Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

@Butrflygirly: Forgot Valle's, which is a little better, except for the tomato garlic pizza at Napoli's. Just Roma's, garlic and garlic infused olive oil. So simple, but so good.

You've been reading my mind about the thread. There are many good places to eat, but unfortunately there are those who think De. is a culinary black hole. Kinda blew my mind, but if people don't know, that's what they'll think. Let's do it!
JudyV

@Perky: Turnip pie sounds like it could be good with the right spices, and mixed with apples. I like them, too. Would make it and let you know, but my daughter would gag. Turnips won't pass thru her lips, so there's many things I love that I won't make, just for me. BTW--BFE is either a place in the boonies, or in a God awful 'town' such as this one. It's a small town in N.Western Mo.. NOT like K. City or St. Louis---just a totally nothing place where even the town square is crumbling. I suspect before winter, I'll be going back to De.. Trying to give it a chance, but am batting zero. Yes, ALL rolls are called buns--even dinner rolls. Where do you hail from?
@Butrfly: Mayo for Bobbie's, but oil for Italian's. I know this isn't where I should post this, but can't find the original. No Name is a Greek joint at the end of a St. off Main--can't remember which one. Miss Napoli's, too, over in Kohl's shopping center on Kirkwood Hwy..
Nasty foods for me are okra, unless it's fried, First time I attempted to eat it, it was sliced and boiled. OMG!! YUCK!! Can't think of too much that I won't at least try, but brain fog has set in, so later. DD just read what I said about going back to De., so there will be a 'debate'. ANOTHER one.
JudyV

Ina Garten has a recipe for a delicious pork loin with fennel, if you eat pork. You can get it off the FN website.
JudyV

Coffee and/or toilet paper, but being OC also, I stay stocked up. However, when we moved from Florida to this cold, wet, windy, one horse town, here in BFE, somehow I not only ended up with no t. paper, but my coffeemaker was missing! Thank God there is a SuperWalmart, so I could get them, but I miss my Grind'n'brew. I'll have to order a new one from Cooking.com, because in this Godforsaken town, it's Wallyworld or nothing. Really. There is nothing here. Ah, I need an attitude adjustment.

Oh----WAWA! How I miss Wawa and Cluck-U! Even more, I miss real subs and cheese steaks. They DO have a Subway here. Yuck. Even more than Fl., I miss Delaware. Never thought I'd say that, but there ya go. Now I really, really am craving a sub, or maybe a cheese steak, or both! All righty then, I'm off to give myself another pep talk. I'm getting so negative, I'm just gonna have to take all these lemons and make lemonade, or maybe lemon curd. Yum. Feeling better already.
JudyV

He sure did. That Elmo gets around, ya know? If I remember correctly, that time Paula cooked better than Elmo, even though he questioned her use of SOOOO much butter, mayo and sour cream. That may have been the day she made blueberry dumplings, which are to die for, but the dumplings are heavy on the butter. Of course, that's what makes them so dad-blamed good. I'm trying to cut back on the use of so much butter and olive oil, so I don't wake up dead soon, but sometimes, as in Paula's b.berry dumplings, I just let go and next day take the dog out and run. So far, I'm still as plump as her dumplings, so I guess I need to work a bit harder.
JudyV

WOW!! I didn't realize what she is actually cooking! I watched her show twice, when it first aired, couldn't make sense of what she was cooking, and haven't watched it since. I did see her 'Chef'ography, and because of her childhood, it seemed to me she was/is trying to be Miss Perfect, but only to a certain bunch of people. When she first went on air, it was said she compared herself to Martha, and could outdo Martha in all things, but in a way that would appeal to 'regular' people. Well, when I saw her matching everything, and her tablescapes, and what she seems to think is the highlight of her show, the booze, I simply quit watching. Her food, IMO, was, as ya'll (sorry, I know ya'll hate that---ya'll, this is) say, SLop, so there was no reason to keep viewing.
All I was trying to say was, while most everyone here was bickering, or quibbling with each other, possibly losing 'friends' and causing others to leave, SL is totally oblivious to your feelings, and probably laughs all the way to the bank on payday, or when her royalty checks roll in. I thought it would be a shame to lose, in a manner of speaking, to SL. Since I am new to this site, or any food forum, I wasn't aware this is how everyone behaves. Having said that, I'll bet Elmo cooks better than SL, and he's so cute and cuddly, and best of all, unpretentious.
JudyV

I'm having a hard time understanding what ya'll are bickering about, because although I rarely join in, I'm an avid reader of everyones comments. Most of the time, I've come to realize, you are NOT food snobs, but rather, have very keen minds, are lovers of laughter and fun, and have a passion for good food. What seems to be happening here is people who joke and share good thoughts are turning on one another, and ya know what? Sandra Lee still has her show and is not phased at all by what's happening here. If you are as offended by what she's doing as you seem to be, why not appeal to the FN to get her off the air? Picking each other to pieces will only cause some of you to leave SE, and that would be a shame. There are always going to be people who are intolerent of others, who can't, or won't empathize with others, who, if they've had a rough life and survived, have no tolerence for others who have done the same---especially if they've achieved something greater, and not only earn a good living, but enjoy what they do. Can't you let SL go, and use your energy to create peace and harmony amongst you, because you're not hurting, or in any way affecting SL's life, but if you take a few minutes to go back and read all that's been said, you'll see what you're doing to one another.
JudyV

bigassbob, all I can say is AMEN! When I began viewing this blog, I loved it. After viewing it daily, I have come to realize some, but fortunately, not all, claim to be serious foodies, while in reality are simply food SNOBS. Lighten up, people! We all are allowed to make CHOICES, and some choose to occasionally make a poor nutritional choice, just for a buttery/cheesy/creamy/chocolatey sensory satisfaction. We don't ALL just eat to live. How boring is that? I had no idea the food police monitored this so closely, yet the same people constantly bad mouth anyone who dares to be different, or shows creativity, no matter how bad the creation. Paula may not be my favorite food personality, but who am I ---- or you, to tear her apart? Save it for those more worthy. You all love and approve of Bourdain, who eats live snake hearts and all manner of strange things, but let that southern lady promote her love of butter and such, and you're ready to lynch her. Ya'll probably secretly have to hide in your closet to enjoy any type of goodie, after all the preaching you do. How much fun are you to live with? You may live long, but not well. Being the serious foodie I am, all this serious talk has me craving something decadent. Maybe I'll whip up a batch of Paula's Velveeta fudge, or her Gorilla cake, or her wonderful blueberry dumplings. Has anyone tried them? Yummy!

JudyV