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If they still have goat on the menu, there is no reason that you should not be there eating it right now. No reason. Crispy bits, not greasy, but pleasantly lubricated, served with sparky salad and tzaziki and nommy flatbread. On top of which, gorgeous wine, exceptional--and I don't use that word lightly--service. No reason, people!

Wow, I post about this place a lot.

I still love Cashion's.* After an absence of a few months, the goat has made a reappearance on the menu, and it's just as stellar as I remembered. Also yummy? Cajun fried rabbit loin with mustard sauce and the mushrooms and crab on crostini. (And yay to them for having an up-to-date website that helped me remember the details!) The rabbit meatloaf earlier this month was not as strong--a bit dry--but I still give them props for trying something new.

*And Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

This is not really that interesting, but at The Don's request...

Grabbed a coffee and sandwich at the 11th Street Pret a Manger today. The dark roast is STRONG (glad I accidentally poured in too much milk), and the cream cheese with tomatoes and basil on "baguette" (their word; I think it's actually a ficelle) is a great morning option. I prefer savory breakfasts, but eggs always make me feel ucky. Total cost: under $5. Good stuff.

I, for one, would appreciate a report back on what you find with this. There are people in Zimbabwe who can actually afford restaurant meals these days? Using what currency?

The Zim dollar has stabilized quite a bit from the days of seven- and eight-figure inflation, and while the poverty level remains shocking, the money is today actually worth something, and there is, as in most poor countries, a reasonable-sized upper class. No matter where you are in the world, you'll find heavily frequented chains--KFC, for instance, is one of the largest in east and west Africa (no pork for the Muslims, no beef for the Hindus). I haven't been to Zim, but Nando's website says it's "one of the largest restaurant groups there."

And you're welcome! It's one of the best things I've seen this month.

Too true. Any idea where this ad is playing?

South Africa. And it's raising a bit of a kerfuffle--Bob's goons are boycotting the chain.... so I'm just going to eat more! (I'm going to South Africa in a couple of weeks, and I'm dying to see this thing air on TV.)

I've only eaten here once but plan to start coming here a lot more often.

Respect, Nando's.

About two ounces of turkey and four pounds of sweet potatoes left over. Hm.

This is SO good. I think I have a winner for Thanksgiving!

I know I'm micromanaging... but I really want to have a chill day tomorrow, and the hoards are demanding an early dinner. Can I chiffonade the Brussels sprouts tonight and cook the hash tomorrow, or will they brown and/or wilt?

Homemade Chex mix

(I have a fridge full of food and nothing to eat! At least until tomorrow night...)

Home made cornbread stuffing 911 -- how many days before Thanksgiving should I make the cornbread so it is dry enough for Thursday? Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday?

This year, I'd make it as early as possible. I left out the white bread for my stuffing on Sunday, and it's been so humid that it's still not dry.

My friend in Bangkok lives off their dumplings, especially after a night out. I've tried to try them, but they're always sold out, which I guess says something (as does the fact that she lives off of Julia's Empanadas when she's here).

At least the ten days, probably closer to two weeks. I'm closer to siding with your mom on this, because it's not just acidic, which it is, but cranberry has some antibacterial qualities (particularly against e.coli) ... but forever is surely pushing it. Two weeks or a little more would have you pretty safe, I'd think, as long as it's well sealed and the fridge has good air flow and is at a good cool temp.

Well, yeah--"forever" is just Mom's way of saying "longer than meat."

Thanks!

How long would you say cranberry sauce is good in the fridge? My mom says "forever--a few weeks" because it's so acidy, so the stuff I'm making tonight would be good well past Thanksgiving, but I'm looking for either confirming or differing opinions. (I can just stick it in the freezer, but it's pretty full, I'm out of freezer bags, and if I don't have to risk freezer burn taste, I'd rather not.)

I've always just halved or quartered them and roasted them. Chiffonading was a new and wonderful experience. It really helps the flavors spread. It's almost like a hot coleslaw.

I browned some butter, then tossed in the chiffonaded sprouts with leek, apple, sage, then a little cider vinegar and apple cider. Delicious.

And salt and pepper.

This is SO good. I think I have a winner for Thanksgiving!

To all the extraordinary men and women who have protected my life when I've been overseas, especially all those years ago when I was a pup and didn't even understand what they were doing for me. Sgt. Rob, Justo, and all you other folks, thank you, more than you can ever know. If I could get my hands on some Jordanian whiskey to do it up like we did, I would--clink!

1) Isn't there a thread here somewhere on Brussels sprouts? Roast them halved or sauté them, but former best for large quantities. Diced red onion, caramelized; fresh, roasted chestnuts, chopped; reduction of pear cider to glaze. (Chestnuts make good sub for bacon.) I also like Union Square Café's hashed B sprouts, but it's a lot of work for more than a few guests. I plan on making a gratin of greens, instead, this year, but people loves Brussels cooked w fat vs. water.

2) You can never have too many sweet potatoes.

