be there a bit earlier for the bar) & kudos to the staff, for making us feel pampered...

I'm sure everyone's looking forward to summer grilling (it feels like summer already)-I picked up a really cute grill yesterday, a terracotta pig, at World Market, it's small, 18" w/ a 6 x 8" grilling area-it looks like a sweet tabletop grill for apps or sides, & heck, if it doesn't work as a grill, I'll use it as a planter, it was quite inexpensive. I looked for a pic on their website, but couldn't find it, it was packaged so well, that I bet if you dropped it out of an airplane, it would be fine-it was fun getting it unwrapped. I heard a rumor, from a friend, that the Smitty's Hardware on Rt. 1 (which is close to me) was sold to a Korean company & that they might put in an H-mart. I would love it, if that happened-I trekked over to the H-mart in Annandale today, probably less than 20 miles from me, but it took 45 minutes to get there. I have to admit, I'm getting kind of tired of living in the hinterlands...

I'm trying not to look at this thread, because it makes me want to get a new knife (& I don't need any more)-but, if you want to browse online, here's a great site-ChefsKnivesToGo-I haven't ordered from them (yet), but Mark is a regular on Knifeforums (check out 'In the Kitchen') & they now offer out of the box sharpening by Dave Martell JKS. They have a great assortment, not just Japanese knives (although they're my favorites). I was trying to tell my son the other day, when he wanted to get a new lacrosse shaft & head, that it's the skills that make the player, not the equipment-he quickly came back & asked why I had so many knives....

Yes, it will- I totally agree with Dave's advice. I have a 210 Togiharu Inox & it's been a workhorse, as well as a joy to use. Japanese knives generally have harder steel & will hold an edge better. Korin is great to order from & I'd love to have had the opportunity to take an in store sharpening session (I have the DVD, it's very helpful-you're welcome to borrow it, as well as any stones to test out). The Togiharu 1/4K stone is really all you'd need.

well, color me ecstatic-someone else is taking charge of the concession stand-all I have to do is show up, w/ stuff-aside from a brief moment, when I dreamed of astounding everyone w/ my catered creations, I really had no clue, so this is all for the best...

I wondered about that myself, coach said he would check w/ youth league commissioner, I definitely want it to be legal & approved...

Yeah, right when I started to get all sorts of grandiose ideas about home-cooked goodies, my darling child told me I was 'getting too involved' & unless I wanted to be in charge, to back off. He said the best things would be drinks-gatorade, water, & packaged stuff like chips, sunflower seeds, chewy granola bars...so now, I'm trying to hit the middle line (the thing is, I don't think anyone else has a clue either, so we're flying blind)...

My son is a high school freshman, playing lacrosse, & his coach put out a request, asking if anyone would run a small concession stand at the Sat. scrimmage this weekend-despite knowing nothing, I volunteered (?!)-the coach just mentioned chips & drinks, I'm thinking the easiest stuff would be those, plus hot dogs (w/ condiments), maybe chili (frito pies, meat & veggie chili), plus easy stuff like candy(cracker jacks) & sunflower seeds-I have plenty of gear-tent, tables, coolers, camp stove, basic knowledge of sanitation (handwashing station & lots of sanitizer), any ideas, hints, things to watch out for? Personally, I'd like to add healthy stuff like fruit, but realistically, knowing my son (& assuming these other kids are like him), they just want sustenance, carb-heavy, forget healthy...

I like Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking, The Breath of a Wok-Grace Young, China Moon Cookbook-Barbara Tropp, & Fragrant Harbor Taste-Ken Hom. I also have the other Fuchsia Dunlop book, but I don't believe I've cooked anything from it yet.

I really enjoyed reading the details of what you ate on your trip. I haven't had the opportunity to travel a great deal & I've always wondered if I'm missing out by getting local versions of various cuisines (my favorites-Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese(I think I was Asian in a previous life), Mexican, & German & Belgian beers), but maybe not-I do feel fortunate to live in this area & have the opportunity to sample so many different cuisines. I hope you enjoyed your trip, I would love to visit Vietnam someday...

We used to visit the one in Alexandria before it closed for my guilty pleasure-taco pizza! Somehow, surrounded by carousel horses, flotsam & jetsam, it didn't seem too bad...

Ran in here quite early today for some takeout chow-don't think I ordered properly. The yaki mandoo (I'm using their menu spellings) were very good, no problems there, but I got bokkum bap (fried rice) & it wasn't quite what I expected-a big scoop of white rice, a big scoop of japchae, & a serving of bulgogi beef, w/ a few shredded carrots. The beef was mild (I was hoping for a little heat, so I dumped on the spicy dipping sauce from the mandoo), it was good (hungry teenager polished off what I didn't eat), but not really fried rice. I should have gotten the bibimbap...

