RaisaB

Can someone refresh my memory? I haven't eaten at Komi's in a long while...are their Mascarpone Dates wrapped in Prosciutto? I read on another site that they are but I don't remember them as such! Am I going senile?

It's not bread but I am baking Ina's Gartens Coconut Cake with a few modifications.... I also have some bread from "Healthy Bread in 15 minutes a day" ready to go....but I am not too hopeful for that.

I checked Falls Curch Penzeys last Sunday and they didn't have it, we no longer have Balducci's anywhere near, but plenty of Whole Foods so I will check tomorrow. Thanks Zora, I trust your judgment so I will get that Mark I will check out those wine salts, they sound interesting! KMango, didn't we have a salt testing at one of the picnics a few years back? Or was it butter...or both? It all runs into each other after a while!

Does anyone know where I can get Fleur de Sel locally? Hopefully Northern Virginia? I know I've seen it somewhere, but don't remember where!

The short answer is no. We used to have the PA Dutch market in Chanitilly,but they moved to their current location is Germantown years ago. I sometimes go there by taking the scenic route across the Potomac on White's Ferry. It isn't that far, less than an hour from Fairfax and it is a pretty ride. Otherwise it is directly off I-270. Here is their website.

http://www.lancastercountydutchmarket.com/

May not be the most economical way, but I just called the local Spanish restaurant and asked if they could sell me some...And they said yes! Saves me a trip....thank you Isabellas Tavern!

Isn't there a Wegman's in Columbia? They usually have a couple of types of Serrano. If not you can order some from LaTienda.com today and it should be there Monday. Here in Fairfax, La Americana grocery on Main has it. There is also Surryano ham which is a Virginia made version of Serrano. The producers is Edwardsvaham.com and they can ship it to you or provide local sources.

Never underestimate the power of the written word. I live near Sea Pearl and I have been tempted to go, but I read these reviews and I stay away. How can something so average be run by the same family who runs 4 Sisters?

Michael, he is interested in you, and he figures you are interested in him, so he is givng you his butt so you can sniff his glands. Pretend to sniff him...you can sniff to the side and then rub his back muscles for him.... You should be honored he likes you!

Arlington

Fairfax

I just moved back to Fairfax City...this is hilarious!

We inject the marinade (mojo criollo)... Though I have never had a stuffed suckling pig. Do you sew it back together with twine? Pardon my ignorance!

I think brining takes away from the pure taste of the pork...but that's just me. We usually cook one or two every Christmas Eve in a Caja China. They are usually very juicy.

If you must brine, I would let it dry out in the fridge or outside (since it is so cold) a few hours after brining and before roasting to assure moisture has left the skin.

hehe...I know a few people like that. Though I can relate at times, it is a very arrogant attitude. (I read the entire article, she does give equal time to different trains of thought.)

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: In my next life, I'm going to be a restaurant consultant.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Seriously, I think you should do it. You have enough connections and knowledge to perhaps even make it lucrative.

Hello all. I have a 48" Viking Dual Fuel Range that I want to sell. It is in perfect working condition. It is 10 years old. It has a Convection oven, Infra-red broiler, griddle top, 6 burners. It is on great working and cosmetic condition. The only thing wrong is that the lettering has worn down on the burner knobs, but these can be replaced very cheaply, oh and one of the oven lights is burned out!

Here is the EBAY listing, but contact me personally if you are interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/...em=200400622416

Thanks for your inquiries! It has sold! I will advise if it falls though....

Hello all. I have a 48" Viking Dual Fuel Range that I want to sell. It is in perfect working condition. It is 10 years old. It has a Convection oven, Infra-red broiler, griddle top, 6 burners. It is on great working and cosmetic condition. The only thing wrong is that the lettering has worn down on the burner knobs, but these can be replaced very cheaply, oh and one of the oven lights is burned out!

Here is the EBAY listing, but contact me personally if you are interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200400622416

I guess they do have a few kinks to work out! Like telling their hostesses whether they are open for public dining or not! We called Saturday to assure that dinner was being served this past Monday during the book signing and were assured it was....wrong. It's okay, Veggieteen got her book signed and we had a very nice meal at the corneer at Saint Ex. We will attempt Masa 14 again in the future!

Well...I am going there on Monday as my 16 year old daughter wants to go to a book signing by Scott Schuman.... He photographs "street style" fashion. Oh, and she is the new "Veggie Teen" (thank you Zora for that wonderful coiner)...so Lord knows if and what she will eat.

