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Posts tagged Chicago Bears
Clusterfuck Update 7/26: Free Agent Deals And McNabb To Vikings
Jul 26th
The Dynamic Duo Is No More
Jul 25th
Packers 20th Most Valuable Sports Franchise
Jul 18th
Cutler's Fiance Kristin Cavallari Bikini Gallery [Photos]
Jul 16th
Cutler And Cavalli Getting Gravy Boat From Us For Their Wedding
Jul 16th
Hester To Bears: Sign Receiver Just Like Shitty Ones We Have
Jul 13th
Nick Collins: Jay Cutler Really Stinks
Jun 29th
Hey, we've been saying it for some time and Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins agrees: Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler stinks. Actually, Collins didn't utter the exact words, but he did convey the message. During an appearance on Colin Cowherd's radio show Tuesday morning, Cowherd asked Collins' opinion on who the toughest quarterback in the NFL is to face.
Jay Cutler's Knee Fantastic, Vagina Still Hurts
Jun 15th
We're glad to know the get well card we sent to Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler after he stood around with a dumb look on his face for the second half of the NFC Championship game paid off. Cutler, who "sprained his knee" at the beginning of the third quarter, is back to playing football now that nothing at all is on the line.
NFL Has No Scheduling Plan For Shortened Season
Jun 7th
After we wrote about the NFL planning for an eight-game season, someone asked me if I knew how the league would handle the schedule. If the labor dispute costs the NFL any amount of games, the league will have to adjust the schedule in some fashion. The most obvious potential solution is to simply keep […]
Fox Sports Ranks Packers No. 1 NFL Organization
Jun 2nd
Fox Sports' Adam Schein compiled his third annual NFL organization rankings and not surprisingly, the Green Bay Packers came out on top, dethroning two-time winner, the New England Patriots. What does this mean? Probably not much, other than the Packers rate highly in several subjective categories. While the categories used to determine the rankings — […]
Bowen: Finley Key To Beating Bears
Jun 2nd
We all know Green Bay Packers tight Jermichael Finley is an impact player. We also know adding him to an already-potent offense could make the Packers almost unstoppable in 2011, but the National Football Post's Matt Bowen says Finley is the key to beating the Chicago Bears. The Packers had significant trouble with the Bears last season.
20 Questions With Ashlynn Brooke
May 27th
Packers Might Have Super Bowl Hangover
May 26th
This probably wasn't the best offseason for a lockout, at least as far as the Green Bay Packers organization is concerned. Every team coming off a Super Bowl win experiences some sort of hangover. The players are partying, making personal appearances, getting their faces in the media and partaking in all kinds of stupid promotional and […]
Connecting The Dots: Chicago Bears Receivers
May 23rd
One of the problems the Chicago Bears have had in the Jay Cutler era, other than a terrible offensive line, is the lack of a top-flight, go-to receiver. It's one of the reasons they're the second-best team in the NFC North, despite what last year's regular-season record and Brian Urlacher's pea brain say.
And Now We're Saving Chicago Bears Fans' Lives
May 22nd
Why are Green Bay Packers fans the best in the NFL? Because of shit like this. Suffering from Hepatitis C, the 55-year-old Chicago resident would have died had he not received a liver transplant at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison on March 14, 2010. [Peter] Cashman later discovered that the donor was Amy […]
Jay Cutler: A Joke Even To Politicians
May 18th
We figure most politicians are humorless pricks, but apparently even they get the Jay Cutler joke. That is, that Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is a joke. It started on Monday when Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, opened his speech at the Economic Forum in Chicago with these words.
Urlacher: Bears Are Best In NFC
May 17th
What Pre-Draft Visits Mean For Packers
May 8th
By the look of it, pre-draft visits mean absolutely nothing for the Green Bay Packers. The Packers brought around 20 players in for pre-draft visits, although that number could be more, since the team isn't required to report them. They also worked out a few players at other sites. In all, each organization is allowed […]
Jerry Angelo Makes Chicago Bears A Joke On Draft Day Again
May 3rd
It's taken me a while to get to this, but now it's time to lay into the joke in the NFC North not named the Minnesota Vikings — the Chicago Bears. Actually, it's not the Bears whole organization that's a joke, it's general manager Jerry Angelo, which should come as a surprise to no one. If you watched the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, you saw Angelo's ineptitude in action, although you probably couldn't tell what was really going on.
Cutler, Cavallari Will One Day Produce No-Talent Offspring
Apr 26th
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is the biggest mouth breather on the face of the planet. He's also a quitter, but that's not important here. Reality star Kristen Cavallari, of Laguna Beach "fame," has no discernible talent and dumbs down every room she's in. So really, it's perfect that the pair, who've been dating since last fall, got engaged over the weekend.


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Limited Edition Giftware by Donna Karan
Sensual modernity. Giftware of the finest porcelain. Handcrafted with a sleek, organic point of view. Each piece speaks of the artisan hand. Donna Karan's collection of artisan sculptures is one that speaks to a lifestyle and indulges the senses. Each handcrafted design is limited to fifty numbered and signed pieces. While the works are inspired by the designer's travels, they are all made in the USA. Each is an object of desire - modern, sensual and tactile. A combination of the practical and the aesthetic.See Limited Edition Individual Pieces
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*To qualify for the $10 off Coupon, you must make a purchase from Lenox.com today. The $10 off Coupon will be emailed to you within the next 7 days.

subset: commoncrawl


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Date: 1946-06-05
Description: Henry Murphy washing the Badger Bus Line, Inc. coach that he drives between Madison and Milwaukee.
Date: 1945
Description: Aerial view of Bascom Hill, Bascom Hall, Wisconsin Historical Society on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus with Lake Mendota on the right.
Date: 1946-06-29
Description: A truckload of twenty-eight aluminum canoes in front of Madison Marine Service, 2102 Atwood Avenue. They were transported from Long Island, New York. The B...
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Date: 1945-07-24
Description: Group portrait of students seated on the front lawn next to the street. The Abraham Lincoln School for Social Science, Chicago, Illinois, sponsored a Summe...
Date: 1969 ca.
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Date: 1949-06-23
Description: Soap Box Derby participant, Warren Slightam, age 13, with Marshall "Marsh" Parkinson, yard manager of the J.J. Fitzpatrick Lumber Company, which is sponsor...
Date: 1946-10-29
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Date: 1928-08-12
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Pitt appears in hi style in Cancun, Mexico. Plus: Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig & Weisz, and more
Credit: Xposure
Published: Monday Jul 11, 2011 | 05:00 PM EDT
More from PEOPLE
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Love is in the air as newlyweds Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz stroll hand-in-hand through New York's JFK International Airport on Friday.
Copyright © 2014 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


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Arizona Diamondbacks
Bobby Flay to open restaurant at Cincinnati casino
CINCINNATI (AP) - Award-winning chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay will open his 14th Bobby's Burger Palace at the new Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati in Ohio in March.
Rock Gaming officials said Tuesday that Ohio's first BBP will be in the casino next to the gambling floor and feature an assortment of burgers.
Flay also is owner and executive chef of Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay Steak, and Bar Americain in various U.S. locations. He has published 11 cookbooks, appeared on Food Network and Cooking Channel and is a regular contributor on NBC's "The Today Show."
The $400 million casino is slated to open March 4. Casinos in Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus opened last year.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Most Popular
- What's on your mind?Vince Marotta shares what is on his mind this week.
- It's Paul's Call with Paul Calvisi!It's Paul's Call with Paul Calvisi!
- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN MLB insiderESPN MLB insider Tim Kurkjian says he expects the Giants to try and get four or five innings out of
- Bickley BlastTonight is the last night of the year where all four major sports are occurring.
- Who Impressed/Who Depressed Dan and Vince share who impressed and depressed them over the weekend.


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Further bolstering rumors that the Buick brand is set to receive rebranded products from GM's European Opel division are reports from GM Inside News indicating that a small car based on the Astra platform – initially planned for the now-defunct Saturn brand – has been transferred to Buick's entry-level luxury division.
Assuming these rumors are true, we can expect to see the new Buick in North America in late 2011 as a 2012 model. At this point, nobody is sure if the car will show up as a hatchback or as a sedan or what the car will be named. Skylark anyone? No?
We're hardly convinced this is good news for Buick. While Buick-GMC dealerships that are about to lose the Pontiac brand might disagree with our take, we have to wonder if an entry-level Buick might compete with upper-level versions of the upcoming Chevy Cruze. Sound familiar to anyone else?
[Source: GM Inside News]


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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- State Department of Transportation officials are working through the weekend to figure out why a Green Bay bridge sank two feet.
Officials closed the Leo Frigo Bridge Wednesday after a support pier unexpectedly sank two feet, causing a deep dip in the pavement.
DOT spokesman Kim Rudat says workers were checking for movement in other support piers and testing the area soil Saturday. That will tell them if they need to shore up the bridge before doing other work.
He says they haven't found any movement yet but they've attached equipment similar to seismographs that will sound alarms if there is.
On Friday, Governor Scott Walker declared the closure of the bridge a disaster. It could lead to federal reimbursement for the first 180 days of repair work.
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- Hotel Details
- Member Reviews
- Photos
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya4 Stars
Kalanchevskaya Street 21/40 Moscow 107078
Considered one of the Russian capital's key landmark buildings, the grand Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya hotel is one of seven famous 'Stalin' towers. Located next to Garden Ring and a short walk from the city's Leningradskiy Railway Station, the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya hotel is within easy access to the city's famous landmarks such as Red Square and the Kremlin. Sheremetyevo International Airport is only 25 km away. Choose from a contemporary selection of rooms and suites at the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya hotel. Each room offers spectacular panoramic views across the city and wireless internet access. Work-out in the Fitness Centre or swim laps in the indoor pool. Unwind with a beauty treatment or massage in the SPA Salon Mosaic. Sample signature gourmet International dishes at the Janus Restaurant or sip a refreshing drink in the stylish Lobby Lounge. The Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya hotel is the ideal place to plan your event. Hold your conference or function in one of 7 full
Hotel Facilities
- Business Centre
- Pets Allowed
- Conference Facilities
- Restaurant
- Gym / Fitness Facilities
Other Recommended Hotels
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|3 Stars
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|4 Stars
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|5 Stars
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|Holiday Inn Moscow Vinogradovo
|3 Stars
|Aquamarine Hotel Moscow
|4.5 Stars
|Holiday Inn Lesnaya Hotel Moscow
|4 Stars
|4 Stars
|Art Hotel Moscow
|4 Stars
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|4 Stars
Find similar hotels as Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya in Moscow
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|Luxury Accommodation in Moscow
Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya photos
Hotel Exterior
Hotel Room
Meeting room
Hotel Interior
Meeting room
Guest Room
Hotel Exterior


