ScorchedPalate

Mm, I like the sound of it. I will try it with my bergamocello (which has a bit of charteuseness about it). ~A

I'm a huge fan of Thep Phanom in the Lower Haight. Their regular menu is the typical stuff, but they have a second menu of specialties (which apparently isn't on their website) that are much more interesting. They're a combination of authentic but lesser-known items, and a few modern thai dishes. I'm a big hor mok fan, Ludja. If you have a hard time finding it, it's not even that tricky to make, once you find the banana leaves. I made a batch for a thai potluck recently: I'm happy to share the recipe. :) If you really want home-style thai food, I have to put in a plug for Kasma Loha-unchit and her thai cooking classes in Oakland. ~A

Or carpaccio? Or steak tartare? Or sushi? ~A

Sort of... they're vegan with a number of raw items: Cahco Canyon website

If you can't find them locally, let me know and I will bring you a bag from SF. I love them so much... I just can't remember where I bought them the last time in Seattle. They used to come in a metal canister, and had I known they were phasing out that packaging, I would have held onto one to keep using it.

You might try calling these folks: Polish Business Assn of So Cal 6401 Warner Ave #228 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 714-841-7008

Can we talk prices here again, like we did last year? Having just sold our grill -- -- it's pure idle curiosity for me, but I'm guessing others will want to save a few bucks, if possible.

Nooooooo! Run away! I heartily second the recommendation for La Carta. I don't think El Puerco Lloron is all that, but it's not dreadful (which is more than I can say for Mama's).

I agree with everything Lauren said. :) We'll keep our eyes and our schedules open. ~A

Do you mean these?

From the FL site: >Jackets are required for both lunch and dinner service. >Ties are optional. No jeans, t-shirts, shorts, or tennis shoes please. That said, not going to FL just because of the jacket requirement seems awfully short-sighted. Trust me on this: It's worth borrowing a coat (or buying a cheap used one). I think MsRamsey's idea is a great one... go to your local vintage/used clothing place and buy something fabulous that you'd love to wear for fun. Nobody says it has to be Brooks Brothers pinstripes. Edited to add: One of the minor miracles of FL is that it never feels pretentious. Gracious, subdued, and joyous; never stuffy.

Ooh, when are we going? ROAD TRIP! ;)

Actually, vegetarian sushi is not an oxymoron, as the name comes from "rice" not "fish" as many people expect. Chinoise on Madison offers the following veggie sushi on their menu: - Kappa - Ume shiso - Oshinko (pickled radish) - Kampyo (squash) - Vegetable futomaki (big roll of tamago, sweet squash, pickled radish & yamagobo) I have also had them make me an asparagus roll, and a california roll without the nasty krab... they make an excellent version with sesame seeds on the outside. You would need to ask them to leave out the tobiko as well, if you wanted it to be strictly vegetarian. Also, if you're up for cooked-fish sushi, they make a nice shrimp tempura roll and a smoked-salmon roll. And there's always unagi (which I don't like). If you go when Jae is working at the bar, you could also ask him for other options. He's always got seasonal vegetables on the menu, and I am sure many of them would make for interesting maki options (pea vines and avocado, anyone?). Good luck with your search. Let us know what you find and what appeals to toddler tastebuds. ~A

One of the most astounding things about Salumi is that everyone who works there has been a total pleasure all the times I have been there. Armandino sometimes gets grumpy at a given person (usually with good reason, from the times I have seen the entire scenario play out) but he'll turn around and be sweet as pie to the next person he sees. I certainly can imagine if someone came in with a chip on their shoulder and a bad attitude, they might not be greeted with the full force of Italian warmth. The same can be said of certain online forums. ~A

I want to jump in and add that Cam and I have been back to Via Trib a few times since our initial postings. The pizzas have ranged from pretty good to downright amazing, and the service is always cordial. The "vesuvio" has become my menu favorite... the addition of a second thin crust and sauce on top solves the crust-to-toppings ratio issue for me quite nicely. I suppose that if someone forced me to choose, I would pick Lago's pizza over Via Trib's. But other than being thin-crust wood-fired pizzas, they're really very different pies; I like them both, most of the time. And Lago isn't open when we get done at the theater, which is when we usually go to Via Trib. ~A

Head down to Zig Zag Cafe on the Pike Place Hillclimb, and ask Murray, Ben, or Kacey to make you one. :) They might also have a lead on where to get maraschino retail, but almost certainly they get theirs from the downtown wholesale Liquor Store. ~A

I would love to try some. I'm entirely ashamed that I was born in Virginia and I have no idea what a proper country ham tastes like. ~A

Wendy: I've used Uli's french-style garlic sausage (I think he calls it Strasbourg) in cassoulet and been quite happy. No ideas on Bayonne ham, but I agree that proscuitto or culatello is a good substitute. While we're on the subject of finding ham... anyone know if there's a source for country (aka virgina/smithfield-style) ham in town? I've got a couple of recipes I've been itching to try, but I don't want to buy a whole ham mail-order. :) ~A

