HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: offenberg@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov (JOEL D. OFFENBERG (301) 286-5801)
Subject: Re: Baking Soda/Powder
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Keywords:  Baking soda, baking powder
Organization: NASA/GSFC-Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 20:24:00 GMT

In article <SCHOUTEN.93Jan5122612@sp95.csrd.uiuc.edu>, schouten@sp95.csrd.uiuc.edu (Dale Schouten) writes...
>Does anyone know the difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder
>in terms of the end result in a recipe.  I have seen recipes for cakes
>or breads that use one, the other or both but none of my cookbooks
>seems to have any commentary on what they do other than make things
>rise.
> 
>Specifically, I'm looking to make a relatively light/fluffy/moist
>cornbread (along the lines of Marie Callendars) and am curious which
>to use.  Also if anyone has any MC style cornbread recipes I'd love to
>try them.

DANGER! 
(I'd better make sure I get this right...;) 
Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar and cornstarch.
Essentially, baking SODA is about THREE (3) TIMES as powerful as baking
POWDER when it comes to making cakes/etc rise.  (They also do different things
to the textures, I think, but I'm not sure what).

A common disaster occurs when the cook says "Hm,I'm out of baking powder, but
I'll just use baking soda instead" and his/her/its cake rises out of the pan
and splatters all over the bottom of the oven.  You can do this, but remember
that 1 tspn of baking soda = 3 tspn of baking powder (=1 Tbsp baking powder),
so adjust the amounts accordingly.

Specifically, if you are trying to "enfluff" your cornbread recipe, I'd
suggest just using whatever combination of baking soda/powder are given
and increasing the given amount by something like 1/3 or 1/4 (e.g. 4 tspn 
instead of 3, etc).  DON'T blindly replace 3 Tbsp of baking powder with
3 Tbsp of baking soda...

Good luck!
Joel

Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: alekz@welchgate.welch.jhu.edu (Alekz Vermont)
Subject: Re: Net's Funniest Kitchen Disasters
Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ. Welch Medical Library
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 14:44:18 GMT

hi--i was having trouble with my mailer yesterday...none of the articles
i've posted seem to have shown up on my .newsrc.  did anyone recieve my
tale of making _Hungarian Goulash_?  i wish to share it, but don't feel
the need to re-post (even though *i* think that it's an uproariously funny
tale) if y'all have seen it already....

obviously i posted this article under this heading...thanks!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  \\\\\\          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
! alekz vermont               /    *~~~~~~<||||>            !
! My name is Vermont          \____                         !
! I do what I want  (haha)     o| o  "Trepanation --        !
!                             ( |_    I need it like I need !
! alekz@library.welch.jhu.edu  |-->   a hole in my head"    !
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ \___/  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MY OPINIONS ARE NOT MY OWN -- THEY'VE BEEN *DRILLED* INTO ME.
From: Renee@cup.portal.com (Renee Linda Roberts)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Call for Discussion: rec.food.breadmachines
Date: Mon,  4 Jan 93 11:17:45 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: world

Since the untimely demise of the breadmachine mailing at the beginning of
December, the >600 members of this list need a new home. I suggest that a
new newsgroup be proposed:
	rec.food.breadmachines

This would enable us to converse on our many recipes, comments, what-machine-
is-better-than-the-others, problems, etc.

Please, please, please! Give this consideration!

Thanks for your time and bandwidth.

Renee Roberts

p.s. Please reply here and not to my mailbox. It is already strained from
all my pre-Xmas mail that I haven't had a chance to read yet!
From: dawn@pangea.Stanford.EDU (Dawn Burgess)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: What to do with a Ham Bone?
Date: 5 Jan 1993 20:27:17 GMT
Organization: Stanford Univ. Earth Sciences
NNTP-Posting-Host: pangea.stanford.edu

In article <$stephan.1575.0@sasb.byu.edu> $stephan@sasb.byu.edu (Stephan Fassmann, Software) writes:
>We have a leftover ham bone which is quite large and I was thinking of 
>making something with it. While I could make a stock of it I am in the mood 
>for a good split pea soup anyone have a recipe?
>Thanks alot.

Well, my recipe is pretty vague, but it always turns out well.

Saute some onions and garlic in butter or oil in a large stockpot.  Add 
hambone, water or stock of your choice, black pepper, salt, bayleaf, 
a bag of dry green peas (one or two pounds, depending 
on how much you want to make) and a few carrots chopped up. 
Celery is good, especially celery leaves.  Boil until the peas are quite soft.