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In a savage world of man vs nature, are you the hunter or the hunted? The creators of Left 4 Dead, Turtle Rock Studios, bring you Evolve, the next-generation of multiplayer shooters where four hunters face-off against a single, player-controlled monster. Stalk your prey, execute your attack, and prove you are the apex predator in adrenaline-pumping 4V1 matches. Grab three friends and hunt the monster or stalk the humans as the evolving beast. Whichever side you choose, you will have access to powerful weapons and abilities that deliver balanced, competitive gameplay.
Play the open beta this fall only on Xbox One.
Play new DLC first on Xbox One.
Register now for exclusive Xbox One early access to the Evolve Big Alpha beginning October 30th, 2014.
Referral code: Xbox4VOne
Registration code: 44549-09164-02289
With Xbox Live Gold, you get the most advanced multiplayer, free games, exclusive member discounts up to 50-75% on games in the Xbox Store, and more.Join Xbox Live Gold


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FORT MYERS BEACH, FL- Fort Myers Beach is making it's way to the top, the top of a list of spring break hot spots.
Music plus water plus lots of sun, these spring breakers from Michigan say that combo makes Fort Myers their number one choice for spring break.
Spring breaker Rachel Hendrick says, "It's still party, but its more relaxed. ".
Turns out she's not the only alone. A survey from Orbitz Insider puts Fort Myers at number 6 on a list of top ten spring break spots in North America.
Spring breaker Joe Ellis says, "Its great, the best beach around. Been here all day.".
The survey, which is based on customer booking patterns from march to the end of April, shows that 88 percent of those polled say they prefer to avoid places considered "party spring break" spots in favor of family friendly spots.
"Its great for all age groups".
Topping the list is Orlando, followed by Las Vegas, Cancun,Phoenix and Ft Lauderdale. Fort Myers jumped 10 spots from last year to number 6. No one here seems surprised.
"It was snowing when we left"
Also making the list are Tampa, New York, Los Angeles and Denver,


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This coming Sunday, March 2nd, is Dr. Seuss' birthday and has become the National Read Across America Day. This year we will be celebrating in full swing for the week following March 2nd, since it falls on a Sunday. So I decided to whip up some last minute Dr. Seuss Writing Activities printables for the occasion.
My little girls love the Dr. Seuss books we have and ask me to read them all the time. Mister Bull is a little too old for them as a reading assignment, but they are great for teaching rhyming and several other grammar techniques. So, I created some writing prompts and Draw then Write Activity sheets for Mister Bull to complete while we read through some of our favorite Dr. Seuss stories next week.
- The Writing prompts have both manuscript and plain lines for more advanced writers.
- The Draw-then-Write activity sheets also have manuscript and plain lines.
- Some extra pages are included for those who need more room to write.
This post contains my affiliate links, which helps support this site. Read my full disclosure policy.
Latest posts by InAllYouDo (see all)
- {free} Nativity Writing Activities - November 25, 2014
- {free} Nativity Coloring Pages ~ 60 pages - November 21, 2014
- Pilgrim's Mini Puzzle Unit {FREEBIE} - November 19, 2014


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What two Norwegian journalists concluded from their harrowing encounter with Islamic immigrants.
Victimized by Muslims? You Deserve It
Bruce Bawer is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center and the author of "While Europe Slept" and "Surrender." His book "The Victims' Revolution: The Rise of Identity Studies and the Closing of the Liberal Mind" is just out from Broadside / Harper Collins.


