Rachel Perlow

Elyse, I've sent you a PM.

Like bourdain said on his recent episode in Bangkok - "Look at the cute fishy. Let's eat it!" I think we have come up with the motto of a true eGulleteer.

Sunday is Andy's last day in the states. We are planning on having Brunch at Cinco De Mayo in Bergenfield tomorrow. Really great Huevos Rancheros and Chilequiles. If you are interested in joining us, please post an RSVP here so we know how big a table to get. I'm thinking around 10:30 - 11 AM, since we're having a late dinner in NYC tonight. Later on we're going to Robertos Restaurant in the Bronx for an early dinner (around 4 PM, when the restaurant opens, they don't take reservations, so you gotta get there when they open to not have to wait). If you'd like to come to that, please RSVP on the NY thread.

Fabulous party, many, many thanks to Lissome our gracious hostess. After the party we stopped at Kang Suh Restaurant to introduce Andy to bulgogi, yuke, and soju. We got back to the house around 1:40 AM. After a little tasting of Watermelon Ice Cream, it was off to bed. Our visitor didn't awake until a wrong number woke us all around 9 AM. He's off for a day of museum hopping (thankfully the heat isn't as oppressive today). We're meeting him and some others for dinner in the city later tonight (sorry, the table's full). I promise he is alive and unharmed, just too busy to get on the computer. Tomorrow the plan is Mexican Brunch in NJ (click to RSVP) and an early dinner in the Bronx. Andy expressed an interest in exploring Arthur Avenue. Unfortunately, most of the shops are closed on Sundays, with the exception of Madonia Bakery & Mt. Carmel Wines. So, it'll probably be just a quick window gazing tour then dinner at Robertos Restaurant. To see Fat Guy's post about Roberto's, Click Here. They are open from 4 -10 PM on Sundays and do not take reservations. Therefore, we are planning on being there when they open. That way we have plenty of time for a leisurely dinner before getting him to JFK for his flight home. If you would like to join us, please RSVP here so we know how big a table to ask for when we arrive.

I like the idea of doing this as a pot luck, since cooking the pig onsite adds so much to the cost. Fink, if we are indeed able to use curdnerd's oven (I think you guys need to discuss this privately to see if it is really feasible), how would that effect the cost of cooking the pig on-site? Since curdnerd so graciously offered us his farm to hold this gathering, I think the date needs to be somewhat up to him. Please let us know which dates are good for you. As a starting point, since the Jewish holidays are late this year (RH is on Sept 27-28), I suggest the weekend after Labor Day: Saturday, September 6th or Sunday the 7th; or the following weekend, the 13th or 14th.

Jason had some tacos with the aged beef yesterday. I tasted a bit of the meat and also found it salty, but also quite beefy. Jason enjoyed it. We'll see if we can get some more details on our next visit. Parking Tip: If you're there after banking hours there is a bank right next door to the restaurant with a big parking lot.

Katie - Please post something on the Philly board with a link to this thread to bring it to their attention. Thanks.

Nah, the intro to the recipe in the book said that she started with eggs, but found the Philadelphia style allowed the watermelon flavor to come through more strongly.

Ms. White described the amount of watermelon as about 5-6 lbs of watermelon (before cutting off the rind & trimming the seeds out), diced and fully packed to make 6 cups. Watermelon is about 99% water and water weighs 8 oz per cup. Therefore 6 cups X 8 oz = 3 lbs. In describing the process she says to cook 3 cups of the puree and save the other half to use raw for fresh watermelon flavor.

I think if I used 1/4 cup of corn syrup I'd have to reduce the sugar some more (it really doesn't need the 2 cups if you have a ripe watermelon). Midori could be an option, but I appreciate the tangy contrast of the Passoa. A pinch of salt is a good idea too. OK, I'm going to edit this into the recipe I posted above, but leave your quoted one alone for posterity.

OK, we're home. We'll leave in a couple minutes. Looks like we need a table for 6.

I disappointed to hear that here. One would expect such a food obsessed group to have adventurous tastes, particularly when it's served family style so one may sample just a bite without the personal embarrassment of leaving it over. Order some weird stuff for our visitor. Easy for me to say, I can't make it. I ordered some extra weird stuff last outing to China 46 and not all of it was appreciated. We're off to go pick up Andy.

We're bringing eGullet's UK Affiliate, Andy Lynes, to China 46 tonight. If you would like to join us, please let us know here. We don't need reservations and you can also just show up, but to avoid having to change tables if extra people show up, it would be helpful to RSVP. Right now we're planning on 7 PM. But if it would be easier for some (tommy) we could go a little later. I promise not to order anything weird.

Don't worry, even if we took him to Newark, he'd be safe. We know where to go. OK, RSVP for tonight (would 7:30 be easier for people?) on the NJ thread.

We don't usually go to run of the mill Asian buffets. (If by the "you" you were referring to us, menton.) The Manor's buffet is another species.