The amounts vary every time I make this stuff, so don't worry to much 
about exact amounts.  I like to add just enough water to cover the peas 
by about an inch at first, and add more as the peas cook. That way the 
soup doesn't come out too runny.

Dawn
From: al013@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steve Otlowski)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Tennessee Chess Pie
Date: 9 Jan 1993 08:05:02 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc10.ins.cwru.edu


Tennessee Chess Pie

6 eggs
2 cups sugar 
1.5 sticks margarine  (.375 lb.)
s T plain corn meal
1 T vanilla
grated peel of 1 lemon
1 small can Pet milk  (brand of condensed milk)
      (about half-cup size I believe to guess)


Beat well until smooth.  Pour into you favorite pie crust.
Cook at 350 F  for about 1 hour.


Hope you enjoy it!

Steve Otlowski
al013@cleveland.freenet.edu

-- 
Steve Otlowski

aiden@ncoast.org  or al013@cleveland.freenet.edu
or BITNET al013%cleveland.freenet.edu@cunyvm
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Recipes using Bisquick - but not biscuits, please
From: kristen@telerama.pgh.pa.us (Kristen McQuillin)
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 14:08:43 GMT
Organization: Telerama
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Brighid (brighid@bass.lkw.com) wrote:

: Anyone willing to admit they make such stuff? And share a recipe?

This one came from my mother-in-law, shortly after Tod & I were
married, with the explanation that it was "one of Tod's favorites." I
have since taught Tod to enjoy _real_ food, but this is OK in a
proletariat sort of way. I've lost the exact recipe, but here is the
gist of:

---------------------Impossible Lasagne Pie-----------------------

Make a gooey mixture of bisquick and milk. It should be about the
consistency of pancake batter. Pour it into a pie pan.

Brown about a pound of ground beef. Drain the fat and add tomato sauce
to moisten. Flavor with oregano, basil, garlic, onion or whatever you
like your lasagne to taste of. Cover the bisquick misture with the meat.

Top with grated mozzarella. I use 4 - 8 ounces depending on my mood.

Bake for ??? at 350. When it's done, the bisquick stuff will have
risen to the top and will be golden brown. I'd start checking at 25
minutes or so...


Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: stcmille@panix.com (Steve Miller)
Subject: Help me use this cooked lamb
Summary: Stinky, Yummy
Keywords: Old Lamb
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 21:50:55 GMT



I made this wonderful leg o lamb the other day and had the time of my
life doing it - this is a fun thing to cook.  After the lovely dinner
party I hacked off the meat and made soup of the bone.  Plus I've got
this cubed cold lamb lying around.

Can anyone make some suggestions for lamb, other than just eating it,
which is a perfectly good way of eating it.


-- 

__________________________________________________________
Steve Miller				stcmille@panix.com
		A Famous Rock Star!
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: dtsullivan@leds.enet.dec.com (My name is...)
Subject: Re: Ultimate Cookware?
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 17:35:50 GMT


In article <C0Lrxn.FoM@world.std.com>, levin@world.std.com (Levin F Magruder) writes...
>>[thread about various expensive pots and pans]
>> 
>>I grew up with stuff called Creusart, enamalled iron, I believe.
>>It usused to be widely available (all department stores, e.g.) but
>>beyond my budget.
>> 

  You wouldn't be talking about Le Creuset would you?  It too, is enamled iron
and is still widely available in the US at a steep price.

  Someone suggested Williams-Sonoma, that is a good place to start.  They do
mail order if you don't find one close to you. You can also check at the local
malls. (Your net.address seems to indicate a Mass resident. THere is a WS store
in the Burlington Mall.  There is also a kitchen store on the lower level that
might be a little cheaper. Ther is also a kitchen store in the shopping center
with Caldor [Burlington also]).

Hope that helps
dan
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: peter@taronga.com (Peter da Silva)
Subject: Re: Call for Discussion: rec.food.breadmachines
Organization: Taronga Park BBS
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 12:48:50 GMT

How about a general rec.food.gadgets?
-- 
% Zure otsoa besarkatu al duzu gaur?            Serveuse, ce plat bouge encore!
/c{{64 sub}forall curveto}def 312 192 translate 24 24 scale 1 -2 moveto(B;>;?>)
c fill 1 0 moveto(JIJNJP)c(JRGU@U)c(9U6R6P)c(6N6I?@)c gsave stroke grestore 0.9
setgray fill showpage %                          Peter da Silva, 77272-0711 USA
From: sbhattac@rnd.GBA.NYU.EDU (Shankar Bhattacharyya)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Can you make pasta without eggs?
Date: 9 Jan 93 14:28:14 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

In article <C0KK6x.KC7@world.std.com> levin@world.std.com (Levin F Magruder) writes:
>I seem to remember reading that it's not practical to 
>take durum flour and water and make pasta.  True?  

