Alex

I use this to cut my bread. If I do it at just the right speed, it toasts the slices, too.

I'm seriously considering buying a Masterbuilt ($218 from Amazon), so I'm happy to see your posts here and in the Dinner! forum. I'd love to be able to use it as a cold smoker. If your smoke generator works, could you also write about its construction details? (I'm not good at figuring out stuff like that from scratch but can follow someone else's instructions or guidelines.) Thanks.

We going to our friends' house -- they're making a cassoulet. I could accept that as a Superbowl tradition. They got inspired to make it because they want the Steelers Toulouse. Sorry.

I'm more a "tough love" than a "group hug" kind of guy, so please take this post as my version of support. If you are working 55+ hours a week, taking a full course load (I teach online courses, so I know that the only time it saves -- or should save -- is the commute), and being the chief cook and, apparently, bottle-washer, something has to seriously give. You don't sound like the kind of person who would slack off on her schoolwork, and obviously you don't have any real choice about work work, so what does that leave? You simply need to, as you wrote, "stop whining" and accept that >for a while< you're not going to be baking bread, at least not like you used to. >For a while< you're not going to be shopping and eating like you used to. It sounds to me that a sticking point is your self-defeating self-talk about being a failure if you use shortcuts or reheat homemade (!) frozen meals or aren't baking bread or doing whatever. In my opinion, it's quite the opposite of failure: all of those are healthy adaptive behaviors for a person in your situation. Some specific advice: 1) Give the BF some KP. So he's working 70-80 hours a week. Boo hoo. So are you; probably more, if you count schoolwork. If he fights you on this, stop feeding him 2) Look into Albert Ellis's work on the self-help version of Rational-Emotive Therapy. You can read the first eight chapters of one of his books here. 3) You need not sacrifice quality to save time. As Elizabeth David showed us, an omelette and a glass of wine can make for a fine meal. As can an Amy's Organic Pizza, a shaved fennel/cucumber/onion salad, and a glass of wine. Or a grilled Gruyère and Serrano ham sandwich, a simple green salad, and a glass of wine. Or some penne with goat cheese, spinach or arugula, garlic oil, and sun-dried tomatoes (and a glass of wine). Or a pan-fried boneless chicken breast accompanied by organic brown rice and wilted escarole with raisins, pine nuts, and garlic -- and two glasses of wine (I'm making that tomorrow night). Each of those meals takes less than 30 minutes, including prep (except for the rice, unless you start it ahead of time). 4) Per #3, buy a rice cooker with a timer. I have this one and like it a lot. 5) Allow yourself one dinner a week with no time constraints. I hope at least some of this is helpful.

More on the subject, from The New York Times

As nsxtasy said, there are numerous choices. This isn't a museum per se, but one of my favorite places to visit is the Chicago Cultural Center. There are entrances on Randolph and Washington, just west of Michigan Ave. It's a stunning building (the former main branch of the Chicago Public Library), and features art and photography exhibits along with music and dance performances. For example, there's a performance this Sunday by the Chicago Chamber Orchestra. Best of all, it's free. If you've never been there, the Art Institute of Chicago is worth a visit, of course, if for nothing else than seeing Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Caillebotte's Paris Street, Rainy Day, and Renoir's Two Sisters.

This is great! Ms. Alex and I drove along Spring Mountain a couple of weeks ago on our way to Rosemary's. We were wondering which of the myriad Asian restaurants would be worth a visit. We will wonder no more.

According to this New York Times article, he's a big fan of smoked salt caramels from Fran's Chocolates in Seattle. I like Dorie Greenspan's comment in the article:

Last year I did a tasting of caviar (from BLiS here in Grand Rapids) atop several different bases. Everyone's favorite was cauliflower (steamed), pureed with just a bit of butter and salt.

There's nothing yet about this on their web site, but I just received an email announcing a second location for Terragusto, so I thought I'd pass along the information.

