@Chef George P
I live near Philadelphia, but was born and raised in a very small town in the very northeast corner of New York state, Keeseville. My interest in cooking has it's foundation in my enthusiasm for eating! My parents insisted that all 5 children learn to cook and bake, and of course, clean up afterwards! When I started 4-H, I started gardening and using fresh grown (now called 'organic') vegetables for canning, freezing and cooking. My parents owned and ran a Tastee-Freez restaurant in Keeseville. For those unfamiliar with the deliciousness of Tastee-Freez, they are a chain very similar to Dairy Queen, the main difference being we sold ice cream, 11-14% butterfat, rather than ice milk at 5%.... the difference between nirvana and purgatory in soft-serve ice cream. Our Tastee-Freez was 'famous' for our michigans, which are hot dogs on buns with a meat sauce. I mention this mainly because I've noticed a couple of members who are apparently from Northern NY and are familiar with Michigans. No one here in PA knows what I'm talking about.