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How do u balance flavors when cooking fr scratch? No recipe
- y
- youareabunny Mar 19, 2013 01:04 AM
I don't often cook from recipes because I'm usually missing lots of ingredients, or at least key ones
I am originally from San Diego but am in Paris right now. It is very easy in SD to reach every kind of market and get food at good prices, but not so much in Paris.
My question is I try to cook meals with protein, veggie and carbohydrate but other than salt, pepper, maybe soy sauce or lemon, I'm at a loss for flavorings and everything tastes the same.
My technique is pretty good, I can cut things uniformly, I don't undercook or overcook things. But as in piano playing I can read any sheet music, but I can't create my own pieces.
I have herb de Provence, garlic, chili powder, cinnamon, vanilla, balsamic vinegar, citrus, ketchup, cream, creme fraiche, white wine, soy and fish sauce.
The vegetables I buy weekly are usually broccoli, zucchini, courge muscade (pumpkin?), eggplant, haricot verts, potatoes, carrots, button mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion.
Either everything I make is totally salty, totally citrus, or vinegar taste. Is there a general rule of marrying flavors to get some more interesting, complex tasting food? Other than throwing it all in and having to adjust... Then it all ends up tasting like one thing again =)
Any ideas as to a couple flavor staples I should buy? Will be going to Chinatown this weekend and hopefully get some sesame oil. Ginger would be nice.. Thanks for reading
re: youareabunny
You are very lucky! French bistro cooking is really simple cooking where technique and quality of the ingredients really shine, as in a steak au poivre or vichyssoise. I love infusing cream with a bay leaf, thyme, garlic and peppercorns and then straining and using in bechamel, mashed potatoes and Potato dauphinoise. Another great recipe to master would be savory tarts, smitten kitchen has a great recipe for French onion tart.
where are you shopping that you're having a hard time finding things? It takes a while to figure out where they stock things, as they're typically shelved differently than in the US, but the array and quality of available ingredients here is head and shoulders above anything in the US.
what "key ingredients" are you missing?
What are you trying to make -- particular dishes, or just make-it-up-as-you-go-along?
I can't imagine cooking in France without thyme and bay leaves (both available fresh in the markets) -- and cloves and nutmeg (muscade) are nice addtions.
Can you read enough French to try recipes? I like marmiton.org and 750g.com in particular, or pick up a copy of Papilles or any of the other cooking magazines at the checkout of any supermarket.
if your dishes are too salty, too lemony, or too vinegary, that's a sure sign to back off the salt/lemon/vinegar next time.
re: sunshine842
Sorry for clarity, it's not that my dishes are too salt/citrus but that they are really ONLY one of those flavors.
I shop at marchprix or Carrefour mainly. There's a handful of Mexican, Asian ingredients there but not much.
I guess what I'm asking is if there is a nice goto set of flavoring that I can adjust accordingly. Like you make fried rice with whatever you've got on hand, I'd like to learn the same with spices and flavorings. So yes, make it up as I go along cooking.
Take hot and sour soup for instance, I understand the combination of the salt flavor (broth, soy) and tangy vinegar.
My French is decent so I will have a look at those sites. I have been to several restaurants here and have had some meals that my bf describes as "typical French" (he's French) and while they are nice they seem more protein centered. Maybe it's just what I'm ordering, I'm ok cooking with protein because they usually have flavor on their own but it's my vegetables that are very boring.
Like lately I've just been putting teriyaki on my vegetables. Sometimes I do olive oil and lemon, or soy and lemon. Other than that they are very plain and occur like that too often!
Clove, nutmeg, thyme and bay all sound great but I've hardly cooked with them and am not sure of how to, in what quantities and combinations.
re: youareabunny
sounds like you need a good primer on French cooking, as much as anything. Ask your BF about traditional meals, then search for recipes for those dishes -- you'll pretty quickly get a feel for the flavors and techniques.
Pick up the magazines- surf the websites. head over to FNAC and pick up a cookbook (you might even find one in English - it will be pricey, but a good investment)
And get out to the markets! That's where the good vegetables are.
As far as cooking vegetables -- one word: ratatouille. It's easy to make, inexpensive, and anything BUT boring.
France is very, very protein-heavy. You'll find meat and carbs in everything. The good news is we're heading into spring, so peas and asparagus are on their way, but meat-and-starch is the rule here, particularly for winter dishes.
re: sunshine842
The ratatouille is a good idea, I'd seen it before and basically wrote it off as veggies with tomato. The thyme and such must really do something to it.
I suppose I'm looking more for flavor technique than specifics recipes, something I can apply generally.
I definitely need to check out the markets I just get intimidated cuz I hardly ever have euros :)
re: youareabunny
When you check out the markets, try to strike up a conversation with the vendors. You may need to be a bit thick-skinned with the vendors who have a brusque manner, but show enthusiasm for their product and learning and they'll warm up. (Even enlist their understanding by saying you'll be making small purchases because you have limited Euros.)
Taking your list from the original post, a classic French combination would be white wine, crème fraiche, and an herb. Using tarragon will give you a totally different result than using thyme. Adding some Dijon mustard and a bit of vinegar will produce yet another flavor profile. Recipes for all of these combos will be easily available in cookbooks. The protein will most likely be chicken, pork, or veal.
re: Indy 67
Yes I understand the crime fraiche and wine sauce but the addition of an herb scares me lol. Are you talking about fresh herbs? I know fresh and dried have their time and place, although I wish I had a garden of basil, sage, thyme, parsley and a few others its just not possible yet.
Do you mean Dijon with the creme fraiche sauce?
Ok so I must use my charm on the French vendors... Got it! Luckily i know almost all of the food words and with decent accent too.
re: youareabunny
I was referring to fresh herbs, but the general conversion is three times the amount of fresh as dried.
Does the place where you live allow you to have a small window box where you can plant live herbs? That way you can continually snip fresh herbs without having to spend money beyond the cost of the original plant.
Yes, I recommend adding some Dijon mustard to the basic crème fraiche sauce. Now, Dijon mustard is very strong compared to the yellow ballpark mustard you're used to. It may take some getting used to. Perhaps start by reducing the quantities specified in a recipe.
Here's a link to a representative recipe for Cream Sauce with Dijon:
re: Indy 67
Yes I've got a huge patio with lots of hangers for planters and room for pots on the floor. It's just a matter of getting to the store but the critters always decimate my garden in SD so I'm a bit wary here of repeating that.
Yes dried herbs are stronger so they can be subbed but they just don't have the same flavor? The market has frozen herbs which may be better.
The Dijon in the sauce sounds crazy to me but I'll definitely try it. I would've never thought that would go well with the wine and cf sauce. Thanks
re: youareabunny
you can grow all those herbs on a sunny windowsill.
re: youareabunny
Ratatouille is basically veggies with tomato. But the various vegetables interact with one another to produce a memorable taste.
To get you in the mood to fix your first dish of ratatouille, I recommend you watch the movie of the same name. The scene where the restaurant critic eats a portion of ratatouille is all about the transporting power of food. (Incidentally, the movie version of ratatouille -- really Thomas Keller's French Laundry recipe -- is more upscale and technique-dependent than most normal recipes so don't stress.)
re: youareabunny
there isn't a one-size-fits-all flavor -- different foods like different seasonings.
And yes-- ratatouille is way more than veggies with tomatoes.
@Indy 67 -- yes -- the recipe in the movie is way more futzy than the way my friends and their families make ratatouille -- it's all sort of dumped in the pan in what looks like a hodgepodge manner, but what emerges is one of my favorite dishes anywhere.
(and it can be eaten warm or cold, over pasta, on a sandwich, as a side, as a main....very versatile)
re: youareabunny
I'd cook from recipes until you get some ideas on how to create the flavor profiles you want. I used to run out of ideas on how to make vegetables more interesting, too, but I've been making a conscious effort to seek out more vegetable recipes and vary my cooking techniques and flavors. For example, roasting vegetables in high heat really does add a lot of depth of flavor, whether it's ratatouille or brussels sprouts or asparagus.
Also, taste! Something tasting all tangy? Add a bit of salt and maybe a pinch of sugar. Too sweet? A squeeze of lemon juice, or adding onions or garlic to a dish often increases the "savoriness" of it. I'd also recommend The Flavor Bible as a good resource.
But really, start with recipes. If you want a good basic French cookbook I love Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells.
First there are millions of recipes on line. Just about anything you can imagine.
Secondly, there are umpteen monthly cooking magazines available in France. Any 'Press' will stock many. Obviously since these are for a French audience they will use ingredients that can easily be found in France.
So, just decide what you want to cook and then find a recipe, then shop for the ingredients. The actual cooking part should be easy.
re: Yank
That's kind of the point, I'm trying to cook without recipes. Getting an idea of flavor combinations and techniques so I can come up with spur of the moment stuff.
I suppose really flavorful food with lots of spices and such are written for a reason. Not just anyone can come up with the combinations.
I watch lots of cooking French cooking shows but maybe what I'm looking for are veggie techniques, and they focus largely on protein and dessert.
re: youareabunny
I think that starting with recipes is really helpful for learning and then to use those ideas when you're cooking stuff spur of the moment.
If you find a very flavorful/herby ratatouille recipe that you like - you can take those herb/spice techniques and apply that to more spur of the moment dishes. If you focus on the cuisines you like and find flavorful - sometimes just reading the recipes and how the dishes are flavored can be enough. Use the recipe to figure out when to add oils, vinegars, citrus, dry spices, dry herbs, fresh herbs, ginger, alcohol, etc. and at what ratios. No need to make the whole recipe, but just get inspiration on what to combine with what.
re: cresyd
I agree.. recipes teach you what you like together.
Also, look at Mark Bittman recipes on line as he often gives many different flavor profiles for any dish.
re: magiesmom
I think for what the OP is describing the Mark Bittman approach is ideal. He has some many variations of a theme that are all about playing with flavors.
I started cooking by using recipes, never following to a "tee" but as my ingredient list perhaps or for proportions. Once you know the flavors you like and what flavors go well together ( many basic books tell what pairs well with what) you can completely improvise or invent. I think you are trying to skip that step of learning. If you have something specific you want to do I am sure the CH world can give suggestions.
re: cresyd
Yes ratios tends to be my problem so if I get a better understanding of how other recipes use them I can apply it more broadly. I have a few things I can cook just fine, so I eyeball everything. But for more complex things I should measure, or at least get an idea of proportions. Like I can easily go overboard with garlic, soy... And things like rosemary and thyme I am completely unaccustomed to.
Mark bittman sounds great. I'll definitely check him out.
re: youareabunny
I agree with the Mark Bittman recommendation too. He's great for providing some basic ideas with the idea that cooks will want to improvise on their own.
For me, recipes really helped a lot with figuring out when to add "flavors" to recipes. Personally, I've been experimenting with mujadarra recipes - but most of the written recipes don't have a lot of interesting spices/flavors added. So I've been looking for other recipes about how/when/what quantity to add various spices to different lentil dishes to try and umpf the flavor. It helps me out a lot, especially when I realize I've been relying too much on the same flavor combination all the time.
Another idea for something easy to add for flavor are anchovies. One or two can be sauted into oil early in a dish and add a really great taste.
re: cresyd
It's amazing what some small salty fish can do. I do similar with shrimp paste, but I can probably get my hands on anchovies easier.
Yes, I use the same flavor combinations too, that's the problem. I've been researching indian cuisine myself and am finally starting to appreciate technique. The spices with the right combination, proportions, added in different stages. I guess I've just been accustomed to throwing whatever I want into the pan. I have to study more I guess lol. I stalked CH for months btw! I have so much to learn...
Mujadarra sounds interesting, I did buy a can of lentils...
re: youareabunny
Mujadarra has definitely been my new "I will figure this out!" challenge for the past month. I've decided that I prefer it made with bulgar wheat as opposed to rice, but I'm still trying to tinker with my spices.
re: cresyd
Please post when you do figure it out :)
re: cresyd
Even anchovy paste works well. Used it last night in my puttanesca sauce instead of the whole ones.
re: youareabunny
Add a little seasoning, spices, herbs little at a time, never pour straight from the container, use a measuring spoon and try to rememe ho muh or write it down on index cards.
You can always add more if needed.
re: PHREDDY
Yes the measuring spoons and writing things down generally are methods too exact and complex for me but I should take the time so can figure out what I like.
In college I used to eat Easy Mac tombstone pizza flavor. Don't judge me but I thought it was delicious. Anyway they discontinued it long ago and I replicated it once, didn't write anything down, and had two very much failed attempts later.
I'm going to need more magnets on the refrigerator...
re: youareabunny
Get a little notebook and jot things down as you go. No need for fridge magnets. Also if you hate to measure just use your hand as a measurement estimator. You fist is approximately a cup, thumb is a tbsp and so on. There are sites online that explain it well.
re: melpy
I've got a 1 bedroom flat and tiny French kitchen so counter space is minimal. But a little notebook with magnets may work. And you've never seen MY fists, I could probably knock out a small t-Rex.
But yes at least an eyeball measuring of ingredients would be helpful. Or proportions/parts.
re: youareabunny
so fiddle around for an hour or so -- pour a tablespoon of something in the palm of your hand -- get a feel for the weight and volume. Same with a teaspoon.
At some point you have to train yourself -- we didn't learn any of this stuff by osmosis, and neither will you. Read -- cook from recipes for a while -- keep asking questions here.
Nobody ever walked into a kitchen and produced gourmet meals right off the bat -- even Julia Child admits in her books that she screwed up a lot of food as she was learning to cook (and she didn't start to cook until after she was married!)
re: youareabunny
I've stopped writing down recipes because I inevitably lose them. I usually email them to myself. (Or capture them in my blog!)
re: Savour
I use Pinterest as basically a virtual recipe box. Recipes I find or inspiration I collect from blogs - it's been a pretty easy way for me to organization and collect recipes I find interesting.