We're having a couple of friends over for dinner, then we'll try to stay awake for TV coverage of the Elmore Sausage Drop at midnight. Mushroom-chestnut soup Veuve Cliquot Brut Yellow Label, N.V. Cranberry-Lime-Ginger sorbet Crane Dance Farms roast goose, with a sauce made from stock, chestnuts, prunes, and cognac Braised red cabbage and apples Potatoes roasted with goose fat Robert Mondavi Unfiltered Merlot, Napa Valley, 1999 Palazzolo’s Lavender-Honey and Roasted Pistachio ice creams Pahrump Valley Winery Creme Sherry Jeffrey Steingarten’s hot chocolate

Lobster, asparagus, and orange is a classic combination. For the sauce, reduce fresh orange juice, grated peel, and a little lemon juice. Strain, then stir in some cold butter, a bit of cream, and a pinch of salt. In the meantime, cook some penne rigate in salted water, adding the peeled and cut asparagus for the last few minutes. Also in the meantime, gently reheat the lobster meat in butter. Mix everything together, adding a little of the pasta water if needed. Adjust the salt, if needed. Some minced flat-leaf parsley as a garnish is optional.

I'll be roasting an eight-pound goose (local, free-range, etc.) for a New Year's Eve dinner, probably using this recipe, also brining the bird using this recipe. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 165°F (~75°C). Their recommendations often are of the most-sincerely-dead variety, so I'm wondering if that's an OK temperature. Thoughts?

Do you mean this one? Like most political prognostication, it's still the 21st-century version of reading entrails (from humanely raised animals, of course) and tea leaves (fair trade and organic).

All of these are within walking distance (1/2 mile or less) of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. I won't be able to speak to their holiday spirit, but otherwise... 1) Leo's: Specializes in seafood but the meats are supposed to be good, too. So-so wine list but some decent selections. Very relaxing space -- high ceiling, lots of space between tables. Generally very good service. 2) Bistro Bella Vita: Varied menu, upbeat atmosphere, good wine list, local products when feasible. Here's a special dinner they're doing on January 9. 3) San Chez Bistro: Tapas and mezze, plus some entrees. Usually busy. I haven't been there in a while but I used to like going there. 4) Tre Cugini: (web site down at the moment) On Monroe Mall. Very good higher-end Italian food w/prices to match. Almost exclusively Italian wines. Cozy, warm atmosphere. 5) Six One Six, at the JW Marriott down the street from the Amway, has gotten good reviews but I haven't been there yet.

I have only one piece of advice (and even this may be unnecessary given that you've done duck before): Don't forget the fat! Pull out any fat that remains inside the cavity and render it. Part way through the roasting, pour the accumulated fat out of the roasting pan and strain it. It'll keep for quite a while in the fridge. It's the best stuff in the world for roasting potatoes (and other things, of course).

Apparently he and Michelle also like Spiaggia. The Chicago Tribune calls it "one of their favorite restaurants." A propos of that, check out tirgoddess's wonderful post. According to this article, he "loved the wood-roasted scallops."

From Hotels Magazine of 10/14/08:

I'd also contact Sarah's Pastries and Candies (the Oak St. store). Killer cupcakes for 2.50-2.99 each. I don't know if they'd deliver to Warrenville, and it's certainly more than 15 minutes away, but it probably is worth asking. (I know they ship chocolates via UPS ground, which would take only a day, so I assume they'd ship cupcakes as well, but I don't know if you'd want your recipient receiving day-old cupcakes. )

Chicago is fun any time of year, of course, but I prefer it when it's not end-of-December cold. Your living in SD may make that a non-issue for you, though. DC may be outside your preferred geographical range, but Ms. Alex and I have had a splendid time there on and around New Year's Eve. Last year, for example, we attended a late performance by jazz/pop/theater singer Audra McDonald in the relatively intimate Terrace Room at the Kennedy Center. (The terrace itself overlooks the Potomac.) This year features a performance by New York Voices and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. You can hit the 7:30 show then go to dinner at any one of a number of excellent places, most of which are bound to have a special NYE menu. We ate at Circle Bistro, which is not Alinea-level (or even Tru- or onesixtyblue-) but was excellent in its own right (and walking distance from Kennedy Center). The best higher-end options, at least the ones I'm semi-acquainted with, are the Minibar at Cafe Atlantico (spiritual second cousin once removed to Alinea), Citronelle, Komi, Palena, and Mendocino Grille. Here's a good DC restaurant resource.