Use durum semolina instead, and you'll be fine. That's how good macaroni is
made.

I don't have any practical advice to offer as to technique. I don't make
the stuff, I just analyze it.

- Shankar
From: sbhattac@rnd.GBA.NYU.EDU (Shankar Bhattacharyya)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: What is the Indian name of Poppy seed?
Date: 8 Jan 93 03:59:54 GMT
Organization: NYU Stern School of Business

In article <93007.111720RIPBC@CUNYVM.BITNET> RIPBC@CUNYVM.BITNET writes:
>I am shocked to hear Indians dicussing the `Indian name' for poppy seed?
>Why not go one stap further and ask, as Americans might,  `in what
>dialect of Indian?'  !!

Maybe we can give the guy a break? The subject line may say "the Indian
name", but the original post certainly did not sound as if the man was
unaware that we spoke a language or two between us.

Hell, he even said in Bangla or Hindi. He would seem to know there are more
than two. Besides, just by saying "Bangla" he demonstrates that he's heard
it spoke before. I have no idea if he is a Bong, but we'll claim him
anyway.

- Shankar
From: ssrzakar@csres.cs.reading.ac.uk (M. S. Zakaria)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Thai cooking/Galangal root, soc.culture.asean
Date: 5 Jan 93 18:58:38 GMT
Organization: University of Reading

bador@bnr.ca (Yasmin Bador) writes:

>Try any shops down Chinatown, Leicester Square, London.
>Or any good food shops locally. There are lots of
>Chinese provision shops in scattered in the UK ie
>in Oxford for one.
>Galangal looks like ginger and makes a difference in
>most Sout East Asian cooking. Otherwise buy the dried
>version in packets (in dried strips) or in powder form
>(usually Indonesian or Filipino brands).
>Hope it helps.

>Useful tip: Fresh Lemon grass can be frozen whole and
>used when required.

>Yasmin
>- current resident of Reading with S.A.D. and missing home..

I prefer going to Cricklewood than Chinatown. The supermarket is bigger.
Free parking. You can practically get anything from the Orient. The prices 
are cheaper than chinatown's stores. 

ps: Are you in Reading?

--
Shanudin Zakaria
Reading, Berkshire
England.
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: auerbach@ncsu.edu (David D Auerbach)
Subject: Re: Garlic Storage/Use
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 15:03:23 GMT

arielle@taronga.com (Stephanie da Silva) writes:

>In article <1993Jan5.234506.12115@siemens.com>, aad@siemens.com (Anthony Datri) writes:
>> >I usually store my garlic as a complete head 
>> >either under a counter or in a hanging basket.  
>> 
>> Stick it in your refrigerator.  Mine usually ends up in the egg tray or a
>> silly uwavable dish next to it.
> 
>I used to put my garlic in the refrigerator and had a lot of problems
>with them going bad on me until I read (on here) not to store garlic
>in the refrigerator.  Now I put them on the kitchen windowsill and
>they do fine there.  No mildewing and no more tossing out garlic
>and now I can keep three heads of garlic and not have to worry about
>them going bad or worry about running out.
>-- 
>Stephanie da Silva                                    arielle@taronga.com

Garlic, onion, potato, eggplant, peppers, sweet potato, ginger (and some
more which aren't leaping to mind) should not be refrigerated.  If one had
money to burn (or rather to cool) you build a larder and keep it at 60
degreesF.
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 21:21:29 CST
From: Barry Grau <U33976@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: moroccan preserved lemons

I have a pile of lemons and I want to make moroccan preserved lemons. The
directions in Paula Wolfert's cookbook say, more or less, almost quarter
them, pack the slits with salt, pack the salted lemons in a sterile 1-quart
jar and allow to age at room terperature for a month shaking the jar now and
then. Can someone who's made moroccan preserved lemons provide some more detail
on what kind of jars to use, how to sterilize them, how to seal them and so
forth?
       Thanks,
                Barry
From: kaz@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Karen Fegley)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: WANTED: Great chutney recipes
Date: 7 Jan 1993 19:44:24 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer Inc, Marlboro MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: pogo.pubs.stratus.com

In article <1993Jan5.222245.4758@midway.uchicago.edu>  
susan_soric@upubs.uchicago.edu (Susan Soric) writes:
> Does anybody out there have some
> really good or unusual chutney recipes
> they wouldn't mind sharing with me?
> 
> You may post or reply by e-mail.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Susan

The following chutney recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey's "World-of-the-
East Vegetarian Cooking".  It is very easy to make and quite tasty.
We keep it on hand in our fridge at all times in case of culinary
emergencies; several generous dollops of this chutney and some grated
sharp cheddar cheese make a *very* nice filling for an omelette.

