Soup

Finally a vietnamese place close to home. Driving to EC (and parking there) is a hastle on a weeknight. Went last week and had a decent meal at Viet Royal. They have 1/2 price crab and shrimp dish. I have my spots for pho and bun mi there. Anyone have a good spot for rice noodle bowl (don't know what it is called) that comes with couple of skewers meat on top. Served with Nak Cham. This is not pho. It does not a noodle soup dish.

I believe there is a stomach thing going around. The worst lasts about 24 hours. Nausea, fever, stomach cramps, gas and other issues... I had it and I didn't want to eat anything. I did coke, crackers and tylenol. Got it sunday evening, worst was Monday and by Wednesday the worst had pass but man was I tired. My first meal was soup (light chicken broth).

Went to the beach rented a large house with 3 other families. 7 adults and 7 kids. We were actually trying to eat on the cheap but it turned out that we spent $40 per family in total food cost for the week. We never went out to eat because no one wanted to get back in the car. We loaded up at the beginning at costco and I ended cooking a lot. I made a huge pot of lentils and also a huge pot of blk beans. Went over welll with everyone. Lots of salads and very little meat. Also did a make your own pizza night and pasta night. I can't seem to do the same thing at home, however....

Super H, EE Mart, El Grande etc. Any of the korean places have them fairly regularly.

Can you be a specific on location?

I just pick some of that up on Monday. It was about $9/lb. Not cheap but I suppose you get what you pay for.

Try the korean cold cucumber soup recipe. http://www.youtube.com/user/Maangchi. Not exactly the recipe I use but pretty close. The stuff is pretty darn good.

Last couple of times I bought ribs to use for korean BBQ from Lotte or Super H have been dissappointing. The quality or the amount of meat on the LA style (I think it is called flaken cut) was not that good. I've notices they also "hide" the really poor cuts on the bottom. I want to do korean BBQ this weekend. Where can I source the best ribs for korean BBQ? BTW, I've also been curious, which is the primal I would by for korean BBQ if I wanted to try to butcher myself? Soup

I saw in the wegman flier that they are selling irradiated hamburger (come in a plastic tube). Anyone try it. Is it safe. Has anyone tried it? I would love to be able to cook my burgers rare but haven't had a rare burger since I was in middle school. I still remember eating a bit a raw beef when the burgers were being made but I don't think i can take that chance with regular ground beef these days.

Love to hear about your experience. What does it cost, where did you get it, what kind of breed, how was it raised? What cuts and how much did you get? Did you just get sick of beef after awhile.

Do dried ones work the same way?

I found some appricots at TJs today. They were a special variety that I've never seen nor had before. I wish I could remember the name but they were yellow not orange. Without hyperbole, they were the best appricots I've ever had. Sweet and so juicy that each and everyone had juice running down my arms. For 6 or so, it cost $3.99. I highly recommend them. Found at TJ @ LRT and pickett.

You can find them in ee marts and super H (dried and fresh). Fava is the one bean I don't like. Maybe I don't know how to cook them. I find the outer covering on the bean (not the pod) very tough. Should I be removing them. For having such a tough and rubbery skin, it also seems to have less fiber and taste. All other beans, rock. Eat more beans...

What cut of pork do you use? BTW, anyone ever do the roast pig (with that awesome crispy skin)?

I've been there a number of times. It was a god send when my son was at Inova Fairfax. I believe the quality is a bit better then Kam Sam in annandale but Kam Sam charges $4.50 (around there) and I think they have a bit more variety. However, neither place can hold a candle to the Kam Sam lunch/prepared food counter in Rockville. I was there on friday and the choices are so much better and the quality far superior. For rice and choice of 3 dishes for $4.75, it is the best lunch deal in the DC area. Unfortunately, it is a long way to drive from Annandale and I only now get to stop by if I'm in the area. But if I'm anywhere near rockville, I make it a point. BTW, how is maxim for the equivalent stuff? Soup

I've owned national and jiroshi (sp?). Both are fine and have lasted a long time and do a fine job with all the varieties of rice I cook (e.g., asian short grain, basmati, long grain, wild rice, barley). I've paid around $100 for the last one I picked up at Super H.

That is too bad. However, we have the great wall and some of the korean places come close enough to the main things I need.

Are there these type of setup a little closer to NOVA then Germantown or Baltimore? I remember seeing them in woodbridge/lorton area when I was really young but that was during the nixon administration.

Heard a radio commerical for it on the drive home. Anyone ever been? How is the food?

Saravana (south indian) for sunday buffet. The best masala dosas I've had. Really amazing. Rice sucked. Are any indian places using quality basmati anymore? I don't think this was basmati. Pakoras were excellent. Lentils was really good and the turnips were excellents. 99% indian clientle, the spice level was turned up more for indian palet and the food for the most part was really good. One interesting thing was when a dish was finished, they replaced it with a different one. So we got to try more than the dishes that were on the buffet. The dessert variety was good. They also had this one items, don't know what its called but I saw anthony bordain eating it in the bombay NRs. A mixture of crispy fried stuff with some veggies. Looked pretty interesting but by the time I went through the buffet 3 times, I just couldn't... I would recommend... Didn't even miss the meat. If I was vegitarian, I would have to go indian.

patato fest sounds interesting. Ever do steamed crabs (crawfish boil would be fantastic but the season almost done) or clam bake?

We had a great time. It was great meeting everyone. Thank you all for the event and look forward to the next picnic. I hate to single out a dish because they were all good but I have to say, that fried chicken rivaled some of the best I've had. The bacon also rocked. nice job. Soup

went by the farmers market yesterday at Wakefield park. Had strawberries from 3 different vendors. They indicated that they were all from local farms. Got to say it was a bit dissappointing. They were not as sweet and flavorful as I had hope and were very similar to the stuff at the grocery stores. So the search still continues.... Soup

I love strawberries and we are coming upon season. Anyone seen the local stuff yet? Also looking to try different varieties.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to that question as I've never had on previously frozen.