Alex

Use the link in chromedome's post

That's terrific -- and "dissecting" is definitely the appropriate word here. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out where that half a star went, except maybe for the parfait. Has he ever given four stars for a first review?

Friends are coming over for dinner tonight. Andalusian gazpacho Duck breast | miso, ginger, orange marinade (NYT recipe) Mango, lime, crispy shallots Jasmine rice pilaf, toasted almonds, tarragon garnish Dr H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Spätlese 2006 Goat cheese, chestnut honey, black pepper Strawberries, 30-year balsamic vinegar Kerry Beal's Italian pistachio-almond cookies (link) Hans Lang Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Riesling Beerenauslese 2007

edsel!! Good to see you again.

I know it's a heinous rejection of my ethnic heritage (and I hesitate calling it the worst ever), but I could never wrap my taste buds around Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray.

You think that was loud? You should have been at Billie | Jean the previous night with Ms. Alex and me. Vicia was a library compared to that. Neither of us is hearing challenged (although this card graces our fridge), but a normal conversation was next to impossible. But like Vicia, the food and service were excellent.

This is my first foray into Old Tom territory. I'll let you know after I sample it. The dry isn't heavily spiced, though, at least not to my palate.

It was last week, not today, but here's the haul from our road trip (not the reason for the trip, but I would have been massively remiss if I didn't take advantage of the lower taxes).

I don't know enough to say whether Bulrush is sui generis, but it's got to be a very, very small club. Beyond the food and spot-on alcohol pairings (thanks, Chris), it was eye-opening as to what could be done with food (and a small kitchen and just two chefs). Those of you who've followed the Bulrush forum know how much thought and care went into both the big and small pictures. And the meal itself was far, far from boring -- which even highly touted restaurants can fall victim to. I fully expect another Beard nomination, if not an award, for Rob and/or the restaurant, and for Bulrush to be named one of 2019's the best new restaurants by Food & Wine magazine. The $155 for food and alcohol pairing (I'd say wine pairing, but one of the pairings was a pear cider) includes tax and tip, so here in Michigan it's the equivalent of about $125 sans -- absolutely worth it. Hint: The main dining area seating is in a "U" around the kitchen. If in a group of three or four, when you make a reservation, ask if you could be seated at a corner.

From left to right: Alex, Ms. Alex, cyalexa, TdeV, Rob (gfron1), Chris Hennes, Ms. Hennes.

Hey, I'm just getting started!

I've made these, too! Mine were flat as well, but I liked them. Perhaps the additional hazelnut oil I added helped.

What a great offer! Thanks. I'll be there, too. If something changes, I'll text you. Ideally I'd be coming from Arsenal. It looks like there's some street parking on Center Cross Dr just south of the circle. (I'm guessing the parking spots on the circle are where the food trucks will be, yes?

A government grant, sure, or perhaps a dissertation. She could supplement her M.D. with a research Ph.D.

Yep. In all my time living in Japan, and eating ramen in the States, I've never been served ramen with curly noodles. Maybe the YouTubers are trying to reproduce packaged instant ramen.

Voluntary recall of Trader Joe's Spiralized Butternut Squash and Zucchini

This is great! Wonderful pictures, and I laughed out loud (which I seldom do when I'm by myself) at that third Guinness photo. I'm curious, too, about your exploring your childhood after having been away for so long. I did the same with my neighborhood in NYC, and my immediate reaction was, "Everything looks so much smaller now."

How rude! (The guests, not the reviewer.) Let's hope he had enough "restaurant sense" to have noticed why things were chaotic.

Thanks! And yes, it's out of stock online, but some stores, including the one near us, still have it.

Cadence, in South Kensington, has received several honors, including being named one of Bon Appétit's top 50 new restaurants for 2018 and Food & Wine's #1 new restaurant for 2019. Its menu looks interesting enough, even if I didn't feel much of a "Wow," but does the place truly deserve its honors? And given that it specializes in live-fire cooking, how much of that aroma wafts into the dining area?

Because the spaghetti can feel it. In fact, if you listen very, very closely, you can hear the spaghetti scream. Linguine, too.

Today would have been Orwell's 116th birthday. While doing a bit of research about him, I fell down a rabbit hole and learned that a essay commissioned by the British Council in 1946 about British food, was then deep-sixed by the Council. The essay also included a recipe for marmalade that used a rather alarming amount of sugar. Here's a BBC article about all that. And here's an article from the Council itself. And here's Orwell's essay.

I bought their chef's knife when they were still a Kickstarter project. It's a decent, sharp knife. Nothing where I'd go "Wow," but for $52 on sale, definitely.

I'd think Darienne and dull knives seldom keep company.

A fun graphic article in the New York Times