Alex

I use De Luze VS, $17.99 here in Michigan. A sidecar is as special as I get for brandy-based cocktails. [Re Chris's post, gee, I wish I could have Hennessy VS at work. I think the college would frown on that, though. On the opposite (and non-proscribed) end of the central nervous system-affecting spectrum, I've been dropping hints about their buying an espresso machine for my classroom, but no luck so far.]

I'd keep trying for a reservation. Even though it's Alinea, people do cancel. Have you considered Schwa (also a tough reservation)? A bonus is that it's BYO, which will save some money. You also might consider cocktails (and interesting bar food) at The Violet Hour (relatively uncrowded early, often crowded later). I'm a psychologist, so that sounds like a great conference. I see it's at the Spertus Institute, on Michigan Ave right across from Grant Park and just a few blocks away from the Art Institute of Chicago (but you probably already knew that). You'll be right next to a very good tapas restaurant, Jose Garces's Mercat a la Planxa. You'll also be about six blocks from The Gage and Henri (I've not been to the latter). I hope you have a great time in Chicago (it's hard not to)!

Dougal mentioned the door seals a couple of times. Let me second (or third) that recommendation. Here's a quick guide to checking the seals. And yes, definitely clean those horizontal coils. We have a special bristle brush just for that purpose, and vacuum out the loose dust using a radiator attachment. We have a 12-year-old, 18 cu. ft., top-freezer Whirlpool that we keep at exactly the temperatures Fat Guy mentioned in his lead post. It's never needed a repair. (Can I get a group eGullet wood-knocking and finger-crossing now, please?)

Yes, DC's undoubtedly a great place to visit. Rasika, definitely. Ms. Alex also loves going to the Champagne Sunday Brunch at Bombay Club. Don't expect great BBQ. Lots of other really good places to eat, though. If you're in the mood for sophisticated Italian food, I recommend Tosca. Their $35 three-course pre-theater menu (5:30-7:00) is an outstanding bargain.

A samovar. Or how about non-manufactured "utensils," e.g., banana leaves?

The reviews on Yelp date to January, 2008, so I'd assume the place opened in 2007. It doesn't look like Forgione is in the kitchen; the web site lists him as "Chief Proprietor." The chef de cuisine is Nick McCormick, who, according to his bio, trained in Chicago and spent some time working at MK The Restaurant.

I also just "discovered" the web sites for three downtown places with decent-to-good reviews elsewhere: the old-school Tony's, Larry Forgione's An American Place, and the lunch buffet Indian restaurant Mr. Currys. Any thoughts on these?

Thanks for the info and suggestions, Rona. I did discover Nadoz's web site, but the closer-in Coronado location closes at 5 Mon-Fri, 4 Sat. Too bad, as Ms. A will be going to the symphony one night, and Nadoz isn't far from there. Sounds like she's going to have to find some dinner companions to split cab fare. Me, I'd take a bus and walk, but that's not her style most of the time.

Ms. Alex will be at a conference in downtown St. Louis next month, at the Hyatt Regency near The Arch. My preliminary research, including earlier posts here, yielded some promising names -- Niche, Sidney St. Cafe, 1111 Mississippi, Modesto, Mango Peru -- but none of them, with the possible exception of Mango, is within walking distance of the hotel. The other four places don't appear to be too terribly long a cab ride, but it would nice to have some options within walking distance. Any recommendations? Also, what is your current opinion of the above-mentioned places, and are there other places within a short cab ride (or train ride of any distance) that are exceptionally worthwhile? Any price range or type of cuisine would be fine, although when dining out while traveling she tends to avoid Japanese, Chinese, B-B-Q, and steak houses. Thanks!

