Say Paco

Yesterday "Who wants to be a millionaire" quiz show had a question:

"Paco" is the Spanish version of what American name?

They gave choices. The contestant got it wrong. I had no clue, but now
know.

No answer in this post, but all can guess.

Joy...

I think it's Frank.

Joy...

Lou...

Yes Joy wins!

Did you know it or look it up?

Joy...

I knew. I've studied Spanish in the distant past, but, more relevant, I
live in Southern California.

Lou...

Phyllis Copp...

And here I thought the main benefit to Southern California was no snow:-))

Joy...

Phyllis Copp...

snow:-))

Naw, there's lots of benefits, including authentic Mexican, Vietnamese and
Korean food. ;-)

Lou...

Phyllis Copp...

and

IIRC those all have many spicy dishes, which I can not eat.

Joy...

Jean B....

Isn't that wonderful?! I love all the really fine ethnic
restaurant that have cropped up since I was a kid.

That reminds me. One might imagine that this area doesn't
have the best Mexican or Tex-Mex (etc.) food, and one would be
right to think that. An Mexican restaurant opened up in my
very town, and I feared it would not be very good at all. I
now have heard it is actually worth going to.... Something to
look forward to.

Ah, but there are less spicy dishes, too, and many of them are delicious!

Lou...

Jean B....

Not necessarily--spicy, that is.

Phyllis Copp...

We don't have any really good Mexican restaurants in this area. My daughter
spent a year in Mexico as an exchange student, she cooks a lot of authentic
Mexican food. There's an excellent Mexican restaurant down near her, we go
there every time I go to visit. I'm going down to Maryland the end of
October for a week. $97 round trip from New Hampshire to Baltimore, Md.
Couldn't even drive there and back for that price!
Phyllis

Jean B....

Norma...

If you get a chance to try it and it is any good, let me know. I might
even drive over for some.
Norma

Jean B....

I can't really assess the authenticity--just the taste. Maybe
this week, if I have any extra pesos.

What good restaurants are near you, Norma? I see a new Indian
one in Salem. Do you know the one I mean, or do you not
venture down from Salem, NH? Come to think of it... my
daughter won't try that with me.... If you have a free Friday
sometime (and it is a school day)... (I say that because Leah
goes to a club on Friday, so I have more time....)

Paco....

I don't even like Mexican food that much. Give me Caribbean food.
(There IS a difference!).

Jean B....

Really! What was once a very small Parisian place in the next
town now features Caribbean specialties. I'll have to check
that out.

How are you traveling there?

What cookbooks does your daughter like? I have some Mexican
cookbooks but haven't paid that much attention to recent ones....

Phyllis Copp...

I'm flying Southwest Air out of Manchester N.H. They have great fares. I
wish they'd come into Maine, it would be easier then traveling to N.H. I'm
not sure if she even uses cook books, or if she does a lot of it from
memory, I'll ask her.
Phyllis

Jean B....

But interesting that SW Air is even up here at all. Good for us!

Not using cookbooks would be the real way to do it, I think.
I am not comfortable enough to do that in the realm of Mexican
cooking--although I can alter recipes and stay within the
bounds of "authenticity".

Phyllis Copp...

her,

Phyllis Copp...

I'm

Phyllis Copp...

SW air also flies out of Boston I think, I know that they fly out of
Providence R.I. They really have some great Internet specials, I fly down to
Maryland twice a year. One time I got a round trip fare for $76, that was

Phyllis Copp...

Phyllis Copp...

Baltimore,

Phyllis Copp...

Md.

before the price of fuel started to sky rocket though.
Phyllis

Jean B....

Norma...

I'm not really close to any good ethnic restaurants. There is a decent
Japanese one in Salem...the type where you sit around a table and they
cook to order in front of you. I don't go to Salem very often unless I
am shopping for something specific.

There is an Oriental grocery store on the Methuen line and I stop in
now and then to see if they have the 'good' brand of frozen
cha-tsiu-ba. A Chinese friend once gave me the recipe for the dough
which requires two kneadings and two risings. A bit of work. Once in
a while my NYC son remembers to bring me some from Chinatown. :)

Jean B....

Oh! I go there--Shopper's Square, right? I worry that they
always seem to have so little business.... It's a nice store.

Is there a decent frozen pork bun? What brand? I can't say I
have loved any of the frozen dim sum items I have gotten.

He is very fond of Indian food but I haven't been to NYC for quite a
while to try it. He toured India a few months ago and loved the food.
And I will try anything in the line of food.

Jean B....

I think this new place is called Kashmir.... I wonder whether
I can find any reviews. It opened up this summer....

When I go to California my daughter and sil make sure to take me out
for Thai food. I love coconut soup.
Norma

Jean B....

I love that too! It is one of the things I evaluate Thai
restaurant on--the ubiquitous Pahd Thai being another. It
looks like there used to be a Thai restaurant on the same
highway in Salem, but it also looked long closed by the time I
started venturing up there....

Phyllis Copp...

fares.

Phyllis Copp...

I

Phyllis Copp...

N.H.

Phyllis Copp...

down to

Phyllis Copp...

was

That's a great fare. You'll have to report on how onerous the
check-in is. Plane travel doesn't sound like much fun now, alas.

Phyllis Copp...

Usually it's not to bad, I get my boarding pass on line before I go and I'm

Phyllis Copp...

from

not taking any carryons, I'll just send everything through. If they loose my
luggage, oh well!!! My daughter and I are the same size!
Phyllis

Phyllis Copp...

that

**Dalin**...

I hope you have a great time Phyllis. :-) Did you hear Bar Harbor,

Phyllis Copp...

I'm

Phyllis Copp...

ME had an earthquake? Something like a 4.4. I had just turned on
morning news and caught the tail end. Was it yesterday?

Phyllis Copp...

It was last night and I felt, and heard it. Right away the phone started
ringing off the hook, everyone wanting to know if we heard it too! It
didn't do much damage, a few rock slides in the park, some broken pipes, and
phone disruption in some areas. Rare for this area, but it happens from time
to time. We had a tornado in Southern Maine earlier in the week too!
Phyllis

**Dalin**...

Phyllis Copp...

and

Phyllis Copp...

time

Wow! I hadn't heard about the tornado. Really unusual for that part
of the country. TV showed some of the park rock slides. I'm glad no
one was injured. I know some of those summer homes on Maine aren't
made to withstand earthquakes. I'm glad you are ok and I hope the
earth settles down.

Dalin

Phyllis Copp...

I'm sure it was just a little trembler compared to what they get in other
parts of the country, I don't think I'd like to live in an area where they
were common, I'll take a blizzard instead any day!
Phyllis

Jean B....

I feel that way too--but I wonder whether it's a matter of
what one is used to?

My idea of a "less spicy" dish is ice cream:-))

Thanks, Fr, uh, I mean Paco. Living in Southern California does have its
benefits. ;-)