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We have a gas grill with 3 horizontal burners. We also use an inexpensive square kiln shelf (purchased from a pottery supply company for 25% of what you'd pay for a pizza stone that's made from the same stuff). We use a lower, indirect fire and put a generous handful of corn meal under the pizza. We also tend to use pre-formed corn meal crusts for our pizzas. However, we cook/roast a huge variety of breads, meats, veggies, etc. on the grill...often using the stone to spread the heat. Especially during the summer, this helps with keeping the house cooler and the a/c bills lower.

feistyfoodie nails it..."people really do appreciate being remembered." I began my working life scooping ice cream at a Baskin-Robbins store. I learned, early on, that a smile, a warm greeting and if possible, a reference to a regular or recent order, combined with a good product at a fair price is the right path to success. Nothing I've experienced in the ensuing 43 years has taken the shine off that early lesson. Great job, Hannah!

Andreas, great tip...thanks so much.

Help me out here folks...I was taught to slice the brisket with the grain. I did a very similar recipe for our Hanukah celebration and sliced with the grain...tender as could be. Also, I put the 5+ lbs of brisket in our cold smoker for nearly 6 hours with a mixture of hickory and alderwood before the slow cooking in the oven. Even the pan juices had a subtle smoky flavor...it was a great additional layer of flavor...our guests all commented positively on both the meat and the pan juices I served with it.

Our late and beloved 98 lb Lab/Rotweiler mix was capable of eating huge amounts of anything that resembled food. My late and beloved mother in law was visiting for Passover one year and had just taken the traditional gigantic brisket out of the oven and (non-dog owning person that she was) simply put it on the counter for my father-in-law to slice. She returned from her afternoon walk and assumed that her husband has sliced the brisket, wrapped it in foil and put it in the fridge..the pan was empty, after all. Well, not a 5 seconds later, the dog came around the corner from the living room with onions literally dripping from his chin. He had consumed nearly 5 lbs of brisket with onions and gravy. Other than a couple of loud belches, he (and we) suffered no ill effects.

Two years ago next month, my wife and I went cold turkey together...responding to different but serious health conditions. I have had the exact same situation as pjracz...if I add even tiny amounts of salt, I notice it and worse, my blood pressure elevates 10-20 points.

As a former Seattleite (Bainbridge Island, actually), I heartily agree with all the recommendations. We had an amazing meal at the Steelhead Diner last year. I also love Shanghai Garden in the International District. If you have a few hours, take the ferry to Bainbridge Island and have brunch/lunch at the Streamliner Diner, about 3 blocks from the ferry terminal. No matter how good or bad the weather is, the 35 minute ride is beautiful. Have a great visit!

I'll look forward to trying Andre's but the only bad food memory that I have of my Hungarian grandmother is walking in the house after school and the wave of horrific cabbage odor that would smack me and my brothers in the face. It meant that a) relatives were on the way over b) cabbage strudel would be part of the menu. On the other hand, it also meant that our reward for helping to pull the strudel dough into paper-thin sheets was that our grandmother would trim the edges, bake the narrow strips of dough, and layer them with vanilla pastry cream in what seemed like a foot-tall pile. No dessert I've ever eaten could match how good that tasted.

I am legendary for a dish I cooked in grad school...trying to make fried rice with assorted vegetables. Instead, it was a gloppy, gelatinous mess of half-cooked rice, scrambled egg and salty, mushy mixed vegetables from a Bird's Eye bag that had been sitting in the back of the freezer for most of that semester. My old roommate brings it up any chance he gets...even though, thanks to my wife, I have become a reasonably good cook. It is still good for a big laugh.

It's been 18 years since I moved away from LA...but I ALWAYS go back to The Apple Pan (and Tito's Tacos) when I visit. You are correct...virtually nothing has changed at TAP. I went there for the first time in 1966 when I took my mom's car "over the hill" (from the San Fernando Valley to West LA) for the first time and met some friends there. It is still my favorite burger on the planet. Quality Forever is more than a slogan...TAP puts it to work with every burger, sandwich, order of fries and piece of pie.

My concern with using leftover steak in a casserole would having the steak become very tough in a baking process. However, I heartily endorse the suggestion of AliceBlue...a couple of slices of steak over the top of a composed plate. Steak can remain tender that way.

In pre-diabetic days, I regularly made a casserole-style breakfast using left-over challah as the base with a wide assortment of meats & veggies. Turkey or chicken sausage with roasted sweet and hot peppers, roasted garlic and carmelized onions was my favorite. Nowadays, that combo goes into my eggbeaters and it still is a great reason to get up in the morning. BTW, fresh herbs...rosemary, thyme, sage & basil are a great way to kick up the flavor.

I lived for 31 years in LA and moved away 18 years ago...I cannot imagine going to LA for a visit without stopping at Tito's Tacos, the Apple Pan or Brent's Deli in the Valley. The Apple Pan hasn't changed a whit or lowered its standards for the quality of its food or service since my first Hickory Burger in 1966...Quality Forever, baby!

I moved away from Seattle 7 years ago, but our family LOVED Shanghai Garden across the street from Uwajimaya...especially the 7 flavor tofu and barleygreen handshaven noodles. I'm going back to Seattle for the first time in a few years next month...anyone been to Shanghai Garden lately?

While my kids are both adults, I have plenty of friends with younger kids. I would add KramerBooks in Dupont Circle...good food and an excellent selection of kids' books. Also, we love Mama Ayesha on Calvert near Connecticut. We go there with friends who have a busy 3 year old...wonderful food and the nicest staff on the planet. I also think that 2Amys is well worth a second visit. I work around the corner from Dupont's Pizzeria Paradiso...and I agree...the pizza is sublime...but it is hard to pull a stroller up the steep staircase. If you're up in the Wheaton area, we love Paul Kee (Chinese)on Georgia Ave. Have a great trip!