At last...another of our all-too-rare forums about ethics, food philosophy, etc. Seriously. I wish we had more of these. Tino27 makes a good point: Simply knowing that the meal is free might have an effect on a reviewer's report. We know, of course, that our perceptions, emotions and behavior can be influenced by things we're not consciously aware of. One of my favorite examples is a study in which men were asked to view a particular new car, then rate various qualities about it. The men who looked at the car with an attractive female model standing next to it tended to rate it as more appealing than those who looked at it by itself -- yet the "model" men consistently denied that the model's presence had any influence on their judgement. For Chef Des Rosiers' type of compensation I doubt this influence would be terribly large, but it might be there, and I believe a reviewer must avoid even the appearance of impropriety. However, I also believe that his offer was a innovative marketing technique that was made in perfectly good faith. Also, having written regular restaurant reviews for relatively small publications in Detroit and Grand Rapids, I know that compensation for such reviews can be quite limited. In my opinion, doing a write-up after only one visit is a report, not a review. I usually visited a place at least three times (or at least twice, if dining with a party of four or more) before writing my column. I therefore would have less of a problem if a reviewer used Chef Rosiers' offer to see if inovasi was a place worth reviewing (well, duh, although you never know...), then visiting twice more on the publication's dime. Here's another thought. It looks like he's offering to pay for a meal for one. Because the offer is targeted at reviewers, do you perceive it differently than, say, the restaurant's offering a "buy one, get one" coupon to the general public. If so, how? On a related note, it's good knowing about the place; the menu looks great. (And thanks for your reports, Ken.) Given that it's so close to the Lake Bluff Metra station, and that there's a $7 weekend Metra pass (or $11 R/T weekday fare), it may go on the list for my next Chicago trip.

Canned broth/stock for homemade. Blech.

Right you are. Thanks.

Greetings, Doc. I have a hunch that the powers that be might delete your post because it's not food-related enough. If so (and even if they don't), feel free to send me a PM with your email address and we can continue this dialogue that way. However, hoping that they at least keep this post up for a while, here's my advice as a semi-regular visitor. Public transportation in Chicago is very convenient. The CTA web site has maps, fare info, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think they sell the print version of the system map from their web site. Cabs tend to be plentiful as well. Are you driving, flying or train-ing? There are lots of good places to stay, in good neighborhoods, in your price range, especially in or near the "downtown" area -- The Loop, Streeterville, River North, North Michigan Ave/Miracle Mile, Gold Coast. Blackbird is in an area called the Warehouse District, just a little bit west of The Loop, a few blocks from the Clinton station on the Green or Pink Line. Les Nomades is in River North. Alinea is in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, about a half mile from the Armitage station on the Brown Line, although I suspect you'll want to cab it. All are in perfectly safe neighborhoods, at least in my opinion. Especially because this is your first visit, I'd recommend staying in one of the "downtown" areas I mentioned above. This keeps you in the middle of things, gives you easy access to public transportation (especially Loop and River North), and is convenient to other attractions like the Art Institute, Millenium Park, etc., etc. I suspect there'll be plenty of decent places under 150--I daresay even a few under 100, depending on what events or conferences are going on at the time. For example, on a BetterBidding forum (see below), people reported getting a room at the Palmer House Hilton (I've stayed there and recommend it) for September 4-7 for 93 a night, the River North Sheraton for 120 a night for Sept. 11-13, and the 4.5* Inter-Continental (on Michigan Ave, beautiful) for 129 a night for Aug. 19-23. Here's what I usually do: 1) Go to Expedia and see what's being offered there. 2) Look at Travelzoo to see if there are any good specials. I don't see any great ones at the moment, but you never know. 3) Much of the time I'll book a room through Hotwire or Priceline. I've found BetterBidding to be a good place to start. Their best feature is a list of hotels by star rating and amenities. Between that and the forum posts, I usually can figure out which hotel I'll be getting. They also have some good advice re Priceline bidding. Do them a favor and navigate to Hotwire or Priceline via their web site.

