Alex

Happy in the Kitchen, by Michel Richard -- Michael Ruhlman's choice for best cookbook of 2006.

Nice to hear that New Hellas is still recommendable. The last time I ate in Greektown was 20 years ago, just before I moved away from Detroit -- New Hellas was one of my regular stops back then. (If memory serves, my #1 favorite was the International.) Any opinions about the food at Laikon Cafe nowadays? And does anyone remember the parrot?

Lenski and hambone, could you post again and be more specific about what you meant by "terrible" and "mediocre?"

Thanks for the helpful feedback. I went with a 40 cm carbon steel pan (along with a kilo of Bomba rice and a quarter-ounce of saffron from Penzeys).

I'm planning to buy a paella pan as a gift for some friends. They make paella maybe two or three times a year, and up until now have been using large baking dishes. I'm probably going to purchase from paellapans.com, unless someone has a better idea. I'm thinking of the largest one-burner size, 15" or 16" according to their web site. I'm looking for opinions about carbon steel vs. stainless steel pans. I know the stainless pans are much more expensive, but that's of secondary concern at the moment.

I just called my local Costco -- no chanterelles, never had them. I think I'll move to CA. The Silver Palate Cookbook has a wonderful and simple recipe for chanterelles with dried apricots. Chicken stock is somehow involved. I think they list it as an appetizer, to be served on toast, but I use it as a sauce for pork tenderloin or chicken breasts.

OK, I said I wouldn't do it, but somehow five more books are now chez Alex: What to Drink with What You Eat Italian Slow and Savory A Mediterranean Feast Metiterranean Vegetables Real Stew

From a library sale: Riso: Undiscovered Rice Dishes of Northern Italy, by Gioietta Vitale Any cookbook that has a recipe for risotto with porcinis, anchovies, and chicken livers is OK by me.

You clearly weren't hitting the Farmer's Markets in August then - tons of awesome raspberries that put those nasty Californian things to shame. http://tammystastings.blogspot.com/2006/09...wo-berries.html ← Agreed. We had gorgeous raspberries here in GR well into September. So, Maria -- it's time to stop Krogering and start Farmers Market-ing. I'm looking forward to hearing your Trotter's report, but also please keep us posted on any chocolate developments.

For years I've been using Mark Miller's recipe for Pipián Rojo, from his The Great Chile Book. I couldn't locate it online, but if you do a Google search you'll find others. In addition to pepitas, his refried sauce includes ancho and guajillo chiles, chipotles in adobo, blackened tomatoes, roasted garlic, sauteed onions, dry-roasted peanuts, olive oil, water, and flavorings that include salt, sugar, cloves, cinnamon or canela, and allspice. Miller writes, "Pipáns can be served with appetizers, or used as a sandwich spread, in stuffings, or as a sauce or garnish for grilled meats." I've used it primarily as a sauce for chicken or duck. I tried it once with scallops, but it didn't match up terribly well plus it overwhelmed the scallops' natural sweetness.

I have a larger KA and a slightly smaller Braun. Oh, and I forgot to mention my trusty Sunbeam Oscar. Sometimes it's nice having two because I like my KA dishwasher to do the cleanup (especially if I've made peanut butter) and sometimes I simply don't feel like washing one by hand right away. I've used both at the same time when baking (e.g., one for cheesecake crust, one for the filling) or cooking (one for chopping whitefish for gefilte fish, one for puréeing soup).

I recommend a second (or even a third) bowl and, if needed, a second paddle (or whatever beating attachment you use the most frequently). In addition to my KA w/two bowls I also have a two good hand mixers (one of them I found at a ridiculous clearance price and couldn't pass it up ) with two sets of beaters. Unless you do major baking projects with some regularity, that should be plenty. Actually, I've found my second full-sized food processor to be way more useful than a second mixer would be, but of course YMMV.

I hate to sound cynical (well, actually, I don't hate it at all), but it's all about who's getting what share of the money pie, not about public safety or decency.

At the end of this article in the San Francisco Chronicle, the author writes, "Never use soap to clean lead crystal wineglasses. The lead crystal has microscopic pores that can trap soap residue." Is this true? Have I been mucking up my wine all these years?

