Alex

I've used both Lindt Excellence chocolates for baking (primarily tortes), with reliable results. They're often on sale here (Grand Rapids) for $1.00-1.50 a bar. That's about the same price as bulk Callebaut. The advantage over Callebaut is not having to chop and weigh the chocolate. The disadvantage is that they're much more convenient to eat.

I agree -- grilling is the way to go. Dinotto Ristorante in Chicago offers a kick-ass grilled calamari appetizer that's an absolute steal. One of those plus a salad and a glass of wine makes for a perfect light meal.

Beautiful smoker, Ronnie. Now I'm doubly sad that I can't make it to Nero's send-off. Today I'll be celebrating Memorial Day with Copper River salmon ("only" 14.99/lb for filets, 13.99 for the whole fish) and asparagus.

I've never used a blender. Sorry.

I'm surprised yours lasted an hour. Many basic home appliances won't stand up to long continuous (or heavy-duty) use. I learned that the hard way several years ago by frying a very nice burr-type coffee grinder. For spices, I've acquired a bunch of blade-type coffee grinders from garage sales and resale shops for a dollar or two each. If I'm doing any extended grinding (which happens very seldom), I'll rotate through a few of them. They also come in handy for grinding two or more types of spices that I want to keep separate. I think that an immersion blender would not work all that well.

I learned this from my mother: freshly ground raw hamburger meat made from top round, straight from the package, with garlic salt. My father had to leave the room.

One more: Monet's Table, text by Claire Jones. I love it less for the recipes and more for the account of the foods, meals and guests at Giverny. Lovely photography, too. "For Christmas lunches....The menu began with eggs scrambled with truffles, or monkfish cooked American-style. Traditionally, Strasbourg truffed foie gras in pastry was served before the truffled, stuffed capons were presented on a bed of chestnuts and Périgord truffles, served with a chestnut purée." "Lunches at Giverny posed many other problems. Too many very different people encountered each other there. The times were just too loaded with explosives. There was the day, for example, when Rodin found Cézanne on his knees before him in the garden thanking him for having shaken his hand. Cézanne, with his tempermental and hypersensitive nature, was prone to bizarre, unpredictable behavior." Amazon has it through one of its sellers as a new remainder for $4.99 + shipping here.

Good point. =R= Perhaps because unlike this restaurant, your seat doesn't get resold unless you decide to donate it. (And unlike the airlines, who'll resell your seat if they can, then charge you a hefty fee to reschedule. )

I would have a bit less of a problem with this policy if it were restricted to those "Hallmark holidays" and, especially, if the restaurant kept my table open during the hour-and-a-half or so it normally takes to complete such a meal. It sounds like neither of these is true for this place.

I also do not share in your amusement. Did the patron's behavior somehow affect you personally? Was her being 45-ish relevant in any way? Increased knowledge should engender increased realization of how much remains to be learned, with the humility thereof. edited for wording

Is this policy in effect just for Mother's Day (and possibly other high-demand holidays)? If you cancel, will they seat another party at "your" table or leave it empty?

I did indeed wind up at Palena. I got there at about 6:30 and lucked into the last available small table in the bar area. DonRocks said to ask for Derek, the manager. I approached a likely looking candidate, who indeed was Derek and who, to my surprise, said that he'd been expecting me. He said that even though he's not a member, he takes a look at eGullet every week or two. At his recommendation, I started with the Antipasto Primavera -- a piece each of house smoked salmon and terrific buffalo mozzarella (and some greens, I think), with a green almond condiment tying things together. I followed with the stuffed lamb. 'Twas tasty, but not as wonderful as I had anticipated. However, the accompanying ravioli and fava beans were super. Derek's wine recommendations were spot on. He also facilitated a sorbet plate dessert that wasn't on the menu. There was an unexpected and very tasty lagniappe, which I'll save for another thread.

Funny, that was my original plan. I don't know why they suggested the reverse. Maybe I should ask.

After numerous e-mails, my cousins finally decided that we'll go wherever the heck we want on Sunday (I'm guessing Indique or Lavandou) and we'll drink the Montrachet at home on Monday, with yours truly being head chef. OK by me. Thanks for everyone's input. I've mentally filed away the info for future reference.

A belated welcome to eGullet, geo! I'm with you on the Lolonis. We've had a tasting here in GR, sans Mr. Lolonis. I enjoy their Chard and Cab ok and am a big fan of the Orpheus. I do like to support their use of organic farming. Where in Detroit do you work?

I have, too. For some reason she said she wasn't impressed with her last meal there, so would prefer going someplace else.

That's why I love eGullet, right there. There's a whole story in that line, just waiting to be told. Irwin...?

As I mentioned in another thread, I'll be in DC May 1-4 to visit my cousins. They recently were gifted with a bottle of ~25-year-old Montrachet, and, lucky me, would like to BYO-it to dinner on the 2nd or 3rd (Sun/Mon). For medical reasons she follows a macrobiotic diet that allows fish and seafood but prohibits dairy, most nightshades, corn, soy, and non-whole grains. So, we'd like to go to a restaurant with some ambiance that does creative and impeccable fish/seafood. She mentioned Kinkeads and DC Coast as two possibilities, and nixed Pesce. Are there other recommendations? Perhaps a place that does not specialize in seafood but nevertheless does an outstanding job with it? Thanks in advance...

Yikes! By myself?! Thanks to Don's very useful feedback via PM, it'll be the café/bar menu at Palena at about 6:00 on the 1st. If anyone would like to join me on the spur of the moment, I do look like my avatar, but without the carrot cake.

I suspect it's never been mentioned because it's probably the norm around these here parts. My kind of folks...

Homer. Watching the sun set over Kachemak Bay and the volcanoes beyond. Sigh. It's not too late, Alex. Certainly you must move there. And be sure to get a place with a lovely guest room, okay? Of course I'm just thinking of you, you understand. Of course. I understand completely. For years I've encouraged friends to move to really great places.

Thanks, babka. We've visited DC perhaps a dozen times in the past seven years. We've been to Cafe Atlantico, Yanyu, Indique, Lavandou, and Ardeo -- some of them multiple times -- but not the others on the list. I do my research, but my cousins also are very much into good food and wine. Their wine cellar is a treasure trove of older Burgundies. :envy:

The Obscure Store & Reading Room. (Scroll down to the articles for April 22.) In 1987, I came within a hairsbreath of moving to Homer. I still occasionally have a small twinge of regret for not having done so. edited for content

Clicky

Thanks for your detailed posts, Charlie. I'm looking forward to hearing about your May Day visit. The posts also are a good reminder that RV is only about an hour from our house in GR, and is more or less on the way to/from my occasional trips to Detroit -- no more excuses for not stopping there!