Alex

Lula Cafe

My main question is: What would you do with the under-stovetop space? If it's a specialty storage cabinet that you'd love to have but won't be able to put anywhere else, then get the stovetop. If it's general storage, then get the range and use the oven for storage, as you said. It would help the place's resale-ability (assuming the unit is still working then), and the oven would be there just in case you need it (which you said you occasionally do). I'd also get the under-counter microwave, again just in case (and for the convenience). IMHO, the "hood" feature is pretty much useless unless it vents to the outside, but no matter. You might want to consider upgrading to the full-sized Breville "Smart Oven" (eG thread here).

Come to the next Heartland Gathering if tino27 will be there -- like this one in 2010. (Actually, come to the next one anyway.)

It sounds like you're considering a pressure cooker as a time-saving measure. Have you read through forums, recipes, etc? Given what you like to cook for dinner, do you think you'd use it semi-regularly? If so, go for it. Boos blocks are really nice, but the larger boards on the W-S web site are edge grain vs. the generally more desirable end grain. There also are alternatives to Boos, for example, this.

I'm with you. I've been winding down for a long time. However, Ms. Alex likes to borrow cookbooks from the library, so perhaps once or twice a year I'll see one that speaks to me (figuratively, not literally, although sometines I wonder...). When I do buy one, it's usually as much for its cultural/historical/literary virtues as its recipes.

Pistoles, I assume? Put 'em in zip-top bags to give away at Halloween. Or you could make one of David Lebovitz's milk chocolate ice creams, like this one. Or combine it with bittersweet chocolate to do the homemade version of Nutella, like here.

I like how this discussion has evolved from a question about a commercial food product to embrace a wider sociological perspective: refrigeration, TV (especially advertising), supermarkets, technology, post-WWII, etc. I suspect that all of those play a part. I also think that the rise of the supermarket, as Toby said above, correlates with the rise of the suburbs, especially post-WWII.

One more: The Splendid Table's How to Eat Weekends

Here's the full story.

I asked this same question last year, though I really, *really* appreciate your attitude. Myself? I'm unapologetically anti-kid. Don't want 'em, don't need 'em, *certainly* don't want to hear them or be around them when they're bored/tired/misbehaving/squealing/yelling/crying/existing. That being said, my impression of The Gathering was that it's an Adults Only thing, but I was told that my impression was incorrect, that kids were welcome. This caused me to withdraw from The Gathering, as the risk is just not worth it to me...I'm there, I've booked the hotel, I've paid for the events scheduled, and someone brings along their kids, who inevitably get bored (justifiably!) or misbehave in some way, making life generally lousy for everyone, and migrane-inducing for people like me. I greatly appreciate your willingness to (GASP! Such a novel idea!) get a babysitter. It's practically unheard of in this area, apparently. So do as you like. It's nice to see, even just the idea of it, the idea that kids are not, and should not, be included in everything. Well, here we go again. Your anti-kid bias is well known. However, the larger issue, as I see it, is that you don't trust the kind of people who *might* bring a child to such an event (the Saturday meal) to: 1) have sufficient judgment to bring their child only if the child's temperament, etc., suits the venue, and 2) have a management plan in place in case of potentially disruptive behavior. Anti-kid, well, I can accept, and I certainly know that rude parental behavior does occur in restaurants, but in this case I believe your attitude is ultimately anti-eGullet parent. Frankly, I would much rather you not attend the Saturday meal than have a parent not attend because they need (or want (gasp!)) to bring their child. FWIW, I've been at every Gathering except KC and Cleveland--including the first one in GR, where we had a three-year-old-ish child in attendance. To the best of my recollection, not once was there any child-related disruption, even a minor one.

Yes! It's in the Introduction. I thank you. My friend thanks you in absentia.

Despite my prowess at trivia games and the like, I was unable to come up with an answer, or even an inkling of an answer, to a friend's inquiry. Can anyone help? Here's what he wrote to me:

I can't speak to burgers in The Loop, but in River North (as it says, just north over the river from The Loop) there's a really good high-end version at Naha: I've heard that the burger at Keefer's, also in River North, is good, but I haven't personally experienced it.

If this year follows past years' practice, the coordinator (Katie, it appears) posts a schedule and asks for replies as to who'll be attending what. At some point there may be a pre-payment request. Katie, are you asking for who/what now, or just some "this sounds good; go ahead and firm things up" feedback? (I'm guessing the latter, as the specific weekend hasn't been set yet.)

Waiting on the actual dates...

Hey, watch it, buddy. You're messing with some serious nostalgia there.So, Paul, what was the pizza decision this year?

I'm disappointed. I read the title of the thread and anticipated a spirited discussion of an odd but amusing esoteric food-related religious practice. Oh, well.

Hmm. I wasn't familiar with this brand at all. A Google search prices it at between $62 and $75 for a 750 ml bottle.

Wow, you can actually buy raw milk. Here in Michigan, we can be part of a cow share or herd share program, which is closely monitored for sanitation by the state, but selling the milk outright is illegal As you probably know, the milk's characteristics will vary depending on the season, what the cows are eating, and, of course, the breed. We always let the milk sit in the fridge for a couple of days, skim the cream to use for coffee or sometimes cooking (great vanilla ice cream, especially with farm eggs!), use the mostly skim milk for cereal or occasionally drinking, then make yogurt with what remains after the next biweekly pickup. You also could make whole milk mozzarella, if you're up for it.

Ha! It wasn't intententional on my part, but the first dinner at my place was indeed our third date. Ms. Alex remembers everything I made (green salad, chicken cordon bleu and redskins, vanilla ice cream (Breyers, probably) with strawberries and homemade chocolate sauce) -- and this was 21 years ago. Not only that, she remembers what we ordered (and what we wore!) on our first date. And where we ate on our second date (but not what we ordered) -- and that it was Sunday brunch because I had asked her to go to the symphony with me on Saturday night but she already had a committment to run a Bingo fundraiser. Whew.

I recommend keeping things light so he doesn't want to fall asleep right after the meal. I'd also go easy on the meat. I like the idea of a fennel salad to start, followed by a small serving of gnocchi with fresh peas, proscuitto, and non-boring mushrooms. For an entree, some veal (or chicken) marsala. I'd finish with a fresh fruit dessert like clementine segments macerated in a vanilla bean simple syrup, over a piece of sponge cake and topped with whipped cream.

From The Atlantic, Megan McArdle on her Thermomix, and on kitchen gadgetry in general. (Warning: misleading headline)

a-LO-ss cor-TON. Follows the same rules as Freixenet. You're correct, Charles. Freixenet is is a Cava (i.e., Spanish), so the "x" is pronounced as "sh".

Oops. That's pronunciation. Sorry.

No, don't drink it with Julia's (or anyone else's ) boeuf bourg. She knew what she was talking about, of course. And even if it were a Junior League cookbook recipe, I'd still go with the St. E. I agree with Zachary: for this bottle, keep the food simple. Lamb would be OK, as would venison with red fruit. Me, I'd probably opt for veal, preferably with wild mushrooms in some form or other.