marlena spieler

Like Russ, I'm not sure it works: but it does! (perhaps that is part of the reason for my elation at the whole experience). And to answer rwong: it really was rabbit, and it tasted like rabbit, not chicken. I say this emphatically, because after my experience of my beloved pet bunny, Basil, I've just not been able to bring myself to eat rabbit. So I wasn't the one to order it. Also, i'm not big on fried things, and combining a fried thing with a waffle was my idea of heavy and not appealing. How wrong I was!!!!! I've since been looking at waffle irons, which as i think i've mentioned, are expensive here in britain. but right now i feel i can't go on living without a waffle iron. but i'm sure i'll never make as good a waffle, or fry as good a rabbit (or chicken, i can't bring myself to cook rabbit, note abovementioned Basil bunny). so, for Ludja, Here is a blow by blow description: of the dish, how it tasted, how it was served: The rabbit itself was crisp, and cloaked in an airy though almost fluffy batter, so crisp and light that it seemed to defy the rules of physics. How could something be fluffy inside inbetween the crispness and the white rabbit meat. The meat itself was very very tender, and had a subtle lovely white meat flavor. being rabbit the texture is more tight-grained than chicken. it was tender. it was delicious. the waffle was crisp edged and incredibly tender inside. there was no gravy--none was needed! the waffle had a splodge of maple butter. again, i don't have much of a sweet palate, so the maple butter was another reason for my not ordering the dish. having said that, i polished off each and every morsel of the maple buttered waffle and the tender, crisp-battered rabbit, that i could get my paws on. i don't use this term often, but i think that dish was a masterpiece. on its own terms. and i don't know if it could ever be as good again as that night, that plate, was. ?

isn't it all about whether she's right or not? I have no idea either way, but not sure the writing is the main part? ← lets put it this way, perhaps a bit clearer? there are other newspapers in which the reviewer/s warble on and on, hey we all know who they are, and sometimes it seems that its for the express purpose of the reviewer getting a few--or a whole bunch of--witty hilarious lines and observations scribbled onto the page. then there is Marina whose witty prose and descriptions are always--though i can't claim to have read each and every review--but in the main, are all about the place and about reviewing it objectively and without her own agenda. I feel when i read Marina that she is writing it for the reader, not for the joy of hearing her own voice. that is why i said: I trust her with my palate completely. and that is why I said she is such an excellent writer. I should have added the words: restaurant reviewer for explicitness and clarity, though couldn't believe it would be necessary. I really think she does the difficult balancing act of serving the reader and dishing it up with really sparkling writing.

mmmmm, maybe i do! i did take them but i haven't tried posting them on egullet before, and also......i downloaded a new programme and can't even figure out how to download photos to my website...anyhow, i'll give it a try. wish me luck. thinking about those waffles has made me go out waffle-iron hunting. and waffle irons are expensive here in hampshire, england! but i'm telling you, i really need one. and there ain't no way to make waffles without a waffle maker, i know--i've tried! x m

ate the tenderest lightest waffle with the crispiest lightest fluffiest (or was that the waffle or should i never use the word fluffy in conjunction with eating rabbit), i don't know, this dish was so terrific that i just can't get it outta my mind! restaurant: Zazu in the Russian river countryside. owners dusty estes, and her husband, adorable whats-his-name with the tatoo of the pig or is it a lamb, on his arm.....and who cures meat brilliantly, especially his homemade coppa which should be spoken about in whispers its so good. better than what i eat in italy, where i try to hang out as much as i can...... also the BLT salad was divine, everything was divine even things that just sounded ordinary on the menu. the lamb sausage sandwich wasn't as thrilling as i would have hoped but i was not in the mood for a sandwich at all and we pretty much ate everything else on the menu! includig fabulous gelato.

I love Dr Shakshouka! the owners are a family from Libya, and they make wonderful couscous, with meatballs or is it a sort of meatloaf thing that tastes as if my grandmother had made it while being held by kidnappers who forced her to use an aladin's cave of spices: in other words it was both cozy and familiar and totally exotic. a dish of mashed pumpkin with spices was served as part of the couscous meal, though it could have been separate, anyhow, it was deeeeeelish.

next weeks judges will be carol godsmark and frank bordoni.

EXACTLY...... something doesn't compute so far.....though....they can't have all of the 'professional chefs' be losing to the home uncook.....or can they? and who plans the menus/recipes for the professional chefs? two venison mail courses? and the one beef.....? (beef the winner, perhaps the judges don't like venison?). when i had discussed the whole concept with the producers they were emphatic that they wanted the 'teacher' to really be a teacher, of good food, but so far it seems more like jumping through hoops, and the teacher is of course a well accomplished professional chef...... on the other hand, the uncook did seem to actually enjoy the whole thing. maybe she has an inner chef that is bursting to come out?

so last night the person who wanted to be a better cook and not have everyone throw her food into the rubbish, triumphed over the two professional chefs. what do we think? the soup looked really good, but would someone so ill-adept at cooking get the flavor balance right? it seems that a soup like that would need a sensitive ability to taste and season? anyhow, i like the way she tidied up the not-so-nicely fish garnish!

