> > There were wealthier Irish, same as there were wealthier
> > blacks even in slave times. They must have been
> > subservient to the dominant group, though.
> Possibly money, but not a lot of power to go with it.  
> They were second class citizens, if they were allowed citizenship.

In the land of the penniless, the one with a penny
is king, something like that.

> > My guess is that the oil was introduced into the raw 
> > potatoes under pressure, minimizing the discretion and 
> > the need for skill on the part of the short order cook.
> I'd think those were frozen before cooking. 

At one point they had probably been frozen. Which
makes me wonder if anyone has ever devised an edible
potato (not yam) ice cream.

> > I actually thought Bonnie might suffer that fate from
> > the one really wretched meal we had in France, a truly
> > horrid paella at a truly horrid brasserie in Poitiers.
> If it was unsanitary as well as horrid ... it's happened.

My marinated meat was just sizzled on the outside. If the
marinade had been contaminated, I'd have been in deep doodoo
as well. I'm thinking of taking Lilli to that town but won't
take her to that restaurant unless I want to get rid of her.

> > > You'd skip the potatoes in favor of more pork chops.
> > That's a good guide to behavior in pretty much any
> > setting short of a Kosher deli.
> Or a halal one.

Or that, as they're on the same benighted road.

> > > One more good reason to not be bothered with the raw ones.
> > How are you with various and sundried tomatoes?
> I've eaten them.  They take a large chunk of the Horrible out of the 
> tomatoes when they dry them.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.00

      Title: Astakos Plaki - Lobster In Tomato Sauce With Saffron Rice
 Categories: Greek, Fish
      Yield: 4 servings

      2    Lobsters (about 2 lbs each)         4    Sun-dried tomatoes
(in oil)
           - (live, or recently dead)               - pounded to a paste
     25    Saffron strands; soaked in        1/2 c  White wine
    1/4 c  Hot water                         1/4 c  Orange juice
    1/4 lb Finely chopped onion                1    Bay leaf
      1 md Leek; washed, finely chopped             Salt & freshly ground
Pepper
      8 tb Fruity olive oil                  1/2 c  Finely chopped Fennel
      3    Garlic cloves; minced             1/2 c  Minced flat-leaf
Parsley
      1 lb Tomatoes; skinned, seeded,          1 tb Finely chopped fresh
Mint
           - and finely chopped                     Saffron Rice

  If you have live lobsters, plunge them into a pan of boiling water for 1
  minute, then into cold water.

  To prepare the lobsters, break off the claws and crack them open with a
  hammer.  Cut off the tip of the tail (with the fins), then sever the tail
  where it joins the head with a heavy knife.  Cut the tail into rings,
  slicing through the shell between the ribs.

  Split the head open lengthwise with a hard blow of a knife and remove and
  discard the gritty stomach sac.  Pour the coral (if any) and the green
  matter (which is the liver) into a stainer over a bowl, sprinkle with
salt
  and pepper, and reserve.  Put the saffron to soak.

  In a heavy-bottomed pan big-enough to contain the lobsters and sauce, fry
  the onion and leek gently in 3 tablespoons olive oil until translucent.
Add
  the garlic, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and liquid, wine, orange
juice,
  and bay leaf.  Season and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

  Add the fennel, parsley, mint, saffron and liquid, and lobster tail
pieces
  and claws with their shells (but not the legs) and simmer, covered, for
10
  minutes.

  In the meantime push the coral and liver of the lobster through the
  strainer and beat the pur˙e with the remaining olive oil.  When the
lobster
  has simmered for 10 minutes, ladle out about 1 cup sauce and beat this
into
  the coral pur˙e.  Pour this back into the pot, stir, and simmer for
another
  10 minutes.  Serve with saffron rice.

  Source: Recipes from a Greek Island - by Susie Jacobs ISBN: 0-671-74531-X

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