Alex
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Posts posted by Alex
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Secondly, as to Kitchen-Aid... a few years ago I redid a small high-rise condo in Los Angeles and used Kitchen-Aid across the board. Because of that experience and because of their reputation for the quietest dishwasher, I put their best in this remodel; the only Kitchen-Aid appliance bought. Well, it is the only thing that has failed. Four times and it is only six months-installed. All computer circuitry failing. It is in the process of being replaced under the State's "lemon laws". Their serviceman, who represents several brands, said Kitchen-Aid went downhill once Maytag started making certain products for them. Another example: Amana makes many of the refrigerators sold under other names.
I upgraded to a KitchenAid dishwasher about a year ago and so far, so good. :knocking on wood: Did the service person tell you which of their products are made by Maytag? Ditto refrigerators made by Amana? -
Slowing down the process helped immensely. Thanks, Paula.
I haven't tried broiling yet.
I played around with the water/cornmeal ratio and found that somewhere between 4:1 and 4½:1 worked the best for cooling then pan-browining. (I'm using Italian cornmeal from Zingerman's.)
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Questions re Friday dinner:
1) I made a reservation for 7 p.m. -- OK? (Dissenting posts only; silence = agreement.)
2) I've been discussing a set prix fixe menu with the chef, as I think it gives us a better value for the money. OK?
3) If we do a set menu, are folks ok with a seafood theme (e.g., Seafood Minestrone, salad, Salmon in Phyllo with Saffron Sauce, Peaches in Port)?
An updated arrival list:
Friday: Matthew & SO, Alex & spouse; guajolote & flaca; fresco, spouse, & daughter; maggie & Mr. Handsome; Aurora; Lady T; col klink
Saturday: NeroW, The Boy, & The Hobbit; tammylc; mitten; Fresser?; guajolote's parents & kids?
Still waiting to hear: PastryLady; RheaS
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As a kid I would flee from mushrooms. Also, salads were evil (although I had no problem with separated raw veggies). When I was 20 I forced myself to eat both -- I was too embarrassed to show my girlfriend, who ate everything, that I was at all a food wimp. And hey, guess what? Not bad!
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very fresh roast chicken (was clucking earlier that day) -- Cook's Illustrated method, with rosemary and lemon in cavity
potatoes roasted with the chicken
steamed broccoli with anchovy sauce (also CI recipe)
1995 Labouré-Roi Vosne-Romanée
dessert = biscotti and Vin Santo
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There are numerous recipies for cooked fennel (often braised) but I've never liked any of them as much eating fennel raw. Here's how I do it: After trimming the top and bottom of the bulb, halve it pole to pole then cut out the triangular center part. Slice crosswise very thin, on an angle. (I use a knife, but a mandoline would be fine, too.)
Like Jim, I also have enjoyed it with shaved parm-reg and citrus. Unfortunately we can find blood oranges here (Michigan) only once a year, and at exorbitant prices (which doesn't stop me, but does make me wish I lived in California). I've combined it with grapefruit, avocado, and a light citrus vinaigrette, with great success. I also make a salad with fennel, cucumber crescents, and Vidalias -- three kinds of crunch playing off each other.
And, as Jim said, there are all kinds of combos. I'd love to hear some ideas.
Edited for typo
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I'd like to get there by Friday night. However, if driving all that distance is going to be too much in one day, I'm thinking of splittling the drive and spending Thursday night in Chicago, anyone free for something on Thursday night or Friday? Hell, if I can be persuaded, I'll split up the drive anyways.
I'm in
I'm in.
Does that mean that klink, nero + boy, guajolote, and nightscotsman are driving together on Friday? Or were those "I'm in"s about getting together in Chicago? Or both?
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We'll send a care package home Professor.
Hopefully I won't eat it all on the way drive home.
When do the Friday night festivities start?
I'll be driving down from Duluth and I'll be going through Chicago. How long is the drive from Chicago to Grand Rapids? Depending on when I have to leave the Good White North, I can take folks as well. I'm driving a fat Chrysler that very comfortably seats 4 and somewhat comfortably seats 5.
I'd like to get there by Friday night. However, if driving all that distance is going to be too much in one day, I'm thinking of splittling the drive and spending Thursday night in Chicago, anyone free for something on Thursday night or Friday? Hell, if I can be persuaded, I'll split up the drive anyways.
Friday night dinner time hasn't been set yet -- depends on who's arriving when. Could be any time between 6 and 8ish, I imagine.
Last I knew, Fresser and nightscotsman were going to carpool here on Saturday. Perhaps they could be persuaded to join you, or vice versa, on Friday afternoon. It also looks like maggie, Lady T, and Aurora might be leaving on Friday as well.
If you depart pre- or post-rush hour, and try to not attract too much attention from our alert MSP troopers (less than 10 over the limit *usually* is ok, but keep it less than 5 over in construction zones, and merge well ahead of time if there's a lane closure), Chi-GR can easily be done in 3 hrs, although 3½ is not unknown. It also depends where in Chicago you're leaving from, of course.
