Considering I just wiped off the entire shelf of the Lindt 85% at the store, I probably have the biggest stash in a mile radius now.


Wonder how many hours these will now drive me.

I took a quick short stroll to stretch my legs around taste of Buffalo today and got to sample two different kinds of Keurig single-brew coffee. I had the blueberry and nantucket versions. It was pretty decent coffee... much better than the messy excuse I make at home occasionally.

But is the waste worth it? I know people have devised ways to reuse the single-serve coffee brewing Keurig cup more times than one... but still it is definitely way more plastic than I am comfortable just throwing away.

I felt guilty throwing away the small sample plastic cups they gave me. I also felt horrible looking at the trash cans around the event filled to the brim with plastic and more plastic. It was helplessness mixed with guilt because I was part of the problem. What are other ways to make such an event generate biodegradable waste instead? One alternative would be cups made of dried (or even fresh) leaves and bound by twigs (they use these back home).

(e:heidi), so what happened to your single coffee brewer in the end?

Turns out that the ingredient list and the nutrient profile I posted for Aunt Jemima Blueberry waffles in my last journal were from some older versions of their waffles. They were the ones available online on the Aunt Jemima website. I should have proof-read them more carefully. I vaguely remember thinking that this was not what I saw on the box as I posted the waffle battle journal. But I put that thought on hold because I went back to some number-crunching and r-coding before I dropped into unconsciousness at my desk.

I was surprised when (e:Paul) pointed out the tertiary-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in the list. Because I distinctly remember the box saying "no preservatives". So here are the real photos of the Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles box I bought yesterday.


Check: No preservatives.


And 10 calories less that what I posted. They really changed the recipé.

I dreamt about waffles for 3 days in a row till it got out of hand today morning. I could smell them while I was eating apples. I examined hormonal and physiological reasons behind the craving hoping to expose the irrationality of it all. I even considered my new anti-allergy buddy Claritin as one of the culprits behind the craving.

But in the end, I am sorry to say, the waffle craving totally won out. I trotted straight from work to Pricerite to get frozen waffles. I was then faced with CHOICES!



I thought Eggo was the only one who made waffles. But no. There were Aunt Jemima waffles battling for my attention as well. Regardless of the majority vote in this thread: I chose Aunt Jemima. The nutritional profiles were pretty similar.

Eggo Blueberry Waffles Nutrition data:

Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles Nutrition data:


The ingredient list was also rather similar

Aunt Jemima waffles ingredients:
INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED BLUEBERRY BITS (SUGAR, DEXTROSE, SOYBEAN OIL WITH TBHQ, SOY PROTEIN, SALT, CITRIC ACID, CELLULOSE GUM, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, MALIC ACID, RED 40 LAKE, BLUE 2 LAKE), SUGAR, WHEY. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE [SOY LECITHIN]), WHOLE EGGS, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SALT, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, CORN STARCH, COLORED WITH (YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6), FORITIFIED WITH (REDUCED IRON, NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2] , THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], CYANOCOBALAMIN [VITAMIN B12]), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR (DEXTROSE, CORN STARCH, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SOY LECITHIN. CONTAINS: SOY, EGGS, MILK, WHEAT

But somehow, I chose Aunt Jemima because the phrase "Aunt Jemima" invoked a friendly image of some homely aunt making a fresh batch of waffles in the morning. Aunt Jemima won the battle on psychological grounds.

Last week, my brother whisked me directly to his favourite little breakfast spot as I got off weary and sleepy from the train to NYC.


It's an artsy but cute Belgian restaurant in the Chelsea neighbourhood of NYC called Petite Abeille... run by fierce-looking Mexicans.


The sitting area is like being transported to a railway compartment in pre-war Belgium with stacked cardboard suitcases on metal-racks on the wall.


I ordered an extra crispy belgian waffle with bananas, a dollop of triple cream vanilla ice-cream topped with hand-whipped light cream with sprinkled on powdered sugar with a side of their darkest chocolate.