Met a friend for lunch yesterday, we were meeting halfway, she was coming from further south, so I had to find a place in Woodbridge. Sight unseen, I picked Siam bistro-it turned out to be a lovely lunch with an old friend & a perfectly serviceable thai meal. We both had lunch specials, which were reasonably priced ($7 soup/salad, or spring roll, & entree)-I had the tom yum soup & chicken pad kra-pow, my friend had the salad & chicken pad cee eww (funny how everyone spells it differently). The soup had chicken slices that were slightly too large, but lots of straw mushrooms, the pad kapow was good, not agressively spiced, a moderate lunch size. I thought the tea was weak (got a pot & let it steep forever). We arrived early, shortly after 11, by the time we left, the place was full. While it's not my favorite Thai restaurant (I love Thai Cafe near the Springfield mall), it's a solid lunch choice in Woodbridge.

It's funny, how cats are about mice. I've had other cats, that have brought me 'presents' in bed, in my cottage in NC-this cat, my latest, while almost being the perfect cat, shows no interest in mice. She knows they're here, sits beside the DW, sniffs them out, but is not going to exterminate them for me...

Anna, I read your previous thread & I hope it doesn't come to that-I'm realistic, I know they're here, I'll put out traps & call in an exterminator, but if it comes down to finishing mice that are in traps that aren't dead, I'm going to wuss out. Yes, my cat is old & not interested in catching the mice-I've had cats for a long time & most of them just want to play w/ mice, maybe bat them around a bit. I've already put in place a tupperware system for the pantry, for beans & rice. My biggest problem is the large bag of jasmine rice, I've raised it off the floor on a thai rice steaming pot, hoping the mice can't climb...& I've got an exterminator coming tomorrow.

Well, they're not humane traps like Havaharts, catch them live, release them a mile from your house traps, they're 'humane' in that they kill them quick, electrocute them-I got a Victor electronic mouse trap & an Agri Zap Rat Zapper classic. I hope they work. I will probably also call in a professional exterminator, just because my DH will not be convinced they're vanquished, unless we call in the pros. I feel really bad about zapping helpless fieldmice, I just wish I could get them to go back outside...

This is embarassing, but surely I can't be the only one-I have mice in my house. I understand it, it's cold, they want food, I hate to kill anything, but I don't want to share my space w/ mice- hanta virus, other icky stuff....I've ordered some 'humane' electronic mice zappers from Amazon, I've totally cleaned out my pantry (I think my daughter's sunflower seeds were the lure, but there were droppings everywhere-yuck!) & wiped it down w/ spearmint oil (I've heard mice hate peppermint oil, didn't have any, but I have lots of spearmint oil, let's hope they hate that, too). I'm going to check every spot in my kitchen, where there might be a hole-behind the sink, dw, stove, frig, & plug it w/ steel wool (I've tried tinfoil, but that doesn't seem to be effective), & liberally apply spearmint oil. Right now, my kitchen REEKS of spearmint oil, but I don't want mice, & my cat is totally unconcerned . Any other ideas? (sorry if this grosses anyone out, I'm just trying to deal w/ this)

I had lunch today w/ a friend at Katana. Sushi is not something I crave, like Mexican or Thai food, I think sometimes it's too subtle for my aging palate, but this was perfect today. It's a small, nicely decorated restaurant, service was quite polished (when we arrived, we were the only patrons, the staff outnumbered us by a bit, it did fill up as lunch went on). I had a Business Lunch #B-6 pcs. california roll, 3 pcs. special roll (I believe it was spicy tuna w/ crunch), 1 each-salmon, yellowtail, tuna, white tuna, eel, & shrimp nigiri sushi. The menu said it came w/ soup or salad, but we got both, miso soup was especially hot & appetizing. I think this is the first time I've understood why the term 'buttery' is frequently used to describe sushi-the fish was excellent, just the right size (I don't know alot about sushi, but I can appreciate good knife work). The rice was very good as well, not dry or moist, just right. The only thing I question is how did the California roll become so popular as a menu mainstay? I think next time, I'd like to try some a la carte sushi, but the lunch menu is a great deal at $9.95...

The kids FINALLY went back to school today, after a 2 hr. delay. Can someone explain to me why last night was the only time we've had a plow on our road?-a little late, if you ask me... To recover from my snow servitude, I got a takeout order from Viet House today-Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup) & Cha Gio (spring rolls). The spring rolls were a little greasy, next time, I'll try the summer rolls, but the pho was just what I needed. Ample noodles, sliced white meat chicken, sliced white onions, chopped green onions, container of pho broth, bag of culantro, bean sprouts, thai basil, small containers of nuoc cham? & plum sauce? No sriracha or limes, but those are something we always have on hand here. I brought it home & polished off about a quarter of it, teenage son got home & devoured the rest (well, aside from some onions, herbs, & bean sprouts, I'll have to throw those in a stirfry). I haven't had pho in a while, but this has reawakened my craving for it (great for this time of year). To celebrate my release from snow bondage, I plan on hitting Hunan Deli tomorrow for some bimbimbap & mandu, & I'm having lunch on Thursday, w/ a friend, at Katana, a Japanese restaurant on Telegraph Rd., near Hayfield. --- Oops, editing my post, I found a tiny chunk of lime & some jalapeno slices hiding under the huge mound of bean sprouts, & I think the cup that had hoisin like sauce had some sriracha underneath it....