Subj : Cookware [1] To : Dave Drum From : Ruth Haffly Date : Sun Mar 31 2024 19:40:12 Hi Dave, DD> Well, sure. That's the recipe for success ... "Dance with who brought DD> you." Something that Steak & Shake hasn't got a grip on. They went RH> Fast track to closing the doors on a place. We've never stopped at the RH> S&S in Raleigh, found other places to spend money on food. DD> I'lb bet Gus Belt (S&S founder) is spinning like a top in his crypt. DD> I've eaten at the #1 location where he started it all, just 50 mor so DD> miles up the road from me. Like other founders who started something good, only to have it corrupted over the years so it bears little resemblence to the original. DD> from regular waitress service to a "Quick Serve" model like Panera DD> Bread, Culver's or Starbucks. The food is the same but the experience DD> is far RH> Last time we were in a Panera Bread was several years ago, using a gift RH> card from one of our daughters. Gotten ice cream at Culvers (but again, RH> not in years) and even more years since we've been in Starbucks. DD> Panera's is OK as a bakery or maker of bagels. My Sunday morning DD> breakfast bunch went there once for breakfast at the suggestion of one DD> of our guys. We've never gone back, We've gone there a few times, more so when we lived in GA than up here. They are good for a change from the usual fast food place in that a cup of soup and a half sandwich are just as filling. There's usually a variety of soups and sandwiches to choose from also. DD> I still see many of my (former) S&S servers in different venues. One DD> of them told me that she couldn't afford to stay w/Steak & Shake as DD> her average tipped hourly income was north of U$20/hr (More than I DD> make after 18 years @ AutoZone. A food service job is quite strenuous; I did it one summer while in high school but couldn't do it now. DD> Be no temptation for me. I abhor maple syrup. But, I do put jam/jelly DD> or honey on my panquakes. RH> I grew up in maple country; my parents never bought any imitation RH> stuff. When Steve and I got married, he had a bottle of, IIRC, Aunt RH> Jemima's syrup. After that bottle was used up we never had anything RH> else but pure maple, even in places like Germany or HI. Trips back to RH> NY or Christmas packages kept us well stocked--my dad mailed a gallon RH> tin to HI right after 9/11. Arrived with a few minor dents but contents RH> were intact. DD> I'm just down the road from a world famous "Maple Sirup" (their DD> spelling) venue -- Funk's Grove DD> (https://www.funkspuremaplesirup.com/) We keep well stocked now with our trips to VT. DD> The LeCruest pieses I have are an oval "French" oven of 9 1/2 qt size RH> We stopped into their outlet in SC along I-95 on our way to/from RH> Florida a couple of times. Looked, but they didn't have what we wanted RH> or could afford. DD> Especially not afford. Some of their prices would give John D. DD> Rockefeller pause. RH> Very much so; we refer to it as "the fancy French cookware store". We RH> also checked out the Sabret (?) outlet--they do knives--but found RH> nothing there that wasn't covered by our Rada collection for our needs. DD> I've got some Rada (mostly steak) knives from my sister's church fund DD> raisers over the years. I'm not a big fan of the metal handles. You can get them with black composite handles. We had one knife with that handle (metal handle was sold out at that place) but found the same knife with the metal handle a couple of years ago. The composite handle one is now part of the camper kitchen. Found a set of 6 brand new steak knives at a yard sale for (IIRC) $15. a few years ago so got them, added a couple more. Most of our knife blocks (2) are filled with Rada knives. DD> All are in the colour LeCreuset calls "Flame" (orange). And all would DD> be uber-expensive to replace w/new. The little skillet, I see, is DD> U$136. I paid (IIRC) U$30 for the saucepan and little skillet on eBay DD> several years ago. RH> You got a good deal. I like their blue but doubt I'll ever own any RH> unless gifted it. Bought a number of stainless steel pieces a while ago RH> that are our main pots, also have a couple of Calphalon pieces. Other RH> stainless acquired over the years for canning include a 12 qt and 24 qt RH> stock pots/water bath canners. DD> Had I not scored such a super deal I'd not have been able to afford DD> new Le Creuset pieces. I'm interested to see what Lodge's enamelled DD> pieces go for. If I remember in September, I'll jot down some prices at the outlet store. --- Catch you later, Ruth rchaffly{at}earthlink{dot}net FIDO 1:396/45.28 .... The buck doesn't even slow down here! --- PPoint 3.01 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28) .