The corn syrup is a good idea. How much do you think, a tablespoon? We shared some with friends last night. I think it needed a little less sugar and a little more liquor (also a softening agent, right?). I liked the flavor of the passion fruit liquor so I'm sticking with it, but it was barely perceptable in the finished product. So here's my ingredient list for the next batch (which probably won't be made for quite a while, but feel free to make it (Yo, Bond Girl! ) and let me know how it comes out). 3 lbs watermelon flesh 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup Corn Syrup (simmer above for a longer period of time) 1/8 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Passoa Passion Fruit liquor (sub in another liquor, like Chambord, or port) 1 Tbs Vanilla extract 3 cups Light cream ~~~ Anyone else have a recipe that needs troubleshooting?

OK, so is anyone joining us tonight? (It's worth the (very short) trip, folks.)

I don't know if she has, but we have. Now that's a buffet! They're not stingy with the lobster either.

I'll do that or go with the light cream. Just tasted it after a few hours hardening in the freezer. It got quite firm, probably due to the low overrun. I think 20 minutes in the fridge before serving will be necessary. It is a little icy, but no big ice crystals. I stored in pint & half pint containers, so I don't think there's too much danger of the melting/refreeze ice crystals forming.

How about one pan of bread pudding and another of banana?

Having issues with getting your home made ice cream to come out just right? Let's use this thread to troubleshoot recipes & techniques. I'm first up... I just made a very slightly adapted version Joyce White's recipe for Watermelon Ice Cream from her book, Brown Sugar : Soul Food Desserts from Family and Friends. Here's my ingredients & technique: 3 lbs watermelon flesh (I used mostly the sweetest part of the heart, seeds cleaned out) (she called for 6 finely diced, full cups of flesh, so I just diced into a container on my kitchen scale) 2 cups sugar 1/4 cup Passoa Passion Fruit liquor (she called for Raspberry Liquor or Port, but I couldn't find our Chambord) 1 Tbs Vanilla extract 3 cups heavy cream Puree & strain watermelon. Half of watermelon (3 cups) and sugar into saucepan to simmer for about 15 minutes (stirring occasionally, "don't boil" the recipe admonished). She said it would be a syrup, but it didn't reduce much or thicken too much. Remove from heat, add liquor & vanilla, then mix into remaining (raw) watermelon. Chill. Add cream and allow to sit in fridge over night to chill & allow flavors to meld or something. In the morning I froze in three batches in my Simac Il Gelataio 1600 (self-contained freezer unit, non-removeable bowl (only problem with this machine is cleaning)). I sprinkled in some dark chocolate shavings as I spooned into storage containers. Yum. Overall, this is a really tasty recipe. I had some qualms about the ratio of semi-water ingredient to cream (2:1), and the fact that the watermelon juice didn't get as syrupy as Ms. White described, but it seems to have worked out. It isn't icy or like a sorbet or sherbet. It is ice cream. In fact it is almost too creamy (is that possible?). Thus, my questions: 1) Bits of butter started to form in the finished product. Usually this is the result of not properly chilling the batter before freezing it. Since it stood in the fridge overnight, that isn't it. I usually don't use all heavy cream, but since 2/3 of the batter was watermelon juice, I thought I'd go for it. Do you think next time I should use light cream or half and half instead of the heavy cream? I'd like it to taste creamy while not being icy and not having a film of butterfat develop on the spoon as you eat it. 2) Amazingly the ice cream did not expand in volume much after churning. 2.5 quarts in, 3 quarts out. I did have the air vents open on the lid of the freezing chamber. Is a low overrun (I calculate mine at ~15%) typical of Gelato vs Ice Cream? I wouldn't think just using a Gelato maker (vs an Ice Cream maker) would make that much of a difference in a Philadelphia style ice cream.

I figure you're only coming for the weekend, you shouldn't have that much luggage. A garment bag and a small satchel should be enough.

OK then people. We are aiming for China 46 at 7 PM* Thursday night. (His plane is scheduled to land at 3:45, that leaves about 3 hours for him to get through customs (please don't check your bag, Andy) and for us to drive home. I know it's rush hour, but that should be more than enough time for us to get home and take a breath before leaving for dinner.) I'm not ordering ahead, but it shouldn't be more than $40 per person (really stretching it since I'm not planning on ordering the weird expensive stuff I did last time, unless someone really wants the Fish Casserole, and I think we should treat Andy being its his inaugural NJ meal), BYOB. * Someone who knows they will have access to eGullet for the entire late afternoon should PM me their phone number so I can let you all know if we're going to be late.

OK, now you've done it! Craving in motion. Someone better bring a huge tray of banana pudding to the pigfest!

Rosie, I know you prefer Hunan Cottage, but keep in mind we would have just slugged through rush hour traffic from JFK and its 45 minutes from our house, vs 15 for C46. Plus, Andy's never been there before and I promise not to order anything weird.