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09/03/1999 Archived Entry: "My on-line chat & Off to New Mexico"

Last night I participated in an on-line chat. I think that’s how one is supposed to phrase that. Or is it that I conducted an on-line chat. Whatever. It was fun for me and I hope for the people who participated, although it was quite a dizzying experience. Chaotic, you might say. At one point the questions were being thrown out to me so fast that the screen kept chugging up and I didn’t even have time to read them. Fortunately, I was assisted by Miriam Garron at www.Minutemeals.com , who read the screen on another computer and kept notes, yelling out the best questions.

Those of you who have signed up for news alerts, and whatever else I end up sending you, received notice of this event, but some of you were confused about it. Yes, the chat was on the www.Minutemeals.com site, but the subject was not fast cooking. Yes, Minutemeals is the place you can find menus and recipes that take but 20 minutes to prepare (from emptying the grocery bag to table), but my chat there was about anything the other chatters wanted to talk about. I was asked cooking and dining questions, as I am on my radio program, but also some personal stuff that I generally would not take on the air.
I have another chat session planned for Sept. 16, a Thursday evening, at 7 p.m. – until about 9 p.m. Please join me. I’ll be sending out a reminder.

I’m off today for Las Cruces, New Mexico, where my old friend Alexis Bespaloff has been living for the last few years. He is the dean of American wine writers, and we’re eating Mexican food at the home of friends on Saturday night. Can’t wait to see what Alex recommends we drink with Mexican. Years and years ago, in prehistoric wine-appreciation times, Alex’s phone answering machine used to say, “This is Alexis Bespaloff. I can’t answer your call right now, but if this is an emergency, it’s red with meat, white with fish.” Weren’t things simpler then.

Have a great Labor Day weekend. The whole foodmaven site will be updated in the coming week or so.