Alex
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Posts posted by Alex
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Welcome, Kevin. Lots of fun and informative rabbit holes here—many from way back when.
Speaking of way back when, I also found eG via a one-line mention, but in 2003, in the third paragraph of this article in the New York Times Magazine—and in a quote from pre-Alinea Grant Achatz, no less.
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OK, let's try again. Lured into a rabbit hole by this article in the NY Times, I just ordered a bottle—the brand weinoo posted on eG here—plus, just for the heck of it, a bottle of saba. Here's the updated Serious Eats article.
As liuzhou posted in the same fish sauce forum, colatura di alici is used as a flavor enhancer, most famously in Spaghetti con la Colatura (one two). It's also used in salad dressings, especially Caesar.
Any direct experiences here, either cooking or eating?
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Gritty ghee:
_(cropped).jpg/250px-Gov._Wolf_Joins_Philadelphia_Flyers_Organization_to_Encourage_Pennsylvanians_to_%25E2%2580%2598Take_Your_Shot%25E2%2580%2599_(51156977424)_(cropped).jpg&key=bdf3c1eb806be408fad96c1232603d989120c6e69af1f287b1d4522d68c5fc17)
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Five minutes ago (via a crossword puzzle in The Atlantic) was the first I've heard about a "lasagna cell," aka "lasagna battery." Has anyone ever experienced this?
QuoteA "lasagna cell" is accidentally produced when salty moist food such as lasagna or sauerkraut is stored in a steel baking pan and is covered with aluminium foil. After a few hours the foil develops small holes where it touches the lasagna, and the food surface becomes covered with small spots composed of corroded aluminium. In this example, the salty food (lasagna) is the electrolyte, the aluminium foil is the anode, and the steel pan is the cathode.
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I think this is what happened. When the meat thawed, it realized it was situated in an entirely different magnetic field from where it started, so it tried to head back home. Unfortunately, only the water was able to escape in time.
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24 minutes ago, Alex said:
I know we're not supposed to discuss politics here, so I won't, sort of, but the first three pages of the full report are a perfect illustration of how politics (and economics) and food are inseparable.
And here's another example, related to the above, from this morning's Washington Post.
QuoteBut the ongoing debate over the health harms of alcohol took a turn Wednesday after the United States dropped its long-standing guidance to consume no more than one or two drinks per day. It marks a pull back in messaging for the federal government — under President Joe Biden, the U.S. surgeon general recommended adding cancer warnings to alcohol products, and reassessing limits on alcohol consumption.
During a news conference rolling out new U.S. dietary guidelines on Wednesday, Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said people should drink judiciously. Then he added it is a “social lubricant that brings people together” and “there’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way.”
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22 minutes ago, chromedome said:
Here is a link to the new guidelines' "Scientific Foundation" document, for anyone who might feel inclined to geek out on it.
https://cdn.realfood.gov/Scientific Report.pdf
Some of you will be familiar with Tamar Haspel's work; she's the WaPo's columnist on food and food policy. She's done a lengthy analysis on Bluesky, for those who are active there (she may have posted this on other platforms as well, if you follow her elsewhere). Here's a link to the thread:https://bsky.app/profile/tamarhaspel.bsky.social/post/3mbvzrhtgm22n
...and for the TL;DR version, here's a screencap of her summary/takeaway:
Posted this originally in the "Food Science" thread, then remembered that Mitch had started this one. Duh.
I know we're not supposed to discuss politics here, so I won't, sort of, but the first three pages of the full report are a perfect illustration of how politics (and economics) and food are inseparable.
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Zingerman's annual "Balsamic Blowout" is back.
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1 hour ago, Tropicalsenior said:
Just don't tell that to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or Peru. They all claim to have invented it and each one claims to have the best. I've tried them in all three countries and they're all soggy bogs.
Ah, this one isn't soggy at all.
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On 12/22/2025 at 12:44 PM, Tropicalsenior said:
Being in Costa Rica where they claim to have invented Tres leches cake I see a lot of it. Personally I can't stand it and I can see where it could be compared to a bog. I don't see much to recommend this cake. The only thing that I like about it is the gummy worms.
If by some twist of fate you find yourself in Chicago, Kristoffer's makes the best tres leches cake in the known universe.
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Yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Ms. Alex is out of town), to accompany g-f penne with a simple ragu. (Yes, all three days for that, too. I made a lot.) Also nibbled on a little Parm-Reg before the pasta.
ETA: The 2020 vintage was Wine Spectator's #9 wine of the year. This 2021 is one of Binny's (Chicago mega-retailer) Top 50 Under $50.
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Picking up Real Food, Fake Food from the library next week. Currently making do with Invitation to a Banquet, by Fuchsia Dunlop.
