Was it crunchy?

Great wrap-up! But I don't think of her as "I'm as good as any guy"-Jennifer, but as "I can't say ceviche correctly"-Jennifer.

I've never hesitated asking servers for suggestions, though often the information highlights the differences between the server's taste and my own.

Re: the "she-crab soup, lamb and soufflé" server, I find this sort of behavior particularly obnoxious: "If someone asked about the vichyssoise, he talked about the sherry in the she-crab soup."
That's *exactly* what makes a diner think he or she is being steered and not heard! What if the diner is allergic to crab or doesn't like lamb? I'm sure the pro was more attentive than /that/ though, and your point is well taken.

Coldplay and No Doubt will play Shoreline /next/ month, and Phish the month after that. Post is too positive, mentioning the wristband system failure parenthetically-- all other accounts of the event indicate that it was a disaster.

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! You're doing it wrong! Do NOT burn your absinthe! I am thoroughly riled!!! I'll send you a half dozen samples of the finest absinthes available if you change that photo! Slashfood is one of my favorite food blogs... and... and... [sob]!
More information on the "fire ritual" sham here:
http://www.feeverte.net/faq-absinthe.html#B17
And my take on the Times article here:
http://spiritof72.blogspot.com/2009/05/new-york-times-rates-absinthes.html
(I also agree with JasonK re: St. George...;)

I'm curious about how to tell (1) if a rind is in the first (man-made) category, and
(2) if a rind is in the second versus third category-- "not recommended" by whom?! It's good to know about these categories, but now I just want more info... and more cheese...;) I'm with Igk and wonder how to deal with the hints of ammonia in the "stinkiest" cheeses, either in the rind or the cheese itself? Or, should there never be ammonia in properly aged and handled cheese? So many questions, so many tasty cheeses...

I had a piece of horse meat in Switzerland that was out of this world. Pretty sure the cut was loin. Tough to say if I'd order it again, but... wow.

Why save it? People love the idea of the Tonga room, but the Tonga Room itself kinda sucks. Maybe fun for a drink or two once or twice, but it's really just another San Francisco tourist trap.

Um, one "throws /down/ the gauntlet."

Mechanically, by not exposing a large area of the upper bags, the air in the freezer isn't getting warm enough to trip the thermostat. Increasing the amount of surface exposed to the cold circulating air will increase the rate of cooling, though the one on the bottom is getting the best treatment, with its energy being conducted away.

thefishie's onto something with his suggestion of a thermometer and question about the composition of the stock-- if the stock is on the salty side, it will have a lower freezing point.

I always let items cool first on the counter, then in the fridge, and then put them in the freezer-- less work for the freezer...:)