I know that Pinterest is supposed to be designed as a kind of social network - but I just use mine to save recipes.
re: cresyd
OT but if at least one person sees what you have pinned or you repaint from others then Pinterest has fulfilled it's social obligations.
re: youareabunny
Michael Ruhlman's book 'Ratios" would be a great foundation cookbook for you to own. It explains exactly what you are wanting to know.
He has a later book called '20" which also uses the concept of foundation ingredients/techniques and various ways to expand from basic to complex with those.
Perhaps you can order online to be sent to you in Paris?
You might also check out David Leibovitz cooking blog, who is an American Chef (pastry), who lives in Paris. He has lots of insider tips on where to get ingredients, interesting places to eat - from pastry to chocolate to bistro's. Tips on markets, plus recipe posts. I really like his writing style.
re: gingershelley
Ruhlman sounds perfect. I will definitely check that out. And Lebovitz is wonderful although I tend to focus more in his baking blogs... I get too easily side tracked by pastry.
re: youareabunny
look at www.bookdepository.com -- best prices on books I've found in Europe (even beats Amazon and FNAC about half the time)
re: gingershelley
I highly recommend "On Food and Cooking" by Harold McGee. It's very scientific and technical with few if any recipes but as a science geek and cooking freak I can't put it down. It's quite thick but offers a wealth of information and even if you didn't want to read the whole thing is a great reference book if there's an ingredient that you are interested in.
Ratio is also great a book which I found helpful.
re: fldhkybnva
Jeff Potter's "Cooking for Geeks" (O'Reilly, 2010) is a nice read; sort of a mash-up, conceptually, of McGee and Bittman, with a bit of geek hacker mentality thrown in. Back cover copy reads, in part: "Are you an innovative cook, accustomed to expressing your creativity instead of just following recipes? Are you interested in learning the science behind what happens to food while it's cooking? Do you want to learn what makes a recipe work so you can improvise and create your own dish?"
Potter includes a section on Taste, and does a nice job of giving some ins and outs of flavor balancing on an approachable level, including a couple of charts that suggest ingredients that provide the flavors for a number of cuisines in the categories of sweet/sour/salty/bitter/umami.
Might be useful for the OP.
re: cayjohan
Great book as well!
re: youareabunny
I think of flavor profiles in terms of land of origin and then sort of mix and match those flavors and seasonings to whatever veg is in season, on hand, and +/- desired preparation method.
Take your cue from the seasonings from any type of recipe, not just veg recipes specifically. Most of what you'd do to meat can be adapted to use as a veg seasoning. For example, any dish that you'd make spice paste or dry seasoning blend for can be adapted to season simple roasted veg--toss with a little oil and the spices before roasting or blend into a dressing to toss with fresh or steamed veg.
Start with the question of whether you want your vegetables:
braised/long cooked
and then, what flavor profile? My go-to palate selections lean heavily on:
If you've got fresh herbs, you can make miracles in any genre. My other go-to staples are fresh garlic, lemons and limes (for juice AND zest), ginger, and shallots. For pantry stash, ground cumin, ground coriander, curry powder, hot pepper flakes and/or chili powder, smoked paprika, sesame seeds and oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, peanuts, sunflower seeds, evoo, mustard, mayo or aioli and vinegars (if you are not familiar, a good sherry vinegar will completely alter your view of vinegar as a seasoning).
The seasonings for dummies version of all of this is to start trying pre-made, jarred spice blends. If you have access, Penzey's is a good go-to source because they have such a variety.
One of my dirty little pantry secrets is "Slap ya Mama", which I actually learned about from a CIA trained chef friend.
re: splatgirl
Slap ya mama huh. Now that is very interesting! But I'm afraid to ask lest there be a knock on my door.
Country of origin is a good tip. I have an ok understanding of Asian foods but not much of anything else.
Thanks for all of the tips. Now I can look at recipes differently now. Try to dissect what can b applied to other things...
re: youareabunny
Since you are not familiar enough with the seasoning options to be able to create a variety of flavor profiles WITHOUT recipes, you need recipes until you are.
It is a simple thing to use various wines or juices to braise poultry and meats. E.g.: brown chicken pieces skin side down. Flip them, add onion and garlic to deglaze the brown bits, then add liquid halfway up the sides of the meat, not enough to submerge the skin. If available, add bits of complimentary fresh or dried fruit, a bay leaf or two, and a tsp of dried savory or thyme (assuming 4 to 6 servings). Cover and braise over low heat. Reduce sauce when meat is done. Optionally, add a little cream to the reduced sauce before serving.
re: greygarious
To continue the music analogy....you don't walk up to a piano and start playing beautiful music without having learned how to play the piano (chords, pedals, etc), how to read music, and at least a little musical theory.
It's the same thing with cooking...you need the recipes (sheet music) and the knowledge (theory) before you can start writing your own compositions (cooking by the seat of your pants).
You also have to have all the ingredients (the black keys AND the white keys, as well as the pedals....) or there's no way your music is ever going to turn out right. ;)
re: greygarious
Absolutely 100% agree with this. I rarely use a recipe now but will read about a dish and peruse various recipes and then go off the cuff when it comes time to cook which I think is the fun of it. However, until you have more experience with flavor combinations it's hard to know what will taste good together so you have to depend somewhat on what others have done and have been successful with. Once you get more comfortable, you can start to explore and it's fantastic and very enjoyable. I now often just go to the store on the weekend mornings with a cup of coffee in hand and browse and ideas for combinations and ingredients start to click and combine and it usually turns out quite well, but I definitely didn't start off being able to do that and if I tried it would have been disastrous. In the beginning, it was helpful for me to try to recreate dishes that I know I enjoyed. So, if SO loves a pasta dish at a particular restaurant, I would attempt to recreate it at home and through that process you not only learn to make food that you already know that you like but also learn about ingredients in the process. For example, I made my first Marsala dish this past weekend and a recipe that I spotted mentioned tomato paste. I had never used tomato paste but with a quick Google search it was evident that the world loves tomato paste. I included the amount specified in that recipe as an addition to what I had already planned to do and it was fantastic and so now with a little bit more research into tomato paste I have tons of more ideas of how to incorporate it which will lead me down the path to many more delicious dishes.
That thread might help. At least provide a jumping off point before your own palate decides you like more rosemary, less thyme, or what have you.
re: Violatp
Great link. But now I'm jealous cuz I want a garden! Except for tomatoes, basil and chives I tend to have a black thumb.
Hi there,
I know how tricky it is living with a limited pallet of flavours to play with, as I lived in Germany for a while with not much money which doesn't give you much scope for buying a wide range of seasonings.
I would start by bulking up your flavours with a few of the following: paprika (smoked if possible), cumin, curry powder, smoked bacon/ham, brown sugar, pesto, bouillon powder, chorizo, dried oregano. (I use chorizo and smoked meat sparingly as a seasoning in some veggie dishes so it doesn't really count as the 'protein).
Out of this and what you already have, there are some good basic combos:
- tomatoes + paprika + cumin = tex-mex flavours, you can stir in any veg and some canned beans or what have you
- soy sauce + tsp of brown sugar + tsp of curry powder = japanese curry, good if you thicken with pureed carrot and onion and toss into cooked vegetables
- ginger + soy + brown sugar + citrus (optional) = Chinese-style flavours, add to a stir-fry or bubble this mixture away on a gentle heat with some low-salt stock until it gets syrupy and use as a glaze for vegetable kebabs
- tomatoes + paprika + chorizo = spanish flavours, great cooked into rice with olives or tossed with roasted peppers
- cumin + garlic = loves pumpkin, carrots, eggplant and zucchiini, especially roasted
- chorizo loves beans of any sort (including haricot verts)
- tomatoes + garlic + oregano/large dollop of pesto = classic Italian flavours, good on pasta or a minestrone base or just about anything
- tomatoes + smoked bacon + brown sugar = good old hearty smokey cowboy flavours that make terrific bean dishes or potato fillings
- smoked bacon loves pretty much any of the vegetables you mentioned when sauteed with them and tossed with pesto.
- tomatoes + paprika + lemon juice/vinegar = eastern European flavours, make good vegetable soup bases or rice dishes and excellent on potatoes with creme fraiche and sliced gherkins if you have 'em.
The bouillon powder really helps ramp up the savoury notes in most dishes. You could play around with these suggestions and see which ones work for you - as you play, hopefully you'll discover new combinations you like and crossovers you can exploit in other recipes. I'm very much an improv cook so I'm all about experimentation :)
Let me know what you think of all this!
re: Elster
Thanks so much these combinations are very helpful. I definitely need a few more spices in my France cabinet like I have in San Diego.
I try to experiment with combinations of textures and ingredients but herbs and spices really throw me off lol.
I don't eat bacon but I know the man will appreciate that.
re: Elster
If I may add to this -
Caraway seeds - with white cabbage, savoy cabbage, sautéed de-seeded cucumbers ( those along with garlic, onions, tomatoes), celeriac, small potatoes in their skin( either boiled or panfried) any dish containing leeks, in sauerkraut.
Nutmeg ( freshly grated) - mashed potatoes, brussels sprout, peas
Sage - poultry
Basil - a 1000 different dishes tntm, but along with garlic gently sautéed string beans
Savory - the Germans call it Bohnenkraut since it goes well with all sorts of beans. I would never eat a dish of fresh Fava beans without it.
Rosemary - pork
Thyme - loves tomatoes
Parsley - the curly kind. Finely chopped to finish carrots, peas and a whole lot of different vegetables, soups/veggie soup, borscht etc
So many good combos.....
re: RUK
Good ones!
Nutmeg is also sensational with spinach and makes buttered cauliflower taste like god.
Sage loves pork and/or mushrooms as well as poultry.
Fresh thyme + balsamic vinegar = very yes.
Tarragon, cream, garlic and white wine simmered together make fish or chicken or fennel or shallots beautiful treats.
I'm so happy to find another curly parsley advocate, too! All of my friends think the flat kind is the only kind that deserves a place on this earth... :(
re: Elster
Growing up in Germany I only saw the curly parsley until I moved to the US. It was THE fresh herb to be used as finish then.
And ah yes, I forgot the nutmeg on cauliflower, it fits perfectly.
re: youareabunny
all the more reason to start off by cooking from a recipe -- I know it cramps your style....but select one dish, and follow the recipe exactly a time or two. This will show you what it's *supposed* to taste like, and how the flavors work together.
Then another dish, and another. Once you're comfortable, then make it a time or two, but this time don't look at the recipe (or just glance at it -- I still get out the recipe book if I haven't made something in a while, just so I don't forget something)
Then when you have a good feel for what a well-balanced dish tastes like, then you can start "winging it" and cooking as you go.
But you have to crawl before you can fly.....
How are you cooking your vegetables?
I love blanched green beans tossed in a Dijon vinaigrette. Served warm with slivers of avocado, makes a delicious side dish.
Same mustard can be mixed with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper and tossed with the cubed pumpkin and roasted.
Completely different flavors.
Button mushrooms are fantastic when cooked long and slow- sautéed or roasted. They give off all their juices and concentrate into an almost meaty part of the meal. The only additions are salt, pepper, butter or oil.
You've got some great ingredients, just consider how to pair them together.
re: cheesecake17
Cheesecake I cook in a few ways, sometimes blanched, pan fried, coated then pan fried, roasted in oven... So sometimes I can marinate the veggies and other times a sauce would be more appropriate. And I do tend to keep mushrooms simple, they're so great on their own.
The Dijon use sounds great but I have to check what kind of mustard it is. Well I'm accustomed to bright yellow American mustard lol, and this French one we have looks a bit more fancy than that, so hopefully it'll work.
I'm seeing much use for maple syrup so I'll try to get some of that. I've only ever had it on pancakes.
I guess I've been hesitant to buy spices and dried herbs because I'm just cooking for 1-2 people. But I can just buy smaller quantities or split it with someone else. Thanks
re: youareabunny
Maple syrup is a fortune in France. They usually put jam or sugar on their crepe. I would sub honey for the maple syrup.
re: Gloriaa
Nope -- look at the natural foods store -- it's halfway reasonable there.
re: sunshine842
I am French and spend lots of time in France. None of my French friends, who have no American or Canadian affiliation, cook or buy maple syrup. Whenever I go I bring masses. Will look into the natural food stores. Considering it is very expensive here and we have an abundance of maple trees one can only imagine how expensive it would be anywhere in Europe.
re: Gloriaa
My local Bio-coop has 1 litre of sirop d'erable for €23. That's about $30 -- which is a little more expensive than you'd pay for a quart of syrup in the US, but not by a huge amount, especially when you take taxes, duties, and shipping into account.
re: sunshine842
It is 15$ for a liter at Costco in Canada. Call me crazy but I think 30$ is expensive....
re: Gloriaa
I think it was US$20 or so when I bought it from the producer in Wisconsin (can't remember exactly; a few years ago)
But €23/litre beats the hell out of €7 for 150ml in the supermarkets.
re: sunshine842
A little goes a long way. Have used my VT maple syrup for over 2 years.
re: hotoynoodle
but then, if you don't like it, $3 a litre is too much....
re: sunshine842
totes. we got a bottle as a wedding favor 2 summers ago, and it just gathers dust. lol.
re: hotoynoodle
Damn. Can u mix it with bird seed and stuff it into a pinecone? Or send it to meeeeeeeeee
re: Gloriaa
Now I am curious about maple syrup in France.
As to your music analogy: when I first started to improvise, yes, it was different, I made mistakes. But, I also had a knowledge of music theory, so I knew some basics based on that. Then, developed it from there. The more I did it, the better I got.
Like others have suggested, start with recipes. It will give you a starting point, once you start seeing patterns emerge, you can take off from there. Experience helps.
it sounds like your issue may be that of simply too heavy a hand and/or timing of when to add flavor.
dried herbs and spices need to be "fried" in your oil or butter before adding the other ingredients. (i prefer thyme to rosemary. the latter can be overwhelming even in small amounts.)
soy sauce is good for adding umami, but even when cooking several pounds of mushrooms, i only use a few splashes. if using it for a soup or sauce, add it at the end so it doesn't reduce to a salt lick.
fish sauce is VERY potent. a tiny splash goes a long way and if you are using it with soy sauce, add the soy later after the fish sauce has cooked into the liquid a little bit.
citrus is also best added at the end. it will amp up any salt you have already added so be careful there.