I don't know your parameters for "short distance from the hotel," but cabs tend to be plentiful and public transportation in DC is very good. Your hotel is close to the Dupont Circle stop on the Red Line, near a myriad of bus lines, and walking distance from lots of stuff. BTW, I love Kimpton hotels. If you're not a Kimpton InTouch member, you should sign up before you leave. It's free, and gets you several perks, including free Internet access. Minibar, of course, for tour-type food. A reservation can be difficult to come by. Long eGullet thread here. They're not tour-y like Alinea, but if you're unable to get into Minibar for your "high-end" meal, I strongly suggest either the main dining room at Palena (two stops north on the Red Line from Dupont Circle), City Zen at the Mandarin Oriental hotel (best take a cab), or Komi, which is just a few blocks from your hotel. Definitely hit Rasika for Indian food. It's loud and often busy, but worth it. Weinoo's recommendation of Proof is good. In a similar vein is Vidalia, very near your hotel. One of the best dinner bargains in DC is the pre-theater menu at Tosca, home to some of the best sophisticated Italian food in the District. If you're in the mood for an independent bookstore (with a café), Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe are on the other side of Dupont Circle from you.

Oh, gosh, there's so much good non-tomato-based stuff for pasta. Ruth Reichl's carbonara, for example. Or this one that I made last week. (I know it has diced tomatoes, but they're not one of the featured ingredients.) I'm a fan of this book, less than six bucks, shipped, from Amazon.

This leads to a more general question I have about risotto. I've never had it, but it seems to be held in great esteem. The descriptions seem to be very similar to a rice dish I do really like but is far less fussy. So if I want to experience a 'proper' risotto (not the best, or magnificent, etc.) Would Carrabbas be an okay example? If not, is there another chain that produces a credible example? I'm not likely to seek out a fine dining experience in search of the perfect risotto unless I firmly feel that I won't be disappointed. I had (perhaps still have) a similar dilemma with gnocchi. It didn't seem like something I was aching to pursue as a cook, but I found myself at a Buca di Beppo and had the chance to try some. It failed to turn me into a gnocchi lover. But I was left with the nagging question of whether that was a legitimate example. I just looked at a Carrabba's menu online and did not see risotto. In any event, I seriously doubt that any chain would produce a risotto of the quality that would make you a fan. Assuming you're still in Indy, I suspect that someone on this board could recommend a more appropriate restaurant. However, I do recommend that you try to make your own. It's slightly labor-intensive but not at all complicated, and very much worth the work, imho. Just be sure to use Arborio or Carnaroli rice. (There, now I'm going to start another debate.) The nice thing about risotto is that you can produce so many wonderful variations: a traditional Milanese version with saffron and Parm-Reg, a spring one with morels and asparagus, etc., etc. It's my impression that really good gnocchi is more difficult to achieve at home (I'm a bit ashamed to admit I've never done it). As with risotto, chain-restaurant gnocchi is not terribly representative of what the product can be. The best gnocchi I've ever had were light, delicate concoctions. However, they function mainly as a vehicle for the sauce, similar to pasta.

Thanks for all those great pictures, CC. It was a pleasure talking with you and your wife. IIRC, Kerry's amazing truffles were made with a maple liqueur, probably Sortilège. Kerry, please correct me if I'm wrong about that.

Welcome to eGullet, LOG. The last time Gabe Quiroz was logged into eGullet was nearly two years ago, so I wouldn't count on a response from him. Someone else might have an answer, though.

