I couldn’t remember where you were located but I didn’t think you were in the NY/NJ area? Are you in CA? It seems California has the largest Portuguese population in the US, though scattered about.
WA state, up north towards the border.
So CA isn’t going to help. I am so bad with geography with a poor sense of direction. I am always getting lost.
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Put a pin in the very northwesternmost corner of the continental US. That’s where I am.
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1$ Jamaican beef patties from Dollar Tree!
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Costco sells a number of packaged prepared entrees. These aren’t the fresh ones usually in the open cases near the fish and meats, but are usually near the cheeses and sliced meats as well as also in the glass cases with soups and veggies.
These require some degree of experimentation but we’ve been quite satisfied with things like lamb shanks, stuffed chicken breasts, sous vide sirloin, lasagna, and pot roast. We have four Costcos near us and selection varies among them.
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Mark’s review:
Hot Pockets: Five Cheeses
A hot pocket is a sort of turnover that when sold has a sheet that gets hot enough to bake food when the sheet is irradiated with microwaves. It is used then to bake the food.
I had been hearing that Hot Pockets were popular with people who have to eat isolated due to Cronovirus-19.
They were (rather obviously) invented to recreate the experience of having two slices of fresh hot pizza, but making it baking from a microwave. It is hot enough to burn fingers if the customer is not careful. It is pizza in a crumbly doughy and oily pastry shell. It takes about five minutes preparation. It heats surprisingly fast. The flavor is overly mild. Next time I will eat it with crushed red pepper to give the rather bland sandwich some interest.
This is certainly not gourmet food, but for those who want a fast, hot lunch it is quick and convenient.
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They built their fortune on the backs of our kids: 2 / 3 packages, X 52, X eight years or so… 
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Following up: the P.F. Changs fried rice hit the trash yesterday.
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You made the right decision.
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I usually go later in the day but stopped by Hot Bagel Bakery at 9:45 today. As soon as I opened the car door the everything bagel aroma enveloped my senses. I floated over to the thankfully short line, and within a few minutes these beauties were mine.
2 for now and 4 for the freezer. I have learned that it’s best to freeze bread as fresh as possible.
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Those look pretty darn good. I did a google search on the name of the place and it looks like it’s between Gianni’s and Brennan’s on Monmouth Rd, is that correct? I know there is a Rook coffee tucked away there, is that where this place is?
I’ve taken to stopping at What About a Bagel on W. Park in Cobblestone and their bagels are “good” but they aren’t nearly as thick or doughy looking at these. Love a good crust and a soft middle, lost track there for a second I thought I was describing myself. lol
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Absolutely agree about freezing bread! I rarely eat a bagel these days, but when I did, they always went right in to Ziploc bags and in to the freezer; warming them up in the toaster oven always gave me a fresh-as-when-I-bought-them bagel!
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Yes, across the street from Brennans and Rook. They are delicious. Only 4 in store at a time. Masks enforced. Line outside. Cash only.
Pick up a tub of Acme whitefish salad and a brick of Philly and you are set!
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Oh across the street, ok. On the google map it looked on the same side as those two so I was trying to figure out where it was squeezed in. I will have to remember this for the next morning trip to the beach club. (not going to be today)
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i am having a hard time with these as the windows are open and I am enjoying the smell wafting through the kitchen.
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it’s a nice little cluster: Rook, bagels, Brennans…would visit it much more often by have BagelMasters and Rook all within 5 min so it’s hard to go too far, but def on way to beach would be a nice easy spot to stop and gather provisions.
although I must say that is my least favorite Brennans of the three by FAR…
Mr met I am so glad you said that, because over the years I’ve come to find THIS Brennans to be frustratingly unreliable. I mean we are only talking wraps and such, but for every 2 good experiences we have 2 bad, so much so I gave up ordering there they just pissed me off too many times.
Bagel Masters my primary go to, is just too inconvenient during the pandemic. Even call ahead orders have to wait in the same line, so even if you order in advance you could be stuck 45 mins waiting to pick it up. That has necessitated my need to expand my bagel universe.
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have you been to BagelMasters post Covid? HE changed process a lot and I find it way more convenient. You order via phone or Online- Online cuts off like 30 min earlier -but is WAY easier. You pay ahead via credit card and get a text when your order is ready to come pick it up (you also get an ETA for when it will be ready). You just roll up stain your car and then run over; give the check number you got when you ordered and they bring it to you. As long as you wait for text that its ready it’s not too bad, worst I waited was like 10 min in lot. I wish he would stay like this post once (if) we’re ever past this- much better experience in my book.
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