if you find your sauces or soups overly salty, the safest way to avoid that is to add it at the very end.
if your vegetables are excellent, they don't need a lot of fussing. steamed and finished with some thyme infused butter and a sprinkle of good salt works great for zucchini, haricot verts and carrots.
roasted with a brush of olive oil and good salt makes magic for eggplant, mushrooms, peppers and carrots.
some veggies, like eggplant and tomatoes really "need" salt to come to life. start off with less than you think you might need, til you become confident.
in summer, i make a lovely tarte tatin with tomatoes and mustard brushed on the pastry. i also really like tomatoes with sesame oil.
you don't need MORE of everything in every dish.
i hate pumpkin. :)
re: hotoynoodle
Yes I think I need a bit more method. Fresh herbs are relatively easy to throw in, although I've only ever tried parsley, basil, and cilantro.
I've learned to fry the powder spices especially but never do it with dried herbs for some reason.
I think splashing ingredients will help, I probably am too heavy handed with one and mask all the others. Also I don't quite discern harmony - like the flutes in an orchestra.... Are often hard to make out but if they were removed the sound would be less beautiful and complex.
Too many music analogies but its a language I speak.
The tomatoes and mustard tart sounds lovely. Maybe I'll make it with pumpkin :) jk
re: youareabunny
i use dried thyme in every western-style (i.e. american or european) dish i make, and build from there. fresh herbs go in at the end.
i don't measure for savory cooking, but i think you need to start from a base of pulling everything back and working with one or two herbs/spices at a time. for example, i can't think of a dish where i'd use parsley, basil and cilantro together. the flute player practices many hours alone, before rehearsing with the orchestra. :)
re: hotoynoodle
Yeh maybe practicing with 1-2 spices would be best as I'm still unfamiliar. Maybe I've just been apprehensive.
And I played flute in the 5th grade btw!
re: youareabunny
I don't fry dried herbs; I rub them to release their oils.
again, as for the music analogies.... practice!
and as in music, patterns emerge like I stated upthread.
forgot! another great way to add subtle flavor is cooking with stocks. they are a snap to make, just needing time to simmer.
It usually comes with lots of cooking and practice, but perhaps these charts will help you match herbs and spices with appropriate foods:
re: LindaWhit
Great charts! Gives me a good place to start, thanks.
re: LindaWhit
Thank you for posting those, LindaWhit!
re: jlhinwa
You are welcome! I have something similar posted on the inside of my spice cabinet that I found in a cookbook a LONG time ago. I typed it up in a Word doc and printed it. I also have a "reverse herb/spice chart" that I use when I want a pork chop, for instance, and want to see what spices go with that.
Here's another long one - 8 pages! - that is similar to the Food and Nutrition one above - it gives the characteristics, the best use, and how it's available (whole, ground, seed, fresh, dried, etc.)
re: LindaWhit
Thank you again! What a great resource. I have been an okay cook for many years, with a few brilliant dishes that I learned to make and then about 5 years ago, decided I wanted to be more than an okay and occasionally excellent cook. I have gained a lot of ground using past successes, shamelessly borrowing recipes from friends, and reading recipes (mostly on-line). I have a few go-to spices/herbs that I am very comfortable, a number more that I have developed some comfort level with, but would really like to reach farther. These are the perfect references to help me--thank you so much!
re: LindaWhit
Since the OP's kitchen space is small, I'll mention that decades ago I cut some herb and spice charts out of Family Circle and Woman's Day magazines. Also ones on substitutions in baking, and measurement equivalents. These are still taped to the inside of my upper kitchen cabinet doors. When I need them, they are right there, but they take up no space. On other cabinet doors, I've put small nails or hangers on the inside, to hang relatively flat and small cooking utensils like a nutmeg grater and a packet of disposable piping bags. .
re: greygarious
The insides of cabinet doors can hold a LOT of things. As I noted above, that's exactly what I do with my two charts.
re: greygarious
As someone who had to switch from an American sized apartment to a much smaller one overseas - changing my shopping habits helped considerably. Instead of doing one large shopping trip a week, I do 2-3 per week. It takes a bit of a change of thinking, but it's helped me a lot not waste food and think far more carefully about how I cook.
re: cresyd
I quite prefer doing smaller shops a couple of times a week -- having really fresh produce (as opposed to having kinda-wilted, seen-better-days produce) is worth it to me.
re: sunshine842
Produce definitely benefits - but I also find that helps me avoid stock piling staples. When I had all the cabinet space in the world, I'd end up with so many semi-used containers of different grains, pastas, nuts, spices, etc. Whenever I'd move there'd be all this stuff where it was a case of "oh, I had no idea I even had that".
With a smaller kitchen, I'm more conscious of what staples I have that I'm not using and find a way to rotate them through just for the purpose of best using space.
re: cresyd
I agree on the smaller kitchen - I have an enormous kitchen, even by US standards, with enormous Ikea cabinets. Love the cabinets, but they're so deep that once in a while I go mining and come up with something that I don't even remember buying....
I love the cabinets, but they're almost *too* big.
re: sunshine842
If I could switch to a bigger kitchen, I'd do it in a heartbeat - but as that's not the case, I've learned how to think of a well stocked kitchen differently. In that US to abroad transition, it was definitely a learning process because a lot of US shopping traditions (that I was taught) involve tips like "have a well stocked pantry".
Now for me a "well stocked pantry" is more like a well stocked cabinet and crowded counter space - so it means thinking about things a bit differently.
re: cresyd
definitely -- I know I'm the exception, but most of my friends are at your end of the spectrum.
re: cresyd
I understand completely. In SD I can have a few cans each of the essentials always on hand, a few pots and skillets, and at least 7 medium-large size mixing bowls. So it's a bit of a shocker being here with only 4 cabinets. Luckily there is only two of us but I'm always reorganizing. I've finally gotten a counter layout that gives me room to knead bread and roll out flat doughs.
Now that I'm more familiar with the space I know what I can and can't buy. I should only be buying small quantities of spice anyway.
re: cresyd
there is a distinction between a "well-stocked pantry" and food to get through the zombie apocalypse. my b/f has a huge pantry closet, and i just counted 22 boxes of pasta in there! i stopped eating pasta 3 years ago, so could count on one hand how many times i've cooked it since, lol.
i live in a loft so very little storage space and counter space is minimal too. i feel much better being pared down. i also live on the 4th floor of a building with double-height ceilings and no elevator. essentially 6 flights of stairs, so only will carry one load of groceries up.
all too often on here i read of lost bags of wrapped who-knows-what in the deep freezer, bags and jars of beans and spices that are super-old. lots of waste. very american, imho.
I'm much more simple in approach--opposites attract. Salt and sweet; fat and tang/acid; soft w/ crunchy, bitter/sweet. I just found this article which is a good summary and has good ideas on the yin and yang of flavors.
re: chowser
I like that thinking! Other than hot and sour, and sweet and sour, I don't think in those terms but its something to research for sure.
Bitter reminds me of bitter melon though. I shudder at the memories.
re: youareabunny
don't avoid bitterness. All flavors are important for harmony.
re: magiesmom
I'm just not sure I'm familiar with bitter taste... Closest things I can think of that I've tried are bitter melon and umeboshi.
re: youareabunny
Bitter flavours are really good for preventing a sweet ingredient dominating a dish and becoming like a dessert. And sweet seasonings make bitter ingredients taste complex and rich. Think radicchio with sliced green apple salad, green bell pepper sauteed with sweetcorn kernels, turnip braised in white wine and orange zest, sauteed kale tossed with a bit of honey and nutmeg...mmm...
re: youareabunny
Bitter melon is pretty extreme on the bitter end. Other things that tend to taste bitter include some types of green leafy vegetables, particularly dark ones (endive, kale), turnip, lime, the white part of citrus fruits, unsweetened chocolate, coffee, beer, sometimes eggplant, tea, green peppers.
re: chowser
Boiled potatoes with dates, cumin, onions and yogurt? What sorcery is this! Fascinating...
re: youareabunny
It sounds interesting but there are curries w/ dried fruit and potatoes so it's not that different?
I had an italian dish once that was tomato based pasta w/ sardines and some dried fruit. The combination was so unusual that I had to try it and it was surprisingly good.
re: chowser
re: sunshine842
I really agree on this one. We often toss chicken, pork, or lamb in a tagine with chunks of onion, peppers, broth, garam masala, and dried fruits, whatever is around. Put it on low heat and return when you are ready to eat. This approach dissolves the fruit but infuses everything with their flavor. Add a little more dried fruit and some couscous a few minutes before serving. Another meat/fruit combo I recently stumbled onto was sautéed pork chops with white wine, a squeeze of orange and some grated orange zest, and some green olives.
re: tim irvine
pork and prunes play well together too.
re: hotoynoodle
yes - one of my all-time greatest meals was pork stuffed with prunes - it was in some little restaurant in Aachen, and was spectacular.
I roast or braise turkey thighs with prunes, too.
re: sunshine842
and dates!
re: sunshine842
+1. The best pork tamales I have ever made or eaten have raisins in the filling
re: chowser
not tomato-based, but
pasta con le sarde
with sardines, fennel and golden raisins is a classic sicilian dish.
Throughout the cooking process I am always tasting. Concentrating on sweet, sour, salty, savory and umami. I always have room in the flavor to finish a dish with fat, acid and salt. Tasting and thinking. By building the flavor and continually tasting, the brain trains itself in portions and taste.
That is a wide variety of vegetables and in infinite amount of cooking and non cooking variables and combinations to go through. The best way to go is to constantly taste every step. For instance, I would taste a vegetable before I peeled and after.
Begin by cooking your ingredients au naturel just to see what they taste like unadorned with spices, sauces, condiments, etc.
You'd be surprised what delightful flavors they hold on their own.
Then go from there.
Not everything needs soy sauce, for example. Take rice. Ever just taste freshly cooked rice straight from the rice cooker (or pot)? It can be awe-inspiring. It has this subtle sweetness that's almost perfectly balanced with just the slightest hint of earthiness mixed with floral undertones. And, yes, I'm talking about plain white rice.
re: ipsedixit
Interestingly, in East Asia putting soy sauce on rice is something that *does not happen*. It's like going to a Western restaurant and asking for ketchup to go with your plain bread - you might like it, but you're going to be getting some weird looks, particularly at a nice meal.
re: ipsedixit
re: ipsedixit
I agree! Many meats and vegetables have wonderful natural flavor and don't need much preparation. I love simple steamed Jasmine rice and roasted asparagus even with just a hint of salt and pepper is delicious. Oftentimes, I've found that simpler is better.
re: fldhkybnva
I roasted chicken leg quarters the other night with nothing more exotic than a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper -- and my crew raved about the "new seasoning mix" I'd used.
re: sunshine842
For really simple seasoning, I like Italian cooking - Marcella Hazan's books have some great recipes for very simple meat and vegetable dishes that are delicious.
One of my favourite vegetable preparations for something like green beans, asparagus, broccoli, etc is to blanch or steam it until just tender enough, and dress with good olive oil, salt and pepper, and a bit of fresh lemon juice. Chicken legs are great with nothing but salt and pepper, roasted until the skin is crispy.
I like both simple seasonings like the above, and the absurdly complex (Thai or Indian curries that have a list of 20 seasonings). But complicated mixes are much, much harder to do well without a recipe - the balance is important, and it's easy to get something that tastes muddy rather than great, or with one flavour dominating the others.
My mom makes great carmelised onions, with white wine added near the end of cooking. (from scratch)
You can mix opposite flavors, such as adding slight sweetness to soy sauce or balsamic vinegar. There aren't 'rules' but in my experience, opposites attract. Also, fat and carbohydrates balance each other.
Something else I thought of is to just read cookbooks. I pretty much taught myself to cook by reading cookbooks when I was a kid. Literally cover to cover. Joy of Cooking was an amazing resource for this as it has pages and pages just describing ingredients and flavors.
The more recipes you read, the more you will see patterns of what seems to go with what. And you can jump off from there once you know what flavors you like. For example, I can put together a sauce for pork really easily using the pan fond, stock, thyme, cream, and mustard. I know thyme and mustard work really well in that scenario and I don't need a recipe.
re: Violatp
I agree that reading cookbooks helps so much. I may not use recipes or I may use five and riff. Once in a while I will make something strictly as written. It is like reading a textbook and then taking a test without it.
I often balance my flavors by adding some acid (vinegar or lemon) and sweet - honey or even plane white sugar (just a touch). It works very well when cooking just about anything - just don't over do it.
re: sparky403
I saw a recipe on tv for balsamic dipped cherry tomatoes with sesame, similar to this: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/...
It appealed to me, anyway I think I understand - the sweetness of sugar, tangy balsamic vinegar, and the sesame which is... salty? Well I think it's for texture mainly. And the somewhat fruity tomato.
It's analyses like that that I'm trying to figure out.
re: youareabunny
sesame shouldn't be salty (unless, of course, it's salted) -- it's what we'd call a savory, or umami, flavor - kind of a non-specific meaty-type flavor.
re: sunshine842
Yes umami is a better way of describing it.
It's occurred to me that while a lot of comments here are recommending that you have a go at cooking from recipes for a while, what might be most helpful at this point is convincing a friend or family member who cooks to make one of their staple dishes with you and talk you through the recipe as you guys make it. That's how I have learnt to cook over the years, and what I like about it is that when the person is there you can ask them why they add a certain thing or cook something a certain way, and whether they think an alternative might work. If you ask them to make a point of telling you when an addition is their own personal touch (like if they have a secret ingredient or leave out something they don't like) you can start to figure out which aspects of recipes experienced cooks feel comfortable adjusting, and which tend to be left alone...
re: Elster
That is a good idea. I've watched my friends mother cook and I've asked her why she adds this and that, and when... and she generally has meaningful answers.
I guess I'm more of a learn as you go type.. Like when I have ikea furniture to put together I glance at the instructions for 5 seconds at most. Comes together just fine too.
But to have someone walking me through it and being able to ask about the details would be more my style.
re: youareabunny
Have you thought about taking a cooking class? There are a lot of cooking classes in Paris that are directed towards visiting Americans.


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Famous Smoke Shop Premium Cigars at Discount Prices! Order Toll Free: 1-800-564-2486 Contact Us
Final Blend Reviews
Showing 21 through 30 of 70 reviewsFinal Blend Test Flight
"A well made affordable smoke"Final Blend Sixty
Good draw and burn. Polite flavor, but I like a full bodied smoke, and I found these to be a bit lacking in power and complexity. I don't feel cheated, though.bottledtoast in NJ March 23, 2013
"Couldn't Smoke Them"Final Blend Toro
I smoked a quarter of one. I returned the box for a refund. It put me in the mind of smoking cardboard.David in Atlanta March 1, 2013
"Missing a middle flavor"Final Blend Toro Bundle
While these are decent sticks, they seem to be missing a punchy middle flavor to give them balance. They are well constructed and medium in body, bought a box, will think again before I buy another box.Christopher in Midwest USA February 5, 2013
"Very Nice!"Final Blend Robusto
This was a very nice cigar. I got it as a "freebie" bonus for buying a box of Fuente cigars, my regular smoke. I had this Final Blend and it was quite nice, not a lot of flavor on the lips or tongue, but overall, a VERY nice cigar, good burn, good draw, good times! Give it a try!Dan in Atlanta, GA January 29, 2013
"...decent..."Final Blend Toro
I got a box as a freebie - the ratings didn't look too good, but what the heck. The cigars are well constructed but the pre-light aroma is 'barn yard' like. Not detered, I went for it right out of the box. The taste was strong and nice to the half way point and then it got spicy but not bitter. Overall, I was pleased...and had another.Joe from Ottawa January 16, 2013
"The Box Would Smoke Better"Final Blend Robusto
I wish I would have bought a box instead of a sampler, the box would have been a better smoke.Daniel in Swanson January 11, 2013
"Final Blend Can be a Friend"Final Blend Test Flight
My cold draw after cutting yielded rich, sweet tobacco. The silver and black ring band against the dark maduro wrapper presents well, which I know is insignificant to flavor, but creates a novel aesthetic. This smoke is relatively complex with tones of coffee and notes of berry (blueberry perhaps) or cherry. It was creamy smooth from the first draw, which is atypical of the pepper or spice I've experienced with other cigars of this stature that only mellow through smoking. I noticed a finish of gentle earthiness with only cedar or leather notes at times. I thought I had lost the berry and other complexities in the final third as they seemed to part for darker expressions of espresso or roasted coffee bean. Yet, just as I believed that was all that remained, the leather and earthiness seemed to sneak back in. In fact, right at the end, vanilla settled in my nose. The flavor combination certainly piqued my interest, but it was so silky smooth it smoked much more like a mild to medium-bodied stick. I wouldn't classify it in the league of full-bodied cigars, but I'm very pleased to have these in my humidor.Ryan in Phoenix December 20, 2012
"Great value!"Final Blend Robusto
Final Blend test flight is an unbeatable value for maduro lovers!The are oily and chewy and you can smoke them down to the nub.Mark A. in Rhode Island December 20, 2012
"Final Blend Can be a Friend"Final Blend Churchill
My cold draw after cutting yielded rich earthy tobacco and sweetness. The dark coloring of the ring contrasts well with the rich maduro wrapper; insignificant to the flavor, I know, but it adds an appealing aesthetic to the overall appearance of the cigar for me. This smoke contains relative complexity with tones of coffee and notes of berry (blueberry perhaps) and even cherry. It's creamy smooth from the first draw which, from my experience, is atypical from the initial pepper or spice of other smokes of similar stature; that only mellow through smoking. I noticed a gentle earthiness on the finish with hints of wood and leather at times. I thought I lost the berry and other complexity in the final third as all that seemed to part for darker expressions of espresso or roasted coffee bean. Yet, no sooner did I believe that when the leather and earthy flavor snuck back in a bit. In fact, right at the end, vanilla and spice settled in my nose. This flavor combination certainly piqued my interest, but it was so ultra-smooth that it smoked much more like a mild to medium-bodied cigar. I would not classify as full. Regardless, I'm pleased to have these in my humidor.Ryan in Phoenix December 19, 2012
"Exceptionally Smooth and Flavorful"Previous Next
I liked this cigar right out of the box, but if your a patient person you can have something exceptional. Almost 2 yrs of age in my humidor has produced something special...This is a great value for the money! With a little age this is a 90 rated cigar.Randy in Keystone Heights Florida November 23, 2012


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The Blacksmith Restaurant
- Address:
211 NW Greenwood Ave
Bend, OR 97701Neighborhood:
- Cuisine:
SteakhousePrice: $30 and under
The Blacksmith Restaurant
- Dining Style: Fine Dining
- Website: http://www.bendblacksmith.com/
- Phone: (541) 318-0588
- Hours of Operation:
Dinner: Daily: 4:00pm - Close
- Payment Options: AMEX,Discover,MasterCard,Visa
- Cuisine: Steakhouse, Northwest, Contemporary American
- Executive Chef: Bryan Chang
- Dress Code: Casual Dress
- Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
- Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
- Private Party Facilities: Anvil Dining Room:
The newly remodeled and upgraded Anvil Room at The Blacksmith is an exceptional setting for private parties. From business events to birthdays, anniversaries or wedding receptions, let the Blacksmith make your event memorable and flawless.
The Anvil Dining room is warmly lit with dark hardwood tables, comfortable leather chairs and stone walls. The anvil room is also equipped with a video projector and screen that can be used for presentations. The room also has wireless internet for business functions.
The room holds 35-40 guests.
For larger parties, our Special Events Coordinator can assist in planning for special events that require the entire restaurant, such as wedding receptions, retirement parties, and holiday parties. The entire restaurant, bar and lounge has a maximum capacity of 100-150 guests. Please contact us for pricing.
Contact Us To Help Make Your Event an Experience
- Private Party Contact: Joey Castellanos 5413180588
Getting there
- Cross Street: Harriman St
- Parking: Public Lot
- Parking Details: Parking is available on the south side of the building in the lot adjacent to the restaurant. Additional parking can be found in the lot across the street, as well as the parking spaces behind the restaurant. These become available after 6 p.m. during the week, and anytime on Saturday and Sunday.
A word from The Blacksmith Restaurant
The Blacksmith Restaurant has reopened under new ownership as of March 7, 2013!!! Discover Bend's dining at it's best! The Blacksmith Restaurant serves Distinctive Bold Cuisine in the historic Pierson's Blacksmith Shop at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Harriman. The newly-renovated restaurant has made diners nostalgic for the comfort foods of the past with a contemporary spin.Continued
Foodspotting photosSee all photos
Awards voted by OpenTable diners
- Diners' Choice WinnerBest Overall
- Diners' Choice WinnerBest Ambiance
- Diners' Choice WinnerBest Service
The Blacksmith Restaurant - Best Restaurants in Bend ›
The Blacksmith Restaurant reviews from OpenTable diners
62 reviews since August 1, 2014
- Food4.1Service4.4
- Ambiance4.3Noise LevelModerate
special occasion (39)romantic (31)fit for foodies (24)notable wine list (23)neighborhood gem (21)good for groups (13)vibrant bar scene (11)late-night find (9)hot spot (6)kid-friendly (3)scenic view (2)great for lunch (1)Show More
- OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 11/25/2014Party of 4 adults in dining room. Food and service were delightful. Band was playing in bar and it was difficult to hear our conversation at times.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- med steak showed up med rare/rare. Mash lukewarmOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 11/25/2014Ask for med stake - and get rare - not good. Mashers lukewarm /cool - not good Service very good!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Incredible ServiceFoodLushDined on 11/7/2014I dined at the bar. The bartenders Brooke and Jasmine were both awesome! Very friendly and professional. They both stopped by to chat multiple times. They were attentive, refreshing my drink regularly, checking the quality of the food, and making sure I had everything I needed. Overall, an excellent experience.Special Features:
- Love it!liznofVIPDined on 10/31/2014The restaurant never seems to fail me. Great food, great service and we will keep coming back!Special Features:
- Celebrate!CilleDined on 10/25/2014The Blacksmith is the perfect location to celebrate a special occasion. Great service with staff who are attentive to the smallest detail and the ambiance is the perfect pairing for a celebration.Special Features:
- PortionsMarkDined on 10/23/2014The food from our dining experience was excellent however the sirloin steak I had ordered medium came more like well done. It was my wifes birthday so I didn't send it back and still tasted good. My only complaint would be the portion size for the money. My dinner was portioned more like an appetizer than a main course entree. My wife's Rogue Filet was outstanding but I would not order the surf and turf again. Service was exceptional and the drinks were great. Ashley is a wonderful server!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- The Blacksmith is back!4benddinersDined on 10/21/2014Better than ever under new ownership. Excellent service by Tim and others (not intrusive). Ample portions of food; the halibut & Caesar salad were to die for. The noise level was muted for easy table conversation. Lots of memory makers for this birthday celebration. WELL DONE BLACKSMITH!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great Dining Erperience!GourmetSteveDined on 10/17/2014From the friendly greeting of the hostess all the way to the dessert and coffee, he Blacksmith was a great dining experience. The food was excellent and the service was just right. The ambiance of the old blacksmith barn adds to the charm.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Pleasantly SurprisedwilltravelforfoodDined on 10/16/2014We had never eaten at the Blacksmith before, always choosing a competitor instead. Our daughter chose the restaurant for her birthday dinner, and we were very pleased. The service was good, the food was great, and they had a rose waiting at her place setting as a special birthday touch. We would definitely eat there again.Special Features:
- just OKout2dineDined on 10/5/2014I expected this to be a fine dinner, and it was just OK. WE had fish, which was overcooked and dry (the Halibut), and served with a mound of dry black beans. Not very appealing. The chicken marsala was extremely salty and swimming in sauce. Not much finesse to this. The salads were very good, large portions not balanced with a pre-mains, but very good and fresh. Only one server, and as the evening progressed the attention diminished seriously- to the point that we had to get up and walk to the bar to pay the check, as we could not find the server. Perhaps if we'd ordered steak the execution would have been better. I have enjoyed the bar menu in past and drinks- friendly staff, good atmosphere.Special Features:
- Ms. TouristMandyDined on 10/4/2014Five us dined, two of the main entrée meats where not satisfactory. One steak was returned and chef deleted it from the bill and surprisingly the prime rib was grilled. Other three meats were great and side vegetable was wonderful as was the wine. Would definitely dine there again.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- quiet hidewayEvilterbDined on 10/1/2014My wife and I were taking the forgotten route to a family function and used Open Table to find The Blacksmith. We both had a very quiet, intimate dining experience. The food was all on point and not the usual fare. We enjoyed the wait staff and The Blacksmith was an easy walk from our downtown hotel. My compliments to downtown Bend, OregonSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Excellent FoodVisitorfromCADined on 9/27/2014Ordered a la carte steaks and veggies. All excellent. I would definitely go here again.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Perfect for our special nightOpenTable Diner Since 2012VIPDined on 9/26/2014My husband and I were married less than a Month ago and this weekend is outside honeymoon. Unfortunately we hadn't seen each other in three weeks because my mom had emergency cancer surgery right after the wedding. We were also celebrating my husband's birthday which was two days prior. We really needed a special night together after he landed in Redmond from los angeles at 8:30pm. From the time the hostess greeting us and congratulated us down to the dessert showeveryone was so pleasant and nice. Plus, the food was amazing. My pork loin was cooked perfectly and everything on my husband's surf and turf plate was delicious. The waitress even helped us pick out just the right wine. Suburb.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- LoscoeRoadDined on 9/24/2014Unusual menu but good food, - wild salmon was very good, the chicken marsala very tasty - excellent service and affordable wine prices. A very enjoyable eveningSpecial Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great steaks.OpenTable Diner Since 2010Dined on 9/20/2014This was always one of Bend's best restaurants. Though there were some glitches a few years ago but now it is back. Great steaks, great wine, great service, authentic atmosphere. Can't go wrong here for special dinner. I recently ate a famous steak house in Houston. Throughout dinner I kept thinking about how much better the Blacksmith is... Don't miss this great steak house.Special Features:
- Always a treat...PEACEBOOKIEDined on 9/20/2014We have eaten here many times and we have never been disappointed. Go after dark for the best ambience.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Blacksmith in BendmndineDined on 9/15/2014Hard to find because it is around the corner from where its official address is. Food was good but too complicated, i.e crab and lobster with a lot of different sauces masking the taste of the seafood, Service was slow but the waitress was very pleasant. Wine was good. We were prepared to pay the price but, given the price, were disappointed in the food. We understood that the chef worked with Stephen Pyles who used to have Routh Street Cafe in Dallas years ago, an absolute dynamite favorite of mine. So perhaps that was the reason for the disappointment.Special Features:
- Great food!ritaonwiiDined on 9/14/2014We had a great time with our German visitors to this restaurant. It did not disappoint, and in fact was a superb meal. The waiter was knowledgeable, observant and professional. The food was well presented and it all tasted great.Special Features:
- Good Surf and TurfLaur8hereDined on 9/13/2014My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at the Blacksmith Restaurant. We both had the surf and turf, but upgraded the beef to the filet for extra$. It was good. Nice crème brulee too.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Evening of FoodMiloVIPDined on 9/11/2014We went for my wife's birthday and she had the NW ribeye, and I had the grilled salmon. The ribeye had an awful lot of grizzle and the salmon was dry. The beet salad was very good along with the wine. Our server was prompt and pleasant. I would not recommend the ribeye based on our experience.Special Features:
- Upscale Dining in BendFoodiesDined on 9/6/2014Everything was great! The staff was very friendly and attentive. Our steaks were cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. A lot to choose from on the menu and all sounded so delicious. Our favorite was the Ahi Poke appetizer. A nice twist to the traditional. Hats off to the Chef! Only 1 item to complain about. We used Open Table to make our reservations, and when we arrived, they did not have any record of us making the reservations. Luckily they had room for us because the restaurant filled up very quickly with people waiting in the bar! If you are in Bend, it is a must to dine at!Special Features:
- Lovely restaurantOpenTable Diner Since 2010Dined on 8/30/2014Very good service, food and wine. Nicely laid out, attractive restaurant. Loads of atmosphere.Special Features:
- Anniversary MomentsDeschutesDivaDines2Dined on 8/29/2014Upon entering the restaurant we were pleasantly greeted and directed to our window seating. Upon the table were two blushing red roses awaiting us to begin our supper celebration. We were presented with a savory appetizer while we waited. Our excellant waiter took our drink order and delivered them promptly. We enjoyed our quiet time together before our meal arrived. I selected the rib-eye steak and my husband selected the robust pork chop. He enjoyed his very tasty pork chop, I did NOT enjoy the very large and grissly steak that I was given. Dessert was offered and we selected a delicious threesome of flavored hand-crafted ice creams and Strictly Organic coffee to finish off our dinner experience. All-in-all it was a nice experience.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- fishermanDined on 8/28/2014Great suggestions by the wait staff and food was excellent.Special Features:
- CodyjenVIPDined on 8/28/2014They were out of their signature dish at 6:00 pm (tomahawk steak). Ordered a filet medium rare and it came well done. Wine didn't get served until after we had finished salads even though it was ordered first. Was disappointing. Restaurant has so much potential.Special Features:
- Yumm!ElizaroseDined on 8/27/2014Perfect service. Delicious food. Beautiful, quiet place to eat. It doesn't get much better than that!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Anniversary dinnerMarleneDined on 8/25/2014We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary at Blacksmith's. never been there before...but will be sure to return. The food was amazing! We recommend the steaks, the beet salad and the smoky Mac & cheese sides. We enjoyed the bananas foster both while it was being prepared at our table and savoring it as we devoured it. The wait staff were very attentive but not intrusive...a very enjoyable evening.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- OpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/23/2014I made a reservation for my fiance's 40th birthday- a surprise dinner. He is a HUGE ribeye fan and the reason I chose the Blacksmith was because of the Tomahawk that is on the menu. I was SO EXCITED to suprise him with this HUGE steak. We go to order and they were sold out!!!! The other thing that surprised me is that they didnt have it even on a Saturday!! I feel I shouldnt have needed to call to make sure something that was on the menu was available, especially on a weekend. If you are going to be open on a weekend you should have everything that is listed on the menu. We ended up leaving and going to the Pine Tavern who was able to sit us and provide us with a fabulous table and service.
- LovelyAnnuDined on 8/10/2014Very quiet, nice service. Love what the new owners have done with the bar!Special Features:
- SusieQDined on 8/9/2014Outstanding service, above average food quality, reasonable wine list, incredible deserts.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Not impressed, disappointingOpenTable Diner Since 2014Dined on 8/5/2014Dined there years ago, so was excited to go back...but experience, food and price was nothing to write home about.
- Excellent meal and the best servicefamilyof4Dined on 8/3/2014Every dish that we ordered (table of 4) was outstanding. I really can't fault anything. Our service was excellent as was the service of all of the tables that I could see. Waiters were attentive without being overbearing. They even cleaned crumbs/thoroughly cleared the table after the dinner course was finished (haven't had that done in awhile). The salads shouldn't be missed--both the Caesar and beet salads were exceptional.Special Features:
- OpenTable Diner Since 2013Dined on 7/31/2014The food was awesome and the service was impeccable. I had such a wonderful experience and highly recommend The Blacksmith.Special Features:
- The following 95 reviews are from the The Blacksmith Restaurant reviews archive.
- Chef has visionGmaZooDined on 7/24/2014Brian Chang is brilliant, creative, insightful, visionary. He sees food as no one else. W shared the rib eye and words cannot fully describe how delicious it was.Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great dinnerJamesDined on 7/17/2014Partner had halibut. I had salmon. Only downer was halibut was served over some sort of black bean purée. Kind of gross looking. She could not bring herself to eat it. Both fish cooked perfectly.Special Features:
- Great Vacation BeginningTedsVIPDined on 7/16/2014Wow we flew to Portland, rented a car and drove and ended up in Bend on the way to Crater Lake the next day. Got on OpenTable and found this fantastic restaurant. I got the pork shop and have to say it is in my Pork Chop Hall of Fame. I think it is #1! Just great and the server was over the top good.Special Features:
- Delicious dinner!MeghanDined on 7/11/2014One of the best Caesar salads ever, excellent service - very knowledgable and helpful. Only complaint was steak a little underdone, so order it a bit more cooked than you normally would. Nice menu with lots of choices. Will definitely return!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Anniversary Well-SpenttimcannardDined on 7/7/2014My wife and I had never been there before and decided to go there for our first wedding anniversary. I have to say it was well-worth the visit. The service was phenomenal and the ambience was as well. We were seated away from everyone else and when we arrived we had two roses on our table from the restaurant! To top it off, the food was amazing. We shared the Caesar salad and chicken marsala. Both were the best we had tasted. After our entrees my wife and I also split the creme brulee that had a cherry topping to it. The best we ever had, and we know our creme brulee. Overall, great eat and great find in Downtown Bend. We can't wait to visit again! Thank you!Special Features:I would recommend this to a friend.
- Great place to eatliznofVIPDined on 6/28/2014My husband and I love eating at the Blacksmith! We will continue to eat there for our date nights!