1) Oven space is going to be dear (turkey, stuffing, pies), so roasting will be tough. I've never done fresh chestnuts, and don't mind work--but can they be prepped beforehand? How long before?

2) Agree!! I love me some sweets! Just trying to be flexible (which is not at all like me)....

I was going to start this by saying it's too early, but you know what--it's really not too early! Thanksgiving is soon!

I've hosted 6-7 times so far, but they have always been overseas or "pre-Thankgiving" for friends who would not be in town on the holiday. But this year I am ecstatic to be hosting Thanksgiving on the actual day at my home! (And I LOVE Thanksgiving--it's my favorite holiday by far.)

I have two dinner ... challenges.

1) What green veg do I serve? Personally, I really have to have a green veg, even if no one eats it (and they rarely do). I like brussels sprouts, but I don't have a solid recipe. Well, I've got good everyday recipes, but because serving time is so malleable on Thanksgiving, they always end up mushy, waiting for everything else to be served--nothing that would turn a sprout-hater to my side! Another challenge: some guests this year don't eat pork or beef, and nearly every recipe I see has prosciutto or some such. Do I just go basic with steamed green beans? (Not preferred!)

2) I serve a traditional meal, which includes the regular fixins, including my mom's mashed sweet potatoes with walnuts (along with turkey, my grandfather's stuffing [perfected in 1952-56!], mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce). But a guest is going to bring his family's sweet potato pie for dessert, so serving sweets with dinner would be redundant. I'm fairly obsessive about Thanksgiving dinner, so the thought of going without sweet potatoes is sad to me--but I want to be adaptable! I want to welcome my friends' traditions into my home! But I still selfishly need to find a way to get that flavor into the meal. Do you think roasted carrots might fill the void? Please help me figure this out!

Thank you!

This little hole in the wall offers solid, if sullenly served, food from the West Indies--a region uncommon in DC's more popular restaurant neighborhoods. A veggie roti with chickpeas (ordered not spicy because I'm a wuss) was a gutbomb, easily a couple of pounds of food that provided me two+ meals. The wrapping itself was buttery and thin enough to barely able to contain its contents, which had a subtle heat that was nice but not too much for my wussy tastebuds. It also had a surprising layering of flavors; I usually order a bunch of small things because I get bored easily, but I didn't get bored at all with this guy because every mouthful tasted different than the last. The beef pie wasn't so successful, but still just dandy. The filling was miserly, but the sweet, dense flakiness of the pastry ended up playing really nicely off of the spiced meat, which was almost the consistency of paste (not in a bad way). (I recognize that "dense flakiness" is an oxymoron, but there it is.) I'm on the fence about it, but aside from the fact that it probably contained more calories than I'd need to power me for a full day, I kind of liked it. It's one of those things I can't explain--I didn't think the first bites were great, so I put it down for a while, but kept going back for bites again and again.

You can also get a platter of choices from the hot table, which includes dirty rice, fried fish, shrimp stew, and other yummies. I've stuck with the rice and veggie options, which are, again, solid.

Roti and meat pie=$7

Wow! This stuff is the real deal. A friend brought a few bottles back from the brewery, and it's just a damn well-made beer. Belgian is not my favorite style beer; duck is not my favorite type of meat. For me, this stuff does to Belgian beer what Thomas Keller did to duck: it made my brain say, "Wow! So THIS is what it's supposed to taste like! I want moooooorrrrrre..."

This is all a shock and surprise considering how technologically superior, responsive, and cutting edge WashingtonPost.com usually is.

I'm not a gluten-free person, but I saw this bit about Thomas Keller's new gluten-free flour on New York Magazine's website and thought of you all. (And the rest of the story reminded me of how freaking awesome Thomas Keller is.)

The downtown outpost will be getting a makeover in January 2012. Story and video rendering on DCist.

all have HFCS because it's cheap, it sweetens, it preserves and it substitutes for higher-cost and higher-value calories and nutrients.

Setting aside the issue that sweetener of one type or another is in WAY too much stuff, the crux of my question is: why is this more of a crime when it's HFCS?

A side note: Dame Edna brought home a box of Harris Teeter brand rosemay and olive oil "triscuits" which tasted oddly sweet. Sure enough, in the ingredient list was either sugar or HFCS (don't remember which). Just bizaare and completely unnecessary. What on Earth were they thinking?

Wheat Thins too. I used to like those things, but when I bought some after having eaten mainly water crackers for a spell, I couldn't believe how sweet they were. Not pleasant at all.

I'm no coffee connoisseur, but I've clearly gotten inured to the joys of coffee by my office food court because the latte I had here this week was one of the first coffees in quite some time that I've enjoyed rather than just drunk. Paired with a ham and cheese scone, I was one happy breakfaster.

They've got a master on the fryer here. The calamari is CRAZY good--not even a touch of toughness or grease, and a crackly, well-seasoned batter that makes any kind of dipping sauce other than a squeeze of lemon completely unnecessary.

Oh, and the cocktails and service remain among the best in the city (duh).