in reply to Reading escaped data from a CSV

You should use quotes:
foo,bar,"foo,bar"
to differentiate, not an escaped comma. (if you would look at the source for Text::CSV or Text::xSV you'd get some ideas)

UPDATE:
note to $self -- stop recommending Text::CSV and start recommending Text::CSV_XS (which is what i use anyway) :/

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)