The New Coffee Room

Aww--Happy belated, George!

Well that's cozy!

I have been looking to book a few airbnb trips for this year and am feeling really discouraged by the prices. The extra fees seem to keep growing and growing. I used to feel like if I booked a few nights or a week the fees were justified, but now the fees just increase with the number of nights you book. sigh

My friend's FIL goes "sang'in" (ginseng hunting) in his Western MD woods.

Anybody have a fondue recipe they love? I decided I want to make some tonight and I never have before, and the recipes online have so much variation in cheeses and alcohol used.

@jon-nyc Oh so jealous! Which neighborhood are you in?

We did our meal around 1, buffet style (but there are just 2 of us). My family always did the traditional dinner time, but I hate the waiting around all day trying not to eat anything and then going into the meal starving. I like the early afternoon meal so much better. Similarly, drinking started early, but was spread out throughout the day so that it never felt like too much.

@klaus said in Hypothetically speaking….:

I'd enjoy the free streaming service as long as it lasts. If they are too incompetent to keep track of who pays and who does not, they deserve it.

My thoughts, too. I paid for Sirius radio in my old car after the free trial ran out, and after about a year of paid service called to cancel it when I moved out of the country. They thanked me for my business, and then never got around to actually turning off my service. I got free Sirius radio in that car for over 10 years, until I had to replace the car.

Cool mug!

I got a little into foraging during the height of the pandemic, when survival skills for the apocalypse seemed timely. I had more chanterelles than I knew what to do with. Definitely something I'd like to get into more. I only scratched the surface of discovering all the wild edibles in my neighborhood woods.

@george-k I remember seeing them advertised for playing the casinos well into the 2000s.

They were actually my first concert (in Atlantic City).

@george-k said in The Cookbook:

Spuds

Recommended by Gryphon

Easy Breakfast (or anytime) Potatoes

I found this recipe online. Easy to make and are awesome. I make a large batch at once, put them in the fridge, and eat with any meal. Very flavorful and step #5 sends it over the top. I also use much more pepper because you can never use too much pepper.

Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil. Foil is the correct choice.
2. Peel potatoes (or not if you like skins) and dice into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Place potatoes into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss. Sprinkle with seasonings and toss again to coat.
4. Spread potatoes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes.
5. Give the potatoes a quick stir, turn on the broiler and broil the potatoes for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
6. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and serve immediately.

Made them tonight. I didn't have any russets on hand, so I used baby reds.

I used the chopper I mentioned earlier. I used 8 small baby red potatoes (with skin on) and added ½ yellow onion (diced) rather than the onion powder.

Mrs. George approves.

If I were to do ti again I'd slice the potatoes into ½" slabs and then dice. I'd cook the potatoes longer before broiling, and then broil longer than the recipe suggests.

Nevertheless, this is another go-to recipe for a side dish:

Making your spuds tonight, George. I've had a bag of little ones on hand for months, and this recipe looked perfect for it. Some variety I picked up from my local farm -- La Ratte.

Also great!

Anytime you order online and pickup in store it is 20% off your entire order (food and all). Not sure why they do that, but they have my business!

I can emphatically confirm the same in Montgomery County, Maryland middle schoolers.

Yum. I may try that. I just discovered the first signs of downy mildew on yet another of my basil plants (we haven't seen the sun in days), and I need to harvest it now.

I made a batch the other day for a soup recipe.

Re-listening a bit now. It basically just sounds like an Alison Krauss album, with Plant doing some soft, forgettable background vocals.

I liked it, but wasn't blown away by it. Easy listening, especially for long drives. I guess it's been years since I listened to it, though.

Oh, and he never even got the joy of selling the boat. It just plain died.

@george-k Pretty much!

My dad has some pretty funny boat signage along these lines in his garage. His dad owned a marina and shop, and my dad has been a boat mechanic since high school. He's about to turn 67 and is still at it, though he shouldn't be.

We had a boat all throughout my childhood and would go out in it every summer weekend. Definitely have memories of my dad frequently having to do repairs on the water (or repairs for strangers in malfunctioning boats we came across while out). We haven't had a boat since I was in college. We all miss it; he does not.