drfood

I think I can speak to a number of things in this thread. I am an Aggie, born and raised. My first set of booties were A&M booties. When my dad asked me where I wanted to go to college he said he would pay for any school in the world as long as it was A&M.

I graduated with a BS in 1978 (started in September 1974) and saw TAMU through probably it's most stunning growth phase as a university. In Fall 74 the first Waggies (yes we did actually call them that) corps unit was going strong. They were referred to as W-1 unit. The student center had just undergone a major expansion and rebuild/redecorating. The university had 17000 students registered in Fall 1974. By August 1978 the university had grown to about 24K students give or take a few hundred. During the period 1974-78 there was a HUGE, I mean HUGE, debate taking place over Sororities and Fraternities coming to town. Blood Aggies were 100% opposed to the greeks on a number of levels....taking people off campus to live, becoming more popular than the corps, and mandating monetary support from the university. You gotta remember at this time in history I lived on campus all 4 years (not in the corps), had 7 day dining plan, tuition, fees and text books....all for under $9000 total. If the Greeks had been recognized by the university state law would have mandated a fee increase (at that time they called it building use fee) from $59 per semester to $150 per semester to help support them as organizations. As a student body at that time we could still control fees by student votes, unlike today when the legislature typically sets them in conjunction with university lobbyists. The fear at the time was greeks would decimate the corps. The crazy thing was the corps was already decimated, but we didn't have enough sense to realize that.

My MS and PhD period in College Station were January 1980 to May 1984. The campus didn't really grow that much except to the west. A few new dorms were built but most students by this time were moving off campus, but Greeks still did not have official university recognition. During this time Kyle Field had the 3rd decks (east and west side) added and the new press box. The student population when I left in 1984 was still in the 24K range because of artificial limits being set, plus there just wasn't enough housing built still to handle more students.

I left with my PhD in hand and started teaching at LSU in the Food Science Department in June 1984 and stayed there until August 1987. I loved LSU and the campus. I left because I had a teaching job offer in So Cal...and I had to go find out what it was all about.

The only really weird thing about A&M is the continued "cult like" belief that Aggies buy into. If you've gone to TexAgs you'll see it there. All the references to "Good Bull" and "Bad Ags" and supporting the administration no matter what. When I look back at my undergrad days it reminds me somewhat of what it must have been like to be a Jim Jones follower or a tea party member.

I am married to a Louisianan and we still go to LSU games 2-3 times a year. My current employer (no I don't teach) has a plant in Gramercy that I am at 2-3 times a year. And we are in BR and NOLA for Mardi Gras season. LSU is still the same place it was when I left in 87, I think. Friendly, great atmosphere, amazing football.

A&M deserves to be in the SEC and once you folks visit the campus a few times you'll find it a lot like LSU during school. The only sad thing is the tailgating at A&M sucks compared to LSU.

So how do you folks who religously donate 10% or more of your hard earned money at the church feel about the leaders of your church setting up foundations or other shelters to prevent having to pay taxes. And have you ever wondered if they follow their own message of tithing? I know in the church I grew up in the Paster (So Baptist) said he didn't have an income so he didn't have to tithe, all of his money went into his families bank account and his wife was responsible for that money.

Or better yet, how do you folks feel about giving 10% or more of your hard earned money to a church organization who allows pedophiles to screw up young peoples lives in multiple locations and then shelters the perverts by moving them around?

Someone recently said on Fox News that being a leader in a church is as lucrative as being a Wall Street Banker....and no one bothers to even attempt to regulate the church leader. :rotflmao:

As a PhD type in food science and Manager of R&D I am constantly looking for great new food items especially something from Louisiana.

Today at Spec's on Smith Street here in Houston I stopped in to look for some product for work in the food area. When I turned the corner at the entrance a very tall man wearing an apron asked me if I would like to try some Mozelle's Cajun Style Crawfish Pie. Being the ever skeptical R&D type I initially said no. But he told me that the product was made in New Iberia so I elected to try it. The first piece of product I tried in the spoon was a piece of crust. Now for those of you who know anything about baking or freezing baked items you know that a crust that will freeze and bake properly is the hardest item there is to market. This crust was amazing. Flaky, flavorful, excellent crumb structure. :bow: Heck I don't think I can even make a from scratch crust that is close to that crust. The filling was very flavorful and smooth. For my taste it could have used a bit of Louisiana Hot Sauce for spice, but I was not complaining.

I was there with a friend who knows my feelings about new products and how critical I am. He was waiting to see my reaction. I told him this was by far the best frozen product I had tasted. In fact I told him I thought it rivaled the stuffed bread I worked with Merlene Hebert on marketing when I was teaching at LSU.

On the way out we stopped back by the table and I told the 2 gentlemen there that this was the most amazing product I had tasted in a while. I wished them luck. Just wish we had not been on our way to dinner or I would have purchased a couple to take home.

If you run across this product give it a try. At Spec's it was $7.49 with the Spec's card.

I have been trying to find more information about the company but so far my Googling has not given me any results for a New Iberia company named Mozelle's.

Bootsies or Goodson's.

Depends on what type of food you want.

I know it's a long shot. Does anyone know of a place in Jackson Hole Wyoming that I could watch the Vanderbilt game? The place where I am staying does not have ESPNU on their tv offerings.