Alex, I'm surprised! Are you saying that you're going to be a "virgin Vegan visitor" (as in Las VEHH-gan)? As for #1: The RTC bus system is not bad at all. I've used it a few times. $5 for a 24-hour day pass, including "The Deuce" that drives up and down the Las Vegas Strip. As for #2: Take the cab ride to Rosemary's. The cab should drive you from the Venetian, north along the Strip, turn left on Sahara Blvd., drive about 7 miles west on Sahara Blvd., past Rainbow, past Buffalo. Rosemary's is on the south side (to your left), the southeast corner of Sahara & Cimarron. If you go on a Sunday night, they offer bottled wines for half price. As for #3: Sorry, I've never been there. As for #4: Is it a $50/day food coupon for each of you? If so, try Wolfgang Puck's Cut Steakhouse at the Palazzo (Disclosure: I know the manager & one of the servers). If you're into artisanal cheeses, go to Morel's at the Palazzo, even though I haven't eaten there yet. I just salivated in front of their cheese display ... If you want Thai cuisine, you should try Lotus of Siam on Sahara Blvd., between the Strip & (closer to) Maryland Parkway. ← Thanks for the info. Yep, sad to say, I'm a Vegan virgin. Or should that be ? #1: There's been a medium-sized change of plans. We decided to rent a car at the airport. It was only ~$90 total for a "standard" car like a Chevy Malibu (and ~$72 for a smaller car). We had been seriously considering trip or two away from the city (e.g., Hoover Dam/Lake Mead), and it would have cost >$50/day to rent even a subcompact from Avis at the hotel. So, if you have any longer-distance recommendations, recommend away! #2: I know about the wine deal at Rosemary's; that's why we're going on Sunday. Unfortunately, the Romanée-Conti isn't available at half-price. They certainly have a bunch of other tasty choices on the list, though. What would you think about heading west on Spring Mountain for a while before turning north to Sahara? I've heard that traffic on The Strip can be pretty congested. #3: If we go to Himalayan Cuisine, I'll post about it, of course. #4: It's $50 for both, not each.

I've appreciated all the information on this thread. Ms. Alex and I will be in Las Vegas toward the end of December, staying three nights at The Venetian. This is my first visit, although Ms. A has been there a couple of times for conferences (so she says ). I've done a bunch of restaurant research (of course), but would like some independent opinions. Here are our parameters: 1) We won't have a car, would rather not take a cab, but wouldn't mind taking the bus. 2) A propos of #1, one dinner is committed to Rosemary's Restaurant. 3) As wonderful as they might be, high-end places are out. Including tax, tip, and wine, ~$150-175 for the two of us is our preferred ceiling. 4) We get a $50/day food coupon from the Venetian that's good only that day at their restaurants (and Palazzo's, too, I think). We were thinking of using it for a late breakfast/early lunch at Bouchon, but are open to other uses. We were considering Louis's Las Vegas (Ms. A ate there and liked it), but I hesitated after learning his Fish Camp closed. A very recent poster on Yelp said that Louis's itself had closed, but I'm still getting an open-sounding recording when I call. Does anyone know about this? Has anyone been to Himalayan Cuisine? We're giving serious thought to this place. The menu is very intriguing and recent reviews on Yelp have been positive. At The Venetian, both Enoteca San Marco and The Grill at Valentino sound appealing. Any thoughts about these and others?

Possibly here, at Restaurant Avondale? It's been a couple of years since I've been to Tapawingo. I was wondering if anyone had feedback about their current approach (looks less adventurous than I remember) and their executive chef Ray Kusmack.

From one of his collections of essays, I just read Consider the Lobster, by the recently departed and sorely missed David Foster Wallace. Why this wasn't included in Holly Hughes's Best Food Writing 2004, I'll never know.

Here's a Detroit News article about Roast, opening this Sunday.