Hungry Times Two

I'm tickled about this trio of melamine nesting bowls from Kudzu Antique Market , purchased last weekend during a trip to Decatur, Ga. for a family wedding. They were priced right, have a cute little lip on one side for easy pouring, and are apparently a Danish brand called Rosti Mepal. Though I have friends who won't touch antique, vintage, "retro," or thrift-shopped goods -- they think they're cursed (huh?) or just plain yucky -- I am all about it. Consider the environmental benefits, and the fact that shit was just cooler back in the day. What used or "pre-loved" items are you loving right now? Where do you go to find them? Let us know, and please have a bang-up fabulous weekend. We're having a dinner party of sorts this weekend (with not one but two lasagnas) and may get a larger dining room table just for the occasion -- via Craigslist -- curses be damned!

I saw this via WFAEats, our local NPR station's food blog.  What a great idea, especially if you're eating at a restaurant that hasn't switched to non-styrofoam containers yet. Random Charlotte: Check out the 3rd bullet : Leftover Love will change the world one day. http://www.wfae.org/post/history-and-evolution-dining-out

Note: We're back on Blogger! Sometimes you learn if it ain't broke, don't fix it. (Sorry, Tumblr.) "I called New Orleans 'a small model of all the best of America' because I have found here a vivid expression of my conception of what the United States can be at its best -- a truly multicultural place, in which all social, ethnic, and economic elements of the society have somehow managed to fashion a distinct and vibrant culture out of the tensions among their differences.  This embrace of diversity is a beautiful thing, when you can find it."   -- Tom Piazza, Devil Sent the Rain: Music and Writing in Desperate America Amen, Tom Piazza. We found it, we drank it in, gobbled it up, and embraced it. Then we came home and wondered why it took us so long to get there. Our New Orleans trip over the New Years holiday wouldn't have happened if our Nashville friends hadn't initiated the visit. Thanks friends, for the introduction. And hello to our ...

We're still in our wee apartment here in Maryland, BUT we have made a change - visit us on Tumblr here at http://hungrytimestwo.tumblr.com/ Our summer break didn't last very long, but we did decide to switch it up and try something new. Bookmark us! http://hungrytimestwo.tumblr.com/ You got that? http://hungrytimestwo.tumblr.com/

HTT is going on a summer break. Credit: rolve/sxc We'll be back in September, so keep us bookmarked and don't forget us - you can always enjoy our delightful archives, too. Have a tasty summer! 

Some swear the ballparks do it best. Others say the ones out of a box aren't half bad. Some like theirs at the movies. We like them Amish-style. We're talkin' soft pretzels, people. Credit: Michael Lorenzo/sxc For our first outing since our nasty sickness hit us on Tuesday, Scott and I decided to hit up the Dutch Country Farmers Market in Laurel, Md. A little fresh squeezed lemonade and buttery, warm soft pretzel would do the trick to get us back on our feet, yes? This place is so neat - we see it as lots of independent food stalls with offerings you might find at Whole Foods/Farmers Market/Fresh Market/Baltimore's Cross Street Market - only Amish. Indeed, it was just the right introduction back into the real world - complete with a manic hunt for a spare parking space. We learned after our first trip there that the easiest thing to do to avoid a bump-up or road rage incident in the very crowded parking lot is to park next door at Home Depot. People go nuts...

So I'm being a little dramatic with today's post title, but uh, Scott and I are both ill this week. Between his strep throat and my sinusitis, we're a sniffling, hacking sorry sack of sickness. What kind of tasty treats have we had this week? Unless you count OJ and hot mint tea as cocktails, cough drops as appetizers, or  comfort foods like tomato soup and Mac & Cheese as five-star dinners, it's been pretty lame. However, no less than three local peeps have offered to bring us the ultimate comforting cure of chicken noodle soup. If it wasn't 102 degrees outside folks, we might have a deal. My plans for canning strawberry jam were dashed this week due to illness and I'm not even sure local berries are still available in this sweltering climate now. I did, however, snag a tasty cantaloupe. It's been a healthy, cool treat that's soothing to our aggravated throats. ********************** Boo to sickness. Want to know what didn't suck recen...