Bad news in the New York Times.

It's already looking to be a particularly sucky summer for tomatoes, but suddenly a sucky summer looks better than no tomatoes at all.

Anybody seen signs of its approach?

It might be here, my plants are all dying from the bottom up with some sort of fungus. I sprayed them last week ( organic), we will see what happens....

I disagree they are safer, much less "significantly safer". I'll give you that buying sustainable/local/organic/whatever floats your boat may make you happy or feel like a better person for buying that product, but there are no good hard facts that these products are any safer than any product sold at a generic supermarket.

I buy most of my produce at the local farmers market a block from my house. I do so because I think the quality is often better (though often not), because I like to be able to talk to the people that grow my food and I like to see my neighbors. I pay very high prices for the privilege to eat these veges. That being said, I can't fathom how the produce I buy there is any safer than what I buy at Giant or Costco or wherever. Unless you are telling me that local Farmer Joe is hand washing each and ever animal, fruit, vegetable, etc. in a clean room with sterile water, i'm not sure how any educated person can by that its safer. Makes you happy to buy it. Sure. Safer, not really.

A lot of people have the misconception that large agriculture is unsafe. They see recalls, freak out and only buy from Farmer Joe if they can afford to do so. A lot of these recalls are the result of significantly more sensitive testing equipment that the producers are using to test their products, tests that local farmers do not often do simply because they are cost prohibitive or for a variety of reasons (though as Anna points out above, some do). I'm willing to bet a lot of money that if we walked through any farmers market on any given day and bought a random assortment of products and tested them with the same equipment larger producers use, the results would be similar (or maybe even worse).

Birds shit on small farms and big ones. Its the hard truth.

Birds shitting have very little to do with the contaminations.

Organophosphorus pesticides (OP) - malathion, chlorpyrifos, arsenic, BGH, antibiotics...ask your grocer which ones were used on your produce and meats. A huge agribusiness has no recouse but to use these as it is impossible to spend the time and care that it requires not to use them! Are you okay ingesting these? Do you really believe they will do no harm?

And how about antibiotics and the aforementioned diseases? Scientists believe that this rampant overuse of antibiotics is causing the DNA of infectious pathogens like salmonella, E. coli and campylobacter to change and make the diseases resistant to the drugs that traditionally wiped them out. Once resistant, the deadly bacteria can easily survive in the animals and be transmitted to humans as contaminated meat.

HOw are they supposed to monitor each and every animal in order not to use these?

Believing everything the government (FDA) tells you... that is the big misconception.

I'll agree with you that this may be burdensome on small farmers moreso than a large producer, but unfortunately my lack of representation doesn't help your cause. As for your comment that small farmers pose little danger to the food supply, i'm not convinced and never understand why people make that generalization. Salmonella and other dangers to the food supply can come from small farmer joe or large farmer corporation. Don't fool yourself.

Yes, it certainly may, but the small farmer usually has a closer check to his produce and livestock. The big guy may be able to perform government tests on his poultry but does that really matter when he is only required to test 1 out of 10,000? If it weren't for some of the exemption laws which are still in existence in most states, the small farmer would be required to spend the same money on testing his 100-1000 chickens! This would be entirely cost prohibitive.

And yes thiese diseases may also come from a small farmers produce, but can you cite one case in which it has? When we get government and high powered lobby meddling in our food supply that is when shit happens. Look at our milk supply! The USA and Brazil are the only two countries in the world that allow BGH in their dairy production. Google the side effects of this chemical. We have Monsanto to thank for this!

No thank you,I would rather eat from a nonregulated farmer who has a relationship with the land than a government "regulated" agribusiness any day!

BTW, I see the bill is sponsored by five Democrats, I thought they were the peoples' party? Or do they just believe government can run everything better....,just sayin'.....

I wish I had known about that Manchester restaurant when I was there recently! Mebbe next time.

Maybe it is time for another challenge, I have gained what I lost plus more! It has been a stressful year and I guess food is always better to the alternatives....alcohol (wine doesn't count), drugs, or death....

I guess I should start reading through all posts more often, I found out about this thru Washington City Paper! Please put me down for 2. I may have one more but I will not know until Saturday, so if there is room great, if not tant pis pour moi!

We've been there a couple of times. My husband more...once they were closing up and when they saw him they reopened the kitchen! The food is good, if dumbed down like you say, but then again this is Gainesville and people can be stupid!

Every cutie with the booty wear Coogi

I *will* have sex with Paris Hilton. Ha-ha.

Protect yourself!