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HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. - A Clewiston woman has now been charged with second degree murder after police say she ran over a man she thought was her accused rapist, but deputies say Amber Lee actually killed the wrong man.
Lee told WINK News she was just trying to get away from a scary situation and never saw the man she ran over. WINK News later discovered Lee had told a newspaper she did see the victim.
Lee is currently pregnant with her second child.


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Yo! Roger Raps! 'Candy Shop'
March 28, 2013 7:42 AM
Shan Shariff
Shan Shariff comes to Dallas-Fort Worth from Kansas City, where he...Read More
The great Roger Emrich is back on the mic and rockin' some rhymes with Jane Slater of Elf & Slater … Get ready for a sugar rush as we take a stroll into the "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent featuring Olivia.
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Saturday, May 24 - Monday, May 26 | 3-8 pm
For the fourth year, join Embassy Bank in honoring the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country in a weekend – long community celebration.
Saturday, May 24th
Sunday, May 25th
Monday, May 26th
Festivities take place daily - 3pm – 9pm (unless otherwise noted)
For the fourth year the SteelStacks campus will be transformed into a living memorial honoring our hometown heroes. The campus will be draped with images of local military heroes as a display of the appreciation and gratitude for their sacrifices and contributions. The banners will display photos of the soldiers, their rank, branch of service, era of service and hometown.
Photos will be accepted starting April 1 thru April 30 and will accept the first 400 photos submitted. Photos submitted in 2011, 2012, and 2013 will be on this year's banners. Changes will not be made to existing banners unless the soldier has given the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Photos can be submitted to their local Embassy Bank branch located at:
Or photos can be submitted on line beginning April 1. Or dropped off at the Banana Factory at 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem, PA 18015, Monday – Friday 8am – 9pm and Saturday – Sunday 8am – 4pm.
Any photos dropped off at Embassy Bank or the Banana Factory can be picked up at the Banana Factory during normal business hours May 1 -14.
Submit the Hometown Heroes form online here.
Registration begins at noon; walk kicks off at 1p
Start/end at the ArtsQuest Center
$25 per person or $90 per team of 4
Benefits the Gold Star Mothers
Join us on this Memorial Day weekend to walk for a hometown hero in our inaugural "Walk to Remember".
This event benefits the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Gold Star Mothers. The Lehigh Valley Gold Star Mothers is a non-profit, 501c3, organization and is the local chapter of the American Gold Star Mothers, an organization for mothers who have lost a son or daughter in the service of our country. For more information on the American Gold Star Mothers, visit http://www.goldstarmoms.com/.
We invite you to walk as an individual or as a team in support of your hometown hero who is active, inactive, or who has given the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Register at http://www.active.com/bethlehem-pa/walking/races/a-walk-to-remember-benefitting-the-lehigh-valley-gold-star-mothers-2014?keywords=a+walk+to+remember&adk=na
3 – 4:30pm – Billy Bauer Band
5 – 7:00pm – Steve Brosky's Band
3 – 4:00pm – Sing for America
4:30 – 5:30pm – Caribbean Steel Rhythms
6:00 – 8:00pm – Skunkmello
Levitt Pavilion Stage @ 1:30pm
In ordinance with the Proclamation passed on May 25, 2012, the local chapter of the Gold Star Mothers will pay tribute to Veterans of the Vietnam War. They will honor a generation of Americans who were involved in one of the most challenging missions in our nation's history, and one we will never forget.
Presented by the Gold Star Mothers
Levitt Pavilion Stage @ 5pm
The Memorial Day weekend celebration will conclude with a memorial service to remember the Lehigh Valley's fallen soldiers. A reading of the names will take place during this ceremony as well as performances by Jamie O'Brien, Trumpeter performing taps and Jonathan Padilla will be singing the National Anthem.
3 – 4:30p – Tavern Tan
5 – 7p – Lou Franco Project


text:
+27 11 780 7810
The Maslow Hotel now offers free and unlimited WiFi connectivity at their Sandton business hotel. While other hotels in the area tend to offer a capped solution, up to 750Mb of data, our uncapped WiFi connectivity sets our hotel apart as it is without a doubt the fastest, reaching download speeds of up to 50Mbps.
Free WiFi has become a basic requirement for hotel guests, particularly business travellers as it is the catalyst to business communication, social media and mobility. Since opening the hotel in January this year, the most common complaint received from guests was about the WiFi connectivity ranging from WiFi coverage, speed, logging on and timing out. All these issues have been addressed; additional APNs have been increased for coverage, additional bandwidth has been added, up to 50MB; and the login process has been simplified and once logged on, there are no time outs.
Sun International supports responsible gambling. Gambling for persons 18 years and older. Winners know when to stop.
National Responsible Gambling toll-free counselling line 0800 006 008. Sun International Casinos. For more information visit: Responsible Gambling