I remember noting it was cheaper at TJ's (when I was there last weekend) but they didn't have the honey flavor. ~A

So, next door to Crave, or across the street from Cafe Flora? ~A

Just-Right Minestrone Serves 4 as Soup. I made my minestrone tonight, combining two recipes: One from The Romagnoli's Table, that was too convoluted for weeknight use, and one from Cook's Illustrated that was simplified past the point of reason. Here's what I came up with. 1 large onion 2 medium carrots 2 stalks celery 2 T olive oil 2 oz salt pork 1 white potato, peeled 3 c spinach (or other hearty greens), cut into strips 1 can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped 8 c hot water 2 tsp salt 1 parmesan cheese rind (2 x 5") 1-1/2 c drained, rinsed garbanzo beans (canned or precooked) scant 1/2 cup small elbow macaroni Roughly chop 1/2 of the onion, 1 carrot, and 1 celery stalk; dice the salt pork. Put all 4 ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and process to a paste, scraping down as needed. Saute the paste in the olive oil over medium heat until golden. While the batutto is sauteeing, cut the remaining celery and carrot into 1/4-inch dice, along with the peeled potato. Once the batutto is golden, add the water, salt, and parmesan rind to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Add the diced vegetables to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Slice the remaining onion into slivers. Add this to the pot, along with the spinach, chopped tomatoes, and macaroni; simmer 15 minutes more. At the end of 15 minutes, or when all veggies are done, mash half of the garbanzo beans. Add the mashed beans and remaining whole beans to the pot, and cook an additional 5 to 15 minutes, to desired thickness. Remove from heat, adjust seasonings, and serve. ( RG1189 )

Just-Right Minestrone Serves 4 as Soup. I made my minestrone tonight, combining two recipes: One from The Romagnoli's Table, that was too convoluted for weeknight use, and one from Cook's Illustrated that was simplified past the point of reason. Here's what I came up with. 1 large onion 2 medium carrots 2 stalks celery 2 T olive oil 2 oz salt pork 1 white potato, peeled 3 c spinach (or other hearty greens), cut into strips 1 can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped 8 c hot water 2 tsp salt 1 parmesan cheese rind (2 x 5") 1-1/2 c drained, rinsed garbanzo beans (canned or precooked) scant 1/2 cup small elbow macaroni Roughly chop 1/2 of the onion, 1 carrot, and 1 celery stalk; dice the salt pork. Put all 4 ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and process to a paste, scraping down as needed. Saute the paste in the olive oil over medium heat until golden. While the batutto is sauteeing, cut the remaining celery and carrot into 1/4-inch dice, along with the peeled potato. Once the batutto is golden, add the water, salt, and parmesan rind to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Add the diced vegetables to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Slice the remaining onion into slivers. Add this to the pot, along with the spinach, chopped tomatoes, and macaroni; simmer 15 minutes more. At the end of 15 minutes, or when all veggies are done, mash half of the garbanzo beans. Add the mashed beans and remaining whole beans to the pot, and cook an additional 5 to 15 minutes, to desired thickness. Remove from heat, adjust seasonings, and serve. ( RG1189 )

ISBN is 0412126117 How odd... I wasn't able to find any copies on Alibris, Abebooks, or Bookfinder.com, and they've always come through for me in the past, even on totally obscure titles. You can set up a pre-order on Half.com, or a Book Fetch on alibris: http://www.alibris.com/bookfetch/home.cfm?...sults*bookfetch You might try contacting the publisher: International Thomson Publishing Ltd 168-173 High Holborn London WC1V 7AA Tel: 020 7497 1422 Fax: 020 7497 1426 Although I find it odd that a UK publisher would publish a book about North American ingredients, so perhaps that ISBN info isn't right...

I had to search far and wide for it here, to use as an ingredient in a warm salad in the Babbo cookbook that I got into my head to try. It's really an unforgettable flavor. If you have access to the book, it's on page 39: "Autumn Vegetables with goat ricotta and pumpkinseed oil". If not, the basic idea is that you roast small cubes of butternut squash and sage leaves, slices of jerusalem artichoke, and slices of parsnips with a light dusting of ground cumin. Then toss all of the vegetables in a bowl with a bit of julienned celery root, a julinenned and blanched leek, some spiky lettuce like mizuna or frissee, and dress with sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then you make crostini with goat ricotta for garnish, and place them on stacks of the dressed veggies. And then you drizzle the whole thing with pumpkinseed oil (and sage oil, if desired). A lot of work, but a really stunning appetizer. And a great use of the oil. :)

Tribunali has a sign now. It was on order... which I suspect might be what's going on a Brouwer's.