So far they have been crappy. I hear the good place is in Lincolnwood, just north of the city. Haven't had the chance to make it up there though. ← Ha! Back in my days of my writing restaurant reviews and food articles, here and in Detroit, the article that generated the most irate letters was about a bagel tasting, with ratings, that I organized. In this article I wrote about my criteria for a perfect bagel, which, of course, mirrored the incredible freshly baked ones of my childhood in New York City. (Two other judges also were native New Yorkers.) However, I "forgot" that I now was living in the heartland, a few hours from Chicago. Readers were quick to point out my geocentrism.

Thanks for a delightful story, Diane. I lived in Squirrel Hill for an angst-filled five weeks in-between starting and quitting graduate school at Carnegie Mellon in 1970. I sometimes wonder what life would have been like had I stayed. Now, in a small way, I know.

To add to annarborfoodie's comments, the Pointes, although affluent, have always been a much more conservative area -- financially, politically, and culinarily -- than the affluent or relatively well-off northern and western 'burbs (e.g., Birmingham or Northville). Iin general, the residents are less apt to have even a moderately adventurous palate. They're also less apt to drive to the other side of town for dinner. Conversely, because the Pointes are relative small and geographically isolated, and because there are good restaurants north and west, the local places tend to draw most of their customers only from the immediate area.

Hey, cool. Thanks for the tip about City Kitchen! Here's a review. A friend who still lives there says she really likes Cafe Nini Da Edoardo, on Kercheval in The Hill.

Hadn't really thought about how to get from place to place yet. I need to get a Chicago map and figure out where everything is. The problem with a burger at Naha will be sticking with just the burger! The rest of the menu looks soooo good. I've been to Soundings, back when Eric and I were visiting the field. Good food is more important to me than a good view. Where/what are Chicago's interesting ethnic areas? I could see myself wandering around Chinatown or whatever before lunch, getting lunch there, then heading over to the Field after lunch. ← Yes, maps are good. I assume you'll have a suitcase with you, so I recommend taking a cab from Union Station to the Hilton; checking in or, if your room isn't available yet, checking your suitcase; then going to lunch. Naha and Frontera Grill are sort of on the way to MoCA. Nomi would be another great, if expensive, option, and it's very close to the museum.

How were you planning to get from Union Station to the museum? It's a loooong walk, but it can be done. If that's what you were planning, and if weather allows, I'd get lunch at Hannah's Bretzel, by Washington and Wells. There are only a few counter seats there, so if one isn't available I'd carry my sandwich up to the Gold Coast and Sarah's Pastries and Candies, get a coffee and a pastry or two, and enjoy it all at an outside table. Or, just head to Naha and get their burger, one of Chicago's best. For your Field day, you might consider Soundings, at the Shedd Aquarium. The food is just average (Phil Vettel liked the open-faced crab sandwich), but the view of the big lake is your compensation. A reservation (312-692-3277) is a must; otherwise you'll be charged the aquarium admission fee. Alternatively, on your way to the Field, more or less, is Gioco, on Wabash just south of Roosevelt.

Kiki's Bistro, on N. Franklin in River North Chez Joel, on W. Taylor in Little Italy West Town Tavern, on W. Chicago in Ukrainian Village All are are a short cab ride from downtown and are walking distance from the El, if that's their preference.

Gee, when I visit my old stomping grounds in GP I often drive to Windsor for dinner. Outside of that, I'd recommend Jumps, on Kercheval, in GP Farms; Mack Avenue Diner, on Mack, in GP Woods; Vienna Cafe, on Mack, in GP Park; Steve's Mediterranean Cuisine (aka Steve's Backroom), on Jefferson in St. Clair Shores. Info about all of them (and more) is here.

Thanks for the report, Jennifer. We'll make it to The Church one of these years. I'm quite puzzled, though, by your referring to the Globe's "sticker shock mentioned in many posts." Five eG'ers before you have posted about Globe in this thread, and we certainly appear to concur that their tariff is fair and a good value for what is received. You also referred to "the odd combinations of flavors." Again, I didn't see any of us using the word "odd" or anything implying it. Creative, yes, but not odd.

A nice long walk south from Wicker Park is West Town Tavern, one of my faves. I'm surprised there's been no mention of it on eG, as far as I can tell. It's American/eclectic and moderately priced as opposed to mono-ethnic and cheap, but I think it's worth a visit or three. Their special wine dinners usually are a good value for the money.

"The Agriculture Department has proposed a standard for grass-fed meat that doesn't say animals need pasture and that broadly defines grass to include things like leftovers from harvested crops." The full article