If not, does ESPNU offer on-line viewing live or delayed?

Thanks.

The label is correct. There are multiple variations on Coke now coming into the US from Mexico. You might get Coke w/Sugar or mixture of sugar and HFCS or HFCS. The label is applied in Mexico. Note the spelling of "Hig".

The problem with sugar is the supply chain. Brazil due to their conversion to ethanol as a fuel source for vehicles has caused Brazil to dedicate more of their product to fuel. The past 2 crops in Brazil have been smaller than expected due to flooding of the fields. They are hoping the next crop will allow more normal export of cane and or raw sugar to the world market. India is also a huge supplier of raw sugar to the world market but it too has had weather issues and sub-normal crops.

And in the US you have the controversy over GMO sugar beets. Plus Imperial's plant in Savannah is still recovering from the 2008 explosion.

Tate & Lyle have left the sugar business in Europe and Pacific Rim and sold out to Domino.

And now you have regional and national players in retail grocery as well as manufacturing wanting to convert from HFCS to sugar. HEB in Texas has a major initiative to convert a number of private label items to pure cane sugar, not beet though due to the GMO thing. They recently introduced HEB cola with pure cane sugar and HEB catsup with sugar and not HFCS. The big food companies like Kraft and General Mills and others are trying to figure out what to do next.

One final factor that is going to hit in 2011 or 2012. China's need for sugar. I've read reports that if the numbers are correct that China could cause a world sugar supply problem like in the mid and late 1970's.

Now....go out and enjoy your sugary stuff.

Drive about 30 minutes west to Sommerville Texas. Take Hwy 60 west to Hwy 36 south about 2 miles on right. White building.

Sommerville Steak House (or something like that)

Best Chicken Fried Steak your stomach would ever want inside it. They have 2 sizes....huge and huger.

And they serve iced tea in huge 32oz plastic tumblers.

And it is CHEAP!

I'm actually involved in a number of things from product development to regulatory to technical sales in my current position.

Yes I have been involved in products you might have seen in stores. Here's a couple of examples.

Minute Rice microwave cups (multiple flavors). Not sure where in Louisiana they are. Kroger carries and I believe HEB and Publix also. That is with a previous employer that I was involved with those. Also, worked on Mahatma branded rice products.

If you've ever seen frozen beverages in convenience stores called Parrot-Ice, I was the guy who was the R&D person there. They are now owned by ICEE.

Was involved with helping Uncle Ben's with their first shots at Rice Bowls when I was teaching at UH Hilton College. Also, worked with Tyson on the first wings they were selling at KFC.

There are others I worked on when I was at LSU. Panola pepper sauce, Cajun Injector are the 2 best known. I also worked with Lionel Robin and Donald Cachere (as in Tony's son or grandson) on a canned version of Lionel's etoufee sauce he serves at his restaurant in Hendersonville/Breau Bridge (never can remember which it is in). It was during the oil crash in the 80's so we had a lot of folks with good ideas and others with wacky ideas....like pickled fried catfish that actually ended up on the shelves at Schweggman's for a very short time. We also helped Merlene Hebert in Lafayette with a project where she wanted to set up a commercial production facility to produce her meat fill bread loafs.
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Back to the rice ideas....try Nutella in rice. Honey, maple syrup also work great. Nuts work really well also.

I agree, don't cook the protein in the rice. It just does not work well. Mix it later.

:cheers: To the idea of using fresh herbs. Best flavor you can get in rice.

And if you have a Penzey's locally go spend a while exploring the multitude of stuff they carry.

I'm confused. Did you actually purchase an "instant rice maker"? The last time I saw an "instant rice maker" it was a piece of industrial equipment that would fill a space larger than most apartments and homes and cost in the millions of $ range. :lol:

If you bought a "rice cooker" then that is a totally different story.

Sorry for being a smartarse....but after working in the rice industry for a number of years I just had to comment on the "instant rice maker".

Your post is very confusing. You say you don't want to overload it with unnecessary salt, seasonings etc. But then you say you want to add sausage, which is usually highly seasoned and full of salt. Then you ask again about seasonings.

Are you wanting to know how to use the rice cooker? If so read the instructions. Or follow this simple rule of thumb....1 cup of rice requires 2 cups of water. The rice cooker will shut off automatically when the rice is cooked.

Jasmine or the new variety Jazzman rice is a very flavorful rice to use as opposed to white rice. Brown rice is very tastey as well.

The minute you get in to the rice mix category you're looking at huge levels of salt/sodium. Fresh and dried herb work great in rice. A really good rice can be made from adding cilantro and a little lime juice for flavor.

If you're making rice for right before or after the gym, don't use butter or margarine...the salt and fat aren't "good for you".

Couple of other suggestions....use curry alone or one of Penzey's mixes that do not containt salt.

+100000000 for Haven. Very close friends of mine own the place, Rhea Wheeler and Debbie Jaramillo. Rhea's from Lake Charles. If you go to Haven ask if either or both are there and tell them I told you to ask for them. They'll know who referred you if you say DrFood sent me.

Also, if it doesn't have to be "special romantic" and you just want some good friend seafood go to Monument Inn in Deer Park by San Jacinto Monument. Watching the ships pass by can be more fun than a stuffy shee-shee-foo-foo restaurant anyday. :cheers: