There have been so many good meals, it is hard to pick the best. However, while I consider the best I can tell you without hesitation what the worst was. It was one of those Brazilian beef fests in which several skewers of beef are served until you give up. It was somewhere in Brazil, north of Manaus, and when you sit down the waiter provides you with a card which is green on one side, red on the other. The meat continues to be served until you give up by turning up the red side of the card. The first serving was so salty that seawater in bottles might have been the appropriate accompaniment. I continued to sample other cuts until I gave up. The meat was overcooked and it was difficult to get past the salt in it. I can taste the salt just thinking about it. That is not the end of the story. About a year ago a Brazilian beef restaurant opened in a town about 20 minutes from Carlisle. We should try it, Jan said. So with some other victims in tow, we ventured to it. It was the same format, green on one side, red on the other. It was so authentic, it reminded me of Brazil....right down to the overcooking and the heavy inundation of salt in the meat.

Tom in Carlisle