SPF challenges continued
Getting email accepted by another domain has become quite a headache for systems administrators. Because of security issues, mail servers have had to clamp down on who exactly will be permitted to send mail to their users. I’m still encountering intermittent problems with some domains accepting our emails; although the big offenders like AOL and MSN/Hotmail have been largely resolved with the simple addition of SPF records to our DNS zones. However, two more providers have cropped up in my attempts to get my users open email access everywhere. Some ISPs such as consolidated.net have a baffling bounceback message either referencing an old (perhaps retired) RBL server or a cryptic, generic refusal. Whereas GoDaddy, one of the biggest domain registrars out there, has some strict requirements and configurations that I’m still trying to guess at.
I’ve added via WHM more SPF records via TXT type to not only the main domains and parked domains, but also to their nameserver records and to the hostname DNS records as well. Anything that has the remote chance of showing up in a header check now has a SPF record. Here’s to hoping I made some progress.
Bargain Rodizio
Delicias Brazil
2315 W Airport Fwy
Irving, TX 75062
(972) 255-3714The fiance and I have only visited once, on a Sunday lunch, and our visit was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
First off, we were taken aback to discover our host was ex-Rafain…happy to know that he was venturing out on his own and pleased to get the same level of service.
Perhaps my expectations were too high for budget Brazilian. Perhaps at the time Delicias was still new, trying to find its stride, but that doesn’t excuse the rather forgettable rodizio. I just couldn’t enjoy anything from the meat parade to request a second serving.
I tried everything off the buffet tables, but nothing agreed with me–pastas, salads, authentic stews and casseroles, desserts. I have never been dismayed or put off by traditional dishes, and I even love flan…but meh, these plates were bland and uninteresting! Even the cauliflower tasted rotten! My sole consolation was the cheesy bread–at least they kept me from starving (difficult to comprehend for a rodizio).
It’s nice to see that the ethnic community has embraced Delicias. On our visit, several Brazilian families came in to patron the place…but it soon became evident that the dining room is too small, and slowly becoming claustrophobic with the number of skewer-wielding attendants clogging the aisles.
The biggest slip came at check time, when we discovered that the restaurant register couldn’t process credit card receipts. Everything then had to be processed through the front-end grocery store’s register…which would have been tolerable…had it not taken more than half an hour to accomplish. One neighbor patron was so unhappy with the arrangement that he kept flagging down any of the restaurant staff for assistance–he had been kept waiting for nearly an hour trying to check out.
The manager and host were humbly apologetic, but this experience soured us on any future visits. Even the coupon I brought with me went unused, as we tried to hurry our way out the door.
My rating: stars
This crepe’s for YOU
Crepes 4 U
240 Legacy Dr # 218
Plano, TX 75023
(972) 517-9100Fake Yelp reviews? I don’t know about that. Perhaps the high marks aren’t about the food.
I for one was completely taken in by the owner’s bubbly enthusiasm and outgoing friendliness. Every visit guarantees a lively conversation, while you watch him make your crepes on the spot.
I did enjoy chowing down on his freshly made ice cream and fruit crepes–that delicious contrast of warm and cold, crispy and soft–but it took a freezer outage to discover the true gems on his menu: the savory crepes — which the owner ought to promote more. The next time I’m in the area, I hope to see an expanded menu.
My rating: stars
Basil Garlic Mayonnaise
It’s been awhile since I posted a recipe for anything, so to get rolling on this, I’m starting with something easy.
Something about growing your own herbs in your own backyard makes for truly delightful home cooking. Basil has been the easiest to grow in our Texas climate, and I have 3 varieties of them in our herb garden: Sweet, Thai and Lime. With plenty of sun, good soil and regular watering, 2 basil plants is plenty enough for your summer menus. I usually harvest the leaves by trimming the tops, and the basil responds by putting out new growth within a couple of days.
Because we’ve been doing a lot of grilling lately, I’ve been kicking up my burgers with a basil-garlic-mayo concoction. Goes great with deli sandwiches, egg, and tuna salad too.
Handful of Sweet Basil (1/2 cup)
10-15 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small lemon (or lime), halved
1/2-2/3 cup of mayonnaise
ground black pepper
salt
sriracha sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon mustard (optional
Chop the garlic and basil, then place in food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, drizzle in olive oil and squeeze in juice from half a lemon. Continue to pulse-blend until a paste–or leave finely chopped if you would like some color and texture in your mayo spread. Pour basil-garlic paste into a bowl, mix in mayonnaise. Squeeze in the other half of lemon juice . Season with pepper and salt. For a little heat, add a squeeze of sriracha sauce.
For other variations, I’ve halved the amount of sweet basil and used lime basil to give this mayo more punch. Instead of lemon or lime, I’ve used mustard instead.