JPW

I e-mailed Jake Parrot out of the blue to see where I could get Dolin Blanc in Richmond, and he was more than helpful.  Distributors are in the business of selling their products, so I think they don't mind the occasional e-mail asking where you could find their product.  A lot of times distributor websites also carry that information or invite you to contact them.

Exactly. I've e-mailed a handful of distributors over the last couple of years trying to track down their products. Without fail, the responses have been prompt and friendly.

tapped her brakes, forcing the car to veer left - to her credit, she released the brakes, steered into the skid, and straightened out

At the risk of exhibiting my mis-knowledge (but for Porcupine to educate me) - I'd object to the word "forcing". She slammed on the brakes and turned the steering wheel to the left. Slam on the brakes and keep the wheel straight - you may slide, but you won't rotate the car. But, yes, steering into the skid is a good thing.

I've had an automatic AWD (plus ABS) for four years now and I'm still figuring out how the thing acts in bad weather as opposed to the old front wheel drive, four banger, stick shifts that I drove for most of my life. Now inspired to go learn how to really drive it (or at least find an empty parking lot and have some fun worthy of a newly licensed 16 year old).

I'll be interested to see how KKR is going to use its new 13% ownership of Sysco (SYY) to maximize its profit as it unwinds the position. They're not exactly buy and hold.

I concur. I was in a week or two ago and got some great whiskey recommendations, including Very Old Barton (a bargain bottle I had stopped looking for after not being able to find it anywhere in the area) and Ouroboros, an American peated single malt whiskey.

On previous visits I have also been pointed to great selections like Four Roses single barrel and Henry McKenna single barrel.

By far the best selection and most knowledge in DC Metro.

Psst - Very Old Barton is readily available at Magruder's in Chevy Chase as well. Easily my favorite bargain bourbon.

One more (final) observation from the sparsely-populated All-Clad skeptic corner of the ring.

Maybe this has changed in recent times, but AC's frypan handles are very skinny and thus difficult to grasp firmly.  Whether this matters depends on how one cooks.  If one  flips and otherwise manipulates the things being fried/sauteed by using spatulas and turners, no problem.  But if one wants the option to use what might be called the "line cook" style, by occasionally flipping and shaking the entire pan, then that skinny handle, combined with the weight of the pan itself, make it a non-starter; there have been entire threads devoted to this topic on other food boards.  I have an AC fry pan that is relegated to the bottom of the drawer, largely because, for me anyway, that handle is so useless--the pan would be improved by having only loop handles.  But admittedly, this would likely be an issue for only a small subset of home cooks.

John,

I love my AllClad LTD pots and pans, but you just hit on my Number One complaint about them. Especially when dealing with pots full of hot stock/sauce.

Stealing = Stealing = Termination

+ If they're stealing booze, they're stealing other shit too. I guarantee it.

PS - I wish I could like Dave's post twice

Hans Riegel

The two biggest sources of sodium are the tortilla and the rice (?). So I either get a burrito bowl or a burrito without rice.

Welcome! It's hard enough to run a restaurant. What's it like to run a restaurant that is also a national institution?

Langley Park.

Joe, since you live nearby, would you call that strip of University Blvd. Silver Spring, Takoma Park, or Langley Park? Since I grew up in White Oak, I'd take 29 to downtown Silver Spring (Giffords!), 650 to Langley Park (Kiddieland, and I *cannot* believe I remember that pump train thing after not having thought about it in 45 years!), and rarely ever needed to cut over on 193, so I just never became all that familiar with it - it certainly is fertile ground for inexpensive Central American.

Google maps says that it's Silver Spring and that Langley Park stops at University east of Carroll. Culturally and psychologically, I'd call it the western edge of Langley Park and put the fuzzy boundary at the corner of University and Piney Branch (also to include the businesses and apartments down Piney Branch to Sligo Creek)

Probably the best of the Sal-Mex places in the neighborhood. Really solid food. I agree with dinoue on the parking hassles.

Yes, the feds were "made good" in '95-'96. No guarantee that they will be this time. It'll be a minor negotiating point.

I'm lucky in that all of my contracts had previously obligated funding, so I can continue work. Too many of my friends and neighbors are not so lucky.

I originally put the betting line at a week. Revising that to bet that they'll put together something in a bundle with the debt ceiling. So I think the feds will be out until mid-October.