Is Marina--our very own Circeplum--the best reviewer ever! this one was classic Marina.....i trust her with my palate completely and only wish I could write as wittily and seemingly effortlessly as she does.

complaint: wrapping a seabass around a piece of fresh mozzarella and a slop of pesto. then cooking it. i felt like crying.

If i did, then i could die happy. i'm a baba-queen! a baba devotee, a baba addict. a baba babe. i'll stop now...... but truly i could talk baba all night long.

anyone seen Cook It on television the other evening? its about someone who can't cook, then they get a cooking teacher to show her how, then she has to compete with a professional chef in making a meal.

mammmma mia, how i wished i'd checked into this thread earlier in sept, as you guys have been a cookin and enjoyin campania, and i couldn't been adding my two cents all the time! i haven't even had a chance to read through the thread. i've been soooooo lucky to be visiting campania, practically on a commuter basis, the past several years. in fact, i'll be in salerno next week, was in napoli for the world cup madness earlier in the year. i think in campania it IS all about the tomato. after visiting and visiting and visiting, i really do. i love their pastas with only tomato and basil, no cheese. and the seafood. and the little fried dough and seaweed balls. yum. and BABA of course!!!!!! has anyone waxed lyrical about BABA yet????????? i might have to, soon. baci, marlena, who is as excitable as any napoletana

i'm so with you, GastroChick. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Lol. I used to do that all the time - intentionally mis-pronounce every French word we used... Made the chef especially mad since he knew I speak fluent and proper French. Then when the servers would come around I'd piss them off too by speaking in real French and they couldn't understand... ← why were you doing this? i don't understand.

There are lots of good books about greek cooking. there is one whose title i forget, by sophie laz-something or other, i'm so sorry i have her name wrong and title missing cause i LOVE THIS BOOK! she has/had a restaurant in LA. diane kochilas, of course, is excellent, both in enthusiasm and knowledge and general tastiness. any of her....maybe three, maybe more......books would be excellent in your kitchen, but i'm thinking that her big complete book is the one you want. and i would just goggle diane....she lives in athens, originally from new york, is very influential in the athens/greek food world. Greek food is wonderful, and i think underestimated outside of greece...possibly because of indifferent restaurants both abroad and in greece itself. but athens is undergoing such a foodie rennaissance, very exciting. lots of regional things from the islands etc, being redicovered and delighted in.....

Relishes Cooking School in Healdsberg is marvellous. Donna who runs it is just fabuloso. i'm teaching a class there 23rd sept, in fact, called: Napoli is a state of mind. pasta, pommodori, tons of deliciousness........ plus healdsberg is adorable little town, worth visiting. and the sunday afterwards is the sonoma russian river food and wine fest, definately worth a visit. and then bovolo is a great place to breakfast, dustie estes about as cute as the proverbial button and they cure their own hams/bacons/etc there.

i've often come in for a lot of disapproval for my being underwhelmed. also i have never been blown away by the much revered-in-some-circles bread.

have you ever been to a foie gras farm?

both mangal 2 and mangal ocabasi on arcola street are wonderful, i believe they are owned by the same people because if you want a little lamajoun or something that mangal ocabasi doesn't have, they'll nip around the corner for you and pick some up. be sure to order the fire-roasted aubergein and pepper salad as it is terrific and i belive it is not on the menu. and try the fermented turnip drink if you like the idea of drinking pickle juice, it is sooooooo delicious, at least to some. i have also heard it discribed as weird but compelling. i'm also looking for a good pho in london; song que is not the ultimate broth as you noted, but i like the way they will put chunks of fried tofu in the pho if you like--i like both the raw beef and tofu which vietnamese in other places find strange. i like the way the hot tofu soaks up the beefy broth.

Totally right, thanks Farid! ! there are so many different types of purslane and each has slightly different characteristics. the burst of sour juice depends upon which type of purslane you use, as well as what time of the day it is picked. was in pompeii over the weekend, and when i looked down as i scrambled over the sun-baked stones I saw a huge patch of purslane, very nice succulent purslane, poking right out of the ruins........ Marlena

Hi Marlena, True, QUEENS are "dead" , but rest assure there are many other 'Nouvele Falafel' joints and lots of "traditional" places to fill all your Falafel needs. Just hop over, I'll supply you with the F-Map. Boaziko ← Boaziko, i'm ready. i really am. i wish it were tomorrow....felafel: nouvele, traditional, they're all yummy. thanks! marlena. ps and i remember their cocktail of grapefruit juice and arak was it? so refreshing to go with the fried chickpea balls.

Oh No, Rogov, tell me it isn't so! felafel hamalchot closed!

what a beautiful tortiere of eggplant and lentils!!! after the inspiration of your gorgeous pic of zucchini blossoms, i spent yesterday in our local botanical garden. when i saw the blossoms, all pretense of being a law-abiding citizen flew out the window. i can answer no more questions as they might incriminate me. meanwhile, in the land of cucumbers, my column tnis week (wednesday) will be on the cuke, with some cool recipes. www.sfgate.com

purslane, though i suppose that is more of a salad ingredient! i'm just back from gaziantep, turkey, where we ate purslane salad twice a day until i wanted to scream enough! but i do love it: tangy, refreshing, albeit a tad slimey.