LauraB

Roast pork loin with fennel and rosemary

Roasted vegetables with caraway and garlic

Kale with caramelized shallots

Who continues to pack tomatoes in juice vs. purée?

I use Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes which are packed in juice and also contain citric acid and calcium chloride. I've been very happy with the results I get cooking with them. I just read the CI report (thanks for the link, Monavano) and was pleased to discover that the diced Muir Glens are also the most highly recommended of those CI tested.

If anyone is feeling like the Hindenburg after being cooped up for a week, doing nothing but lying on the couch and scarfing brownies, feel free to join the Fit For Summer 2010 X-treme Par-tee.

(AFTER today's happy hour, that is.)

I thought about starting a thread titled, 'How Much Weight Have You Gained This Week?' I can't answer that because I'm afraid to get on the scale, after a week of pork chili, beef stew, pasta, bacon, sausages, chocolate, ice cream, way too much wine. What is it about snow that makes us want to cook and gorge ourselves into a stupor? I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually sick of eating! So, yeah, sign me up!

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!

Penzeys sells it. I got mine at the Rockville store, but presumably the Falls Church store would have it as well.

I just bought a Groupon for the first time for a restaurant. I'm curious, are you supposed to show your groupon to the server before your order is taken, or do you wait until the check is presented? I admit to being a little reluctant to identify myself as a groupon customer up front, for fear of receiving inferior food and service. Of course, like sacrilicious, I would tip on the whole amount.

Wii ping-pong, anyone?

Actually, wii is a great idea! I don't have a wii, but several of my friends do and they all say they've lost weight 'playing sports' (tennis seems to be a favorite) on their wiis.

Fixed it. Absolutely no criticism implied (I've done similar) but it is against the rules.

Seriously? That's news to me and my German daughter-in-law would be horrifed to know that she's a *criminal*. This is not the first time she's brought us food. Well, that wurst is gonna taste even better!

Our New Year's Eve tradition is a rustic Alsatian specialty, Choucroute Garnie.

Sauerkraut spiced with juniper and allspice berries, whole cloves, peppercorns,

Baked with sliced kielbasa, bauernwurst, browned bratwurst, bacon, onions and apples sauted in the bacon fat, broth from smoked ham hocks, and Alsatian Pinot Blanc

Served with boiled red potatoes dipped in chopped parsley

Horseradish, various spicy mustards

Kielbasa from Kielbasa Factory, Rockville

Bauernwurst and bratwurst brought from Germany by our son and daughter-in-law -- these look and smell SO good!

Bacon is hickory-smoked from D'Artagnan

I don't have the issue in front of me, but my biggest complaint was Zaytinya ahead of Palena

How about 2 Amys ahead of Volt?

Quite frankly, I find this year's list incomprehensible. I think Kliman has become bored in his job and this is his way of mixing things up.

I stayed in and cooked tonight.

I really must be losing my mind...for a second I thought that I read that Don Rocks stayed in tonight and cooked!

If it's the former FQC spot, this is effectively on the back side of Euromotorcars Germantown, one block northwest and paralleling Route 118. From points south and west, turn into the shopping complex at the light on Middlebrook Rd and continue along another block past the Safeway. From the north, turn off 118 just prior to Euro, then left at the first stop sign (after you pass 5 Guys and Cal Tort).

Street address should be 19847 Century Blvd., Germantown.

Thanks for the detailed instructions! Just wondering, have YOU been there? Any thoughts?

This is interesting...certainly sounds worth a visit. Where is it located, exactly?

I'm intrigued that you have declared it the *best* Thai restaurant in MoCo. I'm curious which other Thai restaurants in MoCo you've been to -- Ruan Thai? Nava Thai? How does it stand up to them?

Barley stew with mushrooms, leeks and kale -- hearty, but still light. Need a break from all of the heavy Christmas food and oncoming New Years meals!

A torta with eggs, Italian hot sausage, roasted red peppers, spinach, fontina cheese, heavy cream, milk

Fresh fruit and berries

Dark German pumpernickel bread -- baked by my German daughter-in-law

French champagne (Montaudon)

Peet's Holiday Blend

Scandinavian spiced cake (cardamom, mace, ginger) with applesauce cinnamon filling and molasses and brandy flavored frosting. Cake and filling are made -- to be assembled and frosted tomorrow. Wish me luck.

George Michael...I miss you. You and Glenn Brenner made me a sports fan. RIP.

Sweet potato and pinto bean chili with fire-roasted tomatoes

Baby arugula dressed with lemon/garlic vinaigrette

Yes, THANK YOU, Don! It's fixed.

And you can't scroll down to have room to type?

When you scroll down your cursor disappears under the box. You can continue to type, but you can't see what you're typing. By the way, in answer to your previous question, I am using Windows XP and IE 7.

If I'm writing a reply to a thread, I can only see the first 6 lines of it; the rest is obscured by a box containing editing icons. I can continue to type for as long as I want, I just can't see what I'm typing.

I love to make soups, stews and chilis when it snows.

Breakfast: 2 poached eggs on toasted Atwater's sunflower bread

Lunch: leftover curried butternut squash and red lentil soup with ginger

Dinner: barley stew with leeks, crimini mushrooms, rosemary and kale

Sadly, this won't quite measure up to the dinner we were planning to have tonight at Marcel's prior to seeing a play at the Kennedy Center.

That won't be happening

Where in the Kentlands? And when?

I think they gave it to Michael because he doesn't have his own restaurant, unlike Bryan. I guess they thought he could benefit more from the monetary prize.

That said, I would dine at Bryan's or Kevin's restaurants before Michael's. Actually, I have dined at Bryan's Volt and it was a fabulous experience.

Does CityZen/Mandarin Oriental count as "usual suspects"?

I second Pat's suggestion. CityZen is one of the 2 or 3 best restaurants in the city and the Mandarin is a great hotel, especially if you get a water-view room. My husband and I have done this combo and it was a very special night.

Grapes coated with cream cheese and finely-chopped crystallized ginger, rolled in toasted pecans, chilled

Baby romaine and arugula with honey vinaigrette and Gorgonzola

Black bean chili with butternut squash and red chard

Dried cranberry and apple crisp