To the Pirates for reaching the *real* playoffs for the first time in 21 years!

(and also for keeping our minds off that pitiful football team while we're waiting for the Penguins opener on Thursday)

Sigh, I suppose not. Do you know who their contract brewer was?

Sorry, can't recall.

I always wondered where Hook & Ladder brewery was, but could never really wrap my arms around the whole set-up; now, everything seems obvious. I'm a little surprised this product didn't catch on more than it did.

Because, in the end, it really wasn't all that good.

The local wisdom, according to the service crew here, is to stay on Central Ave, whether you are off UNM's campus or downtown, for the best dining/party options. 

As a regular visitor to ABQ, I concur.

I usually stay at Hotel Andaluz or the Doubletree downtown.

Favorite downtown spots to eat -

The Artichoke Cafe (http://www.artichokecafe.com/) - Bistro with a decent wine list

Slate Street Cafe (http://www.slatestreetcafe.com/) - Upscale comfort food with a decent wine list

Q Burger (http://www.qburgerabq.com/) - Upscale dive bar (if such a thing actually exists) with a decent burger and good local beers on tap

and finally

Marble Brewery (http://www.marblebrewery.com/) - A dive in the best sense of the word.

I was the first ever customer at Ray's the Classics and I plan on being the last. During the week, my beer sometimes appears before I even sit down at the bar. Peanut's going on her fourth or fifth year of being their Junior Hostess in Training when we go in on Friday nights.

Darn it! I wanted to get there when Ed was there. That was quick.

Based on my meals at 8407 over the time that he was there, Ed never really had the chance to put too much of an imprint on the menu.

Open table defaults the minimum size of party to 2 people. We set all our 2 tops for either 1 or 2 people.

I just did a check on open table for 1 at 7pm {282 restaurant available} vs 2 {319} So at least 37 restaurants in DC have excluded tables of 1.

Shows you how much I know. I quit trying to book a table for 1 on opentable years ago because it never appeared to be an option.

Booked my annual trip to Atlantic City.  Found many restaurants that won't take reservation for table for 1.  How douchey is it to book a table for 2 and then show up and tell them my companion canceled?

In case you're wondering, my douche meter is at 10.  I don't think I'd pull that one but it's annoying to see tables available that you can't reserve.

I'd put it at very douchey. However, it drives me nuts, too, that opentable won't let you book a table for one.

That said as someone who frequently travels for work alone and who tends to dine alone when traveling for work because my colleagues have tastes that lean towards Olive Garden, I give a huge thumbs up to restaurants that let you book for one. However, usually I call ahead and ask about space at the bar.

To J.F. - gone way too soon at 44. Having a Manhattan in your honor.

Public Service Announcement: To all the guys out there -- Get your annual check-up before you end up on a slab too young!

Glad that this has finally been completed. Nick and Elliott are great guys. Looking forward to what they plan on adjusting.

That said, it'll still be the same steaks that they serve at the mothership.

After many years of sampling the vineyards around C'ville during our frequent treks up and down 29, we finally had a chance to stop by Glen Manor. (To make the old timers feel, well, old, we dropped Peanut off at her first sleep-over camp out by Woodstock).

Granted Nutty Buddy and I haven't been to every vineyard in VA, but we've probably been to 30 or 35. For my money there is no one making better wine from top to bottom than Glen Manor. I usually cringe at the prices charged in VA vineyards because they represent absolutely awful price for quality values. That said, we always buy a couple of bottles because we want to support the folks who are putting everything into their business. At Glen Manor, I had no hesitation in paying $20 - $25 for a mixed case of Sauv Blanc, Rose, and Cab Franc (OK, I hesitated for a moment on the rose). The 2011 Cab Franc is quite simply one of the best VA wines that I've ever put in my mouth (I was driving so I was spitting).

It's also one of the best tasting experiences in VA with knowledgeable pourers (including Jeff's lovely wife). I gush because I think that it is that much better than most VA wine. Will most definitely be buying more of their juice.

Looking forward to heading back out for the promised fall re-release of the 2010 Hodder Hill.

read the recent review of ... in the WaPo and TS mentioned the inventiveness of the kung pao sweetbreads. I immediately began to reminisce about devouring the kung pao sweetbreads that Brendan Cox made 5 or 6 years ago...