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A.Word.A.Day sends a compendium each Sunday that features selected feedback from its readers. Today, a physician wrote, "In medicine, an opsonin is a protein (like antibodies or complement proteins) that coats pathogens or debris, marking them for destruction (phagocytosis) by immune cells, essentially making them 'tastier' for engulfment."
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Today's word is...
Collins online defines it as "a person with an extreme enthusiasm for a particular food."
The online OED requires a subscription.
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14 hours ago, Darienne said:
Placed a hold on it at the local city library immediately.
Ditto
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I have family in Philly and get there regularly. My reaction pretty much matched those above. Allow me to add Vedge and My Loup to gfweb's list.
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I worried that Michelin, while good for bringing more tourist dollars and recognition to the city, would be bad for fostering some of the very qualities that already make Philadelphia one of the most innovative and high-quality dining cities in the country.
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The three Philly restaurants that were awarded stars are all deserving, but I believe there are so many oversights, especially on the creativity and innovation front. Reviewing the reviewers, I don’t think they deserve a star.
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Within the city boundaries, Emmett, Fork, Vernick Fish, Ogawa, Rice and Sambal, Elwood, Alice, Fiore, a.kitchen, Perla, Bastia, Blue Corn, Little Fish, Mawn, Lacroix and Le Virtu all stand out to me as places that embody the creative energy of Philly’s dining scene and should be at least recommended.
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The three recommended cheesesteak places – Dalessandro’s, Del Rossi’s and Angelo’s – are arguably fine, but it’s a tourist stereotype to include so many.
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There was a ceramicist in Dearborn, just outside Detroit, whose work I really liked. We still have many of her pieces, from a tiny vase to a huge serving platter. Most of what we have dates from the mid-80s to 2000.
Here's a large mug (on the R), accompanied by another favorite, which reminded me of one C. Sapidus posted. (The mugs aren't tilted; I am.
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Here's the large serving platter. She also did one like this but with a nesting place in the center for a bowl holding chip dip.
And here's a set of serving bowls plus a spoon rest.
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1 hour ago, Smithy said:
I'm just now getting my Christmas dishes and decorations out, but today my coffee is in one of those Waechtersbach mugs
We have that one, too -- along with four other plain red Waechtersbach mugs, two of which are so old they were made in West Germany.
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45 minutes ago, Smithy said:
The oldest mug in my collection is this beauty from Taylor & Ng.
Hey, I also used to have a Taylor & Ng mug (or maybe two or three)! I wish I still did—even though for the life of me I can't remember which ones.
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As much as I like cats (most of them, anyway), I'm unpleasantly allergic, and Ms Alex has been very kind about not insisting we get one. (When we met, Katie the Cross-Eyed Kitty was her companion.) We also both like dogs (ditto), but neither of us is willing to dog-walk no matter what our Michigan weather throws at us. However, we've compensated by collecting, and being given, a menagerie of stuffed and otherwise inanimate animals—including some of our very favorite mugs. So, before I post the pics, I'll ask: What are your favorite mugs? (Photos, please, if you can.) Is there a story, even a short one, behind any of them?
Weird Kitty and Silent Kitty
Atomic Kitty and Jiji (from Kiki's Delivery Service)
Wistful Kitty
So they don't get bored, they can chase birds and fish.
Action Kitty, Pusheen, and Hello Kitty (yes, I know she's a little girl) approve
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A further reply:
QuoteOther than AquaChile, here are a couple of our other main supplier of our Chilean salmon. [I've simplified the URLs.]Patagonia Sea FarmsBluGlacier-
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9 hours ago, Alex said:
I also read this today. I promptly sent a message to our local fish and seafood wholesaler; they supply our major supermarkets:
Their marketing manager promptly replied:
I then replied with the URL from the Guardian, and asked:
That was about 1:30 this afternoon. No response yet.
He replied this morning:
QuoteThank you for sharing this information about the Chilean fisheries. We understand your concerns regarding working conditions and the broader issues surrounding salmon farming. While I don’t currently have detailed information on the specific companies and farms supplying our Chilean salmon, I will be looking into this further. I want to assure you that sourcing high-quality fish is a priority for us, and that includes not only the product itself but also the farming practices behind it.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ocean conservation, and one of its key initiatives focuses on reducing antibiotic use in Chilean farmed salmon—the Chilean Salmon Antibiotic Reduction Program (CSARP). More information about this project can be found here: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/our-projects/farmed-salmon-in-chile. Several producers are actively participating, including Cooke and Camanchaca, both of whom are among our primary Chilean salmon suppliers.
That said, we recognize the importance of gaining a deeper understanding of the farming practices used by the companies we partner with. I will be reaching out to our buying team to gather additional information and ensure we are aligned with responsible and sustainable sourcing standards.
I sent an appreciative reply.
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Food Funnies
in Food Media & Arts
Posted
Today's Pearls Before Swine: