Gifted Gourmet

article from Der Spiegel So, if I might return to the initial premise of the article, is it actually more important to conform or to preserve tradition? Your opinion of the article in general, whether as a wine connoisseur or as an occasional wine drinker?

This is all I found searching for Central Grocery

But before heading to Berkeley, the royal couple spent Saturday night at a luxurious rural lodge near Inverness, California. Apparently, they enjoyed a "convivial" and organic dinner with leading figures from the food world, including winemaker Robert Mondavi and "Fast Food Nation" author Eric Schlosser... the commitment to organic farming is quite strong with prince Charles and, he not only talks the talk, but walks the walk ...

A classic croquembouche made from custard filled profiteroles in a spun sugar "cage" .. cream puff profiteroles can be made in advance and frozen. Assembled before dinner. Spun sugar cage over the completed conical dessert. To me, the result is quite celebratory and festive! decorated croquembouches ... variations recipe courtesy Martha Stewart

Right yet again, micropundit! Extremely interesting and a great "find" on your part! Thanks for bringing this piece to the SE forum!

I do! But it wasn't for anything so lovely as a parmesan basket .. rather it was to illustrate the nonstick surface of the frying pan ... you are not crazy but have an excellent memory!

I just got this note from my daughter: So I sent her this recipe from Jacques Pepin which he says is "super easy" and delicious ... But in what other ways might she use her new purchase?

... holy cow! That's gonna kill germs and anyone else in a four state radius ... viva Allium sativum!

Kleenex Soup or my own homemade chicken soup with thin, nearly vermicelli noodles: Click for some great ideas for handling the anguish of a cold ...

Don't fritters usually consist of a batter plus a food item to be considered authentic? What does a hushpuppy enclose within it to be considered a fritter? (please note: the response about anything canine is not going to sway me from my deeply held, deep fried fritter convictions!")

I knew I had come to the right place in asking about this! Thanks!!!

Parmesan baskets are something I have yet to try. This seems like an optimal time to learn more about them. What kinds of fillings work well? Does the filling have to be dry so it won't soften the "basket"? All I have read about are goat cheese fillings .. what else works? Baking: parchment? Sil Pat? How about different ways to mold them when they come out of the oven? Large ones? Small ones? Lacy ones? Advice on adding ingredients to the pre-baked parmesan? Herbs? Storing: how to, how long will they remain crisp?

This thread actually served as an inspiration to buy spaghetti squash after not making it for several years .. and the results were quite gratifying: Cooked it in a bit of water in my microwave, cooled it, shredded it, added golden raisins, brown sugar, nutmeg, butter and served it .... thanks for the energizing "push"!

Glad things are getting better for everyone there, Michelle! Tonight's Shabbat dinner: Golden butternut squash soup Waldorf salad Chicken with rice and onions Stir fry with eggplants and mange touts Spaghetti squash with golden raisins, brown sugar, nutmeg Cinnamon babka with fresh grapes

For tonight's dinner we tried the Campbell's Select Golden Butternut Squash soup .. and found it quite nicely prepared .. a bit on the spicy side and with something to chew upon since it was not a smoothly pureed soup. I might be tempted to try my own version but this was definitely good enough to buy and serve in a hurry!

I believe at the time, Mrs. Bush had gotten a new press secretary and that the need for a new chef revolved around her desires for a more modern, possibly Texas-inspired type of cuisine ... that was when the chef resigned and noted that he felt that he could not "fit into this style" of entertaining ... possibly there was more at play here than any of the official stated reasons proffered ... Washington Post article with explanation here

the Royal visit and menu for the "hot dog meal" by FDR and not always hot dogs for all Americans, Carrot Top ... LBJ was even more folksy ... article here

It was my understanding that this was not intended to be a very formal state function because Charles is not (yet) a Head of State, as the media noted ... because the British royal couple was planning their tour here in the States, the President and Mrs. Bush wanted to recognize that and play host to them. Perhaps this is why it was not a "much heralded celebration". Just one possible explanation for the more modest dinner. There were no press events surrounding this trip, nor actual formal discussions in which foreign heads meet the press at podiums with the President ... The much more elaborate event was held in Washington at the British Embassy and was quite, shall we say, celebratory? article and pictures here from Hello Magazine UK with Camilla resplendent in gold lame ... no mention of the food ... alas ...

My point exactly ... You seem to have analyzed this idea perfectly, Arianna!

Actually, the nicer (more elegant and upscale) the restaurant, the less complex the menu. Usually, it is a choice designed from what is fresh and good that day... what the chef chose personally. As for long menus? Cheesecake Factory looks more and more like the NY phonebooks and weighs in heavier upon each successive visit! Wasn't it fashionable at one time to say "less is more"? Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As of today, Nov. 3, there are 260 restaurants open! NO Menu.comWhere are the steakhouses of NO? Anyone have an opinion?

I would love to see what the proposed menus would look like, which was the original intent of the thread, if I recall correctly ... I have offered a menu from the South .. anyone else have a menu?

Not even this? Stress-free cows ... a good thing ...

Since I live below the Mason Dixon Line in Georgia, let this menu reflect the great American South: Appetizer: South Carolina Crab Cakes with a remoulade sauce Main course (options): Georgia Quail wrapped in country ham with Fried Green Tomatoes White shrimp and grits (Charleston) New Orleans Etoufee (option of the main protein) Dessert: Red Velvet Cake Charleston Coconut Cake with 7 layers Caramel cake with multiple layers Wines from the Deep South

Quite obviously the White House wanted something classically American for the Royal Guests. Perhaps they also might have served one of the menus from the Nobel Prize Banquets eG thread here ... The menu for each year's banquet looks good ... and any one of them would be perfect to me .. I like, for example, 1998 ... or 1991 ..