It was the BEST waffle I had EVER had. It was so crispy and went perfectly with the cold ice-cream and the hot chocolate syrup.




It makes me want to relocate to NYC right next to the shop even though the alleyway gets no sunlight.

Not really... but I now want a waffle iron. :-)

TERRIBLE choice. Didn't bring me any joy. Had more sugar than almonds. Should have got the Klondike...

I was looking at the Best of Buffalo food lists and...

Best Salad
Poppyseed Cafe
Cole’s
Pano’s
Globe Market
Kosta’s

EH??

The only poppyseed cafe I could find online was this and that is in Fircrest, Washington. Is this in one of the burbs or something?

Other thoughts about the list:

Best New Restaurant
The Delaware
Blue Monk
The Eights Bistro
Mezza
Lloyd’s Taco Truck

No Blue Fin? Is it not that new, maybe? I voted for Blue Fin. (e:Paul), Blue Fin doesn't even make the best sushi list. Didn't you vote early and often?!! :-)

Best Dessert
Chocolate Bar
Delish
Dessert Deli
Butterwood
Sweet Tooth

This makes me think the list is rigged. I know for a fact tons of people voted for Chow Chocolat - including me.

Restaurants Buffalo Needs
Authentic/traditional Mexican
Ethiopian
More vegan/vegetarian options
More food trucks
A vegan bakery

I think I agree with this one the most. Well... as in 4/5. I am definitely not agreeing with the idea of a vegan bakery...

Best Thai / Vietnamese
Saigon Cafe
Taste of Thai
Papaya
Pho 99
Jasmine

WHAT? No Blue Fin, in this list as well? Did voting for one place in 4 categories disqualify my vote or something?!

Best Soul Food
Gigi’s
Soul Fabulous
Aunt Mattie’s
Lagniappes
Musician’s Big 6

I haven't been to any of these places except old Lagniappes... Come to think of it, I have no idea what soul food is.

Best Vegetarian
Amy’s
The Eights
Merge
Betty’s
Falafel Bar

Merge is an over-rated disappointment. I can confidently say that people who have been vegetarians for more than a few months and for the right reasons (read: not substituting the hell out of every meal with meat "substitutes" and craving meat all the time) won't like this place. The food is just bland and made without any soul. I am not sure any of the people who actually run the place are real vegetarians - hence the lack of connection and soul.

WHOA. THE EIGHTS BISTRO! How did I miss this restaurant right down the street? Maybe I should go there for dinner tonight after I am done at the office. It's open till 2 AM today apparently.

If not today... SOMEDAY, I really want to try these from their menu:

• Brussels Sprouts w/hot smoked caramelized onions,

gruyere cheese and a touch of mozzarella (white) $13.50

• Mushroom and Caramelized onion served with a rosemary infused honey drizzled over melted blue cheese and mozzarella. topped with roasted walnuts (white) $12.75

(I hope I am not kicked out if I ask them to omit the blue cheese. Blue Cheese = ick)

• Vegan - housemade basil chili tofu cashew cream and marinara sauce. Topped with plenty of broccoli, mushroom, yellow peppers and red onion $14.50

And good riddance, Campieri's. You were a rude, snobby, intolerant, racist and an awful person. I hope you have nothing to do with this new Bistro. If this is just a reincarnation, I don't think I am going anywhere near it.

Best Middle Eastern
Amy’s
Byblos
Mezza
Falafel Bar
Natalie’s

Hmm.... Haven't eaten at 3/5 of those places. I wonder if any of these are in the downtown/Allentown/(E:strip) areas.

Best Indian
Star of India
Taste of India
Kebab and Curry
Tandoori
India Gate

No palace of dosas? Maybe it has really gone down the hill since I last went there.

Okay, this list is tooooo long already. I am out of break-time. Let me wrap this up by saying..

Best dining out
- Everything else

I haven't heard of half the places on there. And places in Amherst and the burbs shouldn't really be nominated for something that is called "Best of Buffalo". It's unfair to the people who have actually set up businesses and cater to people IN the city of Buffalo.