Here's the tasting menu from Friday night at Grange. Chef Brandon Johns introduced every course, plus he spent a good bit of time chatting with us before the meal. His dedication to cooking in general, and to locally sourced ingredients specifically, is impressive. He also cheerfully provided alternative dishes for two pescatarians and one person with a couple of food allergies. I don't remember some of the details, so please feel free to add, subtract, or correct. The pictures are in Kerry's post (and perhaps others to follow). Nose to tail house-made charcuterie Peninsula Cellars Gewurtztraminer, Old Mission 2006 Clockwise from 9 o'clock in Kerry's picture: multi-pig-part terrine; thin slice of pig's ear something; coppa; a jam of some sort. In the middle are pea shoots with something else. Walleye "brandade" fritters, green tomato jam La Grave-Martillac, Pessac-Leognan 2007 Chef Johns preserved walleye for one month as if for salt cod, then proceeded accordingly. This food-wine pairing was the surprise hit of the evening for me. Fried pig's head, mustard, sauce gribiche Martin Codax Albariño, Rias Baixas 2008 Not the whole head on a platter of course, but cooked, shredded, battered, and fried. Heirloom gazpacho, Michigan pickled shrimp salad New Holland Golden Cap Saison, Holland, MI Delicious, but for me the least interesting dish of the evening. Great ale, though. Duck, peaches, coriander, honey glaze, whole grains Duchamp Cuvée Trouvée Syrah, Dry Creek Valley 2003 Another great wine pairing. I think the whole grains were wheat berries and something else. Whole roasted (beef) tenderloin, pickled oyster mushrooms, heirloom carrots Starry Night Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley 2007 Two or three slices of a perfectly crusted tenderloin in a simple presentation. Plum upside-down cake, goat cheese ice cream. Frisk Sparkling Reisling, Victoria 2009 was on the printed menu, but for the life of me I can't remember anything about it. Did we actually get it? (Tammy just posted that we did indeed get it.) Many of us arrived early and enjoyed a cocktail (or two) before dinner. I had a refreshing GGGinger--fresh mint, ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, Tanqueray, and ginger beer, with a crystallized ginger garnish.

Thanks so much for the detailed and kind report. I very much agree about the camaraderie. It was an easy Gathering to be at (and to isolate from for a little while, if one so chose, without anyone wondering why). Tammy did a yeoman's (yeowoman's? yeoperson's?) job of organizing the event. Edsel's Vita-Mix must receive a portion of the credit for the basil oil, as should Tammy's filtering apparatus. I had made some at home that I intended to bring with me, but of course it became the inevitable forgotten item. Fortunately, the common house had a huge herb garden, so there was no shortage of basil. At home I used a KitchenAid blender and a fine-mesh gold-toned coffee filter, but the new combination was far superior, producing a deeper green oil with no discernable solids. I took home the remaining oil and used it for a simple dinner last night: spaghetti with basil oil, butter, black pepper, and Parm-Reg. Tonight we'll be having a tomato-shiso salad with shallot dressing, the shiso courtesy of White Lotus's generosity.

While a person's MBTI type can indicate a preference for certain behaviors in certain situations (including cooking), it's really not terribly well regarded in the larger psychological community. There's actually a very good Wikipedia entry about the test that I'd suggest reading. I've found the test's greatest value to be its emphasis that none of the 16 types is either right or wrong. FWIW, I'm an ENTP.

More photos... Lamb I am from Sam Iam Lettuce and tomatoes, eGullet style Cocktail hour begins... Tammy doing her mixology thing (and very well, I might add) Chris Hennes, enjoying one of Tammy's creations A Clover Club changing hands Kerry Beal, being a dedicated physician, knows the value of balancing one's alcohol intake with green leafy vegetables.

Here are some early photos... Baklawa ready for the oven, from Chef Crash and his wife Tammy's mandolined beets, ready for blanching, then the dehydrator A collection of batards and foccacia, from our master bread baker Tino27 (Tom) Fat Guy peeling a "dragon carrot" Joyce (Mrs. Sam Iam) stripping some rosemary Joyce's handiwork Chocolate truffles from Kerry Beal. The famous Thermomix is in the background. Tom checking his phone to see if there are any posts about his bread. One of many trips to the compost pile

Agreed about the banquet--amazing, almost overwhelming (but we managed somehow). This morning we had an interesting and informative tour of Zingerman's Coffee Company, then enjoyed a leisurely sampling of the wares at the nearby Bakehouse and Creamery. It's such a beautiful day here in Ann Arbor that we (well, at least me) could have hung out there at the picnic benches for hours. But onward we must, so the larger portion of the group headed out for the Dearborn/Detroit food tour, while SamIAm, his wife Joyce, and I browsed Kerrytown Market (boned leg of lamb! lobster rolls!) and Zingerman's Deli (where I tasted but didn't buy a $59.95 bottle of 120-year Sherry vinegar). I suspect that pictures will be posted before too long.

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