Alex

I don't know how coarse is "coarse" for you, but I'm extremely happy with the range of grinds and ease of use of my Unicorn Magnum Plus.

C'mon, folks -- where's that Heartlander enthusiasm we saw two years ago? So far: tammylc & crew Alex HeatherM Fresser & his slick PT Cruiser BeJam

This sounds like a great place, and I admire Chef Tuohy's philosophy. We'll be in Atlanta in June, visiting cousins, and if I can nudge them away from their safe and comfortable and boring eating habits I'd love to take them to Woodfire Grill. I checked out their web site but didn't see any prices or even estimates thereof. Can someone clue me on the approximate range for apps and entrees, and whether the wine list is fairly priced?

I'm a fan of Lolonis Orpheus, their Petite Sirah, which currently sells in the high $20s to low $30s around here. Bonuses: the grapes are organically grown, it's a family-owned and -run winery, and Philip Lolonis is a nice guy. (I just met him at a wine tasting.)

I love the veal idea but unfortunately, for medical reasons, one of the guests is unable to eat red meat. I wonder if the same approach would work for roast chicken (or even turkey -- I still have one in the freezer), with maybe some veal or chicken glace thrown in.

Thanks! That's the drawback (at least for me) of having 250 or so cookbooks -- I forget what's where.

Given last weekend's snowstorm, you wouldn't guess it, but morel and asparagus season is almost upon us here in Michigan. I'd love to put together a wonderful dish with those two ingredients when a couple of chef friends come over for dinner a few weeks from now. I've previously made Tapawingo's Cassoulet of Morels, Fiddleheads and Asparagus, as well as the usual starch (risotto, pasta, etc.) combo, but I'd like to try something different. Morel-asparagus ice cream is definitely out, but I'm open to any other ideas.

OMG, I forgot about them! Yes, fun. Here's a little guide to Lansing-area places. Note the lukewarm review of Dusty's. It also tells you that El Azteco is local, not a chain. It also mentions Evergreen Grill, normally a recommendation of mine, but which has since closed.

Me, I'd go to Villegas twice, but some reports have said good things about Dusty's Wine Bar. We ate there once, several years ago. The food was good but doesn't stand out in my mind. The wine selection was excellent. They have special dinners, wine tastings, etc.

Glad you're coming, but actually we're trolls, not Yoopers. Some genuine Yoopers may indeed show up, though. [Yoopers = natives or long-term residents of Michigan's U.P. (Upper Peninsula); trolls = folks who live under the (Mackinac) Bridge, i.e., in the Lower Peninsula.]

You know I'm in. (I'd better be. ) Ms. Alex just got a meeting scheduled for that weekend, so unfortunately it'll be just me.

Yeah, I like it, too. Their Eden Burger is the best veggie burger I've ever had.

How about this recipe for Torta del Re? It's one of several recipes mentioned in this interesting article about Italian Judaism.

From April's Gourmet, this recipe for Fried Stuffed Chinese Eggplant looks appetizing.

We went to Traffic Jam and Snug before the Pixies concert a few months ago and had a great dinner. Wonderful soups and salads, and they make their own cheese. My only complaint was that the cheese was served cold, but after leaving them out a while, they were quite good. ← It's also been a while since I've been to Traffic Jam, now that I live on the west side of the state. My history with TJ dates to the early 70s, when I was in grad school at Wayne State, just down the road from TJ. At the time, it was the place to go (along with Verne's) for a beer and sandwich. They later stepped up the cuisine and the beer/wine selection. Some time back in the 80s I had the most wonderful trifle of my life there -- intense chocolate cake soaked with Frangelico, cocoa whipped cream, and sliced pears.

Five Lakes Grill in Milford. Emily's in Plymouth. Me, I'd go to Tribute twice.

Yes, and definitely yes.

Would a little Meyer lemon olive oil be a good idea here or would 400° be to much for it? Pat w. ← Too much, I think. It'll probably work better as a finishing oil (vis. my post above re truffle oil). Good idea, though.

Thought I would bump this back up since I'm finding some good asparagus prices in the grocery stores. This is another veggie that changes quite a bit when roasted. It's even easier than roasting cauliflower. I put the cleaned (and "snapped"...as in snapping off the woody bottom part) stalks on the foil-lined pan (I use a dark pan), season them and then simply drizzle olive oil on them. I roll the stalks around a bit on the pan so they get a light coating of oil and spices and that's it (make sure you don't use too much oil). Then roast away. The first time I made this I roasted it for 20 minutes at 400° and while it was tasty, it was rather limp. So I think a shorter roasting time, perhaps 15 minutes, will work better. It tastes quite a bit different (in a very good way) than steamed asparagus. Anyone else try it? ← All the time. I prefer thin stalks for roasting. I do it basically the way you described, with just olive oil and kosher salt in a Pyrex or Le Creuset baking dish. About 20-25 min gets the tips nice and crunchy. I often add a bit of truffle oil before serving. BTW, last month I made a wonderful cream of roasted cauliflower soup. It took more than a modicum of self-control, though, to not eat up half the cauliflower before tossing it in the soup pot.

Hi, Mags -- make it 88,460. One more arrived today and two are on the way: St. Jacques, Fast Food My Way Alfred Portale, Simple Pleasures The new McGee

Memory is such a strange thing. When this thread reappeared today, I would have wagered a moderate amount of cash that I had already replied. But noooo... So here's my reply. Getting married at 46 and 41 has its advantages, not the least of which is that one gets to arrange the entire menu. It was a small reception (~40 persons), so we could splurge a bit. I did some of the menu, a chef-friend-CIA grad did most of the rest. I don't remember the wine, except that for the champagne toast our table drank a Tattinger Brut and the masses had a Chateau St. Jean bubbly. I do remember that my friend, my brother, my two nephews, and I spent a not insignificant amount of time watching the last game of the 1996 World Series on a little black and white TV in Temple Emanuel's kitchen. (You can take the boy out of New York, but....) Apps: Stuffed grape leaves (vegetarian, locally made, and unfortunately no longer available); seedless green grapes covered in Boursin and chopped pistachios (friend) Soup: Gazpacho (me) Dinner: Cold poached salmon w/ginger remoulade and yogurt dill sauce on the side; couscous w/seasonal vegetables (friend) Dessert: Wedding cake -- Three-tiered chocolate cheesecake decorated with edible Hawaiian orchids (me) I think the food blew some folks away. My oldest nephew said he was fully expecting rubbery chicken, soggy green beans, and mashed potatoes. My father-in-law was heard to complain about the lack of meat, but wound up eating three helpings of salmon. We put a disposable camera on each table for our guests to take pictures of whatever they wanted; we wound up with more pictures of the cake than anything or anyone else!

I'm here in spirit, if not in words.

I've found that to be the case. I usually wait until they've cooled enough to handle without burning my fingers to badly, then remove them from the foil. Rubbing the skins off with a few paper towels works pretty well for me. It also keeps my fingers from turning red.

Tim is a dead ringer for Mark McGwire, post-steroids. Seriously, though, I'm enjoying your blog a lot. Thanks, too, for the web site link -- I learned that a cohousing community is in the works here in Grand Rapids! It'll be more urban-style than yours, though -- 15 units + common house on about one acre, with a city park across the street.

Save 'em for a vegetable stock?