And OH.

Best Pilates / Yoga
Evolation Yoga
East Meets West
Sjakti Yoga
Bikram Yoga
BAC

No Hand to Heart. Clearly, my vote was disregarded. The Artvoice ballot is SO rigged.

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PS: I really like the fact that the quote box is hidden against the white background. I wish the quote box were transparent in other backgrounds as well (when the theme changes). Nudge Nudge *hint* *hint* (e:paul). :)

I was reminded recently why I don't eat out anymore. Vegetarian fare, even in prominently vegetarian restaurants such as Merge is so disappointing. I had their "smothered sweet potato fries" with some dairy-substitute called "daiya" last week. It was a hastily put-together mish-mash of soggy fried sweet potato fingers, a cheesy semi-solid bland-tasting thing that I can't describe very well, a smattering of bland french-lentils and wilted bland spinach - all put together in an environmentally unfriendly styrofoam box.

Call me a snob if you want, but I am very sure that I could take each one of these simple components and cook them so that I would want to eat the resulting meal for an entire week without getting bored. I couldn't even get through that one meal from Merge. It was just too bland and too uninteresting. I can see why people turn up their noses at the mention of "vegetarian". Self-proclaimed vegetarian-specialty restaurants such a Merge tarnish what it means to be vegetarian.

Why should I eat bland uninteresting things and pay for it too when I know that I can do a million times better at home?! It's so ridiculous that I forget this fact every now and then. This entry should serve as a reminder. The only thing worth eating out is butter on hot fresh-toasted bread - because really, no one could possibly mess that up however hard they tried.

Just got charged $5.76 for a grilled cheese sandwich with green peppers and onions - that was mediocre at best. The regular grilled cheese sandwich is $2.36. Grilled cheese sandwich with tomatoes is $2.69. Grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, tomato and lettuce is $3.39.

I don't like squabbling over charges at check out. I think it is just crazy that on the rare occasions that I do decide to get something from the place, I am overcharged without fail.

I am done with the Roswell Cafeteria. Once and for all.

Goodbye.

The votes are in. (e:libertad) and I tried the monsoon food at the Roswell Cafeteria today and the unanimous vote is: Ehh! HATE IT.

Many reasons:

1. For something that is touted as "Indian", WHAT THE WHAT?! It's not vegetarian friendly! When I requested more samosas and bread instead of the chicken "curry" and rice, they said they would omit the rice and "curry" but could not give me more samosas and bread. The price for a reduced meal (sans rice and "curry") was the same as the price for the whole meal. They probably have some sort of instructions on how to sell the whole "monsoon entree" but not having any sort of alternative arrangements for people who don't eat meat (and having the audacity to call it "Indian") is inexcusable. And yes. I am authorized to criticize because I am Indian.

2. The shredded (cooked in some awful way) vegetables were an enormous disgrace to all self-respecting vegetables on the planet. I can finally see where all the hatred for veggies comes from. I really feel sorry for any kid that has to eat vegetables like that. It smelled like GRASS and was lukewarm. I think whatever they did to veggies today should be outlawed.

3. I didn't take the rice and "curry" but (e:libertad) wasn't too enthused about them either. He later got a heartburn because of the food. Indian spices promote digestion and don't give you heartburn. Another sign that calling something "Indian" and naming it after the monsoons doesn't make it even remotely "Indian".

I hope this ill-conceived fling with "Indian" food is short-lived. I will not be surprised if it gives real Indian food a bad reputation among people for whom this is an introduction to "Indian" cuisine.

Badly done indeed.

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PS: That they called menu items "curry" should have tipped me about how un-Indian it would be, but I totally ignored my cranky assertive internal voice today. Shouldn't have...

PPS: Loved trashing the whole thing with beady eyes and whatnots with (e:libertad) ofcourse. :-)

PPPS: OMG, Fern is half my height, and she is hardly 3 (We ran into (e:enknot) and (e:megan) at lunch.)