The more the merrier on Friday! We'll just need a reasonably reliable head count when Matthew and I talk with Joe Pagano (of the restaurant we'll be going to). We also need to finalize housing arrrangements before too long.
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Five new friends since my last post here:
Local Flavors (thanks, MatthewB!)
The Bagel Bible, 2nd ed (ditto)
Smoke & Spice (ditto)
The Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints (no hisses for the bread machine, please)
Biscuits, Spoonbread, & Sweet Potato Pie
I bought a copy of French Cooking in Ten Minutes through Amazon, but it arrived with water damage so I returned it.
Cooking With Pomaine and Jeremiah Tower Cooks are on "the list."
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This thread, combined with the "who needs steak houses" thread, makes me want to drive over to the St. Paul Farmer's Market this weekend, buy a pile of grass-fed steaks, dig out my cast iron skillet and one of my older Bordeaux, and cook dinner for eight.
Maybe I'd have to borrow a second skillet from someone.
Bruce
Do it!!
Then write about it.
:salivate:
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the same has happened to me over the past 10 years with sushi, raw oysters, and blue cheese. mrs. tommy takes full credit for all of this, btw. i'm not sure it was all her doing though.
Probably not, but give her the credit anyway. (I've learned well from Ms. Alex.)
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I grind my flax seeds in an old blade-type coffee grinder. They add kind of a nutty taste to pancakes.
As tryska mentioned, flax seed oxidizes quickly, so I recommend buying it in small quantities and storing it in the fridge.
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i had pastrami on rye for the first time today ever. i want to tell the world. i couldn't believe how freakin good it was.
Gee, tommy, thanks a lot.
After 25 years of living away from NY I had just about managed to forget about the foods I really missed. -
I'm going on Saturday. The menu has completely changed since Ronnie went, though. What would you order?. I've seldom had pheasant or quail.
One of everything sounds good.
Short of that, I'd opt for the beets or onion soup to start, then the quail or duck breast. (Hmm. It must be autumn.)
Yum.
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Good review -- thanks! And welcome to eGullet, mitten.
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Saturday
salad: shaved fennel, cuc crescents, red bell pepper, arugula, baby romaine, baby spinach, w/sesame vinaigrette
seared U-10 scallops w/ginger-anise sauce
roasted potatoes
roasted asparagus w/white truffle oil
goat cheese ice cream (from last weekend) w/chocolate sauce (Scharffen Berger)
1988 Hospices de Nuits (tired but still tasty)
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Here's a spirited article about Rocco's on 22nd from today's (Sept. 19) Chicago Tribune.
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Are you sure you don't mean Common Grill in Chelsea?
It's possible that she meant Common Grill but she wrote Chelsea Grill. She doesn't have a great memory, though
. She initially wrote that she wanted to go to Chelsea to the restaurant owned by Jeff Daniels. She later remembered that he owned a theater, not a restaurant, and then said the restaurant was called Chelsea Grill. I think the restaurant must be in or near the theater, or somehow related to it, but I'll have to ask her about it.The Common Grill is very near Jeff Daniels's Purple Rose Theatre. My last visit there was a good six or seven years ago, but I remember enjoying it. Nothing terribly innovative, just good food.
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Thanks all! I've created my list! I'm only going to be there for two full days, and two partial days, but I think I can fit everything in there! Zingerman's has been on my list for a couple of years now, but everything on their website is so expensive that I may have to just window shop (though I would like some Cluizel and El Ray chocolate for my truffles experiment). My friend says their chicken salad sandwich is number one on her list, though in terms of value, it's only number two since it's overpriced. She also wants to go to Chelsea Grill. Hope it's good!
I'll post a review when I get back. Thanks again!
Are you sure you don't mean Common Grill in Chelsea?
Sometimes things are cheaper at the Zingerman's store vs. the web site. Not much, though. I do love their smoked whitefish salad.
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There are two red squirrels we're trying to coax out of their comfy little home in our attic, using live traps (for now). Maybe I should put a copy of this recipe up there for some added motivation.
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Perhaps al fresco cooking is the way to go!
Definitely. But is al fresco willing to come all the way to Grand Rapids?
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Funny--I put on my Zingerman's t-shirt this AM and found this post! Where is the restaurant located?
2501 Jackson Rd -- in the Westgate Shopping Center at the SW corner of Jackson and Maple (just north of where Stadium becomes Maple) in Ann Arbor. It's in a former Bill Knapp's restaurant.
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I've made juleps at home and they are good, but they don't come close to savoring one on a hot Derby day looking at those green spires!
Amen! My first julep was at the 1973 Derby. The infield at Churchill Downs, Secretariat, juleps, and a road trip to boot -- you couldn't get much better than that!
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Penne with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, French -- er, Freedom feta, basil, parsley, and hot pepper flakes. Drank a very nice Tempranillo.
Menu Ideas
in Wine
Posted
How about kangaroo? (Seriously.) Recently, for an appetizer, I had some very rare kangaroo tenderloin with arugula and truffle oil (there might have been shaved parm-reg, but I can't remember) that was wonderful. The tenderloin is mild but the other ingredients would help it stand up to the Shiraz.