Ms. Jaffrey notes that this recipe is a variant; the original recipe
uses a dried sour plum that is not readily available in this country.

Karen Fegley
Stratus Computer, Inc. (kaz@vineland.pubs.stratus.com)

Apricot Chutney with Raisins and Currants
-----------------------------------------
(makes about 4 cups)

1 pound dried apricots
10 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A 1"x3" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup currants

Put the apricots in a bowl.  Pour 4 cups of hot water over them and
let them soak for an hour.  [I cut the apricots into quarters or
halves, depending on size.]

Put the garlic and ginger into the container of an electric blender
or a food processor along with 1/4 cup of the vinegar.  Blend until
smooth.

Empty the apricots and their soaking liquid into a heavy stainless-
steel or procelain-lined pot.  Add the garlic-ginger mixture, the
remaining vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne.  [I use the full 3/4
teaspoon.]  Bring to a boil.  Simmer on a medium flame, stirring
frequently, for 45 minutes.  Do not let the chutney catch at the
bottom of the pot.  Lower heat if necessary.  Add the raisins and
currants and cook, stirring, another half hour or until chutney
takes on a thick, glazed look.  (Remember that the chutney will
thicken slightly as it cools.)  Let the chutney cool and store,
refrigerated, in lidded glass or ceramic jars.















Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: peter@taronga.com (Peter da Silva)
Subject: Re: Coffee and Growth Stunting
Organization: Taronga Park BBS
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 16:26:23 GMT


[line eater fodder... CHOMP]

In article <1993Jan11.085829.5608@sarah.albany.edu> la1002@albnyvms.bitnet writes:
>Does anyone know why the first line(s) have been cut off recently?
>Does anyone know why the first line(s) have been cut off recently?
>Does anyone know why the first line(s) have been cut off recently?
>Does anyone know why the first line(s) have been cut off recently?
>Does anyone know why the first line(s) have been cut off recently?

>I repeated the first line several times because II don't know how many
>liines are beiinig chopped off.

I haven't seen any of this. You must have a site near you that's running
a VERY old version of B news, with the infamous line-eater bug. It only
occurs on messages that start with more than the usual single blank line.
If this message is truncated, that's probably the problem.
-- 
Peter da Silva, 77272-0711 USA                  `-_-'
Zure otsoa besarkatu al duzu gaur?               'U`
Serveuse, ce plat bouge encore!
Xref: sparky rec.food.cooking:24323 sci.chem:5648 sci.bio:4776
From: robison1@husc10.harvard.edu (Keith Robison)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking,sci.chem,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Left-handed sugar
Keywords: Chemists Please. . . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 5 Jan 93 14:24:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc.robison1.726243869
 <1992Dec27.125851.17259@lclark.edu> <1993Jan5.054839.26714@fcom.cc.utah.edu>

asc7556@u.cc.utah.edu (Andrew Corradini/SBDC) writes:

>The formation of DNA, and thus the cellular mechanisms responsible
>for sugar formation, are exclusively dextro-rotary.  Elsewise, we would
>have organisms capable of digesting only those of equivalent "polarity",
>or (pardon the liberty), "sugar-sex".
> 

Just because DNA is dextrorotary does NOT rule out the possibility of
"reverse-handed" biomolecules.  "Wrong"-handed amino acids are a
critical component of bacterial cell walls, and also of many antibiotics.

Keith Robison
Harvard University
Department of Cellular & Developmental Biology
Department of Genetics / HHMI

robison@biosun.harvard.edu 
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: jereese@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (jean reese)
Subject: Re: Hand crank pasta makers?
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 17:29:02 GMT

In article <1993Jan9.083544.7339@walter.cray.com> shelby@eastrg2.cray.com (Shelby Anderson) writes:
>I got an Atlas pasta maker last Christmas and have only tried using
>it once. The pasta came out with grease on it, so we didn't eat it.
>Is this to be expected on the first use or did I do something wrong?

Our first use for the Atlas didn't have grease on it. It's not supposed
to. I'll bet the company accidentally left some on. Can you clean
it off without getting it wet? Try it again!

Jean


>
>Shelby
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Shelby Anderson       Cray Research, Inc.          shelby@cray.com


-- 
	"It is my view that the  vegetarian manner  of living by its 
	purely physical effect on the  human temperament  would most 
	beneficially influence the lot of mankind." - Albert Einstein
	++++++++++++++++jereese@silver.ucs.indiana.edu+++++++++++++++
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Breadmachines....Purchasing Advice
From: fred-mckenzie@ksc.nasa.gov (Fred McKenzie)
Date: 11 Jan 93 16:50:29 EST
Followup-To: rec.food.cooking
 <1993Jan9.173205.18505@newshub.ccs.yorku.ca> <1993Jan10.102011.20478@news.ysu.edu> <1iql6gINNdvg@gap.caltech.edu>
Distribution: world
Organization: NASA/Kennedy Space Center, Florida

In article <1iql6gINNdvg@gap.caltech.edu>, mberteig@cco.caltech.edu
(Michelle Berteig) wrote:
> Regarding the thread about DAK, they don't sell returned or used
> merchandise through their regular catalog.  You have to go to their
> showroom to buy these items, and they are marked down quite a bit.

Michelle-

DAK does have a "Returned (Used) Product Liquidation Newsletter".  The
stock number of an item is the same as in the regular catalog, except it is
prefixed with a "U".  The price may be slightly higher than the showroom
price you mentioned, and there is no reduction of the "P&H" charge.

The last one I received was dated Fall '92.  I notice that the Bread
Machine is no longer listed.

fred-mckenzie@ksc.nasa.gov
From: holmquis@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Darrell G Holmquist)
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 16:06:45 GMT
Subject: Re: Call for Discussion: rec.food.breadmachines
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking

Sounds like a great idea.  One more vote for it.

dh
holmquis@hpcc01.corp.hp.com
From: ellert@v32.uh.cwru.edu ()
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Gas range cooking
Date: 4 Jan 1993 14:25:31 GMT
Organization: Image Analysis Center, Univ. Hospitals of Cleveland
Distribution: world
Reply-To: ellert@v32.uh.cwru.edu ()
NNTP-Posting-Host: max.uh.cwru.edu


In article <1992Dec31.215253.26360@rchland.ibm.com>, alter@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Eric Alter) writes:

>
>A friend just bought a house that has a gas stove in it.  Is it hard on
>Calphallon pans when you use them on a gas stove?  Since I've never cooked
>with a gas stove I know little about them.
>

Shouldn't be any problem for the Calphalon -- haven't had any problems in
the two years I've been using Calphalon on a gas range.  You may find you'll
prefer the gas stove to the electric one.  We might find that that last
sentence starts a flame war too! ( 'scuse the pun )

Ed
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking,rec.food.veg
From: russ@pmafire.inel.gov (Russ Brown)
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 20:38:45 GMT
Organization: WINCO
Subject: Re: Ma Po Tofu?
Summary: 
Followup-To: 
Organization: WINCO
Keywords: 

In article <1993Jan4.181213.13960@alw.nih.gov> susanc@helix.nih.gov (Susan Chacko) writes:
>
>Does anyone have a good recipe for Ma Po Tofu? 

Rec.food.recipes has a recipe, under COLLECTION.....

Henry Chung's Hunan Cook Book has one, too.  I will check and post if
different than the one already posted.

Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: offenberg@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov (Joel Offenberg)
Subject: Re: Net's Funniest Kitchen Disasters
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: NASA/GSFC-Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 18:09:00 GMT

This has nothing to do with cooking but...

rcm@col.hp.com writes...
>howard@cs.uiuc.edu writes:

>> my dog was standing there very happy with chocolate all over his face.
>> As for the dog, well he didn't seem to suffer any side affects from 
>> that episode.  He looked very contented...and slept quite soundly.
> 
>You're very lucky - chocolate is deadly poison to dogs...

That should read "Chocholate can be a deadly poison to _some_ dogs", and not
just dogs.  My parents have a parrot, and the doctors said the same thing
about Gonzo, that some individual animals (parrots, in this case) have a 
tremendous allergic reaction to chocolate, which can often be fatal.

ObTale: Not quite a disaster, but...
Just after my parents had purchased Gonzo (a blue-gold macaw, one of those
large parrots), I was visiting from college and eating breakfast in the 
kitchen.  Gonzo's cage was open, so he climbed down and (click click click)
walked across the floor into the kitchen, climbed up a chair, walked across
the table and started eating my poached egg.  

_I_ never got to sit on the table and eat off of someone else's plate.

Joel